Terms Used In South Carolina Code > Title 33 > Chapter 36 > Article 5 - Sale, Consolidation, and Mergers

• accident: as used in this title must not be construed to mean a series of events in employment, of a similar or like nature, occurring regularly, continuously, or at frequent intervals in the course of such employment, over extended periods of time. See South Carolina Code 42-1-160
• Admitted assets: means assets of an insurer considered admitted on the most recent statutory financial statement of the insurer filed with the department pursuant to § 38-13-80. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Advice and consent: Under the Constitution, presidential nominations for executive and judicial posts take effect only when confirmed by the Senate, and international treaties become effective only when the Senate approves them by a two-thirds vote.
• Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
• Alien captive insurance company: means an insurance company formed to write insurance business for its parents and affiliates and licensed pursuant to the laws of an alien jurisdiction which imposes statutory or regulatory standards in a form acceptable to the director on companies transacting the business of insurance in such jurisdiction. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Alien insurer: means an insurer incorporated or organized under the laws of a country other than the United States of America, its states, commonwealths, territories, or insular possessions. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
• Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
• Appointment: means an individual designated by an official or authorized representative of an authorized insurer to act on its behalf as a producer. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
• Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
• Association: means a legal association of individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, political subdivisions, or associations:
  
  (a) the member organizations of which collectively, or which does itself:
  
  (i) own, control, or hold with power to vote all of the outstanding voting securities of an association captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer or organized as a limited liability company; or
  
  (ii) have complete voting control over an association captive insurance company organized as a mutual insurer; or
  
  (b) the member organizations of which collectively constitute all of the subscribers of an association captive insurance company formed as a reciprocal insurer. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Association: means any joint underwriting association established pursuant to this article. See South Carolina Code 38-81-220
• Association captive insurance company: means a company that insures risks of the member organizations of the association and their affiliated companies. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Attorney-in-fact: A person who, acting as an agent, is given written authorization by another person to transact business for him (her) out of court.
• Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
• Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. ^{Source: OCC}
• Branch business: means any insurance business transacted by a branch captive insurance company in this State. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Branch captive insurance company: means an alien captive insurance company licensed by the director to transact the business of insurance in this State through a business unit with a principal place of business in this State. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Branch operations: means any business operations of a branch captive insurance company in this State. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Captive insurance company: means a pure captive insurance company, association captive insurance company, sponsored captive insurance company, special purpose captive insurance company, risk retention group, or industrial insured captive insurance company formed or licensed under this chapter. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Commission: means the part of the premium paid to the producer as compensation for his services. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
• Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
• Controlled unaffiliated business: means a person that:
  
  (a) is not an affiliate of a parent company; and
  
  (b) has an existing contractual relationship pursuant to which a parent or affiliated company exercises control of the risk management function of the person. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
• Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
• Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
• Decedent: A deceased person.
• Deed: The legal instrument used to transfer title in real property from one person to another.
• Department: means the Department of Insurance of South Carolina. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Department: means the South Carolina Department of Insurance. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
• 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
• Director: means the Director of the South Carolina Department of Insurance or the director's designee. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Embezzlement: In most states, embezzlement is defined as theft/larceny of assets (money or property) by a person in a position of trust or responsibility over those assets. Embezzlement typically occurs in the employment and corporate settings. ^{Source: OCC}
• Entitlement: A Federal program or provision of law that requires payments to any person or unit of government that meets the eligibility criteria established by law. Entitlements constitute a binding obligation on the part of the Federal Government, and eligible recipients have legal recourse if the obligation is not fulfilled. Social Security and veterans' compensation and pensions are examples of entitlement programs.
• Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. ^{Source: U.S. Courts}
• Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
• Federal Reserve System: The central bank of the United States. The Fed, as it is commonly called, regulates the U.S. monetary and financial system. The Federal Reserve System is composed of a central governmental agency in Washington, D.C. (the Board of Governors) and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks in major cities throughout the United States. ^{Source: OCC}
• Fiduciary: A trustee, executor, or administrator.
• Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
• Foreign insurer: means an insurer incorporated or organized under the laws of the United States or of any jurisdiction within the United States other than this State. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
• Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. ^{Source: OCC}
• GAAP: means generally accepted accounting principles. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• General account: means the assets and liabilities of a sponsored captive insurance company other than protected cell assets and protected cell liabilities. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
• Home state: means the District of Columbia and a state or territory of the United States in which an insurance producer maintains his principal place of residence or principal place of business and is licensed to act as an insurance producer. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Indemnification: In general, a collateral contract or assurance under which one person agrees to secure another person against either anticipated financial losses or potential adverse legal consequences. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Industrial insured: means an insured as defined in § 38-25-150(8). See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Industrial insured captive insurance company: means a company that insures risks of the industrial insureds that comprise the industrial insured group and their affiliated companies. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Industrial insured group: means a group that meets either of the following criteria:
  
  (a) a group of industrial insureds that collectively:
  
  (i) own, control, or hold with power to vote all of the outstanding voting securities of an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a stock insurer or limited liability company; or
  
  (ii) have complete voting control over an industrial insured captive insurance company incorporated as a mutual insurer; or
  
  (b) a risk retention group. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
• insurance: includes annuities. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Insurance company: means an "insurer". 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
• Interest rate: The amount paid by a borrower to a lender in exchange for the use of the lender's money for a certain period of time. Interest is paid on loans or on debt instruments, such as notes or bonds, either at regular intervals or as part of a lump sum payment when the issue matures. ^{Source: OCC}
• Intestate: Dying without leaving a will.
• Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
• Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). ^{Source: OCC}
• Legal professional liability insurance: means insurance protection against the legal liability of the insured and against loss, damage, or expense incident to a claim arising out of legal service to or representation of any person as the result of negligence or malpractice in rendering or failing to render professional service. See South Carolina Code 38-81-220
• Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
• License: means a document issued by the state's director or his designee authorizing a person to act as an insurance producer for the lines of authority specified in the document. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
• medical evidence: means expert opinion or testimony stated to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, documents, records, or other material that is offered by a licensed health care provider. See South Carolina Code 42-1-160
• Member organization: means any individual, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or association that belongs to an association. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
• Negotiate: means the act of conferring directly with or offering advice directly to a purchaser or prospective purchaser of a particular contract of insurance concerning substantive benefits, terms, or conditions of the contract, provided that the person engaged in that act either sells insurance or obtains insurance from insurers for purchasers. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Net direct premiums: means gross direct premiums written on bodily injury liability insurance, other than automobile liability insurance, homeowners liability insurance, and farmowners liability insurance, including the liability component of multiple peril package policies, as computed by the director or his designee less return premiums or the unused or unabsorbed portions of premium deposits. See South Carolina Code 38-81-220
• Oath: A promise to tell the truth.
• Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
• Parent: means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, or individual that directly or indirectly owns, controls, or holds with power to vote more than fifty percent of the outstanding voting interests of a captive insurance company. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Participant: means an entity as defined in § 38-90-240, and any affiliates of that entity, that are insured by a sponsored captive insurance company, where the losses of the participant are limited through a participant contract to the assets of a protected cell. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Participant contract: means a contract by which a sponsored captive insurance company insures the risks of a participant and limits the losses of the participant to the assets of a protected cell. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
• Person: means a corporation, agency, partnership, association, voluntary organization, individual, or another entity, organization, or aggregation of individuals. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Person: means an individual, corporation, partnership, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, or any similar entity or combination thereof. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Personal property: All property that is not real property.
• Policy: means a contract of insurance. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Power of attorney: A written instrument which authorizes one person to act as another's agent or attorney. The power of attorney may be for a definite, specific act, or it may be general in nature. The terms of the written power of attorney may specify when it will expire. If not, the power of attorney usually expires when the person granting it dies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Precedent: A court decision in an earlier case with facts and law similar to a dispute currently before a court. Precedent will ordinarily govern the decision of a later similar case, unless a party can show that it was wrongly decided or that it differed in some significant way.
• Premium: means payment given in consideration of a contract of insurance. See South Carolina Code 38-1-20
• Principal place of business: means the physical location in the State of South Carolina where the complete books and records of the captive company are available for examination by the director. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Probate: Proving a will
• Protected cell: means an identified pool of assets and liabilities of a sponsored captive insurance company for one or more participants that is segregated and insulated from the remainder of the sponsored captive insurance company's assets and liabilities as set forth in this chapter. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Protected cell account: means a specifically identified bank or custodial account established by a sponsored captive insurance company for the purpose of segregating the protected cell assets of one protected cell from the protected cell assets of other protected cells and from the assets of the sponsored captive insurance company's general account. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Protected cell assets: means all assets, contract rights, and general intangibles, identified with and attributable to a specific protected cell of a sponsored captive insurance company. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Protected cell liabilities: means all liabilities and other obligations identified with and attributable to a specific protected cell of a sponsored captive insurance company. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Pure captive insurance company: means a company that insures risks of its parent, affiliated companies, controlled unaffiliated business, or a combination thereof or cedes or assumes business from a risk pool for the purpose of risk sharing. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Quorum: The number of legislators that must be present to do business.
• Recourse: An arrangement in which a bank retains, in form or in substance, any credit risk directly or indirectly associated with an asset it has sold (in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles) that exceeds a pro rata share of the bank's claim on the asset. If a bank has no claim on an asset it has sold, then the retention of any credit risk is recourse. ^{Source: FDIC}
• Remainder: An interest in property that takes effect in the future at a specified time or after the occurrence of some event, such as the death of a life tenant.
• Risk retention group: means a captive insurance company formed under the Liability Risk Retention Act of 1986, 15 U. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Service of process: The service of writs or summonses to the appropriate party.
• Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
• Special purpose captive insurance company: means a captive insurance company that is formed or licensed under this chapter that does not meet the definition of any other type of captive insurance company defined in this section. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Sponsor: means an entity that is approved by the director to provide all or part of the capital and surplus required by applicable law and to organize and operate a sponsored captive insurance company. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Sponsored captive insurance company: means a captive insurance company:
  
  (a) in which the minimum capital and surplus required by applicable law is provided by one or more sponsors;
  
  (b) that is formed or licensed under this chapter;
  
  (c) that segregates liability through one or more protected cells; and
  
  (d) that insures the risks of participants through participant contracts. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10
• Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.
• Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.
• 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
• Temporary restraining order: Prohibits a person from an action that is likely to cause irreparable harm. This differs from an injunction in that it may be granted immediately, without notice to the opposing party, and without a hearing. It is intended to last only until a hearing can be held.
• Testify: Answer questions in court.
• Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
• Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
• Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
• Trust account: A general term that covers all types of accounts in a trust department, such as estates, guardianships, and agencies. ^{Source: OCC}
• Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
• under common control with: means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract other than a commercial contract for goods or nonmanagement services, or otherwise, unless the power is the result of an official position with or corporate office held by the person. See South Carolina Code 38-90-10