EXHIBIT 27(h)(2)(i)
JANUS ASPEN SERIES
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
(SERVICE SHARES)
THIS AGREEMENT is made this ____ day of ______________________, between
JANUS ASPEN SERIES, an open-end management investment company organized as a
Delaware business trust (the "Trust"), Janus Distributors, Inc. ("Distributor"),
a registered broker-dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and member
of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Colorado and Minnesota Life Insurance
Company, a life insurance company organized under the laws of the State of
Minnesota (the "Company"), on its own behalf and on behalf of each segregated
asset account of the Company set forth on Schedule A, as may be amended from
time to time (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 Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended ("1934 Act") and is a member in good standing of the National
Association of Securities Dealers ("NASD"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust has received an order from the SEC 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
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life insurance companies and certain qualified pension and retirement plans (the
"Exemptive Order"); 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
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
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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.
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 Accounts listed in Schedule A, as amended from time to time.
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
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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 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 Company shall bear the costs of distributing proxy
materials (or similar materials such as voting solicitation instructions) to
Contract owners. 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. Trust agrees to provide all such materials requested by the
Company in Portable Document Format (PDF) in a timely fashion at no additional
cost.
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 SEC. 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
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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 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 Neither the Trust nor Distributor shall 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 SEC 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.
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 Minnesota and
that it has legally and validly established each Account as a segregated asset
account under such law on the date set forth in Schedule A.
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
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accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, unless properly exempt from
registration under Section 3(c)(11) of the 0000 Xxx.
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 Company anticipates that any of Company's trading systems that
interact with the Trust via any form of automated feed prior to, during and
after the calendar year 2000 will recognize accurate century data, and user
interfaces and operation environments will comply with Year 2000 application
standards.
3.5 The Company represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals or entities
dealing with the money and/or securities of the Trust are and shall be at all
times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of
the Trust, in an amount not less than $5 million, except for the bond applicable
to General Agents, Soliciting Agents or Servicing Agents which shall be in an
amount not less than $2 million. The aforesaid bond shall include coverage for
larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding company. The
Company agrees to make all reasonable efforts to see that this bond or another
bond containing these provisions is always in effect, and agrees to notify the
Trust and the Underwriter in the event that such coverage no longer applies.
3.6 The Trust represents and warrants that it is duly organized and validly
existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and that it does and will
comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations
thereunder.
3.7 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.
3.8 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 ("Code"). The Trust further represents and warrants that
it will notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing it has ceased to comply or might not comply and will in that event
immediately take all reasonable steps to achieve compliance.
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3.9 The Trust represents and warrants that it is currently qualified as a
"regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Code, that it will make
every effort to maintain such qualification and will notify the Company
immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing it has ceased to so
qualify or might not so qualify in the future.
3.10 The Trust has adopted a Rule 12b-1 Plan for its Service Shares under
which it makes payments to finance distribution expenses. The Trust represents
and warrants that it has a board of trustees, a majority of whom are not
interested persons of the Trust, which has formulated and approved the Trust's
Rule 12b-1 Plan to finance distribution expenses of the Trust and that any
changes to the Trust's Rule 12b-1 Plan will be approved by a similarly
constituted board of trustees.
3.11 The Trust and Distributor represent and warrant that it, all of its
directors, officers, employees and others dealing with the money or securities,
or both, of a Portfolio shall at all times be covered by a blanket fidelity bond
or similar coverage for the benefit of the Trust in an amount not less than the
minimum coverage required by Rule 17g-1 or other regulations under the 1940 Act.
Such bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and be issued by a
reputable bonding company.
3.12 The Trust anticipates that any of the Trust's trading systems that
interact with the Company via any form of automated feed prior to, during and
after the calendar year 2000 will recognize accurate century data and use
interfaces and operation environments will comply with year 2000 application
standards.
3.13 The Distributor represents and warrants that it is a member in good
standing of the NASD and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC. The
Distributor further represents that it will sell and distribute the Fund shares
in accordance with the laws of the State of Minnesota and all applicable state
and federal securities laws, including without limitation the 1933 Act, the 1934
Act, and the 1940 Act.
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
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
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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
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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 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.
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ARTICLE V
Indemnification
5.1 Indemnification By the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Trust or Distributor and each of its Trustees, officers,
employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls the Trust or
Distributor 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 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 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
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material breach of this Agreement by the Company.
5.2 Indemnification By the Distributor. The Distributor on its own behalf
and behalf of 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 Distributor) 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 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 or
Distributor 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, or conduct of the Distributor 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 the Distributor; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Trust or the
Distributor to provide the services or furnish the materials required under
the terms of this Agreement, including a failure, whether unintentional or
in good faith or otherwise, to
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comply with the diversification requirements as set forth in Article III of
this Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Trust or the Distributor in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this
Agreement by the Trust or the Distributor.
5.3 None of the parties shall be liable under the indemnification
provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, 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.
5.4 None of the parties shall be liable under the indemnification
provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, 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 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 and 5.2.
5.5 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 party.
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
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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
If to the Distributor:
Janus Distributors, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
Minnesota Life Insurance Company
000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxx
Xx. Xxxx, XX 00000
Attention: General Counsel
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.
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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/or the Distributor 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.
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 all
parties.
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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:
----------------------------------------
Name:
--------------------------------------
Title:
-------------------------------------
JANUS DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
--------------------------------------
Title:
-------------------------------------
MINNESOTA LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By:
----------------------------------------
Name:
--------------------------------------
Title:
-------------------------------------
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Schedule A
Separate Accounts and Associated Contracts
NAME OF SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND DATE CONTRACTS FUNDED BY SEPARATE
OF INCEPTION ACCOUNT POLICY FORM #
VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT MultiOption Flexible Annuity 84-9091,
(Established September 10, 1984) 92-9283,
MHC 92-9283
MultiOption Single Annuity 84-9092,
84-9093,
92-9284,
MHC 92-9284
MultiOption Select Annuity MHC 94-9307
MultiOption Classic Annuity 99-70016
MultiOption Achiever Annuity 99-70017
MegAnnuity 87-9154
MINNESOTA LIFE VARIABLE
UNIVERSAL LIFE ACCOUNT Variable Group Universal Life 94-18660
(Established August 8, 1994) Insurance
MINNESOTA LIFE VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT Variable Adjustable Life MHC 98-670
(Established October 21, 1985)
Variable Adjustable Life - Second Death MHC 98-690
Variable Adjustable Life (Horizon)
99-680
A-1
