JANUS ASPEN SERIES
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
(SERVICE SHARES)
THIS AGREEMENT is made this 25th day of February, between JANUS ASPEN
SERIES, an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust"), JANUS DISTRIBUTORS, INC. ("JDI"), a Colorado
corporation and distributor of shares of the Trust, and ALLMERICA FINANCIAL LIFE
INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY, a life insurance company organized under the laws
of the State of Delaware (the "Company"), on its own behalf and on behalf of
each segregated asset account of the Company (the "Accounts").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Trust has registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an open-end management investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and the beneficial interest in
the Trust is divided into several series of shares, each series representing an
interest in a particular managed portfolio of securities and other assets (the
"Portfolios"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust has registered the offer and sale of a class of
shares designated the Service Shares ("Shares") of each of its Portfolios under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to act as an investment vehicle for separate
accounts established for variable life insurance policies and variable annuity
contracts to be offered by insurance companies that have entered into
participation agreements with the Trust (the "Participating Insurance
Companies"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust has received an order from the Securities and
Exchange Commission granting Participating Insurance Companies and their
separate accounts exemptions from the provisions of Sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a)
and 15(b) of 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 Trust to be sold to and held by
variable annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts of both
affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies and certain qualified
pension and retirement plans (the "Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, JDI serves as distributor of shares of the Trust; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register (unless
registration is not required under applicable law) certain variable life
insurance policies and/or variable annuity contracts under the 1933 Act (the
"Contracts"); and
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WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a
unit investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Company desires to utilize the Shares of one or more
Portfolios as an investment vehicle of the Accounts;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the parties
agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
SALE OF TRUST SHARES
1.1 The Trust shall make Shares of its Portfolios available to the
Accounts at the net asset value next computed after receipt of such purchase
order by the Trust (or its agent), as established in accordance with the
provisions of the then current prospectus of the Trust. Shares of a particular
Portfolio of the Trust shall be ordered in such quantities and at such times as
determined by the Company to be necessary to meet the requirements of the
Contracts. The Trustees of the Trust (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, necessary in the best interests of the shareholders of such
Portfolio.
1.2 The Trust will redeem any full or fractional Shares of any
Portfolio when requested by the Company on behalf of an Account at the net asset
value next computed after receipt by the Trust (or its agent) of the request for
redemption, as established in accordance with the provisions of the then current
prospectus of the Trust. The Trust shall make payment for such shares in the
manner established from time to time by the Trust, but in no event shall payment
be delayed for a greater period than is permitted by the 0000 Xxx.
1.3 For the purposes of Sections 1.1 and 1.2, the Trust hereby appoints
the Company as its agent for the limited purpose of receiving and accepting
purchase and redemption orders resulting from investment in and payments under
the Contracts. Receipt by the Company shall constitute receipt by the Trust
provided that i) such orders are received by the Company in good order prior to
the time the net asset value of each Portfolio is priced in accordance with its
prospectus and ii) the Trust receives notice of such orders by 10:00 a.m. New
York time 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 Trust
calculates its net asset value pursuant to the rules of the Securities and
Exchange Commission.
1.4 Purchase orders that are transmitted to the Trust in accordance
with Section 1.3 shall be paid for no later than 12:00 noon New York time on the
same Business Day that the Trust receives notice of the order. Payments shall be
made in federal funds transmitted by wire.
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1.5 Issuance and transfer of the Trust's Shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Account.
Shares ordered from the Trust will be recorded in the appropriate title for each
Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.6 The Trust shall furnish prompt notice to the Company of any income
dividends or capital gain distributions payable on the Trust's Shares. The
Company hereby elects to receive all such income dividends and capital gain
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.
1.7 The Trust 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 p.m. New York
time.
1.8 The Trust agrees that its Shares will be sold only to Participating
Insurance Companies and their separate accounts and to certain qualified pension
and retirement plans to the extent permitted by the Exemptive Order. No Shares
of any Portfolio will be sold directly to the general public. The Company agrees
that Trust Shares will be used only for the purposes of funding the Contracts
and the Accounts.
1.9 The Trust agrees that all Participating Insurance Companies shall
have the obligations and responsibilities regarding pass-through voting and
conflicts of interest corresponding to those contained in Section 2.8 and
Article IV of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES
2.1 The Trust shall prepare and be responsible for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission and any state regulators requiring such
filing all shareholder reports, notices, proxy materials (or similar materials
such as voting instruction solicitation materials), prospectuses and statements
of additional information of the Trust. The Trust shall bear the costs of
registration and qualification of its shares, preparation and filing of the
documents listed in this Section 2.1 and all taxes to which an issuer is subject
on the issuance and transfer of its shares.
2.2 At the option of the Company, the Trust shall either (a) provide
the Company (at the Company's expense) with as many copies of the Trust's
Shares' current prospectus, annual report, semi-annual report and other
shareholder communications, including any amendments or supplements to any of
the foregoing, as the Company shall reasonably request; or (b) provide the
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Company with a camera ready copy of such documents in a form suitable for
printing. The Trust shall provide the Company with a copy of the Shares'
statement of additional information in a form suitable for duplication by the
Company. The Trust (at its expense) shall provide the Company with copies of any
Trust-sponsored proxy materials in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably
require for distribution to Contract owners.
2.3 (a) The Company shall bear the costs of printing and distributing
the Trust's Shares' prospectus, statement of additional information, shareholder
reports and other shareholder communications to owners of and applicants for
policies for which Shares of the Trust are serving or are to serve as an
investment vehicle. The Trust or its adviser shall bear the costs of
distributing proxy materials (or similar materials such as voting solicitation
instructions) to Contract owners for proxy materials initiated by the Trust or
its adviser; the Company shall bear such costs for proxy materials initiated by
the Company. The Company assumes sole responsibility for ensuring that such
materials are delivered to Contract owners in accordance with applicable federal
and state securities laws.
(b) If the Company elects to include any materials provided by the
Trust, specifically prospectuses, SAIs, shareholder reports and proxy materials,
on its web site or in any other computer or electronic format, the Company
assumes sole responsibility for maintaining such materials in the form provided
by the Trust and for promptly replacing such materials with all updates provided
by the Trust.
2.4 The Company agrees and acknowledges that the Trust's adviser, Janus
Capital Corporation ("Janus Capital"), is the sole owner of the name and xxxx
"Xxxxx" and that all use of any designation comprised in whole or part of Janus
(a "Xxxxx Xxxx") under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of Janus
Capital. Except as provided in Section 2.5, the Company shall not use any Xxxxx
Xxxx on its own behalf or on behalf of the Accounts or Contracts in any
registration statement, advertisement, sales literature or other materials
relating to the Accounts or Contracts without the prior written consent of Janus
Capital. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, the Company shall
cease all use of any Xxxxx Xxxx(s) as soon as reasonably practicable.
2.5 The Company shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Trust
or its designee, a copy of each Contract prospectus or statement of additional
information in which the Trust or its investment adviser is named prior to the
filing of such document with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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
or its investment adviser is named, at least fifteen Business Days prior to its
use. No such material shall be used if the Trust or its designee reasonably
objects to such use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such material.
2.6 The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Trust or concerning the Trust or
its investment adviser in connection with the sale of the Contracts other than
information or representations contained in and
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accurately derived from the registration statement or prospectus for the
Trust Shares (as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time), reports of the Trust, Trust-sponsored proxy
statements, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by
the Trust or its designee, except as required by legal process or regulatory
authorities or with the written permission of the Trust or its designee.
2.7 The Trust shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Company or concerning the
Company, the Accounts or the Contracts other than information or representations
contained in and accurately derived from the registration statement or
prospectus for the Contracts (as such registration statement and prospectus may
be amended or supplemented from time to time), or in materials approved by the
Company for distribution including sales literature or other promotional
materials, except as required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with
the written permission of the Company.
2.8 So long as, and to the extent that the Securities and Exchange
Commission interprets the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges for
variable policyowners, the Company will provide pass-through voting privileges
to owners of policies whose cash values are invested, through the Accounts, in
shares of the Trust. The Trust shall require all Participating Insurance
Companies to calculate voting privileges in the same manner and the Company
shall be responsible for assuring that the Accounts calculate voting privileges
in the manner established by the Trust. With respect to each Account, the
Company will vote Shares of the Trust held by the Account and for which no
timely voting instructions from policyowners are received as well as Shares it
owns that are held by that Account, in the same proportion as those Shares for
which voting instructions are received. The Company and its agents will in no
way recommend or oppose or interfere with the solicitation of proxies for Trust
shares held by Contract owners without the prior written consent of the Trust,
which consent may be withheld in the Trust's sole discretion.
2.9 The Company shall notify the Trust of any applicable state
insurance laws that restrict the Portfolios' investments or otherwise affect the
operation of the Trust and shall notify the Trust of any changes in such laws.
ARTICLE III
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
3.1 The Company represents and warrants that it is an insurance company
duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware and
that it has legally and validly established each Account as a segregated asset
account under such law.
3.2 The Company represents and warrants that each Account has been
registered or, prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will be
registered as a unit investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the
1940 Act.
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3.3 The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts or interests
in the Accounts (1) are or, prior to issuance, will be registered as securities
under the 1933 Act or, alternatively (2) are not registered because they are
properly exempt from registration under the 1933 Act or will be offered
exclusively in transactions that are properly exempt from registration under the
1933 Act. The Company further represents and warrants that the Contracts will be
issued and sold in compliance in all material respects with all applicable
federal and state laws; and the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all
material respects with state insurance suitability requirements.
3.4 The parties to the Agreement each represent and warrant that, to
their knowledge, their respective user interfaces and operating systems and
environments that are material to the performance of this Agreement will
properly process data prior to, during and after the calendar year 2000 and will
recognize accurate century data, including leap years. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, no party, nor any of their affiliates, officers,
employees or agents shall be liable for any loss, liability, cost, damage, or
expense (including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs) ("Losses"), except for
Losses directly resulting from such party's negligence, bad faith, or willful
malfeasance. No party shall be liable for any indirect, special, or
consequential losses, even if the party has notice of the possibility of such
losses.
3.5 The Trust represents and warrants that it is duly organized and
validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
3.6 The Trust represents and warrants that the Trust Shares offered and
sold pursuant to this Agreement will be registered under the 1933 Act and the
Trust shall be registered under the 1940 Act prior to any issuance or sale of
such Shares. The Trust shall amend its registration statement 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 its Shares for sale
in accordance with the laws of the various states only if and to the extent
deemed advisable by the Trust.
3.7 The Trust represents and warrants that the investments of each
Portfolio will comply with the diversification requirements set forth in Section
817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
ARTICLE IV
POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
4.1 The parties acknowledge that the Trust's Shares may be made
available for investment to other Participating Insurance Companies. In such
event, the Trustees will monitor the Trust for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
Participating Insurance Companies. An irreconcilable material conflict may arise
for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance
regulatory
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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 Trustees shall promptly inform the Company if they
determine that an irreconcilable material conflict exists and the
implications thereof.
4.2 The Company agrees to promptly report any potential or existing
conflicts of which it is aware to the Trustees. The Company will assist the
Trustees in carrying out their responsibilities under the Exemptive Order by
providing the Trustees with all information reasonably necessary for the
Trustees to consider any issues raised including, but not limited to,
information as to a decision by the Company to disregard Contract owner voting
instructions.
4.3 If it is determined by a majority of the Trustees, or a majority of
its disinterested Trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists that
affects the interests of Contract owners, the Company shall, in cooperation with
other Participating Insurance Companies whose contract owners are also affected,
at its expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by the
Trustees) take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or eliminate the
irreconcilable material conflict, which steps could include: (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 the question of
whether or not 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 (b) establishing a new registered
management investment company or managed separate account.
4.4 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 Trust's election, to withdraw the affected Account's
investment in the Trust 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 Trustees. Any such withdrawal and
termination must take place within six (6) months after the Trust gives written
notice that this provision is being implemented. Until the end of such six (6)
month period, the Trust shall continue to accept and implement orders by the
Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Trust.
4.5 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 Trust and
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terminate this Agreement with respect to such Account within six (6) months
after the Trustees inform 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 Trustees. Until the end of such six (6) month
period, the Trust shall continue to accept and implement orders by the
Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Trust.
4.6 For purposes of Sections 4.3 through 4.6 of this Agreement, a
majority of the disinterested Trustees shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event
will the Company be required 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 Trustees determine that any proposed action does not adequately
remedy any irreconcilable material conflict, then the Company will withdraw the
Account's investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement within six (6)
months after the Trustees inform 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 Trustees.
4.7 The Company shall at least annually submit to the Trustees such
reports, materials or data as the Trustees may reasonably request so that the
Trustees may fully carry out the duties imposed upon them by the Exemptive
Order, and said reports, materials and data shall be submitted more frequently
if deemed appropriate by the Trustees.
4.8 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
1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared
funding (as defined in the Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions materially
different from those contained in the Exemptive Order, then the Trust 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.
ARTICLE V
INDEMNIFICATION
5.1 INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY. The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Trust, JDI, and each of its Trustees, Directors, officers,
employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls the Trust or JDI
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" for purposes of this Article V) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Company) or expenses (including the reasonable costs of
investigating or defending any alleged loss, claim, damage, liability or expense
and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in
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connection therewith) (collectively, "Losses"), to which the Indemnified
Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, or at common law
or otherwise, insofar as such Losses:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or
alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained in a
registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts or in the
Contracts themselves or in sales literature generated or approved by
the Company on behalf of the Contracts or Accounts (or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing) (collectively, "Company Documents"
for the purposes of this Article V), 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 indemnity 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 was accurately
derived from written information furnished to the Company by or on
behalf of the Trust or JDI for use in Company Documents or otherwise
for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Trust Shares;
or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in and accurately
derived from Trust Documents as defined in Section 5.2(a)) or wrongful
conduct of the Company or persons under its control, with respect to
the sale or acquisition of the Contracts or Trust Shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in Trust
Documents as defined in Section 5.2(a) 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
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and accurately derived
from written information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the
Company; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Company to
provide the services or furnish the materials required under the terms
of this Agreement; or
(e) 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.
5.2 INDEMNIFICATION BY THE TRUST. The Trust agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Company and each of its directors, officers, employees and
agents 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 Article V) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Trust) or
expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any
alleged loss, claim, damage, liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, "Losses"), to which the
Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, or at
common law or otherwise, insofar as such Losses:
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(a) 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 Trust (or any amendment or
supplement thereto), (collectively, "Trust Documents" for the purposes
of this Article V), 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 indemnity 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 was accurately
derived from written information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf
of the Company for use in Trust Documents or otherwise for use in
connection with the sale of the Contracts or Trust Shares; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in and accurately
derived from Company Documents) or wrongful conduct of the Trust or
persons under its control, with respect to the sale or acquisition of
the Contracts or Trust Shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in Company
Documents 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 statement or omission was
made in reliance upon and accurately derived from written information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Trust; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Trust to
provide the services or furnish the materials required under the terms
of this Agreement; or
(e) 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.
5.3 INDEMNIFICATION BY JDI. JDI agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
the Company and each of its directors, officers, employees and agents 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 Article
V) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts
paid in settlement with the written consent of JDI) or expenses (including the
reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in connection
therewith) (collectively, "Losses"), to which the Indemnified Parties may become
subject under any statute or regulation, or at common law or otherwise, insofar
as such Losses:
(a) 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
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the Trust (or any amendment or supplement thereto), (collectively,
"Trust Documents" for the purposes of this Article V), 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
indemnity 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 was accurately derived from written information
furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Company for use in
Trust Documents or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of
the Contracts or Trust Shares; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in and accurately
derived from Company Documents) or wrongful conduct of JDI or persons
under its control, with respect to the sale or acquisition of the
Contracts or Trust Shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in Company
Documents 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 statement or omission was
made in reliance upon and accurately derived from written information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of JDI; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by JDI to provide
the services or furnish the materials required under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by JDI in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
JDI.
5.4 Neither the Company, the Trust nor JDI shall be liable under the
indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1, 5.2 or 5.3, as applicable, with
respect to any Losses incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party that
arise from such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith or 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.
5.5 Neither the Company, the Trust nor JDI shall be liable under the
indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1, 5.2 or 5.3, as applicable, with
respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified
Party shall have notified the other party in writing within a reasonable time
after the summons, or other first written notification, giving information of
the nature of the claim shall have been served upon or otherwise received by
such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received
notice of service upon or other notification to any designated agent), but
failure to notify the party against whom indemnification
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is sought of any such claim shall not relieve that party from any liability
which it may have to the Indemnified Party in the absence of Sections 5.1,
5.2 and 5.3.
5.6 In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties,
the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in
the defense of such action. The indemnifying party also shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the indemnifying party to the Indemnified
Party of an election to assume such defense, 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 the Indemnified 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.
ARTICLE VI
TERMINATION
6.1 This Agreement may be terminated by any party for any reason by
ninety (90) days advance written notice delivered to the other parties.
6.2 Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Trust shall,
at the option of the Company, continue to make available additional shares of
the Trust (or any Portfolio) pursuant to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement for all Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination of
this Agreement, provided that the Company continues to pay the costs set forth
in Section 2.3.
6.3 The provisions of Article V shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, and the provisions of Article IV and Section 2.8 shall survive the
termination of this Agreement as long as Shares of the Trust are held on behalf
of Contract owners in accordance with Section 6.2.
ARTICLE VII
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 Trust:
Janus Aspen Series
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
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If to JDI:
Janus Distributors, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
Allmerica Financial Life Insurance and Annuity Company
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, President
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS
8.1 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.
8.2 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
8.3 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.
8.4 This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of State of Colorado.
8.5 The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that all
liabilities of the Trust arising, directly or indirectly, under this Agreement,
of any and every nature whatsoever, shall be satisfied solely out of the assets
of the Trust and that no Trustee, officer, agent or holder of shares of
beneficial interest of the Trust shall be personally liable for any such
liabilities.
8.6 Each party 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, Inc., 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.
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8.7 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.
8.8 The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that this
Agreement shall not be exclusive in any respect.
8.9 Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may
be assigned by either party without the prior written approval of the other
party.
8.10 No provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any
manner except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by both
parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused their duly authorized
officers to execute this Participation Agreement as of the date and year first
above written.
JANUS ASPEN SERIES
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
----------------
Title: Vice President
----------------
JANUS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
-----------------------
Name: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
----------------------
Title: Vice President
-----------------
ALLMERICA FINANCIAL LIFE INSURANCE
AND ANNUITY COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
---------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
--------------------
Title: President
------------
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