Every society, whether domestic or foreign, now transacting business in this state and every such society hereafter applying for admission shall, before being licensed, appoint in writing the Commissioner of Insurance and his successors in office to be its true and lawful attorney on whom all legal process in any action or proceeding against it shall be served, and in such writing shall agree that any lawful process against it which is served upon such attorney shall be of the same legal force and validity as if served upon the society, and that the authority shall continue in force so long as any liability remains outstanding in this state.

Copies of such appointment, certified by the Commissioner of Insurance, shall be deemed sufficient evidence thereof and shall be admitted in evidence with the same force and effect as the original thereof might be admitted. Service shall only be made upon such attorney, shall be made in duplicate upon the Commissioner of Insurance or, in his absence, upon the person in charge of his office, and shall be deemed sufficient service upon such society. No such service shall be valid or binding against any such society when it is required thereunder to file its answer, pleading, or defense in less than thirty (30) days from the date of mailing the copy of the service to the society. When legal process against any such society is served upon the Commissioner of Insurance, he shall forthwith forward by certified mail one of the duplicate copies prepaid and directed to the secretary or corresponding officer. Legal process shall not be served upon any such society except in the manner provided herein.