Sec. 1. (a) Every society authorized to do business in Indiana shall appoint in writing an individual resident of Indiana, a corporate resident of Indiana, or an authorized Indiana insurer to be its true and lawful attorney upon whom all lawful process in any action or proceeding against it shall be served and shall agree in such writing that:

(1) any lawful process against it that is served on the attorney shall be of the same legal force and validity as if served upon the society; and

(2) the authority shall continue in force so long as any liability remains outstanding in this state.

Copies of the appointment, certified by the commissioner, shall be considered sufficient evidence thereof and shall be admitted in evidence with the same force and effect as the original might be admitted.

(b) Service shall only be made upon the attorney or, if absent, upon the person in charge of the attorney's office. It shall be made in duplicate and shall constitute sufficient service upon the society. When legal process against a society is served upon the attorney, the attorney shall immediately forward one (1) of the duplicate copies by registered mail, prepaid, directed to the secretary or corresponding officer. No service shall require a society to file its answer, pleading, or defense in less than thirty (30) days from the date of mailing the copy of the service to a society. Legal process shall not be served upon a society except in the manner provided in this section.

As added by P.L.262-1985, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.130-1994, SEC.48; P.L.116-1994, SEC.71; P.L.268-1999, SEC.21.