A purchasing group, including its insurer or insurers, is subject to all applicable laws of this State, except that a purchasing group, including its insurer or insurers, is exempt, in regard to liability insurance for the purchasing group, from any law that would:

(1) prohibit the establishment of a purchasing group;

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 38-87-70

  • 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
  • Policy: means a contract of insurance. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20

(2) make it unlawful for an insurer to provide or offer to provide insurance on a basis providing, to a purchasing group or its members, advantages based on their loss and expense experience not afforded to other persons with respect to rates, policy forms, coverages, or other matters;

(3) prohibit a purchasing group or its members from purchasing insurance on a group basis described in item (2) of this section;

(4) prohibit a purchasing group from obtaining insurance on a group basis because the group has not been in existence for a minimum period of time or because any member has not belonged to the group for a minimum period of time;

(5) require that a purchasing group must have a minimum number of members, common ownership or affiliation, or certain legal form;

(6) require that a certain percentage of a purchasing group must obtain insurance on a group basis;

(7) otherwise discriminate against a purchasing group or any of its members; or

(8) require that any insurance policy issued to a purchasing group or any of its members be countersigned by an insurance agent or broker residing in this State.