§33-4-12. Service of process on licensed insurers.

The Secretary of State shall be, and is hereby constituted, the attorney-in-fact of every licensed insurer, domestic, foreign or alien, transacting insurance in this state, upon whom all legal process in any action, suit or proceeding against it shall be served and he or she may accept service of the process. The process shall be served upon the Secretary of State, or accepted by him or her, in the same manner as provided for service of process upon unlicensed insurers under subdivisions (2) and (3), subsection (b), section thirteen of this article. Each licensed insurer shall pay to the Secretary of State an annual fee of $25 for services as authorized agent for service of process, one half of which shall be deposited in the state fund, general revenue and one half of the fees in the service fees and collections account established by section two, article one, chapter fifty-nine of this code for the operation of the office of the Secretary of State.