As used in this article, the term:

(1) "Administrator" means any individual, partnership, or corporation, except a sponsoring association or associations, designated and authorized by the board of the fund to carry out the day-to-day operations of the fund, including, but not limited to, the processing and payment of claims.

(2) "Basic rate" means the annual premium rate charged prior to any credit being given for applicable experience debits or credits or for applicable discounts or surcharges.

(3) "Board of the fund" means the board of trustees of any fund created pursuant to this article.

(4) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Georgia.

(5) "County" means a county of this state. Such term shall include a consolidated city-county government and any public authority, commission, board, or similar body created or activated by an Act of the General Assembly or by a resolution or ordinance of the governing authority of a county, individually or jointly with any other political subdivision or subdivisions of this state, pursuant to the Constitution of this state or an Act of the General Assembly and which carries out its functions on a county-wide basis, a multicounty basis, or wholly within the unincorporated area of a county.

(6) "Fund" means a joint fund for workers' compensation established pursuant to this article.

(7) "Gross annual premium" means the total annual premium determined by multiplying the payroll for the applicable workers' compensation job classifications by the appropriate annual premium rate for each classification.

(8) "Hospital authority" means any legally constituted board, commission, or authority which has been created for the purpose of and is actually governing the operation of a public hospital created in accordance with the laws of this state.

(9) "Intrastate agreement" means the written agreement subscribed to and abided by the members of the fund, which agreement establishes the fund and provides for its operation and through which each member agrees to assume and discharge, jointly and severally, any and all liability under this article relating to or arising out of the operations of the fund.

(10) "Member" means an employer who is a member of a fund established by a trade association or professional association or by a group of municipalities, counties, school boards, or hospital authorities in accordance with this article. "Member" also means a trade association or professional association which elects to cover its own employees under a fund established by its members.

(11) "Municipality" means an incorporated municipality of this state, a consolidated city-county government, and any local public authority, commission, board, or other similar agency which is created by a general or local Act of the General Assembly and which carries out its functions wholly or partly within the corporate boundaries of an incorporated municipality of this state. This term shall also include such bodies which are created or activated by an appropriate ordinance or resolution of the governing body of a municipal corporation, individually or jointly with other political subdivisions of the state.

(12) "Normal annual premium" means the standard annual premium plus or minus applicable surcharges or discounts.

(13) "Premium" means any consideration, by whatever name called, paid to a fund by a member for coverage under the fund.

(14) "Professional association" means a corporation or unincorporated association which at the time it initially makes application to form a fund under this chapter has been organized for a period of at least three years and is domiciled in the State of Georgia, is engaged in substantial activity for the benefit of its members, other than the sponsorship of a fund operated pursuant to this article, and is comprised of a bona fide group of employers who are engaged in the same or in substantially similar types of professions and have similar governing industry classifications as approved by the Commissioner regarding workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance.

(15) "School board" means a public board of education of any county or of any independent school system of this state.

(16) "Standard annual premium" means the gross annual premium plus or minus applicable experience credits or debits.

(17) "Surplus" means the total assets of the fund less its liabilities and reserves as determined in accordance with the requirements of this article.

(18) "Surplus share" or "proportionate share" means the initial contribution paid to a fund by a member as a condition of membership in the fund.

(19) "Trade association" means a corporation or unincorporated association which at the time it initially makes application to form a fund under this chapter has been organized for a period of at least three years, domiciled in the State of Georgia, is engaged in substantial activity for the benefit of its members, other than the sponsorship of a fund operated pursuant to this article, and is comprised of a bona fide group of employers who are engaged in the same or in substantially similar types of businesses or professions within this state and who have similar governing industry classifications as approved by the Commissioner regarding workers' compensation and employers' liability insurance.