(A) No domestic insurer may pay an extraordinary dividend or make another extraordinary distribution to its shareholders until the director or his designee:
(1) has approved the payment, or
(2) has not disapproved the payment within fifteen days after receiving notice of the declaration.
(B)(1) For purposes of this section, an extraordinary dividend or distribution includes a dividend or distribution of cash or other property whose fair market value together with that of other dividends or distributions made within the preceding twelve months:
(a) when paid from other than earned surplus exceeds the lesser of:
(i) ten percent of the insurer's surplus as regards policyholders as shown in the insurer's most recent annual statement; or
(ii) the net gain from operations for life insurers, or the net income, for nonlife insurers, not including net realized capital gains or losses as shown in the insurer's most recent annual statement;
(b) when paid from earned surplus exceeds the greater of:
(i) ten percent of the insurer's surplus as regards policyholders as shown in the insurer's most recent annual statement; or
(ii) the net gain from operations for life insurers, or the net income, for nonlife insurers, not including net realized capital gains or losses as shown in the insurer's most recent annual statement.
(2) It does not include pro rata distributions of a class of the insurer's own securities.
(C) An insurer may declare an extraordinary dividend or distribution which is conditional upon the approval of the director or his designee. The declaration confers no rights upon shareholders until the director or his designee:
(1) has approved the payment of the dividend or distribution, or
(2) has not disapproved the payment within fifteen days after receiving notice of the declaration.
HISTORY: Former 1976 Code Section 38-21-270 [1947 (45) 322; 1952 Code Section 37-877; 1962 Code Section 37-877] recodified as Section 38-37-270 by 1987 Act No. 155, Section 1; Former 1976 Code Section 38-29-260 [1962 Code Section 37-1424; 1971 (57) 351; 1986 Act No. 426, Section 17] recodified as Section 38-21-270 by 1987 Act No. 155, Section 1; 1988 Act No. 370; 1991 Act No. 13, Section 15; 1993 Act No. 70, Section 6; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 583; 2002 Act No. 228, Section 4, eff May 1, 2002; 2003 Act No. 73, Section 4, eff June 25, 2003.
Structure South Carolina Code of Laws
Chapter 21 - Insurance Holding Company Regulatory Act
Section 38-21-10. Definitions.
Section 38-21-20. Authority of insurers to organize or acquire subsidiaries.
Section 38-21-30. Authority of insurers to invest in securities of subsidiaries.
Section 38-21-40. Investments in securities of subsidiaries are not subject to other restrictions.
Section 38-21-70. Contents of statement; amendment.
Section 38-21-90. Approval of Commissioner of acquisition of control; hearing.
Section 38-21-100. Certain transactions exempt from Sections 38-21-60 to 38-21-120.
Section 38-21-110. Violations of Sections 38-21-60 to 38-21-120.
Section 38-21-120. Jurisdiction of courts; service of process.
Section 38-21-130. Registration of members of insurance holding company systems.
Section 38-21-140. Registration statement.
Section 38-21-150. Summary outlining changes since previous registration statement required.
Section 38-21-160. Information which need not be disclosed in registration statement.
Section 38-21-170. Dividends and distributions must be reported.
Section 38-21-180. Information from persons within insurance holding company.
Section 38-21-190. Termination of registration.
Section 38-21-210. Filing of registration statement on behalf of affiliated insurer.
Section 38-21-220. Disclaimer of affiliation.
Section 38-21-225. Annual enterprise risk report.
Section 38-21-230. Failure to timely file registration statement.
Section 38-21-240. Exemptions from registration statement provisions.
Section 38-21-250. Standards for transactions within insurance holding company system.
Section 38-21-260. Determining adequacy of insurer's surplus.
Section 38-21-270. Notice and approval of extraordinary dividends or distributions required.
Section 38-21-280. Examination; compulsory production of information.
Section 38-21-285. Participation in supervisory colleges.
Section 38-21-290. Confidential information.
Section 38-21-295. Group-wide supervisor for internationally active insurance groups.
Section 38-21-300. Regulations and orders of director.
Section 38-21-310. Enjoining violations of chapter, regulations, or orders.
Section 38-21-350. Director may take possession of property and conduct business of insurer.
Section 38-21-360. Authority of receiver to recover certain distributions and payments.
Section 38-21-370. Judicial review of action, order, or decision of director.