(a) The department shall promulgate regulations to establish minimum standards for benefits under each of the following categories of coverage in individual policies of accident and health insurance or subscriber contracts of nonprofit hospital, medical, and dental service associations, other than conversion policies issued pursuant to a contractual conversion privilege under a group policy:

(1) basic hospital expense coverage;

(2) basic medical-surgical expense coverage;

(3) hospital confinement indemnity coverage;

(4) major medical expense coverage;

(5) disability income protection coverage;

(6) accident-only coverage; and

(7) specified disease or specified accident coverage.

(b) This section does not preclude the issuance of any policy or contract which combines two or more of the categories of coverage enumerated in items (1) through (6) of subsection (a).

(c) No policy or contract may be delivered or issued for delivery in this State which does not meet the prescribed minimum standards for the categories of coverage listed in items (1) through (7) of subsection (a) which are contained within the policy or contract unless the director or his designee finds the policy or contract will be in the public interest and the policy or contract meets the requirements set forth in § 38-71-310.

(d) The department shall by regulation prescribe the method of identification of policies and contracts based upon overages provided.