(a) A person competent to serve a summons shall serve upon the commissioner triplicate copies of legal process against an insurer for whom the commissioner is attorney. In the absence of the commissioner, the process may be served upon the chief deputy or the deputy in charge of the insurance function. At the time of service the plaintiff shall pay to the commissioner $25, taxable as costs in the action.
(b) In lieu of service on the commissioner, legal process may be served upon a domestic reciprocal insurer by serving the insurer's attorney-in-fact at the attorney-in-fact's principal offices.
(c) The commissioner shall forthwith send one of the copies of the process to the person designated for the purpose by the insurer in its most recent designation filed with the commissioner, or to the insurer at its last known principal office if no such designation is on file, and return one copy to the plaintiff with the commissioner's acknowledgment of service.
(d) The commissioner shall keep a record of the day and hour of service upon the commissioner of all such legal process. No proceedings shall be had against the insurer, and the insurer shall not be required to appear, plead, or answer until the expiration of forty days after the date of service upon the commissioner.