Exhibit 8(a)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
BY AND AMONG
AIM VARIABLE INSURANCE FUNDS, INC.,
A I M DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY,
ON BEHALF OF ITSELF AND
ITS SEPARATE ACCOUNTS,
AND
ALLSTATE LIFE FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Description Page
Section 1. Available Funds 2
1.1 Availability. 2
1.2 Addition, Deletion or Modification of Funds 2
1.3 No Sales to the General Public 2
Section 2. Processing Transactions 3
2.1 Timely Pricing and Orders 3
2.2 Timely Payments 3
2.3 Applicable Price 3
2.4 Dividends and Distributions 4
2.5 Book Entry 4
Section 3. Costs and Expenses 4
3.1 General 4
3.2 Parties To Cooperate 4
Section 4. Legal Compliance 5
4.1 Tax Laws 5
4.2 Insurance and Certain Other Laws 7
4.3 Securities Laws 7
4.4 Notice of Certain Proceedings and Other Circumstances 8
4.5 LIFE COMPANY or UNDERWRITER To Provide Documents;
Information About AVIF 9
4.6 AVIF or AIM To Provide Documents; Information About
LIFE COMPANY 10
Section 5. Mixed and Shared Funding 11
5.1 General 11
5.2 Disinterested Directors 12
5.3 Monitoring for Material Irreconcilable Conflicts 12
5.4 Conflict Remedies 13
5.5 Notice to LIFE COMPANY 14
5.6 Information Requested by Board of Directors 14
5.7 Compliance with SEC Rules 14
5.8 Other Requirements 14
Section 6. Termination 15
6.1 Events of Termination 15
6.2 Notice Requirement for Termination 16
6.3 Funds To Remain Available 16
6.4 Survival of Warranties and Indemnifications 16
6.5 Continuance of Agreement for Certain Purposes 16
Section 7. Parties To Cooperate Respecting Termination 17
Section 8. Assignment 17
Section 9. Notices 17
Section 10. Voting Procedures 18
Section 11. Foreign Tax Credits 18
Section 12. Indemnification 19
12.1 Of AVIF and AIM by LIFE COMPANY and UNDERWRITER 19
12.2 Of LIFE COMPANY and UNDERWRITER by AVIF and AIM 21
12.3 Effect of Notice 23
12.4 Successors 23
Section 13. Applicable Law 23
Section 14. Execution in Counterparts 24
Section 15. Severability 24
Section 16. Rights Cumulative 24
Section 17. Headings 24
Section 18. Confidentiality 24
Section 19. Trademarks and Fund Names 25
Section 20. Parties to Cooperate 26
Section 21. Amendments 26
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the ____ day of _________, 1999
("Agreement"), by and among AIM Variable Insurance Funds, Inc., a Maryland
corporation ("AVIF"), A I M Distributors, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("AIM")
Allstate Life Insurance Company, an Illinois life insurance company ("LIFE
COMPANY"), on behalf of itself and each of its segregated asset accounts listed
in Schedule A hereto, as the parties hereto may amend from time to time (each,
an "Account," and collectively, the "Accounts"); and Allstate Life Financial
Services, Inc., an affiliate of LIFE COMPANY and the principal underwriter of
the Contracts ("UNDERWRITER") (collectively, the "Parties").
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS, AVIF is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission
("SEC") as an open-end management investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, AVIF currently consists of fifteen separate series ("Series"),
shares ("Shares") of each of which are registered under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "1933 Act") and are currently sold to one or more separate
accounts of life insurance companies to fund benefits under variable annuity
contracts and variable life insurance contracts; and
WHEREAS, AVIF will make Shares of each Series listed on Schedule A hereto
as the Parties hereto may amend from time to time (each a "Fund"; reference
herein to "AVIF" includes reference to each Fund, to the extent the context
requires) available for purchase by the Accounts; and
WHEREAS, LIFE COMPANY will be the issuer of certain variable annuity
contracts and variable life insurance contracts ("Contracts") and/or policies
("Policies") as set forth on Schedule A hereto, as the Parties hereto may amend
from time to time, which Contracts and Policies (hereinafter collectively, the
"Policies"), if required by applicable law, will be registered under the 1933
Act; and
WHEREAS, LIFE COMPANY will fund the Policies through the Accounts, each of
which may be divided into two or more subaccounts ("Subaccounts"; reference
herein to an "Account" includes reference to each Subaccount thereof to the
extent the context requires); and
WHEREAS, LIFE COMPANY will serve as the depositor of the Accounts, each of
which is registered as a unit investment trust investment company under the 1940
Act (or exempt therefrom), and the security interests deemed to be issued by the
Accounts under the Policies will be registered as securities under the 1933 Act
(or exempt therefrom); and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, LIFE COMPANY intends to purchase Shares in one or more of the Funds
on behalf of the Accounts to fund the Contracts; and
WHEREAS, UNDERWRITER is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("1934 Act") and a member in good standing of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD");
WHEREAS, AIM is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC under the 1934 Act
and a member in good standing of NASD;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual benefits and promises
contained herein, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
Section 1. Available Funds
1.1 Availability.
AVIF will make Shares of each Fund available to LIFE COMPANY for purchase
and redemption at net asset value and with no sales charges, subject to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement. The Board of Directors of AVIF may
refuse to sell Shares of any Fund to any person, or suspend or terminate the
offering of Shares of any Fund if such action is required by law or by
regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or if, in the sole discretion of the
Directors acting in good faith and in light of their fiduciary duties under
federal and any applicable state laws, such action is deemed in the best
interests of the shareholders of such Fund.
1.2 Addition, Deletion or Modification of Funds .
The Parties hereto may agree, from time to time, to add other Funds to
provide additional funding media for the Policies, or to delete, combine, or
modify existing Funds, by amending Schedule A hereto. Upon such amendment to
Schedule A, any applicable reference to a Fund, AVIF, or its Shares herein shall
include a reference to any such additional Fund. Schedule A, as amended from
time to time, is incorporated herein by reference and is a part hereof.
1.3 No Sales to the General Public .
AVIF represents and warrants that no Shares of any Fund have been or will
be sold to the general public.
Section 2. Processing Transactions
2.1 Timely Pricing and Orders .
(a) AVIF or its designated agent will use its best efforts to provide
LIFE COMPANY with the net asset value per Share for each Fund by 6:00 p.m.
Central Time on each Business Day. As used herein, "Business Day" shall
mean any day on which (i) the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular
trading, (ii) AVIF calculates the Fund's net asset value and (iii) LIFE
COMPANY is open for business.
(b) LIFE COMPANY will use the data provided by AVIF each Business Day
pursuant to paragraph (a) immediately above to calculate Account unit
values and to process transactions that receive that same Business Day's
Account unit values. LIFE COMPANY will perform such Account processing the
same Business Day, and will place corresponding orders to purchase or
redeem Shares with AVIF by 9:00 a.m. Central Time the following Business
Day; provided, however, that AVIF shall provide additional time to LIFE
COMPANY in the event that AVIF is unable to meet the 6:00 p.m. time stated
in paragraph (a) immediately above. Such additional time shall be equal to
the additional time that AVIF takes to make the net asset values available
to LIFE COMPANY.
(c) Each order to purchase or redeem Shares will separately describe
the amount of Shares of each Fund to be purchased, redeemed or exchanged
and will not be netted; provided however, with respect to payment of the
purchase price by LIFE COMPANY and of redemption proceeds by AVIF, LIFE
COMPANY and AVIF shall net purchase and redemption orders with respect to
each Fund and shall transmit one net payment per Fund in accordance with
Section 2.2, below. Each order to purchase or redeem Shares shall also
specify whether the order results from purchase payments, surrenders,
partial withdrawals of charges or requests for other transactions under
Policies (collectively, "Policy transactions").
(d) If AVIF provides materially incorrect Share net asset value
information (as determined under SEC guidelines), LIFE COMPANY shall be
entitled to an adjustment to the number of Shares purchased or redeemed to
reflect the correct net asset value per Share. Any material error in the
calculation or reporting of net asset value per Share, dividend or capital
gain information shall be reported promptly upon discovery to LIFE COMPANY.
Materiality and reprocessing cost reimbursement shall be determined in
accordance with standards established by the parties as provided in
Schedule B, attached hereto and herein incorporated.
2.2 Timely Payments.
LIFE COMPANY will wire payment for net purchases to a custodial account
designated by AVIF by 1:00 p.m. Central Time on the same day as the order for
Shares is placed, to the extent practicable. AVIF will wire payment for net
redemptions to an account designated by LIFE COMPANY by 1:00 p.m. Central Time
on the same day as the Order is placed, to the extent practicable, but in any
event within five (5) calendar days after the date the order is placed in order
to enable LIFE COMPANY to pay redemption proceeds within the time specified in
Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act or such shorter period of time as may be required
by law. 2.3Applicable Price .
(a) Share purchase and redemption orders that result from Policy
transactions and that LIFE COMPANY receives prior to the close of regular
trading on the New York Stock Exchange on a Business Day will be executed
at the net asset values of the appropriate Funds next computed after
receipt by AVIF or its designated agent of the orders. For purposes of this
Section 2.3(a), LIFE COMPANY shall be the designated agent of AVIF for
receipt of orders relating to Policy transactions on each Business Day and
receipt by such designated agent shall constitute receipt by AVIF;
provided, that AVIF receives notice of such orders by 9:00 a.m. Central
Time on the next following Business Day or such later time as computed in
accordance with Section 2.1(b) hereof.
(b) All other Share purchases and redemptions by LIFE COMPANY will be
effected at the net asset values of the appropriate Funds next computed
after receipt by AVIF or its designated agent of the order therefor, and
such orders will be irrevocable.
2.4 Dividends and Distributions .
AVIF will furnish notice promptly to LIFE COMPANY any income dividends or
capital gain distributions payable on the Shares of any Fund. LIFE COMPANY
hereby elects to reinvest all dividends and capital gains distributions in
additional Shares of the corresponding Fund at the ex-dividend date net asset
values until LIFE COMPANY otherwise notifies AVIF in writing, it being agreed by
the Parties that the ex-dividend date and the payment date with respect to any
dividend or distribution will be the same Business Day. LIFE COMPANY reserves
the right to revoke this election and to receive all such income dividends and
capital gain distributions in cash.
2.5 Book Entry .
Issuance and transfer of AVIF Shares will be by book entry only. Stock
certificates will not be issued to LIFE COMPANY. Shares ordered from AVIF will
be recorded in an appropriate title for LIFE COMPANY, on behalf of its Account.
Section 3. Costs and Expenses
3.1 General .
Except as otherwise specifically provided in Schedule C, attached hereto
and made a part hereof, each Party will bear, or arrange for others to bear, all
expenses incident to its performance under this Agreement.
3.2 Parties To Cooperate .
Each Party agrees to cooperate with the others, as applicable, in arranging
to print, mail and/or deliver, in a timely manner, combined or coordinated
prospectuses or other materials of AVIF and the Accounts.
Section 4. Legal Compliance
4.1 Tax Laws .
(a) AVIF represents and warrants that each Fund is currently qualified
and will continue to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC")
under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"). AVIF will notify LIFE COMPANY immediately upon having a reasonable
basis for believing that a Fund has ceased to so qualify or that it might
not so qualify in the future.
(b) AVIF represents that it will comply and maintain each Fund's
compliance with the diversification requirements set forth in Section
817(h) of the Code and Section 1.817-5(b) of the regulations under the
Code. AVIF will notify LIFE COMPANY immediately upon having a reasonable
basis for believing that a Fund has ceased to so comply or that a Fund
might not so comply in the future.
(c) LIFE COMPANY agrees that if the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS")
asserts in writing in connection with any governmental audit or review of
LIFE COMPANY or, to LIFE COMPANY's knowledge, of any Policy owner,
annuitant or participant under the Policies (collectively, "Participants"),
that any Fund has failed to comply with the diversification requirements of
Section 817(h) of the Code or LIFE COMPANY otherwise becomes aware of any
facts that could give rise to any claim against AVIF or its affiliates as a
result of such a failure or alleged failure to so comply with Section
817(h) (hereinafter respectively referred to in this paragraph (c) as
"failure" or "alleged failure"):
(i) LIFE COMPANY shall promptly notify AVIF of such assertion or
potential claim (subject to the Confidentiality provisions of Section
18 as to any Participant);
(ii) LIFE COMPANY shall consult with AVIF as to how to minimize
any liability that may arise as a result of such failure or alleged
failure;
(iii) LIFE COMPANY shall use its best efforts to minimize any
liability of AVIF or its affiliates resulting from such failure,
including, without limitation, demonstrating, pursuant to Treasury
Regulations Section 1.817-5(a)(2), to the Commissioner of the IRS that
such failure was inadvertent, provided that LIFE COMPANY shall not be
required to make any such demonstration of inadvertence unless AVIF
represents or provides an opinion of counsel, which representation or
opinion shall be reasonably satisfactory to LIFE COMPANY, to the
effect that a reasonable basis exists for making such demonstration;
(iv) LIFE COMPANY shall permit AVIF, its affiliates and their
legal and accounting advisors to participate in any conferences,
settlement discussions or other administrative or judicial proceeding
or contests (including judicial appeals thereof) with the IRS, any
Participant or any other claimant regarding any claims that could give
rise to liability to AVIF or its affiliates as a result of such a
failure or alleged failure; provided, however, that LIFE COMPANY will
retain control of the conduct of such conferences, discussions,
proceedings, contests or appeals thereof;
(v) any written materials to be submitted by LIFE COMPANY to the
IRS, any Participant or any other claimant in connection with any of
the foregoing proceedings or contests (including, without limitation,
any such materials to be submitted to the IRS pursuant to Treasury
Regulations Section 1.817-5(a)(2)), (a) shall be provided by LIFE
COMPANY to AVIF (together with any supporting information or
analysis); subject to the confidentiality provisions of Section 18, at
least ten (10) business days or such shorter period to which the
Parties hereto may from time to time agree, prior to the day on which
such proposed materials are to be submitted and (b) shall not be
submitted by LIFE COMPANY to any such person without the express
written consent of AVIF which shall not be unreasonably withheld;
(vi) LIFE COMPANY shall provide AVIF or its affiliates and their
accounting and legal advisors with such cooperation as AVIF shall
reasonably request (including, without limitation, by providing AVIF
and its accounting and legal advisors with copies of any relevant
books and records (or portions thereof) of LIFE COMPANY that may be
reasonably requested by or on behalf of AVIF and that LIFE COMPANY is
permitted to provide in accordance with applicable law) in order to
facilitate review by AVIF or its advisors of any written submissions
provided to it pursuant to the preceding clause or its assessment of
the validity or amount of any claim against its arising from such a
failure or alleged failure;
(vii) LIFE COMPANY shall not with respect to any claim of the IRS
or any Participant that would give rise to a claim against AVIF or its
affiliates (a) compromise or settle any claim, (b) accept any
adjustment on audit, or (c) forego any allowable administrative or
judicial appeals, without the express written consent of AVIF or its
affiliates, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, provided that
LIFE COMPANY shall not be required, after exhausting all
administrative remedies, to appeal any adverse IRS or judicial
decision unless AVIF or its affiliates shall have provided an opinion
of independent counsel approved by LIFE COMPANY, which approval shall
not be unreasonably withheld, to the effect that a reasonable basis
exists for taking such appeal (or, in the case of an appeal to the
United States Supreme Court, that LIFE COMPANY should be more likely
than not to prevail on such appeal) and provided further that the
costs of any such appeal shall be borne equally by the Parties hereto;
and
(viii) AVIF and its affiliates shall have no liability as a
result of such failure or alleged failure if LIFE COMPANY fails to
comply with any of the foregoing clauses (i) through (vii), and such
failure could be shown to have materially contributed to the
liability.
Should AVIF or any of its affiliates refuse to give its written
consent to any compromise or settlement of any claim or liability
hereunder, LIFE COMPANY may, in its discretion, authorize AVIF or its
affiliates to act in the name of LIFE COMPANY in, and to control the
conduct of, such conferences, discussions, proceedings, contests or appeals
and all administrative or judicial appeals thereof, and in that event AVIF
or its affiliates shall bear the fees and expenses associated with the
conduct of the proceedings that it is so authorized to control; provided,
that in no event shall LIFE COMPANY have any liability resulting from
AVIF's refusal to accept the proposed settlement or compromise with respect
to any failure caused by AVIF. As used in this Agreement, the term
"affiliates" shall have the same meaning as "affiliated person" as defined
in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940 Act.
(d) LIFE COMPANY represents and warrants that the Policies currently
are and at all times will be treated as annuity, endowment or life
insurance contracts under applicable provisions of the Code. LIFE COMPANY
will notify AVIF immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing
that any of the Policies have ceased to be so treated or that they might
not be so treated in the future, provided that such notice shall be kept
confidential during the period of LIFE COMPANY's investigation of any such
circumstances to the extent permitted by applicable law.
(e) LIFE COMPANY represents and warrants that each Account is and at
all times will be a "segregated asset account" and that interests in each
Account are offered exclusively through the purchase of or transfer into a
"variable contract," within the meaning of such terms under Section 817 of
the Code and the regulations thereunder. LIFE COMPANY will notify AVIF
immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that such
requirements have ceased to be met or that they might not be met in the
future.
4.2 Insurance and Certain Other Laws .
(a) AVIF and AIM will use their best efforts to comply with any applicable
state insurance laws or regulations, to the extent specifically requested in
writing by LIFE COMPANY.
(b) LIFE COMPANY represents and warrants that (i) it is an insurance
company duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of
the State of Illinois and has full corporate power, authority and legal right to
execute, deliver and perform its duties and comply with its obligations under
this Agreement, (ii) it has legally and validly established and maintains each
Account as a segregated asset account under Section 245.21 of the Illinois
Insurance Code and the regulations thereunder, and (iii) the Policies comply in
all material respects with all other applicable federal and state laws and
regulations.
(c) AVIF represents and warrants that it is a corporation duly organized,
validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland
and has full power, authority, and legal right to execute, deliver, and perform
its duties and comply with its obligations under this Agreement.
(d) AIM represents and warrants that it is a Delaware corporation duly
organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware and has full power, authority, and legal right to execute, deliver, and
perform its duties and comply with its obligations under this Agreement.
(e) UNDERWRITER represents and warrants that it is a Delaware corporation
duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware and has full power, authority, and legal right to execute,
deliver, and perform its duties and comply with its obligations under this
Agreement.
4.3 Securities Laws .
(a) LIFE COMPANY and UNDERWRITER represent and warrant that (i) interests
in each Account pursuant to the Policies will be registered under the 1933 Act
to the extent required by the 1933 Act, (ii) the Policies will be duly
authorized for issuance and sold in compliance with all applicable federal and
state laws, including, without limitation, the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, the 1940
Act and Illinois law, (iii) each Account is and will remain registered under the
1940 Act, to the extent required by the 1940 Act, (iv) each Account does and
will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1940 Act and
the rules thereunder, to the extent required, (v) each Account's 1933 Act
registration statement relating to the Policies, together with any amendments
thereto, will at all times comply in all material respects with the requirements
of the 1933 Act and the rules thereunder, (vi) LIFE COMPANY will amend the
registration statement for its Contracts under the 1933 Act and for its Policies
under the 1940 Act from time to time as required in order to effect the
continuous offering of its Policies or as may otherwise be required by
applicable law, and (vii) each Account Prospectus will at all times comply in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules
thereunder.
(b) AVIF and AIM represent and warrant that (i) Shares sold pursuant to
this Agreement will be registered under the 1933 Act to the extent required by
the 1933 Act and duly authorized for issuance and sold in compliance with
Maryland law, (ii) AVIF is and will remain registered under the 1940 Act to the
extent required by the 1940 Act, (iii) AVIF will amend the registration
statement for its Shares under the 1933 Act and itself under the 1940 Act from
time to time as required in order to effect the continuous offering of its
Shares, (iv) AVIF does and will comply in all material respects with the
requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, (v) AVIF's 1933 Act
registration statement, together with any amendments thereto, will at all times
comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and rules
thereunder, and (vi) AVIF's Prospectus will at all times comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules thereunder.
(c) AVIF will register and qualify its Shares for sale in accordance with
the laws of any state or other jurisdiction if and to the extent reasonably
deemed advisable by AVIF.
(d) AVIF currently does not intend to make any payments to finance
distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act or otherwise,
although it reserves the right to make such payments in the future. To the
extent that it decides to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1,
AVIF undertakes to have its Board of Directors, a majority of whom are not
"interested" persons of the Fund, formulate and approve any plan under Rule
12b-1 to finance distribution expenses.
4.4 Notice of Certain Proceedings and Other Circumstances .
(a) AVIF and/or AIM will immediately notify LIFE COMPANY of (i) the
issuance by any court or regulatory body of any stop order, cease and desist
order, or other similar order with respect to AVIF's registration statement
under the 1933 Act or AVIF Prospectus, (ii) any request by the SEC for any
amendment to such registration statement or AVIF Prospectus that may affect the
offering of Shares of AVIF, (iii) the initiation of any proceedings for that
purpose or for any other purpose relating to the registration or offering of
AVIF's Shares, or (iv) any other action or circumstances that may prevent the
lawful offer or sale of Shares of any Fund in any state or jurisdiction,
including, without limitation, any circumstances in which (a) such Shares are
not registered and, in all material respects, issued and sold in accordance with
applicable state and federal law, or (b) such law precludes the use of such
Shares as an underlying investment medium of the Policies issued or to be issued
by LIFE COMPANY. AVIF will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance,
with respect to any Fund, of any such stop order, cease and desist order or
similar order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at
the earliest possible time.
(b) LIFE COMPANY and/or UNDERWRITER will immediately notify AVIF of (i) the
issuance by any court or regulatory body of any stop order, cease and desist
order, or other similar order with respect to each Account's registration
statement under the 1933 Act relating to the Policies or each Account
Prospectus, (ii) any request by the SEC for any amendment to such registration
statement or Account Prospectus that may affect the offering of Shares of AVIF,
(iii) the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose or for any other
purpose relating to the registration or offering of each Account's interests
pursuant to the Policies, or (iv) any other action or circumstances that may
prevent the lawful offer or sale of said interests in any state or jurisdiction,
including, without limitation, any circumstances in which said interests are not
registered and, in all material respects, issued and sold in accordance with
applicable state and federal law. LIFE COMPANY will make every reasonable effort
to prevent the issuance of any such stop order, cease and desist order or
similar order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at
the earliest possible time.
4.5 LIFE COMPANY or UNDERWRITER To Provide Documents; Information About
AVIF .
(a) LIFE COMPANY and/or UNDERWRITER will provide to AVIF or its designated
agent at least one (1) complete copy of all SEC registration statements, Account
Prospectuses, reports, any preliminary and final voting instruction solicitation
material, applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all
amendments to any of the above, that relate to each Account or the Policies,
contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the SEC or other
regulatory authorities.
(b) LIFE COMPANY and/or UNDERWRITER will provide to AVIF or its designated
agent at least one (1) complete copy of each piece of sales literature or other
promotional material not prepared by AVIF or its affiliates, in which AVIF or
any of its affiliates is named, at least ten (10) Business Days prior to its use
or such shorter period as the Parties hereto may, from time to time, agree upon.
No such material shall be used if AVIF or its designated agent objects to such
use within ten (10) Business Days after receipt of such material or such shorter
period as the Parties hereto may, from time to time, agree upon. AVIF hereby
designates its investment advisor as the entity to receive such sales
literature, until such time as AVIF appoints another designated agent by giving
notice to LIFE COMPANY in the manner required by Section 9 hereof.
(c) Neither LIFE COMPANY the UNDERWRITER nor any of their respective
affiliates, will give any information or make any representations or statements
on behalf of or concerning AVIF or its affiliates in connection with the sale of
the Policies other than (i) the information or representations contained in the
registration statement, including the AVIF Prospectus contained therein,
relating to Shares, as such registration statement and AVIF Prospectus may be
amended from time to time; or (ii) in reports or proxy materials for AVIF; or
(iii) in published reports for AVIF that are in the public domain and approved
by AVIF for distribution; or (iv) in sales literature or other promotional
material approved by AVIF, except with the express written permission of AVIF.
(d) LIFE COMPANY and the UNDERWRITER shall adopt and implement procedures
reasonably designed to ensure that information concerning AVIF, AIM and their
affiliates that is intended for use only by brokers or agents selling the
Policies (i.e., information that is not intended for distribution to
Participants or offeree) ("broker only materials") is so used, and neither AVIF
nor any of its affiliates shall be liable for any losses, damages or expenses
relating to the improper use of such broker only materials.
(e) For the purposes of this Section 4.5, the phrase "sales literature or
other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, advertisements
(such as material published, or designed for use in, a newspaper, magazine, or
other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape
display, signs or billboards, motion pictures, or other public media, (e.g.,
on-line networks such as the Internet or other electronic messages), sales
literature (i.e., any written communication distributed or made generally
available to customers or the public, including brochures, circulars, research
reports, market letters, form letters, seminar texts, reprints or excerpts of
any other advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or
training materials or other communications distributed or made generally
available to some or all agents or employees, registration statements,
prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports, and
proxy materials and any other material constituting sales literature or
advertising under the NASD rules, the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act.
4.6 AVIF or AIM To Provide Documents; Information About LIFE COMPANY and
the UNDERWRITER .
(a) AVIF will provide to LIFE COMPANY at least one (1) complete copy of all
SEC registration statements, AVIF Prospectuses, reports, any preliminary and
final proxy material, applications for exemptions, requests for no-action
letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that relate to AVIF or the
Shares of a Fund, contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the
SEC or other regulatory authorities.
(b) AVIF will provide to LIFE COMPANY or UNDERWRITER a camera ready copy of
all AVIF prospectuses and a printed copy, to be reproduced by LIFE COMPANY, of
AVIF statements of additional information, additionally AVIF will provide
printed copies of proxy materials, periodic reports to shareholders and other
materials required by law to be sent to Participants who have allocated any
Policy value to a Fund. AVIF will provide such copies to LIFE COMPANY or
UNDERWRITER in a timely manner so as to enable LIFE COMPANY, as the case may be,
to print and distribute such materials within the time required by law to be
furnished to Participants.
(c) AVIF will provide to LIFE COMPANY or its designated agent at least one
(1) complete copy of each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material in which LIFE COMPANY, UNDERWRITER, or any of their respective
affiliates is named, or that refers to the Policies, at least ten (10) Business
Days prior to its use or such shorter period as the Parties hereto may, from
time to time, agree upon. No such material shall be used if LIFE COMPANY or its
designated agent objects to such use within ten (10) Business Days after receipt
of such material or such shorter period as the Parties hereto may, from time to
time, agree upon. LIFE COMPANY shall receive all such sales literature until
such time as it appoints a designated agent by giving notice to AVIF in the
manner required by Section 9 hereof.
(d) Neither AVIF nor any of its affiliates will give any information or
make any representations or statements on behalf of or concerning LIFE COMPANY,
UNDERWRITER, each Account, or the Policies other than (i) the information or
representations contained in the registration statement, including each Account
Prospectus contained therein, relating to the Policies, as such registration
statement and Account Prospectus may be amended from time to time; or (ii) in
published reports for the Account or the Policies that are in the public domain
and approved by LIFE COMPANY for distribution; or (iii) in sales literature or
other promotional material approved by LIFE COMPANY or its affiliates, except
with the express written permission of LIFE COMPANY.
(e) AVIF shall cause its principal underwriter to adopt and implement
procedures reasonably designed to ensure that information concerning LIFE
COMPANY, UNDERWRITER and their respective affiliates that is intended for use
only by brokers or agents selling the Policies (i.e., information that is not
intended for distribution to Participants or offerees) ("broker only materials")
is so used, and neither LIFE COMPANY, UNDERWRITER nor any of their respective
affiliates shall be liable for any losses, damages or expenses relating to the
improper use of such broker only materials.
(f) For purposes of this Section 4.6, the phrase "sales literature or other
promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, advertisements (such as
material published, or designed for use in, a newspaper, magazine, or other
periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape display,
signs or billboards, motion pictures, or other public media, (e.g., on-line
networks such as the Internet or other electronic messages), sales literature
(i.e., any written communication distributed or made generally available to
customers or the public, including brochures, circulars, research reports,
market letters, form letters, seminar texts, reprints or excerpts of any other
advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or training
materials or other communications distributed or made generally available to
some or all agents or employees, registration statements, prospectuses,
statements of additional information, shareholder reports, and proxy materials
and any other material constituting sales literature or advertising under the
NASD rules, the 1933 Act or the 1940 Act.
Section 5. Mixed and Shared Funding
5.1 General .
The SEC has granted an order to AVIF exempting it from certain provisions
of the 1940 Act and rules thereunder so that AVIF may be available for
investment by certain other entities, including, without limitation, separate
accounts funding variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance
contracts, separate accounts of insurance companies unaffiliated with LIFE
COMPANY, and trustees of qualified pension and retirement plans (collectively,
"Mixed and Shared Funding"). The Parties recognize that the SEC has imposed
terms and conditions for such orders that are substantially identical to many of
the provisions of this Section 5. Sections 5.2 through 5.8 below shall apply
pursuant to such an exemptive order granted to AVIF. AVIF hereby notifies LIFE
COMPANY that, in the event that AVIF implements Mixed and Shared Funding, it may
be appropriate to include in the prospectus pursuant to which a Policy is
offered disclosure regarding the potential risks of Mixed and Shared Funding.
5.2 Disinterested Directors .
AVIF agrees that its Board of Directors shall at all times consist of
directors a majority of whom (the "Disinterested Directors") are not interested
persons of AVIF within the meaning of Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act and the
Rules thereunder and as modified by any applicable orders of the SEC, except
that if this condition is not met by reason of the death, disqualification, or
bona fide resignation of any director, then the operation of this condition
shall be suspended (a) for a period of forty-five (45) days if the vacancy or
vacancies may be filled by the Board;(b) for a period of sixty (60) days if a
vote of shareholders is required to fill the vacancy or vacancies; or (c) for
such longer period as the SEC may prescribe by order upon application.
Exhibit 8(b)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
AMONG
MFS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST,
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
AND
MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 23rd day of June 1999, by and
among MFS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST, a Massachusetts business trust (the
"Trust"), ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, an Illinois corporation (the
"Company") on its own behalf and on behalf of each of the segregated asset
accounts of the Company set forth in Schedule A hereto, as may be amended from
time to time (the "Accounts"), and MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY, a
Delaware corporation ("MFS").
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"),
and its shares are registered or will be registered under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "1933 Act");
WHEREAS, shares of beneficial interest of the Trust are divided into
several series of shares, each representing the interests in a particular
managed pool of securities and other assets;
WHEREAS, the series of shares of the Trust offered by the Trust to the
Company and the Accounts are set forth on Schedule A attached hereto (each, a
"Portfolio," and, collectively, the "Portfolios");
WHEREAS, MFS is duly registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and any applicable state securities
law, and is the Trust's investment adviser;
WHEREAS, the Company will issue certain variable annuity and/or variable
life insurance contracts (individually, the "Policy" or, collectively, the
"Policies") which, if required by applicable law, will be registered under the
1933 Act;
WHEREAS, the Accounts are duly organized, validly existing segregated asset
accounts, established by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, to
set aside and invest assets attributable to the aforesaid variable annuity
and/or variable life insurance contracts that are allocated to the Accounts (the
Policies and the Accounts covered by this Agreement, and each corresponding
Portfolio covered by this Agreement in which the Accounts invest, is specified
in Schedule A attached hereto as may be modified from time to time);
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register the Accounts as unit
investment trusts under the 1940 Act (unless exempt therefrom);
WHEREAS, MFS Fund Distributors, Inc. (the "Underwriter") is registered as a
broker-dealer with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (hereinafter the "1934 Act"), and is
a member in good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers,
Inc. (the "NASD");
WHEREAS, Allstate Life Financial Services, Inc. ("ALFS"), the underwriter
for the individual variable annuity and the variable life policies, is
registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC under the 1934 Act and is a member in
good standing of the NASD; and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in one or more of the
Portfolios specified in Schedule A attached hereto (the "Shares") on behalf of
the Accounts to fund the Policies, and the Trust intends to sell such Shares to
the Accounts at net asset value;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Trust, MFS,
and the Company agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Sale of Trust Shares
1.1. The Trust agrees to sell to the Company those Shares which the
Accounts order (based on orders placed by Policy holders on that Business Day,
as defined below) and which are available for purchase by such Accounts,
executing such orders on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed
after receipt by the Trust or its designee of the order for the Shares. For
purposes of this Section 1.1, the Company shall be the designee of the Trust for
receipt of such orders from Policy owners and receipt by such designee shall
constitute receipt by the Trust; provided that the Trust receives notice of such
orders by 9:30 a.m. New York time on the next following Business Day. "Business
Day" shall mean any day on which the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. (the "NYSE")
is open for trading and on which the Trust calculates its net asset value
pursuant to the rules of the SEC.
1.2. The Trust agrees to make the Shares available indefinitely for
purchase at the applicable net asset value per share by the Company and the
Accounts on those days on which the Trust calculates its net asset value
pursuant to rules of the SEC and the Trust shall calculate such net asset value
on each day which the NYSE is open for trading. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") may refuse to sell any Shares
to the Company and the Accounts, or suspend or terminate the offering of the
Shares if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having
jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of the Board acting in good faith and
in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws,
necessary in the best interest of the Shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.3. The Trust and MFS agree that the Shares will be sold only to insurance
companies which have entered into participation agreements with the Trust and
MFS (the "Participating Insurance Companies") and their separate accounts,
qualified pension and retirement plans and MFS or its affiliates. The Trust and
MFS will not sell Trust shares to any insurance company or separate account
unless an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as Articles III
and VII of this Agreement is in effect to govern such sales. The Company will
not resell the Shares except to the Trust or its agents.
1.4. The Trust agrees to redeem for cash, on the Company's request, any
full or fractional Shares held by the Accounts (based on orders placed by Policy
owners on that Business Day), executing such requests on a daily basis at the
net asset value next computed after receipt by the Trust or its designee of the
request for redemption. For purposes of this Section 1.4, the Company shall be
the designee of the Trust for receipt of requests for redemption from Policy
owners and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Trust;
provided that the Trust receives notice of such request for redemption by 9:30
a.m. New York time on the next following Business Day.
1.5. Each purchase, redemption and exchange order placed by the Company
shall be placed separately for each Portfolio and shall not be netted with
respect to any Portfolio. However, with respect to payment of the purchase price
by the Company and of redemption proceeds by the Trust, the Company and the
Trust shall net purchase and redemption orders with respect to each Portfolio
and shall transmit one net payment for all of the Portfolios in accordance with
Section 1.6 hereof.
1.6. In the event of net purchases, the Company shall pay for the Shares by
2:00 p.m. New York time on the next Business Day after an order to purchase the
Shares is made in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.1. hereof. In the
event of net redemptions, the Trust shall pay the redemption proceeds by 2:00
p.m. New York time on the next Business Day after an order to redeem the shares
is made in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.4. hereof. All such
payments shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire.
1.7. Issuance and transfer of the Shares will be by book entry only. Stock
certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Accounts. The Shares
ordered from the Trust will be recorded in an appropriate title for the Accounts
or the appropriate subaccounts of the Accounts.
1.8. The Trust shall furnish same day notice (by wire or telephone followed
by written confirmation) to the Company of any dividends or capital gain
distributions payable on the Shares. The Company hereby elects to receive all
such dividends and distributions as are payable on a Portfolio's Shares in
additional Shares of that Portfolio. The Trust shall notify the Company of the
number of Shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions.
1.9. The Trust or its custodian shall make the net asset value per share
for each Portfolio available to the Company on each Business Day as soon as
reasonably practical after the net asset value per share is calculated and shall
use its best efforts to make such net asset value per share available by 6:30
p.m. New York time. In the event that the Trust is unable to meet the 6:30 p.m.
time stated herein, it shall provide additional time for the Company to place
orders for the purchase and redemption of Shares. Such additional time shall be
equal to the additional time which the Trust takes to make the net asset value
available to the Company. If the Trust provides materially incorrect share net
asset value information, the Trust shall make an adjustment to the number of
shares purchased or redeemed for the Accounts to reflect the correct net asset
value per share. Any material error in the calculation or reporting of net asset
value per share, dividend or capital gains information shall be reported
promptly upon discovery to the Company.
ARTICLE II. Certain Representations, Warranties and Covenants
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Policies are or will be
registered under the 1933 Act or are exempt from or not subject to registration
thereunder, and that the Policies will be issued, sold, and distributed in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable state and federal laws,
including without limitation the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended (the "1934 Act"), and the 1940 Act. The Company further represents
and warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized and in good standing
under applicable law and that it has legally and validly established the Account
as a segregated asset account under applicable law and has registered or, prior
to any issuance or sale of the Policies, will register the Accounts as unit
investment trusts in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act (unless
exempt therefrom) to serve as segregated investment accounts for the Policies,
and that it will maintain such registration for so long as any Policies are
outstanding. The Company shall amend the registration statements under the 1933
Act for the Policies and the registration statements under the 1940 Act for the
Accounts from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous
offering of the Policies or as may otherwise be required by applicable law. The
Company shall register and qualify the Policies for sales in accordance with the
securities laws of the various states only if and to the extent deemed necessary
by the Company.
2.2. The Company represents and warrants that the Policies are currently
and at the time of issuance will be treated as life insurance, endowment or
annuity contract under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), that it will maintain such treatment and that it
will notify the Trust or MFS immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing that the Policies have ceased to be so treated or that they might not
be so treated in the future.
2.3. The Company represents and warrants that ALFS, the underwriter for the
individual variable annuity and the variable life policies, is a member in good
standing of the NASD and is a registered broker-dealer with the SEC. The Company
represents and warrants that the Company and ALFS will sell and distribute such
policies in accordance in all material respects with all applicable state and
federal securities laws, including without limitation the 1933 Act, the 1934
Act, and the 0000 Xxx.
2.4. The Trust and MFS represent and warrant that the Shares sold pursuant
to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts and all applicable federal and state securities laws and that the
Trust is and shall remain registered under the 1940 Act. The Trust shall amend
the registration statement for its Shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act
from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous offering of its
Shares. The Trust shall register and qualify the Shares for sale in accordance
with the laws of the various states only if and to the extent deemed necessary
by the Trust.
2.5. MFS represents and warrants that the Underwriter is a member in good
standing of the NASD and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC. The
Trust and MFS represent that the Trust and the Underwriter will sell and
distribute the Shares in accordance in all material respects with all applicable
state and federal securities laws, including without limitation the 1933 Act,
the 1934 Act, and the 0000 Xxx.
2.6. The Trust represents that it is lawfully organized and validly
existing under the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it does
and will comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act and any applicable
regulations thereunder.
2.7. MFS represents and warrants that it is and shall remain duly
registered under all applicable federal securities laws and that it shall
perform its obligations for the Trust in compliance in all material respects
with any applicable federal securities laws and with the securities laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. MFS represents and warrants that it is not
subject to state securities laws other than the securities laws of The
Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it is exempt from registration as an
investment adviser under the securities laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
2.8. No less frequently than annually, the Company shall submit to the
Board such reports, material or data as the Board may reasonably request so that
it may carry out fully the obligations imposed upon it by the conditions
contained in the exemptive application pursuant to which the SEC has granted
exemptive relief to permit mixed and shared funding (the "Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order").
ARTICLE III. Prospectus and Proxy Statements; Voting
3.1. At least annually, the Trust or its designee shall provide the
Company, free of charge, with as many copies of the current prospectus
(describing only the Portfolios listed in Schedule A hereto) for the Shares as
the Company may reasonably request for distribution to existing Policy owners
whose Policies are funded by such Shares. The Trust or its designee shall
provide the Company, at the Company's expense, with as many copies of the
current prospectus for the Shares as the Company may reasonably request for
distribution to prospective purchasers of Policies. If requested by the Company
in lieu thereof, the Trust or its designee shall provide such documentation
(including a "camera ready" copy of the new prospectus as set in type or, at the
request of the Company, as a diskette in the form sent to the financial printer)
and other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the parties hereto
once each year (or more frequently if the prospectus for the Shares is
supplemented or amended) to have the prospectus for the Policies and the
prospectus for the Shares printed together in one document; the expenses of such
printing to be apportioned between (a) the Company and (b) the Trust or its
designee in proportion to the number of pages of the Policy and Shares'
prospectuses, taking account of other relevant factors affecting the expense of
printing, such as covers, columns, graphs and charts; the Trust or its designee
to bear the cost of printing the Shares' prospectus portion of such document for
distribution to owners of existing Policies funded by the Shares and the Company
to bear the expenses of printing the portion of such document relating to the
Accounts; provided, however, that the Company shall bear all printing expenses
of such combined documents where used for distribution to prospective purchasers
or to owners of existing Policies not funded by the Shares. In the event that
the Company requests that the Trust or its designee provides the Trust's
prospectus in a "camera ready" or diskette format, the Trust shall be
responsible for providing the prospectus in the format in which it or MFS is
accustomed to formatting prospectuses and shall bear the expense of providing
the prospectus in such format (e.g., typesetting expenses), and the Company
shall bear the expense of adjusting or changing the format to conform with any
of its prospectuses.
3.2. The prospectus for the Shares shall state that the statement of
additional information for the Shares is available from the Trust or its
designee. The Trust or its designee, at its expense, shall print and provide
such statement of additional information to the Company (or a master of such
statement suitable for duplication by the Company) for distribution to any owner
of a Policy funded by the Shares. The Trust or its designee, at the Company's
expense, shall print and provide such statement to the Company (or a master of
such statement suitable for duplication by the Company) for distribution to a
prospective purchaser who requests such statement or to an owner of a Policy not
funded by the Shares.
3.3. The Trust or its designee shall provide the Company free of charge
copies, if and to the extent applicable to the Shares, of the Trust's proxy
materials, reports to Shareholders and other communications to Shareholders in
such quantity as the Company shall reasonably require for distribution to Policy
owners.
3.4. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 3.1, 3.2, and 3.3 above, or
of Article V below, the Company shall pay the expense of printing or providing
documents to the extent such cost is considered a distribution expense.
Distribution expenses would include by way of illustration, but are not limited
to, the printing of the Shares' prospectus or prospectuses for distribution to
prospective purchasers or to owners of existing Policies not funded by such
Shares.
3.5. The Trust hereby notifies the Company that it may be appropriate to
include in the prospectus pursuant to which a Policy is offered disclosure
regarding the potential risks of mixed and shared funding.
3.6. If and to the extent required by law, the Company shall:
(a) solicit voting instructions from Policy owners;
(b) vote the Shares in accordance with instructions received from
Policy owners; and
(c) vote the Shares for which no instructions have been received in
the same proportion as the Shares of such Portfolio for which instructions
have been received from Policy owners; so long as and to the extent that
the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require pass through voting
privileges for variable contract owners. The Company will in no way
recommend action in connection with or oppose or interfere with the
solicitation of proxies for the Shares held for such Policy owners. The
Company reserves the right to vote shares held in any segregated asset
account in its own right, to the extent permitted by law. Participating
Insurance Companies shall be responsible for assuring that each of their
separate accounts holding Shares calculates voting privileges in the manner
required by the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order. The Trust and MFS
will notify the Company of any changes of interpretations or amendments to
the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Trust or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material in which the Trust, MFS, any other investment adviser to the Trust, or
any affiliate of MFS are named, at least three (3) Business Days prior to its
use. No such material shall be used if the Trust, MFS, or their respective
designees reasonably objects to such use within three (3) Business Days after
receipt of such material.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any representations
or statement on behalf of the Trust, MFS, any other investment adviser to the
Trust, or any affiliate of MFS or concerning the Trust or any other such entity
in connection with the sale of the Policies other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement, prospectus or statement
of additional information for the Shares, as such registration statement,
prospectus and statement of additional information may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Trust,
or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the Trust, MFS
or their respective designees, except with the permission of the Trust, MFS or
their respective designees. The Trust, MFS or their respective designees each
agrees to respond to any request for approval on a prompt and timely basis. The
Company shall adopt and implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that
information concerning the Trust, MFS or any of their affiliates which is
intended for use only by brokers or agents selling the Policies (i.e.,
information that is not intended for distribution to Policy owners or
prospective Policy owners) is so used, and neither the Trust, MFS nor any of
their affiliates shall be liable for any losses, damages or expenses relating to
the improper use of such broker only materials.
4.3. The Trust or its designee shall furnish, or shall cause to be
furnished, to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales literature or
other promotional material in which the Company and/or the Accounts is named, at
least three (3) Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used
if the Company or its designee reasonably objects to such use within three (3)
Business Days after receipt of such material.
4.4. The Trust and MFS shall not give, and agree that the Underwriter shall
not give, any information or make any representations on behalf of the Company
or concerning the Company, the Accounts, or the Policies in connection with the
sale of the Policies other than the information or representations contained in
a registration statement, prospectus, or statement of additional information for
the Policies, as such registration statement, prospectus and statement of
additional information may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in
reports for the Accounts, or in sales literature or other promotional material
approved by the Company or its designee, except with the permission of the
Company. The Company or its designee agrees to respond to any request for
approval on a prompt and timely basis. The parties hereto agree that this
Section 4.4. is neither intended to designate nor otherwise imply that MFS is an
underwriter or distributor of the Policies.
4.5. The Company and the Trust (or its designee in lieu of the Company or
the Trust, as appropriate) will each provide to the other at least one complete
copy of all registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional
information, reports, proxy statements, sales literature and other promotional
materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all
amendments to any of the above, that relate to the Policies, or to the Trust or
its Shares, prior to or contemporaneously with the filing of such document with
the SEC or other regulatory authorities. The Company and the Trust shall also
each promptly inform the other of the results of any examination by the SEC (or
other regulatory authorities) that relates to the Policies, the Trust or its
Shares, and the party that was the subject of the examination shall provide the
other party with a copy of relevant portions of any "deficiency letter" or other
correspondence or written report regarding any such examination.
4.6. The Trust and MFS will provide the Company with as much notice as is
reasonably practicable of any proxy solicitation for any Portfolio, and of any
material change in the Trust's registration statement, particularly any change
resulting in change to the registration statement or prospectus or statement of
additional information for any Account. The Trust and MFS will cooperate with
the Company so as to enable the Company to solicit proxies from Policy owners or
to make changes to its prospectus, statement of additional information or
registration statement, in an orderly manner. The Trust and MFS will make
reasonable efforts to attempt to have changes affecting Policy prospectuses
become effective simultaneously with the annual updates for such prospectuses.
4.7. For purpose of this Article IV and Article VIII, the phrase "sales
literature or other promotional material" includes but is not limited to
advertisements (such as material published, or designed for use in, a newspaper,
magazine, or other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording,
videotape display, signs or billboards, motion pictures, or other public media),
and sales literature (such as brochures, circulars, reprints or excerpts or any
other advertisement, sales literature, or published articles), distributed or
made generally available to customers or the public, educational or training
materials or communications distributed or made generally available to some or
all agents or employees.
ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses
5.1. The Trust shall pay no fee or other compensation to the Company under
this Agreement, and the Company shall pay no fee or other compensation to the
Trust, except that if the Trust or any Portfolio adopts and implements a plan
pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act to finance distribution and
Shareholder servicing expenses, then, subject to obtaining any required
exemptive orders or regulatory approvals, the Trust may make payments to the
Company or to the underwriter for the Policies if and in amounts agreed to by
the Trust in writing. Each party, however, shall, in accordance with the
allocation of expenses specified in Articles III and V hereof, reimburse other
parties for expenses initially paid by one party but allocated to another party.
In addition, nothing herein shall prevent the parties hereto from otherwise
agreeing to perform, and arranging for appropriate compensation for, other
services relating to the Trust and/or to the Accounts.
5.2. The Trust or its designee shall bear the expenses for the cost of
registration and qualification of the Shares under all applicable federal and
state laws, including preparation and filing of the Trust's registration
statement, and payment of filing fees and registration fees; preparation and
filing of the Trust's proxy materials and reports to Shareholders; setting in
type and printing its prospectus and statement of additional information (to the
extent provided by and as determined in accordance with Article III above);
setting in type and printing the proxy materials and reports to Shareholders (to
the extent provided by and as determined in accordance with Article III above);
the preparation of all statements and notices required of the Trust by any
federal or state law with respect to its Shares; all taxes on the issuance or
transfer of the Shares; and the costs of distributing the Trust's prospectuses
and proxy materials to owners of Policies funded by the Shares and any expenses
permitted to be paid or assumed by the Trust pursuant to a plan, if any, under
Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. The Trust shall not bear any expenses of
marketing the Policies.
5.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Shares'
prospectus or prospectuses in connection with new sales of the Policies and of
distributing the Trust's Shareholder reports to Policy owners. The Company shall
bear all expenses associated with the registration, qualification, and filing of
the Policies under applicable federal securities and state insurance laws; the
cost of preparing, printing and distributing the Policy prospectus and statement
of additional information; and the cost of preparing, printing and distributing
annual individual account statements for Policy owners as required by state
insurance laws.
ARTICLE VI. Diversification and Related Limitations
6.1. The Trust and MFS represent and warrant that each Portfolio will meet
the diversification requirements of Section 851 of the Code ("Section 851
Diversification Requirements") and Section 817(h)(1) of the Code and Treas. Reg.
1.817-5, relating to the diversification requirements for variable annuity,
endowment, or life insurance contracts ("Section 817(h)(1) Diversification
Requirements"), as they may be amended from time to time (and any revenue
rulings, revenue procedures, notices, and other published announcements of the
Internal Revenue Service interpreting these sections) (collectively,
"Diversification Requirements"). In the event that any Portfolio is not so
diversified at the end of any applicable quarter, the Trust and MFS will make
every effort to adequately diversify the Portfolio so as to achieve compliance
within the grace periods afforded by Treas. Reg. 1.817-5 and Section 851(d) of
the Code (the "Grace Periods"). In the event that any Portfolio is not so
diversified at the end of any applicable Grace Period, the Trust or MFS will
promptly notify the Company of such non-diversification, such notification to be
provided in no event later than 20 days after the end of the applicable Grace
Period. The Trust will provide the Company with a certification as to quarterly
compliance with Section 817(h) and the regulations thereunder, in such forms and
at such time as the Company and the Trust shall agree.
6.2. The Trust and MFS represent that each Portfolio will elect to be
qualified as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code and
that they will make every effort to ensure the maintenance of such qualification
(under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provision). In the event that
any Portfolio is not so qualified at the end of any applicable quarter or grace
period (if applicable), the Trust or MFS will promptly notify the Company of
such nonqualification, such qualification to be provided in no event later than
20 days after the end of the applicable quarter or grace period (if applicable).
ARTICLE VII. Potential Material Conflicts
7.1. The Trust agrees that the Board, constituted with a majority of
disinterested trustees, will monitor each Portfolio of the Trust for the
existence of any material irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the
variable annuity contract owners and the variable life insurance policy owners
of the Company and/or affiliated companies ("contract owners") investing in the
Trust. The Board shall have the sole authority to determine if a material
irreconcilable conflict exists, and such determination shall be binding on the
Company only if approved in the form of a resolution by a majority of the Board,
or a majority of the disinterested trustees of the Board. The Board will give
prompt notice of any such determination to the Company.
7.2. The Company agrees that it will be responsible for assisting the Board
in carrying out its responsibilities under the conditions set forth in the
Trust's exemptive application pursuant to which the SEC has granted the Mixed
and Shared Funding Exemptive Order by providing the Board, as it may reasonably
request, with all information necessary for the Board to consider any issues
raised and agrees that it will be responsible for promptly reporting any
potential or existing conflicts of which it is aware to the Board including, but
not limited to, an obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever
contract owner voting instructions are disregarded. The Company also agrees
that, if a material irreconcilable conflict arises, it will at its own cost
remedy such conflict up to and including (a) withdrawing the assets allocable to
some or all of the Accounts from the Trust or any Portfolio and reinvesting such
assets in a different investment medium, including (but not limited to) another
Portfolio of the Trust, or submitting to a vote of all affected contract owners
whether to withdraw assets from the Trust or any Portfolio and reinvesting such
assets in a different investment medium and, as appropriate, segregating the
assets attributable to any appropriate group of contract owners that votes in
favor of such segregation, or offering to any of the affected contract owners
the option of segregating the assets attributable to their contracts or
policies, and (b) establishing a new registered management investment company
and segregating the assets underlying the Policies, unless a majority of Policy
owners materially adversely affected by the conflict have voted to decline the
offer to establish a new registered management investment company.
7.3. A majority of the disinterested trustees of the Board shall determine
whether any proposed action by the Company adequately remedies any material
irreconcilable conflict. In the event that the Board determines that any
proposed action does not adequately remedy any material irreconcilable conflict,
the Company will withdraw from investment in the Trust each of the Accounts
designated by the disinterested trustees and terminate this Agreement within six
(6) months after the Board informs the Company in writing of the foregoing
determination; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall be
limited to the extent required to remedy any such material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested trustees of the Board.
7.4. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or
Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the 1940
Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding
(as defined in the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and
conditions materially different from those contained in the Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order, then (a) the Trust and/or the Participating Insurance
Companies, as appropriate, shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply
with Rule 6e-2 and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to the extent
such rules are applicable; and (b) Sections 3.5, 3.6, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4 of
this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the extent that terms and
conditions substantially identical to such Sections are contained in such
Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification
8.1. Indemnification by the Company
The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Trust, MFS, any
affiliates of MFS, and each of their respective directors/trustees, officers and
each person, if any, who controls the Trust or MFS within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act, and any agents or employees of the foregoing (each an
"Indemnified Party," or collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of
this Section 8.1) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Company)
or expenses (including reasonable counsel fees) to which any Indemnified Party
may become subject under any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in
respect thereof) or settlements are related to the sale or acquisition of the
Shares or the Policies and:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement, prospectus or statement of additional information for the
Policies or contained in the Policies or sales literature or other
promotional material for the Policies (or any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading provided
that this agreement to indemnify shall not -------- apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement
or omission was made in reasonable reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company or its designee by or on behalf of the
Trust or MFS for use in the registration statement, prospectus or statement
of additional information for the Policies or in the Policies or sales
literature or other promotional material (or any amendment or supplement)
or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Policies or Shares;
or
(b) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the registration
statement, prospectus, statement of additional information or sales
literature or other promotional material of the Trust not supplied by the
Company or its designee, or persons under its control and on which the
Company has reasonably relied) or wrongful conduct of the Company or
persons under its control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the
Policies or Shares; or
(c) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus,
statement of additional information, or sales literature or other
promotional literature of the Trust, or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement or
statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made
in reliance upon information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the
Company; or
(d) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Company; or
(e) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement; as
limited by and in accordance with the provisions of this Article VIII.
8.2. Indemnification by the Trust
The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of its
directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act, and any agents or employees of the
foregoing (each an "Indemnified Party," or collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.2) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Trust) or expenses (including reasonable counsel fees) to which
any Indemnified Party may become subject under any statute, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or
actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the sale or
acquisition of the Shares or the Policies and:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement, prospectus, statement of additional information or sales
literature or other promotional material of the Trust (or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement therein not
misleading, provided that -------- this agreement to indemnify shall not
apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such
alleged statement or omission was made in reasonable reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to the Trust, MFS, the Underwriter or
their respective designees by or on behalf of the Company for use in the
registration statement, prospectus or statement of additional information
for the Trust or in sales literature or other promotional material for the
Trust (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use in connection
with the sale of the Policies or Shares; or
(b) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the registration
statement, prospectus, statement of additional information or sales
literature or other promotional material for the Policies not supplied by
the Trust, MFS, the Underwriter or any of their respective designees or
persons under their respective control and on which any such entity has
reasonably relied) or wrongful conduct of the Trust or persons under its
control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the Policies or
Shares; or
(c) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus,
statement of additional information, or sales literature or other
promotional literature of the Accounts or relating to the Policies, or any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if
such statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished
to the Company by or on behalf of the Trust, MFS or the Underwriter; or
(d) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Trust in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Trust; or
(e) arise out of or result from any failure to comply with the
diversification requirements specified in Article VI of this Agreement; or
(f) arise out of or result from the materially incorrect or untimely
calculation or reporting of the daily net asset value per share or dividend
or capital gain distribution rate; or
(g) arise as a result of any failure by the Trust to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of the Agreement; as
limited by and in accordance with the provisions of this Article VIII.
8.3. In no event shall the Trust be liable under the indemnification
provisions contained in this Agreement to any individual or entity, including
without limitation, the Company, or any Participating Insurance Company or any
Policy holder, with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
expenses that arise out of or result from (i) a breach of any representation,
warranty, and/or covenant made by the Company hereunder or by any Participating
Insurance Company under an agreement containing substantially similar
representations, warranties and covenants; (ii) the failure by the Company or
any Participating Insurance Company to maintain its segregated asset account
(which invests in any Portfolio) as a legally and validly established segregated
asset account under applicable state law and as a duly registered unit
investment trust under the provisions of the 1940 Act (unless exempt therefrom);
or (iii) the failure by the Company or any Participating Insurance Company to
maintain its variable annuity and/or variable life insurance contracts (with
respect to which any Portfolio serves as an underlying funding vehicle) as life
insurance, endowment or annuity contracts under applicable provisions of the
Code.
8.4. In no event shall the Company be liable under the indemnification
provisions contained in this Agreement to any individual or entity, including
without limitation, the Trust or MFS, or any other Participating Insurance
Company or any Policy holder, with respect to any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses that arise out of or result from (i) a breach of any
representation, warranty, and/or covenant made by the Trust or MFS hereunder or
by any other Participating Insurance Company under an agreement containing
substantially similar representations, warranties and covenants; (ii) the
failure by any other Participating Insurance Company to maintain its segregated
asset account (which invests in any Portfolio) as a legally and validly
established segregated asset account under applicable state law and as a duly
registered unit investment trust under the provisions of the 1940 Act (unless
exempt therefrom); or (iii) subject to the Company's compliance with Section
2.2. hereof, the failure by any other Participating Insurance Company to
maintain its variable annuity and/or variable life insurance contracts (with
respect to which any Portfolio serves as an underlying funding vehicle) as life
insurance, endowment or annuity contracts under applicable provisions of the
Code.
8.5. Neither the Company nor the Trust shall be liable under the
indemnification provisions contained in this Agreement with respect to any
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses to which an Indemnified Party
would otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party's willful
misfeasance, willful misconduct, or gross negligence in the performance of such
Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless
disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement.
8.6. Promptly after receipt by an Indemnified Party under this Section 8.5.
of notice of commencement of any action, such Indemnified Party will, if a claim
in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
section, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any Indemnified Party otherwise than under this
section. In case any such action is brought against any Indemnified Party, and
it notified the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may
wish, assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such Indemnified
Party. After notice from the indemnifying party of its intention to assume the
defense of an action, the Indemnified Party shall bear the expenses of any
additional counsel obtained by it, and the indemnifying party shall not be
liable to such Indemnified Party under this section for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party in connection with the
defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.7. Each of the parties agrees promptly to notify the other parties of the
commencement of any litigation or proceeding against it or any of its respective
officers, directors, trustees, employees or 1933 Act control persons in
connection with the Agreement, the issuance or sale of the Policies, the
operation of the Accounts, or the sale or acquisition of Shares.
8.8. A successor by law of the parties to this Agreement shall be entitled
to the benefits of the indemnification contained in this Article VIII. The
indemnification provisions contained in this Article VIII shall survive any
termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934
and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including
such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC may grant
and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. Notice of Formal Proceedings
The Trust, MFS, and the Company agree that each such party shall promptly
notify the other parties to this Agreement, in writing, of the institution of
any formal proceedings brought against such party or its designees by the NASD,
the SEC, or any insurance department or any other regulatory body regarding such
party's duties under this Agreement or related to the sale of the Policies, the
operation of the Accounts, or the purchase of the Shares.
ARTICLE XI. Termination
11.1. This Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Accounts, or one,
some, or all Portfolios:
(a) at the option of any party upon six (6) months' advance written
notice to the other parties; or
(b) at the option of the Company to the extent that the Shares of
Portfolios are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of the
Policies or are not "appropriate funding vehicles" for the Policies, as
reasonably determined by the Company. Without limiting the generality of
the foregoing, the Shares of a Portfolio would not be "appropriate funding
vehicles" if, for example, such Shares did not meet the diversification or
other requirements referred to in Article VI hereof; or if the Company
would be permitted to disregard Policy owner voting instructions pursuant
to Rule 6e-2 or 6e-3(T) under the 1940 Act. Prompt notice of the election
to terminate for such cause and an explanation of such cause shall be
furnished to the Trust by the Company; or
(c) at the option of the Trust or MFS upon institution of formal
proceedings against the Company by the NASD, the SEC, or any insurance
department or any other regulatory body regarding the Company's duties
under this Agreement or related to the sale of the Policies, the operation
of the Accounts, or the purchase of the Shares; or
(d) at the option of the Company upon institution of formal
proceedings against the Trust by the NASD, the SEC, or any state securities
or insurance department or any other regulatory body regarding the Trust's
or MFS' duties under this Agreement or related to the sale of the Shares;
or
(e) at the option of the Company, the Trust or MFS upon receipt of any
necessary regulatory approvals and/or the vote of the Policy owners having
an interest in the Accounts (or any subaccounts) to substitute the shares
of another investment company for the corresponding Portfolio Shares in
accordance with the terms of the Policies for which those Portfolio Shares
had been selected to serve as the underlying investment media. The Company
will give thirty (30) days' prior written notice to the Trust of the Date
of any proposed vote or other action taken to replace the Shares; or
(f) termination by either the Trust or MFS by written notice to the
Company, if either one or both of the Trust or MFS respectively, shall
determine, in their sole judgment exercised in good faith, that the Company
has suffered a material adverse change in its business, operations,
financial condition, or prospects since the date of this Agreement or is
the subject of material adverse publicity; or
(g) termination by the Company by written notice to the Trust and MFS,
if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment exercised in good
faith, that the Trust or MFS has suffered a material adverse change in this
business, operations, financial condition or prospects since the date of
this Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity; or
(h) at the option of any party to this Agreement, upon another party's
failure to cure (within 10 business days of notice from the non-breaching
party) a material breach of any provision of this Agreement; or
(i) upon assignment of this Agreement, unless made with the written
consent of the parties hereto.
11.2. The notice shall specify the Portfolio or Portfolios, Policies and,
if applicable, the Accounts as to which the Agreement is to be terminated.
11.3. It is understood and agreed that the right of any party hereto to
terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 11.1(a) may be exercised for cause
or for no cause.
11.4. Except as necessary to implement Policy owner initiated transactions,
or as required by state insurance laws or regulations, the Company shall not
redeem the Shares attributable to the Policies (as opposed to the Shares
attributable to the Company's assets held in the Accounts), and the Company
shall not prevent Policy owners from allocating payments to a Portfolio that was
otherwise available under the Policies, until thirty (30) days after the Company
shall have notified the Trust of its intention to do so.
11.5. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Trust and MFS
shall, at the option of the Company, continue to make available additional
shares of the Portfolios pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement,
for all Policies in effect on the effective date of termination of this
Agreement (the "Existing Policies"), except as otherwise provided under Article
VII of this Agreement. Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the
Existing Policies shall be permitted to transfer or reallocate investment under
the Policies, redeem investments in any Portfolio and/or invest in the Trust
upon the making of additional purchase payments under the Existing Policies.
ARTICLE XII. Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified
mail, overnight courier or facsimile to the other party at the address of such
party set forth below or at such other address as such party may from time to
time specify in writing to the other party.
If to the Trust:
MFS Variable Insurance Trust
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Secretary
If to the Company:
Allstate Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx X0X
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
If to MFS:
Massachusetts Financial Services Company
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Facsimile No.: (000) 000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, General Counsel
ARTICLE XIII. Miscellaneous
13.1. Subject to the requirement of legal process and regulatory authority,
each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses of the
owners of the Policies and all information reasonably identified as confidential
in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted by this Agreement
or as otherwise required by applicable law or regulation, shall not disclose,
disseminate or utilize such names and addresses and other confidential
information without the express written consent of the affected party until such
time as it may come into the public domain.
13.2. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
13.3. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in one or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
13.4. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall
not be affected thereby.
13.5. The Schedule attached hereto, as modified from time to time, is
incorporated herein by reference and is part of this Agreement.
13.6. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party in connection
with inquiries by appropriate governmental authorities (including without
limitation the SEC, the NASD, and state insurance regulators) relating to this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
13.7. The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are
cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and obligations,
at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and
federal laws.
13.8. A copy of the Trust's Declaration of Trust is on file with the
Secretary of State of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Company
acknowledges that the obligations of or arising out of this instrument are not
binding upon any of the Trust's trustees, officers, employees, agents or
shareholders individually, but are binding solely upon the assets and property
of the Trust in accordance with its proportionate interest hereunder. The
Company further acknowledges that the assets and liabilities of each Portfolio
are separate and distinct and that the obligations of or arising out of this
instrument are binding solely upon the assets or property of the Portfolio on
whose behalf the Trust has executed this instrument. The Company also agrees
that the obligations of each Portfolio hereunder shall be several and not joint,
in accordance with its proportionate interest hereunder, and the Company agrees
not to proceed against any Portfolio for the obligations of another Portfolio.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to
be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative
and its seal to be hereunder affixed hereto as of the date specified above.
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By its authorized officer,
By:
Title:
MFS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST,
on behalf of the Portfolios
By its authorized officer and not individually,
By:
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx.
Assistant Secretary
MASSACHUSETTS FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY
By its authorized officer,
By:
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Senior Executive Vice President
As of June 23, 1999
SCHEDULE A
Accounts, Policies and Portfolios
Subject to the Participation Agreement
--------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- =======================================
Name of Separate
Account and Date Policies Funded Portfolios
Established by Board of Directors by Separate Account Applicable to Policies
--------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- =======================================
Allstate Financial Advisors Individual and Group Growth with Income Series
Separate Account I Flexible Premium Deferred New Discovery Series
Variable Annuity Contracts High Income Series
Bond Series
--------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------
Exhibit 8(c)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
By and Among
XXXXXXXXXXX VARIABLE ACCOUNT FUNDS,
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
and
OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the ___ day of ________, 1999
by and among Allstate Life Insurance Company, an Illinois corporation
(hereinafter the "Company") on its own behalf and on behalf of each separate
account of the Company named in Schedule 1 to this Agreement, as may be amended
from time to time by mutual consent (each account referred to as the "Account"),
Xxxxxxxxxxx Variable Account Funds, an open-end diversified management
investment company organized under the laws of the State of Massachusetts
(hereinafter the "Fund") and OppenheimerFunds, Inc., a Colorado Corporation
(hereinafter the "Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end management investment
company and was established for the purpose of serving as the investment vehicle
for separate accounts established for variable life insurance policies and
variable annuity contracts to be offered by insurance companies (hereinafter
"Participating Insurance Companies"); and
WHEREAS, beneficial interests in the Fund are divided into several series
of shares, each representing the interest in a particular managed portfolio
(collectively the "Portfolios") of securities and other assets (the Portfolios
covered by this Agreement are specified in Schedule 2 attached hereto as may be
amended from time to time by mutual consent); and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission (alternatively referred to as the "SEC" or the "Commission"), dated
July 16, 1986 (File No. 812-6234), granting Participating Insurance Companies
and variable annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts exemptions
from the provisions of sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and 15(b) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended, (hereinafter the "1940 Act") and Rules
6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3(T)(b)(15) thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit
shares of the Fund to be sold to and held by variable annuity and variable life
insurance separate accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance
companies (hereinafter the "Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser is registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and serves as the investment adviser to the
Fund;
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain variable
annuity and/or life insurance contracts (hereinafter "Contracts") under the 1933
Act (unless an exemption from registration is available); and
WHEREAS, the Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated asset
account, established by resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company
under the insurance laws of the State of Illinois, to set aside and invest
assets attributable to the Contracts. (The Contract(s) and the Account(s)
covered by the Agreement are specified in Schedule 2 attached hereto, as may be
amended from time to time by mutual consent); and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered the Account as a unit investment trust
under the 1940 Act (unless an exemption from registration is available); and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios named in
Schedule 2 on behalf of the Account to fund the Contracts named in Schedule 3
and the Fund is authorized to sell such shares to unit investment trusts such as
the Account at net asset value;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Fund, the
Adviser and the Company agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Sale of Fund Shares
1.1. The Fund agrees to sell to the Company those shares of the Fund which
the Company orders on behalf of the Account, executing such orders on a daily
basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or its
designee of the order for the shares of the Fund. For purposes of this Section
1.1, the Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of such orders
from each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the
Fund; provided that the Fund receives written (or facsimile) notice of such
order on the next following Business Day by no later than 10:00 A.M. New York
time; however, the Company undertakes to use its best efforts to provide such
notice to the Fund by no later than 9:30 A.M. New York time. "Business Day"
shall mean any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and
on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to the rules of the
SEC.
1.2. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next Business Day after
an order to purchase Fund shares is made in accordance with Section 1.1 hereof.
Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire pursuant to instructions
of the Fund's Treasurer or by a credit for any shares redeemed.
1.3. The Fund agrees to make an indefinite number of Fund shares available
for purchase at the applicable net asset value per share by the Company for
their separate Accounts listed in Schedule 2, on those days on which the Fund
calculates its net asset value pursuant to rules of the SEC; provided, however,
that the Board of Trustees of the Fund (hereinafter the "Trustees") may refuse
to sell shares of any Portfolio to any person, or suspend or terminate the
offering of shares of any Portfolio if such action is required by law or by
regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of the
Trustees, acting in good faith and in light of their fiduciary duties under
federal and any applicable state laws, in the best interests of the shareholders
of any Portfolio.
1.4. The Fund agrees that shares of the Fund will be sold only to
Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts, qualified pension
and retirement plans or such other persons as are permitted under applicable
provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Internal
Revenue Code"), and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, "Qualified
Investors"), and/or to one or more registered investment companies that restrict
the sale of shares of such registered investment companies to Qualified
Investors, the sale of which will not impair the tax treatment currently
afforded the contracts.
1.5. The Fund shall not sell Fund shares to any insurance company or
separate account unless a contractual obligation is in effect with respect to
such sales to abide by the conditions of the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive
Order that are addressed in Section 3.4 and Article VII of this Agreement.
1.6. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, upon the Company's request, any
full or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Company, executing such
requests on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by
the Fund or its designee of the request for redemption. For purposes of this
Section 1.6, the Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of
requests for redemption and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by
the Fund; provided that the Fund receives written (or facsimile) notice of such
request for redemption on the next following Business Day by no later than 10:00
A.M. New York time; however the Company undertakes to use its best efforts to
provide such notice to the Fund by no later than 9:30 A.M. New York time.
1.7. The Fund shall pay for the Fund shares that are redeemed within the
time period specified in the Fund's prospectus or statement of additional
information, provided, however, that if the Fund does not pay for the Fund
shares that are redeemed on the next Business Day after a request to redeem
shares is made, then the Fund shall apply any such delay in redemptions
uniformly to all holders of shares of that Portfolio. Payment shall be in
federal funds transmitted by wire pursuant to the instructions of the Company or
by a credit toward any shares purchased on the Business Day on which the
redemption payment is made.
1.8. The Company agrees to purchase and redeem the shares of the Portfolios
named in Schedule 2 offered by the then current prospectus and statement of
additional information of the Fund in accordance with the provisions of such
prospectus and statement of additional information.
1.9. Issuance and transfer of the Funds' shares will be by book entry only.
Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Account. Purchase
and redemption orders for Fund shares will be recorded in an appropriate title
for each Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.10. The Fund shall furnish notice as soon as reasonably practicable to
the Company of any income, dividends or capital gain distributions payable on
the Portfolio's shares. The Company hereby elects to receive all such dividends
and distributions as are payable on the Portfolio shares in additional shares of
that Portfolio. The Company reserves the right to revoke this election and
thereafter to receive all such dividends and distributions in cash. The Fund
shall notify the Company of the number of shares so issued as payment of such
dividends and distributions.
1.11. The Fund shall make the net asset value per share for each Portfolio
available to the Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably practical after
the net asset value per share is calculated and shall use its best efforts to
make such net asset value per share available by 6:30 p.m. New York time. In the
event the Fund is unable to meet the 6:30 p.m. time stated herein, it shall
provide additional time for the Company to place orders for the purchase and
redemption of shares. Such additional time shall be equal to the additional time
which the Fund takes to make the closing net asset value available to the
Company. If the Fund provides materially incorrect share net asset value
information, the Fund shall make an adjustment to the number of shares purchased
or redeemed for the Accounts to reflect the correct net asset value per share.
Any material error in the calculation or reporting of net asset value per share,
dividend or capital gains information shall be reported promptly upon discovery
to the Company.
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are or will be
registered under the 1933 Act (unless an exemption from registration is
available) and, that the Contracts will be issued and sold in compliance in all
material respects with all applicable federal and state laws and that the sale
of the Contracts shall comply in all material respects with state insurance
suitability requirements. The Company further represents and warrants that it is
an insurance company duly organized and in good standing under applicable state
law and that it has registered the Account as a unit investment trust in
accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a segregated
investment account for the Contracts, and that it will maintain such
registration for so long as any Contracts are outstanding or until registration
is no longer required under federal and state securities laws. The Company shall
amend the registration statement under the 1933 Act for the Contracts and the
registration statement under the 1940 Act for the Account from time to time as
required in order to effect the continuous offering of the Contracts or as may
otherwise be required by applicable law. The Company shall register and qualify
the Contracts for sale in accordance with the securities laws of the various
states only if and to the extent deemed necessary by the Company.
2.2. Subject to Article VI hereof, the Company represents that it believes
that the Contracts are currently and at the time of issuance will be treated as
life insurance or annuity contracts under applicable provisions of the Internal
Revenue Code and that it will make every effort to maintain such treatment and
that it will notify the Fund and the Adviser immediately upon having a
reasonable basis for believing that the Contracts have ceased to be so treated
or that they might not be so treated in the future.
2.3. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant to
this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act and duly authorized for
issuance and sold in accordance with applicable state and federal law and that
the Fund is and shall remain registered under the 1940 Act for as long as the
Fund shares are sold. The Fund shall amend the registration statement for its
shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in
order to effect the continuous offering of its shares. The Fund shall register
and qualify the shares for sale in accordance with the laws of the various
states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund.
2.4. The Fund represents that it is currently qualified as a Regulated
Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code and that it
will maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar
provision) and that it will notify the Company immediately upon having a
reasonable basis for believing that it has ceased to so qualify or that it might
not so qualify in the future.
2.5. If the Fund considers the adoption of one or more plans under Rule
12b-1 under the 1940 Act to finance distribution expenses (a "12b-1 Plan"), the
Company agrees to provide the Trustees any information as may be reasonably
necessary for the Trustees to determine whether to adopt a 12b-1 Plan or Plans.
The Fund shall notify the Company upon commencing to finance distribution
expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1.
2.6. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly existing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it does and will
comply with applicable provisions of the 0000 Xxx.
2.7. The Adviser represents and warrants that it is and will remain duly
registered under all applicable federal and state securities laws and that it
shall perform its obligations for the Fund in compliance with any applicable
state and federal securities laws.
2.8. The Fund and Adviser each represent and warrant that all of its
respective Directors, Trustees, officers, employees, investment advisers, and
transfer agent of the Fund are and shall continue to be at all times covered by
a blanket fidelity bond (which may, at the Fund's election, be in the form of a
joint insured bond) or similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund in an amount
not less than the minimal coverage as required currently by Section 17(g) and
Rule 17g-1 of the 1940 Act or related provisions as may be promulgated from time
to time. The aforesaid Bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement
and shall be issued by a reputable insurance company. The Adviser agrees to make
all reasonable efforts to see that this bond or another bond containing these
provisions is always in effect, and agrees to notify the Company in the event
that such coverage no longer applies.
2.9. The Company represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, agents, investment advisers, and other individuals and
entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are covered by a
blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage in an amount not less than the
equivalent of U.S. $3 million. The aforesaid bond shall include coverage for
larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable insurance company.
The Company agrees that any amount received under such bond in connection with
claims that derive from arrangements described in this Agreement will be paid by
the Company for the benefit of the Fund. The Company agrees to make all
reasonable efforts to see that this bond or another bond containing these
provisions is always in effect, and agrees to notify the Fund and the Adviser in
the event that such coverage no longer applies.
2.10. The Fund and Adviser represent that the Fund's investment policies,
fees and expenses are and shall at all times remain in compliance with
applicable state securities laws, if any, and the Fund and Adviser represent
that their respective operations are and shall at all times remain in material
compliance with applicable state securities laws to the extent required to
perform this Agreement. The Fund and the Adviser also represent that they will
comply with any applicable state insurance law restrictions, as provided in
advance and in writing by the Company to the Fund and the Adviser, including the
furnishing of information about the Fund not otherwise available to the Company
which is required by state insurance law to enable the Company to obtain the
authority needed to issue the Contracts in any applicable state.
ARTICLE III. Prospectus and Proxy Statements; Voting
3.1. At least annually, the Fund or the Adviser shall provide the Company,
free of charge, with as many copies of the current prospectuses for the
Portfolios as the Company may reasonably request for distribution to existing
Contract owners whose Contracts are funded by such Portfolios. The Fund or the
Adviser shall provide the Company, at the Company's expense, with as many copies
of the current prospectuses for the Portfolios as the Company may reasonably
request for distribution to prospective purchasers of Contracts. If requested by
the Company in lieu thereof, the Fund shall provide such documentation
(including a "camera ready" copy of the new prospectuses dated on or after May
1, 1999 as set in type or, at the request of the Company, as a diskette in the
form sent to the financial printer) and other assistance as is reasonably
necessary in order for the parties hereto once each year (or more frequently if
the prospectuses for the Portfolios are supplemented or amended) to have the
prospectus for the Contracts and the prospectuses for the Portfolios printed
together in one document. With respect to any prospectuses for the Portfolios
that are printed in combination with any one or more Contract prospectus (the
"Prospectus Booklet"), the costs of printing Prospectus Booklets for
distribution to existing Contract owners shall be prorated to the Fund based on
(a) the ratio of the number of pages of the prospectuses included for the
Portfolios in the Prospectus Booklets to the number of pages in the Prospectus
Booklet as a whole; and (b) the ratio of the number of Contract owners with
Contract value allocated to the Fund to the total number of Contract owners;
provided, however, that the Company shall bear all printing expenses of such
combined documents where used for distribution to prospective purchasers or to
owners of existing Contracts not funded by the Portfolios.
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the statement of additional
information for the Fund is available from the Fund (or its transfer agent). The
Fund or its designee shall print and provide such Statement to the Company and
to any owner of a Contract or prospective owner who requests such Statement at
the Fund's expense.
3.3. The Fund or the Adviser, at its expense, shall provide the Company
with copies of the Fund's communications to shareholders and with copies of the
Fund's proxy material and semi-annual and annual reports to shareholders (or
may, at the Fund or the Adviser's option, reimburse the Company for the pro rata
cost of printing such materials) in such quantities as the Company shall
reasonably require, for distributing to Contract owners at the Company's
expense. Upon request, the Adviser shall be permitted to review and approve the
typeset form of such proxy material, communications and shareholder reports
prior to such printing.
3.4. If and to the extent required by law (or the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order) the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the Fund shares in accordance with instructions received
from Contract owners or participants; and
(iii) vote Fund shares for which no instructions have been received in
the same proportion as Fund shares of such Portfolio for which instructions
have been received from the Company's Contract owners; so long as and to
the extent that the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require
pass-through voting privileges for variable Contract owners. The Company
reserves the right to vote Fund shares held in any Account in its own
right, to the extent permitted by law.
3.5. The Fund will comply with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act
requiring voting by shareholders.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Fund
or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material in
which the Fund or the Adviser is named, at least ten business days prior to its
use. No such material shall be used if the Fund or its designee reasonably
objects in writing to such use within ten business days after receipt of such
material.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any representations
or statements on behalf of the Fund or the Adviser concerning either of them in
connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund,
or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund or its
designee, except with the permission of the Fund. The Fund agrees to respond to
any request for approval in a prompt and timely basis. The Company shall adopt
and implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that information
promulgated or distributed by the Company or a subsidiary thereof, or their
respective employees or agents, concerning the Fund or the Adviser which is
intended only for use only by brokers or agents selling the Contracts (i.e.,
information that is not intended for distribution to Contract owners or
prospective Contract owners) is so used, by their employees and neither the Fund
nor the Adviser shall be liable for any losses, damages, or expenses relating to
the improper use of such broker only materials. The parties hereto agree that
this section is not intended to designate or otherwise imply that the Company is
an underwriter or distributor of the Fund's shares.
4.3. The Adviser or Fund shall furnish or cause to be furnished, to the
Company or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material which the Adviser or Fund prepared or caused to be prepared, in which
the Company or its separate account is named, at least ten business days prior
to its use. No such material shall be used if the Company or its designee
reasonably objects in writing to such use within ten business days after receipt
of such material.
4.4. The Adviser and the Fund shall not give any information or make any
representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, each
Account, or the Contracts, other than information or representations contained
in (i) the registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts, as such
registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, (ii) reports for the Account which are in the public domain or approved
by the Company for distribution to Contract owners or participants, or (iii)
sales literature or other promotional material approved by the Company or its
designee, except with the permission of the Company. The Company agrees to
respond to any request for approval on a prompt and timely basis. The Adviser
shall adopt and implement procedures reasonably designed to ensure that
information promulgated or distributed by the Fund and/or the Adviser or any
subsidiary thereof, or their respective employees or agents, concerning the
Company, any of its affiliates, or the Contracts which is intended only for use
only by brokers or agents selling the shares (i.e., information that it not
intended for distribution to shareowners or prospective shareowners) is so used
by their employees and agents, and neither the Company nor any of its affiliates
shall be liable for any losses, damages, or expenses relating to the improper
use of such broker only materials. The parties agree that this section is not
intended to designate or otherwise imply that the Adviser is an underwriter or
distributor of the Contracts.
4.5. The Adviser will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of
all registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information,
reports, proxy statements, sales literature and other promotional materials
prepared by or at the request of the Fund, the Adviser, or any subsidiary of the
Adviser, in which the Company or its separate account is named, applications for
exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments to any of the
above, that relate to any Portfolio or its shares, contemporaneously with the
filing of such document with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of all
registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information,
reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature and other
promotional materials in which the Fund (or any Portfolio) or the Adviser is
named, applications for exemptions, requests for no action letters, and all
amendments to any of the above, that relate to the Contracts or each Account,
contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the SEC or other
regulatory authorities.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales literature or other
promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, advertisements (such as
material published, or designed for use in, a newspaper, magazine, or other
periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape display,
signs or billboards, motion pictures, electronic media, or other public media),
sales literature (i.e., any written communication distributed or made generally
available to customers or the public, including brochures, circulars, research
reports, market letters, form letters, seminar texts, reprints or excerpts of
any other advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or
training materials or other communications distributed or made generally
available to some or all agents or employees, and proxy materials and any other
material constituting sales literature or advertising under NASD rules, the 1940
Act or the 0000 Xxx.
4.8. The Company agrees and acknowledges that the Adviser is the sole owner
of the OppenheimerFunds, Inc. clasped hands xxxx and that all use of any
designation comprised in whole or part of such xxxx under this Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of the Adviser or the Fund. The Company shall not use such
xxxx on its own behalf or on behalf of each Account in connection with marketing
the Contracts without prior written consent of the Adviser, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. Upon termination of this
Agreement for any reason, the Company shall cease all use of any such xxxx.
4.9. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement or as
required by applicable law or regulation, neither the Fund nor the Adviser, nor
any subsidiary of the Adviser shall use any trademark, trade name, service xxxx
or logo of the Company or any of its affiliates, or any variation of any such
trademark, trade name, service xxxx or logo, without the Company's prior written
consent, the granting of which shall be at the Company's sole option.
ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses
5.1. The Fund and Adviser shall pay no fee or other compensation to the
Company under this Agreement, and the Company shall pay no fee or other
compensation to the Fund or Adviser, except as provided herein or in any other
written agreement.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by each party of its respective
duties under this Agreement shall be paid by that party. The Fund shall see to
it that all its shares are registered and authorized for issuance in accordance
with applicable federal law and, if and to the extent advisable by the Fund, in
accordance with applicable state laws prior to their sale. The Fund shall bear
the expenses for the cost of registration and qualification of the Fund's
shares, preparation and filing of the Fund's prospectus and registration
statement, proxy materials and reports, the preparation of all statements and
notices required by any federal or state law, and all applicable taxes on the
issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares to the Company.
5.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Fund's
prospectus, proxy materials, communications and reports to Contract owners and
of printing and distributing the Fund's prospectus to prospective Contract
owners.
ARTICLE VI. Diversification
6.1. The Fund will at all times invest money from the Contracts in such a
manner as to ensure that the Contracts will be treated as variable contracts
under the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations issued thereunder. Without
limiting the scope of the foregoing, the Fund represents and warrants that each
Portfolio of the Fund will comply with Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue
Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5, relating to the diversification
requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life insurance contracts and
any amendments or other modifications to such Section or Regulations (and any
revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices, and other published announcements
of the Internal Revenue Service interpreting these sections). In the event of a
breach of this Article VI by the Fund, it will take all reasonable steps (a) to
notify the Company of such breach and (b) to adequately diversify each Portfolio
of the Fund so as to achieve compliance within the grace period afforded by
Treasury Regulation 1.817-5. The Fund and Adviser represent that each Portfolio
is qualified as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code
and that they will maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any
successor provision).
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts
7.1. The Board of Trustees of the Fund (the "Board") will monitor the Fund
for the existence of any material irreconcilable conflict between the interests
of the Contract owners of all separate accounts investing in the Fund. An
irreconcilable material conflict may arise for a variety of reasons, including:
(a) an action by any state insurance regulatory authority; (b) a change in
applicable federal or state insurance, tax, or securities laws or regulations,
or a public ruling, private letter ruling, no-action or interpretative letter,
or any similar action by insurance, tax, or securities regulatory authorities;
(c) an administrative or judicial decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the
manner in which the investments of any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a
difference in voting instructions given by Participating Insurance Companies or
by variable annuity contract and variable life insurance Contract owners; or (f)
a decision by an insurer to disregard the voting instructions of Contract
owners. The Board shall promptly inform the Company if it determines that an
irreconcilable material conflict exists and the implications thereof.
7.2. The Company has received a copy of the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, and in particular, has reviewed the conditions to the requested
relief set forth therein. The Company agrees to be bound by the responsibilities
of a participating insurance company as set forth in the Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order, including without limitation the requirement that the
Company report any potential or existing conflicts of which it is aware to the
Board. The Company agrees to assist the Board in carrying out its
responsibilities in monitoring such conflicts under the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, by providing the Board in a timely manner with all information
reasonably necessary for the Board to consider any issues raised. This includes,
but is not limited to, an obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever
Contract owner voting instructions are disregarded and by confirming in writing,
at the Fund's request, that the Company is unaware of any such potential or
existing material irreconcilable conflicts.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of its
disinterested Trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the
Company and the relevant Participating Insurance Companies shall, at their
expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of
the disinterested Trustees), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or
eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1)
withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts from
the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment
medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund, or
submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote
of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of
any appropriate group (i.e., variable annuity Contract owners or life insurance
Contract owners, of one or more Participating Insurance Companies) that votes in
favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected Contract owners the
option of making such a change; and (2) establishing a new registered management
investment company or managed separate account.
7.4. If the Company's disregard of voting instructions could conflict with
the majority of Contract owners voting instructions, and if the Company and/or
the Fund and the Adviser reasonably determine that a material irreconcilable
conflict (as set forth in the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order) may
arise as a result, then the Company may be required, at the Fund's election, to
withdraw the Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement. Any
such withdrawal and termination must take place within six (6) months after the
Fund gives written notice that this provision is being implemented. Until such
withdrawal and termination is implemented, the Fund shall continue to accept and
implement orders by the Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the
Fund. Such withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required by
the foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of
the disinterested members of the Board.
7.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will withdraw the
Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement within six (6)
months after the Fund informs the Company in writing that it has determined that
such decision has created an irreconcilable material conflict. Until such
withdrawal and termination is implemented, the Fund shall continue to accept and
implement orders by the Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the
Fund, subject to applicable regulatory limitation. Such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members
of the Board.
7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.6 of this Agreement, a majority
of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event
will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts.
The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 to establish a new funding
medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a
majority of Contract owners materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable
material conflict. In the event that the Board determines that any proposed
action does not adequately remedy any irreconcilable material conflict, then the
Company will withdraw the Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this
Agreement within six (6) months after the Board informs the Company in writing
of the foregoing determination, provided, however, that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by any such material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members
of the Board.
7.7. Upon request, the Company shall at least annually submit to the Board
such reports, materials or data as the Board may reasonably request so that the
Board may fully carry out the duties imposed upon it as delineated in the Mixed
and Shared Funding Exemptive Order, and said reports, materials and data shall
be submitted more frequently if deemed appropriate by the Board.
7.8. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or
Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the Act
or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding (as
defined in the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions
materially different from those contained in the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, the (a) the Fund and/or the Participating Insurance Companies
(including the Company), as appropriate, shall take such reasonable steps as may
be necessary to comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3,
as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable; and (b) Sections 3.4, 7.1,
7.2, 7.3, 7.4 and 7.5 of this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the
extent that terms and conditions substantially identical to such Sections are
contained in such Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification
8.1. Indemnification By The Company
(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and
the Adviser, each member of their Board of Trustees or Board of Directors,
each of their officers and each person, if any, who controls the Fund
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.1) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement
with the written consent of the Company) or litigation (including
reasonable legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may
become subject under any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or
actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the sale or
acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
registration statement, prospectus or statement of additional
information for the Contracts or contained in sales literature or
other promotional material for the Contracts (or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances which they were
made; provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to
any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund or
the Adviser for use in the registration statement, prospectus or
statement of additional information for the Contracts or sales
literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use in
connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
by or on behalf of the Company (other than statements or
representations contained in the Fund registration statement, Fund
prospectus or sales literature or other promotional material of the
Fund not supplied by the Company or persons under its control) or
wrongful conduct of the Company or persons under its control, with
respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares,
provided any such statement or representation or such wrongful conduct
was not made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Advisor or the Fund;
or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Fund registration
statement, Fund prospectus, statement of additional information or
sales literature or other promotional material of the Fund or any
amendment thereof or supplement thereto or the omission or alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in
light of the circumstances in which they were made, if such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the
Fund or the Adviser by or on behalf of the Company or persons under
its control; or
(iv) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement
or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this
Agreement by the Company.
except to the extent provided in Sections 8.1(b) and 8.3 hereof. This
indemnification shall be in addition to any liability which the
Company may otherwise have.
(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
litigation to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by
reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such
Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this
Agreement.
8.2. Indemnification by Adviser and Fund
8.2(a)(1). The Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company
and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.2) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with
the written consent of the Adviser) or litigation (including reasonable legal
and other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under
any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or
settlements are related to the sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or the
Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement, prospectus, statement of additional information or sales
literature of the Fund (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances in which they were made; provided that this agreement to
indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or
omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon
and in conformity with information furnished to the Adviser or the Fund by
or on behalf of the Company for use in the Fund registration statement,
prospectus or statement of additional information, or sales literature or
other promotional material for the Contracts or of the Fund; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Contracts or in
the Contract registration statement, the Contract prospectus, statement of
additional information, or sales literature or other promotional material
for the Contracts not supplied by the Adviser or the Fund or persons under
the control of the Adviser or the Fund respectively) or wrongful conduct of
the Adviser or persons under its control, with respect to the sale or
distribution of the Contracts, provided any such statement or
representation or such wrongful conduct was not made in reliance upon and
in conformity with information furnished to the Adviser or the Fund by or
on behalf of the Company; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or allegedly untrue statement
of a material fact contained in a registration statement, prospectus,
statement of additional information or sales literature covering the
Contracts (or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto), or the omission
or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statement or statements therein not
misleading in light of the circumstances in which they were made, if such
statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to
the Company by or on behalf of the Fund or persons under the control of the
Adviser; or
(iv) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Adviser or the Fund in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this
Agreement by the Adviser or the Fund;
(v) arise out of or result from the materially incorrect or untimely
calculation or reporting of the daily net asset value per share or dividend
or capital gain distribution rate;
except to the extent provided in Sections 8.2(b) and 8.3 hereof. This
indemnification shall be in addition to any liability which the Adviser may
otherwise have.
8.2(a)(2) The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified
Parties [as defined in Section 8.2(a)(1)] against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Fund) or litigation (including reasonable legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements are
related to the operations of the Fund or the sale or acquisition of the Fund's
shares and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon (a) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact or (b) the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the
circumstances in which they were made, not misleading, if such fact,
statement or omission is contained in the registration statement for the
Fund or the Contracts, or in the prospectus or statement of additional
information for the Contracts or the Fund, or in any amendment to any of
the foregoing, or in sales literature or other promotional material for the
Contracts or of the Fund, provided, however, that this agreement to
indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement,
fact or omission or such alleged statement, fact or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Adviser
or the Fund by or on behalf of the Indemnified Party; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Contracts or in
the Contract registration statement, the Contract prospectus, statement of
additional information, or sales literature or other promotional material
for the Contracts not supplied by the Adviser or the Fund or persons under
the control of the Adviser or the Fund respectively) or wrongful conduct of
the Fund or persons under its control with respect to the sale or
distribution of Contracts, provided any such statement or representation or
such wrongful conduct was not made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Adviser or the Fund by or on behalf of the
Company; or
(iii) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Fund in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Fund (including a failure, whether unintentional or in good faith or
otherwise, to comply with the diversification requirements specified in
Article VI of this Agreement);
(iv) arise out of or result from the materially incorrect or untimely
calculation or reporting of the daily net asset value per share or dividend
or capital gain distribution rate;
except to the extent provided in Section 8.2(b) and 8.3 hereof. This
indemnification shall be in addition to any liability which the Fund may
otherwise have.
(b). The Fund and Adviser shall not be liable under this
indemnification provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or litigation to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be
subject by reason of such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad
faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's
duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of
obligations and duties under this Agreement.
8.3 Indemnification Procedure
Any person obligated to provide indemnification under this Article VIII
("indemnifying party" for the purpose of this Section 8.3) shall not be liable
under the indemnification provisions of this Article VIII with respect to any
claim made against a party entitled to indemnification under this Article VIII
("indemnified party" for the purpose of this Section 8.3) unless such
indemnified party shall have notified the indemnifying party in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
indemnified party (or after such party shall have received notice of such
service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the indemnifying party
of any such claim shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability
which it may have to the indemnified party against whom such action is brought
under the indemnification provisions of this Article VIII, except to the extent
that the failure to notify results in the failure of actual notice to the
indemnifying party and such indemnifying party is damaged solely as a result of
failure to give such notice. In case any such action is brought against the
indemnified party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The indemnifying party also shall be
entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified
party of the indemnifying party's election to assume the defense thereof, the
indemnified party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel
retained by it, and the indemnifying party will not be liable to such party
under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such party independently in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation, unless (i) the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or
(ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties)
include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation
of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing interests between them. The indemnifying party shall not be
liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written
consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld, but if settled with such
consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying
party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or
liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
A successor by law of the parties to this Agreement shall be entitled to
the benefits of the indemnification contained in this Article VIII. The
indemnification provisions contained in this Article VIII shall survive any
termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934
and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including
such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC may grant
(including, but not limited to, the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order)
and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1 This Agreement shall terminate:
(a) at the option of any party upon six month's advance written notice
to the other parties unless otherwise agreed in a separate written
agreement among the parties; or
(b) at the option of the Company to the extent that shares of
Portfolios are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of the
Contracts as determined by the Company reasonably and in good faith; or
(c) at the option of the Fund or the Adviser upon institution of
formal proceedings against the Company by the NASD, the SEC, the insurance
commission of any state or any other regulatory body regarding the
Company's duties under this Agreement or related to the sale of the
Contracts, the administration of the Contracts, the operation of the
Account, or the purchase of the Fund shares, which would have a material
adverse effect on the Company's ability to perform its obligations under
this Agreement; or
(d) at the option of the Company upon institution of formal
proceedings against the Fund or the Adviser by the NASD, the SEC, or any
state securities or insurance department or any other regulatory body,
which would have a material adverse effect on the Adviser's or the Fund's
ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
(e) at the option of the Company or the Fund upon receipt of any
necessary regulatory approvals or the vote of the Contract owners having an
interest in the Account (or any subaccount) to substitute the shares of
another investment company for the corresponding Portfolio shares of the
Fund in accordance with the terms of the Contracts for which those
Portfolio shares had been selected to serve as the underlying investment
media. The Company will give 45 days prior written notice to the Fund of
the date of any proposed vote or other action taken to replace the Fund's
shares; or
(f) at the option of the Company or the Fund upon a determination by a
majority of the Board, or a majority of the disinterested Board members,
that an irreconcilable material conflict exists among the interests of (i)
all Contract owners of variable insurance products of all separate accounts
or (ii) the interests of the Participating Insurance Companies investing in
the Fund as delineated in Article VII of this Agreement; or
(g) at the option of the Company if the Fund ceases to qualify as a
Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code, or under any successor or similar provision, or if the Company
reasonably believes that the Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(h) at the option of the Company if the Fund fails to meet the
diversification requirements specified in Article VI hereof or if the
Company reasonably believes that the Fund will fail to meet such
requirements; or
(i) at the option of any party to this Agreement, upon another party's
failure to cure a material breach of any provision of this Agreement within
thirty days after written notice thereof; or
(j) at the option of the Company, if the Company determines in its
sole judgment exercised in good faith, that either the Fund or the Adviser
has suffered a material adverse change in its business, operations or
financial condition since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of
material adverse publicity which is likely to have a material adverse
impact upon the business and operations of the Company; or
(k) at the option of the Fund or the Adviser, if the Fund or Adviser
respectively, shall determine in its sole judgment exercised in good faith,
that the Company has suffered a material adverse change in its business,
operations or financial condition since the date of this Agreement or is
the subject of material adverse publicity which is likely to have a
material adverse impact upon the business and operations of the Fund or the
Adviser; or
(l) subject to the Fund's compliance with Article VI hereof, at the
option of the Fund in the event any of the Contracts are not issued or sold
in accordance with applicable requirements of federal and/or state law.
10.2 Notice Requirement.
(a) In the event that any termination of this Agreement is based upon
the provisions of Article VII, such prior written notice shall be given in
advance of the effective date of termination as required by such
provisions.
(b) In the event that any termination of this Agreement is based upon
the provisions of Sections 10.1(b) - (d) or 10.1(g) - (i), prompt written
notice of the election to terminate this Agreement for cause shall be
furnished by the party terminating the Agreement to the non-terminating
parties, with said termination to be effective upon receipt of such notice
by the non-terminating parties.
(c) In the event that any termination of this Agreement is based upon
the provisions of Sections 10.1(j) or 10.1(k), prior written notice of the
election to terminate this Agreement for cause shall be furnished by the
party terminating this Agreement to the non-terminating parties. Such prior
written notice shall be given by the party terminating this Agreement to
the non-terminating parties at least 30 days before the effective date of
termination. 10.3 It is understood and agreed that the right to terminate
this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.1(a) may be exercised for any reason
or for no reason.
10.4. Effect of Termination.
(a) Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to
Section 10.1 of this Agreement and subject to Section 1.3 of this
Agreement, the Company may require the Fund to continue to make available
additional shares of the Fund pursuant to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement as provided in paragraph (b) below, for all Contracts in effect
on the effective date of termination of this Agreement (hereinafter
referred to as "Existing Contracts"). Specifically, without limitation, the
owners of the Existing Contracts shall be permitted to reallocate
investments in the Fund, redeem investments in the Fund and/or invest in
the Fund upon the making of additional purchase payments under the Existing
Contracts. The parties agree that this Section 10.4 shall not apply to any
terminations under Article VII and the effect of such Article VII
terminations shall be governed by Article VII of this Agreement.
(b) If shares of the Fund continue to be made available after
termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.4, the provisions
of this Agreement shall remain in effect except for Section 10.1(a) and
thereafter the Fund, the Adviser, or the Company may terminate the
Agreement, as so continued pursuant to this Section 10.4, upon written
notice to the other party, such notice to be for a period that is
reasonable under the circumstances but need not be for more than 90 days.
10.5 Except as necessary to implement Contract owner initiated or approved
transactions, or as required by state insurance laws or regulations, the Company
shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the Contracts (as opposed to Fund
shares attributable to the Company's assets held in the Account), and the
Company shall not prevent Contract owners from allocating payments to a
Portfolio that was otherwise available under the Contracts, until 45 days after
the Company shall have notified the Fund or the Adviser of its intention to do
so.
ARTICLE XI. Notices
Any notice shall be deemed duly given only if sent by hand, evidenced by
written receipt or by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the other
party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as
such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party. All
notices shall be deemed given on the date received or rejected by the addressee.
If to the Fund:
Xxxxxxxxxxx Variable Account Funds
0000 Xxxxxx Xxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Treasurer
If to the Adviser:
OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
0 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
If to the Company:
Allstate Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxx X0X
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
ARTICLE XII. Miscellaneous
12.1. The Company and the Adviser each understand and agree that the
obligations of the Fund under this Agreement are not binding upon any
shareholder or Trustee of the Fund personally, but bind only the Fund and the
Fund's property; the Company and the Adviser each represent that it has notice
of the provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund disclaiming
shareholder and Trustee liability for acts or obligations of the Fund.
12.2. Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory
authority, each party hereto shall treat as confidential and all information
reasonably identified as confidential in writing by any other party hereto
(including without limitation the names and addresses of the owners of the
Contracts) and, except as contemplated by this Agreement, shall not disclose,
disseminate or utilize such confidential information until such time as it may
come into the public domain without the express written consent of the affected
party.
12.3. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
12.4. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
12.5. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall
not be affected thereby.
12.6. This Agreement shall not be assigned by any party hereto without the
prior written consent of all the parties.
12.7. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the SEC, the
NASD and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
12.8. Each party represents that the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate or trust action, as applicable, by
such party and when so executed and delivered this Agreement will be the valid
and binding obligation of such party enforceable in accordance with its terms.
12.9. Except as may otherwise be required under Article VII, the rights,
remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are cumulative and are in
addition to any and all rights, remedies and obligations, at law or in equity,
which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and federal laws.
12.10. It is understood by the parties that this Agreement is not an
exclusive arrangement in any respect.
12.11. The foregoing constitutes the entire Agreement between the parties
hereto, and shall not be modified, amended or assigned except by an Agreement in
writing signed by an authorized representative of each such party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to
be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative
and its seal to be hereunder affixed as of the date specified below.
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By its authorized officer,
By: ___________________________________
Title: __________________________________
Date:___________________________________
XXXXXXXXXXX VARIABLE ACCOUNT FUNDS
By its authorized officer,
By: ___________________________________
Title: _________________________________
Date: ___________________________________
OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
By its authorized officer,
By: ___________________________________
Title: _________________________________
Date: ___________________________________
SCHEDULE 1
Allstate Financial Advisors Separate Account I
SCHEDULE 2
Portfolios of Xxxxxxxxxxx Variable Account Funds:
Xxxxxxxxxxx Capital Appreciation Fund
Xxxxxxxxxxx Small Cap Growth Fund
Xxxxxxxxxxx Global Securities Fund
Xxxxxxxxxxx High Income Fund
Xxxxxxxxxxx Bond Fund
Exhibit 8(d)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND,
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
and
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 1st day of July, 1999 by
and among ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, (hereinafter the "Company"), an
Illinois corporation, on its own behalf and on behalf of each segregated asset
account of the Company set forth on Schedule A hereto as may be amended from
time to time (each such account hereinafter referred to as the "Account"), and
the VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND, an unincorporated business trust organized
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (hereinafter the "Fund") and
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION (hereinafter the "Underwriter"), a
Massachusetts corporation.
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end management investment
company and is available to act as the investment vehicle for separate accounts
established for variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts
(collectively, the "Variable Insurance Products") to be offered by insurance
companies which have entered into participation agreements with the Fund and the
Underwriter (hereinafter "Participating Insurance Companies"); and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Fund is divided into several series
of shares, each representing the interest in a particular managed portfolio of
securities and other assets, any one or more of which may be made available
under this Agreement, as may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement of
the parties hereto (each such series hereinafter referred to as a "Portfolio");
and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission, dated October 15, 1985 (File No. 812-6102), granting Participating
Insurance Companies and variable annuity and variable life insurance separate
accounts exemptions from the provisions of sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and
15(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (hereinafter the "1940
Act") and Rules 6e-2(b) (15) and 6e-3(T) (b) (15) thereunder, to the extent
necessary to permit shares of the Fund to be sold to and held by variable
annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts of both affiliated and
unaffiliated life insurance companies (hereinafter the "Shared Funding Exemptive
Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, Fidelity Management & Research Company (the "Adviser") is duly
registered as an investment adviser under the federal Investment Advisers Act of
1940 and any applicable state securities law; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain variable life
insurance and variable annuity contracts under the 1933 Act; and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Company, on the date shown for such Account on Schedule A hereto, to set aside
and invest assets attributable to the aforesaid variable annuity contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a unit
investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is registered as a broker dealer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, (hereinafter the "1934 Act"), and is a member in good standing
of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (hereinafter "NASD");
and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios on behalf
of each Account to fund certain of the aforesaid variable life and variable
annuity contracts and the Underwriter is authorized to sell such shares to unit
investment trusts such as each Account at net asset value;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company, the
Fund and the Underwriter agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Sale of Fund Shares
1.1. The Underwriter agrees to sell to the Company those shares of the Fund
which each Account orders, executing such orders on a daily basis at the net
asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of the order
for the shares of the Fund. For purposes of this Section 1.1, the Company shall
be the designee of the Fund for receipt of such orders from each Account and
receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund; provided that the
Fund receives notice of such order by 10:00 a.m. Boston time on the next
following Business Day. Beginning within three months of the effective date of
this Agreement, the Company agrees that orders for the purchase or redemption of
shares of the Funds on behalf of the Accounts will be placed directly by the
Company with the Funds or their transfer agent by electronic transmission.
"Business Day" shall mean any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading and on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.2. The Fund agrees to make its shares available indefinitely for purchase
at the applicable net asset value per share by the Company and its Accounts on
those days on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to rules of
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund shall use reasonable efforts
to calculate such net asset value on each day which the New York Stock Exchange
is open for trading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Trustees of the
Fund (hereinafter the "Board") may refuse to sell shares of any Portfolio to any
person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio if such
action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or
is, in the sole discretion of the Board acting in good faith and in light of
their fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, necessary in
the best interests of the shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.3. The Fund and the Underwriter agree that shares of the Fund will be
sold only to Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts. No
shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general public.
1.4. The Fund and the Underwriter will not sell Fund shares to any
insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions
substantially the same as Articles I, III, V, VII and Section 2.5 of Article II
of this Agreement is in effect to govern such sales.
1.5. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, on the Company's request, any full
or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Company, executing such requests on
a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or
its designee of the request for redemption. For purposes of this Section 1.5,
the Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of requests for
redemption from each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute
receipt by the Fund; provided that the Fund receives notice of such request for
redemption on the next following Business Day.
1.6. The Company agrees that purchases and redemptions of Portfolio shares
offered by the then current prospectus of the Fund shall be made in accordance
with the provisions of such prospectus. The Company agrees that all net amounts
available under the variable annuity contracts with the form number(s) which are
listed on Schedule A attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference,
as such Schedule A may be amended from time to time hereafter by mutual written
agreement of all the parties hereto, (the "Contracts") shall be invested in the
Fund, in such other Funds advised by the Adviser as may be mutually agreed to in
writing by the parties hereto, or in the Company's general account, provided
that such amounts may also be invested in an investment company other than the
Fund.
1.7. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next Business Day after
an order to purchase Fund shares is made in accordance with the provisions of
Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire. For
purpose of Section 2.10 and 2.11, upon receipt by the Fund of the federal funds
so wired, such funds shall cease to be the responsibility of the Company and
shall become the responsibility of the Fund.
1.8. Issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares will be by book entry only.
Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or any Account. Shares
ordered from the Fund will be recorded in an appropriate title for each Account
or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.9. The Fund shall furnish same day notice (by wire or telephone, followed
by written confirmation) to the Company of any income, dividends or capital gain
distributions payable on the Fund's shares. The Company hereby elects to receive
all such income dividends and capital gain distributions as are payable on the
Portfolio shares in additional shares of that Portfolio. The Company reserves
the right to revoke this election and to receive all such income dividends and
capital gain distributions in cash. The Fund shall notify the Company of the
number of shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions.
1.10. The Fund shall make the net asset value per share for each Portfolio
available to the Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably practical after
the net asset value per share is calculated (normally by 6:30 p.m. Boston time)
and shall use its best efforts to make such net asset value per share available
by 7 p.m. Boston time.
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are or will be
registered under the 1933 Act; that the Contracts will be issued and sold in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable Federal and State laws
and that the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material respects with
state insurance suitability requirements. The Company further represents and
warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized and in good standing
under applicable law and that it has legally and validly established each
Account prior to any issuance or sale thereof as a segregated asset account
under Section 245.21 of the Illinois Insurance Code and has registered or, prior
to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will register each Account as a unit
investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a
segregated investment account for the Contracts.
2.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant to
this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with the laws of the State of Illinois and all
applicable federal and state securities laws and that the Fund is and shall
remain registered under the 0000 Xxx. The Fund shall amend the Registration
Statement for its shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time
as required in order to effect the continuous offering of its shares. The Fund
shall register and qualify the shares for sale in accordance with the laws of
the various states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund or the
Underwriter.
2.3. The Fund represents that it is currently qualified as a Regulated
Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, (the "Code") and that it will make every effort to maintain such
qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provision) and
that it will notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing that it has ceased to so qualify or that it might not so qualify in
the future.
2.4. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently treated as
endowment or annuity insurance contracts, under applicable provisions of the
Code and that it will make every effort to maintain such treatment and that it
will notify the Fund and the Underwriter immediately upon having a reasonable
basis for believing that the Contracts have ceased to be so treated or that they
might not be so treated in the future.
2.5. (a) With respect to Initial Class shares, the Fund currently does not
intend to make any payments to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the 1940 Act or otherwise, although it may make such payments in the
future. The Fund has adopted a "no fee" or "defensive" Rule 12b-1 Plan under
which it makes no payments for distribution expenses. To the extent that it
decides to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Fund
undertakes to have a board of trustees, a majority of whom are not interested
persons of the Fund, formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance
distribution expenses.
(b) With respect to Service Class shares, the Fund has adopted a Rule
12b-1 Plan under which it makes payments to finance distribution expenses.
The Fund represents and warrants that it has a board of trustees, a
majority of whom are not interested persons of the Fund, which has
formulated and approved the Fund's Rule 12b-1 Plan to finance distribution
expenses of the Fund and that any changes to the Fund's Rule 12b-1 Plan
will be approved by a similarly constituted board of trustees.
2.6. The Fund makes no representation as to whether any aspect of its
operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and investment
policies) complies with the insurance laws or regulations of the various states
except that the Fund represents that the Fund's investment policies, fees and
expenses are and shall at all times remain in compliance with the laws of the
State of Illinois and the Fund and the Underwriter represent that their
respective operations are and shall at all times remain in material compliance
with the laws of the State of Illinois to the extent required to perform this
Agreement.
2.7. The Underwriter represents and warrants that it is a member in good
standing of the NASD and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC. The
Underwriter further represents that it will sell and distribute the Fund shares
in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois and all applicable state
and federal securities laws, including without limitation the 1933 Act, the 1934
Act, and the 0000 Xxx.
2.8. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly existing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it does and will
comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.9. The Underwriter represents and warrants that the Adviser is and shall
remain duly registered in all material respects under all applicable federal and
state securities laws and that the Adviser shall perform its obligations for the
Fund in compliance in all material respects with the laws of the State of
Illinois and any applicable state and federal securities laws.
2.10. The Fund and Underwriter represent and warrant that all of their
directors, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other
individuals/entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are
and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or
similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund in an amount not less than the
minimal coverage as required currently by Rule 17g-(1) of the 1940 Act or
related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time. The aforesaid Bond
shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a
reputable bonding company.
2.11. The Company represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/entities dealing
with the money and/or securities of the Fund are covered by a blanket fidelity
bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund, and that said bond is
issued by a reputable bonding company, includes coverage for larceny and
embezzlement, and is in an amount not less than $5 million. The Company agrees
to make all reasonable efforts to see that this bond or another bond containing
these provisions is always in effect, and agrees to notify the Fund and the
Underwriter in the event that such coverage no longer applies.
ARTICLE III. Prospectuses and Proxy Statements; Voting
3.1. The Underwriter shall provide the Company with as many printed copies
of the Fund's current prospectus and Statement of Additional Information as the
Company may reasonably request. If requested by the Company in lieu thereof, the
Fund shall provide camera-ready film containing the Fund's prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information, and such other assistance as is reasonably
necessary in order for the Company once each year (or more frequently if the
prospectus and/or Statement of Additional Information for the Fund is amended
during the year) to have the prospectus for the Contracts and the Fund's
prospectus printed together in one document, and to have the Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund and the Statement of Additional Information
for the Contracts printed together in one document. Alternatively, the Company
may print the Fund's prospectus and/or its Statement of Additional Information
in combination with other fund companies' prospectuses and statements of
additional information. Except as provided in the following three sentences, all
expenses of printing and distributing Fund prospectuses and Statements of
Additional Information shall be the expense of the Company. For prospectuses and
Statements of Additional Information provided by the Company to its existing
owners of Contracts in order to update disclosure annually as required by the
1933 Act and/or the 1940 Act, the cost of printing shall be borne by the Fund.
If the Company chooses to receive camera-ready film in lieu of receiving printed
copies of the Fund's prospectus, the Fund will reimburse the Company in an
amount equal to the product of A and B where A is the number of such
prospectuses distributed to owners of the Contracts, and B is the Fund's per
unit cost of typesetting and printing the Fund's prospectus. The same procedures
shall be followed with respect to the Fund's Statement of Additional
Information.
The Company agrees to provide the Fund or its designee with such
information as may be reasonably requested by the Fund to assure that the Fund's
expenses do not include the cost of printing any prospectuses or Statements of
Additional Information other than those actually distributed to existing owners
of the Contracts.
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the Statement of Additional
Information for the Fund is available from the Underwriter or the Company (or in
the Fund's discretion, the Prospectus shall state that such Statement is
available from the Fund).
3.3. The Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Company with copies of its
proxy statements, reports to shareholders, and other communications (except for
prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information, which are covered in
Section 3.1) to shareholders in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably
require for distributing to Contract owners.
3.4. If and to the extent required by law the Company shall: (i) solicit
voting instructions from Contract owners; (ii) vote the Fund shares in
accordance with instructions received from Contract owners; and (iii) vote Fund
shares for which no instructions have been received in a particular separate
account in the same proportion as Fund shares of such portfolio for which
instructions have been received in that separate account, so long as and to the
extent that the Securities and Exchange Commission continues to interpret the
1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners.
The Company reserves the right to vote Fund shares held in any segregated asset
account in its own right, to the extent permitted by law. Participating
Insurance Companies shall be responsible for assuring that each of their
separate accounts participating in the Fund calculates voting privileges in a
manner consistent with the standards set forth on Schedule B attached hereto and
incorporated herein by this reference, which standards will also be provided to
the other Participating Insurance Companies.
3.5. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act requiring
voting by shareholders, and in particular the Fund will either provide for
annual meetings or comply with Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act (although the Fund
is not one of the trusts described in Section 16(c) of that Act) as well as with
Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable, 16(b). Further, the Fund will act in
accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's interpretation of the
requirements of Section 16(a) with respect to periodic elections of trustees and
with whatever rules the Commission may promulgate with respect thereto.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Fund
or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material in
which the Fund or its investment adviser or the Underwriter is named, at least
fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the
Fund or its designee reasonably objects to such use within fifteen Business Days
after receipt of such material.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any representations
or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund in connection with
the sale of the Contracts other than the information or representations
contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the Fund shares, as
such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from
time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund or its designee or
by the Underwriter, except with the permission of the Fund or the Underwriter or
the designee of either.
4.3. The Fund, Underwriter, or its designee shall furnish, or shall cause
to be furnished, to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales literature
or other promotional material in which the Company and/or its separate
account(s), is named at least fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used if the Company or its designee reasonably objects to such
use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such material.
4.4. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not give any information or make
any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, each
Account, or the Contracts other than the information or representations
contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts, as such
registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, or in published reports for each Account which are in the public domain
or approved by the Company for distribution to Contract owners, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved by the Company or its
designee, except with the permission of the Company.
4.5. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of all
registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information,
reports, proxy statements, sales literature and other promotional materials,
applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments
to any of the above, that relate to the Fund or its shares, contemporaneously
with the filing of such document with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
other regulatory authorities.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of all
registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information,
reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature and other
promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no action
letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that relate to the Contracts or
each Account, contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the SEC or
other regulatory authorities.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales literature or other
promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, any of the following that
refer to the Fund or any affiliate of the Fund: advertisements (such as material
published, or designed for use in, a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical,
radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape display, signs or
billboards, motion pictures, or other public media), sales literature (i.e., any
written communication distributed or made generally available to customers or
the public, including brochures, circulars, research reports, market letters,
form letters, seminar texts, reprints or excerpts of any other advertisement,
sales literature, or published article), educational or training materials or
other communications distributed or made generally available to some or all
agents or employees, and registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of
Additional Information, shareholder reports, and proxy materials.
ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses
5.1. The Fund and Underwriter shall pay no fee or other compensation to the
Company under this agreement, except that if the Fund or any Portfolio adopts
and implements a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution expenses,
then the Underwriter may make payments to the Company or to the underwriter for
the Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the Underwriter in writing and such
payments will be made out of existing fees otherwise payable to the Underwriter,
past profits of the Underwriter or other resources available to the Underwriter.
No such payments shall be made directly by the Fund.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this Agreement
shall be paid by the Fund. The Fund shall see to it that all its shares are
registered and authorized for issuance in accordance with applicable federal law
and, if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund, in accordance with
applicable state laws prior to their sale. The Fund shall bear the expenses for
the cost of registration and qualification of the Fund's shares, preparation and
filing of the Fund's prospectus and registration statement, proxy materials and
reports, setting the prospectus in type, setting in type and printing the proxy
materials and reports to shareholders (including the costs of printing a
prospectus that constitutes an annual report), the preparation of all statements
and notices required by any federal or state law, and all taxes on the issuance
or transfer of the Fund's shares.
5.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Fund's
prospectus, proxy materials and reports to owners of Contracts issued by the
Company.
ARTICLE VI. Diversification
6.1. The Fund will at all times invest money from the Contracts in such a
manner as to ensure that the Contracts will be treated as variable contracts
under the Code and the regulations issued thereunder. Without limiting the scope
of the foregoing, the Fund will at all times comply with Section 817(h) of the
Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5, relating to the diversification
requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life insurance contracts and
any amendments or other modifications to such Section or Regulations. In the
event of a breach of this Article VI by the Fund, it will take all reasonable
steps (a) to notify Company of such breach and (b) to adequately diversify the
Fund so as to achieve compliance within the grace period afforded by Regulation
1.817-5.
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts
7.1. The Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
separate accounts investing in the Fund. An irreconcilable material conflict may
arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance
regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance,
tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter
ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance,
tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial
decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of
any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given
by variable annuity contract and variable life insurance contract owners; or (f)
a decision by an insurer to disregard the voting instructions of contract
owners. The Board shall promptly inform the Company if it determines that an
irreconcilable material conflict exists and the implications thereof.
7.2. The Company will report any potential or existing conflicts of which
it is aware to the Board. The Company will assist the Board in carrying out its
responsibilities under the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, by providing the
Board with all information reasonably necessary for the Board to consider any
issues raised. This includes, but is not limited to, an obligation by the
Company to inform the Board whenever contract owner voting instructions are
disregarded.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of its
disinterested trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the
Company and other Participating Insurance Companies shall, at their expense and
to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the
disinterested trustees), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or
eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1),
withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts from
the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment
medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund, or
submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote
of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of
any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance contract
owners, or variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance
Companies) that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected
contract owners the option of making such a change; and (2), establishing a new
registered management investment company or managed separate account.
7.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision by
the Company to disregard contract owner voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Company
may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the affected Account's
investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with respect to such
Account; provided, however that such withdrawal and termination shall be limited
to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as
determined by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board. Any such
withdrawal and termination must take place within six (6) months after the Fund
gives written notice that this provision is being implemented, and until the end
of that six month period the Underwriter and Fund shall continue to accept and
implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and redemption) of shares of
the Fund.
7.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will withdraw the
affected Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with
respect to such Account within six months after the Board informs the Company in
writing that it has determined that such decision has created an irreconcilable
material conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall
be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board.
Until the end of the foregoing six month period, the Underwriter and Fund shall
continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and
redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.6 of this Agreement, a majority
of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event
will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts.
The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 to establish a new funding
medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a
majority of Contract owners materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable
material conflict. In the event that the Board determines that any proposed
action does not adequately remedy any irreconcilable material conflict, then the
Company will withdraw the Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this
Agreement within six (6) months after the Board informs the Company in writing
of the foregoing determination, provided, however, that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by any such material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members
of the Board.
7.7. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or
Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the Act
or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding (as
defined in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions
materially different from those contained in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order,
then (a) the Fund and/or the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate,
shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3(T),
as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable;
and (b) Sections 3.4, 3.5, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 of this Agreement shall
continue in effect only to the extent that terms and conditions substantially
identical to such Sections are contained in such Rule(s) as so amended or
adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification
8.1. Indemnification By The Company
8.1(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and each
trustee of the Board and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Fund
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.1) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Company) or litigation (including legal and other expenses), to
which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute, regulation,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the
sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or prospectus for the Contracts or contained in the Contracts or
sales literature for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund for use in the
Registration Statement or prospectus for the Contracts or in the Contracts
or sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use
in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Registration
Statement, prospectus or sales literature of the Fund not supplied by the
Company, or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the Company
or persons under its control, with respect to the sale or distribution of
the Contracts or Fund Shares; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, prospectus, or sales
literature of the Fund or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading if such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon
information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Company; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Company, as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of
Sections 8.1(b) and 8.1(c) hereof.
8.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement or to
the Fund, whichever is applicable.
8.1(c). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Company in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company of any
such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Company shall be entitled to participate,
at its own expense, in the defense of such action. The Company also shall be
entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the Company to such party of the
Company's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the
Company will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.1(d). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with
the issuance or sale of the Fund Shares or the Contracts or the operation of the
Fund.
8.2. Indemnification by the Underwriter
8.2(a). The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company
and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company and its affiliated principal underwriter within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this
Section 8.2) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Underwriter which
shall not be unreasonably withheld) or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the
sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or prospectus or sales literature of the Fund (or any amendment
or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply
as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Underwriter or Fund by or on behalf of the
Company for use in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Fund or
in sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use
in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Registration
Statement, prospectus or sales literature for the Contracts not supplied by
the Underwriter or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the
Fund, Adviser or Underwriter or persons under their control, with respect
to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(iii)arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, prospectus, or sales
literature covering the Contracts, or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement or
statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made
in reliance upon information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
the Fund; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement
(including a failure, whether unintentional or in good faith or otherwise,
to comply with the diversification requirements specified in Article VI of
this Agreement); or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Underwriter; as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of
Sections 8.2(b) and 8.2(c) hereof.
8.2(b). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to
each Company or the Account, whichever is applicable.
8.2(c). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Underwriter in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Underwriter of
any such claim shall not relieve the Underwriter from any liability which it may
have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than
on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Underwriter will be entitled to
participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Underwriter also
shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
the party named in the action. After notice from the Underwriter to such party
of the Underwriter's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified
Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it,
and the Underwriter will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for
any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation.
8.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the
operation of each Account.
8.3. Indemnification By the Fund
8.3(a). The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and
each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.3) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with
the written consent of the Fund) or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements result from the gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Board or any member thereof,
are related to the operations of the Fund and:
(i) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement
(including a failure to comply with the diversification requirements
specified in Article VI of this Agreement);or
(ii) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Fund in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Fund;as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.3(b)
and 8.3(c) hereof.
8.3(b). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification provision
with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation incurred
or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such Indemnified
Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance
of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's
reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to the
Company, the Fund, the Underwriter or each Account, whichever is applicable.
8.3(c). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification provision
with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such
Indemnified Party shall have notified the Fund in writing within a reasonable
time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the
nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after
such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent), but failure to notify the Fund of any such claim shall not
relieve the Fund from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party
against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this
indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought against the
Indemnified Parties, the Fund will be entitled to participate, at its own
expense, in the defense thereof. The Fund also shall be entitled to assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action.
After notice from the Fund to such party of the Fund's election to assume the
defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Fund will not be liable to such party
under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such party independently in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation.
8.3(d). The Company and the Underwriter agree promptly to notify the Fund
of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its
respective officers or directors in connection with this Agreement, the issuance
or sale of the Contracts, with respect to the operation of either Account, or
the sale or acquisition of shares of the Fund.
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934
and 1940 acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including
such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the Securities and
Exchange Commission may grant (including, but not limited to, the Shared Funding
Exemptive Order) and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in
accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the
first to occur of:
(a) termination by any party for any reason by sixty (60) days advance
written notice delivered to the other parties; or
(b) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio based upon the Company's
determination that shares of such Portfolio are not reasonably available to
meet the requirements of the Contracts; or
(c) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event any of the
Portfolio's shares are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with
applicable state and/or federal law or such law precludes the use of such
shares as the underlying investment media of the Contracts issued or to be
issued by the Company; or
(d) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that such Portfolio
ceases to qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of
the Code or under any successor or similar provision, or if the Company
reasonably believes that the Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(e) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that such Portfolio
fails to meet the diversification requirements specified in Article VI
hereof; or
(f) termination by either the Fund or the Underwriter by written
notice to the Company, if either one or both of the Fund or the Underwriter
respectively, shall determine, in their sole judgment exercised in good
faith, that the Company and/or its affiliated companies has suffered a
material adverse change in its business, operations, financial condition or
prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of material
adverse publicity; or
(g) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter, if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment exercised
in good faith, that either the Fund or the Underwriter has suffered a
material adverse change in its business, operations, financial condition or
prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of material
adverse publicity; or
(h) termination by the Fund or the Underwriter by written notice to
the Company, if the Company gives the Fund and the Underwriter the written
notice specified in Section 1.6(b) hereof and at the time such notice was
given there was no notice of termination outstanding under any other
provision of this Agreement; provided, however any termination under this
Section 10.1(h) shall be effective forty five (45) days after the notice
specified in Section 1.6(b) was given.
10.2. Effect of Termination. Notwithstanding any termination of this
Agreement, the Fund and the Underwriter shall at the option of the Company,
continue to make available additional shares of the Fund pursuant to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the effective
date of termination of this Agreement (hereinafter referred to as "Existing
Contracts"). Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the Existing
Contracts shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the Fund, redeem
investments in the Fund and/or invest in the Fund upon the making of additional
purchase payments under the Existing Contracts. The parties agree that this
Section 10.2 shall not apply to any terminations under Article VII and the
effect of such Article VII terminations shall be governed by Article VII of this
Agreement.
10.3 The Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the Contracts
(as opposed to Fund shares attributable to the Company's assets held in the
Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract Owner initiated or
approved transactions, or (ii) as required by state and/or federal laws or
regulations or judicial or other legal precedent of general application
(hereinafter referred to as a "Legally Required Redemption") or (iii) as
permitted by an order of the SEC pursuant to Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act. Upon
request, the Company will promptly furnish to the Fund and the Underwriter the
opinion of counsel for the Company (which counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Fund and the Underwriter) to the effect that any redemption
pursuant to clause (ii) above is a Legally Required Redemption. Furthermore,
except in cases where permitted under the terms of the Contracts, the Company
shall not prevent Contract Owners from allocating payments to a Portfolio that
was otherwise available under the Contracts without first giving the Fund or the
Underwriter 90 days notice of its intention to do so.
ARTICLE XI. Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified
mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below or at such
other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the
other party.
If to the Fund:
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
If to the Company:
Allstate Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx X0X
xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
If to the Underwriter:
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
ARTICLE XII. Miscellaneous
12.1 All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the property of
the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as neither the
Board, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal liability for
obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund.
12.2 Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory authority,
each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses of the
owners of the Contracts and all information reasonably identified as
confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted by
this Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize such names and
addresses and other confidential information until such time as it may come into
the public domain without the express written consent of the affected party.
12.3 The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
12.4 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
12.5 If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall
not be affected thereby.
12.6 Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the SEC, the
NASD and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, each party hereto further
agrees to furnish the California Insurance Commissioner with any information or
reports in connection with services provided under this Agreement which such
Commissioner may request in order to ascertain whether the insurance operations
of the Company are being conducted in a manner consistent with the California
Insurance Regulations and any other applicable law or regulations.
12.7 The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are
cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and obligations,
at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and
federal laws.
12.8. This Agreement or any of the rights and obligations hereunder may not
be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of all parties
hereto; provided, however, that the Underwriter may assign this Agreement or any
rights or obligations hereunder to any affiliate of or company under common
control with the Underwriter, if such assignee is duly licensed and registered
to perform the obligations of the Underwriter under this Agreement. The Company
shall promptly notify the Fund and the Underwriter of any change in control of
the Company.
12.9. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund or its designee copies of the following reports:
(a) the Company's annual statement (prepared under statutory
accounting principles) and annual report (prepared under generally accepted
accounting principles ("GAAP"), if any), as soon as practical and in any
event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year;
(b) the Company's quarterly statements (statutory) (and GAAP, if any),
as soon as practical and in any event within 45 days after the end of each
quarterly period:
(c) any financial statement, proxy statement, notice or report of the
Company sent to stockholders and/or policyholders, as soon as practical
after the delivery thereof to stockholders;
(d) any registration statement (without exhibits) and financial
reports of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
any state insurance regulator, as soon as practical after the filing
thereof;
(e) any other report submitted to the Company by independent
accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by
them of the books of the Company, as soon as practical after the receipt
thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to
be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative.
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By: _________________________
Name: _________________________
Title: _________________________
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND
By: ________________________
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Senior Vice President
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
By: _______________________
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Vice President
Schedule A
Separate Accounts and Associated Contracts
Name of Separate Account and Policy Form Numbers of Contracts
Date Established by Board of Directors Funded By Separate Account
Allstate Financial Advisors LU 4518 FL
Separate Account I (and state variations)
SCHEDULE B
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURE
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding responsibilities for the
handling of proxies relating to the Fund by the Underwriter, the Fund and the
Company. The defined terms herein shall have the meanings assigned in the
Participation Agreement except that the term "Company" shall also include the
department or third party assigned by the Insurance Company to perform the steps
delineated below.
1. The number of proxy proposals is given to the Company by the Underwriter
as early as possible before the date set by the Fund for the shareholder
meeting to facilitate the establishment of tabulation procedures. At
this time the Underwriter will inform the Company of the Record, Mailing
and Meeting dates. This will be done verbally approximately two months
before meeting.
2. Promptly after the Record Date, the Company will perform a "tape run",
or other activity, which will generate the names, addresses and number
of units which are attributed to each contractowner/policyholder (the
"Customer") as of the Record Date. Allowance should be made for account
adjustments made after this date that could affect the status of the
Customers' accounts as of the Record Date.
Note: The number of proxy statements is determined by the activities
described in Step #2. The Company will use its best efforts to call in
the number of Customers to Fidelity, as soon as possible, but no later
than two weeks after the Record Date.
3. The Fund's Annual Report no longer needs to be sent to each Customer by
the Company either before or together with the Customers' receipt of a
proxy statement. Underwriter will provide the last Annual Report to the
Company pursuant to the terms of Section 3.3 of the Agreement to which
this Schedule relates.
4. The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or "Card")
is provided to the Company by the Fund. The Company, at its expense,
shall produce and personalize the Voting Instruction Cards. The Legal
Department of the Underwriter or its affiliate ("Fidelity Legal") must
approve the Card before it is printed. Allow approximately 2-4 business
days for printing information on the Cards. Information commonly found
on the Cards includes:
a. name (legal name as found on account registration)
b. address
c. Fund or account number
d. coding to state number of units
e. individual Card number for use in tracking and
verification of votes (already on Cards as
printed by the Fund)
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
5. During this time, Fidelity Legal will develop, produce, and the Fund
will pay for the Notice of Proxy and the Proxy Statement (one document).
Printed and folded notices and statements will be sent to Company for
insertion into envelopes (envelopes and return envelopes are provided
and paid for by the Insurance Company). Contents of envelope sent to
Customers by Company will include:
a. Voting Instruction Card(s)
b. One proxy notice and statement (one document)
c. return envelope (postage pre-paid by Company)
addressed to the Company or its tabulation agent
d. "urge buckslip" - optional, but recommended. (This is a
small, single sheet of paper that requests Customers to
vote as quickly as possible and that their vote is
important. One copy will be supplied by the Fund.)
e. cover letter - optional, supplied by Company and
reviewed and approved in advance by Fidelity Legal.
6. The above contents should be received by the Company approximately 3-5
business days before mail date. Individual in charge at Company reviews
and approves the contents of the mailing package to ensure correctness
and completeness. Copy of this approval sent to Fidelity Legal.
7. Package mailed by the Company.
* The Fund must allow at least a 15-day solicitation time to the
Company as the shareowner. (A 5-week period is recommended.)
Solicitation time is calculated as calendar days from (but not
including) the meeting, counting backwards.
8. Collection and tabulation of Cards begins. Tabulation usually takes
place in another department or another vendor depending on process used.
An often used procedure is to sort Cards on arrival by proposal into
vote categories of all yes, no, or mixed replies, and to begin data
entry.
Note: Postmarks are not generally needed. A need for postmark
information would be due to an insurance company's internal procedure
and has not been required by Fidelity in the past.
9. Signatures on Card checked against legal name on account registration which
was printed on the Card.
Note: For Example, If the account registration is under "Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxx, Trustee," then that is the exact legal name to be printed on
the Card and is the signature needed on the Card.
10. If Cards are mutilated, or for any reason are illegible or are not
signed properly, they are sent back to Customer with an explanatory
letter, a new Card and return envelope. The mutilated or illegible Card
is disregarded and considered to be not received for purposes of vote
tabulation. Any Cards that have "kicked out" (e.g. mutilated, illegible)
of the procedure are "hand verified," i.e., examined as to why they did
not complete the system. Any questions on those Cards are usually
remedied individually.
11. There are various control procedures used to ensure proper tabulation of
votes and accuracy of that tabulation. The most prevalent is to sort the
Cards as they first arrive into categories depending upon their vote; an
estimate of how the vote is progressing may then be calculated. If the
initial estimates and the actual vote do not coincide, then an internal
audit of that vote should occur.
This may entail a recount.
12. The actual tabulation of votes is done in units which is then converted
to shares. (It is very important that the Fund receives the tabulations
stated in terms of a percentage and the number of shares.) Fidelity
Legal must review and approve tabulation format.
13. Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Company to Fidelity
Legal on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 a.m. Boston
time. Fidelity Legal may request an earlier deadline if required to
calculate the vote in time for the meeting.
14. A Certification of Mailing and Authorization to Vote Shares will be
required from the Company as well as an original copy of the final vote.
Fidelity Legal will provide a standard form for each Certification.
15. The Company will be required to box and archive the Cards received from
the Customers. In the event that any vote is challenged or if otherwise
necessary for legal, regulatory, or accounting purposes, Fidelity Legal
will be permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
16. All approvals and "signing-off" may be done orally, but must always
be followed up in writing.
Exhibit 8(e)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II,
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
and
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 1st day of July, 1999 by
and among ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, (hereinafter the "Company"), an
Illinois corporation, on its own behalf and on behalf of each segregated asset
account of the Company set forth on Schedule A hereto as may be amended from
time to time (each such account hereinafter referred to as the "Account"), and
the VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II, an unincorporated business trust
organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (hereinafter the
"Fund") and FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION (hereinafter the "Underwriter"), a
Massachusetts corporation.
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end management investment
company and is available to act as the investment vehicle for separate accounts
established for variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts
(collectively, the "Variable Insurance Products") to be offered by insurance
companies which have entered into participation agreements with the Fund and the
Underwriter (hereinafter "Participating Insurance Companies"); and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Fund is divided into several series
of shares, each representing the interest in a particular managed portfolio of
securities and other assets, any one or more of which may be made available
under this Agreement, as may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement of
the parties hereto (each such series hereinafter referred to as a "Portfolio");
and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission, dated September 17, 1986 (File No. 812-6422), granting Participating
Insurance Companies and variable annuity and variable life insurance separate
accounts exemptions from the provisions of sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and
15(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (hereinafter the "1940
Act") and Rules 6e-2(b) (15) and 6e-3(T) (b) (15) thereunder, to the extent
necessary to permit shares of the Fund to be sold to and held by variable
annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts of both affiliated and
unaffiliated life insurance companies (hereinafter the "Shared Funding Exemptive
Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, Fidelity Management & Research Company (the "Adviser") is duly
registered as an investment adviser under the federal Investment Advisers Act of
1940 and any applicable state securities law; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain variable life
insurance and variable annuity contracts under the 1933 Act; and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Company, on the date shown for such Account on Schedule A hereto, to set aside
and invest assets attributable to the aforesaid variable annuity contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a unit
investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is registered as a broker dealer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, (hereinafter the "1934 Act"), and is a member in good standing
of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (hereinafter "NASD");
and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios on behalf
of each Account to fund certain of the aforesaid variable life and variable
annuity contracts and the Underwriter is authorized to sell such shares to unit
investment trusts such as each Account at net asset value;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company, the
Fund and the Underwriter agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Sale of Fund Shares
1.1. The Underwriter agrees to sell to the Company those shares of the Fund
which each Account orders, executing such orders on a daily basis at the net
asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of the order
for the shares of the Fund. For purposes of this Section 1.1, the Company shall
be the designee of the Fund for receipt of such orders from each Account and
receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund; provided that the
Fund receives notice of such order by 10:00 a.m. Boston time on the next
following Business Day. Beginning within three months of the effective date of
this Agreement, the Company agrees that orders for the purchase or redemption of
shares of the Funds on behalf of the Accounts will be placed directly by the
Company with the Funds or their transfer agent by electronic transmission.
"Business Day" shall mean any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading and on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to the
rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.2. The Fund agrees to make its shares available indefinitely for purchase
at the applicable net asset value per share by the Company and its Accounts on
those days on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to rules of
the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund shall use reasonable efforts
to calculate such net asset value on each day which the New York Stock Exchange
is open for trading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Trustees of the
Fund (hereinafter the "Board") may refuse to sell shares of any Portfolio to any
person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio if such
action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or
is, in the sole discretion of the Board acting in good faith and in light of
their fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, necessary in
the best interests of the shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.3. The Fund and the Underwriter agree that shares of the Fund will be
sold only to Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts. No
shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general public.
1.4. The Fund and the Underwriter will not sell Fund shares to any
insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions
substantially the same as Articles I, III, V, VII and Section 2.5 of Article II
of this Agreement is in effect to govern such sales.
1.5. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, on the Company's request, any full
or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Company, executing such requests on
a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or
its designee of the request for redemption. For purposes of this Section 1.5,
the Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of requests for
redemption from each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute
receipt by the Fund; provided that the Fund receives notice of such request for
redemption on the next following Business Day.
1.6. The Company agrees that purchases and redemptions of Portfolio shares
offered by the then current prospectus of the Fund shall be made in accordance
with the provisions of such prospectus. The Company agrees that all net amounts
available under the variable annuity contracts with the form number(s) which are
listed on Schedule A attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference,
as such Schedule A may be amended from time to time hereafter by mutual written
agreement of all the parties hereto, (the "Contracts") shall be invested in the
Fund, in such other Funds advised by the Adviser as may be mutually agreed to in
writing by the parties hereto, or in the Company's general account, provided
that such amounts may also be invested in an investment company other than the
Fund.
1.7. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next Business Day after
an order to purchase Fund shares is made in accordance with the provisions of
Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire. For
purpose of Section 2.10 and 2.11, upon receipt by the Fund of the federal funds
so wired, such funds shall cease to be the responsibility of the Company and
shall become the responsibility of the Fund.
1.8. Issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares will be by book entry only.
Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or any Account. Shares
ordered from the Fund will be recorded in an appropriate title for each Account
or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.9. The Fund shall furnish same day notice (by wire or telephone, followed
by written confirmation) to the Company of any income, dividends or capital gain
distributions payable on the Fund's shares. The Company hereby elects to receive
all such income dividends and capital gain distributions as are payable on the
Portfolio shares in additional shares of that Portfolio. The Company reserves
the right to revoke this election and to receive all such income dividends and
capital gain distributions in cash. The Fund shall notify the Company of the
number of shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions.
1.10. The Fund shall make the net asset value per share for each Portfolio
available to the Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably practical after
the net asset value per share is calculated (normally by 6:30 p.m. Boston time)
and shall use its best efforts to make such net asset value per share available
by 7 p.m. Boston time.
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are or will be
registered under the 1933 Act; that the Contracts will be issued and sold in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable Federal and State laws
and that the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material respects with
state insurance suitability requirements. The Company further represents and
warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized and in good standing
under applicable law and that it has legally and validly established each
Account prior to any issuance or sale thereof as a segregated asset account
under Section 245.21 of the Illinois Insurance Code and has registered or, prior
to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will register each Account as a unit
investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a
segregated investment account for the Contracts.
2.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant to
this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with the laws of the State of Illinois and all
applicable federal and state securities laws and that the Fund is and shall
remain registered under the 0000 Xxx. The Fund shall amend the Registration
Statement for its shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time
as required in order to effect the continuous offering of its shares. The Fund
shall register and qualify the shares for sale in accordance with the laws of
the various states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund or the
Underwriter.
2.3. The Fund represents that it is currently qualified as a Regulated
Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, (the "Code") and that it will make every effort to maintain such
qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provision) and
that it will notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing that it has ceased to so qualify or that it might not so qualify in
the future.
2.4. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently treated as
endowment or annuity insurance contracts, under applicable provisions of the
Code and that it will make every effort to maintain such treatment and that it
will notify the Fund and the Underwriter immediately upon having a reasonable
basis for believing that the Contracts have ceased to be so treated or that they
might not be so treated in the future.
2.5. (a) With respect to Initial Class shares, the Fund currently does not
intend to make any payments to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule
12b-1 under the 1940 Act or otherwise, although it may make such payments in the
future. The Fund has adopted a "no fee" or "defensive" Rule 12b-1 Plan under
which it makes no payments for distribution expenses. To the extent that it
decides to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Fund
undertakes to have a board of trustees, a majority of whom are not interested
persons of the Fund, formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance
distribution expenses.
(b) With respect to Service Class shares, the Fund has adopted a Rule
12b-1 Plan under which it makes payments to finance distribution expenses.
The Fund represents and warrants that it has a board of trustees, a
majority of whom are not interested persons of the Fund, which has
formulated and approved the Fund's Rule 12b-1 Plan to finance distribution
expenses of the Fund and that any changes to the Fund's Rule 12b-1 Plan
will be approved by a similarly constituted board of trustees.
2.6. The Fund makes no representation as to whether any aspect of its
operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and investment
policies) complies with the insurance laws or regulations of the various states
except that the Fund represents that the Fund's investment policies, fees and
expenses are and shall at all times remain in compliance with the laws of the
State of Illinois and the Fund and the Underwriter represent that their
respective operations are and shall at all times remain in material compliance
with the laws of the State of Illinois to the extent required to perform this
Agreement.
2.7. The Underwriter represents and warrants that it is a member in good
standing of the NASD and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC. The
Underwriter further represents that it will sell and distribute the Fund shares
in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois and all applicable state
and federal securities laws, including without limitation the 1933 Act, the 1934
Act, and the 0000 Xxx.
2.8. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly existing
under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it does and will
comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.9. The Underwriter represents and warrants that the Adviser is and shall
remain duly registered in all material respects under all applicable federal and
state securities laws and that the Adviser shall perform its obligations for the
Fund in compliance in all material respects with the laws of the State of
Illinois and any applicable state and federal securities laws.
2.10. The Fund and Underwriter represent and warrant that all of their
directors, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other
individuals/entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are
and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or
similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund in an amount not less than the
minimal coverage as required currently by Rule 17g-(1) of the 1940 Act or
related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time. The aforesaid Bond
shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a
reputable bonding company.
2.11. The Company represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/entities dealing
with the money and/or securities of the Fund are covered by a blanket fidelity
bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund, and that said bond is
issued by a reputable bonding company, includes coverage for larceny and
embezzlement, and is in an amount not less than $5 million. The Company agrees
to make all reasonable efforts to see that this bond or another bond containing
these provisions is always in effect, and agrees to notify the Fund and the
Underwriter in the event that such coverage no longer applies.
ARTICLE III. Prospectuses and Proxy Statements; Voting
3.1. The Underwriter shall provide the Company with as many printed copies
of the Fund's current prospectus and Statement of Additional Information as the
Company may reasonably request. If requested by the Company in lieu thereof, the
Fund shall provide camera-ready film containing the Fund's prospectus and
Statement of Additional Information, and such other assistance as is reasonably
necessary in order for the Company once each year (or more frequently if the
prospectus and/or Statement of Additional Information for the Fund is amended
during the year) to have the prospectus for the Contracts and the Fund's
prospectus printed together in one document, and to have the Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund and the Statement of Additional Information
for the Contracts printed together in one document. Alternatively, the Company
may print the Fund's prospectus and/or its Statement of Additional Information
in combination with other fund companies' prospectuses and statements of
additional information. Except as provided in the following three sentences, all
expenses of printing and distributing Fund prospectuses and Statements of
Additional Information shall be the expense of the Company. For prospectuses and
Statements of Additional Information provided by the Company to its existing
owners of Contracts in order to update disclosure annually as required by the
1933 Act and/or the 1940 Act, the cost of printing shall be borne by the Fund.
If the Company chooses to receive camera-ready film in lieu of receiving printed
copies of the Fund's prospectus, the Fund will reimburse the Company in an
amount equal to the product of A and B where A is the number of such
prospectuses distributed to owners of the Contracts, and B is the Fund's per
unit cost of typesetting and printing the Fund's prospectus. The same procedures
shall be followed with respect to the Fund's Statement of Additional
Information.
The Company agrees to provide the Fund or its designee with such
information as may be reasonably requested by the Fund to assure that the Fund's
expenses do not include the cost of printing any prospectuses or Statements of
Additional Information other than those actually distributed to existing owners
of the Contracts.
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the Statement of Additional
Information for the Fund is available from the Underwriter or the Company (or in
the Fund's discretion, the Prospectus shall state that such Statement is
available from the Fund).
3.3. The Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Company with copies of its
proxy statements, reports to shareholders, and other communications (except for
prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information, which are covered in
Section 3.1) to shareholders in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably
require for distributing to Contract owners.
3.4. If and to the extent required by law the Company shall: (i) solicit
voting instructions from Contract owners; (ii) vote the Fund shares in
accordance with instructions received from Contract owners; and (iii) vote Fund
shares for which no instructions have been received in a particular separate
account in the same proportion as Fund shares of such portfolio for which
instructions have been received in that separate account, so long as and to the
extent that the Securities and Exchange Commission continues to interpret the
1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners.
The Company reserves the right to vote Fund shares held in any segregated asset
account in its own right, to the extent permitted by law. Participating
Insurance Companies shall be responsible for assuring that each of their
separate accounts participating in the Fund calculates voting privileges in a
manner consistent with the standards set forth on Schedule B attached hereto and
incorporated herein by this reference, which standards will also be provided to
the other Participating Insurance Companies.
3.5. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act requiring
voting by shareholders, and in particular the Fund will either provide for
annual meetings or comply with Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act (although the Fund
is not one of the trusts described in Section 16(c) of that Act) as well as with
Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable, 16(b). Further, the Fund will act in
accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's interpretation of the
requirements of Section 16(a) with respect to periodic elections of trustees and
with whatever rules the Commission may promulgate with respect thereto.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Fund
or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material in
which the Fund or its investment adviser or the Underwriter is named, at least
fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the
Fund or its designee reasonably objects to such use within fifteen Business Days
after receipt of such material.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any representations
or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund in connection with
the sale of the Contracts other than the information or representations
contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the Fund shares, as
such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from
time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund or its designee or
by the Underwriter, except with the permission of the Fund or the Underwriter or
the designee of either.
4.3. The Fund, Underwriter, or its designee shall furnish, or shall cause
to be furnished, to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales literature
or other promotional material in which the Company and/or its separate
account(s), is named at least fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used if the Company or its designee reasonably objects to such
use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such material.
4.4. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not give any information or make
any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, each
Account, or the Contracts other than the information or representations
contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts, as such
registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, or in published reports for each Account which are in the public domain
or approved by the Company for distribution to Contract owners, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved by the Company or its
designee, except with the permission of the Company.
4.5. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of all
registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information,
reports, proxy statements, sales literature and other promotional materials,
applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments
to any of the above, that relate to the Fund or its shares, contemporaneously
with the filing of such document with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
other regulatory authorities.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of all
registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information,
reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature and other
promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no action
letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that relate to the Contracts or
each Account, contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the SEC or
other regulatory authorities.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales literature or other
promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, any of the following that
refer to the Fund or any affiliate of the Fund: advertisements (such as material
published, or designed for use in, a newspaper, magazine, or other periodical,
radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape display, signs or
billboards, motion pictures, or other public media), sales literature (i.e., any
written communication distributed or made generally available to customers or
the public, including brochures, circulars, research reports, market letters,
form letters, seminar texts, reprints or excerpts of any other advertisement,
sales literature, or published article), educational or training materials or
other communications distributed or made generally available to some or all
agents or employees, and registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of
Additional Information, shareholder reports, and proxy materials.
ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses
5.1. The Fund and Underwriter shall pay no fee or other compensation to the
Company under this agreement, except that if the Fund or any Portfolio adopts
and implements a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution expenses,
then the Underwriter may make payments to the Company or to the underwriter for
the Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the Underwriter in writing and such
payments will be made out of existing fees otherwise payable to the Underwriter,
past profits of the Underwriter or other resources available to the Underwriter.
No such payments shall be made directly by the Fund.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this Agreement
shall be paid by the Fund. The Fund shall see to it that all its shares are
registered and authorized for issuance in accordance with applicable federal law
and, if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund, in accordance with
applicable state laws prior to their sale. The Fund shall bear the expenses for
the cost of registration and qualification of the Fund's shares, preparation and
filing of the Fund's prospectus and registration statement, proxy materials and
reports, setting the prospectus in type, setting in type and printing the proxy
materials and reports to shareholders (including the costs of printing a
prospectus that constitutes an annual report), the preparation of all statements
and notices required by any federal or state law, and all taxes on the issuance
or transfer of the Fund's shares.
5.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Fund's
prospectus, proxy materials and reports to owners of Contracts issued by the
Company.
ARTICLE VI. Diversification
6.1. The Fund will at all times invest money from the Contracts in such a
manner as to ensure that the Contracts will be treated as variable contracts
under the Code and the regulations issued thereunder. Without limiting the scope
of the foregoing, the Fund will at all times comply with Section 817(h) of the
Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5, relating to the diversification
requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life insurance contracts and
any amendments or other modifications to such Section or Regulations. In the
event of a breach of this Article VI by the Fund, it will take all reasonable
steps (a) to notify Company of such breach and (b) to adequately diversify the
Fund so as to achieve compliance within the grace period afforded by Regulation
1.817-5.
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts
7.1. The Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
separate accounts investing in the Fund. An irreconcilable material conflict may
arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance
regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance,
tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter
ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance,
tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial
decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of
any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given
by variable annuity contract and variable life insurance contract owners; or (f)
a decision by an insurer to disregard the voting instructions of contract
owners. The Board shall promptly inform the Company if it determines that an
irreconcilable material conflict exists and the implications thereof.
7.2. The Company will report any potential or existing conflicts of which
it is aware to the Board. The Company will assist the Board in carrying out its
responsibilities under the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, by providing the
Board with all information reasonably necessary for the Board to consider any
issues raised. This includes, but is not limited to, an obligation by the
Company to inform the Board whenever contract owner voting instructions are
disregarded.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of its
disinterested trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the
Company and other Participating Insurance Companies shall, at their expense and
to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the
disinterested trustees), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or
eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1),
withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts from
the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment
medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund, or
submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote
of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of
any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance contract
owners, or variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance
Companies) that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected
contract owners the option of making such a change; and (2), establishing a new
registered management investment company or managed separate account.
7.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision by
the Company to disregard contract owner voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Company
may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the affected Account's
investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with respect to such
Account; provided, however that such withdrawal and termination shall be limited
to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as
determined by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board. Any such
withdrawal and termination must take place within six (6) months after the Fund
gives written notice that this provision is being implemented, and until the end
of that six month period the Underwriter and Fund shall continue to accept and
implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and redemption) of shares of
the Fund.
7.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will withdraw the
affected Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with
respect to such Account within six months after the Board informs the Company in
writing that it has determined that such decision has created an irreconcilable
material conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall
be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board.
Until the end of the foregoing six month period, the Underwriter and Fund shall
continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and
redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.6 of this Agreement, a majority
of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event
will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts.
The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 to establish a new funding
medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a
majority of Contract owners materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable
material conflict. In the event that the Board determines that any proposed
action does not adequately remedy any irreconcilable material conflict, then the
Company will withdraw the Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this
Agreement within six (6) months after the Board informs the Company in writing
of the foregoing determination, provided, however, that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by any such material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members
of the Board.
7.7. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or
Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the Act
or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding (as
defined in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions
materially different from those contained in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order,
then (a) the Fund and/or the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate,
shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3(T),
as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable;
and (b) Sections 3.4, 3.5, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 of this Agreement shall
continue in effect only to the extent that terms and conditions substantially
identical to such Sections are contained in such Rule(s) as so amended or
adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification
8.1. Indemnification By The Company
8.1(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and each
trustee of the Board and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Fund
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.1) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Company) or litigation (including legal and other expenses), to
which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute, regulation,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the
sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or prospectus for the Contracts or contained in the Contracts or
sales literature for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund for use in the
Registration Statement or prospectus for the Contracts or in the Contracts
or sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use
in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Registration
Statement, prospectus or sales literature of the Fund not supplied by the
Company, or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the Company
or persons under its control, with respect to the sale or distribution of
the Contracts or Fund Shares; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, prospectus, or sales
literature of the Fund or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading if such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon
information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Company; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Company, as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of
Sections 8.1(b) and 8.1(c) hereof.
8.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement or to
the Fund, whichever is applicable.
8.1(c). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Company in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company of any
such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Company shall be entitled to participate,
at its own expense, in the defense of such action. The Company also shall be
entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the Company to such party of the
Company's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the
Company will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.1(d). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with
the issuance or sale of the Fund Shares or the Contracts or the operation of the
Fund.
8.2. Indemnification by the Underwriter
8.2(a). The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company
and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company and its affiliated principal underwriter within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this
Section 8.2) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Underwriter which
shall not be unreasonably withheld) or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the
sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration
Statement or prospectus or sales literature of the Fund (or any amendment
or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply
as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Underwriter or Fund by or on behalf of the
Company for use in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Fund or
in sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use
in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Registration
Statement, prospectus or sales literature for the Contracts not supplied by
the Underwriter or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the
Fund, Adviser or Underwriter or persons under their control, with respect
to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(iii)arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of
a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, prospectus, or sales
literature covering the Contracts, or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement or
statements therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made
in reliance upon information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
the Fund; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement
(including a failure, whether unintentional or in good faith or otherwise,
to comply with the diversification requirements specified in Article VI of
this Agreement); or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Underwriter; as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of
Sections 8.2(b) and 8.2(c) hereof.
8.2(b). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to
each Company or the Account, whichever is applicable.
8.2(c). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Underwriter in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Underwriter of
any such claim shall not relieve the Underwriter from any liability which it may
have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than
on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Underwriter will be entitled to
participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Underwriter also
shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
the party named in the action. After notice from the Underwriter to such party
of the Underwriter's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified
Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it,
and the Underwriter will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for
any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation.
8.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the
operation of each Account.
8.3. Indemnification By the Fund
8.3(a). The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and
each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.3) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with
the written consent of the Fund) or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements result from the gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Board or any member thereof,
are related to the operations of the Fund and:
(i) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement
(including a failure to comply with the diversification requirements
specified in Article VI of this Agreement);or
(ii) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Fund in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Fund;as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.3(b)
and 8.3(c) hereof.
8.3(b). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification provision
with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation incurred
or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such Indemnified
Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance
of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's
reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to the
Company, the Fund, the Underwriter or each Account, whichever is applicable.
8.3(c). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification provision
with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such
Indemnified Party shall have notified the Fund in writing within a reasonable
time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the
nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after
such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent), but failure to notify the Fund of any such claim shall not
relieve the Fund from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party
against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this
indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought against the
Indemnified Parties, the Fund will be entitled to participate, at its own
expense, in the defense thereof. The Fund also shall be entitled to assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action.
After notice from the Fund to such party of the Fund's election to assume the
defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Fund will not be liable to such party
under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such party independently in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation.
8.3(d). The Company and the Underwriter agree promptly to notify the Fund
of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its
respective officers or directors in connection with this Agreement, the issuance
or sale of the Contracts, with respect to the operation of either Account, or
the sale or acquisition of shares of the Fund.
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934
and 1940 acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including
such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the Securities and
Exchange Commission may grant (including, but not limited to, the Shared Funding
Exemptive Order) and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in
accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the
first to occur of:
(a) termination by any party for any reason by sixty (60) days advance
written notice delivered to the other parties; or
(b) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio based upon the Company's
determination that shares of such Portfolio are not reasonably available to
meet the requirements of the Contracts; or
(c) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event any of the
Portfolio's shares are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with
applicable state and/or federal law or such law precludes the use of such
shares as the underlying investment media of the Contracts issued or to be
issued by the Company; or
(d) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that such Portfolio
ceases to qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of
the Code or under any successor or similar provision, or if the Company
reasonably believes that the Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(e) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that such Portfolio
fails to meet the diversification requirements specified in Article VI
hereof; or
(f) termination by either the Fund or the Underwriter by written
notice to the Company, if either one or both of the Fund or the Underwriter
respectively, shall determine, in their sole judgment exercised in good
faith, that the Company and/or its affiliated companies has suffered a
material adverse change in its business, operations, financial condition or
prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of material
adverse publicity; or
(g) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter, if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment exercised
in good faith, that either the Fund or the Underwriter has suffered a
material adverse change in its business, operations, financial condition or
prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of material
adverse publicity; or
(h) termination by the Fund or the Underwriter by written notice to
the Company, if the Company gives the Fund and the Underwriter the written
notice specified in Section 1.6(b) hereof and at the time such notice was
given there was no notice of termination outstanding under any other
provision of this Agreement; provided, however any termination under this
Section 10.1(h) shall be effective forty five (45) days after the notice
specified in Section 1.6(b) was given.
10.2. Effect of Termination. Notwithstanding any termination of this
Agreement, the Fund and the Underwriter shall at the option of the Company,
continue to make available additional shares of the Fund pursuant to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the effective
date of termination of this Agreement (hereinafter referred to as "Existing
Contracts"). Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the Existing
Contracts shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the Fund, redeem
investments in the Fund and/or invest in the Fund upon the making of additional
purchase payments under the Existing Contracts. The parties agree that this
Section 10.2 shall not apply to any terminations under Article VII and the
effect of such Article VII terminations shall be governed by Article VII of this
Agreement.
10.3 The Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the Contracts
(as opposed to Fund shares attributable to the Company's assets held in the
Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract Owner initiated or
approved transactions, or (ii) as required by state and/or federal laws or
regulations or judicial or other legal precedent of general application
(hereinafter referred to as a "Legally Required Redemption") or (iii) as
permitted by an order of the SEC pursuant to Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act. Upon
request, the Company will promptly furnish to the Fund and the Underwriter the
opinion of counsel for the Company (which counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Fund and the Underwriter) to the effect that any redemption
pursuant to clause (ii) above is a Legally Required Redemption. Furthermore,
except in cases where permitted under the terms of the Contracts, the Company
shall not prevent Contract Owners from allocating payments to a Portfolio that
was otherwise available under the Contracts without first giving the Fund or the
Underwriter 90 days notice of its intention to do so.
ARTICLE XI. Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified
mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below or at such
other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the
other party.
If to the Fund:
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
If to the Company:
Allstate Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx X0X
xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
If to the Underwriter:
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
ARTICLE XII. Miscellaneous
12.1 All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the property of
the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as neither the
Board, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal liability for
obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund.
12.2 Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory authority,
each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses of the
owners of the Contracts and all information reasonably identified as
confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted by
this Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize such names and
addresses and other confidential information until such time as it may come into
the public domain without the express written consent of the affected party.
12.3 The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
12.4 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
12.5 If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall
not be affected thereby.
12.6 Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the SEC, the
NASD and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, each party hereto further
agrees to furnish the California Insurance Commissioner with any information or
reports in connection with services provided under this Agreement which such
Commissioner may request in order to ascertain whether the insurance operations
of the Company are being conducted in a manner consistent with the California
Insurance Regulations and any other applicable law or regulations.
12.7 The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are
cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and obligations,
at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and
federal laws.
12.8. This Agreement or any of the rights and obligations hereunder may not
be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of all parties
hereto; provided, however, that the Underwriter may assign this Agreement or any
rights or obligations hereunder to any affiliate of or company under common
control with the Underwriter, if such assignee is duly licensed and registered
to perform the obligations of the Underwriter under this Agreement. The Company
shall promptly notify the Fund and the Underwriter of any change in control of
the Company.
12.9. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund or its designee copies of the following reports:
(a) the Company's annual statement (prepared under statutory
accounting principles) and annual report (prepared under generally accepted
accounting principles ("GAAP"), if any), as soon as practical and in any
event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year;
(b) the Company's quarterly statements (statutory) (and GAAP, if any),
as soon as practical and in any event within 45 days after the end of each
quarterly period:
(c) any financial statement, proxy statement, notice or report of the
Company sent to stockholders and/or policyholders, as soon as practical
after the delivery thereof to stockholders;
(d) any registration statement (without exhibits) and financial
reports of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
any state insurance regulator, as soon as practical after the filing
thereof;
(e) any other report submitted to the Company by independent
accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by
them of the books of the Company, as soon as practical after the receipt
thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to
be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative.
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By: _________________________
Name: _________________________
Title: _________________________
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II
By: ________________________
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Senior Vice President
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
By: _______________________
Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Vice President
Schedule A
Separate Accounts and Associated Contracts
Name of Separate Account and Policy Form Numbers of Contracts
Date Established by Board of Directors Funded By Separate Account
Allstate Financial Advisors LU 4518 FL
Separate Account I (and state variations)
SCHEDULE B
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURE
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding responsibilities for the
handling of proxies relating to the Fund by the Underwriter, the Fund and the
Company. The defined terms herein shall have the meanings assigned in the
Participation Agreement except that the term "Company" shall also include the
department or third party assigned by the Insurance Company to perform the steps
delineated below.
1. The number of proxy proposals is given to the Company by the Underwriter
as early as possible before the date set by the Fund for the shareholder
meeting to facilitate the establishment of tabulation procedures. At
this time the Underwriter will inform the Company of the Record, Mailing
and Meeting dates. This will be done verbally approximately two months
before meeting.
2. Promptly after the Record Date, the Company will perform a "tape run",
or other activity, which will generate the names, addresses and number
of units which are attributed to each contractowner/policyholder (the
"Customer") as of the Record Date. Allowance should be made for account
adjustments made after this date that could affect the status of the
Customers' accounts as of the Record Date.
Note: The number of proxy statements is determined by the activities
described in Step #2. The Company will use its best efforts to call in
the number of Customers to Fidelity, as soon as possible, but no later
than two weeks after the Record Date.
3. The Fund's Annual Report no longer needs to be sent to each Customer by
the Company either before or together with the Customers' receipt of a
proxy statement. Underwriter will provide the last Annual Report to the
Company pursuant to the terms of Section 3.3 of the Agreement to which
this Schedule relates.
4. The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or "Card")
is provided to the Company by the Fund. The Company, at its expense,
shall produce and personalize the Voting Instruction Cards. The Legal
Department of the Underwriter or its affiliate ("Fidelity Legal") must
approve the Card before it is printed. Allow approximately 2-4 business
days for printing information on the Cards. Information commonly found
on the Cards includes:
a. name (legal name as found on account registration)
b. address
c. Fund or account number
d. coding to state number of units
e. individual Card number for use in tracking and
verification of votes (already on Cards as
printed by the Fund)
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
5. During this time, Fidelity Legal will develop, produce, and the Fund
will pay for the Notice of Proxy and the Proxy Statement (one document).
Printed and folded notices and statements will be sent to Company for
insertion into envelopes (envelopes and return envelopes are provided
and paid for by the Insurance Company). Contents of envelope sent to
Customers by Company will include:
a. Voting Instruction Card(s)
b. One proxy notice and statement (one document)
c. return envelope (postage pre-paid by Company)
addressed to the Company or its tabulation agent
d. "urge buckslip" - optional, but recommended. (This is a
small, single sheet of paper that requests Customers to
vote as quickly as possible and that their vote is
important. One copy will be supplied by the Fund.)
e. cover letter - optional, supplied by Company and
reviewed and approved in advance by Fidelity Legal.
6. The above contents should be received by the Company approximately 3-5
business days before mail date. Individual in charge at Company reviews
and approves the contents of the mailing package to ensure correctness
and completeness. Copy of this approval sent to Fidelity Legal.
7. Package mailed by the Company.
* The Fund must allow at least a 15-day solicitation time to the
Company as the shareowner. (A 5-week period is recommended.)
Solicitation time is calculated as calendar days from (but not
including) the meeting, counting backwards.
8. Collection and tabulation of Cards begins. Tabulation usually takes
place in another department or another vendor depending on process used.
An often used procedure is to sort Cards on arrival by proposal into
vote categories of all yes, no, or mixed replies, and to begin data
entry.
Note: Postmarks are not generally needed. A need for postmark
information would be due to an insurance company's internal procedure
and has not been required by Fidelity in the past.
9. Signatures on Card checked against legal name on account registration
which was printed on the Card.
Note: For Example, If the account registration is under "Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxx, Trustee," then that is the exact legal name to be printed on
the Card and is the signature needed on the Card.
10. If Cards are mutilated, or for any reason are illegible or are not
signed properly, they are sent back to Customer with an explanatory
letter, a new Card and return envelope. The mutilated or illegible Card
is disregarded and considered to be not received for purposes of vote
tabulation. Any Cards that have "kicked out" (e.g. mutilated, illegible)
of the procedure are "hand verified," i.e., examined as to why they did
not complete the system. Any questions on those Cards are usually
remedied individually.
11. There are various control procedures used to ensure proper tabulation of
votes and accuracy of that tabulation. The most prevalent is to sort the
Cards as they first arrive into categories depending upon their vote; an
estimate of how the vote is progressing may then be calculated. If the
initial estimates and the actual vote do not coincide, then an internal
audit of that vote should occur. This may entail a recount.
12. The actual tabulation of votes is done in units which is then converted
to shares. (It is very important that the Fund receives the tabulations
stated in terms of a percentage and the number of shares.) Fidelity
Legal must review and approve tabulation format.
13. Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Company to Fidelity
Legal on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 a.m. Boston
time. Fidelity Legal may request an earlier deadline if required to
calculate the vote in time for the meeting.
14. A Certification of Mailing and Authorization to Vote Shares will be
required from the Company as well as an original copy of the final vote.
Fidelity Legal will provide a standard form for each Certification.
15. The Company will be required to box and archive the Cards received from
the Customers. In the event that any vote is challenged or if otherwise
necessary for legal, regulatory, or accounting purposes, Fidelity Legal
will be permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
16. All approvals and "signing-off" may be done orally, but must
always be followed up in writing.
Exhibit 8(f)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
XXX XXXXXX LIFE INVESTMENT TRUST,
XXX XXXXXX FUNDS INC.,
XXX XXXXXX ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.,
and
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
DATED AS OF
JUNE 27, 1998
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I. Fund Shares 4
ARTICLE II Representations and Warranties 6
ARTICLE III. Prospectuses, Reports to Shareholders
and Proxy Statements; Voting 7
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information 9
ARTICLE V Reserved 10
ARTICLE VI. Diversification 10
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts 10
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification 12
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law 16
ARTICLE X. Termination 17
ARTICLE XI. Notices 19
ARTICLE XII. Foreign Tax Credits 19
ARTICLE XIII. Miscellaneous 19
SCHEDULE A Separate Accounts and Contracts 23
SCHEDULE B Participating Life Investment Trust Portfolios 24
SCHEDULE C Proxy Voting Procedures 25
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
XXX XXXXXX LIFE INVESTMENT TRUST,
XXX XXXXXX FUNDS INC.,
XXX XXXXXX ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.,
and
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 27th day of June, 1999 by
and among ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (hereinafter the "Company"), an
Illinois corporation, on its own behalf and on behalf of each separate account
of the Company set forth on Schedule A hereto as may be amended from time to
time (each such account hereinafter referred to as the "Account"), and XXX
XXXXXX LIFE INVESTMENT TRUST (hereinafter the "Fund"), a Delaware business
trust, XXX XXXXXX FUNDS INC. (hereinafter the "Underwriter"), a Delaware
corporation, and XXX XXXXXX ASSET MANAGEMENT INC. (hereinafter the "Adviser"), a
Delaware corporation.
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end management investment
company and is available to act as the investment vehicle for separate accounts
established by insurance companies for individual and group life insurance
policies and annuity contracts with variable accumulation and/or pay-out
provisions (hereinafter referred to individually and/or collectively as
"Variable Insurance Products"); and
WHEREAS, insurance companies desiring to utilize the Fund as an investment
vehicle under their Variable Insurance Products are required to enter into
participation agreements with the Fund and the Underwriter (the "Participating
Insurance Companies"); and
WHEREAS, shares of the Fund are divided into several series of shares, each
representing the interest in a particular managed portfolio of securities and
other assets, any one or more of which may be made available for Variable
Insurance Products of Participating Insurance Companies; and
WHEREAS, the Fund intends to offer shares of the series set forth on
Schedule B (each such series hereinafter referred to as a "Portfolio") as may be
amended from time to time by mutual agreement of the parties hereto, under this
Agreement to the Accounts of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission, dated September 19, 1990 (File No. 812-7552), granting Participating
Insurance Companies and Variable Insurance Product separate accounts exemptions
from the provisions of Sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and 15(b) of the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (hereinafter the "1940 Act") and Rules
6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3(T)(b)(15) thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit
shares of the Fund to be sold to and held by Variable Annuity Product separate
accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies
(hereinafter the "Shared Funding Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser is duly registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and any applicable state securities
laws; and
WHEREAS, the Adviser is the investment adviser of the Portfolios of the
Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is registered as a broker/dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (hereinafter the "1934 Act"), is a
member in good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
(hereinafter "NASD") and serves as principal underwriter of the shares of the
Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain Variable
Insurance Products under the 1933 Act; and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution or under authority of the Board of
Directors of the Company, on the date shown for such Account on Schedule A
hereto, to set aside and invest assets attributable to the aforesaid Variable
Insurance Products; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a unit
investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios on behalf
of each Account to fund certain of the aforesaid Variable Insurance Products and
the Underwriter is authorized to sell such shares to each such Account at net
asset value.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company, the
Fund, the Underwriter and the Adviser agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Fund Shares
1.1. The Fund and the Underwriter agree to make available for purchase by
the Company shares of the Portfolios and shall execute orders placed for each
Account on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by
the Fund or its designee of such order. For purposes of this Section 1.1, the
Company shall be the designee of the Fund and Underwriter for receipt of such
orders from each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt
by the Fund; provided that the Fund receives notice of such order by 10:00 a.m.
(CST) on the next following Business Day. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Company shall use its best efforts to provide the Fund with notice of such
orders by 9:15 a.m. (CST) on the next following Business Day. "Business Day"
shall mean any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and
on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to the rules of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, as set forth in the Fund's prospectus and
statement of additional information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of
Trustees of the Fund (hereinafter the "Board") may refuse to permit the Fund to
sell shares of any Portfolio to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering
of shares of any Portfolio if such action is required by law or by regulatory
authorities having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of the Board
acting in good faith and in light of their fiduciary duties under federal and
any applicable state laws, necessary in the best interests of the shareholders
of such Portfolio.
1.2. The Fund and the Underwriter agree that shares of the Fund will be
sold only to Participating Insurance Companies for their Variable Insurance
Products. No shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general public.
1.3. The Fund will not make its shares available for purchase by any
insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions
which afford the Company substantially the same protections currently provided
by Sections 2.1, 2.4, 2.9, 3.4 and Article VII of this Agreement is in effect to
govern such sales.
1.4. The Fund and the Underwriter agree to redeem for cash, on the
Company's request, any full or fractional shares of the Fund held by the
Company, executing such requests on a daily basis at the net asset value next
computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of the request for
redemption. For purposes of this Section 1.4, the Company shall be the designee
of the Fund for receipt of requests for redemption from each Account and receipt
by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund; provided that the
Underwriter receives notice of such request for redemption on the next following
Business Day in accordance with the timing rules described in Section 1.1.
1.5. The Company agrees that purchases and redemptions of Portfolio shares
offered by the then current prospectus of the Fund shall be made in accordance
with the provisions of such prospectus. The Accounts of the Company, under which
amounts may be invested in the Fund are listed on Schedule A attached hereto and
incorporated herein by reference, as such Schedule A may be amended from time to
time by mutual written agreement of all of the parties hereto. The Company will
give the Fund and the Underwriter sixty (60) days written notice of its
intention to make available in the future, as a funding vehicle under the
Contracts, any other investment company.
1.6. The Company will place separate orders to purchase or redeem shares of
each Portfolio. Each order shall describe the net amount of shares and dollar
amount of each Portfolio to be purchased or redeemed. In the event of net
purchases, the Company shall pay for Portfolio shares on the next Business Day
after an order to purchase Portfolio shares is made in accordance with the
provisions of Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted
by wire. In the event of net redemptions, the Portfolio shall pay the redemption
proceeds in federal funds transmitted by wire on the next Business Day after an
order to redeem Portfolio shares is made in accordance with the provisions of
Section 1.4 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the payment of redemption
proceeds on the next Business Day would require the Portfolio to dispose of
Portfolio securities or otherwise incur substantial additional costs, and if the
Portfolio has determined to settle redemption transactions for all shareholders
on a delayed basis, proceeds shall be wired to the Company within seven (7) days
and the Portfolio shall notify in writing the person designated by the Company
as the recipient for such notice of such delay by 3:00 p.m. Houston time on the
same Business Day that the Company transmits the redemption order to the
Portfolio.
1.7. Issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares will be by book entry only.
Share certificates will not be issued to the Company or any Account. Shares
ordered from the Fund will be recorded in an appropriate title for each Account
or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.8. The Underwriter shall use its best efforts to furnish same day notice
by 6:00 p.m. Houston time (by wire or telephone, followed by written
confirmation) to the Company of any dividends or capital gain distributions
payable on the Fund's shares. The Company hereby elects to receive all such
dividends and capital gain distributions as are payable on the Portfolio shares
in additional shares of that Portfolio. The Company reserves the right to revoke
this election and to receive all such dividends and capital gain distributions
in cash. The Fund shall notify the Company of the number of shares so issued as
payment of such dividends and distributions.
1.9. The Underwriter shall make the net asset value per share of each
Portfolio available to the Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably
practical after the net asset value per share is calculated and shall use its
best efforts to make such net asset value per share available by 6:00 p.m.
Houston time. In the event that Underwriter is unable to meet the 6:00 p.m. time
stated immediately above, then Underwriter shall provide the Company with
additional time to notify Underwriter of purchase or redemption orders pursuant
to Sections 1.1 and 1.4, respectively, above. Such additional time shall be
equal to the additional time that Underwriter takes to make the net asset values
available to the Company; provided, however, that notification must be made by
10:00 a.m. Houston time on the Business Day such order is to be executed,
regardless of when net asset value is made available.
1.10. If Underwriter provides materially incorrect share net asset value
information through no fault of the Company, the Company shall be entitled to an
adjustment with respect to the Fund shares purchased or redeemed to reflect the
correct net asset value per share. The determination of the materiality of any
net asset value pricing error shall be based on the SEC's recommended guidelines
regarding such errors. The correction of any such errors shall be made at the
Company level pursuant to the SEC's recommended guidelines. Any material error
in the calculation or reporting of net asset value per share, dividend or
capital gain information shall be reported promptly upon discovery to the
Company.
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the interests of the Accounts
(the "Contracts") are or will be registered and will maintain the registration
under the 1933 Act and the regulations thereunder to the extent required by the
1933 Act; that the Contracts will be issued and sold in compliance with all
applicable federal and state laws and regulations. The Company further
represents and warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized and in
good standing under applicable law and that it has legally and validly
established each Account prior to any issuance or sale thereof as a segregated
asset account under the Illinois Insurance Code and the regulations thereunder
and has registered or, prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will
register and will maintain the registration of each Account as a unit investment
trust in accordance with and to the extent required by the provisions of the
1940 Act and the regulations thereunder to serve as a segregated investment
account for the Contracts. The Company shall amend its registration statement
for its contracts under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as
required in order to effect the continuous offering of its Contracts.
2.2. The Fund and the Underwriter represent and warrant that Fund shares
sold pursuant to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act and the
regulations thereunder to the extent required by the 1933 Act, duly authorized
for issuance in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware and sold in
compliance with all applicable federal and state securities laws and regulations
and that the Fund is and shall remain registered under the 1940 Act and the
regulations thereunder to the extent required by the 0000 Xxx. The Fund shall
amend the registration statement for its shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940
Act from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous offering of
its shares. The Fund shall register and qualify the shares for sale in
accordance with the laws of the various states only if and to the extent deemed
advisable by the Fund.
2.3. The Fund and the Adviser represent that the Fund is currently
qualified as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and that each will make every
effort to maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or
similar provision) and that each will notify the Company immediately upon having
a reasonable basis for believing that the Fund has ceased to so qualify or that
the Fund might not so qualify in the future.
2.4. The Company represents that each Account is and will continue to be a
"segregated account" under applicable provisions of the Code and that each
Contract is and will be treated as a "variable contract" under applicable
provisions of the Code and that it will make every effort to maintain such
treatment and that it will notify the Fund immediately upon having a reasonable
basis for believing that the Account or Contract has ceased to be so treated or
that they might not be so treated in the future.
2.5. The Fund represents that to the extent that it decides to finance
distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund
undertakes to have a board of directors, a majority of whom are not interested
persons of the Fund, formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance
distribution expenses.
2.6. The Fund makes no representation as to whether any aspect of its
operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and investment
policies) complies with the insurance laws or regulations of the various states.
2.7. The Fund and the Adviser represent that the Fund is duly organized and
validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and that the Fund does
and will comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.8. The Underwriter represents and warrants that it is and shall remain
duly registered under all applicable federal and state laws and regulations and
that it will perform its obligations for the Fund and the Company in compliance
with the laws and regulations of its state of domicile and any applicable state
and federal laws and regulations.
2.9. The Company represents and warrants that all of its trustees,
officers, employees, and other individuals/entities dealing with the money
and/or securities of the Fund are covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar
coverage, in an amount equal to the greater of $5 million or any amount required
by applicable federal or state law or regulation. The aforesaid includes
coverage for larceny and embezzlement is issued by a reputable bonding company.
The Company agrees to make all reasonable efforts to see that this bond or
another bond containing these provisions is always in effect, and agrees to
notify the Fund and the Underwriter in the event that such coverage no longer
applies.
ARTICLE III. Prospectuses, Reports to Shareholders and Proxy Statements; Voting
3.1. The Fund shall provide the Company with as many printed copies of the
Fund's current prospectus and statement of additional information as the Company
may reasonably request. If requested by the Company in lieu of providing printed
copies the Fund shall provide camera-ready film or computer diskettes containing
the Fund's prospectus and statement of additional information, and such other
assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Company once each year
(or more frequently if the prospectus and/or statement of additional information
for the Fund is amended during the year) to have the prospectus for the
Contracts and the Fund's prospectus printed together in one document or
separately. The Company may elect to print the Fund's prospectus and/or its
statement of additional information in combination with other fund companies'
prospectuses and statements of additional information.
3.2(a). Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3.2, all expenses of
preparing, setting in type and printing and distributing Fund prospectuses and
statements of additional information shall be the expense of the Company. For
prospectuses and statements of additional information provided by the Company to
its existing owners of Contracts in order to update disclosure as required by
the 1933 Act and/or the 1940 Act, the cost of setting in type, printing and
distributing shall be borne by the Fund. If the Company chooses to receive
camera-ready film or computer diskettes in lieu of receiving printed copies of
the Fund's prospectus and/or statement of additional information, the Fund shall
bear the cost of typesetting to provide the Fund's prospectus and/or statement
of additional information to the Company in the format in which the Fund is
accustomed to formatting prospectuses and statements of additional information,
respectively, and the Company shall bear the expense of adjusting or changing
the format to conform with any of its prospectuses and/or statements of
additional information. In such event, the Fund will reimburse the Company in an
amount equal to the product of x and y where x is the number of such
prospectuses distributed to owners of the Contracts, and y is the Fund's per
unit cost of printing the Fund's prospectuses. The same procedures shall be
followed with respect to the Fund's statement of additional information. The
Fund shall not pay any costs of typesetting, printing and distributing the
Fund's prospectus and/or statement of additional information to prospective
Contract owners. Such expenses shall be borne by the Company as provided in the
Company's General Agency Agreement with Xxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx Inc.
3.2(b). The Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Company with, and pay
the distribution costs of, copies of its proxy statements, reports to
shareholders, and other communications (except for prospectuses and statements
of additional information, which are covered in Section 3.2(a) above) to
shareholders in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably require for
distributing to Contract owners. The Fund shall not pay any costs of
distributing such proxy-related material, reports to shareholders, and other
communications to prospective Contract owners.
3.2(c). The Company agrees to provide the Fund or its designee with such
information as may be reasonably requested by the Fund to assure that the Fund's
expenses do not include the cost of typesetting, printing or distributing any of
the foregoing documents other than those actually distributed to existing
Contract owners.
3.2(d) The Fund shall pay no fee or other compensation to the Company under
this Agreement, except that if the Fund or any Portfolio adopts and implements a
plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution expenses, then the
Underwriter may make payments to the Company or to the underwriter for the
Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the Underwriter in writing.
3.2(e) All expenses, including expenses to be borne by the Fund pursuant to
Section 3.2 hereof, incident to performance by the Fund under this Agreement
shall be paid by the Fund. The Fund shall see to it that all its shares are
registered and authorized for issuance in accordance with applicable federal law
and, if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund, in accordance with
applicable state laws prior to their sale. The Fund shall bear the expenses for
the cost of registration and qualification of the Fund's shares.
3.3. The Fund's statement of additional information shall be obtainable
from the Fund, the Underwriter, the Company or such other person as the Fund may
designate.
3.4. If and to the extent required by law the Company shall distribute all
proxy material furnished by the Fund to Contract Owners to whom voting
privileges are required to be extended and shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the Fund shares in accordance with instructions received
from Contract owners; and
(iii) vote Fund shares for which no instructions have been received in
the same proportion as Fund shares of such Portfolio for which instructions
have been received,
so long as and to the extent that the Securities and Exchange Commission
continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges
for variable contract owners. The Company reserves the right to vote Fund shares
held in any segregated asset account in its own right, to the extent permitted
by law. The Fund and the Company shall follow the procedures, and shall have the
corresponding responsibilities, for the handling of proxy and voting instruction
solicitations, as set forth in Schedule C attached hereto and incorporated
herein by reference. Participating Insurance Companies shall be responsible for
ensuring that each of their separate accounts participating in the Fund
calculates voting privileges in a manner consistent with the standards set forth
on Schedule C, which standards will also be provided to the other Participating
Insurance Companies.
3.5. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act requiring
voting by shareholders, and in particular the Fund will either provide for
annual meetings (except insofar as the Securities and Exchange Commission may
interpret Section 16 not to require such meetings) or comply with Section 16(c)
of the 1940 Act (although the Fund is not one of the trusts described in Section
16(c) of that Act) as well as with Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable,
16(b). Further, the Fund will act in accordance with the Securities and Exchange
Commission's interpretation of the requirements of Section 16(a) with respect to
periodic elections of directors and with whatever rules the Commission may
promulgate with respect thereto.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund, the Underwriter or their designee, each piece of sales literature or other
promotional material prepared by the Company or any person contracting with the
Company in which the Fund, the Adviser or the Underwriter is named, at least ten
Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the Fund, the
Adviser, the Underwriter or their designee reasonably objects to such use within
ten Business Days after receipt of such material.
4.2. Neither the Company nor any person contracting with the Company shall
give any information or make any representations or statements on behalf of the
Fund or concerning the Fund in connection with the sale of the Contracts other
than the information or representations contained in the registration statement
or Fund prospectus, as such registration statement or Fund prospectus may be
amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports to shareholders or
proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional
material approved by the Fund or its designee, except with the permission of the
Fund or its designee.
4.3. The Fund shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Company
or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material
prepared by the Fund in which the Company or its Accounts, are named at least
ten Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the
Company or its designee reasonably objects to such use within ten Business Days
after receipt of such material.
4.4. Neither the Fund nor the Underwriter shall give any information or
make any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company,
each Account, or the Contracts, other than the information or representations
contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts, as such
registration statement or prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to
time, or in published reports or solicitations for voting instruction for each
Account which are in the public domain or approved by the Company for
distribution to Contract owners, or in sales literature or other promotional
material approved by the Company or its designee, except with the permission of
the Company.
4.5. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of all
registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information,
reports, proxy statements, sales literature and other promotional materials,
applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments
to any of the above, that relate to the Fund or its shares, contemporaneously
with the filing of such document with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
other regulatory authorities.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of all
registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information,
reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature and other
promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no action
letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that relate to the investment
in an Account or Contract, contemporaneously with the filing of such document
with the Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory authorities.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales literature or other
promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, any of the following:
advertisements (such as material published, or designed for use in, a newspaper,
magazine, or other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording,
videotape display, signs or billboards, motion pictures, or other public media),
sales literature (i.e., any written communication distributed or made generally
available to customers or the public, including brochures, circulars, research
reports, market letters, form letters, seminar texts, reprints or excerpts of
any other advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or
training materials or other communications distributed or made generally
available to some or all agents or employees, and registration statements,
prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports, and
proxy materials.
ARTICLE V. [Reserved]
ARTICLE VI. Diversification
6.1. The Adviser will ensure that the Fund will at all times comply with
Section 817(h) of the Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5, relating exclusively
to the diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life
insurance contracts and any amendments or other modifications to such Section or
Regulations. For purposes of this Section 6.1, non-compliance shall not be
deemed a breach of this provision provided compliance is achieved within the
grace period afforded by Regulation 1.817-5. In the event the Fund ceases to so
qualify, it will take all reasonable steps (a) to notify Company of such event
and (b) to adequately diversify the Fund so as to achieve compliance within the
grace period afforded by Regulation 1.817-5.
6.2 The Adviser, upon the prior written request of the Company by February
1, shall provide written confirmation by no later than February 15, that the
Fund was adequately diversified within the meaning of Section 817(h) and
Regulation 1.817-5 as of December 31 of the prior year.
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts
7.1. The Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
separate accounts investing in the Fund. An irreconcilable material conflict may
arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance
regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance,
tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter
ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance,
tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial
decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of
any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given
by variable annuity contract owners and variable life insurance contract owners;
or (f) a decision by a Participating Insurance Company to disregard the voting
instructions of contract owners. The Board shall promptly inform the Company if
it determines that an irreconcilable material conflict exists and the
implications thereof.
7.2. The Company will report any potential or existing material
irreconcilable conflict of which it is aware to the Board. The Company will
assist the Board in carrying out its responsibilities under the Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, by providing the Board with all information reasonably
necessary for the Board to consider any issues raised. This includes, but is not
limited to, an obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever contract
owner voting instructions are disregarded.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of its
disinterested trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the
Company and other Participating Insurance Companies shall, at their expense and
to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the
disinterested trustees), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or
eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1)
withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts from
the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment
medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund, or
submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote
of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of
any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance policy
owners, or variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance
Companies) that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected
contract owners the option of making such a change; and (2) establishing a new
registered management investment company or managed separate account. No charge
or penalty will be imposed as a result of such withdrawal. The Company agrees
that it bears the responsibility to take remedial action in the event of a Board
determination of an irreconcilable material conflict and the cost of such
remedial action, and these responsibilities will be carried out with a view only
to the interests of Contract owners.
7.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision by
the Company to disregard contract owner voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Company
may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the affected Account's
investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with respect to such Account
(at the Company's expense); provided, however that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members
of the Board. No charge or penalty will be imposed as a result of such
withdrawal. The Company agrees that it bears the responsibility to take remedial
action in the event of a Board determination of an irreconcilable material
conflict and the cost of such remedial action, and these responsibilities will
be carried out with a view only to the interests of Contract owners.
7.5. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.4 of this Agreement, a majority
of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event
will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts.
The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 through 7.4 to establish a new
funding medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote
of a majority of Contract owners materially adversely affected by the
irreconcilable material conflict.
7.6. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or
Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the 1940
Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding
(as defined in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions
materially different from those contained in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order,
then the Fund and/or the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate,
shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3(T),
as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable.
7.7 Each of the Company and the Adviser shall at least annually submit to
the Board such reports, materials or data as the Board may reasonably request so
that the Board may fully carry out the obligations imposed upon them by the
provisions hereof and in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, and said reports,
materials and data shall be submitted more frequently if deemed appropriate by
the Board. All reports received by the Board of potential or existing conflicts,
and all Board action with regard to determining the existence of a conflict,
notifying Participating Insurance Companies of a conflict, and determining
whether any proposed action adequately remedies a conflict, shall be properly
recorded in the minutes of the Board or other appropriate records, and such
minutes or other records shall be made available to the Securities and Exchange
Commission upon request.
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification
8.1. Indemnification By The Company
8.1(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, the
Underwriter and each member of their respective Board and officers and each
person, if any, who controls the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section
8.1) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts
paid in settlement with the written consent of the Company) or litigation
(including legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may
become subject under any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in
respect thereof) or settlements are related to the sale or acquisition of the
Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or prospectus for the Contracts or contained in the Contracts or
sales literature for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund for use in the
registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts or in the Contracts
or sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use
in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the registration
statement, prospectus or sales literature of the Fund not supplied by the
Company, or persons under its control and other than statements or
representations authorized by the Fund or the Underwriter) or unlawful
conduct of the Company or persons under its control, with respect to the
sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(iii) arise out of or as a result of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement,
prospectus, or sales literature of the Fund or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statement or statements therein not misleading, if such a statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Company; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Company.
8.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement.
8.1(c). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Company in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company of any
such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Company shall be entitled to participate,
at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Company also shall be entitled
to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in
the action. After notice from the Company to such party of the Company's
election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the
fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Company will
not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.1(d). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with
the issuance or sale of the Fund shares or the Contracts or the operation of the
Fund.
8.2. Indemnification by Underwriter
8.2(a). The Underwriter agrees, with respect to each Portfolio that it
distributes, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of its
directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.2) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Underwriter) or litigation (including legal and other expenses),
to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements are
related to the sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares that it distributes or
the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or prospectus or sales literature of the Fund (or any amendment
or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply
as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Fund or the Underwriter by or on behalf of the
Company for use in the registration statement or prospectus for the Fund or
in sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use
in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Portfolio shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the registration
statement, prospectus or sales literature for the Contracts not supplied by
the Fund, the Underwriter or persons under their respective control and
other than statements or representations authorized by the Company) or
unlawful conduct of the Fund or Underwriter or persons under their control,
with respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Portfolio
shares; or
(iii) arise out of or as a result of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement,
prospectus, or sales literature covering the Contracts, or any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statement or statements therein not misleading, if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund or the Underwriter; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund or the Underwriter
to provide the services and furnish the materials under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Underwriter; as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of
Section 8.2(b) and 8.2(c) hereof.
8.2(b). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement.
8.2(c). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Underwriter in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Underwriter of
any such claim shall not relieve the Underwriter from any liability which it may
have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than
on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Underwriter will be entitled to
participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Underwriter also
shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
the party named in the action. After notice from the Underwriter to such party
of the Underwriter's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified
Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it,
and the Underwriter will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for
any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation.
8.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the
operation of each Account.
8.3. Indemnification by the Adviser
8.3(a). The Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and
its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (hereinafter collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" and individually, "Indemnified Party," for purposes of
this Section 8.3) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Adviser)
or litigation (including legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified
Parties may become subject under any statute, regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or
actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the operations of the
Adviser or the Fund and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or prospectus or sales literature of the Fund (or any amendment
or supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein
not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply
as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Adviser, the Fund or the Underwriter by or on
behalf of the Company for use in the registration statement or prospectus
for the Fund or in sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or
otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Portfolio
shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the registration
statement, prospectus or sales literature for the Contracts not supplied by
the Fund, the Adviser or persons under its control and other than
statements or representations authorized by the Company) or unlawful
conduct of the Fund, the Adviser or persons under their control, with
respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Portfolio shares;
or
(iii) arise out of or as a result of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement,
prospectus, or sales literature covering the Contracts, or any amendment
thereof or supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statement or statements therein not misleading, if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Company by
or on behalf of the Fund or the Adviser; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Adviser to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Fund or the Adviser in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this
Agreement by the Fund or the Adviser, including without limitation any
failure by the Fund to comply with the conditions of Article VI hereof.
8.3(b). The Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement.
8.3(c). The Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Adviser in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process (including any
IRS administrative process) giving information of the nature of the claim shall
have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party
shall have received notice of such service on any designated agent), but failure
to notify the Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the Adviser from any
liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is
brought otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision. In case any
such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, the Adviser will be
entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Adviser
also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory
to the party named in the action, except with respect to any claim or action
related to Section 817(h) of the Code or Regulation 1.817-5, Indemnified Party
shall permit the Adviser to attend and otherwise assist Indemnified Party with
respect to any conferences, settlement discussions, or other administrative or
judicial proceeding or contests (including judicial appeals thereof) with the
IRS or any other claimant regarding any claims that could give rise to liability
to Adviser, provided that Indemnified Party shall control, in good faith, the
conduct of such conferences, discussions, proceedings, or contests (or appeals
thereof). After notice from the Adviser to such party of the Adviser's election
to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Adviser will not be
liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.3(d). The Company agrees to promptly notify the Adviser of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or directors in connection with this Agreement, the issuance or sale of the
Contracts, with respect to the operation of each Account, or the sale or
acquisition of shares of the Adviser.
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934
and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including
such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the Securities and
Exchange Commission may grant (including, but not limited to, the Shared Funding
Exemptive Order) and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in
accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the
first to occur of:
(a) termination by any party for any reason upon six-months advance
written notice delivered to the other parties; or
(b) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund, the
Adviser and the Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio based upon the
Company's determination that shares of such Portfolio are not reasonably
available to meet the requirements of the Contracts. Reasonable advance
notice of election to terminate shall be furnished by the Company, said
termination to be effective ten (10) days after receipt of notice unless
the Fund makes available a sufficient number of shares to reasonably meet
the requirements of the Account within said ten (10) day period; or
(c) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund, the
Adviser and the Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event any
of the Portfolio's shares are not registered, issued or sold in accordance
with applicable state and/or federal law or such law precludes the use of
such shares as the underlying investment medium of the Contracts issued or
to be issued by the Company. The terminating party shall give prompt notice
to the other parties of its decision to terminate; or
(d) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund, the
Adviser and the Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that
such Portfolio ceases to qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under
Subchapter M of the Code or under any successor or similar provision; or
(e) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that such Portfolio
fails to meet the diversification requirements specified in Article VI
hereof; or
(f) termination by either the Fund, the Adviser or the Underwriter by
written notice to the Company, if either one or more of the Fund, the
Adviser or the Underwriter, shall determine, in its or their sole judgment
exercised in good faith, that the Company and/or their affiliated companies
has suffered a material adverse change in its business, operations,
financial condition or prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the
subject of material adverse publicity, provided that the Fund, the Adviser
or the Underwriter will give the Company sixty (60) days' advance written
notice of such determination of its intent to terminate this Agreement, and
provided further that after consideration of the actions taken by the
Company and any other changes in circumstances since the giving of such
notice, the determination of the Fund, the Adviser or the Underwriter shall
continue to apply on the 60th day since giving of such notice, then such
60th day shall be the effective date of termination; or
(g) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund, the
Adviser and the Underwriter, if the Company shall determine, in its sole
judgment exercised in good faith, that either the Fund, the Adviser or the
Underwriter has suffered a material adverse change in its business,
operations, financial condition or prospects since the date of this
Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity, provided that
the Company will give the Fund, the Adviser and the Underwriter sixty (60)
days' advance written notice of such determination of its intent to
terminate this Agreement, and provided further that after consideration of
the actions taken by the Fund, the Adviser or the Underwriter and any other
changes in circumstances since the giving of such notice, the determination
of the Company shall continue to apply on the 60th day since giving of such
notice, then such 60th day shall be the effective date of termination; or
(h) termination by the Fund, the Adviser or the Underwriter by written
notice to the Company, if the Company gives the Fund, the Adviser and the
Underwriter the written notice specified in Section 1.5 hereof and at the
time such notice was given there was no notice of termination outstanding
under any other provision of this Agreement; provided, however any
termination under this Section 10.1(h) shall be effective sixty (60) days
after the notice specified in Section 1.5 was given; or
(i) termination by any party upon the other party's breach of any
representation in Section 2 or any material provision of this Agreement,
which breach has not been cured to the satisfaction of the terminating
party within ten (10) days after written notice of such breach is delivered
to the Fund or the Company, as the case may be; or
(j) termination by the Fund, Adviser or Underwriter by written notice
to the Company in the event an Account or Contract is not registered or
sold in accordance with applicable federal or state law or regulation, or
the Company fails to provide pass-through voting privileges as specified in
Section 3.4.
10.2. Effect of Termination. Notwithstanding any termination of this
Agreement, the Fund shall at the option of the Company, continue to make
available additional shares of the Fund pursuant to the terms and conditions of
this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination
of this Agreement (hereinafter referred to as "Existing Contracts") unless such
further sale of Fund shares is proscribed by law, regulation or applicable
regulatory body, or unless the Fund determines that liquidation of the Fund
following termination of this Agreement is in the best interests of the Fund and
its shareholders. Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the Existing
Contracts shall be permitted to direct reallocation of investments in the Fund,
redemption of investments in the Fund and/or investment in the Fund upon the
making of additional purchase payments under the Existing Contracts. The parties
agree that this Section 10.2 shall not apply to any terminations under Article
VII and the effect of such Article VII terminations shall be governed by Article
VII of this Agreement.
10.3. The Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the
Contracts (as distinct from Fund shares attributable to the Company's assets
held in the Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract Owner
initiated or approved transactions, or (ii) as required by state and/or federal
laws or regulations or judicial or other legal precedent of general application
(hereinafter referred to as a "Legally Required Redemption") or (iii) as
permitted by an order of the SEC pursuant to Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act. Upon
request, the Company will promptly furnish to the Fund and the Underwriter the
opinion of counsel for the Company (which counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Fund and the Underwriter) to the effect that any redemption
pursuant to clause (ii) above is a Legally Required Redemption. Furthermore,
except in cases where permitted under the terms of the Contracts, the Company
shall not prevent Contract Owners from allocating payments to a Portfolio that
was otherwise available under the Contracts without first giving the Fund or the
Adviser 90 days notice of its intention to do so.
ARTICLE XI. Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified
mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below or at such
other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to the
other party.
If to the Fund:
Xxx Xxxxxx Life Investment Trust
0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, X.X. Xxx 0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
If to Underwriter:
Xxx Xxxxxx Funds Inc.
0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, X.X. Xxx 0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
If to Adviser:
Xxx Xxxxxx Asset Management Inc.
0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx, X.X. Xxx 0000
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
Allstate Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
ARTICLE XII. Foreign Tax Credits
12.1. The Fund and Adviser agree to consult in advance with the Company
concerning whether any series of the Fund qualifies to provide a foreign tax
credit pursuant to Section 853 of the Code.
ARTICLE XIII. Miscellaneous
13.1. All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the property of
the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as neither the
Board, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal liability for
obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund. Each of the Company, Adviser and
Underwriter acknowledges and agrees that, as provided by Article 8, Section 8.1,
of the Fund's Agreement and Declaration of Trust, the shareholders, trustees,
officers, employees and other agents of the Fund and its Portfolios shall not
personally be bound by or liable for matters set forth hereunder, nor shall
resort be had to their private property for the satisfaction of any obligation
or claim hereunder. A Certificate of Trust referring to the Fund's Agreement and
Declaration of Trust is on file with the Secretary of State of Delaware.
13.2. Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory
authority, each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses
of the owners of the Contracts and all information reasonably identified as
confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted by
this Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize such names and
addresses and other confidential information until such time as it may come into
the public domain without the express written consent of the affected party.
13.3. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
13.4. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
13.5. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement
shall not be affected thereby.
13.6. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Association of Securities
Dealers and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
13.7. The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are
cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and obligations
at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and
federal laws.
13.8. This Agreement or any of the rights and obligations hereunder may not
be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of all parties
hereto; provided, however, that the Adviser may assign this Agreement or any
rights or obligations hereunder to any affiliate of or company under common
control with the Adviser if such assignee is duly licensed and registered to
perform the obligations of the Adviser under this Agreement.
13.9. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund or its designee copies of the following reports:
(a) the Company's annual statement (prepared under statutory
accounting principles) and annual report (prepared under generally accepted
accounting principles ("GAAP"), if any), as soon as practical and in any
event within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year;
(b) the Company's June 30th quarterly statements (statutory), as soon
as practical and in any event within 45 days following such period;
(c) any financial statement, proxy statement, notice or report of the
Company sent to stockholders and/or policyholders, as soon as practical
after the delivery thereof to stockholders;
(d) any registration statement (without exhibits) and financial
reports of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or
any state insurance regulator, as soon as practical after the filing
thereof;
(e) any other public report submitted to the Company by independent
accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special audit made by
them of the books of the Company, as soon as practical after the receipt
thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to
be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative
as of the date specified above.
ALLSTATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
on behalf of itself and each of its Accounts named in
Schedule A hereto, as amended from time to time
By: ________________________________________________
XXX XXXXXX LIFE INVESTMENT TRUST
By: _______________________________________________
Xxxxxx X. XxXxxxxxx
Executive Vice President
XXX XXXXXX FUNDS INC.
By: ________________________________________________
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Senior Vice President
XXX XXXXXX ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.
By: ________________________________________________
Xxxxxx X. XxXxxxxxx
President
SCHEDULE A
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS AND CONTRACTS
Name of Separate Account and Form Numbers and Names of Contracts
Date Established by Board of Directors Funded by Separate Account
ALLSTATE FINANCIAL ADVISORS LU4518
SEPARATE ACCOUNT I
April 30, 1999
SCHEDULE B
PARTICIPATING LIFE INVESTMENT TRUST PORTFOLIOS
Xxxxxxxx Portfolio
Domestic Income Portfolio
Emerging Growth Portfolio
Money Market Portfolio
SCHEDULE C
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding responsibilities for the
handling of proxies and voting instructions relating to the Fund. The defined
terms herein shall have the meanings assigned in the Participation Agreement
except that the term "Company" shall also include the department or third party
assigned by the Company to perform the steps delineated below.
1. The proxy proposals are given to the Company by the Fund as early as
possible before the date set by the Fund for the shareholder meeting to
enable the Company to consider and prepare for the solicitation of
voting instructions from owners of the Contracts and to facilitate the
establishment of tabulation procedures. At this time the Fund will
inform the Company of the Record, Mailing and Meeting dates.
This will be done verbally approximately two months before meeting.
2. Promptly after the Record Date, the Company will perform a "tape run,"
or other activity, which will generate the names, address and number of
units which are attributed to each contractowner/policyholder (the
"Customer") as of the Record Date. Allowance should be made for account
adjustments made after this date that could affect the status of the
Customers' accounts as of the Record Date.
Note: The number of proxy statements is determined by the activities
described in Step #2. The Company will use its best efforts to call in
the number of Customers to the Fund, as soon as possible, but no later
than two weeks after the Record Date.
3. The Fund's Annual Report must be sent to each Customer by the Company
either before or together with the Customers' receipt of voting
instruction solicitation material. The Fund will provide the last
Annual Report to the Company pursuant to the terms of Section 3.3 of
the Agreement to which this Schedule relates.
4. The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or
"Card") is provided to the Company by the Fund. The Company, at its
expense, shall produce and personalize the Voting Instruction Cards.
The Fund or its affiliate must approve the Card before it is printed.
Allow approximately 2-4 business days for printing information on the
Cards. Information commonly found on the Cards includes:
a. name (legal name as found on account registration)
b. address
c. fund or account number
d. coding to state number of units (or equivalent shares)
e. individual Card number for use in tracking and
verification of votes (already on Cards as printed by the Fund).
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
5. During this time, the Fund will develop, produce, and the Fund will pay
for the Notice of Proxy and the Proxy Statement (one document). Printed
and folded notices and statements will be sent to Company for insertion
into envelopes (envelopes and return envelopes are provided and paid
for by the Company).
Contents of envelope sent to Customers by the Company will include:
a. Voting Instruction Card(s)
b. One proxy notice and statement (one document)
c. return envelope (postage pre-paid by Company) addressed to the
Company or its tabulation agent
d. "urge buckslip" - optional, but recommended. (This is a small,
single sheet of paper that requests Customers to vote as quickly
as possible and that their vote is important. One copy will be
supplied by the Fund.)
e. cover letter - optional, supplied by Company and reviewed and
approved in advance by the Fund.
6. The above contents should be received by the Company approximately 3-5
business days before mail date. Individual in charge at Company reviews
and approves the contents of the mailing package to ensure correctness
and completeness. Copy of this approval sent to the Fund.
7. Package mailed by the Company.
* The Fund must allow at least a 15-day solicitation time to the
Company as the shareowner. (A 5-week period is recommended.)
Solicitation time is calculated as calendar days from (but not
including,) the meeting, counting backwards.
8. Collection and tabulation of Cards begins. Tabulation usually takes
place in another department or another vendor depending on process
used. An often used procedure is to sort Cards on arrival by proposal
into vote categories of all yes, no, or mixed replies, and to begin
data entry.
Note: Postmarks are not generally needed. A need for postmark
information would be due to an insurance company's internal procedure
and has not been required by the Fund in the past.
9. Signatures on Card checked against legal name on account registration
which was printed on the Card.
Note: For example, if the account registration is under "Xxxx X.
Xxxxx, Trustee," then that is the exact legal name to be printed on
the Card and is the signature needed on the Card.
10. If Cards are mutilated, or for any reason are illegible or are not
signed properly, they are sent back to Customer with an explanatory
letter and a new Card and return envelope. The mutilated or illegible
Card is disregarded and considered to be not received for purposes of
vote tabulation. Any Cards that have been "kicked out" (e.g.,
mutilated, illegible) of the procedure are "hand verified," (i.e.,
examined as to why they did not complete the system). Any questions on
those Cards are usually remedied individually.
11. There are various control procedures used to ensure proper tabulation
of votes and accuracy of that tabulation. The most prevalent is to sort
the Cards as they first arrive into categories depending upon their
vote; an estimate of how the vote is progressing may then be
calculated. If the initial estimates and the actual vote do not
coincide, then an internal audit of that vote should occur. This may
entail a recount.
12. The actual tabulation of votes is done in units (or equivalent shares)
which is then converted to shares. (It is very important that the fund
receives the tabulations stated in terms of a percentage and the number
of shares.) The Fund must review and approve tabulation format.
13. Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Company to the Fund
on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 A.M. Houston time.
The Fund may request an earlier deadline if reasonable and if required
to calculate the vote in time for the meeting.
14. A Certification of Mailing and Authorization to Vote Shares will be
required from the Company as well as an original copy of the final
vote. The Fund will provide a standard form for each Certification.
15. The Company will be required to box and archive the Cards received from
the Customers. In the event that any vote is challenged or if otherwise
necessary for legal, regulatory, or accounting purposes, the Fund will
be permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
16. All approvals and "signing-off" may be done orally, but must
always be followed up in writing.