(a)        It is the purpose of this Article to provide a program whereby adequate basic property insurance may be made available to property owners having insurable property in the State. It is further the purpose of this Article to encourage the improvement of properties located in the State and to arrest the decline of properties located in the State. It is the intent of the General Assembly in creating and, from time to time, amending this Article that the market provided by this Article not be the first market of choice, but the market of last resort.

(b)        This Article shall apply to all geographic areas of the State except the “Beach Area” defined in N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-45-5(2).

(c)        As used in this Article, “crime insurance” means insurance against losses resulting from robbery, burglary, larceny, and similar crimes, as more specifically defined and limited in the various crime insurance policies, or their successor forms of coverage, approved by the Commissioner and issued by the Association. Such policies shall not be more restrictive than those issued under the Federal Crime Insurance Program authorized by Public Law 91-609. (1969, c. 1284; 1985, c. 519, s. 1; 1986, Ex. Sess., c. 7, s. 4; 1985 (Reg. Sess., 1986), c. 1027, s. 24; 1987, c. 731, s. 1; 1987 (Reg. Sess., 1988), c. 975, s. 18; 1997-498, s. 10.)