Insurance Code (usually included in commercial codals)
Section 187. No insurance company shall transact any insurance business in the Philippines until after it shall have obtained a certificate of authority for that purpose from the Commissioner upon application therefor and payment by the company concerned of the fees hereinafter prescribed.
The Commissioner may refuse to issue a certificate of authority to any insurance company if, in his judgment, such refusal will best promote the interest of the people of this country. No such certificate of authority shall be granted to any such company until the Commissioner shall have satisfied himself by such examination as he may make and such evidence as he may require that such company is qualified by the laws of the Philippines to transact business therein, that the grant of such authority appears to be justified in the light of economic requirements, and that the direction and administration, as well as the integrity and responsibility of the organizers and administrators, the financial organization and the amount of capital, notwithstanding the provisions of section one hundred eighty-eight, reasonably assure the safety of the interests of the policyholders and the public.
In order to maintain the quality of the management of the insurance companies and afford better protection to policyholders and the public in general, any person of good moral character, unquestioned integrity and recognized competence may be elected or appointed director or officer of insurance companies. The Commissioner shall prescribe the qualifications of the executive officers and other key officials of insurance companies for purposes of this section.
No person shall concurrently be a director and/or officer of an insurance company and an adjustment company.
Incumbent directors and/or officers affected by the above provisions are hereby allowed to hold on to their positions until the end of their terms or two years from the effectivity of this decree, whichever is shorter.
Before issuing such certificate of authority, the Commissioner must be satisfied that the name of the company is not that of any other known company transacting a similar business in the Philippines, or a name so similar as to be calculated to mislead the public.
Such certificate of authority shall expire on the last day of June of each year and shall be renewed annually if the company is continuing to comply with the provisions of this Code or the circulars, instructions, rulings or decisions of the Commissioner. Every company receiving any such certificates of authority shall be subject to the provisions of this Code and other related laws and to the jurisdiction and supervision of the Commissioner.
No insurance company may be authorized to transact in the Philippines the business of life and non-life insurance concurrently unless specifically authorized to do so; Provided, That the terms "life" and "non-life" insurance shall be deemed to include health, accident and disability insurance.
No insurance company shall have equity in an adjustment company and neither shall an adjustment company have an equity in an insurance company.
Insurance companies and adjustment companies presently affected by the above provision shall have two years from the effectivity of this Decree within which to divest of their stockholdings. (As amended by Presidential Decree No. 1455).