An insurer, its agent, or an insurance broker doing business in this State may not make or permit any discrimination in favor of individuals between insureds of the same class and risk involving the same hazards in the amount of the payment of premiums or rates charged for policies of insurance except as provided in Sections 38-57-140, 38-65-310, and 38-71-1110, in the dividends or other benefits payable, or in any other of the terms and conditions of the contracts it makes. An insurer, its agent, or an insurance broker may not make a contract of insurance or agreement as to a contract other than as plainly expressed in the policy issued. An insurer or its officer, agent, solicitor, or representative or an insurance broker may not pay, allow, or give or offer to pay, allow, or give, directly or indirectly, as inducement to the taking of insurance any rebate of premium payable on the policy, any special favor or advantage in the dividends or other benefits to accrue from the policy, any paid employment or contract for services of any kind, or any valuable consideration or inducement not specified in the policy contract of insurance, or give, sell, or purchase or offer to give, sell, or purchase, as inducement to the taking of insurance or in connection therewith, any stocks, bonds, or other securities of an insurer or other corporation, association, or partnership, any dividends or profits to accrue from them, or anything of value not specified in the policy. This section does not prohibit a licensed agent or broker from charging administrative fees, as promulgated by the Department of Insurance by regulation, for incidental services associated with uninsured motorist related transactions and the electronic reporting of information to the Department of Motor Vehicles. However, fees for uninsured motorist related transactions may be charged only to consumers who have had a lapse in their automobile coverage. Notice of these fees must be posted prominently in the agent’s or broker’s office.

This section does not prohibit the payment of a fee to a trade or professional association exempt from income tax under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 38-55-50

  • Commission: means the part of the premium paid to the producer as compensation for his services. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Department: means the Department of Insurance of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • insurance: includes annuities. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Insurance broker: means an individual licensed by the department to represent citizens of this State in placing their insurance. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Insurer: includes a corporation, fraternal organization, burial association, other association, partnership, society, order, individual, or aggregation of individuals engaging or proposing or attempting to engage as principals in any kind of insurance or surety business, including the exchanging of reciprocal or interinsurance contracts between individuals, partnerships, and corporations. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • Policy: means a contract of insurance. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Premium: means payment given in consideration of a contract of insurance. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Sell: means to exchange a contract of insurance by any means, for money or its equivalent, on behalf of an insurance company. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20

Further, this section does not prohibit the rebating of any commission to the insured on an automobile insurance policy collected by, or on behalf of, a licensed insurance agent.