33-2-101. Certificate of authority required -- administrative and criminal penalties. (1) Except as expressly otherwise provided in this code, a person acting as an insurer and an insurer transacting insurance in this state must have a subsisting certificate of authority issued by the commissioner.
(2) An insurer that has or maintains in Montana any office, representative, or facility for the solicitation or servicing of any kind of insurance in any other state must be authorized to transact the same kind of insurance in this state.
(3) A person who knowingly violates this section is guilty of a felony punishable as provided in 46-18-213 and in addition is subject to the civil penalty provided in 33-1-317.