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EXHIBIT 1.A.(8)(e)
JANUS ASPEN SERIES
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made this 22 day of July, 1999, between JANUS ASPEN
SERIES, an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust"), and WESTERN RESERVE LIFE ASSURANCE CO. OF OHIO, a
life insurance company organized under the laws of the State of Ohio (the
"Company"), on its own behalf and on behalf of each segregated asset account of
the Company set forth on Schedule A, as may be amended from time to time (the
"Accounts").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Trust has registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an open-end management investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and has registered the offer
and sale of its Institutional Shares ("shares") under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to act as an investment vehicle for separate
accounts established for variable life insurance policies and variable annuity
contracts to be offered by insurance companies that have entered into
participation agreements with the Trust (the "Participating Insurance
Companies"); and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Trust is divided into several
series of shares, each series representing an interest in a particular managed
portfolio of securities and other assets (the "Portfolios"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust has received an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") granting Participating Insurance Companies and their
separate accounts exemptions from the provisions of Sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a)
and 15(b) of the 1940 Act, and Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3(T)(b)(15) thereunder,
to the extent necessary to permit shares of the Trust to be sold to and held by
variable annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts of both
affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies and certain qualified
pension and retirement plans (the "Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register (unless registration
is not required under applicable law) certain variable life insurance policies
and/or variable annuity contracts under the 1933 Act (the "Contracts"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a
unit investment trust under the 1940 Act or alternatively, has properly relied
on the exclusion from registration in 3(c)(11), 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940
Act; and
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WHEREAS, the Company desires to utilize shares of one or more Portfolios
as an investment vehicle of the Accounts;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the parties
agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Sale of Trust Shares
1.1 The Trust shall make shares of its Portfolios available to the
Accounts at the net asset value next computed after receipt of such purchase
order by the Trust (or its agent), as established in accordance with the
provisions of the then current prospectus of the Trust. Shares of a particular
Portfolio of the Trust shall be ordered in such quantities and at such times as
determined by the Company to be necessary to meet the requirements of the
Contracts. The Trustees of the Trust (the "Trustees") may refuse to sell shares
of any Portfolio to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares
of any Portfolio if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities
having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of the Trustees acting in
good faith and in light of their fiduciary duties under federal and any
applicable state laws, necessary in the best interests of the shareholders of
such Portfolio.
1.2 The Trust will redeem any full or fractional shares of any Portfolio
when requested by the Company on behalf of an Account at the net asset value
next computed after receipt by the Trust (or its agent) of the request for
redemption, as established in accordance with the provisions of the then
current prospectus of the Trust. The Trust shall make payment for such shares
in the manner established from time to time by the Trust, but in no event shall
payment be delayed for a greater period than is permitted by the 0000 Xxx.
1.3 For the purposes of Sections 1.1 and 1.2, the Trust hereby appoints
the Company as its agent for the limited purpose of receiving and accepting
purchase and redemption orders resulting from investment in and payments under
the Contracts. Receipt by the Company shall constitute receipt by the Trust
provided that i) such orders are received by the Company in good order prior to
the time the net asset value of each Portfolio is priced in accordance with its
prospectus and ii) the Trust receives notice of such orders by 10:00 a.m. New
York time on the next following Business Day. "Business Day" shall mean any
day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on which the
Trust calculates its net asset value pursuant to the rules of the SEC.
1.4 Purchase orders that are transmitted to the Trust in accordance with
Section 1.3 shall be paid for no later than 12:00 noon New York time on the
same Business Day that the Trust receives notice of the order. Payments shall
be made in federal funds transmitted by wire.
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1.5 Issuance and transfer of the Trust's shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Account.
Shares ordered from the Trust will be recorded in the appropriate title for
each Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.6 The Trust shall furnish 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 Trust's shares. The Company hereby
elects to receive all such income dividends and capital gain distributions as
are payable on a Portfolio's shares in additional shares of that Portfolio. The
Company reserves the right to revoke this election and to receive all such
dividends and capital gain distributions in cash. The Trust shall notify the
Company of the number of shares so issued as payment of such dividends and
distributions.
1.7 The Trust shall make the net asset value per share for each Portfolio
available to the Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably practical after
the net asset value per share is calculated and shall use its best efforts to
make such net asset value per share available by 6 p.m. New York time.
1.8 The Trust agrees that its shares will be sold only to Participating
Insurance Companies and their separate accounts and to certain qualified
pension and retirement plans to the extent permitted by the Exemptive Order. No
shares of any Portfolio will be sold directly to the general public. The
Company agrees that Trust shares will be used only for the purposes of funding
the Contracts and Accounts listed in Schedule A, as amended from time to time.
1.9 The Trust agrees that all Participating Insurance Companies shall
have the obligations and responsibilities regarding pass-through voting and
conflicts of interest corresponding to those contained in Section 2.8 and
Article IV of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II
Obligations of the Parties
2.1 The Trust shall prepare and be responsible for filing with the SEC
and any state regulators requiring such filing all shareholder reports,
notices, proxy materials (or similar materials such as voting instruction
solicitation materials), prospectuses and statements of additional information
of the Trust. The Trust shall bear the costs of registration and qualification
of its shares, preparation and filing of the documents listed in this Section
2.1 and all taxes to which an issuer is subject on the issuance and transfer of
its shares.
2.2 At the option of the Company, the Trust shall either (a) provide the
Company (at the Company's expense) with as many copies of the Trust's current
prospectus, annual report, semi-annual report and other shareholder
communications, including any amendments
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or supplements to any of the foregoing, as the Company shall reasonably
request; or (b) provide the Company with a camera ready copy of such documents
in a form suitable for printing. The Trust shall provide the Company with a
copy of its statement of additional information in a form suitable for
duplication by the Company. The Trust (at its expense) shall provide the
Company with copies of any Trust-sponsored proxy materials in such quantity as
the Company shall reasonably require for distribution to Contract owners. The
Trust shall provide the materials described in this Section 2.2 promptly after
receipt of SEC comments (if any) and shall use best efforts to provide such
materials within a reasonable time prior to required printing and distribution
of such materials.
2.3 (a) The Company shall bear the costs of printing and distributing
the Trust's prospectus, statement of additional information, shareholder
reports and other shareholder communications to owners of and applicants for
policies for which the Trust is serving or is to serve as an investment
vehicle. The Company shall bear the costs of distributing proxy materials (or
similar materials such as voting solicitation instructions) to Contract owners.
The Company assumes sole responsibility for ensuring that such materials are
delivered to Contract owners in accordance with applicable federal and state
securities laws.
(b) If the Company elects to include any materials provided by the
Trust, specifically prospectuses, SAIs, shareholder reports and proxy
materials, on its web site or in any other computer or electronic format, the
Company assumes sole responsibility for maintaining such materials in the form
provided by the Trust and for promptly replacing such materials with all
updates provided by the Trust.
2.4 The Company agrees and acknowledges that the Trust's adviser, Janus
Capital Corporation ("Janus Capital"), is the sole owner of the name and xxxx
"Xxxxx" and that all use of any designation comprised in whole or part of Janus
(a "Xxxxx Xxxx") under this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of Janus
Capital. Except as provided in Section 2.5, the Company shall not use any
Xxxxx Xxxx on its own behalf or on behalf of the Accounts or Contracts in any
registration statement, advertisement, sales literature or other materials
relating to the Accounts or Contracts without the prior written consent of
Janus Capital. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, the Company
shall cease all use of any Xxxxx Xxxx(s) as soon as reasonably practicable.
2.5 (a) The Company shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the
Trust or its designee, a copy of each Contract prospectus or statement of
additional information in which the Trust or its investment adviser is named
prior to the filing of such document with the SEC. The Company shall furnish,
or shall cause to be furnished, to the Trust or its designee, each piece of
sales literature or other promotional material in which the Trust or its
investment adviser is named, at least fifteen Business Days prior to its use.
No such material shall be used if the Trust or its designee reasonably objects
to such use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such material.
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(b) The Trust 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 or its investment adviser 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.
2.6 The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Trust or concerning the Trust or
its investment adviser in connection with the sale of the Contracts other than
information or representations contained in and accurately derived from the
registration statement or prospectus for the Trust shares (as such registration
statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time),
reports of the Trust, Trust-sponsored proxy statements, or in sales literature
or other promotional material approved by the Trust or its designee, except as
required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with the written
permission of the Trust or its designee.
2.7 The Trust shall not give any information or make any representations
or statements on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, the Accounts
or the Contracts other than information or representations contained in and
accurately derived from the registration statement or prospectus for the
Contracts (as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time), or in materials approved by the Company for
distribution including sales literature or other promotional materials, except
as required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with the written
permission of the Company.
2.8 So long as, and to the extent that the Securities and Exchange
Commission interprets the 1940 Act to require pass- through voting privileges
for variable policyowners, the Company will provide pass-through voting
privileges to owners of policies whose cash values are invested, through the
Accounts, in shares of the Trust. The Trust shall require all Participating
Insurance Companies to calculate voting privileges in the same manner and the
Company shall be responsible for assuring that the Accounts calculate voting
privileges in the manner established by the Trust. With respect to each
Account, the Company will vote shares of the Trust held by the Account and for
which no timely voting instructions from policyowners are received as well as
shares it owns that are held by that Account, in the same proportion as those
shares for which voting instructions are received. The Company and its agents
will in no way recommend or oppose or interfere with the solicitation of
proxies for Trust shares held by Contract owners without the prior written
consent of the Trust, which consent may be withheld in the Trust's sole
discretion.
2.9 The Company shall notify the Trust of any applicable state insurance
laws that restrict the Portfolios' investments or otherwise affect the
operation of the Trust and shall notify the Trust of any changes in such laws.
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ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
3.1 The Company represents and warrants that it is an insurance company
duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the State of Ohio and
that it has legally and validly established each Account as a segregated asset
account under such law on the date set forth in Schedule A.
3.2 The Company represents and warrants that each Account has been registered
or, prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will be registered as a
unit investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act or
alternatively, has not registered an Account in proper reliance upon the
exclusion from registration in 3(c)(11), 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act.
For its unregistered Accounts which are exempt from registration under the 1940
Act in reliance upon Section 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7) thereof, the Company
represents and agrees that:
(a) AFSG Securities Corporation is the principal underwriter for each
such unregistered Account and its subaccounts and is a registered
broker-dealer under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the
"1934 Act"),
(b) the shares of the Portfolios of the Trust are and will continue to be
the only investment securities held by the corresponding Account
subaccounts; and
(c) with regard to each Portfolio, the Company, on behalf of the
corresponding Account subaccount will:
i. vote such shares held by it in the same proportion as the vote
of all other holders of such shares; and
ii. refrain from substituting shares of another security for such
shares unless the SEC has approved such substitution in the
manner provided in Section 26 of the 0000 Xxx.
3.3 The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts or interests
in the Accounts (1) are or, prior to issuance, will be registered as securities
under the 1933 Act or, alternatively (2) are not registered because they are
properly exempt from registration under the 1933 Act or will be offered
exclusively in transactions that are properly exempt from registration under
the 1933 Act. The Company further represents and warrants that the Contracts
will be issued and sold in compliance in all material respects with all
applicable federal and state laws; and the sale of the Contracts shall comply
in all material respects with state insurance suitability requirements.
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3.4 Each party represents and warrants to the other that it will use best
efforts to ensure that any of its trading systems implicated under this
Agreement prior to, during and after the calendar year 2000 will recognize
accurate century data, and user interfaces and operation environments will
comply with Year 2000 application standards. Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, no party shall be liable for any indirect, special
or consequential losses even if the party has notice of the possibility of such
loss.
3.5 The Trust represents and warrants that it is duly organized and
validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
3.6 The Trust represents and warrants that the Trust shares offered and
sold pursuant to this Agreement will be registered under the 1933 Act and the
Trust shall be registered under the 1940 Act prior to any issuance or sale of
such shares. The Trust shall amend its registration statement under the 1933
Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in order to effect the
continuous offering of its shares. The Trust shall register and qualify its
shares for sale in accordance with the laws of the various states only if and
to the extent deemed advisable by the Trust.
3.7 The Trust represents and warrants that the investments of each
Portfolio will comply with the diversification requirements set forth in
Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules
and regulations thereunder.
3.8 The Trust represents that it intends to qualify 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.
3.9 The Trust's Institutional Shares currently do not intend to make any
payments to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940
Act or otherwise, although they may make such payments in the future. To the
extent that the Trust decides to finance distribution expenses for the
Institutional Shares pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Trust undertakes to have a
board of trustees, a majority of whom are not interested persons of the Trust,
formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution
expenses.
3.10 The Trust 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 Trust are and shall continue to
be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the
benefit of the Trust in an amount not less than 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.
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ARTICLE IV
Potential Conflicts
4.1 The parties acknowledge that the Trust's shares may be made available
for investment to other Participating Insurance Companies. In such event, the
Trustees will monitor the Trust for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
Participating Insurance Companies. An irreconcilable material conflict may
arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state
insurance regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state
insurance, tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private
letter ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by
insurance, tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or
judicial decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the
investments of any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting
instructions given by variable annuity contract and variable life insurance
contract owners; or (f) a decision by an insurer to disregard the voting
instructions of contract owners. The Trustees shall promptly inform the
Company if they determine that an irreconcilable material conflict exists and
the implications thereof.
4.2 The Company agrees to promptly report any potential or existing
conflicts of which it is aware to the Trustees. The Company will assist the
Trustees in carrying out their responsibilities under the Exemptive Order by
providing the Trustees with all information reasonably necessary for the
Trustees to consider any issues raised including, but not limited to,
information as to a decision by the Company to disregard Contract owner voting
instructions.
4.3 If it is determined by a majority of the Trustees, or a majority of
its disinterested Trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists that
affects the interests of Contract owners, the Company shall, in cooperation
with other Participating Insurance Companies whose contract owners are also
affected, at its expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as
determined by the Trustees) take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or
eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, which steps could include: (a)
withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the Accounts from the Trust
or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment medium,
including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Trust, or submitting
the question of whether or not such segregation should be implemented to a vote
of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of
any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance contract
owners, or variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance
Companies) that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected
Contract owners the option of making such a change; and (b) establishing a new
registered management investment company or managed separate account.
4.4 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision by
the Company to disregard Contract owner voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position
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or would preclude a majority vote, the Company may be required, at the Trust's
election, to withdraw the affected Account's investment in the Trust and
terminate this Agreement with respect to such Account; provided, however that
such withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required by the
foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the
disinterested Trustees. Any such withdrawal and termination must take place
within six (6) months after the Trust gives written notice that this provision
is being implemented. Until the end of such six (6) month period, the Trust
shall continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase
and redemption of shares of the Trust.
4.5 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will withdraw the
affected Account's investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement with
respect to such Account within six (6) months after the Trustees inform the
Company in writing that it has determined that such decision has created an
irreconcilable material conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested
Trustees. Until the end of such six (6) month period, the Trust shall continue
to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase and redemption
of shares of the Trust.
4.6 For purposes of Sections 4.3 through 4.6 of this Agreement, a
majority of the disinterested Trustees shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no
event will the Company be required to establish a new funding medium for the
Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of
Contract owners materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable material
conflict. In the event that the Trustees determine that any proposed action
does not adequately remedy any irreconcilable material conflict, then the
Company will withdraw the Account's investment in the Trust and terminate this
Agreement within six (6) months after the Trustees inform the Company in
writing of the foregoing determination; provided, however, that such withdrawal
and termination shall be limited to the extent required by any such material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested
Trustees.
4.7 The Company shall at least annually submit to the Trustees such
reports, materials or data as the Trustees may reasonably request so that the
Trustees may fully carry out the duties imposed upon them by the Exemptive
Order, and said reports, materials and data shall be submitted more frequently
if deemed appropriate by the Trustees.
4.8 If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended, or
Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the
1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared
funding (as defined in the Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions materially
different from those contained in the Exemptive Order, then the Trust and/or
the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate, shall take
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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.
ARTICLE V
Indemnification
5.1 Indemnification By the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Trust and each of its Trustees, officers, employees and
agents and each person, if any, who controls the Trust within the meaning of
Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for
purposes of this Article V) against any and all losses, claims, damages,
liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of
the Company) or expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or
defending any alleged loss, claim, damage, liability or expense and reasonable
legal counsel fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, "Losses"),
to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or
regulation, or at common law or otherwise, insofar as such Losses are related
to the sale or acquisition of the Trust's shares or the Contracts and:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in a registration
statement or prospectus for the Contracts or in the Contracts themselves
or in sales literature generated or approved by the Company on behalf of
the Contracts or Accounts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing) (collectively, "Company Documents" for the purposes of this
Article V), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, provided that
this indemnity shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and was accurately derived from written information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Trust for use in Company
Documents or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the
Contracts or Trust shares; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations (other
than statements or representations contained in and accurately derived
from Trust Documents as defined in Section 5.2(a)) or wrongful conduct of
the Company or persons under its control, with respect to the sale or
acquisition of the Contracts or Trust shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in Trust Documents as
defined in Section 5.2(a) or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements therein not misleading if such statement or
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omission was made in reliance upon and accurately derived from written
information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Company; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Company to
provide the services or furnish the materials required under the terms of
this Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Company.
5.2 Indemnification By the Trust. The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Company and each of its directors, officers, employees and agents
and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of
this Article V) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Trust) or
expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any
alleged loss, claim, damage, liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, "Losses"), to which the
Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, or at
common law or otherwise, insofar as such Losses:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or prospectus for the Trust (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), (collectively, "Trust Documents" for the purposes of this
Article V), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, provided that
this indemnity shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and was accurately derived from written information
furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Company for use in Trust
Documents or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the
Contracts or Trust shares; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations (other
than statements or representations contained in and accurately derived
from Company Documents) or wrongful conduct of the Trust or persons under
its control, with respect to the sale or acquisition of the Contracts or
Trust shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in Company Documents or the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and
accurately derived from written information furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of the Trust; or
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(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Trust to provide
the services or furnish the materials required under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Trust in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by
the Trust.
5.3 Neither the Company nor the Trust shall be liable under the
indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, as applicable, with respect
to any Losses incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party that arise from
such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement.
5.4 Neither the Company nor the Trust shall be liable under the
indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, as applicable, with respect
to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified Party
shall have notified the other party in writing within a reasonable time after
the summons, or other first written notification, giving information of the
nature of the claim shall have been served upon or otherwise received by such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice
of service upon or other notification to any designated agent), but failure to
notify the party against whom indemnification is sought of any such claim shall
not relieve that party from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified
Party in the absence of Sections 5.1 and 5.2.
5.5 In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties,
the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in
the defense of such action. The indemnifying party also shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the indemnifying party to the
Indemnified Party of an election to assume such defense, the Indemnified Party
shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and
the indemnifying party will not be liable to the Indemnified Party under this
Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party
independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs of investigation.
ARTICLE VI
Termination
6.1 (a) This Agreement may be terminated by either party for any reason
by ninety (90) days advance written notice delivered to the other party.
(b) This Agreement may be terminated by the Company immediately upon
written notice to the Trust with respect to any Portfolio:
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(i) based upon the Company's determination that shares of
such Portfolio are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of the
Contracts; or
(ii) 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
(iii) 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
Trust may fail to so qualify; or
(iv) in the event that such Portfolio fails to meet the
diversification requirements specified in this Agreement.
6.2 Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Trust shall,
at the option of the Company, continue to make available additional shares of
the Trust (or any Portfolio) pursuant to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement for all Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination of
this Agreement, provided that the Company continues to pay the costs set forth
in Section 2.3.
6.3 The provisions of Article V shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, and the provisions of Article IV and Section 2.8 shall survive the
termination of this Agreement as long as shares of the Trust are held on behalf
of Contract owners in accordance with Section 6.2.
ARTICLE VII
Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below
or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing
to the other party.
If to the Trust:
Janus Aspen Series
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: General Counsel
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If to the Company:
Western Reserve Life Assurance Co. of Ohio
C/o PFL Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, X.X.
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
Attn: Financial Markets Division Counsel
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
8.1 The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof
or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
8.2 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
8.3 If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement
shall not be affected thereby.
8.4 This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of State of Colorado.
8.5 The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that all
liabilities of the Trust arising, directly or indirectly, under this Agreement,
of any and every nature whatsoever, shall be satisfied solely out of the assets
of the Trust and that no Trustee, officer, agent or holder of shares of
beneficial interest of the Trust shall be personally liable for any such
liabilities.
8.6 Each party shall cooperate with each other party and all appropriate
governmental authorities (including without limitation the Securities and
Exchange Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., and
state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities reasonable access
to its books and records in connection with any investigation or inquiry
relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
8.7 The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are
cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and obligations,
at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and
federal laws.
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8.8 The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that this
Agreement shall not be exclusive in any respect.
8.9 Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be
assigned by either party without the prior written approval of the other party.
8.10 No provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any
manner except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by both
parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused their duly authorized officers
to execute this Participation Agreement as of the date and year first above
written.
JANUS ASPEN SERIES
By: s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx
------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
----------------------------------
Title: Assistant Vice President
---------------------------------
WESTERN RESERVE LIFE ASSURANCE CO.
OF OHIO
BY: S/ XXXX X. XXXXXX
------------------------------------
NAME: CHAIRMAN, CEO AND PRESIDENT
----------------------------------
TITLE: XXXX X. XXXXXX
----------------------------------
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SCHEDULE A
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS AND ASSOCIATED CONTRACTS
NAME OF SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND CONTRACTS FUNDED
DATE ESTABLISHED BY BOARD OF DIRECTORS BY SEPARATE ACCOUNT
-------------------------------------- -------------------
WRL VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT A VARIABLE UNIVERSAL LIFE
JUNE 28, 1999 FORM NO. APUL0600 699
WRL SERIES LIFE CORPORATE ACCOUNT VARIABLE UNIVERSAL LIFE COLI
DECEMBER 8, 1997 FORM NO. WL694 136 82 598
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