Accident and sickness insurance on a franchise plan is hereby declared to be that form of accident and sickness insurance issued to:

(a) Five or more employees of any corporation, copartnership or individual employer or any governmental corporation, agency or department thereof, or

(b) Five or more members of any trade or professional association or of a labor union or of any other association having had an active existence for at least two years where such association or union has a Constitution or bylaws and is formed in good faith for purposes other than that of obtaining insurance; where such persons, with or without their dependents, are issued the same form of an individual policy varying only as to amounts and kinds of coverage applied for by such persons, under an arrangement whereby the premiums on such policies may be paid to the insurer periodically by the employer, with or without payroll deductions, or by the association or union for its members, or by some designated person acting on behalf of such employer or association or union. The term "employees" as used in this section shall be deemed to include the officers, managers, employees and retired employees of the employer and the individual proprietor or partners if the employer is an individual proprietor or partnership.