§ 17:44B-35 — Nonapplicability of act

35. a. Nothing contained in this act shall be construed to affect or apply to: (1) societies which do not provide benefits by contract; (2) orders, societies or associations which admit to membership only persons engaged in one or more crafts or hazardous occupations, in the same or similar lines of business, insuring only their own members and their families, and the ladies' societies or ladies' auxiliaries to those orders, societies or associations; (3) domestic societies which limit their membership to employees of a particular city or town, designated firm, business or corporation which provide for a death benefit of not more than $400 or disability benefits of not more than $350 to any person in any one year, or both; or (4) domestic societies or associations of a purely religious, charitable or benevolent description, which provide for a death benefit of not more than $400 or a disability benefit of not more than $350 to any one person in any one year, or both. b. Any society or association described in paragraph (3) or (4) of subsection a. of this section which provides for death or disability benefits for which benefit certificates are issued, and a society or association included in paragraph (4) of subsection a. of this section which has more than 1,000 members, shall not be exempted from the provisions of this act but shall comply with all requirements of this act. c. No society which, by the provisions of this section, is exempt from the requirements of this act, except any society described in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section, shall give or allow, or promise to give or allow to any person any compensation for procuring new members. d. Every society which provides for benefits in case of death or disability resulting solely from accident, and which does not obligate itself to pay natural death or sick benefits shall have all of the privileges and be subject to all the applicable provisions and regulations of this act, except that the provisions of this act relating to medical examinations, valuations of benefit certificates, and incontestability, shall not apply to that society. e. The commissioner may require from any society or association, by examination or otherwise, information that will enable the commissioner to determine whether the society or association is exempt from the provisions of this act. f. Societies, exempted under the provisions of this section, shall also be exempt from all other provisions of the insurance laws of this State. L.1997,c.322,s.35.