No life insurer shall discriminate between its policyholders by allowing, or agreeing to allow, to any policyholder, whether as an individual or as a member of a class, a portion or percent of any premium collected by the insurer from any policyholder on the pretense of making the policyholder an agent of the insurer or otherwise, unless that policyholder regularly qualifies and is licensed as an agent of the insurer, and is instrumental in actually securing business for the insurer, as evidenced by his or her name appearing on the application or applications of other policyholders, as soliciting agent, and his or her compensation for the services is limited to a reasonable commission on the business thus secured by the insurer through his or her instrumentality.