S.C. Code Ann. § 38-91-130 – Director to call organizational meeting; Advisory Board; membership; proposed plan of operation; revisions

(a) Within ninety days after the effective date of this section, the director or his designee shall call the first or organizational meeting of the association and seat an advisory board (hereinafter referred to as the board).
The initial board shall consist of three individuals who are licensed agents or brokers and four consumer representatives to be appointed by the director or his designee, five association members, the Consumer Advocate or his designee, the director of Public Safety or his designee, and one member from the Department of Insurance. The representative from the Department of Insurance shall be a nonvoting board member. All board members, other than the director of the Department of Public Safety or his designee and the Consumer Advocate or his designee, must be appointed by the director or his designee.
The American Insurance Association, the Alliance of American Insurers, and the National Association of Independent Insurers and any individual, group, or insurance agent trade or professional association may nominate qualified individuals for consideration. Vacancies on the board must be published in newspapers of general, statewide circulation.
The terms of office for the initial and subsequent members of the board shall be as provided in the plan of operation. Members of the board must be appointed for the terms specified in the plan and shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualify. Any vacancy must be filled for the unexpired term only. Such plan shall provide for the appointment by the director of three individuals who are licensed as agents or brokers in this State. The board shall elect a chairperson who is not an insurer representative.
No more than one representative of a domestic insurer may serve on the board at any one time. No insurer may serve on the board if such insurer is a servicing carrier for the association or is a member of a group of insurers which has one insurer as a servicing carrier unless the carrier or group of carriers participates in the voluntary automobile market with a level at least twice the premium level for the Associated Auto Insurers Plan. If a servicing contract is awarded mid-term, then the affected representative must resign at the next board meeting.
(b) Within sixty days after the organizational meeting, the board shall file with the director or his designee for his approval, a proposed plan of operation, consistent with the provisions of this act, which shall provide for the prompt and efficient provision of automobile insurance to qualified applicants unable to procure such insurance through ordinary methods. Distinct and separate plans may be filed for private passenger automobile insurance and commercial automobile insurance. The plan(s) of operation shall provide for, among other matters, preliminary assessments of members for initial expenses to commence operations, establishment of necessary facilities, the operation of the association, assessments of members to defray losses and expenses, compensation to licensed agents or brokers, eligibility requirements, the coverages and amounts of insurance to be provided and premium payment plans. The plan(s) of operation must be approved by the department as evidenced by a returned copy stamped approved by the department. The plan(s) of operation must include a provision that all meetings of the board will be held in Columbia unless approval is given by the director. Approval must consist of request stamped approved by the department.
(c) If the director or his designee shall disapprove all or any part of the proposed plan of operation, he shall do so in writing, specifying in what respect the plan of operation fails to meet the requirements of this act. Unless the board takes other appropriate legal action to contest the disapproval, it shall within thirty days thereafter file for his review an appropriately revised plan of operation.
(d) If, after a hearing, the director or his designee finds that any activity or practice of insurers participating in the association or any other residual market mechanism is unfair, unreasonable, or otherwise inconsistent with the provisions of this title, the director or his designee must issue a written order specifying in what respects such activity or practice is unfair, unreasonable, or otherwise inconsistent with the provisions of this title and require the discontinuance of such activity or practice. The director or his designee may establish a residual market mechanism by written order if the director or his designee finds that the existing residual market mechanism is unfair, unreasonable, or inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter.
(e) Any revision of the proposed plan of operation or any subsequent amendments to an approved plan of operation shall be subject to the provisions in subsection (c) relating to the initial plan of operation.
(f) If no plan of operation is submitted to the director or his designee within sixty days after the organizational meeting, the director or his designee shall, after consulting with the representatives of the industry, prepare and promulgate a plan of operation in accordance with the requirements of this act which shall continue in force until superseded by a plan of operation effective in accordance with subsections (b) and (c).