17:45-7 - Certain provisions prohibited; fees
17:45-7. Certain provisions prohibited; fees
No certificate contracting to pay a death benefit or providing sickness or accident benefits which contain any of the following provisions shall be issued by any association authorized under this chapter:
a. A provision which limits the time within which any action at law of in equity may be commenced to less than five years after the cause of action shall accrue in the case of a certificate making provision for a death benefit only or less than one year in the case of a certificate providing for sickness or accident disability benefits.
b. A provision by which maximum benefits provided in the certificate become effective after the lapse of more than one year from the effective date of the certificate.
c. A provision which restricts or reduces benefits payable in the event of death from diseases specified in such certificate where such death occurs more than two years after the effective date of the certificate.
d. Any provision for the payment of an initial membership fee in excess of three dollars, a registration fee of more than one dollar or a reinstatement fee of more than one dollar. No initial membership fee shall be collected from any member whose previous membership, if any, lapsed less than one year prior to the date of issue of his new certificate, nor shall a registration fee be collected more than once from any member.