The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-01-09
PROPOSED ACTS TO
GOVERN INSURANCE

appointed by Governor Manning to
recommend revision of the insurance
laws of the State has agreed upon GER
tain measures which will be presented
to the legislature at the. session
which begins next week. a complete
revision of the insurance laws is ex-
pected.
One of these measures provides for
an inquiry into the origin of fires, and
for the imposition of fines in certain
cases. The inspector of buildings OF
every city or town in the State would
be required to make a complete in
quiry upon >every fire and report In
writing to the insurance. commission
er "If the officer shall consider that
the fire be due to criminal careless
ness. the person responsible for same
shall be indicted before magistrate
for a misdemeanor, and upon convlc-
ton of the same, may. be fined. in a
sum not exceeding $50. or impcison-
ment for not more than ten days
Sstrict agency qualifications are rec
commended in the measure, among
them that "before licensing any per-
SON to act as the agent Of fire insur-
anee companies licensed in this State,
the insurance commissioner must sat
isfy himself by careful investigation
that the applicant is honest, intelli-
gent and has fair understanding OF
the FIRE insurance business"
An examination, to be conducted
by three examiners, to be, appointed
by the commissioner, is provided for.
Certain fees would be provided.
The suggested act would further
provide:
One Bill.
Whenever the insurance commits
sioner shall become satisfied that any
insurance agent licensed by this State
has wilfully violated any of the in
surance laws of this State, or has will
fully over-insured property of any Of
the citizens of the State, or has will
fully misrepresented any policy of in
surance, or has dealt unjustly with or
vilfully deceived any citizen of this
State. in regard to any insurance poll
cies;/ or has failed or refused to pay
over to the company, which he repre-
sents or has represented, any money
or property in the hands of such agent
belonging to he company, when de-
manded, or has in any other way be-
come unfit for such position, then and
In any &c such cases the insurance
commissioner may, and it shall be his
duty to, revoke the license of such
agent for all the companies which
ne represents in this State for such
length of time as he may decide, not
exceeding one year: Provided, how
ever, that the insurance commissioner
shall give to said agent ten days no.
tice of such revocation of such license
and shall give the reasons therefor.
And said agent shall have the right to
have such revocation reviewed by any
judge of any court of competent ju-
risdiction.'
Another Bill.
Another act which will be proposed
is as follows:
''No municipality shall charge Ii
cense fee to fire insurance companies
or their agents lincensed by the insur-
ance commissioner in any other man
ner than on a fixed and invariable
percentage of the premium collected
in such municipality
A bill to appoint the insurance COM
missioner attorney to accept service. ''
which is in the nature of a technical
matter. was agreed upon.
In the matter of the valued policy
law" it will be recommended that
Section 271S be repealed, and the fol-
lowing enacted in its stead:
I'm case an insurance company Ii
censed in this State shall dispute the
amount of its ability under any pol
icy issued covering real property, the
company shall pay Immediately to the
assured the amount which the COM
pany admits due. and that in case Of
suit for the additional amount claims