Started by South Carolinians for South Carolinians.

The JUA was created by statute in 1975 as a response to the volatile medical malpractice market in South Carolina. This was a period in which some private carriers abandoned the medical providers of South Carolina and left them in a very precarious situation. The General Assembly responded by enabling the creation of the JUA as a primary writer of medical malpractice insurance. The following year the General Assembly also created the South Carolina Patients’ Compensation Fund to provide coverage for those claims in excess of the JUA coverage.

The JUA is a statutorily created entity that has a financial backstop of all writers of casualty coverage in South Carolina other than automobile, homeowners and farm owner’s liability. For this reason the JUA is not separately rated by “rating agencies” like traditional commercial admitted carriers.

Since 1975, we have seen several cycles in which writers of medical malpractice coverage in South Carolina have been aggressive with lower rates and times when they have pulled back on offerings and/or left the market altogether. Some have gone bankrupt. Through these market fluctuations, the JUA (and PCF) have succeeded in establishing themselves as the medical community’s most trusted and reliable provider of medical professional liability insurance.

The 2005 passage of tort reform in South Carolina, which the JUA played a major role in shaping, made our state more attractive to commercial carriers. This has been a very positive development for all medical providers and we are proud of our role in this process. We continue to provide information and testimony to build upon the 2005 reform because we are committed to doing everything we can to help the physicians of South Carolina. While this effort will attract more carriers to South Carolina, and give the medical providers we insure more options for coverage, we are more confident than ever that the JUA is the best choice for defense, security and peace of mind. No matter how many carriers may come and go the JUA will remain a constant.

No other carrier has successfully defended more doctors in South Carolina. No other carrier is contractually obligated to renew coverage even after a loss occurs. No other carrier offers both occurrence and claims-made options across the full spectrum of medical specialties.

The South Carolina JUA is governed by an independent, nine member Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of leading medical, legal and insurance professionals from across South Carolina.

The South Carolina JUA is administered by a dedicated team of professionals at MARSH, in their Greenville, SC, offices. As the world’s number one risk management specialist, MARSH brings a full array of healthcare-related insurance experience to the JUA, including underwriting, client service, and claims advocacy.

The JUA was created by South Carolinians for the exclusive benefit of South Carolina medical providers. It is an independent, not for profit association governed by an independent board and administered by one of the finest insurance services firms in the world. Unmatched local commitment, unsurpassed defense experience and talented thought leadership make the JUA one of the best values in medical professional liability insurance today.