(1) This chapter shall not be construed to affect or apply to any of the following described organizations which were in existence and issuing benefits on July 1, 1945:

  (a) Grand or subordinate lodges of masons, odd fellows or knights of Pythias, exclusive of the insurance department of the supreme lodge knights of Pythias, the junior order of united American mechanics, exclusive of the beneficiary degree of insurance branch of the national council junior order of united American mechanics, the ladies’ Lutheran benevolent federation of Michigan, labor organizations or societies that admit to membership only those persons who at the time of admission are engaged in any 1 occupation or who limit their membership to any 1 religious denomination, similar societies that do not issue insurance certificates, an association of local lodges of a society now doing business in this state that provides death benefits not exceeding $500.00 to any 1 person or disability benefits not exceeding $300.00 in any 1 year to any 1 person, or both, a contract of reinsurance business on such plan in this state, a domestic society that limits its membership to the employees of a particular city or town, similar societies that limit their membership to a designated firm, business house, or corporation granting death benefits not exceeding $1,000.00 or disability benefits not exceeding $300.00 in any 1 year to any 1 person, and domestic lodges orders or associations of a purely religious, charitable, and benevolent description that do not provide for a death benefit of more than $150.00 or for disability benefits of more than $150.00 to any 1 person in any 1 year.

  (b) Orders, societies, or associations that admit to membership only persons engaged in 1 or more crafts or hazardous occupations, in the same or similar lines of business, insuring only their own members and their families, and the ladies’ societies or ladies’ auxiliaries to such orders, societies, or associations.

  (2) The commissioner may require from a society such information as will enable him or her to determine whether the society is exempt from the provisions of this chapter.

  (3) A fraternal benefit society, organized and incorporated and operating as set forth in section 8164 to 8166, providing for benefits in case of death or disability resulting solely from accidents but which does not obligate itself to pay death or sick benefits, may be licensed under the provisions of this chapter and shall have all the privileges and be subject to all the provisions and regulations of this chapter, except that the provisions of this chapter requiring medical examinations and valuations of benefit certificates, and that the certificate shall specify the amount of benefits, shall not apply to such society.

  (4) Societies exempted under the provisions of this section shall also be exempt from all other provisions of the insurance laws of this state.