Term Termination 10.1. This Agreement shall be effective as of the date hereof and shall continue in force until terminated in accordance with the provisions herein.
10.2. This Agreement shall terminate in accordance with the following provisions:
(a) At the option of the Company or the Trust at any time from the date hereof upon 180 days’ notice, unless a shorter time is agreed to by the parties;
(b) At the option of the Company or the Trust, if Fund shares are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of the Variable Contracts. Prompt notice of election to terminate shall be furnished by the Company. The termination will be effective ten days after receipt of notice unless the Trust makes available a sufficient number of Fund shares to reasonably meet the requirements of the Variable Contracts within the ten-day period;
(c) At the option of the Company, upon the institution of formal proceedings against the Trust, the Distributor or Adviser by the SEC, FINRA, or any other regulatory body, the expected or anticipated ruling, judgment or outcome of which would, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, materially impair the Trust’s, the Distributor’s or the Adviser’s ability to meet and perform their respective obligations and duties hereunder. Prompt notice of election to terminate shall be furnished by the Company with said termination to be effective upon receipt of notice;
(d) At the option of the Trust, the Distributor or the Adviser, upon the institution of formal proceedings against the Company by the SEC, FINRA, or any other regulatory body, the expected or anticipated ruling, judgment or outcome of which would, in Trust’s reasonable judgment, materially impair the Company’s ability to meet and perform its obligations and duties hereunder. Prompt notice of election to terminate shall be furnished by Trust with said termination to be effective upon receipt of notice;
(e) At the option of the Company, in the event the Trust’s shares are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable state or federal law, or such law precludes the use of such shares as the underlying investment medium of Variable Contracts issued or to be issued by the Company. Termination shall be effective immediately upon notice to the Trust;
(f) At the option of the Trust if the Variable Contracts cease to qualify as annuity contracts or life insurance contracts, as applicable, under the Code, or if the Trust reasonably believes that the Variable Contracts may fail to so qualify. Termination shall be effective upon receipt of notice by the Company;
(g) At the option of the Company, upon the Trust’s breach of any material provision of this Agreement, which breach has not been cured to the satisfaction of the Company within ten days after written notice of such breach is delivered to the Trust;
(h) At the option of the Trust, upon the Company’s breach of any material provision of this Agreement, which breach has not been cured to the satisfaction of the Trust within ten days after written notice of such breach is delivered to the Company;
(i) At the option of the Trust, if the Variable Contracts are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable federal and/or state law. Termination shall be effective immediately upon such occurrence without notice to the Company;
(j) At the option of the Company in the event that any Fund ceases to qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code or under any successor or similar provision, or if the Company reasonably believes that any Fund may fail to so qualify. Termination shall be effective immediately upon notice to the Trust;
(k) At the option of the Company in the event that any Fund fails to meet the diversification requirements specified in Article II hereof or if the Company reasonably believes that any Fund may fail to meet such diversification requirements. Termination shall be effective immediately upon notice to the Trust; and
(l) In the event this Agreement is assigned without the prior written consent of the Company, the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser, termination shall be effective immediately upon such occurrence without notice.
10.3. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.2 hereof, the Trust shall, at the option of the Company, continue to make available additional Fund shares, as provided below, for so long as the Company desires pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for all Variable Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination of this Agreement (“Existing Contracts”). Specifically, without limitation, if the Company so elects to make additional Fund shares available, the owners of the Existing Contracts or the Company, whichever shall have legal authority to do so, shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the Trust, redeem investments in the Trust and/or invest in the Trust upon the payment of additional premiums under the Existing Contracts. In the event of a termination of this Agreement, the Company, as promptly as is practicable under the circumstances, shall notify the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser whether the Company elects to continue to make Fund shares available after such termination. If Fund shares continue to be made available after such termination, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in effect.
10.4. Except as necessary to implement Variable Contract owner initiated transactions, or as required by state insurance laws or regulations, the Company shall not redeem the shares attributable to the Variable Contracts (as opposed to the shares attributable to the Company’s assets held in the Separate Accounts or invested directly), and the Company shall not prevent Variable Contract owners from allocating payments to a Fund that was otherwise available under the Variable Contracts, until thirty (30) days after the Company shall have notified the Trust of its intention to do so.
