HRS §386A-1 Definitions
386A-1. Definitions
As used in this chapter:
"Board" means the fund's board of
directors.
"Fund" means the Hawaii state
compensation mutual insurance fund.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11; am L 1989, c
277, §2]
HAWAII STATE COMPENSATION MUTUAL INSURANCE FUND
HRS div. 1, tit. 21, ch. 386A
in effectHRS §386A-2 Fund's establishment
386A-2. Fund's establishment
(a) There is established a workers' compensation state insurance fund to be known as the "Hawaii state compensation mutual insurance fund".
(b) The fund shall not be an agency of the
State. The fund shall be a nonprofit independent mutual insurance corporation
under the control of a board of directors. The fund shall pay taxes and
license fees like other insurance carriers.
(c) The fund's assets shall consist of real
and personal property and shall include all premiums and other money paid to
the fund, and all property and other income acquired, earned, or otherwise
gained by the use of premiums and other money paid to the fund, by deposits,
investments, exchanges, and other transactions. The fund's assets shall be the
sole property of the fund and shall be used exclusively by the fund for the
operation and obligations of the fund.
(d) Except for a state loan at its inception,
the fund shall be self-supporting. The fund shall repay the State for the loan
with interest within ten years.
(e) The fund's principal office shall be in
Honolulu, Hawaii. The board may establish branch offices in other locations.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11; am L 1989, c 277, §3]
HRS §386A-3 Fund's purpose
386A-3. Fund's purpose
The fund's purpose is to sell workers' compensation insurance at the lowest actuarially responsible price as determined by the fund's board. The fund shall commence operation upon appointment and qualification of the initial five members of the fund's board, but the workers' compensation insurance sold initially by the fund shall provide insurance coverage for work injuries occurring from a date to be established by the board and not more than one year from the date of the appointment and qualification.
The fund may serve as a model for the workers'
compensation insurance industry to determine minimum insurance premium rates.
It shall be competitive with other private workers' compensation insurance
carriers.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11; am L 1989, c 277, §4]
HRS §386A-4 Number, appointment, term
386A-4. Number, appointment, term
(a) The board shall be composed of five directors, whose term of office shall be five years, and each director shall hold office until the appointment and qualification of the director's successor.
(b) The terms of the first five directors, who
shall be appointed by the governor, upon the fund becoming operational as
provided in section 386A-12, shall expire as follows:
(1) One for one year;
(2) One for two years;
(3) One for three years;
(4) One for four years; and
(5) One for five years.
Thereafter, each director shall be appointed for a
term of five years.
Upon the payment in full of the loan from the
State and all interest thereon, the unexpired terms of the appointed directors
shall expire, and the fund's policyholders shall be entitled to elect all of
the directors. Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, the selection
and composition of the board of directors as provided in this section shall be
deemed adequate to qualify the fund as a mutual insurer under chapter 431.
(c) A vacancy on the board shall be filled by
appointment of the governor in the case of vacancies in positions formerly
occupied by the governor's appointee, or by election by the fund's
policyholders in the case of positions formerly occupied by a director elected
by the fund's policyholders. The person appointed to fill a vacancy shall
serve for the remainder of the term of the person's predecessor.
(d) Each director shall receive necessary
travelling and board expenses incurred in the performance of duty as a director
and a fee of $100 for each day of actual attendance at board meetings, but not
to exceed $500 a month.
(e) Within one year after appointment, each
director shall be a policyholder or an employee of a policyholder of the fund
and shall continue in such status during the director's term of office.
No person who has any interest as a
stockholder, employee, attorney, or contractor of a competing insurance carrier
shall be a director.
(f) The board shall determine the content and
sale of workers' compensation insurance policies.
(g) The board shall discharge its duties:
(1) In accordance with the fund's purpose;
(2) With the care, skill, prudence, and diligence
under the circumstances that a prudent director, acting in a like capacity and
familiar with such matters would use in conducting a similar enterprise and
purpose;
(3) By diversifying the fund's investments to
minimize the risk of losses, unless it is prudent not to do so;
(4) In accordance with governing legal documents;
(5) By having an annual audit of the fund by an
independent certified public accountant and by making copies of such audit
available to the governor and the state legislature;
(6) By securing fidelity bonds for the directors and
in its discretion for other agents dealing with the fund's assets at the fund's
expense;
(7) By purchasing liability insurance for errors and
omissions for the board, each director, and any other fiduciary employed or
contracted by the fund to cover liability or losses caused by the act or
omission of a fiduciary;
(8) By maintaining proper books of accounts and
records of the fund's administration;
(9) By carrying out the reporting and disclosure
requirements required by law; and
(10) By determining an actuarially responsible
schedule of premium rates with consideration of the fund's investment income or
refunds, or both, to policyholders.
(h) Except as otherwise provided by law, the
fund may:
(1) Transact workers' compensation insurance policies
required or authorized by state law to the same extent as any other insurer.
(A) The fund may insure Hawaii employers
against their liability for compensation or damages for injury or death under
the United States Longshoremen's and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act or other
federal or maritime laws like any other private insurer;
(B) The fund may insure an out-of-state
employer against its liability for damages under the State's law for bodily
injury or death occurring within the State of Hawaii if the fund also sold
workers' compensation insurance to the employer as an in-state employer.
(2) Allocate fiduciary responsibilities among the
directors and designate other persons to carry out fiduciary responsibilities.
(3) Collect, receive, hold, and disburse all money
payable to or by the fund.
(4) Deposit the fund's money in banks or depositories
selected by the board. Withdrawals from such banks or depositories shall be
made or authorized only upon the signatures of at least two persons approved by
the board.
(5) Pay money from the fund to effectuate the fund's
purpose and administration, including costs incurred to establish the fund.
(6) Employ persons to administer the fund, including,
but not limited to, legal counsel, accountants, insurance consultants, administrators,
actuaries, investment managers, adjustors, and any other expert and clerical
employees and pay compensation and expenses in connection therewith, without
the restrictions or requirements affecting public officers and employees under
title 7.
(7) By August 1, 1986, appoint an administrator,
establish an administration office, and secure real and personal property to
maintain such office to administer the fund.
(8) Provide for the fund's administration, jointly,
with other similar funds or similar purposes, to reduce expenses of
administration.
(9) Select the department of budget and finance or
other organization to serve as custodial trustee to collect, receive, hold, or
disburse money payable to or by the fund.
(10) Invest the fund's principal and income without
distinction between principal and income and keep the fund's assets invested in
real or personal property or other securities. The board may retain cash
temporarily awaiting investment or to meet contemplated payments without liability
for interest thereon.
The board may manage the fund's assets,
except to the extent that such authority to manage the fund's assets is
delegated to other qualified investment managers.
The board may appoint investment
managers to manage, acquire, or dispose of any of the fund's assets. An
investment manager may be designated as an "investment agent".
An investment manager is any fiduciary,
who has been designated by the board to manage, acquire, or dispose of the
fund's assets, a bank as defined by law, or an insurance company qualified to
perform services under laws of more than one state. Such investment manager
shall acknowledge in writing that it is a fiduciary under the fund.
The board may, but not by way of
limitation:
(A) Sell the fund's securities. No purchaser
of the fund's securities is bound to see to the application of the purchase
money or inquire as to the validity of such sale.
(B) Vote in behalf of any stocks, bonds, or
securities of any corporation or issuer held in the fund or request any action
to such corporation or issuer. The board may give general or special proxies
or powers of attorney with or without powers of substitution.
(C) Participate in reorganizations,
recapitalizations, consolidations, mergers, and similar transactions for
stocks, bonds, or other securities of any corporation which are held in the
fund and may accept and retain any property received thereunder for the fund.
The board may exercise any subscription rights and conversion privileges for the
fund's stocks or securities.
(D) Compromise, compound, and settle any debt
or obligation due to or from the fund. The board may reduce the amount of
principal and interest, damages, and costs of collection in settling such
debts.
(E) Cause securities held by it to be
registered in its own name or in the name of a nominee without indicating that
such securities are held in the fiduciary capacity and to hold any securities
in bearer form. The fund's records, however, shall show that such investments
are part of the fund.
(F) In order to expedite the purchase and sale
of securities, the board may delegate their investment powers to investment
managers of the fund. The purchase or sale of any securities by such managers
shall be in the name selected by the board. The authority of such managers to
purchase or sell such securities for the fund shall be evidenced by written
authority executed by the fund's administrator. The board shall require such
managers to keep them currently informed as to the nature and amount of the
investments made for the fund by them. The board may enter into appropriate
agreements with such managers setting forth their investment powers and
limitations. The board may terminate the services of such managers. Such
managers shall be subject to the board's instructions.
(11) Borrow money from any source and secure repayment
thereof by pledging any of the fund's assets.
(12) Buy, sell, exchange, lease, convey, and otherwise
acquire or dispose of any real or personal property under proper terms and sign
and deliver any necessary instrument of conveyances or transfer, or both, in
connection therewith.
(13) Enter into any agreement to carry out this
chapter and to administer the fund.
(14) Pay taxes or assessments assessed against the
fund.
(15) Require any employer or policyholder or any
employee to furnish the board with such information necessary for the fund's
administration.
(16) Delegate its authority to the administrator or
any authorized representative to maintain any legal proceedings necessary to
protect the fund or the directors or to secure payment due to the fund. In
connection therewith the board or the administrator or their representative may
compromise, settle, or release claims on behalf of or against the fund or the
board.
(17) Promote safety programs to employer clients,
including, but not limited to, the following activities:
(A) Analysis of reports of industrial
accidents of employer clients to help determine the cause of these accidents;
(B) Conduct of studies for the purpose of risk
and hazard identification and assessment by safety and medical professionals;
(C) Conduct of educational programs designed
to prevent frequently recurring industrial accidents; and
(D) Inspection of work sites and investigation
of unsafe working conditions to promote job safety and elimination of hazards.
(18) Provide the terms and conditions of an insurance
policy.
(19) Provide that any written instrument be executed
for the fund by the administrator or the administrator's agent.
(20) Pay for reasonable expenses to educate the
directors and fund personnel, including but not limited to travelling, room and
board, and tuition expenses.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11; am L 1989, c 277, §§5,
6]
HRS §386A-5 Board meetings
386A-5. Board meetings
(a) The board's quorum to transact business shall consist of at least three directors. Unless a quorum is present, no business shall be transacted.
(b) Each director shall have one vote. All
board actions and decisions shall be by majority vote.
(c) Directors shall determine the time and
place of the board's regular meetings. The fund's administrator shall notify
directors of the time and place of meetings.
(d) Special meetings may be held at the call
of the chairperson or any two directors upon giving at least seven days'
written notice to all other directors. Unless otherwise specified in the call
and notice, meetings shall be held at the fund's principal office.
(e) Directors shall elect a chairperson,
secretary, and treasurer and other officers as it decides.
(f) Directors may also exercise their powers
by written assent of all directors.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11]
HRS §386A-6 Limitation of liability of directors
386A-6. Limitation of liability of directors
If an investment manager has been appointed under this chapter, no director shall be liable for the acts or omissions of such investment manager or be under an obligation to invest or otherwise manage any assets of the fund, which are subject to management by the investment manager.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11]
HRS §386A-7 Liability and rights of parties and third persons
386A-7. Liability and rights of parties and third persons
(a) Neither the State nor any policyholder nor any director or employee of the fund shall be liable to make any payments to the fund or pay any expenses of the fund, except as provided under this chapter.
No policyholder shall have any right to the
return of any money paid to the fund, except as determined by the directors or
by law.
(b) The board may refund premiums to
policyholders; provided that such refunds do not jeopardize the fund's
actuarial responsibility.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11]
HRS §386A-8 Termination and merger
386A-8. Termination and merger
(a) The fund may be terminated only by law.
(b) Any assets remaining in the fund after the
termination of the fund and any assets acquired or disbursed as a result of
merger, consolidation, amalgamation, affiliation, exchange of credits, or
otherwise, shall be used by the board solely for the purposes under this
chapter and for administrative expenses incident thereto.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of
§11]
HRS §386A-9 Governing law
386A-9. Governing law
The interpretation of this chapter shall be governed by the laws of Hawaii.
L
1985, c 296, pt of §11
HRS §386A-10 Administrator's appointment and duties
386A-10. Administrator's appointment and duties
The board shall appoint and may remove the fund's administrator and fix the administrator's salary. The administrator shall manage and conduct the fund's business affairs under the board's direction and policies. The administrator shall perform other duties prescribed by the board.
[L 1985, c 296, pt of §11]
HRS §386A-11 Exemptions
386A-11. Exemptions
The fund shall be exempt from the application of title 7, title 8, and title 9, in conducting the fund's business.
L 1985, c 296, pt of §11
HRS §386A-12 State fund operational
386A-12. State fund operational
The Hawaii state compensation mutual insurance fund shall become operational upon funding by special appropriation by the legislature.
L 1985, c 296, pt of §11;
am L 1989, c 277, §7
HRS §386A-13 Insurance code applicable
386A-13. Insurance code applicable
The Hawaii state compensation mutual insurance fund shall be subject to the provisions of chapter 431 to the same extent and degree as any domestic provider of workers' compensation insurance within the State. Any statutory provisions which conflict with the provisions of this chapter, as amended, shall be resolved in terms of the language of this chapter.
[L 1989, c 277, §8]
Source: Hawaii State Legislature (capitol.hawaii.gov), via Internet Archive capturesURL: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol07_Ch0346-0398/HRS0386A/HRS_0386A-.htmFetched: 11/10/2026