reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
8 V.S.A. § 4491
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4491. Review

§ 4491. Review|All decisions and findings of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation made under the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to review by appeal to the Supreme Court. (Added 1959, No. 197, § 31, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 1989, No. 225 (Adj. Sess.), § 25; 1995, No. 180 (Adj. Sess.), § 38; 1997, No. 161 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. Jan. 1, 1998; 2011, No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 2, 2012.)
8 V.S.A. § 4492
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4492. Funds

§ 4492. Funds|(a) All assets shall be held, invested, and disbursed for the use and benefit of the society and no member or beneficiary shall have or acquire individual rights therein or become entitled to any apportionment or the surrender of any part thereof, except as provided in the contract.(b) A society may create, maintain, invest, disburse, and apply any special fund or funds necessary to carry out any purpose permitted by the laws of the society.(c) Every society, the admitted assets of which are less than the sum of its accrued liabilities and reserves under all of its certificates when valued according to standards required for certificates issued after one year from November 22, 1959, shall, in every provision of the laws of the society for payments by members of the society, in whatever form made, distinctly state the purpose of them and the proportion thereof which may be used for expenses, and no part of the money collected for mortuary or disability purposes or the net accretions thereto shall be used for expenses. (1959, No. 197, § 32, eff. Nov. 22, 1959.)
8 V.S.A. § 4493
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4493. Investments

§ 4493. Investments|A society shall invest its funds only in such investments as are authorized by the laws of this State for the investment of assets of life insurance companies and subject to the limitations thereon. Any foreign or alien society permitted or seeking to do business in this State which invests its funds in accordance with the laws of the State, district, territory, country, or province in which it is incorporated, shall be held to meet the requirements of this section for the investment of funds. (1959, No. 197, § 33, eff. Nov. 22, 1959.)
8 V.S.A. § 4495
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4495. Examination of domestic societies

§ 4495. Examination of domestic societies|The Commissioner of Financial Regulation, or any person he or she may appoint, shall have the power of visitation and examination into the affairs of any domestic society and he or she shall make the examination at least once in every three years. He or she may employ assistants for the purpose of the examination, and he or she, or any person he or she may appoint, shall have free access to all books, papers, and documents that relate to the business of the society. The minutes of the proceedings of the supreme legislative or governing body and of the board of directors or corresponding body of a society shall be in the English language. In making an examination, the Commissioner of Financial Regulation may summon and qualify as witnesses under oath and examine its officers, agents, and employees or other persons in relation to the affairs, transactions, and condition of the society. A summary of the report of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation and such recommendations or statements of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation as may accompany the report, shall be read at the first meeting of the board of directors or corresponding body of the society following the receipt thereof, and if directed so to do by the Commissioner of Financial Regulation, shall also be read at the first meeting of the supreme legislative or governing body of the society following the receipt thereof. A copy of the report, recommendations, and statements of the Commissioner of Financial Regulation shall be furnished by the society to each member of the board of directors or other governing body. The expense of each examination and of each valuation, including compensation and actual expense of examiners, shall be paid by the society examined or whose certificates are valued, upon statements furnished by the Commissioner of Financial Regulation. (Added 1959, No. 197, § 35, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 1989, No. 225 (Adj. Sess.), § 25; 1995, No. 180 (Adj. Sess.), § 38; 2011, No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 2, 2012.)
8 V.S.A. § 4496
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4496. Examination of foreign and alien societies

§ 4496. Examination of foreign and alien societies|The Commissioner of Financial Regulation, or any person whom he or she may appoint, may examine any foreign or alien society transacting or applying for admission to transact business in this State. He or she may employ assistants and he or she, or any person he or she may appoint, shall have free access to all books, papers, and documents that relate to the business of the society. He or she may in his or her discretion accept, in lieu of the examination, the examination of the insurance department of the state, territory, district, province, or country where the society is organized. The compensation and actual expenses of the examiners making any examination or general or special valuation shall be paid by the society examined or by the society whose certificate obligations have been valued, upon statements furnished by the Commissioner of Financial Regulation. (Added 1959, No. 197, § 36, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 1989, No. 225 (Adj. Sess.), § 25(b); 1995, No. 180 (Adj. Sess.), § 38(a); 2011, No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 2, 2012.)
8 V.S.A. § 4497
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4497. No adverse publications

§ 4497. No adverse publications|Pending, during, or after an examination or investigation of a society, either domestic, foreign, or alien, the Commissioner of Financial Regulation shall make public no financial statement, report, or finding, nor shall he or she permit to become public any financial statement, report, or finding affecting the status, standing, or rights of any society, until a copy thereof has been served upon the society at its principal office and the society has been afforded a reasonable opportunity to answer the financial statement, report, or finding and to make such showing in connection therewith as it may desire. (Added 1959, No. 197, § 37, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 1989, No. 225 (Adj. Sess.), § 25; 1995, No. 180 (Adj. Sess.), § 38; 2011, No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 2, 2012.)
8 V.S.A. § 4498
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4498. Misrepresentation

§ 4498. Misrepresentation|(a) No person shall cause or permit to be made, issued, or circulated in any form:  (1) any misrepresentation or false or misleading statement concerning the terms, benefits or advantages of any fraternal insurance contract now issued or to be issued in this state, or the financial condition of any society; (2) any false or misleading estimate or statement concerning the dividends or shares of surplus paid or to be paid by any society on any insurance contract; or (3) any incomplete comparison of an insurance contract of one society with an insurance contract of another society or insurer for the purpose of inducing the lapse, forfeiture, or surrender of any insurance contract. A comparison of insurance contracts is incomplete if it does not compare in detail:  (A) the gross rates, and the gross rates less any dividend or other reduction allowed at the date of the comparison; and (B) any increase in cash values, and all the benefits provided by each contract for the possible duration thereof as determined by the life expectancy of the insured;  or if it omits from consideration:  (C) any benefit or value provided in the contract; (D) any differences as to amount or period of rates; or (E) any differences in limitations or conditions or provisions which directly or indirectly affect the benefits.    (b) In any determination of the incompleteness or misleading character of any comparison or statement, it shall be presumed that the insured had no knowledge of any of the contents of the contract involved.(c) A person who violates a provision of this section or knowingly receives any compensation or commission by or in consequence of the violation, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500.00 nor more than $2,000.00 or by imprisonment not less than 30 days nor more than one year, or both fine and imprisonment and shall in addition, be liable for an administrative penalty in the amount of three times the sum received by the violator as compensation or commission. (1959, No. 197, § 38, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 1971, No. 199 (Adj. Sess.), § 17; 1995, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 16.)
8 V.S.A. § 4499
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4499. Discrimination and rebates

§ 4499. Discrimination and rebates|(a) No society doing business in this State shall make or permit any unfair discrimination between insured members of the same class and equal expectation of life in the premiums charged for certificates of insurance, in the dividends or other benefits payable thereon or in any other of the terms and conditions of the contracts it makes.(b) No society, by itself, or any other party, and no agent or solicitor, personally, or by any other party, may offer, promise, allow, give, set off, or pay, directly or indirectly, any valuable consideration or inducement to, or for insurance, on any risk authorized to be taken by the society, which is not specified in the certificate. No member may receive or accept, directly or indirectly, any rebate of premium, or part thereof, or agent's or solicitor's commission thereon, payable on any certificate or receive or accept any favor or advantage or share in the dividends or other benefits to accrue on, or any valuable consideration or inducement not specified in the contract of insurance. (1959, No. 197, § 39, eff. Nov. 22, 1959.)
8 V.S.A. § 4500
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4500. Taxation

§ 4500. Taxation|Every society organized or licensed under this chapter is hereby declared to be a charitable and benevolent institution, and all of its funds shall be exempt from all and every state, county, district, municipal, and school tax other than taxes on real estate and office equipment. (1959, No. 197, § 40, eff. Nov. 22, 1959.)
8 V.S.A. § 4501
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4501. Exemptions

§ 4501. Exemptions|(a) Except as herein provided, societies shall be governed by this chapter and shall be exempt from all other provisions of the insurance laws of this State, not only in governmental relations with the State, but for every other purpose. No law hereafter enacted shall apply to them, unless they be expressly designated therein.(b) The civil marriage laws shall not be construed to affect the ability of a society to determine the admission of its members as provided in section 4464 of this title, or to determine the scope of beneficiaries in accordance with section 4477 of this title, and shall not require a society that has been established and is operating for charitable and educational purposes and which is operated, supervised, or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization to provide insurance benefits to any person if to do so would violate the society's free exercise of religion, as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution of United States or by Chapter I, Article 3 of the Constitution of the State of Vermont. (Added 1959, No. 197, § 41, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 2009, No. 3, § 10, eff. Sept. 1, 2009.)
8 V.S.A. § 4502
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4502. Exemption of certain societies

§ 4502. Exemption of certain societies|(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 now doing business in this State 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, in the same or similar lines of business, insuring only their own members, their families, and descendants of members, and the ladies' societies, or ladies' auxiliaries to the orders, societies, or associations; (3) 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 (4) 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) A society or association described in subdivision (a)(3) or (4) of this section which provides for death or disability benefits for which benefit certificates are issued, and society or association included in subdivision (a)(4) which has more than 1,000 members, is not exempted from the provisions of this chapter but shall comply with all its requirements.(c) No society which, by the provisions of this section, is exempt from the requirements of this chapter, except any society described in subdivision (a)(2) of this section, shall give or allow, or promise to give or allow to any person any compensation for procuring new members.(d) A 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 the society.(e) The Commissioner of Financial Regulation may require from any society or association, by examination or otherwise, such information as will enable him or her to determine whether the society or association is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.(f) Societies, exempted under the provisions of this section, shall also be exempt from all other provisions of the insurance laws of this State. (Added 1959, No. 197, § 42, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 1989, No. 225 (Adj. Sess.), § 25(b); 1995, No. 180 (Adj. Sess.), § 38(a); 2011, No. 78 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. April 2, 2012.)
8 V.S.A. § 4503
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 121 - Fraternal Benefit Societies|§ 4503. Penalties

§ 4503. Penalties|(a) Any person who willfully makes a false or fraudulent statement in or relating to an application for membership or for the purpose of obtaining money from or a benefit in a society, shall be fined not less than $500.00 nor more than $2,000.00 or imprisoned not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days, or both.(b) A person who willfully makes a false or fraudulent statement in any verified report or declaration under oath required or authorized by this chapter, or of any material fact or thing contained in a sworn statement concerning the death or disability of a member for the purpose of procuring payment of a benefit named in the certificate, shall be guilty of perjury and shall be subject to the penalties therefor prescribed by law.(c) A person who solicits membership for, or in any manner assists in procuring membership in, any society not licensed to do business in this State shall upon conviction be fined not less than $250.00 nor more than $1,000.00.(d) A person guilty of a willful violation of, or neglect or refusal to comply with the provisions of this chapter for which a penalty is not otherwise prescribed, shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $1,000.00. (1959, No. 197, § 43, eff. Nov. 22, 1959; amended 1971, No. 199 (Adj. Sess.), § 17; 1995, No. 167 (Adj. Sess.), § 17.)
8 V.S.A. § 4511
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 123 - Nonprofit Hospital Service Corporations|§ 4511. Purposes and definition

§ 4511. Purposes and definition|A corporation may be organized for the purpose of establishing, maintaining, and operating a nonprofit hospital service plan whereby hospital care may be provided by a hospital maintained by a corporation organized for hospital purposes to such of the public who become subscribers to such plan under a contract which entitles each subscriber to certain hospital care. As used in this chapter, the term "hospital service corporation" includes any corporation organized under the provisions of this chapter and also any unincorporated association furnishing hospital, medical, surgical, or nursing services, or any combination of the foregoing, to subscribers or members, except as provided in section 4519 of this title.
8 V.S.A. § 4512
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 123 - Nonprofit Hospital Service Corporations|§ 4512. Powers

§ 4512. Powers|(a) Such hospital service corporation shall be a nonprofit sharing corporation without capital stock. It shall be maintained and operated solely for the benefit of the subscribers thereof and shall not be authorized to pay money in lieu of hospital service. A person, partnership, association, or corporation shall not contract to furnish hospital service unless authorized so to do pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Corporations formed under the provisions of this chapter shall have the privileges and be subject to the provisions of Title 11B as well as the applicable provisions of this chapter. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of Title 11B and the provisions of this chapter, the latter shall control.(b) Subject to the approval of the Commissioner or the Green Mountain Care Board established in 18 V.S.A. chapter 220, as appropriate, a hospital service corporation may establish, maintain, and operate a medical service plan as defined in section 4583 of this title. The Commissioner or the Board may refuse approval if the Commissioner or the Board finds that the rates submitted are excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, fail to protect the hospital service corporation's solvency, or fail to meet the standards of affordability, promotion of quality care, and promotion of access pursuant to section 4062 of this title. The contracts of a hospital service corporation which operates a medical service plan under this subsection shall be governed by chapter 125 of this title to the extent that they provide for medical service benefits, and by this chapter to the extent that the contracts provide for hospital service benefits.(c) Subject to the approval of the Commissioner, a hospital or medical service corporation may establish, maintain, and operate, or participate in the establishment, maintenance, and operation of, health care services contracts or arrangements, including health maintenance organizations authorized pursuant to chapter 139 of this title, all of which are intended to ensure that subscriber benefits are provided at minimum cost under efficient and economical management. A health maintenance organization established, maintained or operated under the authority of this subsection shall be organized so that its business and affairs will be managed by a governing board or committee of which a majority are members who are not providers, as those terms are defined in section 5101 of this title. Notwithstanding the foregoing, subject to the approval of the Commissioner, a hospital or medical service corporation may establish, maintain, and operate or participate in the establishment, maintenance, and operation of administrative claims processing services and related services. (Amended 1975, No. 69, § 1, eff. April 18, 1975; 1985, No. 44; 1997, No. 54, §§ 2, 3, eff. June 26, 1997; 2005, No. 36, § 20, eff. June 1, 2005; 2011, No. 48, § 15a, eff. Jan. 1, 2012; 2013, No. 79, § 5f, eff. Jan. 1, 2014.)
8 V.S.A. § 4514
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 123 - Nonprofit Hospital Service Corporations|§ 4514. Required contract provisions

§ 4514. Required contract provisions|A contract entered into by a hospital service corporation shall be in writing, one copy of which shall be furnished to the subscriber, and shall contain the following provisions:  (1) a statement of the amount payable to the corporation by the subscriber and the times at which and manner in which such amount is to be paid; (2) a statement of the nature of the services to be furnished and the period during which they will be furnished; and if there are any services to be excepted, a detailed statement of such exceptions printed as hereinafter specified; (3) a statement of the terms and conditions, if any, upon which the contract may be canceled or otherwise terminated at the option of either party; (4) a statement that the contract includes the endorsements thereon and attached papers, if any, and contains the entire contract for services; (5) a statement that no representation by the subscriber in his or her application for a contract shall avoid the contract or be used in any legal proceeding thereunder, unless such application or an exact copy thereof is included in or attached to such contract, and that no agent or representative of such corporation, other than an officer designated therein, is authorized to change the contract or waive any of its provisions; (6) a statement that if the subscriber defaults in making any payment under the contract, the subsequent acceptance of a payment by the corporation or by any of its duly authorized agents shall reinstate the contract, but, with respect to sickness and injury, only to cover such sickness as may be first manifested more than 10 days after the date of such acceptance; and (7) a statement of the period of grace which will be allowed the subscriber for making any payment due under the contract. Such period shall be not less than 10 days.
8 V.S.A. § 4514a
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 123 - Nonprofit Hospital Service Corporations|§ 4514a. Part-time employees

§ 4514a. Part-time employees|A nonprofit hospital service corporation shall not exclude part-time employees and shall offer the same insurance benefits to part-time employees as it offers to the employee groups of which the part-time employees would be members if they were full-time employees. The insurer shall offer to include the part-time employees as part of the employer's employee group, at the full rate to be paid by the employer, at a rate prorated between the employer and the employee or at the employee's expense. "Part-time employee" means any employee who works a minimum of at least 17 1/2 hours per week. (Added 1989, No. 34, § 2.)
8 V.S.A. § 4515
2021 Vermont Statutes|Title 8 - Banking and Insurance|Chapter 123 - Nonprofit Hospital Service Corporations|§ 4515. Form of contract

§ 4515. Form of contract|In every such contract made, issued, or delivered in this State:  (1) all printed portions shall be plainly printed in type of which the face is not smaller than ten point; (2) there shall be a brief description of the contract on its first page and on its filing back in type of which the face is not smaller than 14 point; (3) the exceptions of the contract shall appear with the same prominence as the benefits to which they apply; and (4) if the contract contains a provision purporting to make a portion of the articles, constitution, or bylaws of the corporation a part of the contract, such portion thereof shall be set forth in full.