(a) Each and every insurance company, domestic, foreign, or alien, carrying on an insurance business in Georgia shall pay to the Commissioner, annually in advance, on or before July 1, a license fee in an amount as provided in Code Section 33-8-1, which payment shall be in lieu of all other license fees of said companies. Foreign companies entering the state and domestic companies beginning business at any time during the license year as fixed by this Code section shall pay said license fee in full for the remaining portion of that license year.

(b) The license fees provided for in Code Section 33-8-1 are expressly imposed on and shall be the obligation of the licensees.