58-45-50. Appeal from acts of Association to Commissioner; appeal from Commissioner to superior court.

(a) Any person or any insurer who may be aggrieved by an act, ruling, or decision of the Association other than an act, ruling, or decision relating to (i) the cause or amount of a claimed loss or (ii) the reasonableness of expenses incurred by an insurer in adjusting windstorm and hail losses, may, within 30 days after the ruling, appeal to the Commissioner. Any hearings held by the Commissioner under the appeal shall be in accordance with rules adopted by the Commissioner: Provided, however, the Commissioner is authorized to appoint a member of the Commissioner's staff as deputy commissioner for the purpose of hearing those appeals and a ruling based upon the hearing shall have the same effect as if heard by the Commissioner. All persons or insureds aggrieved by any order or decision of the Commissioner may appeal as is provided in G.S. 58-2-75.

(b) No later than 10 days before each hearing, the appellant shall file with the Commissioner or the Commissioner's designated hearing officer and shall serve on the appellee a written statement of the appellant's case and any evidence that the appellant intends to offer at the hearing. No later than five days before the hearing, the appellee shall file with the Commissioner or the designated hearing officer and shall serve on the appellant a written statement of the appellee's case and any evidence that the appellee intends to offer at the hearing. Each hearing shall be recorded and may be transcribed. If the matter is between an insurer and the Association, the cost of the recording and transcribing shall be borne equally by the appellant and appellee; provided that upon any final adjudication the prevailing party shall be reimbursed for his share of such costs by the other party. If the matter is between an insured and the Association, the cost of transcribing shall be borne equally by the appellant and appellee; provided that the Commissioner may order the Association to pay recording or transcribing costs for which the insured is financially unable to pay. Each party shall, on a date determined by the Commissioner or the designated hearing officer, but not sooner than 15 days after delivery of the completed transcript to the party, submit to the Commissioner or the designated hearing officer and serve on the other party, a proposed order. The Commissioner or the designated hearing officer shall then issue an order.