Exhibit (b)(8)(a)(i)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
INVESCO VARIABLE INVESTMENT FUNDS, INC.
INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC.
and
(Name of the Insurance Company)
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 19TH day of JULY, 1996 by
and among GREAT AMERICAN RESERVE INSURANCE COMPANY, (hereinafter the "Insurance
Company"), a TEXAS corporation, on its own behalf and on behalf of each
segregated asset account of the Insurance Company set forth on Schedule A hereto
as may be amended from time to time (each such account hereinafter referred to
as the "Account"), INVESCO VARIABLE INVESTMENT FUNDS, INC., a Maryland
corporation (the "Company") and INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC. ("INVESCO"), a
Delaware corporation.
WHEREAS, the Company 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 annuity and life insurance contracts
to be offered by insurance companies which have entered into participation
agreements substantially identical to this Agreement ("Participant Insurance
Companies"), and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Company is divided into several
series of shares, each designated a "Fund" and representing the interest in a
particular managed portfolio of securities and other assets; and
WHEREAS, the Company has obtained an order from the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission"), dated December 29, 1993 (File No.
812-8590), granting Participating Insurance Companies and their separate
accounts exemptions from the provisions of sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and
15(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the "1940 Act") and
Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3T(b)(15) thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit
shares of the Company to be sold to and held by variable annuity and variable
life insurance separate accounts of life insurance companies that may or may not
be affiliated with one another (the "Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order");
and
WHEREAS, the Company 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
WHEREAS, INVESCO is duly registered as an investment adviser under the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and any applicable state securities law and as a
broker dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (the "1934
Act"), and is a member in good standing of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"); and
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WHEREAS, the Insurance Company has registered under the 1933 Act, or
will register under the 1933 Act, certain variable [annuity/life insurance]
contracts identified by the form number(s) listed on Schedule B to this
Agreement, as amended from time to time hereafter by mutual written agreement of
all the parties hereto (the "Contracts"); and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution of the board of directors of the
Insurance Company on the date shown for that Account on Schedule A hereto, to
set aside and invest assets attributable to the Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Insurance Company has registered or will register each
Account as a unit investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Insurance Company intends to purchase shares in the Funds on
behalf of the Accounts to fund the Contracts and INVESCO is authorized to sell
such shares to unit investment trusts such as the Account at net asset value;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Insurance
Company, the Company and INVESCO agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. SALE OF COMPANY SHARES
1.1 INVESCO agrees to sell to the Insurance Company those shares of the
Company which each Account orders, executing such orders on a daily basis at the
net asset value next computed after receipt by the Company or its designee of
the order for the shares of the Company. For purposes of this Section1.1, the
Insurance Company shall be the designee of the Company for receipt of such
orders from the Accounts and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt
by the Company; provided that the Company receives notice of such order by 8:00
a.m., Mountain 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 Company calculates its net asset value pursuant to the rules of the
Commission.
1.2 The Company agrees to make its shares available for purchase at the
applicable net asset value per share by the Insurance Company and its Accounts
on those days on which the Company calculates its Funds' net asset values
pursuant to rules of the Commission and the Company shall use reasonable efforts
to calculate its Funds' net asset values on each day on which the New York Stock
Exchange is open for trading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the board of
directors of the Company (hereinafter the "Board") may refuse to sell shares of
any Fund to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any
fund 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 that Fund.
1.3 The Company and INVESCO agree that shares of the Company will be
sold only to Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts. No
shares of any Fund will be sold to the general public.
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1.4 The Company and INVESCO will not sell Company shares to any
insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions
substantially the same as Sections 2.1, 3.4, 3.5 and Article VII of this
Agreement is in effect to govern such sales.
1.5 The Company agrees to redeem, on the Insurance Company's request,
any full or fractional shares of the Company held by the Insurance Company,
executing such requests on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed
after receipt by the Company or its designee of the request for redemption. For
purposes of this Section 1.5, the Insurance Company shall be the designee of the
Company for receipt of requests for redemption from each Account and receipt by
that designee shall constitute receipt by the Company; provided that the Company
receives notice of the request for redemption by 8:00 a.m., Mountain Time, on
the next following Business Day.
1.6 The Insurance Company agrees to purchase and redeem the shares of
each Fund offered by the then-current prospectus of the Company in accordance
with the provisions of that prospectus. The Insurance Company agrees that all
net amounts available under the Contracts shall be invested in the Company, in
such other Funds advised by INVESCO as may be mutually agreed to in writing by
the parties hereto, or in the Insurance Company's general account, provided that
such amounts may also be invested in an investment company other than the
Company if (a) the other investment company, or series thereof, has investment
objectives or policies that are substantially different from the investment
objectives and policies of all the Funds of the Company; or (b) the Insurance
Company gives the Company and INVESCO 45 days written notice of its intention to
make the other investment company available as a funding vehicle for the
Contracts; or (c) the other investment company was available as a funding
vehicle for the Contracts prior to the date of this Agreement and the Insurance
Company so informs the Company and INVESCO prior to their signing this
Agreement; or (d) the Company or INVESCO consents to the use of the other
investment company.
1.7 The Insurance Company shall pay for Company shares by 9:00 a.m.,
Mountain Time, on the next Business Day after an order to purchase Company
shares is made in accordance with the provisions of Section 1.1 hereof. Payment
shall be in Federal funds transmitted by wire. For the purpose of Sections 2.10
and 2.11, upon receipt by the Company of the federal funds so wired, such funds
shall cease to be the responsibility of the Insurance Company and shall become
the responsibility of the Company. Payment of net redemption proceeds (aggregate
redemptions of a Fund's shares by an Account minus aggregate purchases of that
Fund's shares by that Account) of less than $1 million for a given Business Day
will be made by wiring federal funds to the Insurance Company on the next
Business Day after receipt of the redemption request. Payment of net redemption
proceeds of $1 million or more will be by wiring federal funds within seven days
after receipt of the redemption request. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the
event that one or more funds has insufficient cash on hand to pay net
redemptions on the next Business Day, and if such Fund has determined to settle
redemption transactions for all of its shareholders on a delayed basis (more
than one Business Day, but in no event more than seven calendar days, after the
date on which the redemption order is received, unless otherwise permitted by an
order of the Commission under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act), the Company shall
be permitted to delay sending redemption proceeds to the Insurance Company by
the same number of days that the Company is delaying sending redemption proceeds
to the other shareholders of the Fund.
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Redemption of up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net asset value
of the Fund whose shares are to be redeemed in any 90-day period will be made in
cash. Redemptions in excess of that amount in any 90-day period may, in the sole
discretion of the Company, be in-kind redemptions, with the securities to be
delivered in payment of redemptions selected by the Company and valued at the
value assigned to them in computing the Fund's net asset value per share.
1.8 Issuance and transfer of the Company's shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Insurance Company or any
Account. Shares ordered from the Company will be recorded in an appropriate
title for each Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.9 The Company shall furnish same day notice (by wire or telephone,
followed by written confirmation) to the Insurance Company of any income,
dividends or capital gain distributions payable on the Funds' shares. The
Insurance Company hereby elects to receive all income dividends and capital gain
distributions payable on a Fund's shares in additional shares of that Fund. The
Insurance Company reserves the right to revoke this election and to receive all
such income dividends and capital gain distributions in cash. The Company shall
notify the Insurance Company of the number of shares issued as payment of
dividends and distributions.
1.10 The Company shall make the net asset value per share for each Fund
available to the Insurance Company on a daily basis as soon as reasonably
practical after the net asset value per share is calculated and shall use its
best efforts to make those per-share net asset values available by 5:00 p.m.
Mountain Time.
ARTICLE II. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
2.1 The Insurance 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 applicable state insurance suitability requirements. The
Insurance 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 the Account prior to any issuance or sale
thereof as a segregated asset account under Section 3(G) of the TEXAS Insurance
Code and has registered, or prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts will
register, the 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 Company represents and warrants that Company shares sold
pursuant to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly
authorized for issuance and sale in compliance with the laws of the State of
Maryland and all applicable federal securities laws and that the Company is and
shall remain registered under the 1940 Act. The Company 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 affect the continuous offering of its
shares. The Company 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 Company or INVESCO.
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2.3 The Company 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
that qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provision)
and that it will notify the Insurance Company immediately upon having a
reasonable basis for believing that it has ceased to so qualify or that it might
not so qualify in the future.
2.4 The Insurance Company represents and warrants that the Contracts
are currently treated as [annuity/life insurance/endowment/modified endowment]
contracts, under applicable provisions of the Code and that it will make every
effort to maintain such treatment and that it will notify the Company and
INVESCO immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the
Contracts have ceased to be so treated or that they might not be so treated in
the future.
2.5 The Company 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. To the extent that
it decides to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Company
undertakes to have a board of directors, a majority of whom are not interested
persons of the Company, formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to
finance distribution expenses.
2.6 The Company 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.
2.7 INVESCO represents and warrants that it is a member in good
standing of the NASD and is registered a broker-dealer with the Commission.
INVESCO further represents that it will sell and distribute the Company shares
in accordance with the laws of the _______ of _______ and all applicable state
and federal securities laws, including without limitation the 1933 Act, the 1934
Act, and the 0000 Xxx.
2.8 The Company represents that it is lawfully organized and validly
existing under the laws of the State of Maryland and that it does and will
comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.9 INVESCO represents and warrants that it is and shall remain duly
registered in all material respects under all applicable federal and state
securities laws and that it shall perform its obligations for the Company in
compliance in all material respects with the laws of the ________ of _________
and any applicable state and federal securities laws.
2.10 The Company and INVESCO represent and warrant that all of their
officers, employees, investment advisers, investment sub-advisers, and other
individuals or entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Company
are, and shall continue to be at all times, covered by a blanket fidelity bond
or similar coverage for the benefit of the Company in an amount not less than
the minimum coverage required currently by Section 17g-(1) of the 1940 Act or
related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time. That fidelity bond
shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a
reputable bonding company.
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2.11 The Insurance Company represents and warrants that all of its
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals or entities
dealing with the money and/or securities of the Company are and shall continue
to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for
the benefit of the Company, in an amount not less than the minimum coverage
required currently for entitles subject to the requirements of Rule 17g-1 of the
1940 Act or related provisions or 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. The Insurance Company further represents
and warrants that the employees of Insurance Company, or such other persons
designated by Insurance Company, listed on Schedule C have been authorized by
all necessary action of Insurance Company to give directions, instructions and
certifications to the Company and INVESCO on behalf of Insurance Company. The
Company and INVESCO are authorized to act and rely upon any directions,
instructions and certifications received from such persons unless and until they
have been notified in writing by the Insurance Company of a change in such
persons, and the Company and INVESCO shall incur no liability in doing so.
2.12 The Insurance Company represents and warrants that it will not
purchase Company shares with Account assets derived from tax-qualified
retirement plans except indirectly, through Contracts purchased in connection
with such plans.
ARTICLE III. PROSPECTUSES AND PROXY STATEMENTS: VOTING
3.1 INVESCO shall provide the Insurance Company (at the Insurance
Company's expense) with as many copies of the Company's current prospectus as
the Insurance Company may reasonably request. If requested by the Insurance
Company in lieu thereof, the Company shall provide such documentation (including
final copy of the new prospectus as set in type at the Company's expense) and
other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Insurance Company
once each year (or more frequently if the prospectus for the Company is amended)
to have the prospectus for the Contracts and the Company's prospectus printed
together in one document (at the Insurance Company's expense).
3.2 The Company's prospectus shall state that the Statement of
Additional Information for the Company (the "SAI") is available from INVESCO (or
in the Company's discretion, the Prospectus shall state that the SAI is
available from the Company), and INVESCO (or the Company), at its expense, shall
print and provide the SAI free of charge to the Insurance Company and to any
owner of a Contract or prospective owner who requests the SAI.
3.3 The Company, at its expense, shall provide the Insurance Company
with copies of its proxy material, reports to stockholders and other
communications to stockholders in such quantity as the Insurance Company shall
reasonably require for distributing to Contract owners.
3.4 If and to the extend required by law, the Insurance Company
shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the Company shares in accordance with
instructions received from Contract owners; and
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(iii) vote Company shares for which no instructions have
been received in the same proportion as Company
shares of such portfolio for which instructions have
been received;
so long as and to the extent that the Commission continues to interpret the 1940
Act to require pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners. The
Insurance Company reserves the right to the vote Company 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 Company calculates voting
privileges in a manner consistent with the standards set forth on Schedule D
attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, which standards will
also be provided to the other Participating Insurance Companies. The Insurance
Company shall fulfill its obligations under, and abide by the terms and
conditions of, the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order.
3.5. The company will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act
requiring voting by shareholders, and in particular the company will either
provide for annual meetings (except insofar as the Commission may interpret
Section 16 of the 1940 Act not to require such meetings) or, as the Company
currently intends, comply with Section 16(c) of the 0000 Xxx) as well as with
Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable, 16(b). Further, the Company will act
in accordance with the Commission's interpretation of the requirements of
Section 16(a) with respect to periodic elections of directors and with whatever
rules the Commission may promulgate with respect thereto.
ARTICLE IV. SALES MATERIAL AND INFORMATION
4.1 The Insurance Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be
furnished, (although the Company is not one of the trusts described in Section
16(c) of that Act) to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales
literature or other promotional material in which the Company, a sub-adviser of
one of the Funds, or INVESCO is named, at least fifteen calendar days prior to
its use. No such material shall be used if the Company or its designee objects
to such use within ten calendar days after receipt of such material.
4.2 The Insurance Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company
in connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Company's shares, as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended
or supplemented from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the
Company, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved by the
Company or its designee or by INVESCO, except with the permission of the Company
or INVESCO.
4.3 The Company, INVESCO, or its designee shall furnish, or shall cause
to be furnished, to the Insurance Company or its designee, each piece of sales
literature or other promotional material in which the Insurance Company and/or
its separate account(s), is named at least fifteen calendar days prior to its
use. No such material shall be used if the Insurance Company or its designee
object to such use within ten calendar days after receipt of that material.
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4.4 The Company and INVESCO shall not give any information or make any
representations on behalf of the Insurance Company or concerning the Insurance
Company, the Account, or the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the
Contracts, as that registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in published reports for the Account which
are in the public domain or approved by the Insurance Company for distribution
to Contract owners, or in sales literature or other promotional material
approved by the Insurance Company or its designee, except with the permission of
the Insurance Company.
4.5 The Company will provide to the Insurance Company at least one
complete copy of each registration statement, prospectus, statement of
additional information, report, proxy statement, piece of sales literature or
other promotional material, application for exemption, request for no-action
letter, and any amendment to any of the above, that relate to the Company or its
shares, contemporaneously with the fling of the document with the Commission,
the NASD, or other regulatory authorities.
4.6 The Insurance Company will provide to the Company at least one
complete copy of each registration statement, prospectus, statement of
additional information, report, solicitation for voting instructions, piece of
sales literature and other promotional material, application for exemption,
request for no action letter, and any amendment to any of the above, that
relates to the Contracts or the Account, contemporaneously with the filing of
the document with the Commission, the NASD, or other regulatory authorities.
4.7 For purposes of this Agreement, the phrase "sales literature or
other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, advertisements,
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.
4.8 At the request of any party to this Agreement, each other party
will make available to the other party's independent auditors and/or
representative of the appropriate regulatory agencies, all records, data and
access to operating procedures that may be reasonably requested. Company agrees
that Insurance Company shall have the right to inspect, audit and copy all
records pertaining to the performance of services under this Agreement pursuant
to the requirements of the California Insurance Department. However Company and
INVESCO shall own and control all of their respective records pertaining to
their performance of the services under this Agreement.
ARTICLE V. FEES AND EXPENSES
5.1 The Company and INVESCO shall pay no fee or other compensation to
the Insurance Company under this agreement, except that if the Company or any
Fund adopts and implements a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution
expenses, then INVESCO may
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make payments to the Insurance Company if and in amounts agreed to by INVESCO in
writing, subject to review by the board of directors of the Company. No such
payments shall be made directly by the Company.
5.2 All expenses incident to performance by the Company under this
Agreement shall be paid by the Company. The Company 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 extend deemed advisable by the Company or
INVESCO, in accordance with applicable state laws prior to their sale. The
Company shall bear the expenses for the cost of registration and qualification
of the Company's shares, preparation and filing of the Company's prospectus and
registration statement, proxy materials and reports, setting the prospectus in
type, setting in type and printing the 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 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 Company's
shares.
5.3 The Insurance Company shall bear the expenses of printing and
distributing to Contract owners the Contract prospectuses and of distributing to
Contract owners the Company's prospectus, proxy materials and reports.
ARTICLE VI. DIVERSIFICATION
6.1 The company will, at the end of each calendar quarter, comply
with Section 817(h) of the Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5 relating to the
diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment, modified endowment
or life insurance contracts and any amendments or other modifications to that
Section or Regulation.
ARTICLE VII. POTENTIAL CONFLICTS
7.1 The Board will monitor the Company for the existence of any
material irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the variable contract
owners of all separate accounts investing in the Company. 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 interpretive 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 Fund 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 a Participating Insurance Company to
disregard the voting instructions of variable contract owners. The Board shall
promptly inform the Insurance Company if it determines that an irreconcilable
material conflict exists and the implications thereof. The Board shall have sole
authority to determine whether an irreconcilable material conflict exists and
such determination shall be binding upon the Insurance Company.
7.2 The Insurance Company will report promptly any potential or
existing conflicts of which it is aware to the Board. The Insurance Company will
assist the Board in carrying out its responsibilities under the Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order, by providing the Board with all information reasonably
necessary for the Board to consider any issues raised. This
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includes, but is not limited to, an obligation by the Insurance Company to
inform the Board whenever Contract owner voting instructions are to be
disregarded. Such responsibilities shall be carried out by Insurance Company
with a view only to the interests of the Contract owners.
7.3 If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of
its directors who are not interested persons of the Company, INVESCO, or any
sub-adviser to any of the Funds (the "Independent Directors"), that a material
irreconcilable conflict exists, the Insurance Company and/or other Participating
Insurance Companies shall, at their expense and to the extent reasonably
practicable (as determined by a majority of the Independent Directors), 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 Company or any Fund and reinvesting those
assets in a different investment medium, including (but not limited to) another
Fund of the Company, or submitting the question whether such segregation should
be implemented to a vote of all affected variable contract owners and, as
appropriate, segregating the assets of any appropriate group (e.g., 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 variable contract owners the option of
making such a change: and (2), establishing a new registered management
investment company or managed separate account and obtaining approval thereof by
the Commission.
7.4 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision
by the Insurance Company to disregard Contract owner voting instructions and
that decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote,
the Insurance Company may be required, at the Company's election, to withdraw
the affected Account's investment in the Company and terminate this Agreement
with respect to that 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 Independent
Directors. Any such withdrawal and termination must take place within six (6)
months after the Company gives written notice that this provision is being
implemented, and until the end of that six month period INVESCO and the Company
shall continue to accept and implement orders by the Insurance Company for the
purchase (and redemption) of shares of the Company.
7.5 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Insurance Company
conflicts with the majority of other state regulators, then the Insurance
Company will withdraw the affected Account's investment in the Company and
terminate this Agreement with respect to that Account within six months after
the Board informs the Insurance Company in writing that it has determined that
the state insurance regulator's 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 Independent Directors. Until the end of the
foregoing six month period, INVESCO and the Company shall continue to accept and
implement orders by the Insurance Company for the purchase (and redemption) of
shares of the Company.
7.6 For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.5 of this Agreement, a
majority of the Independent Directors shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event
will the Company be required to establish a new
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funding medium for the Contracts. The Insurance 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 Insurance Company will withdraw the
Account's investment in the Company and terminate this Agreement within six (6)
months after the Board informs the Insurance Company in writing of the foregoing
determination, provided, however, that the withdrawal and termination shall be
limited to the extent required by the material irreconcilable conflict, as
determined by a majority of the Independent Directors.
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 Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms
and conditions materially different from those contained in the Mixed and Shred
Funding Exemptive Order, then (a) the Company 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
extend those 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 those Sections are contained in
the Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. INDEMNIFICATION
8.1. INDEMNIFICATION BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY
8.1(a)The Insurance company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company and each director of the Board 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 8.1)
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid
in settlement with the written consent of the Insurance 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
Company's shares or the Contracts and:
(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 in writing to the Insurance Company by or on behalf
of the Company for use in the registration statement or
prospectus for
11
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 shares of the Company;
(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 Company not supplied by the Insurance
Company, or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of
the Insurance Company or persons under its control, with
respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or
company 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 Company 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 in writing to the Company
by or on behalf of the Insurance Company; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Insurance 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 Insurance Company
in this Agreement or arise out of or result from any other
material breach of this Agreement by the Insurance Company.
As limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.1(b) and 8.1(c)
hereof.
8.1(b) The Insurance 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 that
may arise from that Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross
negligence in the performance of that indemnified Party's duties or by reason of
that Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this
Agreement or to the Company, whichever is applicable.
8.1(c) The Insurance Company shall not be liable under this
indemnification provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified
Party unless that Indemnified Party shall have notified the Insurance 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 that
Indemnified Party (or after the Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
failure of any Indemnified Party to give notice as provided herein shall not
relieve the Insurance Company of its obligations hereunder except to the extent
that the Insurance Company has been prejudiced by such failure to
12
give notice. In addition, any failure by the Indemnified Party to notify the
Insurance Company of any such claim shall not relieve the Insurance Company from
any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against whom the action
is brought otherwise than on account of this indemnification provision. In case
any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties, the Insurance
Company shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense of
the action. The Insurance Company also shall be entitled to assume the defense
thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action; PROVIDED,
HOWEVER, that if the Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded that
there may be defenses available to it which are different from or additional to
those available to the Insurance Company, the Insurance Company shall not have
the right to assume said defense, but shall pay the costs and expenses thereof
(except that in no event shall the Insurance Company be liable for the fees and
expenses of more than one counsel for Indemnified Parties in connection with any
one action or separate but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction
arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances). After notice from
the Insurance Company to the Indemnified Party of the Insurance Company's
election to assume the defense thereof, and in the absence of such a reasonable
conclusion that there may be different or additional defenses available to the
Indemnified Party, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and the Insurance Company will not be liable
to that party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by the party independently in connection with the defense thereof other
than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.1(d) The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Insurance
Company of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in
connection with the issuance or sale of the Company's shares or the Contracts or
the operation of the Company.
8.2 Indemnification by INVESCO
8.2(a) INVESCO agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Insurance
Company and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Insurance Company 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 INVESCO) 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
are related to the sale or acquisition of the Company'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 Company (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 the
statement or omission or alleged statement or omission was
made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished in writing to INVESCO or the Company by or on behalf
13
of the Insurance Company for use in the registration statement
or prospectus for the Company or in sales literature (or any
amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use in connection
with the sale of the Contracts or Company 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 INVESCO or
persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the Company,
INVESCO or persons under their control, with respect to the
sale or distribution of the Contracts or shares of the
Company; 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 in writing to the Insurance Company 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 (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 INVESCO in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by INVESCO; as limited by and in
accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.2(b) and 8.2(c)
hereof.
8.2(b) INVESCO 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 that may arise from the Indemnified
Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance
of the Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of the Indemnified Party's
reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to the
Insurance Company or the Account, whichever is applicable.
8.2(c) INVESCO shall not be liable under this indemnification provision
with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless the
Indemnified Party shall have notified INVESCO 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 the Indemnified Party (or after
the Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of any Indemnified
Party to give notice as
14
provided herein shall not relieve INVESCO of its obligations hereunder except to
the extent that INVESCO has been prejudiced by such failure to give notice. In
addition, any failure by the Indemnified Party to notify INVESCO of any such
claim shall not relieve INVESCO from any liability which it may have to the
Indemnified Party against who such action is brought otherwise than on account
of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought against
the Indemnified Parties, INVESCO will be entitled to participate, at its own
expense, in the defense thereof. INVESCO also shall be entitled to assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be defenses available to it which are different from or
additional to those available to INVESCO, INVESCO shall not have the right to
assume said defense, but shall pay the costs and expenses thereof (except that
in no event shall INVESCO be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one
counsel for Indemnified Parties in connection with any one action or separate
but similar or related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same
general allegations or circumstances). After notice from INVESCO to the
Indemnified Party of INVESCO's election to assume the defense thereof, and in
the absence of such a reasonable conclusion that there may be different or
additional defenses available to the Indemnified Party, the Indemnified Party
shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and
INVESCO will not be liable to that party under this Agreement for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by that party independently in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.2(d) The Insurance Company agrees to notify INVESCO promptly 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 the Account.
8.3 INDEMNIFICATION BY THE COMPANY
8.3(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Insurance
Company, and each of its directors and officers and each person, if any, who
controls the Insurance company 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 Company) 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 those 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 Company and:
(i) arise as a result of any failure by the Company 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 beach 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;
15
as limited by, and in accordance with the provisions of, Section 8.3(b) and
8.3(c) hereof.
8.3(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 that may arise from the
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of the Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of the Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to
the Insurance Company, the Company, INVESCO or the Account, whichever is
applicable.
8.3(c) The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless the
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 the Indemnified Party (or after
the Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the failure of any Indemnified
Party to give notice as provided herein shall not relieve the Company of its
obligations hereunder except to the extent that the Company has been prejudiced
by such failure to give notice. In addition, any failure by the Indemnified
Party 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
will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. The
Company also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel
satisfactory to the party named in the action; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that if the
Indemnified Party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses
available to it which are different from or additional to those available to the
Company, the Company shall not have the right to assume said defense, but shall
pay the costs and expenses thereof (except that in no event shall the Company be
liable for the fees and expenses of more than one counsel for Indemnified
Parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or related
actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances). After notice from the Company to the Indemnified Party of the
Company's election to assume the defense thereof, and in the absence of such a
reasonable conclusion that there may be different or additional defenses
available to the Indemnified Party, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees
and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Company will not
be liable to that party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by that party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.3(d) The Insurance Company and INVESCO agree promptly to notify the
Company 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, the operation of the Account, or the sale or
acquisition of shares of the Company.
ARTICLE IX. APPLICABLE LAW
9.1 This Agreement shall be construed and provisions hereof interpreted
under and in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado.
16
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 any exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations the
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 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 Insurance Company to the extent that
shares of Funds are not reasonably available to meet the
requirements of the Contracts as determined by the Insurance
Company, provided however, that such a termination shall apply
only to the Fund(s) not reasonably available. Prompt written
notice of the election to terminate for such cause shall be
furnished by the Insurance Company; or
(c) at the option of the Company in the event that formal
administrative proceedings are instituted against the
Insurance Company by the NASD, the Commission, an insurance
commissioner or any other regulatory body regarding the
Insurance Company's duties under this Agreement or related to
the sale of the Contracts, the operation of any Account, or
the purchases of the Company's shares, 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 Insurance
Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
(d) at the option of the Insurance Company in the event that
formal administrative proceedings are instituted against the
Company or INVESCO by the NASD, the Commission, or any state
securities or insurance department or any other regulatory
body, provided, however, that the Insurance 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 Company or INVESCO 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 that Account (or any
subaccount) to substitute the shares of another investment
company for the corresponding Fund shares in accordance with
the terms of the Contracts for which those Fund shares had
been selected to serve as the underlying investment media. The
Insurance Company will give at least 30 days' prior written
notice to the Company of the date of any proposed vote to
replace the Company's shares; or
(f) at the option of the Insurance Company, in the event any
of the Company's shares are not registered, issued or sold in
accordance with applicable state and/or
17
federal law or exemptions therefrom, or such law precludes the
use of those shares as the underlying investment media of the
Contracts issued or to be issued by the Insurance Company; or
(g) at the option of the Insurance Company, if the Company
ceases to qualify as a regulated investment company under
Subchapter M of the Code or under any successor or similar
provision, or if the Insurance Company reasonably believes
that the Company may fail to so qualify; or
(h) at the option of the Insurance Company, if the Company
fails to meet the diversification requirements specified in
Article VI hereof; or
(i) at the option of either the Company or INVESCO, if (1) the
Company or INVESCO, respectively, shall determine, in their
sole judgment reasonably exercised in good faith, that the
Insurance Company has suffered a material adverse change in
its business or financial condition or is the subject of
material adverse publicity and that material adverse change or
material adverse publicity will have material adverse impact
upon the business and operations of either the Company or
INVESCO, (2) the Company or INVESCO shall notify the Insurance
Company in writing of that determination and its intent to
terminate this Agreement, and (3) after considering the
actions taken by the Insurance Company and any other changes
in circumstances since the giving of such a notice, the
determination of the Company or INVESCO shall continue to
apply on the sixtieth (60th) day following the giving of that
notice, which sixtieth day shall be the effective date of
termination; or
(j) at the option of the Insurance Company, if (1) the
Insurance Company shall determine, in its sole judgment
reasonably exercised in good faith, that either the Company or
INVESCO has suffered a material adverse change in its business
or financial condition or is the subject of material adverse
publicity and that material adverse change or material adverse
publicity will have a material adverse impact upon the
business and operations of the Insurance Company, (2) the
Insurance Company shall notify the Company and INVESCO in
writing of the determination and its intent to terminate the
Agreement, and (3) after considering the actions taken by the
Company and/or INVESCO and any other changes in circumstances
since the giving of such a notice, the determination shall
continue to apply on the sixtieth (60th) day following the
giving of the notice, which sixtieth day shall be the
effective date of termination; or
(k) at the option of either the Company or INVESCO, if the
Insurance Company gives the Company and INVESCO the written
notice specified in Section 1.5(b) hereof and at the time that
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.
18
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 the termination.
Furthermore,
(a) in the event that any termination is based upon the
provisions of Article VII, or the provisions of Section
10.1(a), 10.1(i), 10.1(j), or 10.1(k) of this Agreement, the
prior written notice shall be given in advance of the
effective date of termination as required by those 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,
the 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 Company and INVESCO shall at the option of the Insurance Company,
continue to make available additional shares of the Company pursuant to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the
effective date of termination of this Agreement ("Existing Contracts").
Specifically, without limitation, the owners of the Existing Contracts shall be
permitted to reallocate investments in the Company, redeem investments in the
Company and/or invest in the Company 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 Article
VII terminations shall be governed by Article VII of this Agreement.
10.5. The Insurance Company shall not redeem Company shares
attributable to the Contracts (as opposed to Company shares attributable to the
Insurance company's assets held in the Account) except (i) as necessary to
implement Contract-owner-initiated transactions, or (ii) as required by state
and/or federal laws or regulations or judicial or other legal precedent of
general application (a "Legally Required Redemption"). Upon request, the
Insurance Company will promptly furnish to the Company and INVESCO the opinion
of counsel for the Insurance Company (which counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Company and INVESCO) to the effect that any redemption
pursuant to clause (ii) above is a Legally Required Redemption.
ARTICLE XI. NOTICES.
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of that other party set forth
below or at such other address as the other party may from time to time specify
in writing.
If to the Company:
X.X. Xxx 000000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Insurance Company:
00000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx
00
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Attention: L Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
If to INVESCO:
X.X. Xxx 000000
Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: General Counsel
ARTICLE XII. MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 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 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 without the express written consent
of the affected party unless and until that information may come into the public
domain.
12.2. 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.
12.3 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
12.4 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.
12.5 Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the
Commission, the NASD and state insurance regulators) and shall permit those
authorities reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any
investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
12.6 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.
12.7 No party may assign this Agreement without the prior written
consent of the others.
20
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.
Insurance Company:
GREAT AMERICAN RESERVE INSURANCE COMPANY
By its authorized officer,
SEAL
By: /s/ L Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------
Title: Senior Vice President
Date: June 13, 1996
Company:
INVESCO VARIABLE INVESTMENT FUNDS, INC.
By its authorized officer,
SEAL
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X Xxxxxx
----------------------------------------
Title: Treasurer and Chief Financial and
Accounting Officer
Date: July 19, 1996
INVESCO:
INVESCO FUNDS GROUP, INC.
By its authorized officer,
SEAL
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X Xxxxxx
----------------------------------------
Title: Senior Vice President and Treasurer
Date: July 19, 1996
21
SCHEDULE A
CONTRACT
1. CONTRACT Form 22-4056
22
SCHEDULE B
ACCOUNTS
Name of Account Date of Resolution of Insurance Company's
Board which Established the Account
Great American Reserve Variable
Annuity Account G January 18, 1996
23
SCHEDULE C
PERSONS AUTHORIZED TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS TO THE COMPANY AND INVESCO
NAME ADDRESS AND PHONE NUMBER
(1) L Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx 11815 North Pennsylvania
------------------------------ Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Print or Type Name
Phone: 000.000.0000
------------------------------
Signature
(2) Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx 00000 Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------ Xxxxxx, XX 00000
Print or Type Name
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx Phone: 000.000.0000
------------------------------
Signature
(3)
------------------------------ ---------------------------------
Print or Type Name
------------------------------ Phone:
Signature --------------------------
(4)
------------------------------ ---------------------------------
Print or Type Name
------------------------------ Phone:
Signature --------------------------
24
Schedule D
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURE
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding responsibilities for the
handling of proxies relating to the Company by INVESCO, the Company and the
Insurance Company. The defined term herein shall have the meanings assigned in
the Participation Agreement except that the terms "Insurance 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 Insurance Company by INVESCO as
early as possible before the date set by the Company for the shareholder meeting
to facilitate the establishment of tabulation procedures. At this time INVESCO
will inform the Insurance 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 Insurance 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 Customer's accounts of the
Record Date.
Note: The number of proxy statements is determined by the activities
described in Step #2. The Insurance Company will use its best efforts to call in
the number of Customers to INVESCO, as soon as possible, but no later than one
week after the Record Date.
3. The Company's Annual Report must be sent to each Customer by the Insurance
Company either before or together with the Customers' receipt of a proxy
statement. INVESCO will provide at least one copy of the last Annual Report to
the Insurance Company.
4. The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or "Card") is
provided to the Insurance Company by the Company. The Insurance Company, at its
expense, shall produce and personalize the Voting Instruction cards. The Legal
Department of INVESCO ("INVESCO 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 Company).
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
25
5. During this time, INVESCO Legal will develop, produce, and the Company will
pay for the Notice of Proxy and the Proxy Statement (one document). Printed and
folded notices and statements will be sent to Insurance 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 Insurance Company
will include:
a. Voting Instruction Cards(s)
b. One proxy notice and statement (one document)
c. Return envelope (postage pre-paid by Insurance Company)
addressed to the Insurance 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 Company.)
e. Cover letter - optional, supplied by Insurance Company and
reviewed and approved in advance by INVESCO Legal.
6. The above contents should be received by the Insurance Company approximately
3-5 business days before mail date. Individual in charge at Insurance Company
reviews and approves the contents of the mailing package to ensure correctness
and completeness. Copy of this approval sent to INVESCO Legal.
7. Package mailed by the Insurance Company.
* The Company MUST allow at least a 15-day solicitation time to the
Insurance 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.
9. If Cards are mutilated, or for any reason are illegible or are not signed
properly, they are sent back to the Customer with an explanatory letter, a new
Card and return envelop. The mutilated or illegible Card is disregarded and
considered to be NOT RECEIVED for purposes of vote tabulation. Such mutilated or
illegible Cards are "hand verified," i.e., examined as to why they did not
complete the system. Any questions on those Cards are usually remedied
individually.
10. There are various control procedures used to ensure proper tabulation of
votes and accuracy of the 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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11. The actual tabulation of votes is done in units which are then converted to
shares. (It is very important that the Company receives the tabulations stated
in terms of a percentage and the number of SHARES.) INVESCO Legal must review
and approve tabulation format.
12. Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Insurance Company to
INVESCO Legal on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 a.m. Denver
time. INVESCO Legal may request an earlier deadline if required to calculate the
vote in time for the meeting.
13. A Certificate of Mailing and Authorization to Vote Shares will be required
from the Insurance Company as well as an original copy of the final vote.
INVESCO Legal will provide a standard form for each Certification.
14. The Insurance 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, INVESCO Legal will be
permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
15. All approvals and "signing-off" may be done orally, but must always be
followed up in writing.
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