Small insurer
(z) Small insurer means an insurer (or an affiliated group of insurers in the case of affiliates within the meaning of paragraph (c) of this section) whose policyholder surplus for the immediately preceding year (as reported on its Annual Statement for state regulatory purposes at Page 3, Line 37, Column 1, or as calculated in similar fashion by participating insurers that do not file an Annual Statement) is less than five times the Program Trigger amount for the current year and whose direct earned premium for the preceding year is also less than five times the Program Trigger amount for the current year. An insurer that has not had a full year of operations during the immediately preceding calendar year is a small insurer if its policyholder surplus in the current year is less than five times the Program Trigger amount for the current year. A captive insurer is not a small insurer, regardless of the size of its policyholder surplus or direct earned premium.