Section 76: Mutual fire companies; members; annual meetings; voting rights
Section 76. Every person insured by a mutual fire company shall be a member while his policy is in force, entitled to one vote for each policy he holds, and shall be notified of the time and place of holding its meetings by a written notice or by an imprint, in type not smaller than long primer, upon the filing-back of each policy, receipt or certificate of renewal, as follows:
The assured is hereby notified that by virtue of this policy he is a member of the Insurance Company, and is entitled to vote either in person or by proxy at any and all meetings of said company. The annual meetings are held at its home office on the day of in each year, at o'clock.
The blanks shall be duly filled in print, and shall be a sufficient notice.
Any city or town or other political subdivision of the commonwealth or any other corporation becoming a member of such a company may authorize any person to represent it in such company, and such representative shall have all the rights of any individual member. The contingent mutual liability of any city or town or other political subdivision of the commonwealth becoming a member of such a company shall not be deemed a liability within the meaning of section thirty-one of chapter forty-four. The commissioner shall, upon request of any official of a city or town or other political subdivision of the commonwealth, furnish a list of the mutual companies authorized to transact business in the commonwealth. A mutual fire insurance company may hold its annual meeting at a location other than its home office; provided, however, that such other location shall be within the Commonwealth; and, provided further, that the commissioner of insurance shall be informed in writing of such other location at least thirty days prior to the annual meeting. When the location of the annual meeting has been established, notice thereof shall be prominently posted in the company's home office within five business days prior to such meeting.
Any person holding property in trust may insure the same in such company, and as such trustee assume the liabilities and be entitled to the rights of a member, but shall not be personally liable upon such contract of insurance.
Members may vote by proxies dated and executed within three months, and returned and recorded on the books of the company three days or more, before the meeting at which they are to be used. No person shall, as attorney or otherwise, cast more than twenty votes, and no officer shall, himself or by another, ask for, receive, procure to be obtained or use a proxy to vote.