[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 7, Volume 11] [Revised as of January 1, 2006] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 7CFR1788] [Page 1178-1182] TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE CHAPTER XVII--RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PART 1788_RUS FIDELITY AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRIC AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS BORROWERS Subpart A_Borrower Insurance Requirements Sec. 1788.1 General and definitions. 1788.2 General insurance requirements. 1788.3 Flood insurance. 1788.4 Disclosure of irregularities and illegal acts. 1788.5 RUS endorsement required. 1788.6 RUS right to place insurance. 1788.7-1788.10 [Reserved] Subpart B_Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Electric Borrowers 1788.11 Minimum insurance requirements for contractors, engineers, and architects. 1788.12 Contractors' bonds. Subpart C_Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Telecommunications Borrowers 1788.46 General. 1788.47 Policy requirements. 1788.48 Contract insurance requirements. 1788.49 Contractors' bond requirements. 1788.50 Acceptable sureties. 1788.51-1788.53 [Reserved] 1788.54 Compliance with contracts. 1788.55 Providing RUS evidence. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 901 et seq.; 7 U.S.C. 1921 et seq.; 7 U.S.C. 6941 et seq. Source: 64 FR 2, Jan. 4, 1999, unless otherwise noted. Subpart A_Borrower Insurance Requirements Sec. 1788.1 General and definitions. (a) The standard forms of documents covering loans made or guaranteed by the Rural Utilities Service contain provisions regarding insurance and fidelity coverage to be maintained by each borrower. This part implements those provisions by setting forth the requirements to be met by all borrowers. (b) As used in this part: Borrower means any entity with any outstanding loan made or guaranteed by RUS. Irregularity has the meaning found in Sec. 1773.2. Loan documents means the loan agreement, notes, and mortgage evidencing or used in conjunction with an RUS loan. Mortgage means the mortgage, deed of trust, security agreement, or other security document securing an RUS loan. Mortgaged property means any property subject to the lien of a mortgage. RUS means the Rural Utilities Service and includes the Rural Telephone Bank. RUS loan means a loan made or guaranteed by RUS. (c) RUS may revise these requirements on a case by case basis for borrowers with unusual circumstances. Sec. 1788.2 General insurance requirements. (a) Borrowers will take out, as the respective risks are incurred, and maintain the classes and amounts of insurance in conformance with generally accepted utility industry standards for such classes and amounts of coverage for utilities of the size and character of the borrower and consistent with Prudent Utility Practice. Prudent Utility Practice shall mean any of the practices, methods, and acts which, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, in light of the facts, including but not limited to, the practices, methods, and acts engaged in or approved by a significant portion of the electric utility industry in the case of an electric borrower or of the telecommunications industry in the case of a telecommunications borrowers prior thereto, known at the time the decision was made, would have been expected to accomplish the desired result consistent with cost-effectiveness, reliability, safety, and expedition. It is recognized that Prudent Utility Practice is not intended to be limited to optimum practice, method, or act to the exclusion of all others, but rather is a spectrum of possible practices, methods, or act which could have been expected to accomplish the desired result at the lowest reasonable cost consistent with cost-effectiveness, reliability, safety, and expedition. (b) The foregoing insurance coverage shall be obtained by means of bond and policy forms approved by regulatory [[Page 1179]] authorities having jurisdiction, and, with respect to insurance upon any part of the mortgaged property securing an RUS loan, shall provide that the insurance shall be payable to the mortgagees as their interests may appear by means of the standard mortgagee clause without contribution. Each policy or other contract for such insurance shall contain an agreement by the insurer that, notwithstanding any right of cancellation reserved to such insurer, such policy or contract shall continue in force for at least 30 days after written notice to each mortgagee of suspension, cancellation, or termination. (c) In the event of damage to or the destruction or loss of any portion of the mortgaged property which is used or useful in the borrower's business and which shall be covered by insurance, unless each mortgagee shall otherwise agree, the borrower shall replace or restore such damaged, destroyed, or lost portion so that such mortgaged property shall be in substantially the same condition as it was in prior to such damage, destruction, or loss and shall apply the proceeds of the insurance for that purpose. The borrower shall replace the lost portion of such mortgaged property or shall commence such restoration promptly after such damage, destruction, or loss shall have occurred and shall complete such replacement or restoration as expeditiously as practicable, and shall pay or cause to be paid out of the proceeds of such insurance form all costs and expenses in connection therewith. (d) Sums recovered under any policy or fidelity bond by the borrower for a loss of funds advanced under a note secured by a mortgage or recovered by any mortgagee or holder of any note secured by the mortgage for any loss under such policy or bond shall, unless applied as provided in the preceding paragraph, be used as directed by the borrower's mortgage. (e) Borrowers shall furnish evidence annually that the required insurance and fidelity coverage has been in force for the entire year, and that the borrower has taken all steps currently necessary and will continue to take all steps necessary to ensure that the coverage will remain in force until all loans made or guaranteed by RUS are paid in full. Such evidence shall be in a form satisfactory to RUS. Generally a certification included as part of the RUS Financial and Statistical Report filed by the borrower annually (RUS Form 7 or Form 12 for electric borrowers, RUS Form 479 for telecommunications borrowers, or the successors to these forms) is sufficient evidence of this coverage. Sec. 1788.3 Flood insurance. (a) Borrowers shall purchase and maintain flood insurance for buildings in flood hazard areas to the extent available and required under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended (42 U.S.C. 4001, et seq.) The insurance should cover, in addition to the building, any machinery, equipment, fixtures, and furnishings contained in the building. (b) The National Flood Insurance Program (see 44 CFR Part 59 et seq.) provides for a standard flood insurance policy; however, other existing insurance policies which provide flood coverage may be used where flood insurance is available in lieu of the standard flood insurance policy. Such policies must be endorsed to provide: (1) That the insurer give 30 days written notice of cancellation or nonrenewal to the insured with respect to the flood insurance coverage. To be effective, such notice must be mailed to both the insured and RUS and other mortgagees if any and must include information as to the availability of flood insurance coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program, and (2) That the flood insurance coverage is at least as broad as the coverage offered by the Standard Flood Insurance Policy. Sec. 1788.4 Disclosure of irregularities and illegal acts. (a) Borrowers must immediately report, in writing, all irregularities and all indications or instances of illegal acts in its operations, whether material or not, to RUS and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). See 7 CFR 1773.9(c)(3) for OIG addresses. The reporting requirements for borrowers are the same as those for CPA's set forth in Sec. 1773.9 [[Page 1180]] (b) Borrowers are required to make full disclosure to the bonding company of the dishonest or fraudulent acts. Sec. 1788.5 RUS endorsement required. In the case of a cooperative or mutual organization, RUS requires that the following: Endorsement Waiving Immunity From Tort Liability'' be included as a part of each public liability, owned, non-owned, hired automobile, and aircraft liability, employers' liability policy, and boiler policy: The Insurer agrees with the Rural Utilities Service that such insurance as is afforded by the policy applies subject to the following provisions: 1. The Insurer agrees that it will not use, either in the adjustment of claims or in the defense of suits against the Insured, the immunity of the Insured from tort liability, unless requested by the Insured to interpose such defense. 2. The Insured agrees that the waiver of the defense of immunity shall not subject the Insurer to liability of any portion of a claim, verdict or judgment in excess of the limits of liability stated in the policy. 3. The Insurer agrees that if the Insured is relieved of liability because of its immunity, either by interposition of such defense at the request of the Insured or by voluntary action of a court, the insurance applicable to the injuries on which such suit is based, to the extent to which it would otherwise have been available to the Insured, shall apply to officers and employees of the Insured in their capacity as such; provided that all defenses other than immunity from tort liability which would be available to the Insurer but for said immunity in suits against the Insured or against the Insurer under the policy shall be available to the Insurer with respect to such officers and employees in suits against such officers and employees or against the Insurer under the policy. Sec. 1788.6 RUS right to place insurance. If a borrower fails to purchase or maintain the required insurance and fidelity coverage, the mortgagees may place required insurance and fidelity coverage on behalf and in the name of the borrower. The borrower shall pay the cost of this coverage, as provided in the loan documents. Sec. Sec. 1788.7-1788.10 [Reserved] Subpart B_Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Electric Borrowers Sec. 1788.11 Minimum insurance requirements for contractors, engineers, and architects. (a) Each electric borrower shall include the provisions in this paragraph in its agreements with contractors, engineers, and architects, said agreements that are wholly or partially financed by RUS loans or guarantees. The borrower should replace ``Contractor'' with ``Engineer'' or ``Architect'' as appropriate. 1. The Contractor shall take out and maintain throughout the period of this Agreement insurance of the following minimum types and amounts: a. Worker's compensation and employer's liability insurance, as required by law, covering all their employees who perform any of the obligations of the contractor, engineer, and architect under the contract. If any employer or employee is not subject to workers' compensation laws of the governing State, then insurance shall be obtained voluntarily to extend to the employer and employee coverage to the same extent as though the employer or employee were subject to the workers' compensation laws. b. Public liability insurance covering all operations under the contract shall have limits for bodily injury or death of not less than $1 million each occurrence, limits for property damage of not less than $1 million each occurrence, and $1 million aggregate for accidents during the policy period. A single limit of $1 million of bodily injury and property damage is acceptable. This required insurance may be in a policy or policies of insurance, primary and excess including the umbrella or catastrophe form. c. Automobile liability insurance on all motor vehicles used in connection with the contract, whether owned, non-owned, or hired, shall have limits for bodily injury or death of not less than $1 million per person and $1 million each occurrence, and property damage limits of $1 million for each occurrence. This required insurance may be in a policy or policies of insurance, primary and excess including the umbrella or catastrophe form. 2. The Owner shall have the right at any time to require public liability insurance and property damage liability insurance greater than those required in paragraphs (a)(1)(b) and (a)(1)(c) of this section. In any [[Page 1181]] such event, the additional premium or premiums payable solely as the result of such additional insurance shall be added to the Contract price. 3. The Owner shall be named as Additional Insured on all policies of insurance required in (a)(1)(b) and (a)(1)(c) of this section. 4. The policies of insurance shall be in such form and issued by such insurer as shall be satisfactory to the Owner. The Contractor shall furnish the Owner a certificate evidencing compliance with the foregoing requirements that shall provide not less than 30 days prior written notice to the Owner of any cancellation or material change in the insurance. (b) Electric borrowers shall also ensure that all architects and engineers working under contract with the borrower have insurance coverage for Errors and Omissions (Professional Liability Insurance) in an amount at least as large as the amount of the architectural or engineering services contract but not less than $500,000. (c) The borrower may increase the limits of insurance if desired. (d) The minimum requirement of $1 million of public liability insurance does not apply to contractors performing maintenance work, janitorial-type services, meter reading services, rights-of-way mowing, and jobs of a similar nature. However, borrowers shall ensure that the contractor performing the work has public liability coverage at a level determined to be appropriate by the borrower. (e) If requested by RUS, the borrower shall provide RUS with a certificate from the contractor, engineer, or architect evidencing compliance with the requirements of this section. Sec. 1788.12 Contractors' bonds. Electric borrowers shall require contractors to obtain contractors' bonds when required by part 1726, Electric System Construction Policies and Procedures, of this chapter. Surety companies providing contractors' bonds shall be listed as acceptable sureties in the U.S. Department of Treasury Circular No. 570. The circular is maintained through periodic publication in the Federal Register and is available on the Internet under ftp://ftp.fedworld.gov/pub/tel/sureties.txt, and on the Department of the Treasury's computer bulletin board at 202-874-6817. Subpart C_Insurance for Contractors, Engineers, and Architects, Telecommunications Borrowers Sec. 1788.46 General. This subpart sets forth RUS policies for minimum insurance requirements for contractors, engineers, and architects performing work under contracts which are wholly or partially financed by RUS loans or guarantees with telecommunications borrowers. Sec. 1788.47 Policy requirements. (a) Contractors, engineers, and architects performing work for borrowers under construction, engineering, and architectural service contracts shall obtain insurance coverage, as required in Sec. 1788.48, and maintain it in effect until work under the contracts is completed. (b) Contractors entering into construction contracts with borrowers shall furnish a contractors' bond, except as provided for in Sec. 1788.49, covering all of the contractors' undertaking under the contract. (c) Borrowers shall make sure that their contractors, engineers, and architects comply with the insurance and bond requirements of their contracts. Sec. 1788.48 Contract insurance requirements. Contracts entered into between borrowers and contractors, engineers, and architects shall provide that they take out and maintain throughout the contract period insurance of the following types and minimum amounts: (a) Workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance, as required by law, covering all their employees who perform any of the obligations of the contractor, engineer, and architect under the contract. If any employer or employee is not subject to the workers' compensation laws of the governing state, then insurance shall be obtained voluntarily to extend to the employer [[Page 1182]] and employee coverage to the same extent as though the employer or employee were subject to the workers' compensation laws. (b) Public liability insurance covering all operations under the contract shall have limits for bodily injury or death of not less than $1 million each occurrence, limits for property damage of not less than $1 million each occurrence, and $1 million aggregate for accidents during the policy period. A single limit of $1 million of bodily injury and property damage is acceptable. This required insurance may be in a policy or policies of insurance, primary and excess including the umbrella or catastrophe form. (c) Automobile liability insurance on all motor vehicles used in connection with the contract, whether owned, non-owned, or hired, shall have limits for bodily injury or death of not less than $1 million per person and $1 million per occurrence, and property damage limits of $1 million for each occurrence. This required insurance may be in a policy or policies of insurance, primary and excess including the umbrella or catastrophe form. (d) When a borrower contracts for the installation of major equipment by other than the supplier or for the moving of major equipment from one location to another, the contractor shall furnish the borrower with an installation floater policy. The policy shall cover all risks of damage to the equipment until completion of the installation contract. Sec. 1788.49 Contractors' bond requirements. Construction contracts in amounts in excess of $250,000 for facilities shall require contractors to secure a contractors' bond, on a form approved by RUS, attached to the contract in a penal sum of not less than the contract price, which is the sum of all labor and materials including owner-furnished materials installed in the project. RUS Form 168b is for use when the contract exceeds $250,000. RUS Form 168c is for use when the contractor's surety has accepted a Small Business Administration guarantee and the contract is for $1,000,000 or less. For minor construction contracts under which work will be done in sections and no section will exceed a total cost of $250,000, the borrower may waive the requirement for a contractors' bond. Sec. 1788.50 Acceptable sureties. Surety companies providing contractors' bonds shall be listed as acceptable sureties in the U.S. Department of Treasury Circular No. 570. The circular is maintained through periodic publication in the Federal Register and is available on the Internet under ftp://ftp.fedworld.gov/ pub/tel/sureties.txt, and on the Department of the Treasury's computer bulletin board at 202-874-6817. Sec. Sec. 1788.51-1788.53 [Reserved] Sec. 1788.54 Compliance with contracts. It is the responsibility of the borrower to determine, before the commencement of work, that the engineer, architect, and the contractor have insurance that complies with their contract requirements. Sec. 1788.55 Providing RUS evidence. When RUS shall specifically so direct, the borrower shall also require the engineer, the architect, and the contractor, to forward to RUS evidence of compliance with their contract representative of the insurance company and include a provision that no change in or cancellation of any policy listed in the certificate will be made without the prior written notice to the borrower and to RUS.