EXHIBIT 1-A(8)(a)(3)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II,
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
and
THE AMERICAN FRANKLIN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 18TH day of July, 1991 by and
among THE AMERICAN FRANKLIN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, (hereinafter the "Company"),
an Illinois legal reserve, stock life insurance company, on its own behalf and
on behalf of each segregated asset account of the Company set forth on Schedule
A hereto as may be amended from time to time (each such account hereinafter
referred to as the "Account"), and the VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II, an
unincorporated business trust organized under the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts (hereinafter the "Fund") and FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
(hereinafter the "Underwriter"), a Massachusetts corporation.
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end management investment
company and is available to act as the investment vehicle for separate accounts
established for variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts
(collectively, the "Variable insurance Products") to be offered by insurance
companies which have entered into participation agreements with the Fund and the
Underwriter (hereinafter "Participating Insurance Companies"); and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Fund is divided into several
series of shares, each designated a "Portfolio" and representing the interest in
a particular managed portfolio of securities and other assets; and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and Exchange
Commission, dated September 17, 1986 (File No. 812-64222), granting
Participating Insurance Companies and variable annuity and variable life
insurance separate accounts exemptions from the provisions of sections 9(a),
13(a), 15(a), and 15(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,
(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
"Shared Funding Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
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WHEREAS, Fidelity Management & Research Company (the "Adviser") is duly
registered as an investment adviser under the federal Investment Advisers Act of
1940 and any applicable state securities law; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain variable life
and variable annuity contracts under the 1933 Act; and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution of the Board of Directors of the
Company, on the date shown for such Account on Schedule A hereto, to set aside
and invest assets attributable to one or more of the aforesaid variable life and
annuity contracts (hereinafter the "Contracts"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a
unit investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is registered as a broker dealer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, (hereinafter the "1934 Act"), and is a member in good standing of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (hereinafter "NASD");
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios on behalf
of each Account to fund certain of the aforesaid variable life and variable
annuity contracts and the Underwriter is authorized to sell such shares to unit
investment trusts such as each Account at net asset value;
WHEREAS, the Underwriter serves as principal underwriter for Fund shares
pursuant to a distribution agreement dated November 13, 1981 between the
Underwriter and the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Company has entered into a servicing agreement dated June 15,
1989, as amended, with Integrity Life Insurance Company pursuant to which
Integrity Life Insurance Company will provide administrative services to support
the Account and the Contracts;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company,
the Fund and the Underwriter agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. SALE OF FUND SHARES
1.1. The Fund and the Underwriter each agrees to sell to the Company
those shares of the Fund which each Account orders, 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 or its designee shall be the designee of the Fund for
receipt of such orders from each Account and receipt by such designee shall
constitute receipt by the Fund; provided that the Fund receives notice of such
order by 9:30 a.m. Boston 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 Securities and Exchange Commission. Integrity Life Insurance Company shall
be the designee of the Company for purposes of this Section.
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1.2. The Fund agrees to make its shares available indefinitely for
purchase at the applicable net asset value per share by the Company and its
Accounts on those days on which the Fund calculates its net asset value pursuant
to rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Fund shall use
reasonable efforts to calculate such net asset value on each day which the New
York Stock Exchange is open for trading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Board of Trustees of the Fund (hereinafter the "Board") may refuse to sell
shares of any Portfolio to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of
shares of any Portfolio if such action is required by law or by regulatory
authorities having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of the Board
acting in good faith and in light of their fiduciary duties under federal and
any applicable state laws, necessary in the best interests of the shareholders
of such Portfolio.
1.3. The Fund and the Underwriter agree that shares of the Fund will
be sold only to Participating insurance Companies and their separate accounts.
No shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general public. To the extent
permitted by law or regulation, the Fund and the Underwriter agree to make
available to the Account shares of all Portfolios of the Fund.
1.4. The Fund and the Underwriter will not sell Fund shares to any
insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions
substantially the same as Articles I, III, V, VII and Sections 2.5 and 2.12 of
Article II of this Agreement is in effect to govern such sales.
1.5. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, on 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 without charge. For purposes of this
Section 1.5, the Company or its designee shall be the designee
of the Fund for receipt of requests for redemption from each
Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by
the Fund; provided that the Fund receives notice of such request
for redemption on the next following Business Day. Integrity
Life Insurance Company shall be the designee of the Company for
purposes of this Section.
1.6. The Company agrees to purchase and redeem the shares of each
Portfolio offered by the then current prospectus of the Fund and in accordance
with the provisions of such prospectus. The Company agrees that all net amounts
available under the Separate Accounts listed on Schedule A shall be invested in
the Fund, in such other Funds advised by the Adviser as may be mutually agreed
to in writing by the parties hereto, or in the Company's general account,
provided that such amounts may also be invested in an investment company other
than the Fund if (a) such other investment company, or series thereof, has
investment objectives or policies that are substantially different from the
investment objectives and policies of all the Portfolios of the Fund (excluding
any Portfolios for which the Company has terminated this Agreement pursuant to
Section 10.1(b)); or (b) the Company gives the Fund and the Underwriter 45 days
written notice of its intention to make such other investment company available
as a funding vehicle for the Contracts; or (c) such other investment company was
available as a funding vehicle for the Contracts prior to the date of this
Agreement and the Company so informs the Fund and Underwriter prior to their
signing this Agreement; or (d) the Fund or Underwriter consents to the use of
such other investment company.
1.7. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next Business Day
after an order to purchase Fund shares is made in accordance with the provisions
of Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire.
For purpose of Section 2.10 and 2.11, upon receipt by the Fund of the federal
funds so wired, such funds shall cease to be the responsibility of the Company
and shall become the responsibility of the Fund.
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1.8. Issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or any Account.
Shares ordered from the Fund will be recorded in an appropriate title for each
Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.9. The Fund shall furnish same day notice (by wire or telephone,
followed by written confirmation) to the Company or its designee of any income,
dividends or capital gain distributions payable on the Fund's shares. The
Company hereby elects to receive all such income, dividends and capital gain
distributions as are payable on the Portfolio shares in additional shares of
that Portfolio. The Company reserves the right with respect to each Portfolio to
revoke this election and to receive all such income, dividends and capital gain
distributions in cash. The Fund shall notify the Company or its designee of the
number of shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions.
Integrity Life Insurance Company shall be the designee of the Company for
purposes of this Section.
1.10. The Fund shall make the net asset value per share for each
Portfolio available to the Company or its designee on a daily basis as soon as
reasonably practical after the net asset value per share is calculated and shall
use its best efforts to make such net asset value per share available by 7 p.m.
Boston time.
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are or
will be registered 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 Article XIV-1/2 of the Illinois 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.
2.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant
to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with the laws of the State of Illinois and
all applicable federal and state securities laws and that the Fund is and
shall remain registered under the 0000 Xxx. The Fund shall amend the
Registration Statement for its shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act
from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous offering of
its shares. The Fund shall register and qualify the shares for sale in
accordance with the laws of the various states only if and to the extent
deemed advisable by the Fund or the Under-writer.
2.3. The Fund represents that it is currently qualified as a
Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended, (the "Code") and that it will 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.
2.4. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently treated
as endowment, annuity 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 and the Underwriter immediately
upon having a
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reasonable basis for believing that the Contracts have ceased
to be so treated or that they might not be so treated in the future.
2.5. The Fund currently does not intend to make any payments to
finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act or
otherwise, although it may make such payments in the future. The Fund has
adopted a "no feel' or "defensive" Rule 12b-1 Plan under which it makes no
payments for distribution expenses. To the extent that it decides to finance
distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Fund undertakes to have a
board of trustees, a majority of whom are not interested persons of the Fund,
formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution
expenses.
2.6. The Fund makes no representation as to whether any aspect of
its operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and investment
policies) complies with the insurance laws or regulations of the various states
except that the Fund represents that the Fund's investment policies, fees and
expenses are and shall at all times remain in compliance with the laws of the
State of Illinois and the Fund and the Underwriter represent that their
respective operations are and shall at all times remain in material compliance
with the laws of the State of Illinois to the extent required to perform this
Agreement.
2.7. The Under-writer represents and warrants that it is a member in
good standing of the NASD and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC.
The Underwriter further represents that it will sell and distribute the Fund
shares in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois and all
applicable state and federal securities laws, including without limitation
the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and the 0000 Xxx.
2.8. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly
existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it does
and will comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.9. The Underwriter represents and warrants that the Adviser is and
shall remain duly registered in all material respects under all applicable
federal and state securities laws and that the Adviser shall perform its
obligations for the Fund in compliance in all material respects with the laws
of the State of Illinois and any applicable state and federal securities laws.
2.10. The Fund and Underwriter represent and warrant that all of
their directors, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other
individuals/entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are
and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or
similar coverage for the benefit of the Fund in an amount not less than the
minimal coverage as required currently by Rule 17g-(l) 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.
2.11. The Company represents and warrants that all of its. directors,
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/entities dealing
with the money and/or securities of the 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 entities subject to the requirements of 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.
2.12. The Company represents and warrants that it will not purchase
Fund shares with Account assets derived from the sale of Contracts to
deferred compensation plans with respect to service for state
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and local governments which qualify under Section 457 of the federal Internal
Revenue Code, as may be amended. The Company may purchase Fund shares with
Account assets derived from any sale of a Contract to any other type of
tax-advantaged employee benefit plan; PROVIDED however that such plan has no
more than 500 employees who are eligible to participate at the time of the
first such purchase hereunder by the Company of Fund shares derived from the
sale of such Contract.
2.13. The Fund and the Underwriter each represents that neither it
nor any person employed in any material connection with respect to the services
provided pursuant to this Agreement:
(i) Within the last 10 years has been convicted of any felony or
misdemeanor arising out of conduct involving embezzlement,
fraudulent conversion, or misappropriation of funds or
securities, or involving violations of 1341, 1342 or 1343 of
Xxxxx 00, Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Code; or
(ii) Within the last ten years has been found by any state
regulatory authority to have violated or has acknowledged
violation of any provision of any state insurance law
involving fraud, deceit or knowing misrepresentation; or
(iii) Within the last ten years has been found by any federal or
state regulatory authorities to have violated or have
acknowledged violation of any provision of federal or state
securities laws involving fraud, deceit or knowing
misrepresentation
ARTICLE III. PROSPECTUSES, STATEMENTS OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND PROXY
STATEMENTS; VOTING
3.1. The Underwriter shall provide the Company (at the Company's
expense) with as many copies of the Fund's current prospectus and any
supplements thereto as the Company may reasonably request. If requested by
the Company in lieu thereof, the Fund shall provide such documentation
(including a camera ready final copy of the new prospectus or supplement as
set in type at the Fund's expense) and other assistance as is reasonably
necessary in order for the Company once each year (or more frequently if the
prospectus for the Fund is amended) to have the prospectus for the Contracts
and the Fund's prospectus printed together in one document (such printing to
be at the Company's expense).
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund is available from the Underwriter (or in
the Fund's discretion, the Prospectus shall state that such Statement is
available from the Fund), and the Underwriter (or the Fund), at its expense,
shall print and provide such Statement free of charge to the Company and to
any owner of a Contract or prospective owner who requests such Statement.
3.3 The Fund shall promptly notify the Company of any anticipated
amendments to the Fund's registration statement or supplement to the prospectus.
3.4. The Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Company with copies
of its proxy material, reports to stockholders and other communications to
stockholders in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably require for
distributing to Contract owners. At the request of the Company, the Fund
shall provide a camera ready copy of such communication to the Company, which
may combine such communication with a communication of the Company or the
Accounts, which communications may be bound together. In such case the
printing expenses of the combined communications shall be borne by the
Company and the Fund in proportion to the number of pages for which they are
respectively responsible.
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3.5. If and to the extent required by law the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract Owners;
(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 the same proportion as Fund shares of such Portfolio for
which instructions have been received;
so long as and to the extent that the Securities and Exchange commission
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. Participating Insurance Companies shall be responsible for assuring that
each of their separate accounts participating in the Fund calculates voting
privileges in a manner consistent with the standards set forth on Schedule B
attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, which standards will
also be provided to the other Participating Insurance Companies and the
requirements of the 1940 Act.
3.6. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act
requiring voting by shareholders, and in particular the Fund will either
provide for annual meetings or comply with Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act
(although the Fund is not one of the trusts described in Section 16(c) of
that Act) as well as with Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable, 16(b).
Further, the Fund will act in accordance with the Securities and Exchange
Commission's interpretation of the requirements of Section 16(a) with respect
to periodic elections of trustees and with whatever rules the Commission may
promulgate with respect thereto.
ARTICLE IV. Sales MATERIAL AND INFORMATION
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to
the Fund or its designee, the text and to the extent relevant the graphic
component of each piece of sales literature or other promotional material in
which the Fund or its investment adviser or the Underwriter is named, at
least fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used
if the Fund or its designee objects to such use within fifteen Business Days
after receipt of such material. The Fund or its designee will use its best
efforts to review such materials within a shorter time period as the Company
will have requested in writing.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund in
connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the
Fund, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the
Fund or its designee or by the Underwriter, except with the permission of the
Fund or the Underwriter or the designee of either.
4.3. The Fund, Underwriter, or its designee shall furnish, or shall
cause to be furnished, to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales
literature or other promotional material in which the Company and/or its
separate account(s), is named at least fifteen Business Days prior to its
use. No such material shall be used if the Company or its designee object to
such use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such material.
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4.4. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not give any information or
make any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company,
each Account, or the Contracts other than the information or representations
contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts, as
such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented
from time to time, or in published reports for each Account which are in the
public domain or approved by the Company for distribution to Contract owners,
or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the Company
or its designee, except with the permission of the Company.
4.5. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy
of all registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional
Information, reports, proxy statements, sales literature and other
promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no-action
letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that relate to the Fund or
its shares, contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the
Securities and Exchange Commission or other regulatory authorities.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy
of all registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional
Information, reports, solicitations for voting instructions, sales literature
and other promotional materials, applications for exemptions, requests for no
action letters, and all amendments to any of the above, that relate to the
Contracts or each Account, contemporaneously with the filing of such document
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales literature
or other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to,
advertisements (such as material published, or designed for use in, a
newspaper, magazine, or other periodical, radio, television, telephone or
tape recording, videotape display, signs or billboards, motion pictures, or
other public media), sales literature (I.E., any written communication
distributed or made generally available to customers or the public, including
brochures, circulars, research reports, market letters, form letters, seminar
texts, reprints or excerpts of any other advertisement, sales literature, or
published article), educational or training materials or other communications
distributed or made generally available to some or all agents or employees,
and registration statements, prospectuses, Statements of Additional
Information, shareholder reports, and proxy materials.
ARTICLE V. Fees and EXPENSES
5.1. The Fund and Underwriter shall pay no fee or other
compensation to the Company under this agreement, except that if the Fund or
any Portfolio adopts and implements a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance
distribution expenses, then the Underwriter may make payments to the Company
or to the underwriter for the Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the
Underwriter in writing and such payments will be made out of existing fees
otherwise payable to the Underwriter, past profits of the Underwriter or
other resources available to the Underwriter. No such payments shall be made
directly by the Fund. Currently, no such payments are contemplated.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this
Agreement shall be paid by the Fund. The Fund shall see to it that all its
shares are registered and authorized for issuance in accordance with
applicable federal law and, if and to the extent deemed advisable by the
Fund, in accordance with applicable state laws prior to their sale. The Fund
shall bear the expenses for the cost of registration and qualification of the
Fund's shares, preparation and filing of the Fund's prospectus and
registration statement, proxy materials and reports, setting the prospectus
in type, setting in type and printing the proxy materials and reports to
shareholders (including the costs of printing a prospectus that
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constitutes an 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.
5.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of printing and
distributing the Fund's prospectus to owners of Contracts issued by the
Company and of distributing the Fund's proxy materials and reports to such
Contract owners.
ARTICLE VI. DIVERSIFICATION
6.1. The Fund will at all times invest money from the Contracts in
such a manner as to ensure that the Contracts will be treated as variable
contracts under the Code and the regulations issued thereunder. Without
limiting the scope of the foregoing, the Fund will at all times comply with
Section 817(h) of the Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5, relating to the
diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life
insurance contracts and any amendments or other modifications to such Section
or Regulations. The Fund shall promptly notify the Company of any breach by
any Portfolio of this Article 6.
ARTICLE VII. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
7.1. The Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any
material irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners
of all separate accounts investing in the Fund. An irreconcilable material
conflict may arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any
state insurance regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or
state insurance, tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling,
private letter ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar
action by insurance, tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an
administrative or judicial decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the
manner in which the investments of any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a
difference in voting instructions given by variable annuity contract and
variable life insurance contract owners; or (f) a decision by an insurer to
disregard the voting instructions of contract owners. The Board shall
promptly inform the Company if it determines that an irreconcilable material
conflict exists and the implications thereof.
7.2. The Company will report any potential or existing conflicts
of which it is aware to the Board. The Company will assist the Board in
carrying out its responsibilities under the Shared Funding Exemptive Order,
by providing the Board with all information reasonably necessary for the
Board to consider any issues raised. This includes, but is not limited to, an
obligation by the Company to inform the Board whenever contract owner voting
instructions are disregarded.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a
majority of its disinterested trustees, that a material irreconcilable
conflict exists, the Company and other Participating Insurance Companies
shall, at their expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as
determined by a majority of the disinterested trustees), take whatever steps
are necessary to remedy or eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up
to and including: (1), withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the
separate accounts from the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets
in a different investment medium, including (but not limited to) another
Portfolio of the Fund, or submitting the question whether such segregation
should be implemented to a vote of all affected Contract owners and, as
appropriate, segregating the assets of any appropriate group (i.e., annuity
contract owners, life insurance contract owners, or variable contract owners
of one or more Participating Insurance Companies) that votes in favor of such
segregation, or offering to the affected contract owners the option of making
such a change; and (2), establishing a new registered management investment
company or managed separate account.
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7.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a
decision by the Company to disregard contract owner voting instructions and
that decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority
vote, the Company may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the
affected Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with
respect to such Account; 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 that six month period the
Underwriter and Fund shall continue to accept and implement orders by the
Company for the purchase (and redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a
particular state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company
conflicts with the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will
withdraw the affected Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this
Agreement with respect to such Account within six months after the Board
informs the company in writing that it has determined that such decision has
created an irreconcilable material conflict; provided, however, that such
withdrawal and termination shall be limited to the extent required by the
foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the
disinterested members of the Board. Until the end of the foregoing six month
period, the Underwriter and Fund shall continue to accept and implement
orders by the Company for the purchase (and redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.6 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 7.3 to
establish a new funding medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has
been declined by vote of a majority of Contract owners materially adversely
affected by the irreconcilable material conflict. 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
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.
7.7. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are
amended, or Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any
provision of the Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to
mixed or shared funding (as defined in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on
terms and conditions materially different from those contained in the Shared
Funding Exemptive Order, then (a) the Fund and/or the Participating Insurance
Companies, as appropriate, shall take such steps as may be necessary to
comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to
the extent such rules are applicable; and (b) Sections 3.4, 3.5, 7.1, 7.2,
7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 of this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the
extent that terms and conditions substantially identical to such Sections are
contained in such Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. INDEMNIFICATION
8.1. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY
10
8.1(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and
each of the members 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 8.1)
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid
in settlement with the written consent of the Company) or litigation (including
legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject
under any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof)
or settlements are related to the sale or acquisition of the Fund's shares or
the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement 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 as a result of any failure by the Company to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Company, as limited by and in
accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.1(b) and 8.1(c)
hereof.
8.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
litigation incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may
arise from such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason
of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under
this Agreement or to the Fund, whichever is applicable.
11
8.1(c). The Company stall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the company in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice
of such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company
of any such claim shall not relieve the Company from 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 and to settle the claim
at its own expense provided, however, that no such settlement shall, without
the Indemnified Parties' written consent, include any factual stipulations
referring to the Indemnified Parties or their conduct. After notice from the
Company to such party of the Company's election to assume the defense
thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Company will not be liable to such
party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.1(d). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with
the issuance or sale of the Fund Shares or the Contracts or the operation of the
Fund.
8.2. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE UNDERWRITER
8.2(a). The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, the principal underwriter for the Contracts and each of their
directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company or
the principal underwriter for the Contracts within the meaning of Section 15
of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this
Section 8.2) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the
Underwriter) 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:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in
the Registration Statement or prospectus or sales
literature of the Fund (or any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading, provided that
this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such
alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and
in conformity with information furnished to the Underwriter
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 sales literature for the
Contracts not supplied by the Fund, Underwriter or persons
under its control) or
12
wrongful conduct of the Fund, Adviser or Underwriter or
persons under their 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 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 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 the Underwriter; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund or the Underwriter
to provide the services and furnish the materials under the
terms of this Agreement (including a failure, whether
unintentional or in good faith or otherwise, to comply with the
diversification requirements specified in Article VI of this
Agreement); or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Underwriter; as limited by and
in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.2(b) and 8.2(c)
hereof.
8.2(b). The Underwriter 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
each Company or the Account, whichever is applicable.
8.2(c). The Underwriter 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 Under-writer 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
Underwriter of any such claim shall not relieve the Underwriter 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
Underwriter will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense thereof. The Underwriter also shall be entitled to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action and to
settle the claim at its own expense provided, however, that no such
settlement shall, without the Indemnified Parties' written permission,
include any factual stipulations referring to the Indemnified Parties or
their conduct. After notice from the Underwriter to such party of the
Underwriter'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 Underwriter will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for
any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently
in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation.
8.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the
operation of each Account.
8.3. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE FUND
13
8.3(a). The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company,
the principal underwriter for the Contracts and each of their directors and
officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company or the principal
underwriter for the Contracts within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933
Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section
8.3) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Fund) or
litigation (including 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:
(i) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this
Agreement (including a failure to comply with the
diversification requirements specified in Article VI of this
Agreement);or
(ii) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Fund in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Fund;
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.3(b) and
8.3(c) hereof.
8.3(b). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as 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 Underwriter or each Account, whichever is applicable.
8.3(c). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Fund in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Fund of any
such claim shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Fund will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Fund also shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the
action and to settle the claim at its own expense provided, however, that no
such settlement shall, without the Indemnified Parties' written permission,
include any factual stipulations referring to the Indemnified Parties or their
conduct. 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
subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.3(d). The Company and the Under-writer 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.
14
ARTICLE IX. APPLICABLE LAW
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933, 1934
and 1940 acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including
such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the Securities and
Exchange Commission may grant (including, but not limited to, the Shared Funding
Exemptive Order) and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in
accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1. This Agreement shall terminate:
(a) at the option of any party upon one year advance written notice
to the other parties; provided, however such notice shall not be
given earlier than one year following the date of this
Agreement; or
(b) at the option of the Company to the extent that shares of
Portfolios are not reasonably available to meet the requirements
of the Contracts as determined by the Company, provided however,
that such termination shall apply only to the Portfolio(s) not
reasonably available. Prompt notice of the election to terminate
for such cause shall be furnished by the Company; or
(c) at the option of the Fund in the event that formal
administrative proceedings are instituted against the Company by
the NASD, the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state
securities or insurance department or any other regulatory body
regarding the Company's duties under this Agreement or related
to the sale of the Contracts, with respect to the operation of
any Account, or the purchase of the Fund shares, provided,
however, that the Fund determines in its sole judgment exercised
in good faith, that any such administrative proceedings will
have a material adverse effect upon the ability of the Company
to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
(d) at the option of the Company in the event that formal
administrative proceedings are instituted against the Fund or
Underwriter by the NASD, the Securities and Exchange commission,
or any state securities or insurance department or any other
regulatory body, provided, however, that the Company determines
in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that any such
administrative proceedings will have a material adverse effect
upon the ability of the Fund or underwriter to perform its
obligations under this Agreement; or
(e) with respect to any Account, upon requisite vote of the Contract
owners having an interest in such Account (or any subaccount) to
substitute the shares of another investment company for the
corresponding Portfolio shares of the Fund in accordance with
the terms of the Contracts for which those Portfolio shares had
been selected to serve as the underlying investment media. The
Company will give 30 days' prior written notice to the Fund of
the date of any proposed vote to replace the Fund's shares; or
15
(f) at the option of the Company, in the event any of the Fund's
shares are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with
applicable state and/or federal law or such law precludes the
use of such shares as the underlying investment media of the
Contracts issued or to be issued by the Company; or
(g) at the option of the Company, if the Fund ceases to qualify as a
Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code or
under any successor or similar provision, or if the Company
reasonably believes that the Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(h) at the option of the Company, if the Fund fails to meet the
diversification requirements specified in Article VI hereof; or
(i) at the option of either the Fund or the Underwriter, if
(1) the Fund or the Underwriter, respectively, shall
determine, in their sole judgment reasonably exercised in
good faith, that the 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 will
have a material adverse impact upon the business and
operations of either the Fund or the Underwriter, (2) the
Fund or the Underwriter shall notify the Company in
writing of such determination and its intent to terminate
this Agreement, and (3) after considering the actions
taken by the Company and any other changes in
circumstances since the giving of such notice, such
determination of the Fund or the Underwriter shall
continue to apply on the sixtieth (60th) day following the
giving of such notice, which sixtieth day shall be the
effective date of termination; or
(j) at the option of the Company, if (1) the Company shall
determine, in its sole judgment reasonably exercised in
good faith, that either the Fund or the Underwriter 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 will have a material adverse impact upon
the business and operations of the Account or the
Company's ability to market the Contracts, (2) the Company
shall notify the Fund and the Under-writer in writing of
such determination and its intent to terminate the
Agreement, and (3) after considering the actions taken by
the Fund and/or the Underwriter and any other changes in
circumstances since the giving of such notice, such
determination shall continue to apply on the sixtieth
(60th) day following the giving of such notice, which
sixtieth day shall be the effective date of termination; or
(k) at the option of either the Fund or the Underwriter, if
the Company gives the Fund and the Underwriter the written
notice specified in Section 1.6(b) hereof and at the time
such notice was given there was no notice of termination
outstanding under any other provision of this Agreement;
provided, however any termination under this Section
10.1(k) shall be effective forty five (45) days after the
notice specified in Section 1.6(b) was given.
10.2. It is understood and agreed that the right of any party
hereto to terminate this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.1(a) may be exercised
for any reason or for no reason.
16
10.3. NOTICE REQUIREMENT. No termination of this Agreement shall
be effective unless and until the party terminating this Agreement gives
prior written notice to all other parties to this Agreement of its intent to
terminate which notice shall set forth the basis for such termination.
Furthermore,
(a) In the event that any termination is based upon the
provisions of Article VII, or the provision of section
10.1(a), 10.1(i), 10.1(j) or 10.1(k) of this Agreement, such
prior written notice shall be given in advance of the
effective date of termination as required by such
provisions; and
(b) in the event that any termination is based upon the
provisions of Section 10.1(c) or 10.1(d) of this Agreement,
such prior written notice shall be given at least ninety
(90) days before the effective date of termination.
10.4. Effect OF TERMINATION. Notwithstanding any termination of
this Agreement, the Fund and the Underwriter 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 (hereinafter referred to
as "Existing Contracts"). Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the
Existing Contracts shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the Fund,
redeem investments in the Fund and/or invest in the Fund upon the making of
additional purchase payments under the Existing Contracts. The parties agree
that this Section 10.4 shall not apply to any terminations under Article VII
and the effect of such Article VII terminations shall be governed by Article
VII of this Agreement.
10.5. The Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to
the Contracts (as opposed to Fund shares attributable to the Company's assets
held in either Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract owner
initiated transactions, (ii) as required by state and/or federal laws or
regulations or judicial or other legal '-precedent of general application
(hereinafter referred to as a "Legally Required Redemption"), or (iii) as
upon termination of this Agreement with respect to one or more portfolios.
Upon request, the Company will promptly furnish to the Fund and the
Underwriter the opinion of counsel for the Company (which counsel shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Fund and the Underwriter) to the effect that
any redemption pursuant to clause (ii) above is a Legally Required
Redemption. Furthermore, except in cases where permitted under the terms of
the Contracts, the Company shall not prevent Contract Owners from allocating
payments to a Portfolio that was otherwise available under the Contracts
without first giving the Fund or the Underwriter 90 days notice of its
intention to do so.
10.6 If for any reason the shares of any Portfolio are no longer
to be make available, then, at the request of the Company, the Fund and the
Underwriter shall cooperate with the Company so that the provisions of
Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act will be complied with as soon as reasonably
practicable and substitution of an underlying funding medium accomplished
without disruption of sales of securities to the Account or a division
thereof, as the case may be, in connection with such Contracts.
10.7 Article II and VIII and Sections 12.1, 12.6 and 12.7 shall
survive termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE XI. NOTICES
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set
forth below or at such other address as such party may from time to
time specify in writing to the other party.
If to the Fund:
17
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
If to the Company:
The American Franklin Life Insurance Company
#0 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: President
If to the Underwriter:
00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Treasurer
ARTICLE XII. MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the
property of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as
neither the Board, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal
liability for obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund.
12.2 Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory
authority, each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and
addresses of the owners of the Contracts and all information reasonably
identified as confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except
as permitted by this Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize
such names and addresses and other confidential information until such time
as it may come into the public domain without the express written consent of
the affected party.
12.3 The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof
or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
12.4 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
12.5 If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid
by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement
shall not be affected thereby.
12.6 Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the
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. Notwithstanding the generality of the
foregoing, each party hereto further agrees to furnish the California Insurance
Commissioner with any information or reports in connection with services
provided under this Agreement which such Commissioner may request in order to
ascertain whether the variable life insurance operations of the Company are
being conducted in a manner consistent with the California Variable Life
Insurance Regulations and any other applicable law or regulations.
12.7 The Fund and Underwriter agree that to the extent any advisory or
other fees received by the Fund, the Underwriter or the Adviser are determined
to be unlawful in legal or administrative
18
proceedings under the 1973 NAIC model variable life insurance regulation in
the states of California, Colorado, Maryland or Michigan, the Underwriter
shall indemnify and reimburse the Company for any out of pocket expenses and
actual damages the Company has incurred as a result of any such proceeding;
provided however that the provisions of Section 8.2(b) of this and 8.2(c)
shall apply to such indemnification and reimbursement obligation. Such
indemnification and reimbursement obligation shall be in addition to any
other indemnification and reimbursement obligations of the Fund and/or the
Underwriter under this Agreement.
12.8. 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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this
Agreement to be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized
representative and its seal to be hereunder affixed hereto as of the date
specified below.
Company:
THE AMERICAN FRANKLIN LIFE INSURANCE
COMPANY
By its authorized officer
SEAL By:
Date:
Title:Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and Secretary
Fund:
VARIABLE INSURANCE PRODUCTS FUND II
By its authorized officer,
By:
SEAL Title: Senior V.P.
Date: 10/1/91
Underwriter:
FIDELITY DISTRIBUTORS CORPORATION
By its authorized officer,
SEAL By: Title: V.P.
Date: 10/3/91
19
SCHEDULE A
ACCOUNTS
Name of Account Date of Resolution of Company's Board
which Established the Account
Separate Account VUL - 2 April 9, 1991
20
SCHEDULE B
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURE
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding
responsibilities for the handling of proxies relating to the Fund by the
Underwriter, the Fund and the Company. The defined terms herein shall have the
meanings assigned in the Participation Agreement except that the term
"Company" shall also include the department or third party assigned by the
Insurance Company to perform the steps delineated below.
1. The number of proxy proposals is given to the Company by the
Underwriter as early as possible before the date set by the Fund for
the shareholder meeting to facilitate the establishment of tabulation
procedures. At this time the Underwriter will inform the Company of the
Record, Mailing and Meeting dates. This will be done verbally
approximately two months before meeting.
2. Promptly after the Record Date, the Company will perform a "tape run",
or other activity, which will generate the names, addresses and number
of units which are attributed to each contractowner/policyholder (the
"Customer") as of the Record Date. Allowance should be made for account
adjustments made after this date that could affect the status of the
Customers' accounts as of the Record Date.
Note: The number of proxy statements is determined by the
activities described in Step #2. The Company will use
its best efforts to call in the number of Customers
to Fidelity, as soon as possible, but no later than
two weeks after the Record Date.
3. The Fund's Annual Report must be sent to each Customer by the Company
either before or together with the Customers' receipt of a proxy
statement. Underwriter will provide at least one copy of the last Annual
Report to the Company.
4. The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or "Card")
is provided to the Company by the Fund. The Company, at its expense,
shall produce and personalize the Voting instruction Cards. The Legal
Department of the Underwriter or its affiliate ("Fidelity Legal") must
approve the Card before it is printed. Allow approximately 2-4 business
days for printing information on the Cards. Information commonly found
on the Cards includes:
a. name (legal name as found on account registration)
b. address
C. Fund or account number
d. coding to state number of units
e. individual card number for use in tracking and
verification of votes (already on Cards as printed
by the Fund)
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
5. During this time, Fidelity Legal will develop, produce, and the Fund
will pay for the Notice of Proxy and the Proxy Statement (one document).
Printed and folded notices and statements will be sent to
21
Company for insertion into envelopes (envelopes and return envelopes are
provided and paid for by the Insurance Company). Contents of envelope
sent to Customers by Company will include:
a. Voting Instruction Card(s)
b. One proxy notice and statement (one document)
C. return envelope (postage pre-paid by Company) addressed
to the Company or its tabulation agent
d. "urge buckslip" - optional, but recommended. (This is a
small, single sheet of paper that requests Customers to
vote as quickly as possible and that their vote is
important. One copy will be supplied by the Fund.)
e. cover letter - optional, supplied by Company and
reviewed and approved in advance by Fidelity Legal.
6. The above contents should be received by the Company approximately 3-5
business days before mail date. Individual in charge at Company reviews
and approves the contents of the mailing package to ensure correctness
and completeness. Copy of this approval sent to Fidelity Legal.
7. Package mailed by the Company.
The Fund MUST allow at least a 15-day solicitation time to the
Company as the shareowner. (A 5-week period is recommended.)
Solicitation time is calculated as calendar days from (but NOT
including) the meeting, counting backwards.
8. Collection and tabulation of Cards begins. Tabulation usually takes
place in another department or another vendor depending on process used.
An often used procedure is to sort Cards on arrival by proposal into
vote categories of all yes, no, or mixed replies, and to begin data
entry.
Note: Postmarks are not generally needed. A need for postmark
information would be due to an insurance company's internal
procedure and has not been required by Fidelity in the past.
9. Signatures on Card checked against legal name on account registration
which was printed on the Card.
Note: For Example, If the account registration is under "Xxxxxxx
X.Xxxxx, Trustee," then that is the exact legal name to be
printed on the Card and is the signature needed on the Card.
10. If Cards are mutilated, or for any reason are illegible or are not
signed properly, they are sent back to Customer with an explanatory
letter, a new Card and return envelope. The mutilated or illegible Card
is disregarded and considered to be NOT RECEIVED for purposes of vote
tabulation. Any Cards that have "kicked out" (e.g. mutilated,
illegible) of the procedure are "hand verified," i.e., examined as to
why they did not complete the system. Any questions on those Cards are
usually remedied individually.
11. There are various control procedures used to ensure proper tabulation
of votes and accuracy of that tabulation. The most prevalent is to sort
the Cards as they first arrive into categories depending upon their
vote; an estimate of how the vote is progressing may then be
calculated. If the initial estimates and the actual vote do not
coincide, then an internal audit of that vote should occur. This may
entail a recount.
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12. The actual tabulation of votes is done in units which is then converted
to shares. (It is very important that the Fund receives the tabulations
stated in terms of a percentage and the number of SHARES.)
Fidelity Legal must review and approve tabulation format.
13. Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Company to Fidelity
Legal on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 a.m. Boston
time. Fidelity Legal may request an earlier deadline if required to
calculate the vote in time for the meeting.
14. A Certification of Mailing and Authorization to Vote Shares will be
required from the Company as well as an original copy of the final
vote. Fidelity Legal will provided a standard from for each
Certification.
15. The Company will be required to box and archive the Cards received from
the Customers. In the event that any vote is challenged or if otherwise
necessary for legal, regulatory, or accounting purposes, Fidelity Legal
will be permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
16. All approvals and "signing-off" may be done orally, but must always be
followed up in writing.
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