South Carolina General Assembly
109th Session, 1991-1992

Bill 679


Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter


                    Current Status

Introducing Body:               Senate
Bill Number:                    679
Primary Sponsor:                Saleeby
Type of Legislation:            JR
Subject:                        Insurance, index file and use
                                rating methodology
Companion Bill Number:          3551
Computer Document Number:       NO5/7249.BD
Introduced Date:                Feb 19, 1991
Last History Body:              Senate
Last History Date:              Feb 26, 1991
Last History Type:              Committee Report:   majority
                                                         favorable, minority unfavorable
Scope of Legislation:           Statewide
All Sponsors:                   Saleeby
                                Land
                                McConnell
                                Mullinax
                                Pope
Type of Legislation:            Joint Resolution



History


 Bill  Body    Date          Action Description              CMN
 ----  ------  ------------  ------------------------------  ---
 679   Senate  Feb 26, 1991  Committee Report: majority      02
                             favorable, minority
                             unfavorable
 679   Senate  Feb 19, 1991  Introduced, read first time,    02
                             referred to Committee

View additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.


(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

COMMITTEE REPORT

February 26, 1991

S. 679

Introduced by SENATORS Saleeby, Land, McConnell, Mullinax and Pope

S. Printed 2/26/91--S.

Read the first time February 19, 1991.

THE COMMITTEE ON BANKING AND INSURANCE

To whom was referred a Joint Resolution (S. 679), to provide for insurers of private passenger automobile insurance and individual members of rating organizations, etc., respectfully

REPORT:

That they have duly and carefully considered the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

Majority favorable. Minority unfavorable.

JOHN A. MARTIN HARVEY PEELER

For Majority. THEO W. MITCEHLL

THOMAS L. MOORE

For Minority.

A JOINT RESOLUTION

TO PROVIDE FOR INSURERS OF PRIVATE PASSENGER AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE AND INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF RATING ORGANIZATIONS TO ELECT TO FILE PRIVATE PASSENGER AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE RATES OR PREMIUM CHARGES UNDER THE "INDEX FILE AND USE" RATING METHODOLOGY.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. (A) For three years after the effective date of this resolution insurers of private passenger automobile insurance and individual members of rating organizations may elect to file private passenger automobile insurance rates or premium charges under the "Index File and Use" rating methodology described in this resolution.

(B) At least sixty days before their effective dates insurers of private passenger automobile insurance shall file with the Chief Insurance Commissioner and the Consumer Advocate proposed rates or premium charges and certify under oath that the average of the overall change in the proposed rates or premium charges for all classes, all territories, and all coverages is equal to or less than the average annual change, for the previous twelve-months, of the Consumer Price Index Medical Care published by the United States Department of Labor, Monthly Labor Review Gross Weekly Earnings published by the United States Department of Labor, and Producer Price Index Motor Vehicles and Equipment published by the United States Department of Labor. Included in each filing also must be exhibits showing what each change would be using the same twelve-months Consumer Price Index published by the United States Department of Labor. In addition, for each filing under this section, the insurer shall file the rate report, with investment income and expense exhibits, set forth in Section 38-73-465 of the 1976 Code.

(C) Filings meeting the requirements of this section are considered approved after being on file at the Department of Insurance for sixty days. However, insurers of private passenger automobile insurance may elect only to file under the "Index File and Use" rating methodology one time during a consecutive six-month period, and the medical, labor, and motor vehicles and equipment index in subsection (B) must be annualized appropriately.

(D) If the commissioner finds that the filed proposed rates do not meet the requirements of this section he may hold an expedited hearing on the matter that need not meet the requirements of Chapter 23, Title 1, the Administrative Procedures Act. As a result of this hearing, the commissioner may order the return of the filings to insurers for failing to meet the requirements of this section.

(E) If the commissioner finds that the rates considered approved produce excess profits described in Section 38-73-1100, he shall hold a hearing on the matter in accordance with Section 38-73-1020. As a result of this hearing, the commissioner may order a reduction in the rates previously considered approved and order rebates as prescribed in Section 38-73-465 of the 1976 Code. However, the amount of rates subject to rebate must be no more than the difference between the filed rates as approved and what they would have been using only the Consumer Price Index referenced in this section.

SECTION 2. This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

-----XX-----