(A)(1) Before licensing a stock insurer, the director or his designee shall require the insurer to be possessed of capital which must be maintained at all times and surplus, twenty-five percent of which must be maintained at all times, in amounts not less than:

If licensed to write Capital Surplus (a) life:$600,000 $600,000 (b) accident and health 600,000 600,000 (c) life, accident, and health 1,200,000 1,200,000 (d) property: 1,200,000 1,200,000 (e) casualty: 1,200,000 1,200,000 (f) surety: 1,200,000 1,200,000 (g) marine: 1,200,000 1,200,000 (h) title: 600,000 600,000 (i) multiple lines: 1,500,000 1,500,000

Terms Used In South Carolina Code 38-9-10

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Department: means the Department of Insurance of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
  • Director: means the person who is appointed by the Governor upon the advice and consent of the Senate and who is responsible for the operation and management of the department. 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
  • Surety: includes insurance or a bond that covers obligations to pay the debts, or answer for the default, of another, including faithlessness in a position of public or private trust. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20

(2) The director or his designee may require additional initial capital and surplus based on the type or nature of business transacted, and the initial capital and surplus of the insurer must consist of cash or marketable securities that qualify as admitted assets on the most recent statutory financial statement of the insurer filed with the department pursuant to § 38-13-80.

(B) If the surplus of a stock insurer is less than twenty-five percent of the surplus initially required, as set forth in subsection (A), the insurer is considered delinquent, and the director or his designee may begin delinquency proceedings as provided by Chapter 27 of this title.

(C) If the capital of a stock insurer is impaired, the insurer is delinquent, and the director or his designee shall begin delinquency proceedings.