PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
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Among
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUNDS,
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FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
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and
AMERICAN FAMILY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
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THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 1st day of March, 2001
by and among AMERICAN FAMILY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, (hereinafter the
"Company"), a Wisconsin corporation, on its own behalf and on behalf of each
segregated asset account of the Company set forth on Schedule A hereto as may
be amended from time to time (each such account hereinafter referred to as
the "Account"); and FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION (hereinafter the
"Underwriter"), a Massachusetts corporation; and each of VARIABLE INSURANCE
PRODUCTS FUND, VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II and VARIABLE INSURANCE
PRODUCTS FUND III, each an unincorporated business trust organized under the
laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (each referred to hereinafter as
the "Fund").
RECITALS
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WHEREAS, each Fund engages in business as an open-end management
investment company and is available to act as the investment vehicle for
separate accounts established for variable life insurance policies and
variable annuity contracts (collectively, the "Variable Insurance Products")
to be offered by insurance companies which have entered into participation
agreements with the Fund and the Underwriter (hereinafter "Participating
Insurance Companies"); and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in each Fund is divided into several
series of shares, each representing the interest in a particular managed
portfolio of securities and other assets, any one or more of which may be
made available under this Agreement, as may be amended from time to time by
mutual agreement of the parties hereto (each such series hereinafter referred
to as a "Portfolio"); and
WHEREAS, each Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and
Exchange Commission, dated October 15, 1985 (File No. 812-6102) or September
17, 1986 (File No. 812-
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6422), granting Participating Insurance Companies and variable annuity and
variable life insurance separate accounts exemptions from the provisions of
sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and 15(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940,
as amended, (hereinafter the "1940 Act") and Rules 6e-2(b) (15) and 6e-3(T)
(b) (15) thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit shares of the Fund to
be sold to and held by variable annuity and variable life insurance separate
accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies
(hereinafter the "Shared Funding Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, each Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, Fidelity Management & Research Company (the "Adviser") is duly
registered as an investment adviser under the federal Investment Advisers Act
of 1940 and any applicable state securities law; and
WHEREAS, the variable life insurance and/or variable annuity products
identified on Schedule A hereto ("Contracts") have been or will be registered
by the Company under the 1933 Act, unless such Contracts are exempt from
registration thereunder; and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Company, on the date shown for such Account on Schedule A hereto, to set
aside and invest assets attributable to the aforesaid Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a
unit investment trust under the 1940 Act, unless such Account is exempt from
registration thereunder; and
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is registered as a broker dealer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended, (hereinafter the "1934 Act"), and is a member in good
standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (hereinafter
"NASD"); and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios on
behalf of each Account to fund certain of the aforesaid Contracts and the
Underwriter is authorized to sell such shares to each Account at net asset
value;
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AGREEMENT
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NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company,
the Underwriter and each Fund agree as follows:
ARTICLE A. FORM OF AGREEMENT
Although the parties have executed this Agreement in the form of a
Master Participation Agreement for administrative convenience, this Agreement
shall create a separate participation agreement for each Fund, as though the
Company and the Distributor had executed a separate, identical form of
participation agreement with each Fund. No rights, responsibilities or
liabilities of any Fund shall be attributed to any other Fund.
ARTICLE I. SALE OF FUND SHARES
1.1. The Underwriter agrees to sell to the Company those shares of the
Fund which each Account orders, executing such orders on a daily basis at the
net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or its designee of
the order for the shares of the Fund. For purposes of this Section 1.1, the
Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of such orders from
each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the
Fund; provided that the Fund receives notice of such order by 10:00 a.m.
Boston time on the next following Business Day and provided that all orders
for the purchase and redemption of Fund shares on behalf of the Accounts will
be placed by the Company with the Fund or its transfer agent by electronic
transmission. "Business Day" shall mean any day on which the New York Stock
Exchange is open for trading and on which the Fund calculates its net asset
value pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.2. The Fund agrees to make its shares available indefinitely for
purchase at the applicable net asset value per share by the Company and its
Accounts on those days on which the Fund calculates its net asset value
pursuant to rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund
shall use reasonable efforts to calculate such net asset value on each day
which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Board of Trustees of the Fund (hereinafter the "Board") 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 Board 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 Contract Owners invested in such Portfolio.
1.3. The Fund and the Underwriter agree that shares of the Fund will be
sold only to Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts.
No shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general public.
1.4. The Fund and the Underwriter will not sell Fund shares to any
insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing
provisions substantially the same as
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Articles I, III, V, VII and Section 2.5 of Article II of this Agreement is in
effect to govern such sales.
1.5. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, on the Company's request, any
full or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Company, executing such
requests on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt
by the Fund or its designee of the request for redemption. For purposes of
this Section 1.5, the Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt
of requests for redemption from each Account and receipt by such designee
shall constitute receipt by the Fund; provided that the Fund receives notice
of such request for redemption on the next following Business Day in
accordance with section 1.1, above.
1.6. The Company agrees that purchases and redemptions of Portfolio
shares offered by the then current prospectus of the Fund shall be made in
accordance with the provisions of such prospectus. The Company agrees that
all net amounts available under the Contracts shall be invested in the Fund,
in such other Funds advised by the Adviser as may be mutually agreed to in
writing by the parties hereto, or in the Company's general account, provided
that such amounts may also be invested in an investment company other than
the Fund if (a) such other investment company, or series thereof, has
investment objectives or policies that are substantially different from the
investment objectives and policies of all the Portfolios of the Fund; or (b)
the Company gives the Fund and the Underwriter 45 days written notice of its
intention to make such other investment company available as a funding
vehicle for the Contracts; or (c) such other investment company was available
as a funding vehicle for the Contracts prior to the date of this Agreement
and the Company so informs the Fund and Underwriter prior to their signing
this Agreement (a list of such funds appearing on Schedule C to this
Agreement); or (d) the Fund or Underwriter consents to the use of such other
investment company.
1.7. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next Business Day
after an order to purchase Fund shares is made in accordance with the
provisions of Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds
transmitted by wire. For purposes of Sections 2.10 and 2.11, upon receipt by
the Fund of the federal funds so wired, such funds shall cease to be the
responsibility of the Company and shall become the responsibility of the Fund.
1.8. Issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or any Account.
Shares ordered from the Fund will be recorded in an appropriate title for
each Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.9. The Fund shall furnish same day notice (by wire or telephone,
followed by written confirmation) to the Company of any income, dividends or
capital gain distributions payable on the Fund's shares. The Company hereby
elects to receive all such income dividends and capital gain distributions as
are payable on the Portfolio shares in additional shares of that Portfolio.
The Company reserves the right to revoke this election and to receive all
such income dividends and capital gain distributions 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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1.10. The Fund shall make the net asset value per share for each
Portfolio available to the Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably
practical after the net asset value per share is calculated (normally by 6:30
p.m. Boston time) and shall use its best efforts to make such net asset value
per share available by 7 p.m. Boston time. If the Fund is unable to meet the
7:00 p.m. time stated herein, it shall provide reasonable additional time for
the Company to place orders for the purchase and redemption of shares, so
long as such additional time period does not prejudice shareholders generally.
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are or will
be registered under the 1933 Act or are exempt from registration thereunder;
that the Contracts will be issued and sold in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable Federal and State laws and that the sale of the
Contracts shall comply in all material respects with state insurance
suitability requirements. The Company further represents and warrants that it
is an insurance company duly organized and in good standing under applicable
law and that it has legally and validly established each Account prior to any
issuance or sale thereof as a segregated asset account under the Wisconsin
Insurance Code and that each Account is either registered or exempt from
registration as a unit investment trust in accordance with the provisions of
the 1940 Act to serve as a segregated investment account for the Contracts.
2.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant to
this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin and
all applicable federal and state securities laws and that the Fund is and
shall remain registered under the 0000 Xxx. The Fund shall amend the
Registration Statement for its shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act
from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous offering of
its shares. The Fund shall register and qualify the shares for sale in
accordance with the laws of the various states only if and to the extent
deemed advisable by the Fund or the Underwriter.
2.3. The Fund represents that it is currently qualified as a Regulated
Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended, (the "Code") and that it will make every effort 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. Subject to the Fund's compliance with applicable diversification
requirements under this Agreement, the Company represents that the Contracts
are currently or will upon issuance be treated as endowment, life insurance
or annuity insurance contracts, under applicable provisions of the Code and
that it will make every effort to maintain such treatment and that it will
notify the Fund and the Underwriter immediately upon having a reasonable
basis for
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believing that the Contracts have ceased to be so treated or that they might
not be so treated in the future.
2.5. (a) With respect to Initial Class shares, the Fund currently does
not intend to make any payments to finance distribution expenses pursuant to
Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act or otherwise, although it may make such
payments in the future. The Fund has adopted a "no fee" or "defensive" Rule
12b-1 Plan under which it makes no payments for distribution expenses. To the
extent that it decides to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule
12b-1, the Fund undertakes to have a board of trustees, a majority of whom
are not interested persons of the Fund, formulate and approve any plan under
Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution expenses.
(b) With respect to Service Class shares and Service Class 2
shares, the Fund has adopted Rule 12b-1 Plans under which it makes payments
to finance distribution expenses. The Fund represents and warrants that it
has a board of trustees, a majority of whom are not interested persons of the
Fund, which has formulated and approved each of its Rule 12b-1 Plans to
finance distribution expenses of the Fund and that any changes to the Fund's
Rule 12b-1 Plans will be approved by a similarly constituted board of
trustees.
2.6. The Fund makes no representation as to whether any aspect of its
operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and investment
policies) complies with the insurance laws or regulations of the various
states except that the Fund represents that the Fund's investment policies,
fees and expenses are and shall at all times remain in compliance with the
laws of the State of Wisconsin and the Fund and the Underwriter represent
that their respective operations are and shall at all times remain in
material compliance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin to the extent
required to perform this Agreement.
2.7. The Underwriter represents and warrants that it is duly organized
and in good standing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The
Underwriter 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 Underwriter
further represents that it will sell and distribute the Fund shares in
accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and all
applicable state and federal securities laws, including without limitation
the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and the 0000 Xxx.
2.8. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly
existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it does
and will comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.9. The Underwriter represents and warrants that the Adviser is and
shall remain duly registered in all material respects under all applicable
federal and state securities laws and that the Adviser shall perform its
obligations for the Fund in compliance in all material respects with the laws
of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and any applicable state and federal
securities laws.
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2.10. The Fund and Underwriter represent and warrant that all of their
directors, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other
individuals/entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are
and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or
similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund in an amount not less than the
minimal coverage as required currently by Rule 17g-(1) of the 1940 Act or
related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time. The aforesaid
Bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued
by a reputable bonding company.
2.11. The Company represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/entities
dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are covered by a blanket
fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund, and that said
bond is issued by a reputable bonding company, includes coverage for larceny
and embezzlement, and is in an amount not less than $5 million. The Company
agrees to make all reasonable efforts to see that this bond or another bond
containing these provisions is always in effect, and agrees to notify the
Fund and the Underwriter in the event that such coverage no longer applies.
ARTICLE III. PROSPECTUSES AND PROXY STATEMENTS; VOTING
3.1. The Underwriter shall provide the Company with as many printed
copies of the Fund's current prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information as the Company may reasonably request. If requested by the
Company in lieu thereof, the Fund shall provide camera-ready film containing
the Fund's prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, and such other
assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Company once each year
(or more frequently if the prospectus and/or Statement of Additional
Information for the Fund is amended during the year) to have the prospectus,
private offering memorandum or other disclosure document ("Disclosure
Document") for the Contracts and the Fund's prospectus printed together in
one document, and to have the Statement of Additional Information for the
Fund and the Statement of Additional Information for the Contracts printed
together in one document. Alternatively, the Company may print the Fund's
prospectus and/or its Statement of Additional Information in combination with
other fund companies' prospectuses and statements of additional information.
Except as provided in the following three sentences, all expenses of printing
and distributing Fund prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information
shall be the expense of the Company. For prospectuses and Statements of
Additional Information provided by the Company to its existing owners of
Contracts in order to update disclosure annually as required by the 1933 Act
and/or the 1940 Act, the cost of printing shall be borne by the Fund. If the
Company chooses to receive camera-ready film in lieu of receiving printed
copies of the Fund's prospectus, the Fund will reimburse the Company in an
amount equal to the product of A and B where A is the number of such
prospectuses distributed to owners of the Contracts, and B is the Fund's per
unit cost of typesetting and printing the Fund's prospectus. The same
procedures shall be followed with respect to the Fund's Statement of
Additional Information.
The Company agrees to provide the Fund or its designee with such
information as may be reasonably requested by the Fund to assure that the
Fund's expenses do not include the
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cost of printing any prospectuses or Statements of Additional Information
other than those actually distributed to existing owners of the Contracts.
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the Statement of Additional
Information for the Fund is available from the Underwriter or the Company (or
in the Fund's discretion, the Prospectus shall state that such Statement is
available from the Fund).
3.3. The Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Company with copies of
its proxy statements, reports to shareholders, and other communications
(except for prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information, which are
covered in Section 3.1) to shareholders in such quantity as the Company shall
reasonably require for distributing to Contract owners.
3.4. If and to the extent required by law the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the Fund shares in accordance with instructions received
from Contract owners; and
(iii) vote Fund shares for which no instructions have been received
in a particular separate account in the same proportion as
Fund shares of such portfolio for which instructions have
been received in that separate account,
so long as and to the extent that the Securities and Exchange Commission
continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges
for variable contract owners. The Company reserves the right to vote Fund
shares held in any segregated asset account in its own right, to the extent
permitted by law. Participating Insurance Companies shall be responsible for
assuring that each of their separate accounts participating in the Fund
calculates voting privileges in a manner consistent with the standards set
forth on Schedule B attached hereto and incorporated herein by this
reference, which standards will also be provided to the other Participating
Insurance Companies.
3.5. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act requiring
voting by shareholders, and in particular the Fund will either provide for
annual meetings or comply with Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act (although the
Fund is not one of the trusts described in Section 16(c) of that Act) as well
as with Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable, 16(b). Further, the Fund
will act in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's
interpretation of the requirements of Section 16(a) with respect to periodic
elections of trustees and with whatever rules the Commission may promulgate
with respect thereto.
ARTICLE IV. SALES MATERIAL AND INFORMATION
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material in which the Fund or its investment adviser or the Underwriter is
named, at least fifteen Business Days prior to its use.
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No such material shall be used if the Fund or its designee reasonably objects
to such use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such material.
Notwithstanding that the Fund or its designee did not initially object, the
Fund, the Underwriter, or its designee reserves the right to reasonably
object to the continued use of any such sales literature or other promotional
material in which the Fund or the Advisor or the Underwriter is named, and no
such material shall be used if the Fund, the Underwriter, or its designee so
object.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund in
connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the
Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the
Fund or its designee or by the Underwriter, except with the permission of the
Fund or the Underwriter or the designee of either.
4.3. The Fund, Underwriter, or its designee shall furnish, or shall
cause to be furnished, to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales
literature or other promotional material in which the Company and/or its
separate account(s), is named at least fifteen Business Days prior to its
use. No such material shall be used if the Company or its designee reasonably
objects to such use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such
material. Notwithstanding that the Company did not initially object, the
Company reserves the right to object at any time thereafter to the continued
use of any such sales literature or other promotional material in which the
Company is named, and no such material shall be used thereafter if the
Company so objects.
4.4. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not give any information or make
any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, each
Account, or the Contracts other than the information or representations
contained in a registration statement or Disclosure Document for the
Contracts, as such registration statement or Disclosure Document may be
amended or supplemented from time to time, or in published reports for each
Account which are in the public domain or approved by the Company for
distribution to Contract owners, or in sales literature or other promotional
material approved by the Company or its designee, except with the permission
of the Company.
4.5. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of
all registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional
Information, reports, proxy statements, sales literature and other
promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no-action
letters, and notices, orders or responses relating thereto and all
supplements and amendments to any of the above, that relate to the Fund or
its shares, contemporaneously with the filing of such document with, or
issuance of such documents by, the Securities and Exchange Commission or the
NASD.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of
all registration statements, Disclosure Documents, Statements of Additional
Information, reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature
and other promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no
action letters and notices, orders or responses relating thereto,
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and all supplements and amendments to any of the above, that relate to the
Contracts or each Account, contemporaneously with the filing of such document
with, or issuance of such documents by, the SEC or the NASD or, if a Contract
and its associated Account are exempt from registration, at the time such
documents are first published.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales literature or
other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, any of the
following that refer to the Fund or any affiliate of the Fund: advertisements
(such as material published, or designed for use in, a newspaper, magazine,
or other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording,
videotape display, signs or billboards, motion pictures, telephone
directories (other than routine listings), electronic or other public media),
sales literature (I.E., any written communication distributed or made
generally available to customers or the public, including brochures,
circulars, research reports, market letters, performance reports or
summaries, form letters, telemarketing scripts, seminar texts, 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, and registration
statements, Disclosure Documents, Statements of Additional Information,
shareholder reports, and proxy materials.
ARTICLE V. FEES AND EXPENSES
5.1. The Fund and Underwriter shall pay no fee or other compensation to
the Company under this agreement, except that if the Fund or any Portfolio
adopts and implements a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution
expenses, then the Underwriter may make payments to the underwriter for the
Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the Underwriter in writing and such
payments will be made out of existing fees otherwise payable to the
Underwriter, past profits of the Underwriter or other resources available to
the Underwriter. No such payments shall be made directly by the Fund.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this
Agreement shall be paid by the Fund. The Fund shall be responsible for
ensuring that all its shares are registered and authorized for issuance in
accordance with applicable federal law and, if and to the extent deemed
advisable by the Fund, in accordance with applicable state laws prior to
their sale. The Fund shall bear the expenses for the cost of registration and
qualification of the Fund's shares, preparation and filing of the Fund's
prospectus and registration statement, proxy materials and reports, setting
the prospectus in type, setting in type and printing the proxy materials and
reports to shareholders (including the costs of printing a prospectus that
constitutes an annual report), the preparation of all statements and notices
required by any federal or state law, and all taxes on the issuance or
transfer of the Fund's shares.
5.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Fund's
prospectus and reports to owners of Contracts issued by the Company. The Fund
shall bear the costs of soliciting Fund proxies from Contract owners,
including the costs of mailing proxy materials and tabulating proxy voting
instructions, not to exceed the costs charged by any service provider engaged
by the Fund for this purpose. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not be
responsible for
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the costs of any proxy solicitations of the Company, the Accounts, the
Contracts or mutual funds other than the Fund. The Fund and the Underwriter
shall not seek to hold the Company responsible for the costs of soliciting
Fund proxies.
ARTICLE VI. DIVERSIFICATION
6.1. The Fund will at all times invest money from the Contracts in such
a manner as to ensure that the Contracts will be treated as variable
contracts under the Code and the regulations issued thereunder. Without
limiting the scope of the foregoing, the Fund will at all times comply with
Section 817(h) of the Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5, relating to the
diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life
insurance contracts and any amendments or other modifications to such Section
or Regulations. In the event of a breach of this Article VI by the Fund, it
will take all reasonable steps (a) to notify Company of such breach and (b)
to adequately diversify the Fund so as to achieve compliance within the grace
period afforded by Regulation 1.817-5.
ARTICLE VII. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
7.1. The Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
separate accounts investing in the Fund. An irreconcilable material conflict
may arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state
insurance regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state
insurance, tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling,
private letter ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar
action by insurance, tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an
administrative or judicial decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the
manner in which the investments of any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a
difference in voting instructions given by variable annuity contract and
variable life insurance contract owners; or (f) a decision by an insurer to
disregard the voting instructions of contract owners. The Board shall
promptly inform the Company if it determines that an irreconcilable material
conflict exists and the implications thereof.
7.2. The Company will report any potential or existing conflicts of
which it is aware to the Board. The Company will assist the Board in carrying
out its responsibilities under the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, by
providing the Board with all information reasonably necessary for the Board
to consider any issues raised. This includes, but is not limited to, an
obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever contract owner voting
instructions are disregarded.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of
its disinterested trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists,
the Company and other Participating Insurance Companies shall, at their
expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority
of the disinterested trustees), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy
or eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1),
withdrawing
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the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts from the Fund or
any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment medium,
including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund, or submitting
the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote of all
affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of any
appropriate group (I.E., annuity contract owners, life insurance contract
owners, or variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance
Companies) that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the
affected contract owners the option of making such a change; and (2),
establishing a new registered management investment company or managed
separate account.
7.4. 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 Fund's election, to withdraw the affected
Account's investment in the Fund 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 members of the
Board. Any such withdrawal and termination must take place within six (6)
months after the Fund gives written notice that this provision is being
implemented, and until the end of that six month period the Underwriter and
Fund shall continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the
purchase (and redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.5. 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 Fund and terminate this Agreement with
respect to such Account within six months after the Board informs the Company
in writing that it has determined that such decision has created an
irreconcilable material conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested
members of the Board. Until the end of the foregoing six month period, the
Underwriter and Fund shall continue to accept and implement orders by the
Company for the purchase (and redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.6 of this Agreement, a
majority of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether
any proposed action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict,
but in no event will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium
for the Contracts. The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 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 Board
determines that any proposed action does not adequately remedy any
irreconcilable material conflict, then the Company will withdraw the
Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement within six (6)
months after the Board informs the Company in writing of the foregoing
determination, provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall
be limited to the extent required
12
by any such material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of
the disinterested members of the Board.
7.7. 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 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared
funding (as defined in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and
conditions materially different from those contained in the Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, then (a) the Fund 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; and (b) Sections 3.4, 3.5, 7.1, 7.2,
7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 of this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the
extent that terms and conditions substantially identical to such Sections are
contained in such Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. INDEMNIFICATION
8.1. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY
8.1(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and
each trustee of the Board and officers and each person, if any, who controls
the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.1) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement
with the written consent of the Company) or litigation (including legal and
other expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under
any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or
settlements are related to the sale or acquisition of, or investment in, the
Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or
alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained in the
Disclosure Documents for the Contracts or contained in the Contracts or
advertisement or sales literature for the Contracts (or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided that this agreement to indemnify shall
not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or
such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
the Fund for use in any Disclosure Document relating to the Contracts or
in the Contracts or advertisement or sales literature (or any amendment
or supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the
Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the registration
statement, prospectus or
13
sales literature 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
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, prospectus, or
advertisement or sales literature 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 if such a 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
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to provide
the services and furnish the materials under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement
by the Company,
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.1(b) and
8.1(c) hereof.
8.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
litigation incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may
arise from such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason
of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under
this Agreement or to the Fund, whichever is applicable.
8.1(c). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Company in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice
of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company
of any such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it
may have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought
otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such
action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, the Company shall be
entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense of such action.
The Company also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After notice from the
Company to such party of the Company's election to assume the defense
thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Company will not be liable to such
party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation.
14
8.1(d). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with
the issuance or sale of the Fund Shares or the Contracts or the operation of
the Fund.
8.2. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE UNDERWRITER
8.2(a). The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
(collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.2)
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts
paid in settlement with the written consent of the Underwriter) or litigation
(including legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may
become subject under any statute, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect
thereof) or settlements are related to the sale or acquisition of, or
investment in, the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in
the registration statement or prospectus or advertisement or
sales literature of the Fund (or any amendment or supplement
to any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, provided that
this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such
alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and
in conformity with information furnished to the Underwriter
or Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the
registration statement or prospectus for the Fund or
advertisement or in sales literature (or any amendment or
supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale
of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the
Registration Statement, prospectus or sales literature for
the Contracts not supplied by the Underwriter or persons
under its control) or wrongful conduct of the Fund, Adviser
or Underwriter or persons under their control, with respect
to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares;
or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in a Disclosure
Document or advertisement or sales literature covering the
Contracts, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto,
or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if
such statement or omission was made
15
in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund; or
(iv) 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 a failure to comply with the
diversification requirements specified in Article VI of this
Agreement, or to comply with Section 2.3 of this Agreement);
or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter in
this Agreement or arise out of or result from any other
material breach of this Agreement by the Underwriter;
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.2(b) and
8.2(c) hereof.
8.2(b). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
litigation to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason
of such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason
of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties
under this Agreement or to each Company or the Account, whichever is
applicable.
8.2(c). The Underwriter shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Underwriter in writing within
a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice
of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the
Underwriter of any such claim shall not relieve the Underwriter from any
liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action
is brought otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision. In
case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, the
Underwriter will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense thereof. The Underwriter also shall be entitled to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After
notice from the Underwriter to such party of the Underwriter's election to
assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Underwriter will
not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with
the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its
officers or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the
Contracts or the operation of each Account.
8.3. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE FUND
16
8.3(a). The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and
each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.3) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement
with the written consent of the Fund) or litigation (including legal and
other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any
statute, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages,
liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements result
from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Board or
any member thereof, are related to the operations of the Fund and:
(i) 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 a failure to comply with the
diversification requirements specified in Article VI of this
Agreement);or
(ii) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Fund in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Fund;
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.3(b) and
8.3(c) hereof.
8.3(b). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
litigation incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may
arise from such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason
of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties
under this Agreement or to the Company, the Fund, the Underwriter or each
Account, whichever is applicable.
8.3(c). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Fund in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice
of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Fund of
any such claim shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which it may
have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise
than on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is
brought against the Indemnified Parties, the Fund will be entitled to
participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Fund also shall
be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the
party named in the action. After notice from the Fund to such party of the
Fund's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the
Fund will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation.
17
8.3(d). The Company and the Underwriter agree promptly to notify the
Fund of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any
of its respective officers or directors in connection with this Agreement,
the issuance or sale of the Contracts, with respect to the operation of
either Account, or the sale or acquisition of shares of the Fund.
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 Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
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
Securities and Exchange Commission may grant (including, but not limited to,
the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) and the terms hereof shall be interpreted
and construed in accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. TERMINATION
10.1. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the
first to occur of:
(a) termination by any party for any reason by sixty (60) days advance
written notice delivered to the other parties; or
(b) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio based upon the Company's
determination that shares of such Portfolio are not reasonably
available to meet the requirements of the Contracts; or
(c) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event any of the
Portfolio's shares are not registered, issued or sold in accordance
with applicable state and/or federal law or such law precludes the
use of such shares as the underlying investment media of the
Contracts issued or to be issued by the Company; or
(d) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that such
Portfolio ceases to qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under
Subchapter M of the Code or under any successor or similar
provision, or if the Company reasonably believes that the Fund may
fail to so qualify; or
18
(e) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter with respect to any Portfolio in the event that such
Portfolio fails to meet the diversification requirements specified
in Article VI hereof; or
(f) termination by either the Fund or the Underwriter by written notice
to the Company, if either one or both of the Fund or the
Underwriter respectively, shall determine, in their sole judgment
exercised in good faith, that the Company and/or its affiliated
companies has suffered a material adverse change in its business,
operations, financial condition or prospects since the date of this
Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity; or
(g) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Underwriter, if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment
exercised in good faith, that either the Fund, the Adviser or the
Underwriter has suffered a material adverse change in its business,
operations, financial condition or prospects since the date of this
Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity; or
(h) termination by any party by written notice upon the institution of
formal proceedings against the Company, the Fund, the Adviser or
the Underwriter by the NASD, the SEC or other regulatory body; or
(i) termination by any party by advance written notice upon the
"assignment" of the Agreement (as defined under the 0000 Xxx)
unless made with the written consent of each party to the
Agreement; or
(j) termination by any party in the event of a material breach of this
Agreement by another party which breach remains uncured after
thirty days following written notice thereof.
10.2. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Fund and
the Underwriter shall at the option of the Company, continue to make
available additional shares of the Fund pursuant to the terms and conditions
of this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the effective date of
termination of this Agreement (hereinafter referred to as "Existing
Contracts"). Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the Existing
Contracts shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the Fund, redeem
investments in the Fund and/or invest in the Fund upon the making of
additional purchase payments under the Existing Contracts. The parties agree
that this Section 10.2 shall not apply to any terminations under Article VII
and the effect of such Article VII terminations shall be governed by Article
VII of this Agreement.
10.3. The provisions of Articles II (Representations and Warranties),
VIII (Indemnification), IX (Applicable Law) and XII (Miscellaneous) shall
survive termination of this Agreement. In addition, all other applicable
provisions of this Agreement shall survive termination as long as shares of
the Fund are held on behalf of Contract owners in accordance
19
with section 10.2, except that the Fund and Underwriter shall have no further
obligation to make Fund shares available in Contracts issued after
termination.
10.4. The Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the
Contracts (as opposed to Fund shares attributable to the Company's assets
held in the Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract Owner
initiated or approved transactions, or (ii) as required by state and/or
federal laws or regulations or judicial or other legal precedent of general
application (hereinafter referred to as a "Legally Required Redemption") or
(iii) as permitted by an order of the SEC pursuant to Section 26(b) of the
1940 Act. For the purposes of clause (i) above, "Contract Owner initiated or
approved transactions" shall be deemed to include any redemptions required by
the Contracts as a result of Contract Owner actions. Upon request, the
Company will promptly furnish to the Fund and the Underwriter the opinion of
counsel for the Company (which counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to
the Fund and the Underwriter) to the effect that any redemption pursuant to
clause (ii) above is a Legally Required Redemption. Furthermore, except in
cases where permitted under the terms of the Contracts, the Company shall not
prevent Contract Owners from allocating payments to a Portfolio that was
otherwise available under the Contracts without first giving the Fund or the
Underwriter 60 days notice of its intention to do so.
ARTICLE XI. NOTICES
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail or overnight mail through a nationally-recognized delivery
service 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 Fund:
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
If to the Company:
American Family Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
Xxxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxxxx
If to the Underwriter:
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
ARTICLE XII. MISCELLANEOUS
20
12.1 All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the property
of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as neither the
Board, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal liability for
obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund.
12.2 Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory
authority, each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and
addresses of the owners of the Contracts and all information reasonably
identified as confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except
as permitted by this Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize
such names and addresses and other confidential information until such time
as it may come into the public domain without the express written consent of
the affected party.
12.3 The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof
or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
12.4 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
12.5 If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by
a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement
shall not be affected thereby.
12.6 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. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, each
party hereto further agrees to furnish the California Insurance Commissioner
with any information or reports in connection with services provided under
this Agreement which such Commissioner may request in order to ascertain
whether the insurance operations of the Company are being conducted in a
manner consistent with the California Insurance Regulations and any other
applicable law or regulations. Nothing in this paragraph shall require a
party to waive any rights or privileges to which they are legally entitled.
12.7 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.
12.8. This Agreement or any of the rights and obligations hereunder may
not be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of all parties
hereto; provided, however, that the Underwriter may assign this Agreement or
any rights or obligations hereunder to any affiliate of or company under
common control with the Underwriter, if such assignee is duly organized,
licensed and registered to perform the obligations of the Underwriter under
this Agreement. The Company shall promptly notify the Fund and the
Underwriter of any change in control of the Company.
21
12.9. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund or its designee copies of the following reports:
(a) the Company's annual statement (prepared under statutory
accounting principles) and annual report (prepared under
generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), if any), as
soon as practical and in any event within 90 days after the
end of each fiscal year;
(b) the Company's quarterly statements (statutory) (and GAAP, if
any), as soon as practical and in any event within 45 days
after the end of each quarterly period:
(c) any financial statement, proxy statement, notice or report of
the Company sent to stockholders and/or policyholders, as soon
as practical after the delivery thereof to stockholders;
(d) any registration statement (without exhibits) and financial
reports of the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission or any state insurance regulator, as soon as
practical after the filing thereof;
(e) any other report submitted to the Company by independent
accountants in connection with any annual, interim or special
audit made by them of the books of the Company, as soon as
practical after the receipt thereof.
22
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement
to be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized
representative.
AMERICAN FAMILY LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By: _________________________
Name: _________________________
Its: _________________________
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND,
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II, and
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND III
By: ________________________
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Their: Senior Vice President
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
By: _______________________
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
Its: Vice President
23
SCHEDULE A
----------
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS AND ASSOCIATED CONTRACTS
------------------------------------------
NAME OF SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND POLICY FORM NUMBERS OF CONTRACTS
DATE ESTABLISHED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS FUNDED BY SEPARATE ACCOUNT
-------------------------------------- --------------------------
American Family Variable Account I L-97 VUL Ed. 3/01
(August 7, 2000) (representative policy form number)
American Family Variable Account II L-A10 VA Ed.
(August 7, 2000) (representative policy form number)
24
SCHEDULE B
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURE
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding responsibilities for
the handling of proxies relating to the Fund by the Underwriter, the Fund and
the Company. The defined terms herein shall have the meanings assigned in the
Participation Agreement except that the term "Company" shall also include the
department or third party assigned by the Insurance Company to perform the
steps delineated below.
1. The number of proxy proposals is given to the Company by the Underwriter
as early as possible before the date set by the Fund for the shareholder
meeting to facilitate the establishment of tabulation procedures. At
this time the Underwriter will inform the Company of the Record, Mailing
and Meeting dates. This will be done verbally approximately two months
before meeting.
2. Promptly after the Record Date, the Company will perform a "tape run",
or other activity, which will generate the names, addresses and number
of units which are attributed to each contractowner/policyholder (the
"Customer") as of the Record Date. Allowance should be made for account
adjustments made after this date that could affect the status of the
Customers' accounts as of the Record Date.
Note: The number of proxy statements is determined by the activities
described in Step #2. The Company will use its best efforts to call in
the number of Customers to Fidelity, as soon as possible, but no later
than two weeks after the Record Date.
3. The Fund's Annual Report no longer needs to be sent to each Customer by
the Company either before or together with the Customers' receipt of a
proxy statement. Underwriter will provide the last Annual Report to the
Company pursuant to the terms of Section 3.3 of the Agreement to which
this Schedule relates.
4. The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or "Card")
is provided to the Company by the Fund. The Company shall produce and
personalize the Voting Instruction Cards. The Legal Department of the
Underwriter or its affiliate ("Fidelity Legal") must approve the Card
before it is printed. Allow approximately 2-4 business days for printing
information on the Cards. Information commonly found on the Cards
includes:
a. name (legal name as found on account registration)
b. address
c. Fund or account number
d. coding to state number of units
e. individual Card number for use in tracking and verification of
votes (already on Cards as printed by the Fund)
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
25
5. During this time, Fidelity Legal will develop, produce, and the Fund
will pay for the Notice of Proxy and the Proxy Statement (one document).
Printed and folded notices and statements will be sent to Company for
insertion into envelopes (envelopes and return envelopes are provided
and paid for by the Insurance Company). Contents of envelope sent to
Customers by Company will include:
a. Voting Instruction Card(s)
b. One proxy notice and statement (one document)
c. return envelope (postage pre-paid by Company) addressed to the
Company or its tabulation agent
d. "urge buckslip" - optional, but recommended. (This is a small,
single sheet of paper that requests Customers to vote as quickly
as possible and that their vote is important. One copy will be
supplied by the Fund.)
e. cover letter - optional, supplied by Company and reviewed and
approved in advance by Fidelity Legal.
6. The above contents should be received by the Company approximately 3-5
business days before mail date. Individual in charge at Company reviews
and approves the contents of the mailing package to ensure correctness
and completeness. Copy of this approval sent to Fidelity Legal.
7. Package mailed by the Company.
* The Fund MUST allow at least a 15-day solicitation time to the
Company as the shareowner. (A 5-week period is recommended.)
Solicitation time is calculated as calendar days from (but NOT
including) the meeting, counting backwards.
8. Collection and tabulation of Cards begins. Tabulation usually takes
place in another department or another vendor depending on process used.
An often used procedure is to sort Cards on arrival by proposal into
vote categories of all yes, no, or mixed replies, and to begin data
entry.
Note: Postmarks are not generally needed. A need for postmark
information would be due to an insurance company's internal procedure
and has not been required by Fidelity in the past.
9. Signatures on Card checked against legal name on account registration
which was printed on the Card.
Note: For Example, If the account registration is under "Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxxx, Trustee," then that is the exact legal name to be printed on the
Card and is the signature needed on the Card.
26
10. If Cards are mutilated, or for any reason are illegible or are not
signed properly, they are sent back to Customer with an explanatory
letter, a new Card and return envelope. The mutilated or illegible Card
is disregarded and considered to be NOT RECEIVED for purposes of vote
tabulation. Any Cards that have "kicked out" (e.g. mutilated, illegible)
of the procedure are "hand verified," i.e., examined as to why they did
not complete the system. Any questions on those Cards are usually
remedied individually.
11. There are various control procedures used to ensure proper tabulation of
votes and accuracy of that tabulation. The most prevalent is to sort the
Cards as they first arrive into categories depending upon their vote; an
estimate of how the vote is progressing may then be calculated. If the
initial estimates and the actual vote do not coincide, then an internal
audit of that vote should occur. This may entail a recount.
12. The actual tabulation of votes is done in units which is then converted
to shares. (It is very important that the Fund receives the tabulations
stated in terms of a percentage and the number of SHARES.) Fidelity
Legal must review and approve tabulation format.
13. Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Company to Fidelity
Legal on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 a.m. Boston
time. Fidelity Legal may request an earlier deadline if required to
calculate the vote in time for the meeting.
14. A Certification of Mailing and Authorization to Vote Shares will be
required from the Company as well as an original copy of the final vote.
Fidelity Legal will provide a standard form for each Certification.
15. The Company will be required to box and archive the Cards received from
the Customers. In the event that any vote is challenged or if otherwise
necessary for legal, regulatory, or accounting purposes, Fidelity Legal
will be permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
16. All approvals and "signing-off" may be done orally, but must always be
followed up in writing.
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SCHEDULE C
Other investment companies currently available under variable annuities or
variable life insurance issued by the Company:
Federated Insurance Series
Federated Quality Bond Fund II
Federated International Equity Fund II
SEI Insurance Product Trust
SEI VP Prime Obligation Fund
Strong Variable Insurance Funds, Inc.
Strong MidCap Growth Fund II
Strong Opportunity Fund II, Inc.
Strong Opportunity Fund II
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