§ 38-5-190 — Copy and reproduction of records; effect and admissibility into evidence of printed reproduction.

Any member of South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association or South Carolina Life and Accident and Health Guaranty Association, any eligible surplus lines insurer, any insurance premium service company, any authorized reinsurer, any title insurance company, any licensed adjuster, any licensed insurance agent, any licensed insurance broker, any insurance rating or statistical agent, South Carolina Reinsurance Facility, South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, South Carolina Property and Casualty Insurance Guaranty Association, South Carolina Health Insurance Pool, South Carolina Commercial Auto Insurance Plan, South Carolina Medical Malpractice Joint Underwriting Association, South Carolina Workers' Compensation Commission, Second Injury Fund, South Carolina Department of Insurance, or South Carolina State Fiscal Accountability Authority Insurance Reserve Fund may cause records relating to policy applications, changes, refunds, terminations, claims, or premium payments kept by the insurer, premium service company, adjuster, agent, or broker to be copied or reproduced by: (1) photostatic, photographic, or microfilming process; or (2) electronic or graphic imaging through scanning, digitizing, or other means. These processes or means must correctly copy, reproduce, or form a medium for copying or reproducing the original record so that an accurate facsimile of the original can be printed or otherwise reproduced on paper, film, or similar medium. The printed reproduction must be considered an original record for all purposes and must be treated as an original record in all courts or administrative agencies for the purpose of its admissibility into evidence, regardless of whether the institution retains or disposes of the original; provided, that: (a) the original document otherwise qualifies as a business record pursuant to the South Carolina Uniform Business Records as Evidence Act or the appropriate state or federal rules of evidence; and (b) a custodian or other qualified witness, as those terms are used in the appropriate state or federal rules of evidence, certifies that the printed reproduction is a true and correct copy of the original. The Director of the Department of Insurance may, by order, apply the provisions of this section to any additional insurance or insurance-related organizations or entities or insurance or insurance-related records, as the director in his discretion considers necessary.

Legislative History

HISTORY: 1996 Act No. 397, SECTION 1. Code Commissioner's Note At the direction of the Code Commissioner, references in this section to the offices of the former State Budget and Control Board, Office of the Governor, or other agencies, were changed to reflect the transfer of them to the Department of Administration or other entities, pursuant to the directive of the South Carolina Restructuring Act, 2014 Act No. 121, SECTION 5(D)(1), effective July 1, 2015.