Current Status Bill Number:1097 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:Senate Introduced Date:19960206 Primary Sponsor:Lander All Sponsors:Lander, Alexander and Land Drafted Document Number:bbm\10546jm.96 Companion Bill Number:4544 Residing Body:Senate Current Committee:Banking and Insurance Committee 02 SBI Subject:Insurance records, reproduction of
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved ______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________ Senate 19960206 Introduced, read first time, 02 SBI referred to CommitteeView additional legislative information at the LPITS web site.
TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-5-190 SO AS TO AUTHORIZE CERTAIN INSURANCE OR INSURANCE-RELATED ENTITIES, ORGANIZATIONS, OR AGENCIES TO CAUSE RECORDS RELATING TO POLICY APPLICATIONS, CHANGES, REFUNDS, TERMINATIONS, CLAIMS, OR PREMIUM PAYMENTS TO BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED BY CERTAIN MEANS, AND PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 38-5-190. Any member of South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association or South Carolina Life and Accident and Health Guaranty Association, any eligible surplus lines insurer, any insurance premium service company, any authorized reinsurer, any title insurance company, any licensed adjuster, any licensed insurance agent, any licensed insurance broker, any insurance rating or statistical agent, South Carolina Reinsurance Facility, South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, South Carolina Commercial Auto Insurance Plan, South Carolina Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, South Carolina Workers Compensation Commission, Second Injury Fund, South Carolina Department of Insurance, or South Carolina Budget and Control Board Insurance Reserve Fund may cause records relating to policy applications, changes, refunds, terminations, claims, or premium payments kept by the insurer, premium service company, adjuster, agent, or broker to be copied or reproduced by:
(1) photostatic, photographic, or microfilming process; or
(2) electronic graphic imaging through scanning, digitizing, or other means.
These processes or means must correctly copy, reproduce, or form a medium for copying or reproducing the original record so that an accurate facsimile of the original can be printed or otherwise reproduced on paper, film, or similar medium. The printed reproduction must be considered an original record for all purposes and must be treated as an original record in all courts or administrative agencies for the purpose of its admissibility into evidence, regardless of whether the institution retains or disposes of the original; provided, that:
(a) the original document otherwise qualifies as a business record pursuant to the South Carolina Uniform Business Records as Evidence Act or the appropriate state or federal rules of evidence; and
(b) a custodian or other qualified witness, as those terms are used in the appropriate state or federal rules of evidence, certifies that the printed reproduction is a true and correct copy of the original.
The Director of the Department of Insurance may, by order, apply the provisions of this section to any additional insurance or insurance-related organizations or entities or insurance or insurance-related records, as the director in his discretion considers necessary."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.