§ 58-58-120.  Notice of nonpayment of premium required before forfeiture.

No life insurance corporation doing business in this State shall, within one year after the default in payment of any premium, installment, or interest, declare forfeited or lapsed any policy hereafter issued or renewed, except policies on which premiums are payable monthly or at shorter intervals and except group insurance contracts and term insurance contracts for one year or less, nor shall any such policy be forfeited or lapsed by reason of nonpayment, when due, of any premium, interest, or installment or any portion thereof required by the terms of the policy to be paid, within one year from the failure to pay such premium, interest, or installment, unless a written or printed notice stating the amount of such premium, interest, installment, or portion thereof due on such policy, the place where it shall be paid, and the person to whom the same is payable has been duly addressed and mailed, postage paid, to the person whose life is insured, or to the assignee or owner of the policy, or to the person designated in writing by such insured, assignee or owner, if notice of the assignment has been given to the corporation, at his or her last known post-office address in this State, by the corporation or by any officer thereof or person appointed by it to collect such premium, at least 15 and not more than 45 days prior to the day when the same is payable, as regards policies which do not contain a provision for grace or are not entitled to grace in the payment of premiums and at least five and not more than 45 days prior to the day when the same is payable as regards policies which do contain a provision for grace or are entitled to grace in the payment of premiums. The notice shall also state that unless such premium, interest, installment, or portion thereof then due shall be paid to the corporation or to the duly appointed agent or person authorized to collect such premium, by or before the day it falls due, the policy and all payments thereon will become forfeited and void, except as to the right to a surrender value or paid-up policy, as in the contract provided. If the payment demanded by such notice shall be made within its time limit therefor, it shall be taken to be in full compliance with the requirements of the policy in respect to the time of such payment; and no such policy shall in any case be forfeited or declared forfeited or lapsed until the expiration of 30 days after the mailing of such notice. The affidavit of any officer, clerk, or agent of the corporation, or of anyone authorized to mail such notice, that the notice required by this section has been duly addressed and mailed by the corporation issuing such policy, shall be presumptive evidence that such notice has been duly given. No action shall be maintained to recover under a forfeited policy unless the same is instituted within three years from the day upon which default was made in paying the premium, installment, interest, or portion thereof for which it is claimed that forfeiture ensued. (1909, c. 884; C.S., s. 6465; 1929, c. 308, s. 1; 1931, c. 317; 1945, c. 379.)