58-10-35. Policyholder rights.

(a) Policyholders may reject the transfer and novation of their policies by indicating on the response card that the assumption is rejected and returning the card to the transferring insurer.

(b) Payment of any premium to the assuming company during the 24-month period after the notice of transfer has been received indicates the policyholder's acceptance of the transfer to the assuming insurer; and a novation shall occur only if the premium notice clearly states that payment of the premium to the assuming insurer constitutes acceptance of the transfer. The premium notice shall also provide a method for the policyholder to pay the premium while reserving the right to reject the transfer. With respect to any home service business or any other business not using premium notices, the disclosures and procedural requirements of this subsection are to be set forth in the notice of transfer required by G.S. 58-10-30 and in the assumption certificate.

(c) After no fewer than 24 months after the mailing of the initial notice of transfer required under G.S. 58-10-30, if positive consent to, or rejection of, the transfer and assumption has not been received or consent has not been deemed to have occurred under subsection (b) of this section, the transferring insurer shall send to the policyholder a second and final notice of transfer as specified in G.S. 58-10-30. If the policyholder does not accept or reject the transfer during the one-month period immediately after the date on which the transferring insurer mailed the second and final notice of transfer, the policyholder's consent and novation of the contract will occur. With respect to the home service business, or any other business not using premium notices, the 24-month and one-month periods shall be measured from the date of delivery of the notice of transfer under G.S. 58-10-30.

(d) The transferring insurer shall be deemed to have received the response card on the date it is postmarked. A policyholder may also send the response card by facsimile, other electronic transmission, registered mail, express delivery, or courier service; in which case the response card shall be deemed to have been received by the transferring insurer on the date of actual receipt by the transferring insurer.