No company shall sell or offer for sale any motor club service without first having deposited with the commissioner the sum of $25,000, in cash or securities approved by the commissioner, or, in lieu thereof, a bond in the form prescribed by the commissioner, payable to the state of Wisconsin, in the sum of $50,000, with corporate surety approved by the commissioner, conditioned upon the faithful performance in the sale or rendering of motor club service and payment of any fines or penalties levied against it for failure to comply with this chapter. Upon the depositing of such security with the commissioner, it shall be the duty of said commissioner to issue a certificate of authority to said company. The provisions of this section shall not affect or apply to any company heretofore organized which has been in continuous operation in this state for a period of more than 3 years immediately prior to May 24, 1933 and has a fully paid annual membership of more than 500 members within this state. The foregoing cash deposit or bond is not required in any instance as a penalty, but for the protection of the public only.
Wis. Stat. § 616.72