The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1917-01-10
PROPOSED ACT TO
GOVERN IN sURANCE

appointed Dy$ y$iGoYernOrs8 Manning to
recommend a revision of the insur-
ance laws Of the state has agreed
upon certain measures which will be
presentd to the Legislature at the
session which, begins next week. A
complete revision of the insurance
laws is expected. b q s., VI
One Of these measures provides for
an inquiry into the origin Of fires,
and Off the imposition Of fines in
certain cases. The inspector of
buildings of every city or town in
i the state, would be required to make
a complete inquiry upon every fire
and report in writing to the insurance
commissioner. "If the officer shall
consider that the fire be due to GRIM
inal carelessness, the person respon-
sible for same shall be indicted be-
fore magistrate for a misdemeanor,
and upon conviction of the same, may
be fined in sum not exceeding $50
or Imprisonment for meore than ten
days"
Strict agency qualifications are rec
! commended in the measure, among
them that "before licensing any per-
son to act as the agent Of fire insur-
ance 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 required.
The suggested act would further
provide:
Whenever the insurance commits
sioner shall become satisfied that any
insurance agent licensed by this
state has wilfully violated any of the
Insurance laws of this state, or has
wilfully over-insured property of any
of the citizens of the state, or has
wilfullly misrepresented any policy of
insurance, or has dealt unjustly with
or wilfully deceived any citizen Of
this state in regard to any insurance
policies, or has failed or refused to
pay over to the company, which he
represents or has represented, any
money or property in the hands of
such agent belonging to the company,
when demanded, or has in any other
way become unfit for such position,
then and in any of such cases the in
surance commissioner may, and it
shall be his duty to revoke the license
of such agent for all the companies
which he represents in this state for
} su'h length of time as he may decide,
not exceeding one year: Provided,
however, that the insurance commits
sioner shall give to said agent ten
days notice of such revocation of such
license and shall give the reasons
therefor. Ana said agent shall have
the right to have such revocation re-
viewed ly any judge OF any court of
competent jurisdiction."
Another Bill.
Another act which will be propos-
ed is as follows:
mo municipality shall charge IL
cense fee to fire insurance companies
of their agents licensed by the in
surance commissioner in any other
manner than on fixed and invariable
percentage of the premium collected
in such municipality"
A bill to appoint the insurance COM
missioner attorney to accept SER
vice." 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 2718 be repealed, and the fol-
lowing enacted in it's stc>':
'1n case an insurance company IL
censed in this state ::.lall dispute the
amount of it's liability under any pol
icy issued covering real property, the
company sail pay Immediately to the
assurcl the maount which the COM
pany admits due, and that in case of
suit for the additional amount claims
and judgment being recovered by the
plaintiff, the plaintiff shall be entitled
to 10 per cent attorneys fec on the
amount recovered; provided it shall
be made to appear to the jury trying
the same that the refusal of the COM
pany to pay the claim was in bad
faith, and that the amount of pre-
MUM covering the excess insurance
over the amount of tho ;,,do,,,o,t