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

• Summary
• Statutes & Regulations
• Bulletins and Positions
• PPACA Resources - Updated May 12, 2023
• Filing Resources

Life, Accident & Health Exhibits

 Summary

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).  


Withdrawal from the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact

The South Carolina Department of Insurance participated in the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact from 2008 until May 16, 2022.  See Bulletin Number 2022-03 and the FAQ Document for information about the Withdrawal from the Compact.  

• Bulletin 2022-03 - Withdrawal from the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Compact - Effective May 16, 2022
• FAQs Regarding South Carolina's Withdrawal from the Interstate Insurance Product Regulation Company -  Updated 10/18/2022

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

Key Statutes and Regulations

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

Medicare Supplement Insurance 

• Regulation 69-46

Bulletins and Positions

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

Key Bulletins and Orders

• Bulletin 8-84: SCID 1504 Form
• Bulletin 89-1: Group policies issued outside of this state 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 2016-15: 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 2017-11: 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 2018-08: 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
• 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
• Bulletin 2021-09 - No Surprises Act - Compliance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021
• Bulletin 2022-09 - Policyholder Notification of Proposed Premium Rate Increase

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 1/2020) 
  • Spreadsheet for Issuer Input

LA&H Filing Resources

Filing Checklists

• Accident and Health
• Annuity
• Life

 Resources

• Procedural Guidelines  (updates coming soon)
• SERFF LAH Filing Set Up Tutorial  (updates coming soon)
  
• Product Line Table
• Filing Type Table
• LA&H Type of Insurance Matrix