Any of the following acts in this state, effected by mail or otherwise, by an unauthorized foreign or alien insurer is equivalent to and shall constitute an appointment by the insurer of the insurance commissioner and the commissioner's successor or successors in office to be the insurer's true and lawful attorney, upon whom may be served all lawful process in any action, suit, or proceeding instituted by or on behalf of an insured or beneficiary arising out of the contract of insurance, and the act shall be signification of its agreement that service of process is of the same legal force and validity as personal service of process in this state upon the insurer:
R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-16-5