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EXHIBIT 1A(8)(g)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
AMONG
THE UNIVERSAL INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS, INC.,
XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.,
XXXXXX XXXXXXXX & XXXXXXXX, LLP
AND
WESTERN RESERVE LIFE ASSURANCE CO. OF OHIO
DATED AS OF
OCTOBER 9, 2000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I. Purchase and Redemption of Fund Shares 2
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties 4
ARTICLE III. Prospectuses, Reports to Shareholders
and Proxy Statements; Voting 5
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information 7
ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses 9
ARTICLE VI. Diversification 9
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts 9
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification 11
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law 16
ARTICLE X. Termination 16
ARTICLE XI. Notices 18
ARTICLE XII. Miscellaneous 19
SCHEDULE A Separate Accounts and Associated Contracts A-1
SCHEDULE B Portfolios of The Universal Institutional
Funds, Inc. Available Under this Agreement B-1
SCHEDULE C Proxy Voting Procedures C-1
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THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the 9th day of October,
2000 by and among WESTERN RESERVE LIFE ASSURANCE CO. OF OHIO (the "Company"), an
Ohio corporation, on its own behalf and on behalf of each separate account of
the Company set forth on Schedule A hereto as may be amended from time to time
(each such account referred to as an "Account"), THE UNIVERSAL INSTITUTIONAL
FUNDS, INC. (the "Fund"), a Maryland corporation, and XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC. and XXXXXX XXXXXXXX & XXXXXXXX, LLP (collectively,
the "Advisers," and individually, an "Adviser"), a Delaware corporation and a
Pennsylvania limited liability partnership, respectively.
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end management
investment company and is available to act as (i) the investment vehicle for
separate accounts established by insurance companies for individual and group
life insurance policies and annuity contracts with variable accumulation and/or
pay-out provisions (hereinafter referred to individually and/or collectively as
"Variable Insurance Products") and (ii) the investment vehicle for certain
qualified pension and retirement plans ("Qualified Plans"); and
WHEREAS, insurance companies desiring to utilize the Fund as an
investment vehicle under their Variable Insurance Products enter into
participation agreements with the Fund and the Advisers (the "Participating
Insurance Companies"); and
WHEREAS, shares of the Fund are 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; and
WHEREAS, the Fund intends to offer shares of the series set forth on
Schedule B hereto (each such series referred to as a "Portfolio"), as such
Schedule may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement of the parties
hereto, to the Account(s) of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC"), dated September 19, 1996 (File No. 812-10118), granting
Participating Insurance Companies and Variable Insurance Product 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 (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 Insurance Product
separate accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies
and Qualified Plans (the "Shared Funding Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, the 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 (the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, each Adviser is duly registered as an investment adviser under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and any applicable state
securities laws; and
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WHEREAS, each Adviser manages certain Portfolios of the Fund; and
WHEREAS, Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx & Co. Incorporated (the "Underwriter") is
registered as a broker/dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "1934 Act"), is a member in good standing of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD") and serves as principal
underwriter of the shares of the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register under the 1933 Act
the Variable Insurance Products identified on Schedule A hereto (the
"Contracts"), as such Schedule may be amended from time to time by mutual
written agreement of the parties hereto; and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution or under authority 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 Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a
unit investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares of the Portfolios, on behalf
of each Account or sub-Account thereof (together, as applicable, an "Account"),
to fund the Contracts and the Underwriter is authorized to sell such shares to
each such Account at net asset value.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company,
the Fund and the Advisers agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF FUND SHARES
1.1. The Fund agrees to make available for purchase by the Company
shares of the Portfolios and shall execute orders placed for each Account on a
daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or
its designee of such order. 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. Eastern time on the next
following Business Day. "Business Day" shall mean any day on which the New York
Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for trading and on which the Fund calculates its
net asset value pursuant to SEC rules.
1.2. The Fund, so long as this Agreement is in effect, 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 SEC rules and the Fund shall use
reasonable efforts to calculate such net asset value on each day which the New
York Stock Exchange, Inc. is open for trading. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
the Board of Directors of the Fund (the "Board") may refuse to permit the Fund
to sell shares of any Portfolio
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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 shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.3. The Fund agrees that shares of the Fund will be sold only to
Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts and to certain
Qualified Plans. No shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general public.
1.4. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, on the Company's request, any
full or fractional shares of the Portfolios 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. Subject to and in
accordance with applicable laws and regulations, however, the Fund reserves the
right to redeem shares of the Portfolios for assets other than cash. For
purposes of this Section 1.4, 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 by 10:00 a.m. Eastern time on the next
following Business Day.
1.5. 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 will give the
Fund and the Advisers forty five (45) days written notice of its intention to
make available in the future any other investment company with an investment
objective similar to that of one or more Portfolios as a funding vehicle under
the Contracts.
1.6. The Company shall pay for Portfolio 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 and
the Company agrees to use its best efforts to transmit such funds by no later
than 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on the day of transmission. For purposes of Sections
2.9 and 2.10, 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.
1.7. 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.
1.8. 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 Portfolio shares. The Company hereby
elects to receive all such income dividends and capital gain distributions as
are payable on a Portfolio's shares in additional shares of that Portfolio. The
Company reserves the right to revoke this election and to receive all such
income dividends and
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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.
1.9. 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. Eastern time) and shall use its best efforts to make such net asset value
per share available by 7:00 p.m. Eastern time.
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that: (i) it is an insurance
company duly organized and in good standing under applicable law; (ii) it has
legally and validly established each Account prior to any issuance or sale
thereof as a segregated asset account under applicable laws and regulations; and
(iii) it has registered or, prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will
register each Account as a unit investment trust in accordance with the
provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a segregated investment account for the
Contracts. The Company further represents and warrants that: (i) the Contracts
are or will be registered under the 1933 Act; (ii) the Contracts will be issued
and sold in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and
state laws; and (iii) the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material
respects with state insurance suitability requirements.
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 Maryland 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.
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 use its reasonable efforts 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.
2.4. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently treated as
life insurance policies or annuity contracts, as appropriate, under applicable
provisions of the Code and that it will make every effort to maintain such
treatment and that it will 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.
2.5. The Fund represents that to the extent that it decides to finance
distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund
undertakes to have the Board, a
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majority of whom are not interested persons of the Fund, formulate and approve
any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution expenses.
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 Portfolios' investment policies, fees
and expenses are and shall at all times remain in compliance with the laws of
the State of Maryland and that the Portfolios' 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.
2.7. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly
existing under the laws of the State of Maryland and that it does and will
comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.8. Each Adviser represents and warrants that it is and shall remain
duly registered in all material respects under all applicable federal and state
securities laws and that it will perform its obligations for the Fund in
compliance in all material respects with the laws of its state of domicile and
any applicable state and federal securities laws.
2.9. The Fund represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, 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 minimum coverage as currently required by Rule 17g-1 of
the 1940 Act or related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time. The
aforesaid blanket fidelity bond shall include coverage for larceny and
embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding company.
2.10. 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 Account(s) are and shall continue to be
at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the
benefit of the Company and/or the Account(s) that is reasonable and customary in
light of the Company's obligations under this Agreement. The aforesaid includes
coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding
company 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 Advisers
in the event that such coverage no longer applies.
ARTICLE III. PROSPECTUSES, REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS AND PROXY STATEMENTS;
VOTING
3.1. The Fund or its designee 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 of providing printed copies the Fund shall provide camera-ready film or
computer diskettes containing the Fund's prospectus and
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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 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.
3.2. Except as provided in this Section 3.2, all expenses of preparing,
setting in type, 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 Contract
owners who currently own shares of one or more Portfolios ("Existing Contract
Owners"), in order to update disclosure 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 or computer diskettes in lieu of receiving
printed copies of the Fund's prospectus, the Fund shall bear the cost of
typesetting to provide the Fund's prospectus to the Company in the format in
which the Fund is accustomed to formatting prospectuses, and the Company shall
bear the expense of adjusting or changing the format to conform with any of its
prospectuses. In such event, the Fund will reimburse the Company in an amount
equal to the product of "x" and "y", where "x" is the number of such
prospectuses distributed to Existing Contract Owners and "y" 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 cost of printing, typesetting or distributing any
prospectuses or statements of additional information other than those actually
distributed to Existing Contract Owners.
3.3. The statement of additional information of the Fund shall be
obtainable from the Fund, the Company or such other person as the Fund may
designate.
3.4. 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.
3.5. If and to the extent required by law, the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the Portfolio shares in accordance with
instructions received from Contract owners; and
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(iii) vote Portfolio shares for which no instructions have
been received in the same proportion as Portfolio shares
for which instructions have been received;
so long as and to the extent that the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to
require pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners. The Company
reserves the right to vote Portfolio shares held in any segregated asset account
in its own right, to the extent permitted by law. If the Company is required to
solicit voting instructions, the Fund and the Company shall follow the
procedures, and shall have the corresponding responsibilities, for the handling
of proxies and voting instruction solicitations, as set forth in Schedule C
attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. Participating Insurance
Companies shall be responsible for ensuring that each of their separate accounts
participating in the Fund (and for which the soliciting of voting instructions
is required) calculates voting privileges in a manner consistent with the
standards set forth on Schedule C, which standards will also be provided to the
other Participating Insurance Companies.
3.6. 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 SEC's interpretation of the requirements of Section 16(a)
with respect to periodic elections of directors and with whatever rules the SEC
may promulgate with respect thereto.
3.7. The Fund shall use reasonable efforts to provide Fund prospectuses,
reports to shareholders, proxy materials and other Fund communications (or
camera-ready equivalents) to the Company sufficiently in advance of the
Company's mailing dates to enable the Company to complete, at reasonable cost,
the printing, assembling and/or distribution of the communications in accordance
with applicable laws and regulations.
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 an Adviser is named, at least ten (10) Business
Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used without the prior approval
of the Fund or its designee. The Fund shall use its reasonable best efforts to
review any such material as soon as practicable after receipt and no later than
ten (10) Business Days after receipt of such material.
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
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literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund or its designee,
except with the permission of the Fund.
4.3. The Fund 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 Account(s) or
Contract(s) are named at least ten (10) Business Days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used if the Company or its designee reasonably objects to such
use within ten (10) Business Days after receipt of such material.
4.4. The Fund and the Advisers 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 prospectus for the Contracts, as such
registration statement and prospectus 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 all amendments
to any of the above, that relate to the Fund or its shares and are relevant to
the Company or the Contracts.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of
all registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information,
reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature and other
promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no action
letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that mention the Fund or the
Portfolios under the Contracts; provided that, with respect to registration
statements, the Company will only provide portions thereof that mention the Fund
or the Portfolios.
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, 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, form letters, 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,
prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports, and
proxy materials.
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ARTICLE V. FEES AND EXPENSES
5.1. The Fund 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 Company or to the underwriter for the
Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the Underwriter in writing.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this
Agreement shall be paid by the Fund. The Fund shall see to it 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. Except as otherwise
set forth in Section 3.2 of this Agreement, 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, 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, statement of additional information, proxy materials and reports to
owners of Contracts issued by the Company.
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 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;
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(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 Contract owners; or (f) a decision by
a Participating Insurance Company 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 members, 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 directors), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or
eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1)
withdrawing 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 policy
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
(at the Company's expense); 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.
7.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the position of 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.
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7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.5 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.
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
1940 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 member of the Board and each officer and employee of the Fund, and each
Adviser and each director, officer and employee of each Adviser, and each
person, if any, who controls the Fund or the Adviser within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" and
individually, an "Indemnified Party," 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
reasonable 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 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 registration statement or prospectus for the
Contracts or contained in the Contracts 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
-11-
14
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 the registration statement or prospectus for the
Contracts 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
(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 of the Fund not supplied
by the Company, or persons under its control and other
than statements or representations authorized by the
Fund or an Adviser) or unlawful 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 or as a result of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
a registration statement, prospectus, 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.
Each of paragraphs (i) through (v) above is limited by and in accordance with
the provisions of Sections 8.1(b) and 8.1(c) below.
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.
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
-12-
15
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.
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 Advisers
8.2(a). Each Adviser agrees, with respect to each Portfolio that it
manages, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of its directors,
officers and employees, and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" and individually, an "Indemnified Party," 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 Adviser) or litigation
(including reasonable 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 shares
of the Portfolio that it manages 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 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 Fund by or on behalf of the Company for
use in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund or in sales literature (or any amendment or
supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the
sale of the Contracts or Portfolio 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 Fund or
-13-
16
persons under its control and other than statements or
representations authorized by the Company) or unlawful
conduct of the Fund, Adviser(s) or Underwriter or
persons under their control, with respect to the sale or
distribution of the Contracts or Portfolio shares; or
(iii) arise out of or as a result of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
a registration statement, prospectus, 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 in reliance upon
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
the Fund; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Adviser 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 Adviser in
this Agreement or arise out of or result from any other
material breach of this Agreement by the Adviser.
Each of paragraphs (i) through (v) above is limited by and in accordance with
the provisions of Sections 8.2(b) and 8.2(c) below.
8.2(b). An Adviser 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.
8.2(c). An Adviser 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 Adviser 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 Adviser of any
such claim shall not relieve the Adviser 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 Adviser will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Adviser also shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the
action. After notice from the Adviser to such party of the Adviser'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 Adviser 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-
17
8.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Adviser 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
8.3(a). The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and
each of its directors, officers and employees, and each person, if any, who
controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
(collectively, the "Indemnified Parties," and individually, an "Indemnified
Party," 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 reasonable 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 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; 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.
Each of paragraphs (i) and (ii) above is limited by and in accordance with the
provisions of Sections 8.3(b) and 8.3(c) below.
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 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.
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
-15-
18
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.
8.3(d). The Company agrees 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 State of New York.
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
(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
Adviser 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
Adviser 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
Adviser 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
-16-
19
(e) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund and the
Adviser 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 the Fund or an Adviser by written notice to the
Company if the Fund or the Adviser, as applicable, shall
determine, in its 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
Adviser, if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment
exercised in good faith, that either the Fund or the Adviser 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 the Fund or an Adviser by written notice to the
Company, if the Company gives the Fund and the Adviser the
written notice specified in Section 1.5 hereof and at the time
such notice was given there was no notice of termination
outstanding under any other provision of this Agreement;
provided, however, any termination under this Section 10.1(h)
shall be effective forty five (45) days after the notice
specified in Section 1.5 was given; or
(i) termination by any party to this Agreement upon another party's
material breach of any provision of this Agreement.
10.2. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Fund shall
at the option of the Company continue to make available additional shares of the
Portfolios, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for all
Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination of this Agreement (the
"Existing Contracts"), unless, with respect to a Portfolio, such further sale of
Portfolio shares is proscribed by law, regulation or applicable regulatory
authority, or unless the Board determines that liquidation of the Portfolio
following termination of this Agreement is in the best interests of the
Portfolio. Specifically, subject to the foregoing, the owners of the Existing
Contracts shall be permitted to direct reallocation of investments in the
Portfolios, redemption of investments in the Portfolios and/or investment in the
Portfolios 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 Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the
Contracts (as distinct from 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
-17-
20
the SEC pursuant to Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act. Upon request, the Company
will promptly furnish to the Fund the opinion of counsel for the Company (which
counsel shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Fund) 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 ninety (90) days prior written notice of its intention to do so.
ARTICLE XI. NOTICES
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below
or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing
to the other party.
If to the Fund:
The Universal Institutional Funds, Inc.
c/x Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx
Investment Management Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: President
If to the Advisers:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxx Xxxxxx Investment Management Inc.
0000 Xxxxxx xx xxx Xxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
and/or
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxx & Xxxxxxxx, LLP
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
Western Reserve Life Assurance Co. of Ohio
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xx. XX
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attention: Extraordinary Markets
-18-
21
ARTICLE XII. MISCELLANEOUS
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 of the Fund 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
National Association of Securities Dealers 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 State insurance
authorities with any information or reports in connection with services provided
under this Agreement which such authorities may request in order to ascertain
whether the insurance operations of the Company are being conducted in a manner
consistent with applicable law and regulations.
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 an Adviser may assign this Agreement or any
rights or obligations hereunder to any affiliate of or company under common
control with the Adviser, if such assignee is duly licensed and registered to
perform the obligations of the Adviser under this Agreement.
-19-
22
12.9. If requested by the Fund or an Adviser, the Company shall furnish,
or shall cause to be furnished, to the Fund or its designee copies of the
following documents:
(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 ninety (90) days after
the end of each fiscal year;
(b) the Company's quarterly statements (prepared under statutory
accounting principles and GAAP, if any), as soon as practical
and in any event within forty five (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 SEC or any state insurance
regulator, as soon as practical after the filing thereof; and
(e) any other publicly available 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.
12.10. Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Agreement, no
provision of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any manner except by a
written agreement executed by all parties.
-20-
23
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 and its seal to be hereunder affixed hereto as of the date
specified above.
WESTERN RESERVE LIFE ASSURANCE CO. OF OHIO
By: s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
---------------------------------
NAME: XXXXX X. XXXXX
TITLE: VP
THE UNIVERSAL INSTITUTIONAL FUNDS, INC.
By: s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
---------------------------------
NAME: XXXXXX XXXXXXX
TITLE: PRESIDENT
XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXX XXXXXX
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT INC.
By: s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx
---------------------------------
NAME: XXXXXX XXXXXXX
TITLE: MANAGING DIRECTOR
XXXXXX XXXXXXXX & XXXXXXXX, LLP
By: / Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxxxx
---------------------------------
NAME: XXXXX X. XXXXXXXXXXX
TITLE: AUTHORIZED SIGNATORY
24
SCHEDULE A
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS AND ASSOCIATED CONTRACTS
NAME OF SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND FORM NUMBER AND NAME OF
DATE ESTABLISHED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTRACT FUNDED BY SEPARATE ACCOUNT
-------------------------------------- -----------------------------------
WRL Series Life Advantage IV
Corporate Account WL 694 136 82 598
Established December 8, 1997
A-1
25
SCHEDULE B
PORTFOLIOS OF THE UNIVERSAL INSTITUTIONAL
FUNDS, INC. AVAILABLE UNDER THIS AGREEMENT
Mid Cap Value
Emerging Markets Equity
Emerging Markets Debt
US Real Estate
B-1
26
SCHEDULE C
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding responsibilities for the
handling of proxies and voting instructions relating to the Fund. 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 Company to perform the steps delineated below.
- The proxy proposals are given to the Company by the Fund as early as
possible before the date set by the Fund for the shareholder meeting to
enable the Company to consider and prepare for the solicitation of
voting instructions from owners of the Contracts and to facilitate the
establishment of tabulation procedures. At this time the Fund will
inform the Company of the Record, Mailing and Meeting dates. This will
be done verbally approximately two months before meeting.
- 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 Contract owner/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 this Step #2. The Company will use its best efforts to call
in the number of Customers to the Fund , as soon as possible, but no
later than two weeks after the Record Date.
- The Fund's Annual Report must be sent to each Customer by the Company
either before or together with the Customers' receipt of voting,
instruction solicitation material. The Fund 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.
- The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or "Card")
is provided to the Company by the Fund. The Company, at its expense,
shall produce and personalize the Voting Instruction Cards. The Fund or
its affiliate 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:
- name (legal name as found on account registration)
- address
- fund or account number
- coding to state number of units
- individual Card number for use in tracking and verification of
votes (already on Cards as printed by the Fund).
C-1
27
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
- During this time, the Fund will develop, produce and 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 Company). Contents of envelope sent to Customers by the Company will
include:
- Voting Instruction Card(s)
- One proxy notice and statement (one document)
- return envelope (postage pre-paid by Company) addressed to the
Company or its tabulation agent
- "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.)
- cover letter - optional, supplied by Company and reviewed and
approved in advance by the Fund.
- 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 the Fund.
- 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.
- 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 the Fund in the past.
- 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 "Xxxx X. Xxxxx,
Trustee," then that is the exact legal name to be printed on the Card
and is the signature needed on the Card.
C-2
28
- 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 and 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 been "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.
- 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.
- 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.) The Fund must
review and approve tabulation format.
- Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Company to the Fund
on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.
The Fund may request an earlier deadline if reasonable and if required
to calculate the vote in time for the meeting.
- 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.
The Fund will provide a standard form for each Certification.
- 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, the Fund will
be permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
- All approvals and "signing-off" may be done orally, but must always be
followed up in writin
C-3
