AMENDED AND RESTATED
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
(FORMER TITLE: "AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE SHARES")
BETWEEN
THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE CO.
AND
LINCOLN NATIONAL SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND, INC.
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 1st day of July, 1998,
by and between Lincoln National Special Opportunities Fund, Inc. a corporation
organized under the laws of Maryland (the "Fund"), and THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE
INSURANCE CO., an Indiana insurance corporation (the "Company"), on its own
behalf and on behalf of each separate account of the Company named in Schedule
1 to this Agreement as in effect at the time this Agreement is executed and such
other separate accounts that may be added to Schedule 1 from time to time in
accordance with the provisions of Article XI of this Agreement (each such
account referred to as the "Account"; collectively, the "Accounts").
WHEREAS, the Fund is engaged in business as an open-end management
investment company and was established for the purpose of serving as the
investment vehicle for separate accounts established for variable life insurance
policies and variable annuity contracts (collectively referred to as "Variable
Insurance Products," the owners of such products being referred to as "Product
owners") to be offered by insurance companies which have entered into
participation agreements with the Fund ("Participating Insurance Companies");
and
WHEREAS, the Fund filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") and the SEC has declared effective a registration
statement (referred to herein as the "Fund Registration Statement" and the
prospectus contained therein, or filed pursuant to Rule 497 under the 1933 Act,
referred to herein as the "Fund Prospectus") on Form N-lA to register itself as
an open-end management investment company (File No. 811-3212) under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and the Fund shares
(File No. 2-80743) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has filed a registration statement with the
SEC to register under the 1933 Act (unless exempt therefrom) certain variable
annuity contracts and/or variable life insurance policies described in Schedule
2 to this Agreement as in effect at the time this Agreement is executed and such
other variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies which may
be added to Schedule 2 from time to time in accordance with Article XI of this
Agreement (such policies and contracts shall be referred to herein collectively
as the "Contracts," each such registration statement for a class or classes of
contracts listed on Schedule 2 being referred to as the "Contracts Registration
Statement" and the prospectus for each such class or classes being referred to
herein as the "Contracts Prospectus," and the owners of the such contracts, as
distinguished from all Product Owners, being referred to as "Contract Owners");
and
WHEREAS, each Account, a validly existing separate account, duly
authorized by the Company on the date set forth on Schedule 1, sets aside and
invests assets attributable to the Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will have registered each
Account with the SEC as a unit investment trust under the 1940 Act before any
Contracts are issued by that Account; and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares on behalf of each Account to
fund its Contracts and the Fund is authorized to sell such shares to unit
investment trusts such as the Accounts at net asset value; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Articles of Merger approved by the Company in
1988, the Company succeeded to all the legal rights and responsibilities of
Lincoln National Pension Insurance Company, the signatory to the original
Agreement to Purchase Shares, which this Agreement amends and restates.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the
Company and the Fund agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. SALE OF FUND SHARES
1.1. The Fund agrees to sell to the Company those shares which the
Company orders on behalf of the Account, executing such orders on a daily basis
in accordance with Section 1.4 of this Agreement.
1.2. The Fund agrees to make shares available for purchase by the
Company on behalf of the Account at the then applicable net asset value per
share on Business Days as defined in Section 1.4 of this Agreement, and the Fund
shall use its best efforts to calculate AND DELIVER such net asset value by 7:00
p.m., E.S.T., on each such Business Day. Notwithstanding any other provision in
this Agreement to the contrary, the Board of Directors of the Fund (the "Fund
Board") may suspend or terminate the offering of shares, if such action is
required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or if, in the
sole discretion of the Fund Board acting in good faith and in light of its
fiduciary duties under Federal and any applicable state laws, suspension or
termination is necessary and in the best interests of the shareholders (it
being understood that "shareholders" for this purpose shall mean Product
owners).
1.3. The Fund agrees to redeem, at the Company's request, any full or
fractional shares of the Fund held by the Account or the Company, executing such
requests at the net asset value on a daily basis (LL will expect same day
redemption wires unless unusual circumstances evolve
which cause the Fund to have to redeem securities) in accordance with Section
1.4 of this Agreement, the applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and the then
currently effective Fund Prospectus. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund
may delay redemption of Fund shares to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, any
rules, regulations or orders thereunder, or the then currently effective Fund
Prospectus.
1.4 (a) For purposes of Sections 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3, the Company
shall be the agent of the Fund for the limited purpose of
receiving redemption and purchase requests from the Account (but
not from the general account of the Company), and receipt on any
Business Day by the Company as such limited agent of the Fund
prior to the time prescribed in the current Fund Prospectus (which
as of the date of execution of this Agreement is 4 p.m., E.S.T.)
shall constitute receipt by the Fund on that same Business Day,
provided that the Fund receives notice of such redemption or
purchase request by 9:00 a.m., E.S.T. on the next following
Business Day. For purposes of this Agreement, "Business Day"
shall mean any day on which the New York Stock exchange is open
for trading.
(b) The Company shall pay for the shares on the same day
that it places an order with the Fund to purchase those Fund
shares for an Account. Payment for Fund shares will be made by
the Account or the Company in Federal Funds transmitted to the
Fund by wire to be received by 11:00 a.m., E.S.T. on the day the
Fund is properly notified of the purchase order for shares. The
Fund will confirm receipt of each trade and these confirmations
will be received by the Company via Fax or Email by 3:00 p.m.
E.S.T. If Federal Funds are not received on time, such funds will
be invested, and shares purchased thereby will be issued, as soon
as practicable.
(c) Payment for shares redeemed by the Account or the
Company will be made in Federal Funds transmitted to the Company
by wire on the same day the Fund is notified of the redemption
order of shares, except that the Fund reserves the right to delay
payment of redemption proceeds, but in no event may such payment
be delayed longer than the period permitted under Section 22(e) of
the 0000 Xxx. The Fund shall not bear any responsibility
whatsoever for the proper disbursement or crediting of redemption
proceeds if securities must be redeemed; the Company alone shall
be responsible for such action.
1.5. Issuance and transfer of Fund shares will be by book entry only.
Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Account. Purchase
and redemption orders for Fund shares will be recorded in an appropriate ledger
for the Account or the appropriate subaccount of the Account.
1.6. The Fund shall furnish notice as soon as reasonably
practicable to the Company of any income dividends or capital gain distributions
payable on any shares. The Company, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account,
hereby elects to receive all such dividends and distributions
as are payable on any shares in the form of additional shares of that Fund. The
Company reserves the right, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account, to
revoke this election and to receive all such dividends in cash. The Fund shall
notify the Company of the number of shares so issued as payment of such
dividends and distributions.
1.7. The Fund shall use its best efforts to make the net asset value
per share available to the Company by 7:00 p.m., E.S.T. each Business Day, and
in any event, as soon as reasonably practicable after the net asset value per
share is calculated, and shall calculate such net asset value in accordance with
the then currently effective Fund Prospectus. The Fund shall not be liable for
any information provided to the Company pursuant to this Agreement which
information is based on incorrect information supplied by the Company to the
Fund.
1.8. (a) The Company may withdraw the Account's investment in
the Fund only: (i) as necessary to facilitate Contract owner
requests; (ii) upon a determination by a majority of the Fund
Board, or a majority of disinterested Fund Board members, that an
irreconcilable material conflict exists among the interests of (x)
any Product Owners or (y) the interests of the Participating
Insurance Companies investing in the Fund; (iii) upon requisite
vote of the Contractowners having an interest in the Fund to
substitute the shares of another investment company for shares in
accordance with the terms of the Contracts; (iv) as required by
state and/or federal laws or regulations or judicial or other
legal precedent of general application; or (v) at the Company's
sole discretion, pursuant to an order of the SEC under Section
26(b) of the 1940 Act.
(b) The parties hereto acknowledge that the arrangement
contemplated by this Agreement is not exclusive and that the Fund
shares may be sold to other insurance companies (subject to
Section 1.9 hereof) and the cash value of the Contracts may be
invested in other investment companies.
(c) The Company shall not, without prior notice to the Fund
(unless otherwise required by applicable law), take any action to
operate the Accounts as management investment companies under the
0000 Xxx.
1.9. The Fund agrees that Fund shares will be sold only to
Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts. The Fund will
not sell Fund shares to any insurance company or separate account unless an
agreement complying with Article VII of this Agreement is in effect to govern
such sales. No Fund shares will be sold to the general public.
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1. The Company represents and warrants (a) that the Contracts are
registered under the 1933 Act or will be so registered before the issuance
thereof, (b) that the Contracts will be issued in compliance in all material
respects with all applicable Federal and state laws and (c)
that the Company will require of every person distributing the Contracts that
the Contracts be offered and sold in compliance in all material respects with
all applicable Federal and state laws. The Company further represents and
warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized and validly existing
under applicable law and that it has legally and validly authorized each Account
as a separate account under Section 27-1-5-1 of the Indiana Insurance Code, and
has registered or, prior to the issuance of any Contracts, will register each
Account (unless exempt therefrom) as a unit investment trust in accordance with
the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a separate account for its Contracts,
and that it will maintain such registrations for so long as any Contracts issued
under them are outstanding.
2.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant to
this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act and duly authorized for
issuance in accordance with applicable law and that the Fund is and shall remain
registered under the 1940 Act for so long as the Fund shares are sold. The Fund
further represents and warrants that it is a corporation duly organized and in
good standing under the laws of Maryland.
2.3. The Fund represents and warrants that it currently qualifies as a
Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"). The Fund further represents and warrants that it
will make every effort to continue to qualify and to maintain such qualification
(under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provision), and that it will
notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that
it has ceased to so qualify or that it might not so qualify in the future.
2.4. The Fund represents and warrants that it will comply with Section
817(h) of the Code, and all regulations issued thereunder.
2.5. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently and at the
time of issuance will be treated as annuity contracts or life insurance
policies, whichever is appropriate, under applicable provisions of the Code.
The Company shall make every effort to maintain such treatment and shall notify
the Fund immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the
Contracts have ceased to be so treated or that they might not be so treated in
the future.
2.6. The Fund represents that the Fund's investment policies, fees and
expenses, and operations are and shall at all times remain in material
compliance with the laws of the state of Maryland, to the extent required to
perform this Agreement; and with any state- mandated investment restrictions set
forth on Schedule 3, as amended from time to time by the Company in accordance
with Section 6.6. The Fund, however, makes no representation as to whether any
aspect of its operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and
investment policies) otherwise complies with the insurance laws or regulations
of any state. The Company alone shall be responsible for informing the Fund of
any investment restrictions imposed by state insurance law and applicable to the
Fund.
2.7. The Fund represents and warrants that it has and maintains a
fidelity bond in accordance with Rule 17g-1 under the 1940 Act. The Fund will
immediately notify the Company
in the event the fidelity bond coverage should lapse at any time.
ARTICLE III. PROSPECTUSES AND PROXY STATEMENTS; SALES MATERIAL AND OTHER
INFORMATION
3.1. The Fund shall provide the Company with as many copies of the
current Fund Prospectus as the Company may reasonably request. If requested by
the Company in lieu thereof, the Fund at its expense shall provide to the
Company a camera-ready copy, and electronic version, of the current Fund
Prospectus suitable for printing and other assistance as is reasonably necessary
in order for the Company to have a new Contracts Prospectus printed together
with the Fund Prospectus in one document. See Article V for a detailed
explanation of the responsibility for the cost of printing and distributing Fund
prospectuses.
3.2. The Fund Prospectus shall state that the Statement of Additional
Information for the Fund is available from the Fund and the Fund shall provide
such Statement free of charge to the Company and to any outstanding or
prospective Contract owner who requests such Statement.
3.3. (a) The Fund at its expense shall provide to the Company a
camera-ready copy of the Fund's shareholder reports and other
communications to shareholders (except proxy material), in each
case in a form suitable for printing, as determined by the
Company. The Fund shall be responsible for the costs of printing
and distributing these materials to Contract owners.
(b) The Fund at its expense shall be responsible for
preparing, printing and distributing its proxy material. The
Company will provide the appropriate Contractowner names and
addresses to the Fund for this purpose.
3.4. The Company shall furnish to the Fund, prior to its use, each
piece of sales literature or other promotional material in which the Fund is
named. No such material shall be used, except with the prior written permission
of the Fund. The Fund agrees to respond to any request for approval on a prompt
and timely basis. Failure of the Fund to respond within 10 days of the request
by the Company shall relieve the Company of the obligation to obtain the prior
written permission of the Fund.
3.5. The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund other
than the information or representations contained in the Fund Registration
Statement or Fund Prospectus, as such Registration Statement and Prospectus may
be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements
for the Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by
the Fund, except with the prior written permission of the Fund. The Fund agrees
to respond to any request for permission on a prompt and timely basis. If the
Fund does not respond within 10 days of a request by the Company, then the
Company shall be relieved of the obligation to obtain the prior written
permission of the Fund.
3.6. The Fund shall not give any information or make any
representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, the Account
or the Contracts other than the information or representations contained in the
Contracts Registration Statement or Contracts Prospectus, as such Registration
Statement and Prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in
published reports of the Account which are in the public domain or approved in
writing by the Company for distribution to Contract owners, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved in writing by the Company,
except with the prior written permission of the Company. The Company agrees to
respond to any request for permission on a prompt and timely basis. If the
Company fails to respond within 10 days of a request by the Fund, then the Fund
is relieved of the obligation to obtain the prior written permission of the
Company.
3.7. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of
all Fund Registration Statements, Fund Prospectuses, Statements of Additional
Information, annual and semi-annual reports and other reports, proxy statements,
sales literature and other promotional materials, applications for exemptions,
requests for no-action letters, and all amendments or supplements to any of the
above, that relate to the Fund or Fund shares, within 20 days after the filing
of such document with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
3.8. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of
all Contracts Registration Statements, Contracts Prospectuses, Statements of
Additional Information, Annual and Semi-annual Reports, sales literature and
other promotional materials, and all amendments or supplements to any of the
above, that relate to the Contracts, within 20 days after the filing of such
document with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
3.9. Each party will provide to the other party copies of draft
versions of any registration statements, prospectuses, statements of
additional information, reports, proxy statements, solicitations for
voting instructions, sales literature and other promotional materials,
applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all
amendments or supplements to any of the above, to the extent that the other
party reasonably needs such information for purposes of preparing a report or
other filing to be filed with or submitted to a regulatory agency. If a
party requests any such information before it has been filed, the other party
will provide the requested information if then available and in the version
then available at the time of such request.
3.10. For purposes of this Article III, the phrase "sales literature or
other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, advertisements
(such as material published, or designed for use, in a newspaper, magazine or
other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape
display, computer net site, signs or billboards, motion pictures or other public
media), sales literature (I.E., any written communication distributed or made
generally available to customers or the public, in print or electronically,
including brochures, circulars, research reports, market letters, form letters,
seminar texts, or reprints or excerpts of any other
advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or training
materials or other communications distributed or made generally available to
some or all agents or employees, registration statements, prospectuses,
Statements of Additional Information, shareholder reports and proxy materials,
and any other material constituting sales literature or advertising under NASD
rules, the 1940 Act or the 1933 Act.
ARTICLE IV. VOTING
4.1 Subject to applicable law and the requirements of Article VII, the
Fund shall solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
4.2 Subject to applicable law and the requirements of Article VII, the
Company shall:
(a) vote Fund shares attributable to Contract owners in
accordance with instructions or proxies received in timely fashion
from such Contract owners;
(b) vote Fund shares attributable to Contract owners for
which no instructions have been received in the same proportion as
Fund shares of such Series for which instructions have been
received in timely fashion; and
(c) vote Fund shares held by the Company on its own behalf
or on behalf of the Account that are not attributable to Contract
owners in the same proportion as Fund shares of such Series for
which instructions have been received in timely fashion.
The Company shall be responsible for assuring that voting privileges for the
Accounts are calculated in a manner consistent with the provisions set forth
above.
ARTICLE V. FEES AND EXPENSES
All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this Agreement
(including expenses expressly assumed by the Fund pursuant to this Agreement)
shall be paid by the Fund to the extent permitted by law. Except as may
otherwise be provided in Section 1.4 and Article VII of this Agreement, the
Company shall not bear any of the expenses for the cost of registration and
qualification of the Fund shares under Federal and any state securities law,
preparation and filing of the Fund Prospectus and Fund Registration Statement,
the preparation of all statements and notices required by any Federal or state
securities law, all taxes on the issuance or transfer of Fund shares, and any
expenses permitted to be paid or assumed by the Fund pursuant to a plan, if any,
under Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
The Fund is responsible for the cost of printing and distributing Fund
Prospectuses and SAIs to existing Contractowners. (If for this purpose the
Company decided to print the Fund
Prospectuses and SAIs in a booklet or separate booklets containing disclosure
for the Contracts and for underlying funds other than those of the Fund, then
the Fund shall pay only its proportionate share of the total cost to distribute
the booklet to existing Contractowners.)
The Company is responsible for the cost of printing and distributing Fund
prospectuses and SAIs for new sales; and Account Prospectuses and SAIs for
existing Contractowners. The Company shall have the final decision on choice of
printer for all Prospectuses and SAIs.
ARTICLE VI. COMPLIANCE UNDERTAKINGS
6.1. The Fund undertakes to comply with Subchapter M and Section 817(h)
of the Code, and all regulations issued thereunder.
6.2. The Company shall amend the Contracts Registration Statements
under the 1933 Act and the Account's Registration Statement under the 1940 Act
from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous offering of the
Contracts or as may otherwise be required by applicable law. The Company shall
register and qualify the Contracts for sale to the extent required by applicable
securities laws of the various states.
6.3. The Fund shall amend the Fund Registration Statement under the
1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in order to effect for
so long as Fund shares are sold the continuous offering of Fund shares as
described in the then currently effective Fund Prospectus. The Fund shall
register and qualify Fund shares for sale to the extent required by applicable
securities laws of the various states.
6.4. The Company shall be responsible for assuring that any prospectus
offering a Contract that is a life insurance contract where it is reasonably
possible that such Contract would be deemed a "modified endowment contract," as
that term is defined in Section 7702A of the Code, will describe the
circumstances under which a Contract could be treated as a modified endowment
contract (or policy).
6.5. To the extent that it decides to finance distribution expenses
pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Fund undertakes to have a Fund Board of Directors, a
majority of whom are not interested persons of the Fund, formulate and approve
any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution expenses.
6.6. (a) When appropriate in order to inform the Fund of any
applicable state-mandated investment restrictions with which the
Fund must comply, the Company shall arrange with the Fund to amend
Schedule 3, pursuant to the requirements of Article XI.
(b) Should the Fund become aware of any restrictions which
may be appropriate for inclusion in Schedule 3, the Company shall
be informed
immediately of the substance of those restrictions.
ARTICLE VlI. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
7.1. The Company agrees to report to the Board of Directors of the Fund
(the "Board") any potential or existing conflicts between the interests of
Product Owners of all separate accounts investing in the Fund, and to assist the
Board in carrying out its responsibilities under Section 6e-3(T) of the 1940
Act, by providing all information reasonably necessary for the Board to consider
any issues raised, including information as to a decision to disregard voting
instructions of variable contract owners.
7.2. If a majority of the Board, or a majority of disinterested Board
Members, determines that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the Board
shall give prompt notice to all Participating Insurance Companies.
(a) If a majority of the whole Board, after notice to the
Company and a reasonable opportunity for the Company to appear
before it and present its case, determines that the Company is
responsible for said conflict, and if the Company agrees with that
determination, the Company shall, at its sole cost and expense,
take whatever steps are necessary to remedy the material
irreconcilable conflict. These steps could include: (i)
withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the affected
Accounts from the Fund and reinvesting such assets in a different
investment vehicle, or submitting the question of whether such
segregation should be implemented to a vote of all affected
Contractowners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of any
particular group (i.e., variable annuity Contractowners, variable
life insurance policyowners, or variable Contractowners of one or
more Participating Insurance Companies) that votes in favor of
such segregation, or offering to the affected Contractowners the
option of making such a change; and (ii) establishing a new
registered mutual fund or management separate account; or (iii)
taking such other action as is necessary to remedy or eliminate
the material irreconcilable conflict.
(b) If the Company disagrees with the Board's
determination, the Company shall file a written protest with the
Board, reserving its right to dispute the determination as between
just the Company and the Fund and to seek reimbursement from the
Fund for the reasonable costs and expenses of resolving the
conflict. After reserving that right the Company, although
disagreeing with the Board that it (the Company) was responsible
for the conflict, shall take the necessary steps, under protest,
to remedy the conflict, substantially in accordance with paragraph
(a) just above, for the protection of Contractowners.
(c) As between the Company and the Fund, if within 45 days
after the
Board's determination the Company elects to press the dispute, it
shall so notify the Board in writing. The parties shall then
attempt to resolve the matter amicably through negotiation by
individuals from each party who are authorized to settle the
matter. If the matter has not been amicably resolved within 60
days from the date of the Company's notice of its intent to press
the dispute, then before either party shall undertake to litigate
the dispute it shall be submitted to non-binding arbitration
conducted expeditiously in accordance with the CPR Rules for
Non-Administered Arbitration of Business Disputes, by a sole
arbitrator; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if one party has requested the
other party to seek an amicable resolution and the other party has
failed to participate, the requesting party may initiate
arbitration before expiration of the 60-day period set out just
above.
If within 45 days of the commencement of the process to select an
arbitrator the parties cannot agree upon the arbitrator, then he
or she will be selected from the CPR Panels of Neutrals. The
arbitration shall be governed by the United States Arbitration
Act, 9 U.S.C. Sec. 1-16. The place of arbitration shall be Fort
Xxxxx, Indiana. The Arbitrator is not empowered to award damages
in excess of compensatory damages.
(d) If the Board shall determine that the Fund or another
was responsible for the conflict, then the Board shall notify the
Company immediately of that determination. The Fund shall assure
the Company that it (the Fund) or that other Participating
Insurance Company as applicable, shall, at its sole cost and
expense, take whatever steps are necessary to eliminate the
conflict.
(e) Nothing in Sections 7.2(b) or 7.2(c) shall constitute a
waiver of any right of action which the Company may have against
other Participating Insurance Companies for reimbursement of all
or part of the costs and expenses of resolving the conflict.
7.3. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of the
Company's decision to disregard Contractowner voting instructions and that
decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the
Company shall withdraw (without charge or penalty) the Account's investment in
the Fund, if the Fund so elects.
7.4. For purposes of this Article, a majority of the disinterested
members of the Board shall determine whether or not any proposed action
adequately remedies any irreconcilable conflict. However, in no event will the
Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for any variable contract,
nor will the Company be required to establish a new funding medium for any
Contract, if in either case an offer to do so has been declined by a vote of a
majority of affected Contractowners.
ARTICLE VIII. INDEMNIFICATION
8.1. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY. The Company agrees to indemnify
and hold harmless the Fund and each person who controls or is associated with
the Fund (other than another Participating Insurance Company) within the meaning
of such terms under the federal securities laws and any officer, trustee,
director, employee or agent of the foregoing, against any and all losses,
claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several (including any investigative,
legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amounts
paid with the prior written consent of the Company in settlement of, any action,
suit or proceeding or any claim asserted), to which they or any of them may
become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Contracts Registration Statement, Contracts Prospectus, sales
literature or other promotional material for the Contracts or the
Contracts themselves (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading in light of the circumstances in which they were made;
provided that this obligation to indemnify shall not apply if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or alleged
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing to the Company by the Fund (or a
person authorized in writing to do so on behalf of the Fund) for
use in the Contracts Registration Statement, Contracts Prospectus
or in the Contracts or sales literature (or any amendment or
supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of
the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(b) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact by or on behalf of the
Company (other than statements or representations contained in the
Fund Registration Statement, Fund Prospectus or sales literature
or other promotional material of the Fund not supplied by the
Company or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the
Company or persons under its control with respect to the sale or
distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(c) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Fund Registration
Statement, Fund Prospectus or sales literature or other
promotional material of the Fund or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading in light of the
circumstances in which they were made, if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Company;
or
(d) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to
provide the services and furnish the materials or to make any
payments under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(e) arise out of any material breach by the Company of this
Agreement, including but not limited to any failure to transmit a
request for redemption or purchase of Fund shares on a timely
basis in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article I; or
(f) arise as a result of the Company's providing the Fund
with inaccurate information, which causes the Fund to calculate
its Net Asset Values incorrectly.
This indemnification will be in addition to any liability which the Company may
otherwise have; provided, however, that no party shall be entitled to
indemnification if such loss, claim, damage or liability is due to the willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the
party seeking indemnification.
8.2. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE FUND. The Fund agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Company and each person who controls or is associated with the
Company within the meaning of such terms under the federal securities laws and
any officer, director, employee or agent of the foregoing, against any and all
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several (including any
investigative, legal and other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with,
and any amounts paid with the prior written consent of the Fund in settlement
of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted), to which they or any
of them may become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
Fund Registration Statement, Fund Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) or sales literature or other promotional
material of the Fund, or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading in light of the circumstances in which they
were made; provided that this obligation to indemnify shall not
apply if such statement or omission or alleged statement or
alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished in writing by the Company to the Fund for
use in the Fund Registration Statement, Fund Prospectus (or any
amendment or supplement thereto) or sales literature for the Fund
or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts
or Fund shares; or
(b) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged
untrue statement of a material fact made by the Fund (other than
statements or representations contained in the Fund Registration
Statement, Fund Prospectus or sales literature or other
promotional material of the Fund not supplied by the Distributor
or the Fund or persons under their control) or wrongful conduct of
the Fund or persons under its control with respect to the sale or
distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(c) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Contract's
Registration Statement, Contracts Prospectus or sales literature
or other promotional material for the Contracts (or any amendment
or supplement thereto), or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in light
of the circumstances in which they were made, if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished in
writing by the Fund to the Company (or a person authorized in
writing to do so on behalf of the Fund); or
(d) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide
the services and furnish the materials under the terms of this
Agreement (including, but not by way of limitation, a failure,
whether unintentional or in good faith or otherwise: (i) to comply
with the diversification requirements specified in Sections 2.4
and 6.1 in Article VI of this Agreement; and (ii) to provide the
Company with accurate information sufficient for it to calculate
its accumulation and/or annuity unit values in timely fashion as
required by law and by the Contracts Prospectuses); or
(e) arise out of any material breach by the Fund of this
Agreement.
This indemnification will be in addition to any liability which the Fund may
otherwise have; provided, however, that no party shall be entitled to
indemnification if such loss, claim, damage or liability is due to the willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the
party seeking indemnification.
8.3. INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURES. After receipt by a party
entitled to indemnification ("indemnified party") under this Article VIII of
notice of the commencement of any action, if a claim in respect thereof is to be
made by the indemnified party against any person obligated to provide
indemnification under this Article VIII ("indemnifying party"), such indemnified
party will notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof
as soon as practicable thereafter, provided that the omission to so notify the
indemnifying party will not relieve it from any liability under this Article
VIII, except to the extent that the omission results in a failure of actual
notice to the indemnifying party and such indemnifying party is damaged solely
as a result of the failure to give such notice. The indemnifying party, upon
the request of the indemnified party, shall retain counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party and any
others the indemnifying party may designate in such proceeding and
shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to such proceeding.
In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the right to retain its
own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense
of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified
party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the
named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include
both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential
differing interests between them. The indemnifying party shall not be liable
for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if
settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against
any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
A successor by law of the parties to this Agreement shall be entitled to
the benefits of the indemnification contained in this Article VIII. The
indemnification provisions contained in this Article VIII shall survive any
termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE IX. APPLICABLE LAW
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the state of Indiana,
without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of law.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933,
1934 and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder,
including such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC
may grant, and the terms hereof shall be limited, interpreted and construed in
accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. TERMINATION
10.1. This Agreement shall terminate:
(a) at the option of any party upon 120 days advance
written notice to the other parties; or
(b) at the option of the Company if shares of the Fund are
not available to meet the requirements of the Contracts as
determined by the Company. Prompt notice of the election to
terminate for such cause shall be furnished by the Company.
Termination shall be effective ten days after the giving of
notice by the Company; or
(c) at the option of the Fund upon institution of formal
proceedings against the Company by the NASD, the SEC, the
insurance commission of any
state or any other regulatory body regarding the Company's duties
under this Agreement or related to the sale of the Contracts, the
operation of the Account, the administration of the Contracts or
the purchase of Fund shares;
(d) at the option of the Company upon institution of formal
proceedings against the Fund, the investment advisor or any sub-
investment advisor, by the NASD, the SEC, or any state securities
or insurance commission or any other regulatory body; or
(e) upon requisite vote of the Contract owners having an
interest in the Fund (unless otherwise required by applicable law)
and written approval of the Company, to substitute the shares of
another investment company for the corresponding shares of the
Fund in accordance with the terms of the Contracts; or
(f) at the option of the Fund in the event any of the
Contracts are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with
applicable Federal and/or state law; or
(g) at the option of the Company or the Fund upon a
determination by a majority of the Fund Board, or a majority of
disinterested Fund Board members, that an irreconcilable material
conflict exists among the interests of (i) any Product owners or
(ii) the interests of the Participating Insurance Companies
investing in the Fund; or
(h) at the option of the Company if the Fund ceases to
qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of
the Code, or under any successor or similar provision, or if the
Company reasonably believes, based on an opinion of its counsel,
that the Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(i) at the option of the Company if the Fund fails to meet
the diversification requirements specified in Section 817(h) of
the Code and any regulations thereunder; or
(j) at the option of the Fund if the Contracts cease to
qualify as annuity contracts or life insurance policies, as
applicable, under the Code, or if the Fund reasonably believes
that the Contracts may fail to so qualify; or
(k) at the option of the Fund if the Fund shall determine,
in its sole
judgment exercised in good faith, that either (1) the Company
shall have suffered a material adverse change in its business or
financial condition; or (2) the Company shall have been the
subject of material adverse publicity which is likely to have a
material adverse impact upon the business and operations of the
Fund; or
(l) at the option of the Company, if the Company shall
determine, in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that:
(1) the Fund shall have suffered a material adverse change in its
business or financial condition; or (2) the Fund shall have been
the subject of material adverse publicity which is likely to have
a material adverse impact upon the business and operations of the
Company; or
(m) automatically upon the assignment of this Agreement
(including, without limitation, any transfer of the Contracts or
the Accounts to another insurance company pursuant to an
assumption reinsurance agreement) unless the non-assigning party
consents thereto or unless this Agreement is assigned to an
affiliate of the Company or the Fund, as the case may be.
10.2. NOTICE REQUIREMENT. Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.1,
no termination of this Agreement shall be effective unless and until the party
terminating this Agreement gives prior written notice to the other party of its
intent to terminate, which notice shall set forth the basis for such
termination. Furthermore:
(a) In the event that any termination is based upon the
provisions of Article VII or the provisions of Section 10.1(a) of
this Agreement, such prior written notice shall be given in
advance of the effective date of termination as required by such
provisions; and
(b) in the event that any termination is based upon the
provisions of Section 10.1(c) or 10.1(d) of this Agreement, such
prior written notice shall be given at least ninety (90) days
before the effective date of termination, or sooner if required by
law or regulation.
10.3. EFFECT OF TERMINATION
(a) Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement
pursuant to Section 10.1 of this Agreement, the Fund will, at the
option of the Company, continue to make available additional Fund
shares for so long after the termination of this Agreement as the
Company desires, pursuant to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement as provided in paragraph (b) below, for all Contracts in
effect on the effective date of termination of this Agreement
(hereinafter referred to as "Existing Contracts"). Specifically,
without limitation, if the Company so elects to make additional
Fund shares available, the owners of the Existing Contracts or the
Company, whichever shall have legal authority to do so,
shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the Fund, redeem
investments in the Fund and/or invest in the Fund upon the making
of additional purchase payments under the Existing Contracts.
(b) If Fund shares continue to be made available after such
termination, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in
effect except for Section 10.1(a) and thereafter either the Fund
or the Company may terminate the Agreement, as so continued
pursuant to this Section 10.3, upon prior written notice to the
other party, such notice to be for a period that is reasonable
under the circumstances but, if given by the Fund, need not be for
more than six months.
(c) The parties agree that this Section 10.3 shall not
apply to any termination made pursuant to Article VII, and the
effect of such Article VII termination shall be governed by the
provisions set forth or incorporated by reference therein.
ARTICLE XI. APPLICABILITY TO NEW ACCOUNTS AND NEW CONTACTS
The parties to this Agreement may amend the schedules to this Agreement
from time to time to reflect changes in or relating to the Contracts and to add
new classes of variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies
to be issued by the Company through new or existing Separate Accounts investing
in the Fund. The provisions of this Agreement shall be equally applicable to
each such separate account and each such class of contracts or policies, unless
the context otherwise requires. Any such amendment must be signed by the
parties and must bear an effective date for that amendment.
ARTICLE XII. NOTICES
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party(ies) at the address of such party(ies) set
forth below or at such other address as such party(ies) may from time to time
specify in writing to the other party.
If to the Fund:
Lincoln National Special Opportunities Fund, Inc.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
If to the Company:
Lincoln National Life Insurance Co.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attn: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
ARTICLE XIII. MISCELLANEOUS
13.1. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
13.2. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
13.3. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid
by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement
shall not be affected thereby.
13.4. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the SEC, the
NASD and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
13.5. Each party represents that the execution and delivery of this
Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein have been
duly authorized by all necessary corporate or trust action, as applicable, by
such party, and when so executed and delivered this Agreement will be the valid
and binding obligation of such party enforceable in accordance with its terms.
ARTICLE XIV. PRIOR AGREEMENTS
This Amended and Restated Fund Participation Agreement, as of its
effective date, hereby supersedes any and all prior agreements to purchase
shares between Lincoln Life and the Fund.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement
to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized officer on the date
specified below.
LINCOLN NATIONAL SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND, INC.
Signature:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------------------------------
Title: President
---------------------------------------------------------------
LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE CO. (Company)
Signature:
-----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
----------------------------------------------------------------
Title: Senior Vice President, Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
---------------------------------------------------------------
SCHEDULE 1
Lincoln National Special Opportunities Fund, Inc.
Separate Accounts of Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
Investing in the Fund
As of July 1, 1998
LINCOLN NATIONAL VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT C
LINCOLN LIFE FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT D
LINCOLN NATIONAL FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT G
LINCOLN LIFE FLEXIBLE PREMIUM VARIABLE LIFE ACCOUNT K
LINCOLN LIFE VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT Q
LINCOLN NATIONAL VARIABLE ANNUITY ACCOUNT 53
SCHEDULE 2
Lincoln National Special Opportunities Fund, Inc.
Variable Annuity Contracts
and Variable Life Insurance Policies
Supported by Separate Accounts
Listed on Schedule 1
As of July 1, 1998
MULTI FUND VARIABLE ANNUITY
eANNUITY
EMANCIPATOR LIFE
VUL III
MULTI FUND VARIABLE LIFE
GROUP MULTI FUND
MULTI FUND - NON-REGISTERED
SCHEDULE 3
Lincoln National Special Opportunities Fund, Inc.
State-mandated Investment Restrictions
Applicable to the Fund
As of July 1, 1998
The California Department of Insurance has established the following Guidelines
for an underlying portfolio of a Separate Account:
BORROWING. The borrowing limit for any FUND is 33 1/3 percent of total assets.
Entering into a reverse repurchase agreement shall be considered "borrowing" as
that term is used herein.
FOREIGN INVESTMENTS - DIVERSIFICATION
The diversification guidelines to be followed by international and global FUNDS
are as follows:
a. An international FUND or a global FUND is sufficiently diversified if it is
invested in a minimum of three different countries at all times, and has
invested no more than 50 percent of total assets in any one second-tier
country and no more than 25 percent of total assets in any one third-tier
country. First-tier countries are: Germany, the United Kingdom, Japan, the
United States, France, Canada, and Australia. Second-tier countries are all
countries not in the first or third tier. Third-tier countries are
countries identified as "emerging" or "developing" by the International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development ("World Bank") or International
Finance Corporation.
b. A regional FUND is sufficiently diversified if it is invested in a minimum
of three countries. The name of the fund must accurately describe the
FUND.
c. The name of the single country FUND must accurately describe the FUND.
d. An index FUND must substantially mirror the index.
