Scott H. Richardson, director of the South Carolina Department of Insurance has approved changes, effective July 19, 2007, to the rating plan and plan of operation for the South Carolina Wind and Hail Underwriting Association (Wind Pool). Though loss data initially indicated an overall increase in the rates in excess of 65 percent, improvements in the plan of operation and updates to the underwriting rules by the Wind Pool Board and approved by the department, reduced its rate request to an overall 35 percent.