1
EXHIBIT 1.A(8)(c)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
XXXXXXXXXXX VARIABLE ACCOUNT FUNDS,
OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
and
PEOPLES BENEFIT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT (the "Agreement"), made and entered into as of the
6th day of December, 2000 by and among Peoples Benefit Life Insurance Company
(hereinafter the "Company"), on its own behalf and on behalf of each separate
account of the Company named in Schedule 1 to this Agreement, as may be amended
from time to time by mutual consent (hereinafter collectively the "Accounts"),
Xxxxxxxxxxx Variable Account Funds (hereinafter the "Fund") and
OppenheimerFunds, Inc. (hereinafter the "Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Fund is an open-end management investment company and
is available to act as the investment vehicle for separate accounts now in
existence or to be established at any date hereafter for variable life insurance
policies and variable annuity contracts (collectively, the "Variable Insurance
Products") offered by insurance companies (hereinafter "Participating Insurance
Company");
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Fund is divided into several
series of shares, each designated a "Portfolio", and each representing the
interests in a particular managed pool of securities and other assets;
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and
Exchange Commission ("SEC"), dated July 16, 1986 (File No. 812-6324) granting
Participating Insurance Company and variable annuity and variable life insurance
separate accounts exemptions from the
2
provisions of sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and 15(b) of the Investment Company
Act of 1940, as amended, (hereinafter the "1940 Act") and Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and
6e-3(T)(b)(15) thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit shares of the Fund
to be sold to and held by variable annuity and variable life insurance separate
accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies
(hereinafter the "Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order")
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act");
WHEREAS, the Adviser is duly registered as an investment adviser
under the federal Investment Advisers Act of 1940;
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain
variable annuity and/or life insurance contracts under the 1933 Act (hereinafter
"Contracts") (unless an exemption from registration is available);
WHEREAS, the Accounts are or will be duly organized, validly
existing segregated asset accounts, established by resolution of the Board of
Directors of the Company, to set aside and invest assets attributable to the
aforesaid variable contracts (the Contract(s) and the Account(s) covered by the
Agreement are specified in Schedule 2 attached hereto, as may be modified by
mutual consent from time to time);
WHEREAS, the Company have registered or will register the Accounts
as unit investment trusts under the 1940 Act (unless an exemption from
registration is available);
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intend to purchase shares in the Portfolios (the
Portfolios covered by this Agreement are specified in Schedule 3 attached hereto
as may be modified by mutual consent from time to time), on behalf of the
Accounts to fund the Contracts named in Schedule 2, as may be amended from time
-2-
3
to time by mutual consent, and the Fund is authorized to sell such shares to
unit investment trusts such as the Accounts at net asset value; and
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the
Fund, the Adviser and the Company agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Sale of Fund Shares
1.1. The Fund agrees to sell to the Company those shares of the Fund
which the Company orders on behalf of the Account, executing such orders on a
daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or
its designee of the order for the shares of the Fund. For purposes of this
Section 1.1, the Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of such
orders from each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt
by the Fund; provided that the Fund receives written (or facsimile) notice of
such order by 9:30 a.m. New York time on the next following Business Day.
"Business Day" shall mean any day on which the New York Stock Exchange is open
for trading and on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant to the
rules of the SEC.
1.2. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next Business Day
after it places an order to purchase Fund shares in accordance with Section 1.1
hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire or by a credit for
any shares redeemed.
1.3. The Fund agrees to make Fund shares available for purchase at
the applicable net asset value per share by the Company for their separate
Accounts listed in Schedule 1 on those days on which the Fund calculates its net
asset value pursuant to rules of the SEC; provided, however, that the Board of
Trustees of the Fund (hereinafter the "Trustees") may refuse to sell shares of
any Portfolio to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of
any Portfolio if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities
having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion
-3-
4
of the Trustees, acting in good faith and in light of their fiduciary duties
under federal and any applicable state laws, in the best interests of the
shareholders of any Portfolio.
1.4. The Fund agrees to redeem, upon the Company's request, any full
or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Company, executing such requests on
a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or
its designee of the request for redemption. For purposes of this Section 1.4,
the Company shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of requests for
redemption and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund;
provided that the Fund receives written (or facsimile) notice of such request
for redemption by 9:30 a.m. New York time on the next following Business Day.
Payment shall be made within the time period specified in the Fund's prospectus
or statement of additional information, in federal funds transmitted by wire to
the Company's account as designated by the Company in writing from time to time.
1.5. The Company agrees to purchase and redeem the shares of the
Portfolios named in Schedule 3 offered by the then current prospectus and
statement of additional information of the Fund in accordance with the
provisions of such prospectus and statement of additional information. The
Company shall not permit any person other than a Contract owner to give
instructions to the Company which would require the Company to redeem or
exchange shares of the Fund.
1.6. The Fund shall make the net asset value per share for each
portfolio available to the Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably
practical after the net asset value per share is calculated (normally by 6:00
p.m. central time) and shall use its best efforts to make such net asset value
per share available by 5:00 p.m. central time.
ARTICLE II. Sales Material, Prospectuses and Other Reports
-4-
5
2.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to
the Fund or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material in which the Fund or the Adviser is named, at least ten Business Days
prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the Fund or its designee
reasonably object to such use within ten Business Days after receipt of such
material. "Business Day" shall mean any day in which the New York Stock Exchange
is open for trading and in which the Fund calculates its net asset value
pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2.2. The Fund shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Company or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material in which the Company or designee is named, at least ten Business Days
prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the Company or its designee
reasonably object to such use within Ten Business Days after receipt of such
material. "Business Day" shall mean any day in which the New York Stock Exchange
is open for trading and in which the Fund calculates its net asset value
pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
2.3. The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund in
connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund,
or in sale literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund or its
designee, except with the permission of the Fund.
2.4. The Fund and the Adviser shall not give any information or make
any representations or statements on behalf of the company or concerning the
Company other than the information or representations contained in the
registration statement or prospectus for the Company shares, as such
registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
-5-
6
to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Company or its designee,
except with the permission of the Company. For purposes of this Article II, the
phrase "sales literature or other promotional material" means 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 billboard or electronic media), and sales literature (such as
brochures, circulars, market letters and form letters), distributed or made
generally available to customers or the public.
2.5. The Company and the Fund will each provide to the other at
least one complete copy of all registration statements, prospectuses, Statements
of Additional Information, reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales
literature and other promotional materials, applications for exemptions,
requests for no action letters and all amendments to any of the above, that
relate to the Contracts or each Account, contemporaneously with the filing of
such document with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
2.6. The Fund or the Adviser shall provide the Company with as many
printed copies of the Fund's current prospectus and Statement of Additional
Information as the Company may reasonably request. If requested by the Company
in lieu thereof, the Fund or the Adviser shall provide camera-ready film
containing the Fund's prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information and
such other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Company once
each year (or more frequently if the prospectus and/or Statement of Additional
Information for the Fund is amended during the year) to have the prospectus for
the Contracts and the Fund's prospectus printed together in one document, and to
have the Statement of Additional Information for the Fund and the Statement of
Additional Information for the Contracts printed together in one document.
Alternatively, the Company may print the Fund's prospectus and/or its Statement
of Additional Information in combination with other fund companies' prospectuses
and Statements of Additional Information. Except as provided in the following
three sentences, all expenses of printing and
-6-
7
distributing Fund prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information shall be
the expense of the Company. For prospectuses and Statements of Additional
Information provided by the Company to its existing owners of Contracts in
orders to update disclosure annually as required by the 1933 Act and/or the 1940
Act, the cost of printing shall be borne by the Fund or the Adviser. If the
Company chooses to receive camera-ready film in lieu of receiving printed copies
of the Fund's prospectus, the Fund or the Adviser will reimburse the Company in
an amount equal to the product of A and B where A is the number of such
prospectuses distributed to owners of the Contracts, and B is the Fund's per
unit cost of typesetting and printing the Fund's prospectus. The same procedures
shall be followed with respect to the Fund's Statement of Additional
Information.
The Company agrees to provide the fund or its designee with such
information as may be reasonably requested by the Fund to assure that the Fund's
expenses do not include the cost of printing any prospectuses or Statements of
Additional Information other than those actually distributed to existing owners
of the Contracts.
2.8. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund is available from the Fund or the Company
(or in the Fund's discretion, the Prospectus shall state that such Statement is
available from the Fund or the Fund's transfer agent).
2.9. The Fund or the Adviser, at its expense, shall provide the
Company with copies of the Fund's proxy statements, reports to shareholders, and
other communications (except for prospectuses and Statements of Additional
Information, which are covered in Section 2.5) to shareholders in such quantity
as the Company shall reasonably require for distributing to Contract owners.
2.10 If and to the extent required by law the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
-7-
8
(ii) vote the Fund shares in accordance with instructions
received from Contract owners; and
(iii) vote Fund shares for which no instructions have been
received in a particular separate account in the same
proportion as Fund shares of such portfolio for which
instructions have been received in that separate account, so
long as and to the extent that the SEC continues to interpret
the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges for
variable contract owners. The Company reserves the right to
vote Fund shares held in any segregated asset account in its
own right, to the extent permitted by law. The Company shall
be responsible for assuring that each of its separate accounts
participating in the Fund calculates voting privileges in a
manner consistent with the voting provisions set forth in the
Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order.
2.11. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act
requiring voting by shareholders.
ARTICLE III.Fees and Expenses
3.1. The Fund and Adviser shall pay no fee or other compensation to
the Company under this agreement, and the Company shall pay no fee or other
compensation to the Fund or Adviser, except as provided herein. Nothing herein
shall prevent the parties from otherwise agreeing to perform, and arranging for
appropriate compensation for, other services related to the Fund and/or to the
Accounts.
3.2. All expenses incident to performance by each party of its
respective duties under this Agreement shall be paid by that party. The Fund
shall see to it that all its shares are registered and authorized for issuance
in accordance with applicable federal law and, if and to the extent advisable by
the Fund, in accordance with applicable state laws prior to their sale. The Fund
-8-
9
shall bear the expenses for the cost of registration and qualification of the
Fund's shares, preparation and filing of the Fund's prospectus and registration
statement, proxy materials and reports, and the preparation of all statements
and notices required by any federal or state law. The Fund or the Adviser shall
bear the expenses of setting the Fund's prospectus in type, setting in type and
printing the Fund's proxy materials and the Fund's reports to shareholders
(including the costs of printing a prospectus that constitutes and annual
report), the preparation of all statements and notices required by any federal
or state law, and all taxes on the issuance or transfer of the Fund's shares.
3.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Fund's
prospectus, proxy materials and reports to owners of Contracts issued by the
Company.
3.4. In the event the Fund adds one or more additional Portfolios
and the parties desire to make such Portfolios available to the respective
Contract owners as an underlying investment medium, a new Schedule 3 or an
amendment to this Agreement shall be executed by the parties authorizing the
issuance of shares of the new Portfolios to the particular Account. The
amendment may also provide for the sharing of expenses for the establishment of
new Portfolios among Participating Insurance Company desiring to invest in such
Portfolios and the provision of funds as the initial investment in the new
Portfolios.
ARTICLE IV. Potential Conflicts
4.1. The Board of Trustees of the Fund (the "Board") will monitor
the Fund for the existence of any material irreconcilable conflict between the
interests of the Contract owners of all separate accounts investing in the Fund.
An irreconcilable material conflict may arise for a variety of reasons,
including: (a) an action by any state insurance regulatory authority; (b) a
change in applicable federal or state insurance, tax, or securities laws or
regulations, or a public ruling, private letter ruling, no-action or
interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance, tax, or securities
regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial decision in any
relevant proceeding;
-9-
10
(d) the manner in which the investments of any Portfolio are being managed; (e)
a difference in voting instructions given by variable annuity contract and
variable life insurance contract owners; or (f) a decision by an insurer to
disregard the voting instructions of Contract owners. The Board shall promptly
inform the Company if it determines that an irreconcilable material conflict
exists and the implications thereof.
4.2. The Company has reviewed a copy of the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, and in particular, has reviewed the conditions to the requested
relief set forth therein. The Company agrees to be bound by the responsibilities
of a participating insurance company as set forth in the Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order, including without limitation the requirement that the
Company report any potential or existing conflicts of which it is aware to the
Board. The Company will assist the Board in carrying out its responsibilities in
monitoring such conflicts under the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order, by
providing the Board in a timely manner with all information reasonably necessary
for the Board to consider any issues raised. This includes, but is not limited
to, an obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever Contract owner
voting instructions are disregarded and by confirming in writing, at the Fund's
request, that the Company are unaware of any such potential or existing material
irreconcilable conflicts.
4.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority
of its disinterested Trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists,
the Company shall, at their expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as
determined by a majority of the disinterested trustees), take whatever steps are
necessary to remedy or eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to an
including: (1) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate
accounts from the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a
different investment medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of
the Fund, or submitting the question whether such segregation should
-10-
11
be implemented to a vote of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate,
segregating the assets of any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners,
life insurance contract owners, or variable contract owners of one or more
Participating Insurance Company) that votes in favor of such segregation, or
offering to the affected Contract owners the option of making such a change; and
(2) establishing a new registered management investment company or managed
separate account.
4.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a
decision by the Company to disregard Contract owner voting instructions and that
decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the
Company may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the Account's
investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement; provided, however, that
such withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required by the
foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the
disinterested members of the Board. Any such withdrawal and termination must
take place within six (6) months after the Fund gives written notice that this
provision is being implemented, and until the end of the six month period the
Fund shall continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the
purchase and redemption of shares of the Fund.
4.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a
particular state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company
conflicts with the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will
withdraw the Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement
within six months after the Board informs the Company in writing that it has
determined that such decision has created an irreconcilable material conflict;
provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the
extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as determined
by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board. Until the end of the
foregoing six month period, the Fund shall continue to accept and implement
orders by the Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Fund,
subject to applicable regulatory limitation.
-11-
12
4.6. For purposes of Sections 4.3 through 4.6 of this Agreement, a
majority of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether any
proposed action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in
no event will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for the
Contracts. The Company shall not be required by Section 4.3 to establish a new
funding medium for Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a
majority of Contract owners materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable
material conflict. In the event that the Board determines that any proposed
action does not adequately remedy any irreconcilable material conflict, then the
Company will withdraw the particular Account's investment in the Fund and
terminate this Agreement within six (6) months after the Board informs the
Company in writing of the foregoing determination, provided, however, that such
withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required by any such
material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the
disinterested members of the Board.
ARTICLE V. Indemnification
5.1. Indemnification By The Company
5.1.(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Adviser and the Fund and each trustee of the Board and Officers and each person,
if any, who controls the Fund within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
(collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 5.1)
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid
in settlement with the written consent of the Company) or litigation (including
legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject
under any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof)
or settlements are related to the sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or
the Contracts and:
-12-
13
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement
or prospectus for the Contracts or contained in the Contracts or sales
literature for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, provided that this
Agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company by or on behalf
of the Fund for use in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the
Contracts or in the Contracts or sales literature (or any amendment or
supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or
Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Registration
Statement, prospectus or sales literature of the Fund not supplied by the
Company, or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the Company or
persons under its control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the
Contracts or Fund Shares; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, prospectus, or sales
literature of the Fund or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if
such a statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to
the Fund by or on behalf of the Company; or
(iv) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material
-13-
14
breach of this Agreement by the Company, as limited by and in accordance with
the provisions of Sections 5.1(b) and 5.1(c) hereof.
5.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement or to
the Fund, whichever is applicable.
5.1(c). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Company in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons of other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company of any
such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Company shall be entitled to participate,
at its own expense, in the defense of such action. The Company also shall be
entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the Company to such party of the
Company's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the
Company will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
-14-
15
5.1(d). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of
the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection
with the issuance or sale of the Fund Shares or the Contracts or the operation
of the Fund.
5.2. Indemnification by the Adviser
5.2(a) The Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company
and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 5.2) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with
the written consent of the Adviser) or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect of) or settlements are related to the sale or
acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement or
prospectus or sales literature of the Fund (or any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the
alleged omission to the state therein a material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, provided
that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if
such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Adviser or
Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the Registration Statement or
prospectus for the Fund or in sales literature (or any amendment or supplement)
or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Fund
shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the Registration
Statement, prospectus or sale literature for the
-15-
16
Contracts not supplied by the Adviser or persons under its control) or wrongful
conduct of the Fund, Adviser or Adviser or persons under their control, with
respect to the sale of distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of a material fact contained in a Registration Statement, prospectus, or sales
literature covering the Contracts, or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statement or statements
therein not misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund; or
(iv) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Adviser in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Adviser; as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 5.2(b)
and 5.2(c) hereof.
5.2(b). The Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to
each Company or the Account, whichever is applicable.
5.2(c). The Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Adviser in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent),
-16-
17
but failure to notify the Adviser of any such claim shall not relieve the
Adviser from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against
whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this indemnification
provision. In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties,
the Adviser will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense
thereof. The Adviser also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After notice from the
Adviser to such party of the Adviser's election to assume the defense thereof,
the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel
retained by it, and the Adviser will not be liable to such party under this
Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party
independently in connection with the defense thereof other expenses subsequently
incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation.
5.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Adviser of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the
operation of each Account.
5.3. Indemnification By the Fund
5.3(a). The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 5.3) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with
the written consent of the Fund) or litigation (including legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements result from the gross
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Board or any member thereof,
are related to the operations of the Fund and arise out of or result from any
material breach
-17-
18
of any representation and/or warranty made by the Fund in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Fund; as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 5.3(b) and
5.3(c) hereof.
5.3(b). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to
the Company, the Fund, the Adviser or each Account, whichever is applicable.
5.3(c). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Fund in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Fund of any
such claim shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Fund will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Fund shall also be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the
action. After notice from the Fund to such party of the Fund's election to
assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Fund will not be
liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
-18-
19
subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
5.3(d). The Company and the Adviser agree promptly to notify the
Fund of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any
of its respective officers or directors in connection with this Agreement,
the issuance or sale of the Contracts, with respect to the operation of
either Account, or the sale or acquisition of shares of the Fund.
ARTICLE VI. Applicable Law
6.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
6.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the
1933, 1934 and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings
thereunder, including such exemptions from those statutes, rules and
regulations as the Securities and Exchange Commission may grant (including,
but not limited to, the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order) and the
terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance therewith.
ARTICLE VII. Termination
7.1 This Agreement shall terminate with respect to some or all
Portfolios:
(a) at the option of any party upon six month's advance
written notice to the other parties;
(b) at the option of the Company to the extent that shares of
Portfolios are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of its
Contracts or are not appropriate funding vehicles for the Contracts, as
determined by the Company reasonably and in good faith. Prompt notice of the
election to terminate for such cause and an explanation of such cause shall be
furnished by the Company; or
(c) as provided in Article IV
-19-
20
7.2. It is understood and agreed that the right of any party hereto
to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 7.1(a) may be exercised for
cause or for no cause.
7.3. Effect of Termination. Notwithstanding any termination of this
Agreement, the Fund and the Adviser shall at the option of the Company, continue
to make available additional shares of the Fund pursuant to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the effective date
of termination of this Agreement for which shares of the Fund serve as the
underlying investment medium (hereinafter referred to as "Existing Contracts").
Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the Existing Contracts shall be
permitted to reallocate investments n the Fund, redeem investments in the Fund
and/or invest in the Fund upon the making of additional purchase payments under
the Existing Contracts. The parties agree that this Section 7.3 shall not apply
(i) to any terminations under Article IV and the effect of such Article IV
terminations shall be governed by Article IV of this Agreement, or (ii) if the
further sale of additional shares of the Fund to the Contracts is prohibited by
law or by regulatory authorities.
ARTICLE VIII. Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below
or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify to the
other party.
If to the Fund:
Xxxxxxxxxxx Variable Account Funds
c/o OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
0 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
If to the Adviser:
OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
0 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
-00-
00
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Manager, Variable Annuity Operations
If to the Company:
Peoples Benefit Life Insurance Company
0000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx, XX
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx Xxx
Division Counsel
ARTICLE IX. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTS
9.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are or
will be registered under the 1933 Act; or that the Contracts are not registered
in proper reliance on an exemption from registration under the 1933 Act; that
the Contracts will be issued and sold in compliance in all material respects
with all applicable Federal and State laws and that the sale of the Contracts
shall comply in all material respects with state insurance suitability
requirements. The Company further represents and warrants that it is an
insurance company duly organized and in good standing under applicable law and
that it has legally and validly established each Account prior to any issuance
or sale thereof as a segregated asset account under Section 508A.1 of the Iowa
Insurance Code and has registered or, prior to any issuance or sale of the
Contracts, will register each Account as a unit investment trust in accordance
with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a segregated investment account
for the Contracts, or that the Company will not register the Account in proper
reliance upon an exclusion from registration under the 0000 Xxx.
9.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant
to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with all applicable federal and state securities
laws and that the Fund is and shall remain registered under the 1940 Act.
-21-
22
9.3. The Fund represents that it intends to qualify as a Regulated
Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ("the
Code"), as amended, and that it will make every effort to maintain such
qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provision) and
that it will notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing that it has ceased to so qualify or that it might not so qualify in
the future.
9.4. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently treated
as annuity contracts or life insurance contracts under applicable provisions of
the Code and that it will make every effort to maintain such treatment and that
it will notify the Fund 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.
9.5. The Fund represents that each Plan adopted under Rule 12b-1
under the 1940 Act to finance distribution expenses of Class 2 shares of the
Fund has been approved by a vote or a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who
are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 0000 Xxx) of the Fund or the
Adviser.
9.6. The Fund and the Adviser each represent and warrant that
all of their respective Trustees, directors, officers, employees, investment
advisers, and other individual/entities dealing with the money and/or
securities of the Fund are and shall continue to be at all times covered by a
blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund in an
amount not less than the minimal coverage as required currently by Rule
17g-(1) of the 1940 Act or related provisions as may be promulgated from time
to time. The aforesaid Bond shall include coverage for larceny and
embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding company.
ARTICLE X. Miscellaneous
10.1. Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory
authority, each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses
of the owners of the Contracts and
-22-
23
all information reasonably identified as confidential in writing by any other
party hereto and, except as permitted by (i) this Agreement and (ii) by Title V,
Subtitle A of the Xxxxx-Xxxxx-Xxxxxx Act and by regulations adopted thereunder
by regulators having jurisdiction over the parties hereto, shall not disclose,
disseminate or utilize such names and addresses and other confidential
information without the express written consent of the affected party until such
time as it may come into the public domain.
10.2. 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.
10.3. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
10.4. 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.
10.5. Each party hereto shall cooperate with, and promptly notify
each other party and all appropriate governmental authorities (including without
limitation the Securities and Exchange Commission, 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.
10.6. The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this
Agreement are cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and
obligations, at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under
state and federal laws.
10.7. It is understood by the parties that this Agreement is not
an exclusive arrangement in any respect.
-23-
24
10.8. The Company and the Adviser each understand and agree that the
obligations of the Fund under this Agreement are not binding upon any
shareholder of the Fund personally, but bind only the Fund and the Fund's
property; the Company and the Adviser each represent that it has notice of the
provisions of the Declaration of Trust of the Fund disclaiming shareholder
liability for acts or obligations of the Fund.
10.9. This Agreement shall not be assigned by any party hereto
without the prior written consent of all the parties. Notwithstanding the
foregoing or anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement, the Adviser
may transfer or assign its rights, duties and obligations hereunder or interest
herein to any entity owned, directly or indirectly, by Xxxxxxxxxxx Acquisition
Corp. (the Company's parent corporation) or to a successor in interest pursuant
to a merger, reorganization, stock sale, asset sale or other transaction,
without the consent of the Company, as long as (i) that assignee agrees to
assume all the obligations imposed on the Adviser by this Agreement, and (ii)
the Fund consents to that assignment.
10.10. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement between the
parties and supersedes all prior communications, agreements and understandings,
oral or written, between the parties regarding the subject matter hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this
Agreement to be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized
representative and its seal to be hereunder affixed as of the date specified
below.
PEOPLES BENEFIT LIFE INSURANCE
COMPANY
By: _____s/Xxxx Reaburn____________
Title: ____Vice President_____________
Date: _____January 19, 2001_______
-24-
25
XXXXXXXXXXX VARIABLE ACCOUNT
FUNDS
By: _s/Xxxxxx X.Donohue______________
Title: Vice President and Secretary
Date: __January 8, 2001_______________
OPPENHEIMERFUNDS, INC.
By:___s/Xxxxxx Donohue______________
Title: Executive Vice President and
General Counsel
Date:__January 8, 2001________________
-25-
26
SCHEDULE 1
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS:
Peoples Benefit Variable Life Account A
-26-
27
SCHEDULE 2
Peoples Benefit Life Insurance Company
Policy Form No.
AVUL0709 00 1200
(including successor forms, addenda
and endorsements - may vary by state)
Under marketing names:
"Variable Protector"
-27-
28
SCHEDULE 3
Portfolios of Xxxxxxxxxxx Variable Account Funds:
Xxxxxxxxxxx Main Street Growth & Income Fund/VA
Xxxxxxxxxxx Multiple Strategies Fund/VA
Xxxxxxxxxxx Bond Fund/VA
Xxxxxxxxxxx Strategic Bond Fund/VA
Xxxxxxxxxxx High Income Fund/VA
legag\PBLPA2
-28-
