As used in this article:

(a) "Authorized agency" means:

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 38-77-1120

  • Action: means affirmative acts and the failure to take action. See South Carolina Code 38-77-1120
  • Authorized agency: means :

    (1) the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, the Department of Public Safety, the sheriff's department of any county of this State, and any duly constituted criminal investigative department or agency of another state of the United States;

    (2) the Attorney General of this State, any circuit solicitor of this State, any prosecuting attorney for a county, circuit, or district of another state or of the United States;

    (3) the South Carolina Department of Insurance and the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs of the Attorney General's Office; and

    (4) the United States Department of Justice and its Federal Bureau of Investigation. See South Carolina Code 38-77-1120
  • Department: means the Department of Insurance of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • insurance: includes annuities. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Insured: means the named insured and, while resident of the same household, the spouse of any named insured and relatives of either, while in a motor vehicle or otherwise, and any person who uses with the consent, expressed or implied, of the named insured the motor vehicle to which the policy applies and a guest in the motor vehicle to which the policy applies or the personal representative of any of the above. See South Carolina Code 38-77-30

(1) the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, the Department of Public Safety, the sheriff’s department of any county of this State, and any duly constituted criminal investigative department or agency of another state of the United States;

(2) the Attorney General of this State, any circuit solicitor of this State, any prosecuting attorney for a county, circuit, or district of another state or of the United States;

(3) the South Carolina Department of Insurance and the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs of the Attorney General’s Office; and

(4) the United States Department of Justice and its Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(b) "Relevant" means having any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the investigation or determination of the issue more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence.

(c) "Action" means affirmative acts and the failure to take action.

(d) "Immune" means that neither a civil action nor a criminal prosecution may arise from any action taken pursuant to this article unless actual malice on the part of the insurance company or authorized agency against the insured or gross negligence or reckless disregard for his rights is present.