South Carolina S 196: Insurance Adjusters

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 196 Text of Previous Version (Apr. 23, 2026) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 196

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

April 22, 2026

S. 196

Introduced 
by Senator Cromer 

S. Printed 4/22/26--H. [SEC 
4/23/2026 12:09 PM]

Read the first time May 1, 2025

________

The committee on House Labor, 
Commerce and Industry

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 196) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding chapter 91 to title 38 so as to 
define terms, establish licensure requirements, exemptions, and types of 
licenses, etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass:

WILLIAM HERBKERSMAN for 
Committee.

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING CHAPTER 
91 TO TITLE 38 SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS, ESTABLISH LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS, 
EXEMPTIONS, AND TYPES OF LICENSES, REQUIRE AN EXAMINATION FOR LICENSURE, 
PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS FOR EXAMINATION, REQUIRE CONTINUING EDUCATION, ESTABLISH A 
PROCESS FOR RENEWAL, SET STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR ADJUSTERS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR 
THE DENIAL, NONRENEWAL, OR REVOCATION OF A LICENSE AND PENALTIES, AMONG OTHER 
THINGS; BY ADDING CHAPTER 92 TO TITLE 38 SO AS TO DEFINE TERMS, ESTABLISH 
LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS AND TYPES OF LICENSES, REQUIRE AN EXAMINATION FOR 
LICENSURE AND PROVIDE EXEMPTIONS TO EXAMINATION, PROVIDE FOR THE DENIAL, 
NONRENEWAL, OR REVOCATION OF A LICENSE, REQUIRE A BOND OR LETTER OF CREDIT, 
REQUIRE CONTINUING EDUCATION, ALLOW FOR FEES, AND SET STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR 
PUBLIC ADJUSTERS, AMONG OTHER THINGS; TO AMEND SECTION 38-1-20, RELATING TO 
DEFINITIONS, SO AS TO PROVIDE A DEFINITION; AND by REPEALing CHAPTERS 47 AND 48 
OF TITLE 38.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Title 38 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

CHAPTER 91

Insurance Adjusters

 Section 
38-91-10. As used in this chapter, unless the 
context requires otherwise:

 (1) 
"Adjuster" means an individual, other than a public adjuster, or business 
entity who undertakes on behalf of insurers or self-insurers to investigate, 
evaluate, and negotiate the resolution of the amount of a property, casualty, 
crop, or workers' compensation claim or loss on behalf of an insurance policy 
or insurer or as a third party on behalf of a self-insurer. Such term includes 
an independent contractor or an employee of:

 (a) 
an association;

 (b) 
a property and casualty producer;

 (c) 
an independent contractor;

 (d) 
an insurer; or

 (e) 
a managing general agent.

 (2) 
"Business entity" means a corporation, association, partnership, limited 
liability company, limited liability partnership, or other legal entity.

 (3) 
"Director" means the Director of Insurance or his designee, as defined in 
Section 38-1-20.

 (4) 
"Home state" means the District of Columbia and any state or territory of the 
United States in which the adjuster's principal place of residence or principal 
place of business is located. If neither the state in which the adjuster 
maintains the principal place of residence nor the state in which the adjuster 
maintains the principal place of business has a substantially similar law 
governing adjusters, the adjuster may designate another state in which he 
becomes licensed and acts as an adjuster to be the "home state."

 (5) 
"Individual" means a natural person.

 (6) 
"Insurer" means any type of insurer conducting business in this State and 
authorized in accordance with Section 38-5-180.

 (7) 
"Person" includes an individual or business entity, as defined in Section 
38-1-20.

 (8) 
"Self-insurer" means an individual or business entity that insures itself or 
risks by setting aside an amount of money to provide for any losses that occur 
rather than insuring such risks through an insurance company.

 (9) 
"Uniform individual application" means the current version of the National 
Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Uniform Individual Application 
for resident and nonresident individuals.

 (10) 
"Uniform business entity application" means the current version of the National 
Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Uniform Business Entity 
Application for resident and nonresident business entities.

 Section 
38-91-20. (A) No individual may act 
or hold himself out as an adjuster in this State unless the individual is 
licensed as an adjuster or qualifies for one of the license exemptions set 
forth in this chapter. The director must satisfy himself that each applicant 
for an adjuster license is an individual of good moral character, has 
sufficient knowledge of the insurance business and his duties as an adjuster, 
has not violated the insurance laws of this State, and is