Any incorporation, association or society organized to insure lives, which provides for the payment of policy claims, or the accumulation of reserve or emergency funds, and the expenses of the management and prosecution of the business by payments to be made either at periods named in the contract or upon assessments as required, by persons holding similar contracts, and wherein the insured's liability to contribute to the payment of policy claims accrued or to accrue is not limited to a fixed sum, shall be deemed to be engaged in the business of life insurance upon the assessment plan, and shall be subject only to the provisions of this chapter. However, nothing contained in this chapter shall be construed as applicable to any association of religious or secret societies, or to any class of mechanics, express, telegraph or railroad employees, or veterans described in IC 10-17-5-2 or IC 10-17-5-1 (before their repeal) formed for the mutual benefit of the members thereof and their families exclusively, or to any secret or fraternal societies, lodges or councils that may be organized, or that are now organized and doing business in this state, which conduct their business and secure members on the lodge system exclusively, having ritualistic work and ceremonies in their societies, lodges or councils, and which are under the supervision of the grand or supreme body, nor to any association organized solely for benevolent purposes and not for profit.
IC 27-8-3-6