South Carolina              
Administrative Law Court
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SC Administrative Law Court Decisions

CAPTION:
Horace Mann Insurance Company vs. SCDOI, et al

AGENCY:
South Carolina Department of Insurance

PARTIES:
Petitioners:
Horace Mann Insurance Company

Respondents:
South Carolina Department of Insurance and Philip S. Porter, Consumer
Advocate for the State of South Carolina
 
DOCKET NUMBER:
99-ALJ-09-0544-CC

APPEARANCES:
Georgia Hepworth, CPCU T. Douglas Concannon, Esquire
Senior Regulatory Affairs Analyst Associate General Counsel
Horace Mann Insurance Company South Carolina Department

Hana Pokorna-Williamson, Esquire
Staff Attorney
South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
 

ORDERS:

CONSENT ORDER AND ORDER OF DISMISSAL

1. On October 11, 1999, 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 Horace Mann Insurance Company (the Company) requesting an approval of an overall decrease of -6.7% in its homeowners insurance rates. Included in the rate change request were base rate increases of 6.0% for Forms 1, 2 and 3, 0.6% for Tenants and Condos Forms and 4.0% for Form 7.



2. On October 20, 1999, 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 Honorable John D. Geathers under the Docket No. 99-ALJ-09-0544-CC. The hearing on the matter has been scheduled for February 10, 2000 at 2:00 P.M.



4. Meanwhile, the Consumer Advocate requested additional information from the Company. Subsequently, the Consumer Advocate and his consulting actuary discussed with the Company various concerns with respect to the filing. Specifically, the Consumer Advocate was concerned that the filing did not properly reflect the actual claim frequency data supplied by the Company.



As a result of these discussions, the Company agreed to amend its request so that the overall rate decrease will be -8.12%. This was accomplished by reducing Tenant and Condo base rates to 0.0%, Form 1, 2 and 3 base rates by 1.5% resulting in a base rate change of 4.5% and Form 7 base rates by 1.5% resulting in a base rate change of 2.5%. The Company's amended Exhibits I and Exhibit IX, pages 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 showing the base rate changes described above are attached to this Order as Attachment 1.



5. Based on these amendments to the filing, the Consumer Advocate no longer believes that the filing will result in rates that are excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory, and 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.





______________________________

JOHN D. GEATHERS

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE



February 15, 2000

Columbia, South Carolina



WE CONSENT:





_____________________________ ______________________________

Georgia Hepworth, CPCU T. Douglas Concannon, Esquire

Senior Regulatory Affairs Analyst Associate General Counsel

Horace Mann Insurance Company South Carolina Department

One Horace Mann Plaza of Insurance

Springfield, IL 62715-0001 P.O. Box 100105

Columbia, SC 29202-6160



_____________________________

Hana Pokorna-Williamson, Esquire

Staff Attorney

South Carolina Department of

Consumer Affairs

3600 Forest Drive, 3rd Floor

Columbia, SC 29204


Brown Bldg.

 

 

 

 

 

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