South Carolina § 38-77-350 - Form to be used when optional coverages are offered.

§ 38-77-350. Form to be used when optional coverages are offered.

(A) The director or his designee shall approve a form that automobile insurers shall use in offering optional coverages required to be offered pursuant to law to applicants for automobile insurance policies. This form must be used by insurers for all new applicants. The form, at a minimum, must provide for each optional coverage required to be offered:

(1) a brief and concise explanation of the coverage;

(2) a list of available limits and the range of premiums for the limits;

(3) a space to mark whether the insured chooses to accept or reject the coverage and a space to state the limits of coverage the insured desires;

(4) a space for the insured to sign the form that acknowledges that the insured has been offered the optional coverages;

(5) the mailing address and telephone number of the insurance department that the applicant may contact if the applicant has questions that the insurance agent is unable to answer.

(B) If this form is signed by the named insured, after it has been completed by an insurance producer or a representative of the insurer, it is conclusively presumed that there was an informed, knowing selection of coverage and neither the insurance company nor an insurance agent is liable to the named insured or another insured under the policy for the insured's failure to purchase optional coverage or higher limits.

(C) An automobile insurer is not required to make a new offer of coverage on any automobile insurance policy which renews, extends, changes, supersedes, or replaces an existing policy.

(D) Compliance with this section satisfies the insurer and agent's duty to explain and offer optional coverages and higher limits and no person, including, but not limited to, an insurer and insurance agent is liable in an action for damages on account of the selection or rejection made by the named insured.

(E) If the insured fails or refuses to return an executed offer form within thirty days to the insurer, the insurer shall add on uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverages with the same policy limits as the insured's liability limits.

HISTORY: 1989 Act No. 148, SECTION 22; 1994 Act No. 496, SECTION 2; 1997 Act No. 154, SECTION 15; 2006 Act No. 395, SECTION 1, eff June 14, 2006.

Editor's Note

2013 Act No. 47, SECTION 5, provides as follows:

"SECTION 5. An automobile liability insurer is not required to make a new offer of coverage or obtain a new prescribed form on any automobile insurance policy, within the contemplation of Section 38-77-350, to comply with statutory changes to the minimum required limits set forth in Section 38-77-140 and Section 38-77-150."