For the purpose of providing the moneys necessary to establish the New Jersey Insurance Development Fund in an amount sufficient to meet the requirements of said fund pursuant to section 21 of this act, the commissioner shall establish a reasonable surcharge upon all basic property insurance premiums paid for policies of insurance written in this State; provided, however, that in any given calendar year the aggregate amount of such surcharges shall not exceed a sum equal to 5% of the insurance premiums written on basic property insurance in this State in the most recent full calendar year. The surcharge shall be a separate charge to the insured in addition to the premium to be paid and shall be reflected as such in the policy and commissions shall not be payable thereon. The insurer shall be prohibited from absorbing such surcharge as an inducement for insurance or for any other reason. In the event that pursuant to section 23 of this act the Legislature appropriates any moneys to the credit of such fund, the commissioner is hereby empowered to increase the surcharge so that the amount so appropriated may be returned to the State Treasury as provided by section 23 of this act.

L.1968, c. 129, s. 20, eff. July 1, 1968. Amended by L.1977, c. 185, s. 2, eff. Aug. 22, 1977.