(a) The policy.
  (1) Approval. The procedures regarding rates, rating plans, rating rules, rating classifications, territories, and policy forms applicable to insurance written by the association and related statistics must comply with Insurance Code Chapter 2203, Subchapter E.
  (2) Duration of policies.
    (A) All policies issued by the association must be written for a term of one year or less, as determined by the association, to begin at 12:01 a.m. on their respective effective dates.
    (B) The association may not issue a policy with an effective date after a date set under Insurance Code Article 21.49-3, §11 for a plan of suspension to become effective and operative.
    (C) All policies must be written on forms approved by the department, and must contain a provision that requires, as a condition precedent to settlement or compromise of any claim, the consent or acquiescence of the insured. If, however, the insured refuses to consent to any settlement recommended in writing by the association and elects to contest or continue any legal proceedings, the liability of the association must not exceed the amount for which the claim could have been settled plus the cost and expenses incurred up to the date of the refusal.
  (3) Installment payment plan. The association may offer an installment plan for coverage obtained through the association or for payment of the stabilization reserve fund charge. The association may require the policyholder to pay the stabilization reserve fund charge as an annual lump sum.
  (4) Limits of liability.
    (A) No individual or organization may be insured by a policy issued, or caused to be issued, by the association for an amount exceeding a total of $1 million per occurrence (for all coverages combined) and $3 million aggregate per annum (for all coverages combined). As used in this paragraph, the terms "individual" and "organization" mean each physician, health care provider, health care practitioner, and health care facility holding a separate license or accreditation from the appropriate licensing or accrediting agency as applicable.
    (B) If provided, general liability limits must be the same as medical liability limits subject to the maximum policy limits specified in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.
  (5) Special provisions.
    (A) The association may issue policies with deductibles.
    (B) The association may issue policies subject to retrospective rating plans.
    (C) Policies of excess medical liability insurance and excess general liability insurance written by the association must:
      (i) be on a following form basis to the underlying medical liability insurance or underlying general liability insurance coverage over which it is written;
      (ii) be issued subject to review of the underlying coverage if review is deemed necessary by the association or its representatives;
      (iii) not be issued in those cases where the net retention at risk by the primary carrier is less than $100,000 per occurrence or less than $300,000 aggregate per annum after applying any applicable deductible;
      (iv) be issued only when the underlying insurance coverage is underwritten by a member of the association and the underlying insurance coverage does not have a deductible in excess of $25,000;
      (v) terminate automatically if the underlying primary medical liability insurance policy or underlying primary general liability insurance is not maintained for any reason, except exhaustion by payment of a loss or losses. If the aggregate underlying primary medical liability insurance or general liability insurance is exhausted by the payment of a loss or losses occurring during the policy period, the insurance provided by the excess policy must apply in the same manner as if the underlying primary insurance was in full force and effect;
      (vi) not be accepted for a hospital or other institutional health care provider or health care facility if the applicant does not provide evidence that all physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, or other health care providers or health care practitioners with staff privileges are insured for their individual medical liability with limits of liability of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate per annum; and
      (vii) not be accepted for physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, or other health care providers or health care practitioners who employ or contract with other physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, or other health care providers or health care practitioners if the applicant does not provide evidence that all employed physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, or other health care providers or health care practitioners who are eligible to obtain coverage from the association are insured for their individual medical liability with limits of liability of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate per annum.
    (D) No hospital or other institutional health care provider, health care facility or physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, or other health care providers or health care practitioners that have employed or contracted physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, or other health care providers or health care practitioners can be accepted for coverage in the association without evidence that all physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, or other health care providers, or health care practitioners with staff privileges or employed or contracted by the applicant are insured for their individual medical liability with limits of at least $100,000 per occurrence and $300,000 aggregate per annum.
    (E) For purposes of this section, the term "health care providers or health care practitioners" does not include personnel at or below the level of employed registered nurse. Insurance required for physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, dentists, pharmacists, chiropractors, health care practitioners, or other health care providers with hospital staff privileges or employed or contracted by the applicant must be limited to any one of the following entities:
      (i) an insurance company authorized and licensed to write and writing health care liability or medical liability insurance in Texas under Insurance Code Chapter 801;
      (ii) an insurance company eligible to write and writing health care liability or medical liability insurance in Texas as a surplus lines carrier under Insurance Code Chapter 981;
      (iii) the Texas Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Association, established under Insurance Code Chapter 2203;
      (iv) a self-insurance trust created to provide health care liability or medical liability insurance, established under Insurance Code Chapter 2212;
      (v) a risk retention group or purchasing group writing health care liability or medical liability insurance in Texas, registered under Insurance Code Chapter 2201;
      (vi) a plan of self-insurance of an institution of higher education that provides health care liability or medical liability coverage, established under Education Code Chapter 59; or
      (vii) a plan of self-insurance that meets each of the following criteria:
        (I) the plan's liabilities must be fully funded, and the plan must be solvent. The plan must have a minimum net worth equal to the lesser of $1 million or that amount of net worth that results in a capitalization ratio of 5%. As used in this subclause, "net worth" is calculated by determining the excess, if any, of the plan's total assets over the plan's total liabilities. As used in this subclause, "capitalization ratio" means the ratio of the plan's net worth (as the numerator) to the plan's total assets (as the denominator). Notwithstanding the preceding, the net worth requirements in this subclause do not apply to a plan that lawfully has taxing authority over a segment of the Texas public, provided that the taxing authority may be used to meet the plan's liabilities and other obligations;
        (II) the plan must annually obtain from a qualified actuary who is a member in good standing of the American Academy of Actuaries an actuarial analysis that reflects that its operations are viable. Notwithstanding the preceding, an actuarial opinion filed with the department under Insurance Code §802.002 may be accepted for purposes of this subsection;
        (III) financial statements of the plan must annually be audited by an independent certified public accountant who is a member in good standing of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The audits must use generally accepted auditing standards and must result in a report that attests to whether the financial statements comply with generally accepted accounting principles adopted by the AICPA. Notwithstanding the preceding, an audit report filed with the department under Insurance Code Chapter 401 may be accepted for purposes of this subsection; and
Cont'd...