A county, municipal corporation, town, school district, county extension committee, other political subdivision or other body corporate and politic of this state, other than the state or any department of the state, through its governing body, and any two or more subdivisions acting jointly through their governing bodies, may insure or protect its or their officers and employees, and their dependents, or any class or classes of officers, employees, or dependents, under a policy or policies or contract or contracts of group insurance or benefits covering life, health, and accident, in the case of employees, and medical and surgical benefits and hospitalization insurance or benefits for both employees and dependents or dependents of an employee whose death was due to causes arising out of and in the course of employment, or any one or more of those forms of insurance or protection