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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>62774</law_id><section_number>38.2-4115</section_number><catch_line>Conversion of fraternal benefit society into mutual life insurer</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="38.2">Insurance</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="41">Fraternal Benefit Societies</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="3">Governance</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any domestic fraternal benefit <span class="dictionary">society</span> organized or operated under this chapter may, upon a two-thirds vote of its supreme governing body, <span class="dictionary">amend</span> its articles of incorporation and <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">laws</span></span> if already incorporated, or, if not incorporated, may incorporate, in a manner to transform itself into a mutual life <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>. It may use the name by which it is already known, or another name, as its supreme governing body shall determine. However, the proposed plan for reorganization or reincorporation shall be submitted to and approved by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>. Upon so doing, and upon procuring from the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> a license to do the business of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> in this Commonwealth as a mutual life <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>, it shall incur the obligations and enjoy the benefits of a mutual life <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> as if originally incorporated as a mutual life <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>. Any such corporation under its articles and bylaws as so framed or amended shall be a continuation of the original organization, and the officers of the organization shall serve through their respective terms as provided in the original articles and <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">laws</span></span>. However, their successors shall be elected and serve as the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">laws</span></span> of this Commonwealth and the articles of incorporation or bylaws of the reorganized <span class="dictionary">company</span> provide. The incorporation, amendment or reincorporation shall not affect existing suits, rights or <span class="dictionary">contracts</span>. The organization, after reorganization, shall have the power to do business of the same nature done by it before reorganization, as well as the powers conferred in this section and contemplated by its articles of incorporation, in <span class="dictionary">order</span> to protect and perform rights and <span class="dictionary">contracts</span> existing before reorganization, but all new business written shall be as a mutual life <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>. <a id="paragraph-228834" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-4115/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> All <span class="dictionary">assets</span>, other than general or expense fund <span class="dictionary">assets</span>, belonging to any reorganized <span class="dictionary">insurer</span>, prior to reorganization or arising or accruing from benefit <span class="dictionary">certificates</span> issued prior to the reorganization, shall be used only for the benefit of the holders of the benefit <span class="dictionary">certificates</span> or their beneficiaries. <a id="paragraph-228835" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-4115/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> If at the time of reorganization, or at any time after reorganization, it appears from the last preceding annual report of any such organization, filed with the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>, or any investigation made by the <span class="dictionary">Commission</span>, that the present value of the contributions to be received from the holders of the benefit <span class="dictionary">certificates</span>, together with all <span class="dictionary">assets</span>, other than general or expense fund <span class="dictionary">assets</span>, owned by the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> that have been accumulated from payments made by members holding such <span class="dictionary">certificates</span>, are not equal to the present value of the benefits promised to be paid, including all matured liabilities on any benefit <span class="dictionary">certificates</span>, then the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> so reorganized shall establish, provide for, and maintain a fund, which with the present value of contributions and <span class="dictionary">assets</span> will equal the present value of the benefits, together with all matured liabilities. The fund shall be used for the payment of matured liabilities arising on the benefit <span class="dictionary">certificates</span> when other <span class="dictionary">assets</span> applicable thereto are exhausted. The fund need not be maintained unless required by conditions expressed in this chapter. <a id="paragraph-228836" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-4115/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Members in good standing in any <span class="dictionary">society</span> prior to reorganization shall have the right after reorganization to transfer their <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> in the <span class="dictionary">society</span> to the mutual life plan without further medical examination for the same or lesser amount, and at legal reserve or level premium <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">rates</span></span>. The interest in the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of the <span class="dictionary">society</span> of any <span class="dictionary">person</span> so transferring, as determined by the board of directors, trustees or corresponding body, shall be transferred to, and be a part of, the <span class="dictionary">assets</span> of the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> on the legal reserve or level premium plan. <a id="paragraph-228837" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-4115/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="E"><p><span class="prefix-number">E.</span> The <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> so organized, and its officials, shall exercise all the rights and powers and perform all the duties conferred or imposed by <span class="dictionary">law</span> upon organizations writing the kinds of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> written by the <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> so organized. The organization and its officials shall exercise all the rights and powers and have full authority to perform all the duties necessary to protect rights and <span class="dictionary">contracts</span> existing prior to reorganization. The <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> shall exercise the powers and discharge the duties concerning any such <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> so reorganized that are applicable to <span class="dictionary">insurers</span> writing <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> or issuing policies of the same class, organized or operating in this Commonwealth. The <span class="dictionary">Commission</span> shall <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a <span class="dictionary">certificate</span> of authority to any solvent <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> so reorganized that has fully complied with the <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">laws</span></span> of this Commonwealth to do such <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> business in this Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-228838" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-4115/#E"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="F"><p><span class="prefix-number">F.</span> Any fraternal benefit <span class="dictionary">society</span> reorganized to do mutual life <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> business as provided in this chapter shall value its benefit <span class="dictionary">certificates</span> according to the standard of valuation for fraternal benefit societies used in this Commonwealth, and its legal reserve or level premium policies according to the standard of valuation for those policies in this Commonwealth. The various classes of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span> shall be governed by the <span class="dictionary">law</span> applicable to each class of <span class="dictionary">insurance</span>. <a id="paragraph-228839" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-4115/#F"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="G"><p><span class="prefix-number">G.</span> The expense of operation and maintenance of a reorganized <span class="dictionary">insurer</span> shall be apportioned between those holding benefit <span class="dictionary">certificates</span> issued before the reorganization and those holding policies issued after the reorganization as may be determined by the board of directors, trustees or corresponding body. <a id="paragraph-228840" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/38.2-4115/#G"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7;&#xA7; 38-323 through 38-329, 38.1-632 through 38.1-638; 1952, c. 317, &#xA7;&#xA7; 38.1-638.53 through 38.1-638.59; 1968, c. 654; 1986, c. 562.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
