Section 33-15-123. Exempt societies, orders, or associations

   (a) Nothing contained in this chapter shall be so construed as to affect or apply to:

   (1) Grand or subordinate lodges of societies, orders, or associations doing business in this state on January 1, 1994, which provide benefits exclusively through local or subordinate lodges;

   (2) Orders, societies, or associations which admit to membership only persons engaged in one or more crafts or hazardous occupations or persons 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;

   (3) Orders, societies, or associations insuring only their own members, their families and descendants of members, and the ladies' societies or ladies' auxiliaries to such orders, societies, or associations;

   (4) 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 $400.00 or disability benefits of not more than $350.00 to any person in any one year, or both; or

   (5) Domestic societies or associations of a purely religious, charitable, or benevolent description which provide for a death benefit of not more than $400.00 or for disability benefits of not more than $350.00 to any one person in any one year, or both.

(b) Any such society or association described in paragraph (3) or (5) of subsection (a) of this Code section which provides for death or disability benefits for which benefit certificates are issued, and any such society or association included in paragraph (5) of subsection (a) of this Code section which has more than 1,000 members shall not be exempted from the provisions of this chapter but shall comply with all requirements of this chapter.

(c) No society which, by the provisions of this Code section, is exempt from the requirements of this chapter, except any society described in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a) of this Code 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 thereof relating to medical examination, valuations of benefit certificates, and incontestability shall not apply to such 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 such society or association is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

(f) Societies exempted under the provisions of this Code section shall also be exempt from all other provisions of the general insurance laws of this state.

Code 1981, § 33-15-123, enacted by Ga. L. 1993, p. 1744, § 1; Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 33/HB 79.