378.640. Law not applicable to certain societies, when--specific exemptions.

MISSOURI STATUTES AND CODES

378.640. Law not applicable to certain societies, when--specific exemptions.

Law not applicable to certain societies, when--specific exemptions.

378.640. 1. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be soconstrued as to affect or apply to grand or subordinate lodges ofsocieties, orders or associations now doing business in thisstate which provide benefits exclusively through local orsubordinate lodges, or to:

(1) Orders, societies or associations which admit tomembership only persons engaged in one or more crafts orhazardous occupations, in the same or similar lines of business;and the ladies societies or ladies auxiliaries to such orders,societies or associations;

(2) Domestic societies which limit their membership toemployees of a particular city or town, designated firm, businesshouse or corporation which provide for a death benefit of notmore than five hundred dollars or disability benefits of not morethan three hundred fifty dollars to any person in any one year,or both;

(3) Domestic societies or associations of a purelyreligious, charitable or benevolent description, which providefor a death benefit of not more than five hundred dollars or fordisability benefits of not more than three hundred fifty dollarsto any one person in any one year, or both.

2. Any such society or association described insubdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection 1 of this section whichprovides for death or disability benefits for which benefitcertificates are issued, and any such society or associationincluded in subdivision (3) of subsection 1 of this section whichhas more than two thousand members, shall not be exempted fromthe provisions of this chapter but shall comply with allrequirements thereof.

3. No society which, by the provisions of this section, isexempt from the requirements of this chapter, except any societydescribed in subdivision (1) of subsection 1, shall give orallow, or promise to give or allow to any person any compensationfor procuring new members.

4. Any society whose membership is confined to anyreligious denomination shall not be required to have ritualisticceremonies.

5. Every fraternal benefit society heretofore organized andincorporated and which provides exclusively for benefits in caseof death or disability resulting solely from accident, and whichdoes not obligate itself to pay natural death or sick benefits,may be relicensed under the provisions of this chapter, ifheretofore authorized, and shall have all of the privileges, andbe subject to all the applicable provisions and regulations ofthis chapter, except that the privileges thereof relating tomedical examination, valuations of benefit certificates, andrequirements that the certificate shall specify the amount ofbenefits shall not apply to such society.

6. The director may require from any society orassociation, by examination or otherwise, such information aswill enable the director to determine whether such society orassociation is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.