Sec. 1. Any number of persons not less than five (5), a majority of whom are citizens of this state, may associate themselves together as a corporation, association, or society for the purpose of transacting the business of life or accident, or life and accident insurance, and for the payment of partial and permanent disability claims to living members, upon the assessment plan, for the purpose of mutual protection and relief of its members, and for the payment of stipulated sums of money to the families, heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns of the deceased members, or for the payment of total and permanent disability claims to living members of such company, association, or society, as the member may direct, in such manner as may be provided in the bylaws; and may receive money, either by voluntary donation or contribution, for which purpose, they shall make, sign, and acknowledge, before any officer authorized to take acknowledgment of deeds in this state, articles of incorporation or association, in which shall be stated the name or title by which such corporation, association, or society shall be known in law, the location of its principal business office (which office must be located in this state), the names and residence of the persons signing the articles of incorporation or association, the object of the corporation, association, or society, with its plan of doing business clearly and fully defined, the number of its directors, trustees or managers and the names of those selected to serve until its first annual meeting, and, in case of life corporations, associations, or societies, the limit as to age of applicants for membership, which shall not exceed sixty-five (65) years, and that medical examinations are required, but no medical examination shall be required in case of accident corporations, associations, or societies, and that bona fide applications have been secured for two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) by not less than two hundred (200) persons, who have each made application for membership in such proposed corporation, association, or society, and, in case of a life corporation, have each been examined and recommended by a reliable physician, and in all cases have each deposited with the parties asking the certificate for such corporation, association, or society the sum of two dollars ($2) on each one thousand dollars ($1,000) of insurance applied for as an advance assessment for mortuary or accident or disability indemnity purposes, as the case may be; which certificate of association and applications, together with the certificate of some solvent bank or banks that all such advance funds are deposited therein to be turned over to the treasurer of such corporation, association, or society when organized, shall be submitted to the insurance commissioner, who shall carefully examine the same, and, if he shall find that the objects and purposes are fully and definitely set forth and are clearly within the provisions of this chapter, and that the name or title is not the same or does not so closely resemble a title in use as to have a tendency to mislead the public, the commissioner shall submit the same to the attorney general for examination, and if found by him to be in accordance with this chapter and not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of the United States and of this state, he shall certify to and deliver the same to the secretary of state, who shall cause the same, with the certificate of the attorney general, to be recorded in a book to be kept for that purpose; and, upon application of the signers thereof, the secretary of state shall furnish to them a certified copy of such articles and certificates, under his hand and the seal of this state, and the secretary of state shall thereupon file in the office of the commissioner a certified copy of all papers pertaining to the organization of such corporation, association, or society. Thereupon, the commissioner shall issue a license, authorizing said corporation, association, or society to transact the business set forth in the certificate of incorporation. Such corporation, association, or society shall deposit with the commissioner a copy of all its forms of policy issued by them, together with a copy of its bylaws and all forms of application for insurance.

Formerly: Acts 1897, c.195, s.1. As amended by P.L.252-1985, SEC.275.