2013 South Carolina Code of Laws
Title 38 - Insurance
CHAPTER 27 - INSURERS' REHABILITATION AND LIQUIDATION ACT
SECTION 38-27-330. Powers and duties of rehabilitator.

(a) The director may appoint one or more special deputies who have all the powers and responsibilities of the rehabilitator granted under this section to assist the director or his designee as rehabilitator, and the director may employ any counsel, clerks, and assistants considered necessary. The compensation of the special deputy, counsel, clerks, and assistants and all expenses of taking possession of the insurer and of conducting the proceedings must be fixed by the director with the court's approval and must be paid out of the funds or assets of the insurer. The persons appointed under this section shall serve at the director's pleasure. In the event that the property of the insurer does not contain sufficient cash or liquid assets to defray the costs incurred, the director may advance the costs so incurred out of any appropriation for the maintenance of the insurance department. Any amounts so advanced for expenses of administration must be repaid to the director for the use of the insurance department out of the first available monies of the insurer.

(b) The rehabilitator may take any action he considers necessary or appropriate to reform and revitalize the insurer. He has all the powers of the directors, officers, and managers, whose authority is suspended, except as they are redelegated by the rehabilitator. He has full power to direct and manage, to hire and discharge employees subject to any contract rights they may have, and to deal with the property and business of the insurer.

(c) If it appears to the rehabilitator that there has been criminal or tortious conduct or breach of any contractual or fiduciary obligation detrimental to the insurer by any officer, manager, agent, broker, employee, or other person, he may pursue all appropriate legal remedies on behalf of the insurer.

(d) If the rehabilitator determines that reorganization, consolidation, conversion, reinsurance, merger, or other transformation of the insurer is appropriate, he shall prepare a plan to effect the changes. Upon application of the rehabilitator for approval of the plan, and after any notice and hearings the court may prescribe, the court may either approve or disapprove the proposed plan, or may modify it and approve it as modified. Any plan approved under this section must be, in the judgment of the court, fair and equitable to all parties concerned. If the plan is approved, the rehabilitator shall carry out the plan. In the case of a life insurer, the plan proposed may include the imposition of liens upon the policies of the company, if all rights of shareholders are first relinquished. A plan for a life insurer may also propose imposition of a moratorium upon loan and cash surrender rights under policies, for the period and to the extent necessary.

(e) The rehabilitator has the power under Sections 38-27-450 and 38-27-460 to avoid fraudulent transfers.

HISTORY: Former 1976 Code Section 38-5-2030 [1982 Act No. 384, Section 14] recodified as Section 38-27-330 by 1987 Act No. 155, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 613.