Sec. 12. (a) Unless a farm mutual insurance company’s articles of incorporation specify otherwise, a director of a farm mutual insurance company must be elected at the farm mutual insurance company’s annual policyholder meeting by the affirmative vote of a majority of:

(1) the policyholders present and voting; and

(2) the policyholders voting by proxy, if voting by proxy is allowed by the farm mutual insurance company’s articles of incorporation.

     (b) The term of office of a director must be at least one (1) year but not more than five (5) years. A farm mutual insurance company’s articles of incorporation may provide for the classification of directors into three (3) groups, and the terms of the directors may be staggered. A vacancy on the board of directors may be filled for the unexpired term through an appointment made by the remaining directors.

     (c) The board of directors of a farm mutual insurance company shall, by vote of a majority of the directors, elect the officers designated in the farm mutual insurance company’s bylaws. The directors may also elect any additional officers that the directors determine are necessary. An officer elected under this subsection is not required to be a director.

     (d) The term of an officer elected under subsection (c) may not be less than one (1) year or more than three (3) years. An outgoing officer shall hold office until the officer’s successor is either elected or selected and qualified.

     (e) The board of directors of a farm mutual insurance company shall hold a separate meeting of the board of directors immediately after the farm mutual insurance company’s annual meeting.

As added by P.L.129-2003, SEC.8.