4.—(1) Where a contract of insurance is arranged or effected by an insurance intermediary, payment to the insurance intermediary of moneys payable by the insured to the insurer under or in relation to the contract, whether in respect of a premium or otherwise, is a discharge, as between the insured and the insurer, of any liability of the insured under or in respect of the contract, to the extent of the amount of the payment.
(2) Payment to an insurance intermediary by or on behalf of an intending insured of moneys in respect of a contract of insurance to be arranged or effected by the insurance intermediary, whether the payment is in respect of a premium or otherwise, is a discharge, as between the insured and the insurer, of any liability of the insured under or in respect of the contract, to the extent of the amount of the payment.
(3) Payment by an insurer to an insurance intermediary of moneys payable to an insured, whether in respect of a claim, return of premiums or otherwise, under or in relation to a contract of insurance, does not discharge any liability of the insurer to the insured in respect of those moneys.
(4) An agreement, in so far as it purports to alter or restrict the operation of subsection (1), (2) or (3), shall be void.
(5) Subsection (4) does not render void an agreement between an insurance intermediary and an insured in so far as the agreement allows the insurance intermediary to set off against moneys payable to the insured moneys payable by the insured to the insurance intermediary in respect of premiums.
(6) This section shall not apply to general reinsurance brokers and life reinsurance brokers.