West Virginia § 33-21-12 - 33-21-12. Process and venue; annual fee.

§ 33-21-12. 33-21-12. Process and venue; annual fee.

(a) Concurrently with the filing of the application provided for by the terms of section six of this article, the attorney shall file with the commissioner an instrument in writing, executed by him for said subscribers, conditioned that upon the issuance of the license provided for in section seven of this article any action, suit or other proceeding arising out of any insurance contract or policy issued under such license, may be brought in the county of this state wherein the property insured was situated either at the date of the policy or at the time when the right of action accrued, or in the county of this state wherein the person insured had a legal residence at the date of his death or at the time the right of action accrued, and that service of any process or notice may be had upon the Secretary of State in all actions, suits or other proceedings in this state arising out of such policies, contracts, agreements or other business of insurance transacted under such license, and that said Secretary of State may accept service of any such process or notice.

(b) Such service or acceptance of service shall be valid and binding upon the attorney and upon all subscribers exchanging at any time reciprocal or interinsurance contracts through the attorney. Two copies of such process or notice, in addition to the original, shall be furnished the Secretary of State, and he shall file one copy, forward one copy to the attorney and return the original with his acceptance of service or for return of service. But no process or notice shall be served on the Secretary of State or accepted by him less than ten days before the return day thereof. Where the principal office of the attorney is located in this state, service of process may be had upon all subscribers by serving same upon the attorney at said office. Service of process shall not be had upon said subscribers or any of them in any suit or other proceeding in this state except in the manner provided in this section, and any action, suit, or other proceeding may be begun and prosecuted against or defended by them under the name or designation adopted by them.

(c) The attorney shall pay to the Secretary of State an annual fee of $20.