GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1997 SESSION

S.L. 1997-332
SENATE BILL 234

AN ACT TO INCREASE THE STATUTORY AMOUNTS THAT DETERMINE THE ASSESSMENT OF SAFE DRIVER INCENTIVE PLAN POINTS AND TO PROVIDE FOR A GRADUATED INSURANCE POINT AND SURCHARGE SCHEDULE FOR BODILY INJURY CAUSED IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 58-36-75(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	The subclassification plan promulgated pursuant to G.S. 58-36-65(b) may provide for separate surcharges for major, intermediate, and minor accidents.  A 'major accident' is an at-fault accident that results in either (i) bodily injury or death or (ii) only property damage of two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500) or more.  An 'intermediate accident' is an at-fault accident that results in only property damage of more than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) but less than two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).  A 'minor accident' is an at-fault accident that results in only property damage of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) or less.  The subclassification plan may also exempt certain minor accidents from the Facility recoupment surcharge.  The Bureau shall assign varying Safe Driver Incentive Plan point values and surcharges for bodily injury in at-fault accidents that are commensurate with the severity of the injury, provided that the point value and surcharge assigned for the most severe bodily injury shall not exceed the point value and surcharge assigned to a major accident involving only property damage."
Section 2.  The North Carolina Rate Bureau shall amend the subclassification plan to implement the provisions of this act no later than October 1, 1997.  The amendments to the plan become effective January 1, 1998, and apply to at-fault accidents that occur on or after that date.  With respect to any at-fault accidents occurring prior to January 1, 1998, the surcharge and period for which the surcharge is applied and collected shall be determined by the subclassification plan in effect at the time the at-fault accident occurred.
Section 3.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 16th day of July, 1997.
s/	Dennis A. Wicker
President of the Senate

s/	Harold J. Brubaker
Speaker of the House of Representatives

s/	James B. Hunt, Jr.
Governor

Approved 10:55 a.m. this 25th day of July, 1997