ORDERS:
CONSENT ORDER AND ORDER OF DISMISSAL
1. On October 18, 2000, Philip S. Porter, Consumer Advocate for the State of South Carolina (the Consumer Advocate) requested
the South Carolina Department of Insurance (the Department) to initiate a public hearing on the filing of Auto-Owners Insurance
Company (the Company) requesting an approval of an overall increase of +2.5% in its dwelling fire insurance rates with some
territories having a proposed increase of up to 3.8%.
2. On October 30, 2000, the Department filed with the Administrative Law Judge Division an Agency Transmittal Form requesting a
public hearing.
3. The Administrative Law Judge Division assigned this matter to the Honorable Carolyn C. Matthews under the Docket No. 00-ALJ-09-0603-CC. Prehearing statements were due November 17, 2000. A hearing on the matter has not yet been set.
4. Meanwhile, the Consumer Advocate retained a consulting actuary and requested additional information from the Company
primarily consisting of more data for calculation of investment income. Having considered the new information, the Consumer
Advocate now comes to the conclusion that the rates requested by the Company satisfy the statutory criteria that the rates may not be
excessive, inadequate, or infairly discriminatory. Even though the Consumer Advocate's actuary came with a rate indication lower
than the Company's indication of 10.0%, his calculation was still above the requested overall rate change of 2.5%.
5. Based upon the foregoing, the Consumer Advocate now withdraws his original request for a hearing in this matter.
6. There are no unresolved issues remaining; therefore, all parties agree to the dismissal of this matter.
NOW, THEREFORE, the above referenced matter is dismissed.
IT IS SO ORDERED.
______________________________
CAROLYN C. MATTHEWS
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE
December 5, 2000
Columbia, South Carolina
WE CONSENT:
_____________________________ ______________________________
Jonathan R. Riekse, CPCU, ARM T. Douglas Concannon, Esquire
Manager, Personal Property Actuarial Dept. Associate General Counsel
Auto-Owners Insurance Company South Carolina Department
Post Office Box 30660 of Insurance
Lansing, MI 48909-8160 P.O. Box 100105
Columbia, SC 29202-6160
_____________________________
Hana Pokorna-Williamson, Esquire
Staff Attorney
South Carolina Department of
Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 5757
Columbia, SC 29250-5757 |