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Exhibit 1 A 8(j)
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
This Agreement is entered into as of the 8th day of Nov., 2000, by NATIONAL
LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, a life insurance company organized under the laws of
the State of Vermont ("Insurance Company"), and THE DREYFUS SOCIALLY
RESPONSIBLE GROWTH FUND, INC. (a "Fund").
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 "Act" shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
1.2 "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors or Trustees, as the case may
be, of a Fund, which has the responsibility for management and control of
the Fund.
1.3 "Business Day" shall mean any day for which a Fund calculates net asset
value per share as described in the Fund's Prospectus.
1.4 "Commission" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.5 "Contract" shall mean a variable annuity or life insurance contract that
uses any Participating Fund (as defined below) as an underlying investment
medium. Individuals who participate under a group Contract are
"Participants."
1.6 "Contractholder" shall mean any entity that is a party to a Contract with
a Participating Company (as defined below).
1.7 "Disinterested Board Members" shall mean those members of the Board of a
Fund that are not deemed to be "interested persons" of the Fund, as
defined by the Act.
1.8 "Dreyfus" shall mean The Dreyfus Corporation and its affiliates,
including Dreyfus Service Corporation.
1.9 "Participating Companies" shall mean any insurance company (including
Insurance Company) that offers variable annuity and/or variable life
insurance contracts to the public and that has entered into an agreement
with one or more of the Funds.
1.10 "Participating Fund" shall mean each Fund, including, as applicable, any
series thereof, specified in Exhibit A, as such Exhibit may be amended
from time to time by agreement of the parties hereto, the shares of which
are available to serve as the underlying investment medium for the
aforesaid Contracts.
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1.11 "Prospectus" shall mean the current prospectus and statement of additional
information of a Fund, as most recently filed with the Commission.
1.12 "Separate Accounts" shall mean National Variable Life Insurance Account,
and National Life Variable Annuity Account II, a separate accounts
established by Insurance Company in accordance with the laws of the State
of Vermont.
1.13 "Software Program" shall mean the software program used by a Fund for
providing Fund and account balance information including net asset value
per share. Such Program may include the Lion System. In situations where
the Lion System or any other Software Program used by a Fund is not
available, such information may be provided by telephone. The Lion System
shall be provided to Insurance Company at no charge.
1.14 "Insurance Company's General Account(s)" shall mean the general account(s)
of Insurance Company and its affiliates that invest in a fund.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS
2.1 Insurance Company represents and warrants that (a) it is an insurance
company duly organized and in good standing under applicable law; (b) it
has legally and validly established the Separate Accounts pursuant to the
insurance laws of the State of Vermont and the regulation thereunder the
purpose of offering to the public certain individual annuity and life
insurance contracts; (c) it has registered the Separate Accounts as unit
investment trusts under the Act to serve as the segregated investment
accounts for the Contracts; and (d) each Separate Account is eligible to
invest in shares of each Participating Fund without such investment
disqualifying any Participating Fund as an investment medium for insurance
company separate accounts supporting variable annuity contracts or variable
life insurance contracts.
2.2 Insurance Company represents and warrants that (a) the Contracts will be
described in a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended ("1933 Act"); (b) the Contracts will be issued and sold in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and state
laws; and (c) the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material
respects with state insurance law requirements. Insurance Company agrees to
notify each Participating Fund promptly of any investment restrictions
imposed by state insurance law and applicable to the Participating Fund.
2.3 Insurance Company represents and warrants that the income, gains and
losses, whether or not realized, from assets allocated to each Separate
Account are, in accordance with the applicable Contracts, to be credited to
or charged against such Separate Account without regard to other income,
gains or losses from assets
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allocated to any other accounts of Insurance Company. Insurance Company
represents and warrants that the assets of each Separate Account are and
will be kept separate from Insurance Company's General Account and any
other separate accounts Insurance Company may have, and will not be charged
with liabilities from any business that Insurance Company may conduct or
the liabilities of any companies affiliated with Insurance Company.
2.4 Each Participating Fund represents that it is registered with the
Commission under the Act as an open-end, management investment company and
possesses, and shall maintain, all legal and regulatory licenses,
approvals, consents and/or exemptions required for the Participating Fund
to operate and offer its shares as an underlying investment medium for
Participating Companies.
2.5 Each Participating Fund represents that it is currently qualified as a
regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and that it will make every effort
to maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or
similar provision) and that it will notify Insurance 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.
2.6 Insurance Company represents and agrees that the Contracts are currently,
and at the time of issuance will be, treated as life insurance policies or
annuity contracts, whichever is appropriate, under applicable provisions of
the Code, and that it will make every effort to maintain such treatment and
that it will notify each Participating Fund and Dreyfus 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. Insurance
Company agrees that any prospectus offering a Contract that is a "modified
endowment contract," as that term is defined in Section 7702A of the Code,
will identify such Contract as a modified endowment contract (or policy).
2.7 Each Participating Fund agrees that its assets shall be managed and
invested in a manner that complies with the requirements of Section 817(h)
of the Code.
2.8 Insurance Company agrees that each Participating Fund shall be permitted
(subject to other terms of this Agreement) to make its shares available to
other Participating Companies and Contractholders.
2.9 Each Participating Fund represents and warrants that any of its directors,
trustees, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/
entities who deal with the money and/or securities of the Participating
Fund are and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket
fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the Participating Fund
in an amount not less than that required by Rule 17g-1 under the Act. The
aforesaid Bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and
shall be issued by a reputable bonding company.
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2.10 Insurance Company represents and warrants that all of its employees and
agents who deal with the money and/or securities of each Participating Fund
are and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity
bond or similar coverage in an amount not less than the coverage required
to be maintained by the Participating Fund. The aforesaid Bond shall
include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a
reputable bonding company.
2.11 Insurance Company agrees that Dreyfus shall be deemed a third party
beneficiary under this Agreement and may enforce any and all rights
conferred by virtue of this Agreement.
ARTICLE III
FUND SHARES
3.1 The Contracts funded through each Separate Account will provide for the
investment of certain amounts in shares of each Participating Fund.
3.2 Each Participating Fund agrees to make its shares available for purchase at
the then applicable net asset value per share by Insurance Company and the
Separate Accounts on each Business Day pursuant to rules of the Commission.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Participating Fund may refuse to sell
its shares to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of its
shares, if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities
having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of its Board, acting in
good faith and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and any
applicable state laws, necessary and in the best interests of the
Participating Fund's shareholders.
3.3 Each Participating Fund agrees that shares of the Participating Fund will
be sold only to (a) Participating Companies and their separate accounts or
(b) "qualified pension or retirement plans" as determined under Section
817(h)(4) of the Code. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 3.3,
no shares of any Participating Fund will be sold to the general public.
3.4 Each Participating Fund shall use its best efforts to provide closing net
asset value, dividend and capital gain information on a per-share basis to
Insurance Company by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on each Business Day. Any
material errors in the calculation of net asset value, dividend and capital
gain information shall be reported immediately upon discovery to Insurance
Company. Non-material errors will be corrected in the next Business Day's
net asset value per share.
3.5 At the end of each Business Day, Insurance Company will use the information
described in Sections 3.2 and 3.4 to calculate the unit values of each
Separate Account for the day. Using this unit value, Insurance Company will
process the day's Separate Account transactions received by it by the close
of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m.
Eastern time) to
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determine the net dollar amount of each Participating Fund's shares that
will be purchased or redeemed at that day's closing net asset value per
share. The net purchase or redemption orders will be transmitted to each
Participating Fund by Insurance Company by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on the
Business Day next following Insurance Company's receipt of that
information. Subject to Sections 3.6 and 3.8, all purchase and redemption
orders for Insurance Company's General Accounts shall be effected at the
net asset value per share of each Participating Fund next calculated after
receipt of the order by the Participating Fund or its Transfer Agent.
3.6 Each Participating Fund appoints Insurance Company as its agent for the
limited purpose of accepting orders for the purchase and redemption of
Participating Fund shares for the Separate Account. Each Participating Fund
will execute orders at the applicable net asset value per share determined
as of the close of trading on the day of receipt of such orders by
Insurance Company acting as agent ("effective trade date"), provided that
the Participating Fund receives notice of such orders by 11:00 a.m. Eastern
time on the next following Business Day and, if such orders request the
purchase of Participating Fund shares, the conditions specified in Section
3.8, as applicable, are satisfied. A redemption or purchase request that
does not satisfy the conditions specified above and in Section 3.8, as
applicable, will be effected at the net asset value per share computed on
the Business Day immediately preceding the next following Business Day upon
which such conditions have been satisfied in accordance with the
requirements of this Section and Section 3.8. Insurance Company represents
and warrants that all orders submitted by the Insurance Company for
execution on the effective trade date shall represent purchase or
redemption orders received from Contractholders prior to the close of
trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the effective trade date.
3.7 Insurance Company will make its best efforts to notify each applicable
Participating Fund in advance of any unusually large purchase or
redemption orders.
3.8 If Insurance Company's order requests the purchase of a Participating
Fund's shares, Insurance Company will pay for such purchases by wiring
Federal Funds to the Participating Fund or its designated custodial
account on the day the order is transmitted. Insurance Company shall make
all reasonable efforts to transmit to the applicable Participating Fund
payment in Federal Funds by 12:00 noon Eastern time on the Business Day
the Participating Fund receives the notice of the order pursuant to
Section 3.5. Each applicable Participating Fund will execute such orders
at the applicable net asset value per share determined as of the close of
trading on the effective trade date if the Participating Fund receives
payment in Federal Funds by 12:00 midnight Eastern time on the Business
Day the Participating Fund receives the notice of the order pursuant to
Section 3.5. If payment in Federal Funds for any purchase is not received
or is received by a Participating Fund after 12:00 noon Eastern time on
such Business Day, Insurance
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Company shall promptly, upon each applicable Participating Fund's
request, reimburse the respective Participating Fund for any charges,
costs, fees, interest or other expenses incurred by the Participating
Fund in connection with any advances to, or borrowings or overdrafts by,
the Participating Fund, or any similar expenses incurred by the
Participating Fund, as a result of portfolio transactions effected by the
Participating Fund based upon such purchase request. If Insurance
Company's order requests the redemption of any Participating Fund's
shares valued at or greater than $1 million dollars, the Participating
Fund will wire such amount to Insurance Company within seven days of the
order.
3.9 Each Participating Fund has the obligation to ensure that its shares are
registered with applicable federal agencies at all times.
3.10 Each Participating Fund will confirm each purchase or redemption order
made by Insurance Company. Transfer of Participating Fund shares will be
by book entry only. No share certificates will be issued to Insurance
Company. Insurance Company will record shares ordered from a
Participating Fund in an appropriate title for the corresponding account.
3.11 Each Participating Fund shall credit Insurance Company with the
appropriate number of shares.
3.12 On each ex-dividend date of a Participating Fund or, if not a Business
Day, on the first Business Day thereafter, each Participating Fund shall
communicate to Insurance Company the amount of dividend and capital gain,
if any, per share. All dividends and capital gains shall be automatically
reinvested in additional shares of the applicable Participating Fund at
the net asset value per share on the ex-dividend date. Each Participating
Fund shall, on the day after the ex-dividend date or, if not a Business
Day, on the first Business Day thereafter, notify Insurance Company of
the number of shares so issued.
ARTICLE IV
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS
4.1 Each Participating Fund shall provide monthly statements of account as of
the end of each month for all of Insurance Company's accounts by the
fifteenth (15th) Business Day of the following month.
4.2 Each Participating Fund shall distribute to Insurance Company copies of
the Participating Fund's Prospectuses, proxy materials, notices, periodic
reports and other printed materials (which the Participating Fund
customarily provides to its shareholders) in quantities as Insurance
Company may reasonably request for distribution to each Contractholder
and Participant. Insurance Company may elect to print the Participating
Fund's prospectus and/or its statement of additional information in
combination with other fund companies' prospectuses and
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statements of additional information, which are also offered in Insurance
Companies insurance product at their own cost. At Insurance Company's
request, the Participating Fund will provide, in lieu of printed documents,
camera-ready copy or diskette of prospectuses, annual and semi-annual
reports for printing by the Insurance Company.
4.3 Each Participating Fund will provide to Insurance Company at least one
complete copy of all registration statements, Prospectuses, reports, proxy
statements, sales literature and other promotional materials, applications
for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments to any
of the above, that relate to the Participating Fund or its shares,
contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the Commission or
other regulatory authorities.
4.4 Insurance Company will provide to each Participating Fund at least one copy
of all registration statements, Prospectuses, reports, proxy statements,
sales literature and other promotional materials, applications for
exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments to any of
the above, that relate to the Contracts or the Separate Account,
contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the Commission.
4.5 Insurance Company will provide Participating Funds on a semi-annual
basis, or more frequently as reasonably requested by the Participating Funds,
with a current tabulation of the number of existing Variable Contract owners of
Insurance Company whose Variable Contract values are invested in the
Participating Funds. This tabulation will be sent to Participating Funds in the
form of a letter signed by a duly authorized officer of the Insurance Company
attesting to the accuracy of the information contained in the letter.
ARTICLE V
EXPENSES
5.1 The charge to each Participating Fund for all expenses and costs of the
Participating Fund, including but not limited to management fees,
administrative expenses and legal and regulatory costs, will be included
in the determination of the Participating Fund's daily net asset value per
share.
5.2 Except as provided in Article IV and V, in particular in the next sentence,
Insurance Company shall not be required to pay directly any expenses of any
Participating Fund or expenses relating to the distribution of its shares.
Insurance Company shall pay the following expenses or costs:
a. Such amount of the production expenses of any Participating Fund
materials, including the cost of printing a Participating Fund's
Prospectus, or marketing materials for prospective Insurance
Company
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Contractholders and Participants as Dreyfus and Insurance Company
shall agree from time to time.
b. Distribution expenses of any Participating Fund materials or
marketing materials for prospective Insurance Company
Contractholders and Participants.
c. Distribution expenses of any Participating Fund materials or
marketing materials for Insurance Company Contractholders and
Participants.
Except as provided herein, all other expenses of each Participating
Fund shall not be borne by Insurance Company.
ARTICLE VI
EXEMPTIVE RELIEF
6.1 Insurance Company has reviewed a copy of (i) the amended order dated
December 31, 1997 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under
Section 6(c) of the Act with respect to Dreyfus Variable Investment
Fund and Dreyfus Life and Annuity Index Fund, Inc.; and (ii) the order
dated February 5, 1998 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under
Section 6(c) of the Act with respect to The Dreyfus Socially
Responsible Growth Fund, Inc. and Dreyfus Investment Portfolios, and,
in particular, has reviewed the conditions to the relief set forth in
each related Notice. As set forth therein, if Dreyfus Variable
Investment Fund, Dreyfus Life and Annuity Index Fund, Inc., The
Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc. or Dreyfus Investment
Portfolios is a Participating Fund, Insurance Company agrees, as
applicable, to report any potential or existing conflicts promptly to
the respective Board of Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund, Dreyfus Life
and Annuity Index Fund, Inc., The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth
Fund, Inc. and/or Dreyfus Investment Portfolios, and, in particular,
whenever contract voting instructions are disregarded, and recognizes
that it will be responsible for assisting each applicable Board in
carrying out its responsibilities under such application. Insurance
Company agrees to carry out such responsibilities with a view to the
interests of existing Contractholders.
6.2 If a majority of the Board, or a majority of Disinterested Board
Members, determines that a material irreconcilable conflict exists
with regard to Contractholder investments in a Participating Fund, the
Board shall give prompt notice to all Participating Companies and any
other Participating Fund. If the Board determines that Insurance
Company is responsible for causing or creating said conflict,
Insurance Company shall at its sole cost and expense, and to the
extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the
Disinterested Board Members), take such action as is necessary to
remedy or eliminate the
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irreconcilable material conflict. Such necessary action may include, but
shall not be limited to:
a. Withdrawing the assets allocable to the Separate Account from the
Participating Fund and reinvesting such assets in another
Participating Fund (if applicable) or a different investment medium,
or submitting the question of whether such segregation should be
implemented to a vote of all affected Contractholders; and/or
b. Establishing a new registered management investment company.
6.3 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises as a result of a decision by
Insurance Company to disregard Contractholder voting instructions and said
decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote
by all Contractholders having an interest in a Participating Fund,
Insurance Company may be required, at the Board's election, to withdraw the
investments of the Separate Account in that Participating Fund.
6.4 For the purpose of this Article, a majority of the Disinterested Board
Members shall determine whether or not any proposed action adequately
remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event will any
Participating Fund be required to bear the expense of establishing a new
funding medium for any Contract. Insurance Company shall not be required by
this Article to establish a new funding medium for any Contract if an offer
to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of the Contractholders
materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable material conflict.
6.5 No action by Insurance Company taken or omitted, and no action by the
Separate Account or any Participating Fund taken or omitted as a result of
any act or failure to act by Insurance Company pursuant to this Article VI,
shall relieve Insurance Company of its obligations under, or otherwise
affect the operation of, Article V.
ARTICLE VII
VOTING OF PARTICIPATING FUND SHARES
7.1 Each Participating Fund shall provide Insurance Company with copies, at no
cost to Insurance Company, of the Participating Fund's proxy material,
reports to shareholders and other communications to shareholders in such
quantity as Insurance Company shall reasonably require for distributing to
Contractholders or Participants.
Insurance Company shall:
(a) solicit voting instructions from Contractholders or Participants
on a timely basis and in accordance with applicable law;
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(b) vote the Participating Fund shares in accordance with
instructions received from Contractholders or Participants; and
(c) vote the Participating Fund shares for which no instructions
have been received in the same proportion as Participating Fund
shares for which instructions have been received.
Insurance Company agrees at all times to vote its General Account shares
in the same proportion as the Participating Fund shares for which
instructions have been received from Contractholders or Participants.
Insurance Company further agrees to be responsible for assuring that
voting the Participating Fund shares for each Separate Account is
conducted in a manner consistent with other Participating Companies.
7.2 Insurance Company agrees that it shall not, without the prior written
consent of each applicable Participating Fund and Dreyfus, solicit,
induce or encourage Contractholders to (a) change or supplement the
Participating Fund's current investment adviser or (b) change, modify,
substitute, add to or delete from the current investment media for the
Contracts.
ARTICLE VIII
MARKETING AND REPRESENTATIONS
8.1 Each Participating Fund or its underwriter shall periodically furnish
Insurance Company with the following documents, in quantities as Insurance
Company may reasonably request:
a. Current Prospectus and any supplements thereto; and
b. Other marketing materials.
Expenses for the production of such documents shall be borne by
Insurance Company in accordance with Section 5.2 of this Agreement.
8.2 Insurance Company shall designate certain persons or entities that shall
have the requisite licenses to solicit applications for the sale of
Contracts. No representation is made as to the number or amount of
Contracts that are to be sold by Insurance Company. Insurance Company
shall make reasonable efforts to market the Contracts and shall comply
with all applicable federal and state laws in connection therewith.
8.3 Insurance Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to each
applicable Participating Fund or its designee, each piece of sales
literature or other promotional material in which the Participating Fund,
its investment adviser or the administrator is named, at least fifteen
Business Days prior to its use. No
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such material shall be used unless the Participating Fund or its designee
approves such material. Such approval (if given) must be in writing and
shall be presumed not given if not received within ten Business Days after
receipt of such material. Each applicable Participating Fund or its
designee, as the case may be, shall use all reasonable efforts to respond
within ten days of receipt.
8.4 Insurance Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of a Participating Fund or
concerning a Participating Fund in connection with the sale of the
Contracts other than the information or representations contained in the
registration statement or Prospectus of, as may be amended or supplemented
from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for, the applicable
Participating Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material
approved by the applicable Participating Fund.
8.5 Each Participating Fund shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to
Insurance Company, each piece of the Participating Fund's sales literature
or other promotional material in which Insurance Company or the Separate
Account is named, at least fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used unless Insurance Company approves such material.
Such approval (if given) must be in writing and shall be presumed not
given if not received within ten Business Days after receipt of such
material. Insurance Company shall use all reasonable efforts to respond
within ten days of receipt.
8.6 Each Participating Fund shall not, in connection with the sale of
Participating Fund shares, give any information or make any
representations on behalf of Insurance Company or concerning Insurance
Company, the Separate Accounts, or the Contracts other than the
information or representations contained in a registration statement or
prospectus for the Contracts, as may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, or in published reports for the Separate Accounts that are in the
public domain or approved by Insurance Company for distribution to
Contractholders or Participants, or in sales literature or other
promotional material approved by Insurance Company.
8.7 For purposes of this Agreement, the phrase "sales literature or other
promotional material" or words of similar import include, without
limitation, advertisements (such as material published, or designed for
use, in a newspaper, magazine or other periodical, radio, television,
telephone or tape recording, videotape display, signs or billboards,
motion pictures or other public media), sales literature (such as any
written communication distributed or made generally available to customers
or the public, 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
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material constituting sales literature or advertising under National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. rules, the Act or the 1933 Act.
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
9.1 Insurance Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Participating
Fund, Dreyfus, each respective Participating Fund's investment adviser and
sub-investment adviser (if applicable), each respective Participating
Fund's distributor, and their respective affiliates, and each of their
directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents and each person, if any,
who controls or is associated with any of the foregoing entities or persons
within the meaning of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties"
for purposes of Section 9.1), 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
in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted) for
which the Indemnified Parties may become subject, under the 1933 Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect to thereof) (i) arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in information furnished by Insurance Company for use in the registration
statement or Prospectus or sales literature or advertisements of the
respective Participating Fund or with respect to the Separate Accounts or
Contracts, 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; (ii) arise out of
or as a result of conduct, statements or representations (other than
statements or representations contained in the Prospectus and sales
literature or advertisements of the respective Participating Fund) of
Insurance Company or its agents, with respect to the sale and distribution
of Contracts for which the respective Participating Fund's shares are an
underlying investment; (iii) arise out of the wrongful conduct of Insurance
Company or persons under its control with respect to the sale or
distribution of the Contracts or the respective Participating Fund's
shares; (iv) arise out of Insurance Company's incorrect calculation and/or
untimely reporting of net purchase or redemption orders; or (v) arise out
of any breach by Insurance Company of a material term of this Agreement or
as a result of any failure by Insurance Company to provide the services and
furnish the materials or to make any payments provided for in this
Agreement. Insurance Company will reimburse any Indemnified Party in
connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage,
liability or action; provided, however, that with respect to clauses (i)
and (ii) above Insurance Company will not be liable in any such case to the
extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is
based upon any untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in
such registration statement, prospectus, sales literature, or advertisement
in conformity with written information furnished to Insurance Company by
the respective Participating Fund specifically for use therein. This
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indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which Insurance
Company may otherwise have.
9.2 Each Participating Fund severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
Insurance Company and each of its directors, officers, employees, agents
and each person, if any, who controls Insurance Company within the meaning
of the 1933 Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
Insurance Company or any such director, officer, employee, agent or
controlling person may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) (1) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or Prospectus or sales literature of advertisements of the
respective Participating Fund; (2) arise out of or are based upon the
omission to state in the registration statement or Prospectus or sales
literature or advertisements of the respective Participating Fund any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; or (3) arise out of or are based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact
contained in the registration statement or Prospectus or sales literature
or advertisements with respect to the Separate Accounts or the Contracts
and such statements were based on information provided to Insurance Company
by the respective Participating Fund; and the respective Participating Fund
will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by Insurance
Company or any such director, officer, employee, agent or controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the respective
Participating Fund will not be liable in any such case to the extent that
any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration
statement, Prospectus, sales literature or advertisements in conformity
with written information furnished to the respective Participating Fund by
Insurance Company specifically for use therein. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which the respective Participating
Fund may otherwise have.
9.3 Each Participating Fund severally shall indemnify and hold Insurance
Company harmless against any and all liability, loss, damages, costs or
expenses which Insurance Company may incur, suffer or be required to pay
due to the respective Participating Fund's (1) incorrect calculation of the
daily net asset value, dividend rate or capital gain distribution rate; (2)
incorrect reporting of the daily net asset value, dividend rate or capital
gain distribution rate; and (3) untimely reporting of the net asset value,
dividend rate or capital gain distribution rate; provided that the
respective Participating Fund shall have no obligation to indemnify and
hold harmless Insurance Company if the incorrect calculation or incorrect
or untimely reporting was the result of incorrect information furnished by
Insurance Company or information furnished untimely by Insurance Company or
otherwise as a result of or relating to a breach of this Agreement by
Insurance Company.
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9.4 Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Article of notice
of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim
in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
Article, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof. The
omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve the
indemnifying party from any liability under this Article IX, 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. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party, and it notified the indemnifying
party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled
to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party, and
to the extent that the indemnifying party has given notice to such effect
to the indemnified party and is performing its obligations under this
Article, the indemnifying party shall not be liable for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
the defense thereof, other than reasonable costs of investigation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, 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.
A successor by law of the parties to this Agreement shall be entitled to
the benefits of the indemnification contained in this Article IX. The
provisions of this Article IX shall survive termination of this Agreement.
9.5 Insurance Company shall indemnify and hold each respective Participating
Fund, Dreyfus and sub-investment adviser of the Participating Fund harmless
against any tax liability incurred by the Participating Fund under Section
851 of the Code arising from purchases or redemptions by Insurance
Company's General Accounts or the account of its affiliates.
ARTICLE X
COMMENCEMENT AND TERMINATION
10.1 This Agreement shall be effective as of the date hereof and shall continue
in force until terminated in accordance with the provisions herein.
10.2 This Agreement shall terminate without penalty:
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a. As to any Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company or the
Participating Fund at any time from the date hereof upon 180 days' notice,
unless a shorter time is agreed to by the respective Participating Fund and
Insurance Company;
b. As to any Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company, if shares
of that Participating Fund are not reasonably available to meet the
requirements of the Contracts as determined by Insurance Company. Prompt
notice of election to terminate shall be furnished by Insurance Company,
said termination to be effective ten days after receipt of notice unless
the Participating Fund makes available a sufficient number of shares to
meet the requirements of the Contracts within said ten-day period;
c. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company, upon the
institution of formal proceedings against that Participating Fund by the
Commission, National Association of Securities Dealers or any other
regulatory body, the expected or anticipated ruling, judgment or outcome of
which would, in Insurance Company's reasonable judgment, materially impair
that Participating Fund's ability to meet and perform the Participating
Fund's obligations and duties hereunder. Prompt notice of election to
terminate shall be furnished by Insurance Company with said termination to
be effective upon receipt of notice;
d. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of each Participating Fund, upon
the institution of formal proceedings against Insurance Company by the
Commission, National Association of Securities Dealers or any other
regulatory body, the expected or anticipated ruling, judgment or outcome of
which would, in the Participating Fund's reasonable judgment, materially
impair Insurance Company's ability to meet and perform Insurance Company's
obligations and duties hereunder. Prompt notice of election to terminate
shall be furnished by such Participating Fund with said termination to be
effective upon receipt of notice;
e. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of that Participating Fund, if
the Participating Fund shall determine, in its sole judgment reasonably
exercised in good faith, that Insurance Company has suffered a material
adverse change in its business or financial condition or is the subject of
material adverse publicity and such material adverse change or material
adverse publicity is likely to have a material adverse impact upon the
business and operation of that Participating Fund or Dreyfus, such
Participating Fund shall notify Insurance Company in writing of such
determination and its intent to terminate this Agreement, and after
considering the actions taken by Insurance Company and any other changes in
circumstances since the giving of such notice, such determination of the
Participating Fund shall continue to apply on the
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sixtieth (60th) day following the giving of such notice, which sixtieth day
shall be the effective date of termination;
f. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company, if
Insurance Company shall determine, in its sole judgment reasonably
exercised in good faith that the Participating Fund has suffered a material
adverse change in its business or financial condition or is the subject of
material adverse publicity and such material adverse change or material
adverse publicity is likely to have a material adverse impact upon the
business and operations of Insurance Company or its Separate Account, the
Insurance Company shall notify the Participating Fund in writing of such
determination and its intent to terminate this Agreement, and after
considering the actions taken by the Participating Fund and any other
changes in circumstances since the giving of such notice, such
determination of Insurance Company shall continue to apply to the sixtieth
(60th) day following the giving of such notice, which sixtieth day shall be
the effective date of termination;
g. Upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement between that
Participating Fund and Dreyfus or its successors unless Insurance Company
specifically approves the selection of a new Participating Fund investment
adviser. Such Participating Fund shall promptly furnish notice of such
termination to Insurance Company;
h. As to a Participating Fund, in the event that Participating Fund's shares
are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable federal
law, or such law precludes the use of such shares as the underlying
investment medium of Contracts issued or to be issued by Insurance Company.
Termination shall be effective immediately as to that Participating Fund
only upon such occurrence without notice;
i. At the option of a Participating Fund upon a determination by its Board in
good faith that it is no longer advisable and in the best interests of
shareholders of that Participating Fund to continue to operate pursuant to
this Agreement. Termination pursuant to this Subsection (h) shall be
effective upon notice by such Participating Fund to Insurance Company of
such termination;
j. At the option of a Participating Fund if the Contracts cease to qualify as
annuity contracts or life insurance policies, as applicable, under the
Code, or if such Participating Fund reasonably believes that the Contracts
may fail to so qualify;
k. At the option of any party to this Agreement, upon another party's breach
of any material provision of this Agreement;
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l. At the option of a Participating Fund, if the Contracts are not
registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable federal and/or
state law; or
m. Upon assignment of this Agreement, unless made with the written
consent of every other non-assigning party.
Any such termination pursuant to Section 10.2a, 10.2d, 10.2e, 10.2f or
10.2k herein shall not affect the operation of Article V of this Agreement.
Any termination of this Agreement shall not affect the operation of Article
IX of this Agreement.
10.3 Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section
10.2 hereof, each Participating Fund and Dreyfus may, at the option of the
Participating Fund, continue to make available additional shares of that
Participating Fund for as long as the Participating Fund desires pursuant
to the terms and conditions of this Agreement as provided 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 that Participating Fund and Dreyfus so elect to make
additional Participating Fund shares available, the owners of the Existing
Contracts or Insurance Company, whichever shall have legal authority to do
so, shall be permitted to reallocate investments in that Participating
Fund, redeem investments in that Participating Fund and/or invest in that
Participating Fund upon the making of additional purchase payments under
the Existing Contracts. In the event of a termination of this Agreement
pursuant to Section 10.2 hereof, such Participating Fund and Dreyfus, as
promptly as is practicable under the circumstances, shall notify Insurance
Company whether Dreyfus and that Participating Fund will continue to make
that Participating Fund's shares available after such termination. If such
Participating Fund shares continue to be made available after such
termination, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain in effect and
thereafter either of that Participating Fund or Insurance Company may
terminate the Agreement as to that Participating Fund, 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 Participating Fund, need not be for more
than six months.
10.4 Termination of this Agreement as to any one Participating Fund shall not be
deemed a termination as to any other Participating Fund unless Insurance
Company or such other Participating Fund, as the case may be, terminates
this Agreement as to such other Participating Fund in accordance with this
Article X.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
11.1 Any other changes in the terms of this Agreement, except for the addition
or deletion of any Participating Fund as specified in Exhibit A, shall be
made by
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agreement in writing between Insurance Company and each respective
Participating Fund.
ARTICLE XII
NOTICE
12.1 Each notice required by this Agreement shall be given by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to the appropriate parties at the following
addresses:
Insurance Company: National Life Insurance Company
National Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000
Attn: General Counsel
Participating Funds: [Name of Fund]
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Vice President and Assistant Secretary
with copies to: [Name of Fund]
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx, 0xx Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: General Counsel
Stroock & Stroock & Xxxxx
000 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
Notice shall be deemed to be given on the date of receipt by the
addresses as evidenced by the return receipt.
ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS
13.1 This Agreement has been executed on behalf of each Fund by the
undersigned officer of the Fund in his capacity as an officer of the
Fund. The obligations of this Agreement shall only be binding upon the
assets and property of the Fund and shall not be binding upon any
director, trustee, officer or shareholder of the Fund individually. It is
agreed that the obligations of the Funds are several and not joint, that
no Fund shall be liable for any amount owing by another Fund and that the
Funds have executed one instrument for convenience only.
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ARTICLE XIV
LAW
14.1 This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the internal laws of
the State of New York, without giving effect to principles of conflict of
laws.
ARTICLE XV
FOREIGN TAX CREDITS
15.1 Each Participating Fund agrees to consult in advance with Insurance
Company concerning any decision to elect or not to pass through the
benefit of any foreign tax credits to the Participating Fund's
shareholders pursuant to Section 853 of the Code.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be duly
executed and attested as of the date first above written.
NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By: /s/ Xxxxxx von Gal
---------------------------
Xxxxxx von Gal
Its: Vice President
THE DREYFUS SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE
GROWTH FUND, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx
---------------------------
Its: Assistant Secretary
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EXHIBIT A
LIST OF PARTICIPATING FUNDS
The Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
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