1252 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 511

(c) No rating organization shall adopt any rule the effect
of which would be to prohibit or regulate the payment of
dividends, savings or unabsorbed premium deposits allowed or
returned by insurers to their policyholders, members or sub-
scribers.

(d) Cooperation among rating organizations or among rat-
ing organizations and insurers in rate making or in other
matters within the scope of this Act is hereby authorized,
provided the filings resulting from such cooperation are sub-
ject to all the provisions of this Act which are applicable to
filings generally. The commissioner may review such co-
operative activities and practices and if, after a hearing, he
finds that any such activity or practice is unfair or unreason-
able or otherwise inconsistent with the provisions of this Act,
he may issue a written order specifying in what respects such
activity or practice is unfair or unreasonable or otherwise
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, and requiring the
discontinuance of such activity or practice.

7—DEVIATIONS.

Every member of or subscriber to a rating organization
shall adhere to the filings made on its behalf by such organiza-
tion except that any such insurer may make written applica-
tion to the commissioner for permission to file a uniform
percentage decrease or increase to be applied to the premiums
produced by the rating system so filed for a kind of insurance
or for a class of insurance which is found by the commis-
sioner to be a proper rating unit for the application of such
uniform percentage decrease or increase, or for a subdivision
of a kind of insurance (1) comprised of a group of manual
classifications which is treated as a separate unit for rate
making purposes, or (2) for which separate expense provisions
are included in the filings of the rating organizations. Such
application shall specify the basis for the modification and
shall be accompanied by the data upon which the applicant
relies. A copy of the application and data shall be sent
simultaneously to such rating organizations. The commis-
sioner shall set a time and place for a hearing at which the
insurer and such rating organization may be heard and shall
give them not less than ten days' written notice thereof. In
the event the commissioner is advised by the rating organiza-
tion that it does not desire a hearing he may, upon the consent
of the applicant waive such hearing. The commissioner shall
issue an order permitting the modification for such insurer to
be filed if he finds it to be justified and it shall thereupon
become effective. Pie shall issue an1 order denying such appli-
cation if he finds that the modification is not justified or that