State RegulationsNC specificDifficulty 1/5
Under North Carolina's Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act, which condition would permit an insurer to disclose an individual's personal or privileged health information?
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Answer & full 3-part explanation (select an option above, or peek)
Why D is correct
Under the North Carolina Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act (Article 39 of Chapter 58, G.S. 58-39-5 through 58-39-120), an insurer may disclose an individual's personal or privileged information when the individual has given a written authorization for that disclosure. Marketing convenience, affiliate sharing, or how long the policy has been in force are not recognized grounds, so written authorization (or another statutory exception) is required before protected information may leave the insurer's control.
Why the other options are wrong
- A: Marketing additional coverage is not a permitted ground for disclosure under Article 39; using protected information to generate sales is exactly what the Act restrains.
- B: Sharing within the same corporate family does not lift the authorization requirement — Article 39 governs disclosures regardless of the recipient's affiliation with the insurer.
- C: Policy duration has no bearing on disclosure rights; the Act protects personal information whether the policy is new or has been in force for years.
Memory hook
Privacy Act = paper first: no written authorization, no disclosure.