EXHIBIT 1.A.(3)(a)
DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT - VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE CONTRACTS
AGREEMENT made this 1st day of February 1988, by and between The Prudential
Insurance Company of America, a New Jersey corporation ("Company"), on its own
behalf and on behalf of The Prudential Variable Life Insurance Account and The
Prudential Variable Appreciable Life Insurance Account (collectively,
"Accounts") and Pruco Securities Corporation, a New Jersey corporation
("Distributor").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Company has established and maintains The Prudential Variable
Life Insurance Account and The Prudential Variable Appreciable Life Insurance
Account, separate investment accounts, pursuant to the laws of New Jersey for
the purpose of selling scheduled premium variable life insurance contracts and
flexible premium variable life insurance contracts (collectively, "Contracts"),
respectively, to commence after the effectiveness of respective Registration
Statements filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form S-6
pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Account will be registered as a unit investment trust under
the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"); and
WHEREAS, Distributor is registered as a broker-dealer under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Securities Exchange Act") and is a member of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"); and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Distributor wish to enter into an agreement to
have the Distributor act as the Company's principal underwriter for the sale of
the Contracts through the Account;
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows:
1. Appointment of the Distributor
The Company agrees that during the term of this Agreement it will take all
action which is required to cause the Contracts to comply as an insurance
product and a registered security with all applicable federal and state laws and
regulations. The Company appoints the Distributor and the Distributor agrees to
act as the principal
II-12
-2-
underwriter for the sale of Contracts to the public, during the term of this
Agreement, in each state and other jurisdictions in which such Contracts may
lawfully be sold. Distributor shall offer the Contracts for sale and
distribution at premium rates set by the Company. Applications for the Contracts
shall be solicited only by representatives duly and appropriately licensed or
otherwise qualified for the sale of such Contracts in each state or other
jurisdiction. Company shall undertake to appoint Distributor's qualified
representatives as life insurance agents of Company. Completed applications for
Contracts shall be transmitted directly to the Company for acceptance or
rejection in accordance with underwriting rules established by the Company.
Initial premium payments under the Contracts shall be made by check payable to
the Company and shall be held at all times by Distributor or its representatives
in a fiduciary capacity and remitted promptly to the Company. Anything in this
Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company retains the ultimate
right to control the sale of the Contracts and to appoint and discharge life
insurance agents of the Company. The Distributor shall be held to the exercise
of reasonable care in carrying out the provisions of this Agreement.
2. Sales Agreements
Distributor is hereby authorized to enter into separate written agreements,
on such terms and conditions as Distributor may determine not inconsistent with
this Agreement, with one or more organizations which agree to participate in the
distribution of either or both of the Contracts. Such organization (hereafter
"Dealer") shall be both registered as a broker/dealer under the Securities
Exchange Act and a member of NASD. Dealer and its agents or representatives
soliciting applications for Contracts shall be duly and appropriately licensed,
registered or otherwise qualified for the sale of such Contracts (and the riders
and other policies offered in connection therewith) under the insurance laws and
any applicable blue-sky laws of each state or other jurisdiction in which the
Company is licensed to sell the Contracts.
Distributor shall have the responsibility for ensuring that Dealer
supervises its representatives. Dealer shall assume any legal responsibilities
of Company for the acts, commissions or defalcations of such representatives
insofar as they relate to the sale of the Contracts. Applications for Contracts
solicited by such Dealer through
II-13
-3-
its agents or representatives shall be transmitted directly to the Company, and
if received by Distributor, shall be forwarded to Company. All premium payments
under the Contracts shall be made by check to Company and, if received by
Distributor, shall be held at all times in a fiduciary capacity and remitted
promptly to Company.
3. Life Insurance Licensing
Company shall be responsible for insuring that Brokers are duly qualified,
under the insurance laws of the applicable jurisdictions, to sell the Contracts.
4. Suitability
Company wishes to ensure that Contracts sold by Distributor will be issued
to purchasers for whom the Contract will be suitable. Distributor shall take
reasonable steps to ensure that the various representatives appointed by it
shall not make recommendations to an applicant to purchase a contract in the
absence of reasonable grounds to believe that the purchase of the Contract is
suitable for such applicant. While not limited to the following, a determination
of suitability shall be based on information furnished to a representative after
reasonable inquiry of such applicant concerning the applicant's insurance and
investment objectives, financial situation and needs, and the likelihood that
the applicant will continue to make the premium payments contemplated by the
Contracts.
5. Promotion Materials
Company shall have the responsibility for furnishing to Distributor and its
representatives sales promotion materials and individual sales proposals related
to the sale of the Contracts. Distributor shall not use any such materials that
have not been approved by Company.
6. Compensation
Company shall arrange for the payment of commissions directly to those
registered representatives of Distributor who are entitled thereto in connection
with the sale of the Contracts on behalf of Distributor, in the amounts and on
such terms and conditions as Company and Distributor shall determine; provided
that such terms, conditions and commissions shall be as are set forth in or
II-14
-4-
as are not inconsistent with the Prospectus included as part of the Registration
Statement for the Contracts and effective under the 1933 Act.
Company shall arrange for the payment of commissions directly to those
Brokers who sell Contracts under agreements entered into pursuant to paragraph
2 hereof, in amounts as may be agreed to by the Company and specified in such
written agreements.
Company shall reimburse Distributor for the costs and expenses incurred by
Distributor in furnishing or obtaining the services, materials and supplies
required by the terms of this Agreement in the initial sales efforts and the
continuing obligations hereunder.
7. Records
Distributor shall have the responsibility for maintaining the records of
representatives licensed, registered and otherwise qualified to sell the
Contracts. Distributor shall maintain such other records as are required of it
by applicable laws and regulations. The books, accounts, and records of Company,
the Account and Distributor shall be maintained so as to clearly and accurately
disclose the nature and details of the transactions. All records maintained by
the Distributor in connection with this Agreement shall be the property of the
Company and shall be returned to the Company upon termination of this Agreement,
free from all claims or retention of rights by the Distributor. The Distributor
shall keep confidential any information obtained pursuant to this Agreement and
shall disclose such information, only if the Company has authorized such
disclosure, or if such disclosure is expressly required by applicable federal or
state regulatory authorities.
8. Investigation and Proceeding
(a) Distributor and Company agree to cooperate fully in any insurance
regulatory investigation or proceeding or judicial proceeding arising in
connection with the Contracts distributed under this Agreement. Distributor and
Company further agree to cooperate fully in any securities regulatory
investigation or proceeding with respect to Company, Distributor, their
affiliates and their agents or representatives to the extent that such
investigation or proceeding is in connection with Contracts
II-15
-5-
distributed under this Agreement. The Distributor shall furnish applicable
federal and state regulatory authorities with any information or reports in
connection with its services under this Agreement which such authorities may
request in order to ascertain whether the Company's operations are being
conducted in a manner consistent with any applicable law or regulations.
(b) In the case of a substantive customer complaint, Distributor and
Company will cooperate in investigating such complaint and any response to such
complaint will be sent to the other party to this Agreement for approval not
less than five business days prior to its being sent to the customer or
regulatory authority, except that if a more prompt response is required, the
proposed response shall be communicated by telephone or telegraph.
9. Termination
This Agreement shall terminate automatically upon its assignment without
the prior written consent of both parties. This Agreement may be terminated at
any time by either party on 60 days' written notice to the other party, without
the payment of any penalty. Upon termination of this Agreement all
authorizations, rights and obligations shall cease except the obligation to
settle accounts hereunder, including commissions on premiums subsequently
received for Contracts in effect at time of termination, and the agreements
contained in paragraph 8 hereof.
10. Regulation
This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act and the
Securities Exchange Act of the rules, regulations, and rulings thereunder and of
the applicable rules and regulations of the NASD, from time to time in effect,
and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance therewith.
11. Severability
If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a court
decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement shall not
be affected thereby.
II-16
-6-
12. Applicable Law
This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and
governed by the laws of the State of Arizona.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
THE PRUDENTIAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
OF AMERICA
BY:____________[signature]___________
Second Vice President
PRUCO SECURITIES CORPORATION
BY:____________[signature]___________
President
II-17
