Assessment Companies.
§ 58-11-1. Copies of charter and bylaws filed.
Every corporation, society, or organization of this or any other state or country, transacting business upon the cooperative or assessment plan, must file with the Commissioner, before beginning to do business in this State, a copy of its charter or articles of association, and the bylaws, rules, or regulations referred to in its policies or certificates and made a part of such contract. Bylaws or regulations not so filed with the Commissioner will not avoid or affect any policy or certificate issued by such company or association. (1899, c. 54, s. 86; Rev., s. 4790; C.S., s. 6356; 1991, c. 720, ss. 4, 66.)
§ 58-11-5. Contracts must accord with charter and bylaws.
Every policy or certificate or renewal receipt issued to a resident of this State by any corporation, association, or order transacting therein the business of insurance upon the assessment plan must be in accord with the provisions of the charter and bylaws of such corporation, association, or order, as filed with the Commissioner. It is unlawful for any such domestic or foreign insurance company or fraternal order to transact or offer to transact any business not authorized by the provisions of its charter and terms of its bylaws, or, through an agent or otherwise, to offer or issue any policy, renewal certificate, or other contract whose terms are not in clear accord with the powers, terms, and stipulations of its charter and bylaws. (1899, c. 54, s. 84; 1903, c. 438, s. 9; Rev., s. 4791; C.S., s. 6357; 1991, c. 720, s. 4.)
§ 58-11-10. "Assessment plan" printed on application and policy.
Every policy or certificate issued to a resident of the State by any corporation transacting in the State the business of life insurance upon the assessment plan, or admitted to do business in this State on the assessment plan, shall print in bold type near the top of the front page of the policy, upon every policy or certificate issued upon the life of any such resident of the State, the words "issued upon the assessment plan"; and the words "assessment plan" shall be printed conspicuously upon every application, circular, card, and any and all printed documents issued, circulated, or caused to be circulated by such corporation within the State. (1913, c. 159, s. 1; C.S., s. 6358; 1929, c. 93, s. 1; 1933, c. 34; 1945, c. 386.)
§ 58-11-15. Revocation for noncompliance.
If any corporation or association transacting insurance business in this State on the assessment plan or issuing any policy upon the life of a resident of North Carolina upon the assessment plan shall fail or refuse to comply with G.S. 58-11-10, the Commissioner shall forthwith suspend or revoke all authority of such corporation or association and of its agents to do business in this State. (1913, c. 159, s. 2; C.S., s. 6359; 1991, c. 720, ss. 4, 13.)
§ 58-11-20. Deposits and advance assessments required.
Every domestic insurance company, association, order, or fraternal benefit society doing business on the assessment plan shall collect and keep at all times in its treasury one regular loss assessment sufficient to pay one regular average loss; and no such company, association, order, or fraternal benefit society shall be licensed by the Commissioner unless it makes and maintains with him for the protection of its obligations at least five thousand dollars ($5,000) in United States or North Carolina bonds, in farm loan bonds issued by federal loan banks, or in the bonds of some city, county, or town of North Carolina to be approved by the Commissioner, or deposit with him a good and sufficient bond , secured by a deed of trust on real estate situated in North Carolina and approved by him, or by depositing with the Commissioner a bond in an amount of not less than five thousand dollars ($5,000), issued by any corporate surety company authorized to do business in this State. The Commissioner may increase the amount of deposit to the amount of reserve on the contracts of the association or society. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the farmers mutual fire insurance associations now doing business in the State and restricting their activities to not more than six adjacent counties. (Rev., s. 4792; 1913, c. 119, s. 1; 1917, c. 191, s. 2; C.S., s. 6360; 1933, c. 47; 1945, c. 386; 1991, c. 720, ss. 4, 87.)
§ 58-11-25. Deposits by foreign assessment companies or orders.
Each foreign insurance company, association, order, or fraternal benefit society doing business in this State on the assessment plan shall keep at all times deposited with the Commissioner or in its head office in this State, or in some responsible banking or trust company, one regular assessment sufficient to pay the average loss or losses occurring among its members in this State during the time allowed by it for the collection of assessments and payment of losses. It shall notify the Commissioner of the place of deposit and furnish him at all times such information as he requires in regard thereto; and no such company, association, order, or fraternal benefit society shall be licensed by the Commissioner unless it makes and maintains with him for the protection of its obligations at least five thousand dollars ($5,000) in United States or North Carolina bonds, in farm loan bonds issued by federal land banks, or in the bonds of some county, city, or town in North Carolina to be approved by the Commissioner, or a good and sufficient bond or note, secured by deed of trust on real estate situate in North Carolina, and approved by the Commissioner. (1899, c. 54, s. 84; 1903, c. 438, s. 9; Rev., s. 4713; 1913, c. 119, ss. 2, 3; 1917, c. 191, s. 2; C.S., s. 6361; 1945, c. 386; 1991, c. 720, s. 4.)
§ 58-11-30. Revocation of license.
If any such corporation, association, or order at any time fails to comply with the provisions of G.S. 58-11-20 and 58-11-25 or shall issue policies or certificates not in accord with its charter and bylaws, as provided in this Article, the Commissioner shall forthwith suspend or revoke all authority to it, and of all its agents or officers, to do business in this State, and shall publish such revocation in some newspaper published in this State. (1899, c. 54, s. 85; Rev., s. 4793; C.S., s. 6362; 1991, c. 720, s. 4.)
§ 58-11-35. Mutual life insurance companies; assessments prohibited.
No domestic mutual life insurance company shall, after March 6, 1945, be organized to issue any policy of life insurance or any annuity contract which provides for the payment of any assessment by any policyholder or member in addition to the regular premium charged for such insurance; nor shall any such company have power to levy or collect any such assessment. No foreign or alien life insurance company shall be permitted to do business in this State if it does business, in this State or elsewhere, on such or any other assessment plan. (1945, c. 386.)