PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT Among PANORAMA SERIES FUND, INC. OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC. And LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
Among
PANORAMA SERIES FUND, INC.
OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
And
LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), made and entered into as of the 1st day of August, 2001 by and among Lincoln Benefit Life Company (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 (hereinafter collectively the “Accounts”), Panorama Series Fund, Inc. (hereinafter the “Fund”) and OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (hereinafter the “Adviser”).
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end management investment company and is available to act as the investment vehicle for separate accounts now in existence or to be established at any date hereafter for variable life insurance policies, variable annuity contracts and other tax-deferred products (collectively, the “Variable Insurance Products”) offered by insurance companies (hereinafter “Participating Insurance Companies”);
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Fund is divided into several series of shares, each designated a “Portfolio”, and each representing the interests in a particular managed pool of securities and other assets;
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), dated August 31, 1994 (File No. 812-8936) 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”)
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”);
WHEREAS, the Adviser is duly registered as an investment adviser under the federal Investment Advisers Act of 1940;
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain variable annuity and/or life insurance contracts under the 1933 Act (hereinafter “Contracts”) (unless an exemption from registration is available);
WHEREAS, the Accounts are or will be 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 contracts (the Separate Account(s) covered by the Agreement are specified in Schedule 1 attached hereto, as may be modified by mutual consent from time to time);
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register the Accounts as unit investment trusts under the 1940 Act (unless an exemption from registration is available);
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios (the Portfolios covered by this Agreement are specified in Schedule 2 attached hereto as may be modified by mutual consent from time to time),
on behalf of the Accounts to fund the Contracts, and the Fund is authorized to sell such shares to unit investment trusts such as the Accounts at net asset value; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Fund, the Adviser and the Company agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Purchase and Redemption 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 Accounts, 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 by 10:00 a.m. New York time on the next following Business Day; 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 by 2:00 P.M. New York time on the next Business Day after it places an order to purchase Fund shares in accordance with Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire or by a credit for any shares redeemed.
1.3. The Fund agrees to make Fund shares available for purchase by the Company for their separate Accounts listed in Schedule 1 on those days on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to rules of the SEC; provided, however, that the Board of Directors of the Fund (hereinafter the “Directors”) 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 Directors, 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 (including without limitation purchase orders that individually or together with other contemporaneous orders represent large transactions in shares of any Portfolio held for a relatively brief period of time). Such shares shall be purchased at the applicable net asset value per share, increased by any initial sales charge, if the Fund’s prospectus then in effect imposes such a charge on such purchases.
1.4. The Fund agrees to redeem, 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, reduced by any redemption fee or deferred sales charge, if the Fund’s prospectus in effect as of the date of such redemption imposes such a fee or charge on such redemptions. For purposes of this Section 1.4, 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 by 10:00 a.m. New York time on the next following Business Day; 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 on the next following Business Day. Payment shall be made 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 to the Company’s bank accounts as designated by the Company in writing from time to time.
1.5. 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. The Company agrees, at the request of the Fund or the Adviser, to limit transactions by persons whose instructions directly or indirectly cause redemptions or exchanges of the Fund to occur on such a magnitude and/or frequency that the Fund’s portfolio management is adversely affected.
1.6. 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.
1.7. 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.
1.8. 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, the Company agrees to use its best efforts to include the net asset value when received in its next
business cycle for purposes of calculating purchase / redemption orders. However, if net asset values are not made available for inclusion in that day’s business cycle and purchase / redemption orders are not able to be calculated and available for the Company to execute within the timeframe identified in Section 1.1, the Fund / Adviser shall make the Company / Account whole for out-of-pocket losses incurred as result of such delay. 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 securities deemed to be issued by the Accounts under 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, offered and sold in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, including without limitation state insurance suitability requirements and National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (“NASD”) conduct rules. 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 legally and validly established the Accounts prior to the issuance or sale of units thereof as a segregated asset account and has registered the Accounts as unit investment trusts in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as segregated investment accounts 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 Accounts 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. The Company represents and warrants, for purposes other than diversification under Section 817 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (the “Code”), that the Contracts are currently and at the time of issuance will be treated as annuity contracts under applicable provisions of the Code and the regulations issued thereunder, 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. In addition, the Company represents and warrants that the Accounts are a “segregated asset accounts” and that interests in the Accounts 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 issued thereunder (and any amendments or other modifications to such section or such regulations (and any revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices and other published announcements of the Internal Revenue Service interpreting these provisions). The Company shall continue to meet such definitional requirements, and it will notify the Fund and the Adviser 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. The Company represents and warrants that it will not purchase Fund shares with assets derived from tax-qualified retirement plans except, indirectly, through Contracts purchased in connection with such plans.
2.3. Subject to Section 2.5 hereof, the Company represents and warrants 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 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.
2.4. 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.
2.5. 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 represents and warrants that each Portfolio of the Fund will 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 (and any revenue rulings, revenue procedures, notices, and other published announcements of the Internal Revenue Service interpreting these provisions). In the event the Fund should fail to so
qualify, it will take all reasonable steps (a) to notify the Company of such breach and (b) to resume compliance with such diversification requirement within the grace period afforded by Treasury Regulation 1.817.5. The Fund will provide the Company, on an annual basis, with a written verification of compliance with Section 817(h) of the Code and 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 it will maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor 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.
2.6. If the Contracts purchase shares of a series and class of the Fund that have adopted a plan under Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act to finance distribution expenses (a “12b-1 Plan”), the Company agrees to provide the Directors any information as may be reasonably necessary for the Directors to review the Fund’s 12b-1 Plan or Plans.
2.7. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Maryland and that it does and will comply with applicable provisions of the 0000 Xxx.
2.8. 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.
2.9. The Fund and Adviser each represent and warrant that all of its respective Directors, 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.
2.10. 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. $10 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.
2.11. The Fund and the Adviser represent that they will make a good faith effort to (a) materially comply with any applicable state insurance law restrictions with which the Fund must comply to perform its obligations under this Agreement, provided, however, that the Company provide specific notification of such restrictions to the Fund and the Adviser in advance and in writing,; and (b) furnish information to the Company 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. Sales Material, Prospectuses and Other Reports
3.1. 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 object to such use within five Business Days after receipt of such material. “Business Day” shall mean any day in which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and in which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
3.2. 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 sale literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund or its designee, except with the permission of the Fund.
3.3. For purposes of this Article III, the phrase “sales literature or other promotional material” means 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 billboard or electronic media), and sales literature (such as brochures, circulars, market letters and form letters), distributed or made generally available to customers or the public.
3.4. 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. 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 prospectuses 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, 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.
3.5. 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 or photocopy 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.
3.6. 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.
3.7. In the event a meeting of shareholders of the Fund (or any Portfolio) is called by the Directors, the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the Portfolio(s) shares held in the Account in accordance with instructions received from Contract owners;
(iii) vote Portfolio shares held in the Account for which no instructions have been received, as well as Portfolio shares held by the Company, in the same proportion as Portfolio(s) shares for which instructions have been received from 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; and
(iv) take responsibility for assuring that the Accounts calculate voting privileges in a manner consistent with other Participating Insurance Companies. The Fund and Adviser agree to assist the Company and the other Participating Insurance Companies in carrying out this responsibility.
3.8. The Fund will comply with all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act requiring voting by shareholders.
ARTICLE IV. Fees and Expenses
4.1. 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.
4.2. 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.
4.3. 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 V. Potential Conflicts
5.1. The Board of Directors 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.
5.2. The Company has reviewed 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 will 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 are unaware of any such potential or existing material irreconcilable conflicts.
5.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of its disinterested Directors, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the Company shall, at its expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the disinterested Directors), 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 accounts. The Company’s obligations under this Section 5.3 shall not depend on whether other affected participating insurance companies fulfill a similar obligation.
5.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision by the Company to disregard Contract owner voting instructions and that decision could conflict with the majority of Contract owner instructions, the Company may be required, at the Fund’s election, to withdraw the Accounts’ investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement; 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 the six month period the Fund shall continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Fund.
5.5. 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 Accounts’ investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement 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 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.
5.6. For purposes of Sections 5.3 through 5.6 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 5.3 to establish a new funding medium for 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 particular Accounts’ 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.
ARTICLE VI. Applicable Law
6.1 This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
6.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933 Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the 1940 Act, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including such exemption from those statutes, rules and regulations as the Securities and Exchange Commission 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, provided however that the term “Registration Statement or Prospectus for the Variable Contracts” and terms of similar import shall include (i) any offering circular or similar document and sales literature or other promotional materials used to offer and/or sell the variable Contracts in compliance with the private offering exemption in the 1933 Act and applicable federal and state laws and regulations, and (ii) the term “Registration Statement” and “Prospectus” as defined in the 1933 Act.
ARTICLE VII. Termination
7.1 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 section 2.5 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 section 2.5 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.
7.2 Notice Requirement.
(a) In the event that any termination of this Agreement is based upon the provisions of Article V, 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 7.1(b) - (d) or 7.1(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 7.1(j) or 7.1(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.
7.3 It is understood and agreed that the right to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(a) may be exercised for any reason or for no reason.
7.4. Effect of Termination.
(a) Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1 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 7.4 shall not apply to any terminations under Article V and the effect of such Article V terminations shall be governed by Article V of this Agreement.
(b) If shares of the Fund continue to be made available after termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 7.4, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in effect except for Section 7.1(a) and thereafter the Fund, the Adviser, or the Company may terminate the Agreement, as so continued pursuant to this Section 7.4, 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.
7.5 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 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. 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 to the other party.
If to the Fund:
Panorama Series Fund, Inc.
0 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Vice President and Secretary
If to the Adviser:
OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
0 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, Vice President/Manager Variable Annuity Operations
If to the Company:
Allstate Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxx Xxxx - Xxxxx X0
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: Xxxx Xxxxx, Director
And
Lincoln Benefit Life Company
0000 X. 00xx Xxxxxx - Xxxxx 0X0
Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
ARTICLE X. Miscellaneous
10.1. The Company represents and warrants that any Contracts eligible to purchase shares of the Fund and offered and/or sold in private placements will comply in all material respects with the exemptions from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
10.2. 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 (i) this Agreement and (ii) by Title V, Subtitle A of the Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act and by regulations adopted thereunder by regulators having jurisdiction over the parties hereto, 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.
10.3. 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.
10.4. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
10.5. 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.
10.6. Each party hereto shall cooperate with, and promptly notify 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.
10.7. 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.
10.8. It is understood by the parties that this Agreement is not an exclusive arrangement in any respect.
10.9. This Agreement shall not be assigned by any party hereto without the prior written consent of all the parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Adviser may transfer or assign its rights, duties and obligations hereunder or interest herein to any entity owned, directly or indirectly, by Xxxxxxxxxxx Acquisition Corp. (the Adviser’s parent corporation) or to a successor in interest pursuant to a merger, reorganization, stock sale, asset sale or other transaction, without the consent of the Company, as long as (i) that assignee agrees to assume all the obligations imposed on the Adviser by this Agreement, and (ii) the Fund consents to that assignment.
10.10. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement between the parties and supercedes all prior communications, agreements and understandings, oral or written, between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof.
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.
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LINCOLN BENEFIT LIFE COMPANY | |
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By: |
/s/ [ILLEGIBLE] |
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Title: |
Executive VP |
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Date: |
8/7/2001 |
SCHEDULE 1
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Separate Accounts |
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Products |
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Lincoln Benefit Life Variable Annuity Account |
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LBL Advantage Variable Annuity |
