(A) There is created the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, an unincorporated association whose responsibilities, liability, and regulations are governed and defined by this article. The association shall function as a residual market mechanism to provide wind and hail insurance for residential and commercial property to applicants who are unable to procure this insurance in the coastal area.

(B) The association consists of all private insurers authorized to write and engage in writing property insurance within this State on a direct and statewide basis, but excluding insurers whose writings are limited to property wholly owned by parent, subsidiary, or allied organizations, or insurers whose writings are limited to property wholly owned by religious organizations. However, as a condition of exemption from membership these insurers providing property insurance for insurable property in the coastal area as defined by this article also shall provide essential property insurance for these risks. Each insurer must be a member of the association and shall remain a member of the association so long as the association is in existence as a condition of its authority to continue to transact the business of insurance in this State.

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 38-75-330

  • Association: means the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association established pursuant to the provisions of this article. See South Carolina Code 38-75-310
  • Coastal area: means :

    (a) all areas in Beaufort County and Colleton County which are east of the west bank of the intracoastal waterway;

    (b) the following areas in Georgetown County: all areas between the Harrell Siau Bridge and the Georgetown-Horry County border which are east of a line paralleling U. See South Carolina Code 38-75-310
  • Essential property insurance: means insurance against direct loss to property as defined and limited in the wind and hail insurance policy and forms approved by the director or his designee; and after January 1, 1995, at the request of the insured, coverage for:

    (a) actual loss of business income;

    (b) additional living expense; or

    (c) fair rental value loss. See South Carolina Code 38-75-310
  • Insurable property: means immovable property at fixed locations in coastal areas of the State as that term is defined, or tangible personal property located in it, which property is determined by the association to be in an insurable condition as determined by reasonable underwriting standards, but not to include farm or manufacturing property, or motor vehicles which are eligible to be licensed for highway use. See South Carolina Code 38-75-310
  • insurance: includes annuities. 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
  • Property insurance: means each insurance against direct or indirect loss of or damage to a property resulting from fire, smoke, weather disturbances, climatic conditions, earthquake, volcanic eruption, rising waters, insects, blight, animals, war damage, riot, civil commotion, destruction by order of civil authority to prevent spread of conflagration or for other reason, water damage, vandalism, glass breakage, explosion of a water system, collision, theft of automobiles, and personal effects in them (but no other forms of theft insurance), loss of or damage to domestic or wild animals, and any other perils to property which in the discretion of the director or his designee form proper subjects of property insurance, if not specified in items (1), (7), (11), (35), (40), (54), or (59) of this section. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20