Frequently Asked Questions

• Agents: No response is expected from any agents
• Commercial Lines: Includes Business Owners Policy (BOP) and Special Multi Peril (SMP)
• Personal Lines: Includes dwelling, tenant, condo, and mobile-homeowners
• Surplus Lines: No response is currently required from surplus lines insurers

• If the effective date is in the future, record based on the effective date.
• If the effective date is in the past, record based on the booked / processed date.

Yes. The total number of pre-licensing educational hours required for any bondsman license is 30 hours. (South Carolina Code Section 38-53-85)

The fee that a bondsman can charge to the public may not be less than $100 or 10%, whichever is greater, and may not exceed 15% of the face amount of the bond. (South Carolina Code Section 38-53-170 (E))

In addition to other requirements, each bondsman and runner is required to complete 8 hours of continuing education to renew their license. (South Carolina Section Code 38-53-85)

Yes. The total number of hours required for a bondsman or runner is 30 pre-licensing hours.(South Carolina Code Section 38-53-85). The total number of continuing education hours for a bondsman or runner is 8 CE hours. (South Carolina Code Section 38-53-85)

Yes. The total number of pre-licensing educational hours required for a bondsman or runner is 30 pre-licensing hours. (South Carolina Code Section 38-53-85)

Yes. The total number of pre-licensing educational hours required for a bondsman or runner is 30 hours. (South Carolina Code Section 38-53-85)

All licensed resident producers in South Carolina who are not exempt must complete 24 hours of continuing insurance education. Three of these hours must be in ethics.

Extensions will not be granted.

An insurance producer licensed with limited lines is exempt from the provisions of Section 38-43-106. Limited lines include credit, title, travel & surety.

A total of 24 hours is required by the end of your compliance period, and of those required 24 credit hours, at least 3 hours must be from courses categorized as Ethics.

Extensions will not be granted.

If you hold property and casualty and life, accident and health authorities, you must complete at least 8 of the 24 required hours in courses related to each of these lines of authority, plus 3 hours of ethics. If you earn more than 3 ethics credits, they will be applied towards your 24 hours credit requirement.

Producers that received a reduction in hours will only have to complete 15 hours of CE biennially by the last day of their birth month/year. Three of the 15 hours must be in ethics. 

Producers with reduced compliance and hold multi-lines must complete 6 hours in property & casualty, 6 hours in life, accident and health and 3 hours of ethics. 

Producers that add additional lines of authority or allow their licenses to become inactive will lose their reduction in hours.

If you successfully complete an approved course, you may not repeat the course and receive certification within 2 years and 1 day of its original completion date.

Producers who accumulate credits in excess of the continuing education requirements for a biennium may apply a maximum of 18 credits to the next compliance period.  

You may access a list of approved courses on SBS by clicking on Lookup and searching for courses.

Yes. Credit hours earned to maintain the following designations may be used toward the 24 hour credit requirement: Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU), Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI), Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Life Underwriter Training Council Fellow (LUTCF), Registered Health Underwriter (RHU), Registered Employee Benefit Consultant (REBC), or Chartered Financial Consultant (CHFC) for a life, accident, and health license, or Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) or Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) for a property and casualty license. Many courses for maintenance of a designation are already approved for CE credit. Verify with the sponsor whether the course is approved for South Carolina CE credit. If so, you will receive credits in the normal manner. If not, send evidence of course completion to the CE Administrator with a cover letter to claim the credits.

The Department of Insurance is the CE administrator. CE transcripts can be accessed online at SBS. 

We no longer approve proctors. Producers may use any disinterested third party to proctor their exam. Per Regulation 69-50 (III)(7), that third party may not be related to the producer or a spouse, is not an immediate supervisor (employer), employee, or minor.

Non-resident producers are not required to comply with CE in South Carolina. They must renew their non-resident license to maintain the non-resident license.  

This fee is no longer required.

Your license will expire and a $50 late penalty fee must be paid online through NIPR. For more details about the consequences of failure to comply, refer to that FAQ section.

Failure to meet the biennial continuing education requirement will result in the expiration of the license on the day following the licensee’s compliance deadline. Producers have 6 months (180 days) to reinstate a license by completing all requirements, which includes completing the required credit hours and paying a $50 late CE compliance fee through NIPR. When this process is completed, the license and appointments will be reinstated.

If your license expires, you cannot conduct any business of insurance. 

If the CE hours are not completed within 6 months (180 days) of the expiration date, the license and all appointments will be cancelled the following day (181^st day). To regain licensure, the producer will be required to retake and pass the state licensing exam, obtain new fingerprints, complete a new application, and pay a new license fee to become licensed.

Failure to renew the license will result in the expiration of the license on the day following the licensee’s compliance deadline. Producers have 6 months (180 days) to reinstate a license by paying the renewal fee and a penalty fee through NIPR. The amount of the penalty fee is based on the date the license is renewed plus the $25 renewal fee (see below). 

        1-30 days late, the renewal penalty is $50

        31-60 days late, the renewal penalty is $100

        61-180 days late, the renewal penalty is $250

If your license expires, you cannot conduct any business of insurance. 

If the renewal is not completed within 6 months (180 days) of the expiration date, the license and all appointments will be canceled the following day (181^st day). To regain licensure, the producer will be required to retake and pass the state licensing exam, obtain new fingerprints, complete a new application, and pay a new license fee to become licensed.

Once a producer is exempt due to age and years of service, they can add or delete lines of authority from their license at any time.

Producers who have reduced continuing education hours and add a new line of authority to their license will lose their continuing education reduction hours status and will have to complete the required 24 hours of continuing education by the end of their compliance period.

For example: A producer with reduced continuing education compliance who holds life and health with a December birth month of an even year and adds property and casualty to their existing license, that producer will lose their reduced continuing education hours compliance. See the below scenarios to show when CE hours would be required if adding a line of authority.

If the producer adds property and casualty, October 3 or after prior to their compliance period ending December 31 of the same even year, that producer will not be required to complete continuing education hours in the added lines of authority during their compliance period.

If the producer adds property and casualty on or before October 2 prior to their compliance period ending December 31 of the same even year, that producer will be required to complete continuing education in the added lines of authority for their compliance period.

No. The laws have been changed to remove a requirement for pre-licensing education.  Hence, no CE credit will be awarded based on completing such a course for adding an additional line of authority.

A producer has until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) on the last day of their birth month to cancel a line of authority. 

If an additional line of authority is added within 90 days of the continuing education deadline, the producer is not required to complete the required 8 hours in the newly added line of authority.

A total of 24 hours is required by the end of your compliance period.  At least 3 hours must be from courses categorized as ethics of those 24 required credit hours. Producers cannot be compliant if the CE hours have not been met.

 Extensions will not be granted.

Nonresident producers are not required to comply with CE in South Carolina.

All licensed producers except those with limited lines of authority and those that are exempt, must complete continuing education (CE) requirements biennially by the end of their birth month. Producers born in an odd numbered year must comply biennially by the end of their birth month every odd numbered year. Producers born in an even numbered year must comply by the end of their birth month every even numbered year. Producers must also renew their license by the end of their birth month in an odd or even numbered year. No one is exempt from the producer licensing renewal requirement except those producers with the travel baggage line of authority only.

A resident producer who is at least 65 years of age and has at least 25 years of licensure may apply for a CE exemption. Producers who have met both requirements may apply for the CE exemption online at https://doi.sc.gov/FormCenter/Individual-Licensing-17.  

Once a producer is exempt due to age and years of service, they can add or delete lines of authority from their license at any time.

No. South Carolina law allowing extensions has been repealed since May 2, 2010.

Hardship waiver requests may only be granted for good cause and must be made in writing to the South Carolina Department of Insurance prior to the end of your compliance period. The license renewal fee must be paid to the South Carolina Department of Insurance by your compliance period deadline. The request for a hardship waiver must be received prior to the end of the producer’s individual compliance period.

The provider must give you a certificate of course completion. The provider will upload the course roster to the CE Administrator electronically.  

No.

Producers can verify their CE credits and compliance status on SBS website.

You can view your CE transcript on SBS which will show that you are compliant and provide the date.

You can view your CE transcript on SBS which will show that you are compliant and provide the date.

If you're having a specific problem with an insurance company, broker, agent, or adjuster, file a complaint with our Office of Consumer Services at doi.sc.gov/complaint.

• A written certification or a report (with certification) from a licensed professional with expertise in construction techniques, building design, or property inspection or appraisal including, but not limited to an: architect; appraiser; building inspector; or contractor stating that the fortification measure has been implemented in accordance with applicable standards. Copies of the applicable receipts must accompany the certification or report.
• An affidavit from the individual taxpayer certifying that the fortification measures have been implemented. Copies of the applicable receipts must accompany the affidavit.

The South Carolina Schedule TC-43 form is available on the Department of Revenue website or by calling the Department of Revenue forms request line at 1-800-768-3676.

Yes. Fortification measures that are in accordance with the standards that are contained in the South Carolina Safe Home Resource Document for Mitigation Techniques qualify for tax credits. You may find additional information regarding these mitigation techniques in the documents below. 

Section A. Introduction

Section B. Roof Deck Attachment

Section C. Secondary Water Barrier

Section D. Roof Coverings

Section E. Gable End Bracing

Section F. Reinforcing Roof to Wall Connections

Section G. Opening Protection

Section H. References and Resources

Yes. A homeowner does not have to be a recipient of an SC Safe Home grant to qualify for income tax credits. However; all qualifying fortification measures must meet the requirements of the South Carolina Department of Insurance Regulation 69-75.

No. Tax credits cannot be claimed if the only money spent on the fortification project was grant money that was not included in income on the homeowner’s individual income tax return. See S.C. Code Sections 12-6-3660 and 12-6-3665. Refer to the help tools and resources of the IRS for further federal tax questions. 

Questions concerning mitigation techniques that may qualify for tax credits should be directed to the SC Safe Home Program. Questions and concerns regarding SC tax credits should be directed to the South Carolina Department of Revenue.

There are three types of bail bondsmen licensed in South Carolina:

• Professional Bondsman
• Runner Bondsman
• Surety Bondsman

Learn more about the different types by viewing the types of bail bondsmen page.

The fee for a professional bondsman license is $400 and a runner bondsman license is $200. (South Carolina Code Section 38-53-100(A)(B))

Eight (8) hours of continuing education are needed every year for a professional bondsman, surety bondsman, and a runner to retain their licenses. (South Carolina Section Code 38-53-85)

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, an organization of state insurance regulators, has prepared a variety of free resources to help consumers understand Long-Term Care Insurance. These resources are available through their Long-Term Care Insurance special section as well as Insure U, a NAIC website specifically designed to provide information and educational materials to consumers. Below are some examples of the free resources the NAIC has developed for consumers.

10 Things You Should Know About Buying Long-Term Care Insurance

Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care

Consumer Alert - Long-Term Care Insurance: What You Should Know

To apply for an SC Safe Home grant, please visit Apply for a Grant on the SC Safe Home webpage and submit an application via the online portal. Video tutorials are available to assist applicants with the application submission process, as well as these slides. 

If you are having trouble logging in, click Reset Password on the login page of the SC Safe Home webpage. From there you will be prompted to enter the email address you used to sign up for the SC Safe Home website. If the email address you enter is valid, a password reset link will be sent to the email address.

No, the program cannot reimburse you for retrofits you have already done, in accordance with state law. You must have an inspection and receive grant approval from the SC Safe Home before the retrofits are done to be eligible.

To qualify for a SC Safe Home grant, the home must meet the following requirements; the home must be located in the coastal region of South Carolina, must be owner-occupied, primary residence, site built or manufactured/modular, NO duplexes or multifamily homes, must have a current home insurance policy, must not have existing previous damage, and the home and homeowner together must not have previously received and utilized a SC Safe Home grant. 

It is sometimes necessary to submit changes or corrections to an application submission. If any errors are identified in a submission they must be corrected. To make these corrections, contact the SC Safe Home staff at (803) 737-6087 or email us at scsafehome@doi.sc.gov and our staff will be happy to make the necessary changes for you.

You may check the status of your application by logging into the SC Safe Home online portal.

Approved recommended improvements must be completed within three months of the date of the Grant Award Notification letter.

Homeowners should not schedule or pay for a wind inspection before applying for the SC Safe Home Grant. The inspection is included as part of the grant process, and only inspectors listed on our Participating Inspectors & Contractors List may be used in order to remain eligible.

Once your application is approved, you will select a participating wind inspector from the approved list. Homeowners are responsible for paying the inspection fee, which will not exceed $250, based on the following sliding scale:

• Up to 1,500 sq. ft.: up to $150

• 1,501–2,000 sq. ft.: up to $200

• Over 2,000 sq. ft.: up to $250

Contractor Estimates: A retrofit estimate must be submitted with your SC Safe Home grant application. Homeowners are encouraged to “shop” the Participating Inspectors & Contractors List (link) to obtain more than one estimate for the recommended retrofits. Always request proof of insurance and proper licensure from any contractor you choose.

No, the funds provided by this program are for the sole purpose of retrofitting South Carolina owner-occupied, single-family homes. 

If the status bar is highlighted in green, the South Carolina Safe Home program is currently accepting new applications. If the status bar is highlighted in yellow, the South Carolina Safe Home program is currently accepting limited new applications. If the status bar is highlighted in red, the South Carolina Safe Home program is not accepting new applications.

No, in order to qualify for a SC Safe Home grant, the home must not have existing or previous damage.

No, the funds provided by this program are for the sole purpose of retrofitting owner-occupied, single-family homes.  

SC Safe Home has implemented an online application process to ensure efficiency and to provide better customer service and communication. The online application will allow you to keep track of your application’s tasks and status throughout the process. Free internet access is available at all public library locations. In addition, there are many free, web-based email providers that are currently available to suit your needs and it only takes a few minutes to create an email account. You may submit a paper application, however, the application will be received in a timelier manner when submitted electronically.

Currently, the Department of Insurance SC Safe Home program awards grant funds to Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Horry, Jasper, Marion and Williamsburg counties.

All grants will be determined based on the cost of the mitigation project and a percentage of the total adjusted household income of the applicant as per the most recent federal income tax return.  However, once funds are exhausted for the year, the program will cease issuing new grants.

The program offers different grant amounts depending on the type of project:

If the project costs more than the grant amount, the homeowner pays the rest.

Grant awards are determined using the applicant’s total annual adjusted gross household income, adjusted for family size and compared to the higher of the county area median income or the state median family income. These statewide and countywide income figures are published annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). 

To help applicants determine their estimated grant award, the South Carolina Department of Insurance has provided an award estimator. 

If the cost of the mitigation project exceeds the amount of the grant award, the remaining cost is the applicant’s responsibility.

To apply, you will need the following documents:

• A copy of your most recent IRS Form 1040 (or other most recent income tax return)

• A copy of your homeowner’s insurance declaration pages

• A copy of your county property tax assessment

Note: You do not need a wind inspection or photographs before applying. The SC Safe Home Inspection Report is completed after your application is submitted and only by inspectors participating in the program.

Your company can non-renew for any reason so long as the two requirements mandated by law are met. First, the company is required to put in writing the precise reason for the non-renewal. Second, the company must give 60 days’ advance notice for any non-renewal. Section 38-75-740.

There is, however, one exception. A policy can be non-renewed for claims even if the claims have not been your fault, though the law does not allow non-renewals for claims history if your only claims have been acts of God. Acts of God claims cannot be used when determining claim frequency. Section 38-75-790.

Generally, your policy can be canceled for these reasons:

• Non-payment of premium
• Material misrepresentation / fraud
• Breaches of contractual duties by the insured
• Physical changes in the property which result in the property becoming uninsurable (except if the insurer should have reasonably foreseen the change or contemplated the risk when writing the policy)

View the catastrophe savings account deposits page for information.