1752                            LAWS OF MARYLAND                      [CH. 822

135. As used in the subtitle:

(1)  The phrase "insurance company" means (a) every person en-
gaged as principal in the business of writing insurance, surety,
guaranty or annuity contracts (except nonprofit hospital service
plan corporations and fraternal beneficiary associations), and in-
cludes mutual insurance companies [(except domestic mutual fire
insurance companies)], title insurance companies and credit in-
demnity companies, and (b) attorneys in fact for reciprocal ex-
changes or interinsurers.

(2)  The term "premiums" includes the consideration for surety,
guaranty and annuity contracts, dividends on life insurance policies
which have been applied to purchase additional insurance or to
shorten the premium paying period, and so much of the gross receipts
of title insurance companies as is derived from the business of insur-
ance or guaranty, but shall not include premiums on policies covering
weekly disability benefits on which premiums are payable weekly, or
credits allowed on premiums under policies of industrial insurance by
reason of payment thereof being made to the home office or to a
branch office of the company. The provisions of this subsection shall
be retroactive to October 1, 1941.

(3)  the term "policy" includes insurance, surety, guaranty and
annuity contracts.

(4) The phrase "property insurance" means insurance known as
fire, extended coverage, homeowners, farmowners, and other allied
lines, earthquake, growing crops, aircraft physical damage, auto-
mobile physical damage, glass, livestock and animal.

136.

(a) There is hereby annually levied and imposed upon every in-
surance company a tax on all new and renewal gross direct premiums
allocable to this State and written during the preceding calendar year
at the rate of one per cent in the case of considerations for annuities
and two per cent, in the case of all other premiums (except property
insurance written by domestic mutual insurance companies and wet
marine and transportation contracts) without deduction for any cause
whatever except as herein provided. The tax imposed by this section
shall first be collected and paid with respect to premiums written
during the calendar year 1941 1943 1963.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That this Act shall take effect
June 1, 1963.

Approved May 6, 1963.

CHAPTER 822
(House Bill 356)

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 40 (d)
(3) of Article 10 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1962 Supple-
ment), title "Attorneys At Law and Attorneys In Fact," subtitle