§ 58-39-45.  Access to recorded personal information.

(a) If any individual, after proper identification, submits a written request to an insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization for access to recorded personal information about the individual that is reasonably described by the individual and reasonably locatable and retrievable by the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization, the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization shall within 30 business days from the date such request is received:

(1) Inform the individual of the nature and substance of such recorded personal information in writing, by telephone, or by other oral communication, whichever the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization prefers;

(2) Permit the individual to see and copy, in person, such recorded personal information pertaining to him or to obtain a copy of such recorded personal information by mail, whichever the individual prefers, unless such recorded personal information is in coded form, in which case an accurate translation in plain language shall be provided in writing;

(3) Disclose to the individual the identity, if recorded, of those persons to whom the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization has disclosed such personal information within two years prior to such request, and if the identity is not recorded, the names of those insurance institutions, agents, insurance-support organizations or other persons to whom such information is normally disclosed; and

(4) Provide the individual with a summary of the procedures by which he may request correction, amendment, or deletion of recorded personal information.

(b) Any personal information provided pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall identify the source of the information if such source is an institutional source.

(c) Medical-record information supplied by a medical-care institution or medical professional and requested under subsection (a) of this section together with the identity of the medical professional or medical-care institution that provided such information, shall be supplied either directly to the individual or to a medical professional designated by the individual and licensed to provide medical care with respect to the condition to which the information relates, whichever the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization prefers. If it elects to disclose the information to a medical professional designated by the individual, the insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization shall notify the individual, at the time of the disclosure, that it has provided the information to the medical professional.

(d) Except for personal information provided under G.S. 58-39-55, an insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization may charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs incurred in providing a copy of recorded personal information to individuals.

(e) The obligations imposed by this section upon an insurance institution or agent may be satisfied by another insurance institution or agent authorized to act on its behalf. With respect to the copying and disclosure of recorded personal information pursuant to a request under subsection (a) of this section, an insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization may make arrangements with an insurance-support organization or a consumer reporting agency to copy and disclose recorded personal information on its behalf.

(f) The rights granted to individuals in this section shall extend to all natural persons to the extent information about them is collected and maintained by an insurance institution, agent, or insurance-support organization in connection with an insurance transaction. The rights granted to all natural persons by this subsection shall not extend to information about them that relates to and is collected in connection with or in reasonable anticipation of a claim or civil or criminal proceeding involving them.

(g) For purposes of this section, the term, "insurance-support organization" does not include the term, "consumer reporting agency." (1981, c. 846, s. 1; 2003-262, s. 2(1).)