2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 38 - Insurance › Chapter 13 - Examinations, Investigations, Records, And Reports › Section 38-13-880. Confidentiality.

(A) Documents, materials, or other information, including the ORSA Summary Report, in the possession or control of the department that are obtained by, created by, or disclosed to the director or another person under this article, are recognized by this State as being proprietary and to contain trade secrets. All such documents, materials, or other information are confidential by law and privileged, are not subject to Section 30-4-10, subpoena, discovery, and are not admissible as evidence in a private civil action. However, the director is authorized to use the documents, materials, or other information in furtherance of a regulatory or legal action brought as a part of the director's official duties. The director may not otherwise make the documents, materials, or other information public without the prior written consent of the insurer.
(B) The director or a person who received documents, materials, or other ORSA-related information, through examination or otherwise, while acting under the authority of the director or with whom such documents, materials, or other information are shared pursuant to this article may not be permitted or required to testify in a private civil action concerning confidential documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (A).
(C) To assist in the performance of his regulatory duties, the director:
(1) may, upon request, share documents, materials, or other ORSA-related information, including the confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information subject to subsection (A), including proprietary and trade secret documents and materials with other state, federal, and international financial regulatory agencies, including members of a supervisory college as defined in Section 38-21-10(10), with the NAIC and with any third-party consultants designated by the director, provided that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the ORSA-related documents, materials, or other information and has verified in writing the legal authority to maintain confidentiality;
(2) may receive documents, materials, or other ORSA-related information, including otherwise confidential and privileged documents, materials, or information, including proprietary and trade-secret information or documents, from regulatory officials of other foreign or domestic jurisdictions, including members of a supervisory college as defined in Section 38-21-10(10) and from the NAIC, and shall maintain as confidential or privileged any documents, materials, or information received with notice or the understanding that it is confidential or privileged under the laws of the jurisdiction that is the source of the document, material, or information; and
(3) shall enter into a written agreement with the NAIC or a third-party consultant governing sharing and use of information provided pursuant to this article, consistent with this subsection that:
(a) specifies procedures and protocols regarding the confidentiality and security of information shared with the NAIC or a third-party consultant pursuant to this article, including procedures and protocols for sharing by the NAIC with other state regulators from states in which the insurance group has domiciled insurers, provided, the agreement must provide that the recipient agrees in writing to maintain the confidentiality and privileged status of the ORSA-related documents, materials, or other information and has verified in writing the legal authority to maintain confidentiality;
(b) specifies that ownership of information shared with the NAIC or a third-party consultant pursuant to this article remains with the director and that the NAIC's or a third-party consultant's use of the information is subject to the direction of the director;
(c) prohibits the NAIC or third-party consultant from storing the information in a permanent database after the underlying analysis is completed;
(d) requires prompt notice to be given to an insurer whose confidential information in the possession of the NAIC or a third-party consultant pursuant to this article is subject to a request or subpoena to the NAIC or a third-party consultant for disclosure or production;
(e) requires the NAIC or a third-party consultant to consent to intervention by an insurer in a judicial or administrative action in which the NAIC or a third-party consultant may be required to disclose confidential information about the insurer shared with the NAIC or a third-party consultant pursuant to this article; and
(f) provides for the insurer's written consent in the case of an agreement involving a third-party consultant.
(D) The sharing of information and documents by the director pursuant to this article does not constitute a delegation of regulatory authority or rulemaking. The director is solely responsible for the administration, execution, and enforcement of the provisions of this article.
(E) No waiver of an applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the documents, proprietary, and trade-secret materials or other ORSA-related information may occur as a result of disclosure of this ORSA-related information or documents to the director under this section or as a result of sharing authorized in this article.
(F) Documents, materials, or other information in the possession or control of the NAIC or a third-party consultant pursuant to this article are:
(1) confidential by law and privileged;
(2) not subject to Section 30-4-10;
(3) not subject to subpoena; and
(4) not subject to discovery or admissible as evidence in a private civil action.
HISTORY: 2017 Act No. 48 (S.254), Section 1, eff January 1, 2018.