Life, Accident & Health (doi.sc.gov/lah)

The Life, Accident, and Health Unit reviews and analyzes rates, rules, forms, and certifications for life, accident, and health insurance products, including products offered by health maintenance organizations (HMOs). 

The information contained on this webpage is intended to be used as a tool by LA&H insurers and HMOs to properly prepare and submit filings to the South Carolina Department of Insurance.  Please know that improper and/or incomplete filings will result in a rejection or disapproval of the filing.

All rate, form, and annual certification filings must be submitted via SERFF.  Filings must be submitted by insurer and by line of business.  Multiple insurers within a group may not submit a single SERFF filing.  For more information about SERFF, please contact SERFF (1-816-783-8787 or serffmktg@naic.org).  

The South Carolina Department of Insurance participates in the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact.  For more information on the IIPRC, visit insurancecompact.org.

The South Carolina Department of Insurance will review filings for compliance; however it remains the responsibility of the insurer to adhere to all applicable federal and State of South Carolina insurance laws, regulations and policies.

Statutes and Regulations. 

South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 38: Insurance
South Carolina Code of Regulations, Chapter 69: Department of Insurance

Definitions 

• SC Code Section 38-1-20

Accident and Health 

• Title 38, Chapter 71
• Regulation 69-17
• Regulation 69-34
• Regulation 69-43

Credit Accident and Health 

• SC Code Section 37-4-203

Credit Life 

• SC Code Section 37-4-203

Group Life Insurance 

• Title 38, Chapter 65
• Regulation 63-12.1
• Regulation 69-40

Health Maintenance Organizations 

• Title 38, Chapter 33
• Regulation 69-22

Insurance Contracts Generally 

• Title 38, Chapter 63
• Regulation 63-12.1
• Regulation 69-30

Long Term Care Insurance 

• Title 38, Chapter 72
• Regulation 69-44

Bulletins and Positions.

For a complete listing of bulletins and orders, click here.

Bulletin 8-84: SCID 1504 Form

Bulletin 89-1: Group policies issued outside of this sate which extend coverage to residents of this state 

Bulletin 2003-12: Interpretive Bulletin Relating to the Use of Endorsements, Amendments and Riders for all Individuals and Group Policies

Bulletin 2003-13: List of "Exempt" Policy Forms, Filing Procedures for "Exempt" and "Prior Approval"

Bulletin 2006-08: Service and Administrative Fees

Bulletin 2007-11: Service and Administrative Fees

Bulletin 2009-02: South Carolina Health Care Financial Recovery and Protection Act (Prompt Pay)

Bulletin 2009-22: Retaliatory Fees

Bulletin 2011-04: Compliance with the External Review Requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Bulletin 2011-09: Mandatory Use of SERFF for all Insurance Rate, Rule, and Form Filings

Bulletin 2012-06: Reduced Agent Compensation for Medicare Supplement Policies Sold

Bulletin 2013-11: Service and Policy Fee

Bulletin 2015-08: Impact of the PACE Act on the Small Group Market

Bulletin 2016-06: Autism Spectrum Disorder Maximum Benefit for Coverage for Behavioral Therapy

Bulletin 2016-15: Compliance with SC Code Ann. Section 38-71-242 (actual charges)


Bulletin 2017-01: Requirements Applicable to Hospital Indemnity or other Fixed Indemnity Policies Sold in South Carolina

Bulletin 2017-09: Autism Spectrum Disorder Maximum Benefit for Coverage for Behavioral Therapy

Bulletin 2017-11: Electronic Delivery of Insurance Policies

Bulletin 2017-12: Repeal of Optional Intoxication and Narcotics Exclusion

Bulletin 2018-02:  South Carolina Insurance Data Security Act

Bulletin 2018-06: Autism Spectrum Disorder Maximum Benefit for Coverage for Behavioral Therapy

Bulletin 2018-08: Requirements Applicable to Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance (STLDI) Policies


Bulletin 2019-02: Compliance with S.C. Code §38-63-220(d) Rescission of a Life Insurance Policy

Bulletin 2019-05: Notice of Tentative 2020 Accident and Health Insurance Rates for 3-day Retro Accident and Health Insurance and Opportunity to Request a Hearing 

• Bulletin 2019-06: Notice of Tentative 2020 Credit Accident and Health Insurance Rates and Opportunity to Request a Hearing
• Order No. 2019-04: Rates for Credit Accident and Health Insurance Sold in Conjunction with Loans Subject To 1966 S.C. Act No. 988 - Approved Rate for 2020 Basic Statistical Plan
• Order No. 2019-05: Rates for Credit Accident and Health Insurance Sold in Conjunction with Consumer Credit Transactions subject to the South Carolina Consumer Protection Code (S.C. Code Ann.§ 37-1-101 et seq.), Other Than Loans Made Under 1966 S.C. Act No. 988 - Approved Rates for 2020 Basic Statistical Plan
• Bulletin 2019-09: Autism Spectrum Disorder Maximum Benefit for Coverage for Behavioral Therapy

Position Highlights​

• Enrollment Forms are required for all group policy filings.
• SCID 1504 Form is required for all individual filings and group rate filings unless specifically exempted.
• This Department takes exception to wording which indicates that the statements of the applicant are other than representations. Hence the word “certify” must be deleted.
• The SCDOI requires all notices of discontinuations or market exits to be filed in SERFF (filings should be made under the Form type).  The Department has published guidance for health insurance issuers regarding these submissions as follows: Added 5/5/15
  
  • Overview of Filing Requirements (Rev 5/2017) 
  • Spreadsheet for Issuer Input

LA&H Filing Resources

Filing Checklists

• Accident and Health
• Annuity
• Life