AMENDED AND RESTATED
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
(FORMER TITLE: "AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE SHARES")
BETWEEN
THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE CO.
AND
LINCOLN NATIONAL EQUITY-INCOME FUND, INC.
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 1st day of July, 1998,
by and between Lincoln National Equity-Income Fund, Inc. a corporation
organized under the laws of Maryland (the "Fund"), and THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE
INSURANCE CO., an Indiana insurance corporation (the "Company"), on its own
behalf and on behalf of each separate account of the Company named in Schedule
1 to this Agreement as in effect at the time this Agreement is executed and such
other separate accounts that may be added to Schedule 1 from time to time in
accordance with the provisions of Article XI of this Agreement (each such
account referred to as the "Account"; collectively, the "Accounts").
WHEREAS, the Fund is engaged in business as an open-end
management investment company and was established for the purpose of serving as
the investment vehicle for separate accounts established for variable life
insurance policies and variable annuity contracts (collectively referred to as
"Variable Insurance Products," the owners of such products being referred to as
"Product owners") to be offered by insurance companies which have entered into
participation agreements with the Fund ("Participating Insurance Companies");
and
WHEREAS, the Fund filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and the SEC has declared effective a registration
statement (referred to herein as the "Fund Registration Statement" and the
prospectus contained therein, or filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act,
referred to herein as the "Fund Prospectus") on Form N-lA to register itself as
an open-end management investment company (File No. 811-3212) under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and the Fund shares
(File No. 2-80743) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has filed a registration statement with the
SEC to register under the 1933 Act (unless exempt therefrom) certain variable
annuity contracts and/or variable life insurance policies described in Schedule
2 to this Agreement as in effect at the time this Agreement is executed and such
other variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies which may
be added to Schedule 2 from time to time in accordance with Article XI of this
Agreement (such policies and contracts shall be referred to herein collectively
as the "Contracts," each such registration statement for a class or classes of
contracts listed on Schedule 2 being referred to as the "Contracts Registration
Statement" and the prospectus for each such class or classes being referred to
herein as the "Contracts Prospectus," and the owners of the such contracts, as
distinguished from all Product Owners, being referred to as "Contract Owners");
and
WHEREAS, each Account, a validly existing separate account, duly
authorized by the Company on the date set forth on Schedule 1, sets aside and
invests assets attributable to the Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will have registered each
Account with the SEC as a unit investment trust under the 1940 Act before any
Contracts are issued by that Account; and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares on behalf of each Account to
fund its Contracts and the Fund is authorized to sell such shares to unit
investment trusts such as the Accounts at net asset value;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the
Company and the Fund agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. SALE OF FUND SHARES
1.1. The Fund agrees to sell to the Company those shares which
the Company orders on behalf of the Account, executing such orders on a daily
basis in accordance with Section 1.4 of this Agreement.
1.2. The Fund agrees to make shares available for purchase by
the Company on behalf of the Account at the then applicable net asset value per
share on Business Days as defined in Section 1.4 of this Agreement, and the Fund
shall use its best efforts to calculate AND DELIVER such net asset value by 7:00
p.m., E.S.T., on each such Business Day. Notwithstanding any other provision in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Fund (the "Fund
Board") may suspend or terminate the offering of shares, if such action is
required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or if, in the
sole discretion of the Fund Board acting in good faith and in light of its
fiduciary duties under Federal and any applicable state laws, suspension or
termination is necessary and in the best interests of the shareholders (it
being understood that "shareholders" for this purpose shall mean Product
owners).
1.3. The Fund agrees to redeem, at the Company's request, any
full or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Account or the Company,
executing such requests at the net asset value on a daily basis (LL will expect
same day redemption wires unless unusual circumstances evolve which cause the
Fund to have to redeem securities) in accordance with Section 1.4 of this
Agreement, the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the then currently
effective Fund Prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may delay
redemption of Fund shares to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, any rules,
regulations or orders thereunder, or the then currently effective Fund
Prospectus.
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1.4 (a) For purposes of Sections 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3, the Company shall be
the agent of the Fund for the limited purpose of receiving redemption
and purchase requests from the Account (but not from the general
account of the Company), and receipt on any Business Day by the
Company as such limited agent of the Fund prior to the time
prescribed in the current Fund Prospectus (which as of the date of
execution of this Agreement is 4 p.m., E.S.T.) shall constitute
receipt by the Fund on that same Business Day, provided that the Fund
receives notice of such redemption or purchase request by 9:00 a.m.,
E.S.T. on the next following Business Day. For purposes of this
Agreement, "Business Day" shall mean any day on which the New York
Stock exchange is open for trading.
(b) The Company shall pay for the shares on the same day that it
places an order with the Fund to purchase those Fund shares for an
Account. Payment for Fund shares will be made by the Account or the
Company in Federal Funds transmitted to the Fund by wire to be
received by 11:00 a.m., E.S.T. on the day the Fund is properly
notified of the purchase order for shares. The Fund will confirm
receipt of each trade and these confirmations will be received by the
Company via Fax or Email by 3:00 p.m. E.S.T. If Federal Funds are
not received on time, such funds will be invested, and shares
purchased thereby will be issued, as soon as practicable.
(c) Payment for shares redeemed by the Account or the Company will
be made in Federal Funds transmitted to the Company by wire on the
same day the Fund is notified of the redemption order of shares,
except that the Fund reserves the right to delay payment of
redemption proceeds, but in no event may such payment be delayed
longer than the period permitted under Section 22(e) of the 0000 Xxx.
The Fund shall not bear any responsibility whatsoever for the proper
disbursement or crediting of redemption proceeds if securities must
be redeemed; the Company alone shall be responsible for such action.
1.5. Issuance and transfer of Fund 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 ledger for the Account or the appropriate subaccount of the Account.
1.6. The Fund shall furnish notice as soon as reasonably
practicable to the Company of any income dividends or capital gain distributions
payable on any shares. The Company, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account,
hereby elects to receive all such dividends and distributions as are payable on
any shares in the form of additional shares of that Fund. The Company reserves
the right, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account, to revoke this election
and to receive all such dividends in cash. The Fund shall notify the Company of
the number of shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions.
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1.7. The Fund shall use its best efforts to make the net asset
value per share available to the Company by 7:00 p.m., E.S.T. each Business Day,
and in any event, as soon as reasonably practicable after the net asset value
per share is calculated, and shall calculate such net asset value in accordance
with the then currently effective Fund Prospectus. The Fund shall not be liable
for any information provided to the Company pursuant to this Agreement which
information is based on incorrect information supplied by the Company to the
Fund.
1.8. (a) The Company may withdraw the Account's investment in the Fund
only: (i) as necessary to facilitate Contract owner requests; (ii)
upon a determination by a majority of the Fund Board, or a majority
of disinterested Fund Board members, that an irreconcilable material
conflict exists among the interests of (x) any Product Owners or (y)
the interests of the Participating Insurance Companies investing in
the Fund; (iii) upon requisite vote of the Contractowners having an
interest in the Fund to substitute the shares of another investment
company for shares in accordance with the terms of the Contracts;
(iv) as required by state and/or federal laws or regulations or
judicial or other legal precedent of general application; or (v) at
the Company's sole discretion, pursuant to an order of the SEC under
Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act.
(b) The parties hereto acknowledge that the arrangement
contemplated by this Agreement is not exclusive and that the Fund
shares may be sold to other insurance companies (subject to Section
1.9 hereof) and the cash value of the Contracts may be invested in
other investment companies.
(c) The Company shall not, without prior notice to the Fund
(unless otherwise required by applicable law), take any action to
operate the Accounts as management investment companies under the
0000 Xxx.
1.9. The Fund agrees that Fund shares will be sold only to Participating
Insurance Companies and their separate accounts. The Fund will not sell Fund
shares to any insurance company or separate account unless an agreement
complying with Article VII of this Agreement is in effect to govern such sales.
No Fund shares will be sold to the general public.
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1.The Company represents and warrants (a) that the Contracts
are registered under the 1933 Act or will be so registered before the issuance
thereof, (b) that the Contracts will be issued in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable Federal and state laws and (c) that the Company
will require of every person distributing the Contracts that the Contracts be
offered and sold in compliance in all material respects with all applicable
Federal and state laws. The Company further represents and warrants that it is
an insurance company duly organized and validly existing under applicable law
and that it has legally and validly authorized each Account as
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a separate account under Section 27-1-5-1 of the Indiana Insurance Code, and
has registered or, prior to the issuance of any Contracts, will register each
Account (unless exempt therefrom) as a unit investment trust in accordance with
the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a separate account for its Contracts,
and that it will maintain such registrations for so long as any Contracts issued
under them are outstanding.
2.2. 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 in accordance with applicable law and that the Fund is
and shall remain registered under the 1940 Act for so long as the Fund shares
are sold. The Fund further represents and warrants that it is a corporation
duly organized and in good standing under the laws of Maryland.
2.3. The Fund represents and warrants that it currently qualifies
as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Fund further represents and warrants
that it will make every effort to continue to qualify and to maintain such
qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar 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.
2.4. The Fund represents and warrants that it will comply with
Section 817(h) of the Code, and all regulations issued thereunder.
2.5. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently and
at the time of issuance will be treated as annuity contracts or life insurance
policies, whichever is appropriate, under applicable provisions of the Code.
The Company shall make every effort to maintain such treatment and shall notify
the Fund 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.
2.6. The Fund represents that the Fund's investment policies, fees
and expenses, and operations are and shall at all times remain in material
compliance with the laws of the state of Maryland, to the extent required to
perform this Agreement; and with any state- mandated investment restrictions set
forth on Schedule 3, as amended from time to time by the Company in accordance
with Section 6.6. The Fund, however, makes no representation as to whether any
aspect of its operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and
investment policies) otherwise complies with the insurance laws or regulations
of any state. The Company alone shall be responsible for informing the Fund of
any investment restrictions imposed by state insurance law and applicable to the
Fund.
2.7. The Fund represents and warrants that it has and maintains a
fidelity bond in accordance with Rule 17g-1 under the 1940 Act. The Fund will
immediately notify the Company in the event the fidelity bond coverage should
lapse at any time.
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ARTICLE III. PROSPECTUSES AND PROXY STATEMENTS; SALES MATERIAL AND OTHER
INFORMATION
3.1. The Fund shall provide the Company with as many copies of the
current Fund Prospectus as the Company may reasonably request. If requested by
the Company in lieu thereof, the Fund at its expense shall provide to the
Company a camera-ready copy, and electronic version, of the current Fund
Prospectus suitable for printing and other assistance as is reasonably necessary
in order for the Company to have a new Contracts Prospectus printed together
with the Fund Prospectus in one document. See Article V for a detailed
explanation of the responsibility for the cost of printing and distributing Fund
prospectuses.
3.2. The Fund Prospectus shall state that the Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund is available from the Fund and the Fund
shall provide such Statement free of charge to the Company and to any
outstanding or prospective Contract owner who requests such Statement.
3.3.(a) The Fund at its expense shall provide to the Company a
camera-ready copy of the Fund's shareholder reports and other
communications to shareholders (except proxy material), in each case
in a form suitable for printing, as determined by the Company. The
Fund shall be responsible for the costs of printing and distributing
these materials to Contract owners.
(b)The Fund at its expense shall be responsible for preparing,
printing and distributing its proxy material. The Company will
provide the appropriate Contractowner names and addresses to the Fund
for this purpose.
3.4. The Company shall furnish to the Fund, prior to its use, each
piece of sales literature or other promotional material in which the Fund is
named. No such material shall be used, except with the prior written permission
of the Fund. The Fund agrees to respond to any request for approval on a prompt
and timely basis. Failure of the Fund to respond within 10 days of the request
by the Company shall relieve the Company of the obligation to obtain the prior
written permission of the Fund.
3.5. The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund other
than the information or representations contained in the Fund Registration
Statement or Fund Prospectus, 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 sales literature or other promotional material approved by
the Fund, except with the prior written permission of the Fund. The Fund agrees
to respond to any request for permission on a prompt and timely basis. If the
Fund does not respond within 10 days of a request by the Company, then the
Company shall be relieved of the obligation to obtain the prior written
permission of the Fund.
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3.6. The Fund shall not give any information or make any
representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, the Account
or the Contracts other than the information or representations contained in the
Contracts Registration Statement or Contracts Prospectus, as such Registration
Statement and Prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in
published reports of the Account which are in the public domain or approved in
writing by the Company for distribution to Contract owners, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved in writing by the Company,
except with the prior written permission of the Company. The Company agrees to
respond to any request for permission on a prompt and timely basis. If the
Company fails to respond within 10 days of a request by the Fund, then the Fund
is relieved of the obligation to obtain the prior written permission of the
Company.
3.7. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete
copy of all Fund Registration Statements, Fund Prospectuses, Statements of
Additional Information, annual and semi-annual reports and other reports, proxy
statements, sales literature and other promotional materials, applications for
exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments or supplements to
any of the above, that relate to the Fund or Fund shares, within 20 days after
the filing of such document with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
3.8. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete
copy of all Contracts Registration Statements, Contracts Prospectuses,
Statements of Additional Information, Annual and Semi-annual Reports, sales
literature and other promotional materials, and all amendments or supplements to
any of the above, that relate to the Contracts, within 20 days after the filing
of such document with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
3.9. Each party will provide to the other party copies of draft
versions of any registration statements, prospectuses, statements of
additional information, reports, proxy statements, solicitations for voting
instructions, sales literature and other promotional materials, applications for
exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments or supplements
to any of the above, to the extent that the other party reasonably needs such
information for purposes of preparing a report or other filing to be filed with
or submitted to a regulatory agency. If a party requests any such information
before it has been filed, the other party will provide the requested information
if then available and in the version then available at the time of such request.
3.10. For purposes of this Article III, the phrase "sales literature or
other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, advertisements
(such as material published, or designed for use, in a newspaper, magazine or
other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape
display, computer net site, signs or billboards, motion pictures or other
public media), sales literature (I.E., any written communication distributed
or made generally available to customers or the public, in print or
electronically, including brochures, circulars, research reports, market
letters, form letters, seminar texts, or reprints or excerpts of any other
advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or
training materials or other communications distributed or made generally
available to some or all agents or employees, registration statements,
7
prospectuses, Statements of Additional Information, shareholder reports and
proxy materials, and any other material constituting sales literature or
advertising under NASD rules, the 1940 Act or the 1933 Act.
ARTICLE IV. Voting
4.1 Subject to applicable law and the requirements of Article
VII, the Fund shall solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
4.2 Subject to applicable law and the requirements of Article VII, the
Company shall:
(a) vote Fund shares attributable to Contract owners in
accordance with instructions or proxies received in timely fashion from
such Contract owners;
(b) vote Fund shares attributable to Contract owners for which no
instructions have been received in the same proportion as Fund shares of
such Series for which instructions have been received in timely fashion;
and
(c) vote Fund shares held by the Company on its own behalf or on
behalf of the Account that are not attributable to Contract owners
in the same proportion as Fund shares of such Series for which
instructions have been received in timely fashion.
The Company shall be responsible for assuring that voting privileges for the
Accounts are calculated in a manner consistent with the provisions set forth
above.
ARTICLE V. FEES AND EXPENSES
All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this
Agreement (including expenses expressly assumed by the Fund pursuant to this
Agreement) shall be paid by the Fund to the extent permitted by law. Except as
may otherwise be provided in Section 1.4 and Article VII of this Agreement, the
Company shall not bear any of the expenses for the cost of registration and
qualification of the Fund shares under Federal and any state securities law,
preparation and filing of the Fund Prospectus and Fund Registration Statement,
the preparation of all statements and notices required by any Federal or state
securities law, all taxes on the issuance or transfer of Fund shares, and any
expenses permitted to be paid or assumed by the Fund pursuant to a plan, if any,
under Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
The Fund is responsible for the cost of printing and
distributing Fund Prospectuses and SAIs to existing Contractowners. (If for
this purpose the Company decided to print the Fund Prospectuses and SAIs in a
booklet or separate booklets containing disclosure for the Contracts and for
underlying funds other than those of the Fund, then the Fund shall pay only
its proportionate share of the total cost to distribute the booklet to
existing Contractowners.)
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The Company is responsible for the cost of printing and
distributing Fund prospectuses and SAIs for new sales; and Account
Prospectuses and SAIs for existing Contractowners. The Company shall have
the final decision on choice of printer for all Prospectuses and SAIs.
ARTICLE VI. COMPLIANCE UNDERTAKINGS
6.1. The Fund undertakes to comply with Subchapter M and Section
817(h) of the Code, and all regulations issued thereunder.
6.2. The Company shall amend the Contracts Registration Statements
under the 1933 Act and the Account's Registration Statement under the 1940 Act
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 to the extent required by applicable
securities laws of the various states.
6.3. The Fund shall amend the Fund Registration Statement under
the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in order to effect
for so long as Fund shares are sold the continuous offering of Fund shares as
described in the then currently effective Fund Prospectus. The Fund shall
register and qualify Fund shares for sale to the extent required by applicable
securities laws of the various states.
6.4. The Company shall be responsible for assuring that any
prospectus offering a Contract that is a life insurance contract where it is
reasonably possible that such Contract would be deemed a "modified endowment
contract," as that term is defined in Section 7702A of the Code, will describe
the circumstances under which a Contract could be treated as a modified
endowment contract (or policy).
6.5. To the extent that it decides to finance distribution expenses
pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Fund undertakes to have a Fund Board of
Directors, a majority of whom are not interested persons of the Fund,
formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution
expenses.
6.6. (a) When appropriate in order to inform the Fund of any applicable
state-mandated investment restrictions with which the Fund must
comply, the Company shall arrange with the Fund to amend Schedule 3,
pursuant to the requirements of Article XI.
(b) Should the Fund become aware of any restrictions which may be
appropriate for inclusion in Schedule 3, the Company shall be
informed immediately of the substance of those restrictions.
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ARTICLE VII. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
7.1. The Company agrees to report to the Board of Directors of the
Fund (the "Board") any potential or existing conflicts between the interests of
Product Owners of all separate accounts investing in the Fund, and to assist the
Board in carrying out its responsibilities under Section 6e-3(T) of the 1940
Act, by providing all information reasonably necessary for the Board to consider
any issues raised, including information as to a decision to disregard voting
instructions of variable contract owners.
7.2. If a majority of the Board, or a majority of disinterested
Board Members, determines that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the
Board shall give prompt notice to all Participating Insurance Companies.
(a) If a majority of the whole Board, after notice to the Company
and a reasonable opportunity for the Company to appear before it and
present its case, determines that the Company is responsible for said
conflict, and if the Company agrees with that determination, the
Company shall, at its sole cost and expense, take whatever steps are
necessary to remedy the material irreconcilable conflict. These steps
could include: (i) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of
the affected Accounts from the Fund and reinvesting such assets in a
different investment vehicle, or submitting the question of whether
such segregation should be implemented to a vote of all affected
Contractowners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of any
particular group (i.e., variable annuity Contractowners, variable
life insurance policyowners, or variable Contractowners of one or
more Participating Insurance Companies) that votes in favor of such
segregation, or offering to the affected Contractowners the option of
making such a change; and (ii) establishing a new registered mutual
fund or management separate account; or (iii) taking such other
action as is necessary to remedy or eliminate the material
irreconcilable conflict.
(b) If the Company disagrees with the Board's determination, the
Company shall file a written protest with the Board, reserving its
right to dispute the determination as between just the Company and
the Fund and to seek reimbursement from the Fund for the reasonable
costs and expenses of resolving the conflict . After reserving that
right the Company, although disagreeing with the Board that it (the
Company) was responsible for the conflict, shall take the necessary
steps, under protest, to remedy the conflict, substantially in
accordance with paragraph (a) just above, for the protection of
Contractowners.
(c) As between the Company and the Fund, if within 45 days after
the Board's determination the Company elects to press the dispute, it
shall so notify the Board in writing. The parties shall then attempt
to resolve the matter amicably through negotiation by individuals
from each party who are authorized to settle the
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matter. If the matter has not been amicably resolved within 60 days
from the date of the Company's notice of its intent to press the
dispute, then before either party shall undertake to litigate the
dispute it shall be submitted to non-binding arbitration conducted
expeditiously in accordance with the CPR Rules for Non-Administered
Arbitration of Business Disputes, by a sole arbitrator; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if one party has requested the other party to seek an
amicable resolution and the other party has failed to participate, the
requesting party may initiate arbitration before expiration of the
60-day period set out just above.
If within 45 days of the commencement of the process to select an
arbitrator the parties cannot agree upon the arbitrator, then he or
she will be selected from the CPR Panels of Neutrals. The
arbitration shall be governed by the United States Arbitration Act, 9
U.S.C. Sec. 1-16. The place of arbitration shall be Fort Xxxxx,
Indiana. The Arbitrator is not empowered to award damages in excess
of compensatory damages.
(d) If the Board shall determine that the Fund or another was
responsible for the conflict, then the Board shall notify the Company
immediately of that determination. The Fund shall assure the Company
that it (the Fund) or that other Participating Insurance Company as
applicable, shall, at its sole cost and expense, take whatever steps
are necessary to eliminate the conflict.
(e) Nothing in Sections 7.2(b) or 7.2(c) shall constitute a waiver
of any right of action which the Company may have against other
Participating Insurance Companies for reimbursement of all or part of
the costs and expenses of resolving the conflict.
7.3. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of the
Company's decision to disregard Contractowner voting instructions and that
decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the
Company shall withdraw (without charge or penalty) the Account's investment in
the Fund, if the Fund so elects.
7.4. For purposes of this Article, a majority of the disinterested
members of the Board shall determine whether or not any proposed action
adequately remedies any irreconcilable conflict. However, in no event will the
Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for any variable contract,
nor will the Company be required to establish a new funding medium for any
Contract, if in either case an offer to do so has been declined by a vote of a
majority of affected Contractowners.
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ARTICLE VIII. INDEMNIFICATION
8.1. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY. The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and each person who controls or is
associated with the Fund (other than another Participating Insurance Company)
within the meaning of such terms under the federal securities laws and any
officer, trustee, director, employee or agent of the foregoing, against any and
all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several (including any
investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with,
and any amounts paid with the prior written consent of the Company in settlement
of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted), to which they or any
of them may become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Contracts Registration Statement, Contracts Prospectus, sales
literature or other promotional material for the Contracts or the
Contracts themselves (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 obligation to indemnify shall not apply if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or alleged omission
was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to the Company by the Fund (or a person
authorized in writing to do so on behalf of the Fund) for use in the
Contracts Registration Statement, Contracts Prospectus or in 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
(b) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact 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; or
(c) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in the Fund Registration Statement, Fund
Prospectus 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 and in
conformity with information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of
the Company; or
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(d) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to provide the
services and furnish the materials or to make any payments under the
terms of this Agreement; or
(e) arise out of any material breach by the Company of this
Agreement, including but not limited to any failure to transmit a
request for redemption or purchase of Fund shares on a timely basis
in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article I; or
(f) arise as a result of the Company's providing the Fund with
inaccurate information, which causes the Fund to calculate its Net
Asset Values incorrectly.
This indemnification will be in addition to any liability which the Company may
otherwise have; provided, however, that no party shall be entitled to
indemnification if such loss, claim, damage or liability is due to the willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the
party seeking indemnification.
8.2. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE FUND. The Fund agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company and each person who controls or is associated with
the Company within the meaning of such terms under the federal securities laws
and any officer, director, employee or agent of the foregoing, against any and
all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several (including any
investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with,
and any amounts paid with the prior written consent of the Fund in settlement
of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted), to which they or any
of them may become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Fund
Registration Statement, Fund Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) or sales literature or other promotional material
of the Fund, 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 obligation to indemnify shall not apply if such
statement or omission or alleged statement or alleged omission was
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in
writing by the Company to the Fund for use in the Fund Registration
Statement, Fund Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
or sales literature for the Fund or otherwise for use in connection
with the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
13
(b) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact made by the Fund (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 Distributor or the Fund or
persons under their control) or wrongful conduct of the Fund or
persons under its control with respect to the sale or distribution of
the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(c) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in the Contract's Registration
Statement, Contracts Prospectus or sales literature or other
promotional material for the Contracts (or any amendment 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 in writing by the
Fund to the Company (or a person authorized in writing to do so on
behalf of the Fund); or
(d) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement
(including, but not by way of limitation, a failure, whether
unintentional or in good faith or otherwise: (i) to comply with the
diversification requirements specified in Sections 2.4 and 6.1 in
Article VI of this Agreement; and (ii) to provide the Company with
accurate information sufficient for it to calculate its accumulation
and/or annuity unit values in timely fashion as required by law and
by the Contracts Prospectuses); or
(e) arise out of any material breach by the Fund of this Agreement.
This indemnification will be in addition to any liability which the Fund may
otherwise have; provided, however, that no party shall be entitled to
indemnification if such loss, claim, damage or liability is due to the willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the
party seeking indemnification.
8.3. INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURES. After receipt by a party
entitled to indemnification ("indemnified party") under this Article VIII of
notice of the commencement of any action, if a claim in respect thereof is to be
made by the indemnified party against any person obligated to provide
indemnification under this Article VIII ("indemnifying party"), such indemnified
party will notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof
as soon as practicable thereafter, provided that the omission to so notify the
indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability under this Article
VIII, except to the extent that the omission results in a failure of actual
notice to the indemnifying party and such indemnifying party is damaged solely
as a result of the failure to give such notice. The indemnifying party, upon
the request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
14
indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such
proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to
such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the
right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall
be at the expense of such indemnified party 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 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. APPLICABLE LAW
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the state of Indiana,
without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the
1933, 1934 and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder,
including such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC
may grant, and the terms hereof shall be limited, interpreted and construed in
accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. TERMINATION
10.1. This Agreement shall terminate:
(a) at the option of any party upon 120 days advance written
notice to the other parties; or
(b) at the option of the Company if shares of the Fund are not
available to meet the requirements of the Contracts as determined by
the Company. Prompt notice of the election to terminate for such
cause shall be furnished by the Company. Termination shall be
effective ten days after the giving of notice by the Company; or
15
(c) at the option of the Fund 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 operation of the Account, the administration of the
Contracts or the purchase of Fund shares;
(d) at the option of the Company upon institution of formal
proceedings against the Fund, the investment advisor or any
sub-investment advisor, by the NASD, the SEC, or any state securities
or insurance commission or any other regulatory body; or
(e) upon requisite vote of the Contract owners having an interest
in the Fund (unless otherwise required by applicable law) and written
approval of the Company, to substitute the shares of another
investment company for the corresponding shares of the Fund in
accordance with the terms of the Contracts; or
(f) at the option of the Fund in the event any of the Contracts
are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable
Federal and/or state law; or
(g) at the option of the Company or the Fund upon a determination
by a majority of the Fund Board, or a majority of disinterested Fund
Board members, that an irreconcilable material conflict exists among
the interests of (i) any Product owners or (ii) the interests of the
Participating Insurance Companies investing in the Fund; or
(h) at the option of the Company if the 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, based on an opinion of its counsel, that the
Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(i) at the option of the Company if the Fund fails to meet the
diversification requirements specified in Section 817(h) of the Code
and any regulations thereunder; or
(j) at the option of the Fund if the Contracts cease to qualify as
annuity contracts or life insurance policies, as applicable, under
the Code, or if the Fund reasonably believes that the Contracts may
fail to so qualify; or
(k) at the option of the Fund if the Fund shall determine, in its
sole judgment exercised in good faith, that either (1) the Company
shall have suffered a material adverse change in its business or
financial condition; or (2) the Company shall have been the subject
of material adverse publicity which is likely to have a
16
material adverse impact upon the business and operations of the Fund;
or
(l) at the option of the Company, if the Company shall determine,
in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that: (1) the Fund
shall have suffered a material adverse change in its business or
financial condition; or (2) the Fund shall have been the subject of
material adverse publicity which is likely to have a material adverse
impact upon the business and operations of the Company; or
(m) automatically upon the assignment of this Agreement
(including, without limitation, any transfer of the Contracts or the
Accounts to another insurance company pursuant to an assumption
reinsurance agreement) unless the non-assigning party consents
thereto or unless this Agreement is assigned to an affiliate of the
Company or the Fund, as the case may be.
10.2. NOTICE REQUIREMENT. Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.1,
no termination of this Agreement shall be effective unless and until the party
terminating this Agreement gives prior written notice to the other party
of its intent to terminate, which notice shall set forth the basis for such
termination. Furthermore:
(a) In the event that any termination is based upon the provisions
of Article VII or the provisions of Section 10.1(a) of this
Agreement, such prior written notice shall be given in advance of the
effective date of termination as required by such provisions; and
(b) in the event that any termination is based upon the provisions
of Section 10.1(c) or 10.1(d) of this Agreement, such prior written
notice shall be given at least ninety (90) days before the effective
date of termination, or sooner if required by law or regulation.
10.3. EFFECT OF TERMINATION
(a) Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to
Section 10.1 of this Agreement, the Fund will, at the option of the
Company, continue to make available additional Fund shares for so
long after the termination of this Agreement as the Company desires,
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, 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 Fund, redeem investments in the Fund and/or invest
in the Fund upon the making of additional purchase payments under the
Existing Contracts.
17
(b) If Fund shares continue to be made available after such
termination, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in effect
except for Section 10.1(a) and thereafter either the Fund or the
Company may terminate the Agreement, as so continued pursuant to this
Section 10.3, upon prior written notice to the other party, such
notice to be for a period that is reasonable under the circumstances
but, if given by the Fund, need not be for more than six months.
(c) The parties agree that this Section 10.3 shall not apply to
any termination made pursuant to Article VII, and the effect of such
Article VII termination shall be governed by the provisions set forth
or incorporated by reference therein.
ARTICLE XI. APPLICABILITY TO NEW ACCOUNTS AND NEW CONTACTS
The parties to this Agreement may amend the schedules to this
Agreement from time to time to reflect changes in or relating to the Contracts
and to add new classes of variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance
policies to be issued by the Company through new or existing Separate Accounts
investing in the Fund. The provisions of this Agreement shall be equally
applicable to each such separate account and each such class of contracts or
policies, unless the context otherwise requires. Any such amendment must be
signed by the parties and must bear an effective date for that amendment.
ARTICLE XII. NOTICES
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party(ies) at the address of such party(ies) set
forth below or at such other address as such party(ies) may from time to time
specify in writing to the other party.
If to the Fund:
Lincoln National Equity-Income Fund, Inc.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
If to the Company:
Lincoln National Life Insurance Co.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
18
ARTICLE XIII. MISCELLANEOUS
13.1. 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.
13.2. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
13.3. 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.
13.4. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the SEC, the
NASD 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.
13.5. Each party represents that the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate or trust action, as applicable, by
such party, and when so executed and delivered this Agreement will be the valid
and binding obligation of such party enforceable in accordance with its terms.
ARTICLE XIV. PRIOR AGREEMENTS
This Amended and Restated Fund Participation Agreement, as of its effective
date, hereby supersedes any and all prior agreements to purchase shares between
Lincoln Life and the Fund.
19
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this
Agreement to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized officer
on the date specified below.
LINCOLN NATIONAL EQUITY-INCOME FUND, INC.
Signature:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------------------
Title: President
---------------------------------------------------------------
LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE CO. (Company)
Signature:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Senior Vice President, Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
20
SCHEDULE 1
Lincoln National Equity-Income Fund, Inc.
Separate Accounts of Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
Investing in the Fund
As of July 1, 1998
LINCOLN NATIONAL VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT C
LINCOLN LIFE FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT K
LINCOLN LIFE VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT Q
LINCOLN NATIONAL VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT 53
21
SCHEDULE 2
Lincoln National Equity- Income Fund, Inc.
Variable Annuity Contracts
and Variable Life Insurance Policies
Supported by Separate Accounts
Listed on Schedule 1
As of July 1, 1998
MULTI FUND VARIABLE ANNUITY
EANNUITY
MULTI FUND VARIABLE LIFE
GROUP MULTI FUND
MULTI FUND - NON-REGISTERED
22
SCHEDULE 3
Lincoln National Equity-Income Fund, Inc.
State-mandated Investment Restrictions
Applicable to the Fund
As of July 1, 1998
The California Department of Insurance has established the following Guidelines
for an underlying portfolio of a Separate Account:
BORROWING. The borrowing limit for any FUND is 331/3 percent of total assets.
Entering into a reverse repurchase agreement shall be considered "borrowing" as
that term is used herein.
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS - DIVERSIFICATION
The diversification guidelines to be followed by international and global FUNDS
are as follows:
a. An international FUND or a global FUND is sufficiently diversified if
it is invested in a minimum of three different countries at all
times, and has invested no more than 50 percent of total assets in
any one second-tier country and no more than 25 percent of total
assets in any one third-tier country. First-tier countries are:
Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, France,
Canada, and Australia. Second-tier countries are all countries not in
the first or third tier. Third-tier countries are countries
identified as "emerging" or "developing" by the International Bank
for Reconstruction and Development ("World Bank") or International
Finance Corporation.
b. A regional FUND is sufficiently diversified if it is invested in a
minimum of three countries. The name of the fund must accurately
describe the FUND.
c. The name of the single country FUND must accurately describe the FUND.
d. An index FUND must substantially mirror the index.
23
