§ 26-29-238 — Exemption of certain societies

(a) Nothing contained in this chapter shall be so
construed as to affect or apply to:
(i) Grand or subordinate lodges of societies, orders
or associations now doing business in this state which provide
benefits exclusively through local or subordinate lodges;
(ii) Orders, societies or associations which admit to
membership only persons engaged in one (1) 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 such orders,
societies or associations;
(iii) Domestic societies which limit their membership
to employees of a particular city or town, designated firm,
business house or corporation which provide for a death benefit
of not more than four hundred dollars ($400.00) or disability
benefits of not more than three hundred fifty dollars ($350.00)
to any person in any one (1) year, or both; or
(iv) Domestic societies or associations of a purely
religious, charitable or benevolent description, which provide
for a death benefit of not more than four hundred dollars
($400.00) or for disability benefits of not more than three
hundred fifty dollars ($350.00) to any one (1) person in any one
(1) year, or both.
(b) Any society or association described in paragraph
(a)(iii) or (iv) of this section which provides for death or
disability benefits for which benefit certificates are issued,
and any society or association included in paragraph (a)(iv) of
this section which has more than one thousand (1,000) members,
shall not be exempted from the provisions of this chapter but
shall comply with all requirements thereof.
(c) No society which, by the provisions of this section,
is exempt from the requirements of this chapter, except any
society described in paragraph (a)(ii) 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 chapter except
that the provisions relating to medical examination, 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, such information as
will enable the commissioner to determine whether the society or
association is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.
(f) Societies, exempted under this section, shall also be
exempt from all other provisions of the general insurance laws
of this state.