(a) In determining the amount of a carrier's required security deposit, the Office will consider the extent to which a State guaranty fund secures the insurance carrier's LHWCA obligations in that State. When evaluating State guaranty funds, the Office may consider a number of factors including, but not limited to—

(1) Limits on weekly benefit amounts;

(2) Limits on aggregate maximum benefit amounts;

(3) Time limits on coverage;

(4) Ocean marine exclusions;

(5) Employer size and viability provisions; and

(6) Financial strength of the State guaranty fund itself.

(b) OWCP will identify States without guaranty funds and States with guaranty funds that do not fully and immediately secure LHWCA obligations and will post its findings on the Internet at http://www.dol.gov/owcp/dlhwc. These findings will indicate the extent of any partial or total gap in coverage provided by a State guaranty fund, and they will be open for inspection and comment by all interested parties. If the extent of coverage a particular State guaranty fund provides either cannot be determined or is ambiguous, OWCP will deem one third (331⁄3 percent) of a carrier's LHWCA obligations in that State to be unsecured. OWCP will revise its findings from time to time, in response to substantiated public comments it receives or for any other reasons it considers relevant.

[70 FR 43234, July 26, 2005, as amended at 77 FR 37286, June 21, 2012]