33-16-101. Purpose and intent. (1) The purpose of this chapter is to promote the public welfare by regulating insurance rates as herein provided to the end that they shall not be excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory, to authorize the existence and operation of qualified rating organizations and advisory organizations and require that specified rating services of such rating organizations be generally available to all admitted insurers, and to authorize cooperation between insurers in ratemaking and other related matters.

(2) It is the express intent of this chapter to permit and encourage competition between insurers on a sound financial basis, and nothing in this chapter is intended to give the commissioner power to fix and determine a rate level by classification or otherwise.