A Firm Foundation: How Insurance Supports the Economy

Key Facts: The Insurance Industry’s Contribution To The South Carolina Economy

The insurance industry in South Carolina has a significant impact on the state’s economy that extends well beyond its responsibilities to collect premiums and settle claims. It employs licensed professionals, pays taxes, owns municipal bonds and serves people in their times of greatest need.

Below are tables showing the state’s leading insurance companies, based on market share, and links to state by state comparison tables.

Employment

U.S. Department of Commerce data show the insurance industry provided 41,933 jobs in South Carolina in 2015. The South Carolina insurance industry accounted for about $2.4 billion in compensation in 2015.

Gross State Product

The insurance industry contributed $3.9 billion to the South Carolina gross state product (GSP) in 2014, accounting for 2.05 percent of the state GSP.

Taxes

All insurance companies pay a state tax based on their premiums. Other payments are made to states for licenses and fees, income and property taxes, sales and use taxes, unemployment compensation taxes and franchise taxes. Premium taxes paid by insurance companies in South Carolina totaled $248.4 million in 2015.

Premiums

Direct premiums written by property/casualty insurance companies in South Carolina totaled $8.3 billion in 2015. In addition, premiums written by life/health insurance companies totaled $8.5 billion (including life insurance, annuities, accident and health insurance, deposit type funds and other considerations).

Surplus Lines

The surplus lines market, a group of highly specialized insurers, exists to provide coverage that is not available through licensed insurers in the standard insurance market. For the many thousands of businesses that rely on some level of surplus line protection to keep their doors open, surplus lines is an important segment of the market. The South Carolina surplus lines market accounted for $622.9 million in gross premiums written in 2015, according to a survey by Business Insurance.

Claims Payments

Insurance company claims payments help ensure the economic security of individuals and businesses and help sustain a number of related industries. In 2015 these payments in South Carolina as measured by direct property/casualty incurred losses, were $5.1 billion. Life insurance claims and benefits payouts in South Carolina totaled $5.8 billion in 2015, on a direct basis before reinsurance, and includes life insurance, death benefits, matured endowments, annuity benefits and other life insurance benefits. Does not include accident and health.

Catastrophes

The insurance industry plays a vital role in helping individuals and businesses prepare for and recover from the potentially devastating effects of a disaster such as a catastrophic hurricane or storm or wildfire. Three of the costliest hurricanes to hit the United States, based on insured property losses, caused damage in South Carolina, including 1989’s Hurricane Hugo and 2004’s Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Frances. In 2015 and 2016 South Carolina experienced devastating rainfall-induced flooding. 

Leading Writers

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STATE BY STATE COMPARISON TABLES

• Employment
• Premiums
• Surplus Lines
• Gross State Product
• State Taxes
• Insurance Companies By State
• Catastrophes By State
• Residual Markets
• Captives By State
• Incurred Losses By State
• Insured Cars By State
• Insured Homes By State
• Businesses By State

DIRECTORIES

• State Insurance Departments
• State Organizations

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