Virginia Code Title 38.2. Insurance § 38.2-2801. Association activation; members; purpose; determinations by Commission; powers of association

A. The Commission shall activate a joint underwriting association if, after investigation, notice, and hearing, it finds that medical malpractice insurance cannot be made reasonably available in the voluntary market for a significant number of any class, type, or group of providers of health care. The association shall consist of all insurers licensed to write and engaged in writing liability insurance within this Commonwealth on a direct basis except those exempted from rate regulation by subsection C of § 38.2-1902. Each such insurer shall be a member of the association as a condition of its license to write liability insurance in this Commonwealth.

B. The purpose of the association shall be to provide a market for medical malpractice insurance on a self-supporting basis without subsidy from its members.

D. The Commission shall also determine after investigation and a hearing whether the association shall be the exclusive source of medical malpractice insurance for any class, type or group of providers of health care and the type of policy or policies that shall be issued to any class, type or group of providers of health care. If the Commission determines that a claims-made policy will be issued to any class, type or group of providers of health care, the Commission shall also provide for the guaranteed availability of insurance that covers claims that (i) result from incidents occurring during periods when the basic claims-made policies are in force, and (ii) are reported after the expiration of the basic claims-made policies. The Commission may from time to time after an investigation and hearing reexamine and reconsider any determination made pursuant to this subsection.

E. Pursuant to this chapter and the plan of operation required by § 38.2-2804, the association shall have the power on behalf of its members to: (i) issue, or cause to be issued, policies of medical malpractice insurance to applicants, including incidental coverages, subject to limits as specified in the plan of operation but not to exceed $2 million for each claimant under any one policy and $6 million for all claimants under one policy in any one year; (ii) underwrite the insurance and adjust and pay losses on the insurance; (iii) appoint a service company or companies to perform the functions enumerated in this subsection; (iv) assume reinsurance from its members; and (v) reinsure its risks in whole or in part.