Pursuant to vote of its board of directors heretofore or hereafter made, any domestic stock or mutual insurer may provide for its officers, employees or full-time insurance agents a plan or plans of insurance, to be issued under group or individual policies. The insurer may pay the cost, in whole or in part, of such insurance; or, if duly authorized by its charter and bylaws, may itself provide such benefits directly as the insurer thereof, without requirement of placement through a licensed insurance agent, and in such case may adjust the premium rate for the insurance to reflect such savings in expense as the insurer may deem applicable. [PL 1969, c. 132, §1 (NEW).]