INSURANCE 2095

associations, partnerships or individuals engaged as principals in the busi-
ness of insurance;

"Insurance business," or "business of insurance," means and embraces,
among other things, the making, negotiating or soliciting of any contract
of insurance or reinsurance, including the guaranty or insurance of the
title to real or personal property, and the principal or interest secured
by any mortgage; the issuing of any bond insuring the fidelity of any
person, the performance of any contract, act, trust or thing; and any obliga-
tion or undertaking of any kind or nature whatsoever insuring against or
undertaking to indemnify any person for loss resulting from any contin-
gency, hazard or casualty;

"State" includes the District of Columbia, the territories and depen-
dencies of the United States of America, the provinces of the Dominion
of Canada and all foreign countries;

"Domestic Company" means an insurance company incorporated under
the general laws of the State of Maryland, or by special act of the Mary-
land Legislature;

"Foreign Company" means an insurance company incorporated, formed
or organized elsewhere or under laws other than the laws of the State
of Maryland;

"Commissioner" or "Insurance Commissioner" means the State Insur-
ance Commissioner of Maryland.

"Department" or "Insurance Department" means State Insurance De-
partment of Maryland.

"Person" includes individuals, corporations, associations and partner-
ships ;

Personal pronouns embrace all genders;

The singular number includes the plural, and the plural includes the
singular.

Insurance Department.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 2. 1922, ch. 492, sec. 3. 1927, ch. 394, sec. 2.

2. (Title and Jurisdiction.) There shall be a department to be known
as the State Insurance Department of Maryland which shall be charged
with the execution of the laws of this State in relation to insurance, and
which shall be assigned to the Division of Financial Review and Control,
and with respect to its administrative as distinguished from its judicial,
semi-judicial or discretionary functions shall be under the supervision and
direction of the Comptroller. The principal office of the said Department
shall be located in the City of Baltimore.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 2. 1922, ch. 492, sec. 4.

3. (Insurance Commissioner; Appointment and Term.) The chief
officer of said Department shall be appointed by the Governor for a term of
four years beginning on the first Monday of May succeeding his appoint-
ment, except that the Insurance Commissioner first appointed under this
Article, shall be appointed on the first day of January, 1923, on which date
his term shall begin, and shall hold office until the first Monday of May,
1924, or until his successor shall be appointed and shall qualify.