Exhibit 8(n)
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
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This Agreement is entered into as of the 2ndday of June, 2000, GE Life and
Annuity Assurance Company , a life insurance company organized under the laws of
the Commonwealth of Virginia ("Insurance Company"), and each of DREYFUS VARIABLE
INVESTMENT FUND; THE DREYFUS SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GROWTH FUND, INC.; DREYFUS
LIFE AND ANNUITY INDEX FUND, INC. (d/b/a DREYFUS STOCK INDEX FUND); AND DREYFUS
INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS (each a "Fund").
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 "Act" shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
1.2 "Board" shall mean the Board of Directors or Trustees, as the case may be,
of a Fund, which has the responsibility for management and control of the
Fund.
1.3 "Business Day" shall mean any day for which a Fund calculates net asset
value per share as described in the Fund's Prospectus.
1.4 "Commission" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.
1.5 "Contract" shall mean a variable annuity or life insurance contract that
uses any Participating Fund (as defined below) as an underlying investment
medium.
1.6 "Contractholder" shall mean any entity that is a party to a Contract with
GE Life and Annuity Assurance Company.
1.7 "Disinterested Board Members" shall mean those members of the Board of a
Fund that are not deemed to be "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined
by the Act.
1.8 "Dreyfus" shall mean The Dreyfus Corporation and its affiliates, including
Dreyfus Service Corporation.
1.9 "Participating Companies" shall mean any insurance company (including
Insurance Company) that offers variable annuity and/or variable life
insurance contracts to the public and that has entered into an agreement
with one or more of the Funds.
1.10 "Participating Fund" shall mean each Fund, including, as applicable,
any series thereof, specified in Exhibit A, as such Exhibit may be amended
from time to time by agreement of the parties hereto, the shares of which
are available to serve as the underlying investment medium for the
aforesaid Contracts.
1.11 "Prospectus" shall mean the current prospectus and statement of
additional information of a Fund, as most recently filed with the
Commission.
1.12 "Separate Account" shall mean the Separate Accounts listed in Exhibit B
each of which have been established by Insurance Company in accordance
with the laws of the State of Virginia.
1.13 "Software Program" shall mean the software program used by a Fund for
providing Fund and account balance information including net asset value
per share. Such Program may include the Lion System. In situations where
the Lion System or any other Software Program used by a Fund is not
available, such information may be provided by telephone. The Lion System
shall be provided to Insurance Company at no charge.
1.14 "Insurance Company's General Account(s)" shall mean the general
account(s) of Insurance Company and its affiliates.
ARTICLE II
REPRESENTATIONS
2.1 Insurance Company represents and warrants that (a) it is an insurance
company duly organized and in good standing under applicable law; (b) it
has legally and validly established the Separate Account pursuant to the
insurance laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the regulations
thereunder for the purpose of offering to the public certain individual
variable annuity and life insurance contracts; (c) it has registered the
Separate Account as a unit investment trust under the Act to serve as the
segregated investment account for the Contracts; and (d) the Separate
Account is eligible to invest in shares of each Participating Fund without
such investment disqualifying any Participating Fund as an investment
medium for insurance company separate accounts supporting variable annuity
contracts or variable life insurance contracts.
2.2 Insurance Company represents and warrants that (a) the Contracts will be
described in a registration statement filed under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended ("1933 Act"); (b) the Contracts will be issued and sold in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and state
laws; and (c) the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material
respects with state insurance law requirements. Insurance Company agrees
to notify each Participating Fund promptly of any investment restrictions
imposed by state insurance law and applicable to the Participating Fund.
2.3 Insurance Company represents and warrants that the income, gains and
losses, whether or not realized, from assets allocated to the Separate
Account are, in accordance with the applicable Contracts, to be credited to
or charged against such Separate Account without regard to other income,
gains or losses from assets allocated to any other accounts of Insurance
Company. Insurance Company represents and warrants that the assets of the
Separate Account are and will be kept separate from Insurance Company's
General Account and any other separate accounts Insurance Company may have,
and will not be charged with liabilities from any business that Insurance
Company may conduct or the liabilities of any companies affiliated with
Insurance Company.
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2.4 Each Participating Fund represents that it is registered with the
Commission under the Act as an open-end, management investment company and
possesses, and shall maintain, all legal and regulatory licenses,
approvals, consents and/or exemptions required for the Participating Fund
to operate and offer its shares as an underlying investment medium for
Participating Companies.
2.5 Each Participating Fund represents that it is currently qualified as a
regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and that it will maintain such
qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provision)
and that it will notify Insurance Company immediately upon having a
reasonable basis for believing that it has ceased to so qualify or that it
might not so qualify in the future.
2.6 Insurance Company represents and agrees that the Contracts are currently,
and at the time of issuance will be, treated as life insurance policies or
annuity contracts, whichever is appropriate, under applicable provisions of
the Code, and that it will make every effort to maintain such treatment and
that it will notify each Participating Fund and Dreyfus immediately upon
having a reasonable basis for believing that the Contracts have ceased to
be so treated or that they might not be so treated in the future.
Insurance Company agrees that any prospectus offering a Contract that may
be classified as a "modified endowment contract," as that term is defined
in Section 7702A of the Code, will discuss the ramifications if the
contract (or policy) is designated as a modified endowment contract (or
policy).
2.7 Each Participating Fund agrees that its assets shall be managed and
invested in a manner that complies with the requirements of Section 817(h)
of the Code.
2.8 Insurance Company agrees that each Participating Fund shall be permitted
(subject to the other terms of this Agreement) to make its shares available
to other Participating Companies.
2.9 Each Participating Fund represents and warrants that any of its directors,
trustees, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other
individuals/entities who deal with the money and/or securities of the
Participating Fund are and shall continue to be at all times covered by a
blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the
Participating Fund in an amount not less than that required by Rule 17g-1
under the Act. The aforesaid Bond shall include coverage for larceny and
embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding company.
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ARTICLE III
FUND SHARES
3.1 The Contracts funded through the Separate Account will provide for the
investment of certain amounts in shares of each Participating Fund.
3.2 Each Participating Fund agrees to make its shares available for purchase at
the then applicable net asset value per share by Insurance Company and the
Separate Account on each Business Day pursuant to rules of the Commission.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Participating Fund may refuse to sell
its shares to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of its
shares, if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities
having jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of its Board, acting in
good faith and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and any
applicable state laws, necessary and in the best interests of the
Participating Fund's shareholders.
3.3 Each Participating Fund agrees that shares of the Participating Fund will
be sold only to (a) Participating Companies and their separate accounts or
(b) "qualified pension or retirement plans" as determined under Section
817(h)(4) of the Code. Except as otherwise set forth in this Section 3.3,
no shares of any Participating Fund will be sold to the general public.
3.4 Each Participating Fund shall use its best efforts to provide closing net
asset value, dividend and capital gain information on a per-share basis to
Insurance Company by 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on each Business Day. Any
material errors in the calculation of net asset value, dividend and capital
gain information shall be reported immediately upon discovery to Insurance
Company. Non-material errors will be corrected in the next Business Day's
net asset value per share.
3.5 At the end of each Business Day, Insurance Company will use the information
described in Sections 3.2 and 3.4 to calculate the unit values of the
Separate Account for the day. Using these unit values, Insurance Company
will process the day's Separate Account transactions received by it by the
close of regular trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange
(currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) to determine the net dollar amount of
each Participating Fund's shares that will be purchased or redeemed at that
day's closing net asset value per share. The net purchase or redemption
orders will be transmitted to each Participating Fund by Insurance Company
by 11:00 a.m. Eastern time on the Business Day next following Insurance
Company's receipt of that information..
3.6 Each Participating Fund appoints Insurance Company as its agent for the
limited purpose of accepting orders for the purchase and redemption of
Participating Fund shares for the Separate Account. Each Participating
Fund will execute orders at the applicable net asset value per share
determined as of the close of trading on the day of receipt of such orders
by Insurance Company acting as agent ("effective trade date"), provided
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that the Participating Fund receives notice of such orders by 11:00 a.m.
Eastern time on the next following Business Day and, if such orders request
the purchase of Participating Fund shares, the conditions specified in
Section 3.8, as applicable, are satisfied. A redemption or purchase
request that does not satisfy the conditions specified above and in Section
3.8, as applicable, will be effected at the net asset value per share
computed on the Business Day immediately preceding the next following
Business Day upon which such conditions have been satisfied in accordance
with the requirements of this Section and Section 3.8. Insurance Company
represents and warrants that all orders submitted by the Insurance Company
for execution on the effective trade date shall represent purchase or
redemption orders received from Contractholders prior to the close of
regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the effective trade date.
3.7 Insurance Company will make its best efforts to notify each applicable
Participating Fund in advance of any unusually large purchase or redemption
orders.
3.8 If Insurance Company's order requests the purchase of a Participating
Fund's shares, Insurance Company will pay for such purchases by wiring
Federal Funds to the Participating Fund or its designated custodial account
on the day the order is transmitted. Insurance Company shall make all
reasonable efforts to transmit to the applicable Participating Fund payment
in Federal Funds by 12:00 noon Eastern time on the Business Day the
Participating Fund receives the notice of the order pursuant to Section
3.5. Each applicable Participating Fund will execute such orders at the
applicable net asset value per share determined as of the close of trading
on the effective trade date if the Participating Fund receives payment in
Federal Funds by 12:00 midnight Eastern time on the Business Day the
Participating Fund receives the notice of the order pursuant to Section
3.5. If payment in Federal Funds for any purchase is not received or is
received by a Participating Fund after 12:00 midnight Eastern time on such
Business Day, Insurance Company shall promptly, upon each applicable
Participating Fund's request, reimburse the respective Participating Fund
for any charges, costs, fees, interest or other expenses incurred by the
Participating Fund in connection with any advances to, or borrowings or
overdrafts by, the Participating Fund, or any similar expenses incurred by
the Participating Fund, as a result of portfolio transactions effected by
the Participating Fund based upon such purchase request.
3.9 Each Participating Fund has the obligation to ensure that its shares are
registered with applicable state and federal agencies at all times.
3.10 Each Participating Fund will confirm each purchase or redemption order
made by Insurance Company. Transfer of Participating Fund shares will be
by book entry only. No share certificates will be issued to Insurance
Company. Insurance Company will record shares ordered from a Participating
Fund in an appropriate title for the corresponding account.
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3.11 Each Participating Fund shall credit Insurance Company with the
appropriate number of shares.
3.12 On each ex-dividend date of a Participating Fund or, if not a Business
Day, on the first Business Day thereafter, each Participating Fund shall
communicate to Insurance Company the amount of dividend and capital gain,
if any, per share. All dividends and capital gains shall be automatically
reinvested in additional shares of the applicable Participating Fund at the
net asset value per share on the ex-dividend date. Each Participating Fund
shall, on or prior to the ex-dividend date or, if not a Business Day, on
the first Business Day thereafter, notify Insurance Company of the number
of shares so issued.
ARTICLE IV
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS
4.1 Each Participating Fund shall provide monthly statements of account as of
the end of each month for all of Insurance Company's accounts by the
fifteenth (15th) Business Day of the following month.
4.2 Each Participating Fund shall distribute to Insurance Company copies of the
Participating Fund's Prospectuses, proxy materials, notices, periodic
reports and other printed materials (which the Participating Fund
customarily provides to its shareholders) in quantities as Insurance
Company may reasonably request for distribution to each Contractholder and
Participant. Insurance Company may elect to print the Participating Fund's
prospectus and/or its statement of additional information in combination
with other fund companies' prospectuses and statements of additional
information, which are also offered in Insurance Companies insurance
product at their own cost. At Insurance Company's request, the
Participating Fund will provide, in lieu of printed documents, camera-ready
copy or diskette of prospectuses, annual and semi-annual reports for
printing by the Insurance Company and the fund will make reasonable effort
to use computer formatting requested by Insurance Company, including but
not limited to HTML.
4.3 Each Participating Fund will provide to Insurance Company at least one
complete copy of all registration statements, Prospectuses, reports, proxy
statements, sales literature and other promotional materials, applications
for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments to any
of the above, that relate to the Participating Fund or its shares,
contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the Commission or
other regulatory authorities.
4.4 Insurance Company will provide to each Participating Fund at least one copy
of all registration statements, Prospectuses, reports, proxy statements,
sales literature and other promotional materials, applications for
exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and all amendments to any of
the above, that
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relate to the Contracts or the Separate Account, contemporaneously with the
filing of such document with the Commission.
4.5 Upon reasonable request, Insurance Company will provide Participating Funds
with a current tabulation of the number of existing Variable Contract
owners of Insurance Company whose Variable Contract values are invested in
the Participating Funds.
ARTICLE V
EXPENSES
5.1 The charge to each Participating Fund for all expenses and costs of the
Participating Fund, including but not limited to management fees,
administrative expenses and legal and regulatory costs, will be included in
the determination of the Participating Fund's daily net asset value per
share.
5.2 Except as provided in Article IV and V, in particular in the next sentence,
Insurance Company shall not be required to pay directly any expenses of any
Participating Fund or expenses relating to the distribution of its shares.
Insurance Company shall pay the following expenses or costs:
a. Such amount of the production expenses of any Participating Fund
materials, including the cost of printing a Participating Fund's
Prospectus, or marketing materials for prospective Insurance Company
Contractholders as Dreyfus and Insurance Company shall agree from time
to time.
b. Distribution expenses of any Participating Fund materials or marketing
materials for prospective Insurance Company Contractholders.
c. Distribution expenses of any Participating Fund materials or marketing
materials for Insurance Company Contractholders.
Except as provided herein, all other expenses of each Participating Fund
shall not be borne by Insurance Company.
ARTICLE VI
EXEMPTIVE RELIEF
6.1 Insurance Company has reviewed a copy of (i) the amended order dated
December 31, 1997 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section
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6(c) of the Act with respect to Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund and
Dreyfus Life and Annuity Index Fund, Inc.; and (ii) the order dated
February 5, 1998 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section
6(c) of the Act with respect to The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth
Fund, Inc. and Dreyfus Investment Portfolios, and, in particular, has
reviewed the conditions to the relief set forth in each related Notice. As
set forth therein, if Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund, Dreyfus Life and
Annuity Index Fund, Inc., The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund,
Inc. or Dreyfus Investment Portfolios is a Participating Fund, Insurance
Company agrees, as applicable, to report any potential or existing
conflicts promptly to the respective Board of Dreyfus Variable Investment
Fund, Dreyfus Life and Annuity Index Fund, Inc., The Dreyfus Socially
Responsible Growth Fund, Inc. and/or Dreyfus Investment Portfolios, and, in
particular, whenever contract voting instructions are disregarded, and
recognizes that it will be responsible for assisting each applicable Board
in carrying out its responsibilities under such application. Insurance
Company agrees to carry out such responsibilities with a view to the
interests of existing Contractholders.
6.2 If a majority of the Board, or a majority of Disinterested Board Members,
determines that a material irreconcilable conflict exists with regard to
Contractholder investments in a Participating Fund, the Board shall give
prompt notice to all Participating Companies and any other Participating
Fund. If the Board determines that Insurance Company is responsible for
causing or creating said conflict, Insurance Company shall at its sole cost
and expense, and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a
majority of the Disinterested Board Members), take such action as is
necessary to remedy or eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict.
Such necessary action may include, but shall not be limited to:
a. Withdrawing the assets allocable to the Separate Account
from the Participating Fund and reinvesting such assets in another
Participating Fund (if applicable) or a different investment medium,
or submitting the question of whether such segregation should be
implemented to a vote of all affected Contractholders; and/or
b. Establishing a new registered management investment
company.
6.3 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises as a result of a decision by
Insurance Company to disregard Contractholder voting instructions and said
decision represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote
by all Contractholders having an interest in a Participating Fund,
Insurance Company may be required, at the Board's election, to withdraw the
investments of the Separate Account in that Participating Fund.
6.4 For the purpose of this Article, a majority of the Disinterested Board
Members shall determine whether or not any proposed action adequately
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remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event will any
Participating Fund be required to bear the expense of establishing a new
funding medium for any Contract. Insurance Company shall not be required
by this Article to establish a new funding medium for any Contract if an
offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of the
Contractholders materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable
material conflict.
6.5 No action by Insurance Company taken or omitted, and no action by the
Separate Account or any Participating Fund taken or omitted as a result of
any act or failure to act by Insurance Company pursuant to this Article VI,
shall relieve Insurance Company of its obligations under, or otherwise
affect the operation of, Article V.
ARTICLE VII
VOTING OF PARTICIPATING FUND SHARES
7.1 Each Participating Fund shall provide Insurance Company with copies, at no
cost to Insurance Company, of the Participating Fund's proxy material,
reports to shareholders and other communications to shareholders in such
quantity as Insurance Company shall reasonably require for distributing to
Contractholders.
Insurance Company shall:
(a) solicit voting instructions from Contractholders on a
timely basis and in accordance with applicable law;
(b) vote the Participating Fund shares in accordance with
instructions received from Contractholders; and
(c) vote the Participating Fund shares for which no
instructions have been received in the same proportion as
Participating Fund shares for which instructions have been received.
Insurance Company agrees to be responsible for assuring that
voting the Participating Fund shares for the Separate Account is conducted
in a manner consistent with other Participating Companies. Insurance
Company reserves the right to vote shares held in the Separate Account for
its own right, to the extent permitted by law.
7.2 Insurance Company agrees that it shall not, without the prior written
consent of each applicable Participating Fund and Dreyfus, solicit, induce
or encourage Contractholders to (a) change or supplement the Participating
Fund's current investment adviser or (b) change, modify, substitute, add to
or delete from the current investment media for the Contracts.
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ARTICLE VIII
MARKETING AND REPRESENTATIONS
8.1 Each Participating Fund or its underwriter shall periodically furnish
Insurance Company with the following documents, in quantities as Insurance
Company may reasonably request:
a. Current Prospectus and any supplements thereto; and
b. Other marketing materials.
Expenses for the production of such documents shall be borne by
Insurance Company in accordance with Section 5.2 of this Agreement.
8.2 Insurance Company shall designate certain persons or entities that shall
have the requisite licenses to solicit applications for the sale of
Contracts. No representation is made as to the number or amount of
Contracts that are to be sold by Insurance Company. Insurance Company
shall make reasonable efforts to market the Contracts in accordance with
all applicable federal and state laws in connection therewith.
8.3 Insurance Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to each
applicable Participating Fund or its designee, each piece of sales
literature or other promotional material in which the Participating Fund,
its investment adviser or the administrator is named, at least fifteen
Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used unless the
Participating Fund or its designee approves such material. Such approval
(if given) must be in writing and shall be presumed given if not received
within ten Business Days after receipt of such material. Each applicable
Participating Fund or its designee, as the case may be, shall use all
reasonable efforts to respond within ten days of receipt.
8.4 Insurance Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of a Participating Fund or
concerning a Participating Fund in connection with the sale of the
Contracts other than the information or representations contained in the
registration statement or Prospectus of, as may be amended or supplemented
from time to time, or in reports or proxy statements for, the applicable
Participating Fund, or in published reports for the Participating Fund that
are in the public domain, or in sales literature or other promotional
material approved by the applicable Participating Fund.
8.5 Each Participating Fund shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to
Insurance Company, each piece of the Participating Fund's sales literature
or other promotional material in which Insurance Company or the Separate
Account is named, at least fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used unless Insurance Company approves such material.
Such approval (if given) must be in writing and shall be presumed not given
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if not received within ten Business Days after receipt of such material.
Insurance Company shall use all reasonable efforts to respond within ten
days of receipt.
8.6 Each Participating Fund shall not, in connection with the sale of
Participating Fund shares, give any information or make any representations
on behalf of Insurance Company or concerning Insurance Company, the
Separate Account, or the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the
Contracts, as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in
published reports for the Separate Account that are in the public domain or
approved by Insurance Company for distribution to Contractholders or
Participants, or in sales literature or other promotional material approved
by Insurance Company.
8.7 For purposes of this Agreement, the phrase "sales literature or other
promotional material" or words of similar import include, without
limitation, advertisements (such as material published, or designed for
use, in a newspaper, magazine or other periodical, radio, television,
telephone or tape recording, videotape display, signs or billboards, motion
pictures or other public media), sales literature (such as any written
communication distributed or made generally available to customers or the
public, including brochures, circulars, research reports, market letters,
form letters, seminar texts, or reprints or excerpts of any other
advertisement, sales literature, or published article), educational or
training materials or other communications distributed or made generally
available to some or all agents or employees, registration statements,
prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports and
proxy materials, and any other material constituting sales literature or
advertising under National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. rules,
the Act or the 1933 Act.
ARTICLE IX
INDEMNIFICATION
9.1 Insurance Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Participating
Fund, Dreyfus, each respective Participating Fund's investment adviser and
sub-investment adviser (if applicable), each respective Participating
Fund's distributor, and their respective affiliates, and each of their
directors, trustees, officers, employees, agents and each person, if any,
who controls or is associated with any of the foregoing entities or persons
within the meaning of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties"
for purposes of Section 9.1), against any and all losses, claims, damages
or liabilities joint or several (including any investigative, legal and
other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with, and any amounts paid
in settlement of, any action, suit or proceeding or any claim asserted) for
which the Indemnified Parties may become subject, under the 1933 Act or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
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actions in respect to thereof) (i) arise out of or are based upon any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in information furnished by Insurance Company for use in the registration
statement or Prospectus or sales literature or advertisements or other
promotional materials of the respective Participating Fund or with respect
to the Separate Account or Contracts, or arise out of or are based upon the
omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; (ii) arise out of or as a result of conduct, statements or
representations (other than statements or representations contained in the
Prospectus and sales literature or advertisements or other promotional
materials of the respective Participating Fund) of Insurance Company or its
agents, with respect to the sale and distribution of Contracts for which
the respective Participating Fund's shares are an underlying investment;
(iii) arise out of the wrongful conduct of Insurance Company or persons
under its control with respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts
or the respective Participating Fund's shares; (iv) arise out of Insurance
Company's incorrect calculation and/or untimely reporting of net purchase
or redemption orders; or (v) arise out of any breach by Insurance Company
of a material term of this Agreement or as a result of any failure by
Insurance Company to provide the services and furnish the materials or to
make any payments provided for in this Agreement. Insurance Company will
reimburse any Indemnified Party in connection with investigating or
defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided,
however, that with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) above Insurance Company
will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss,
claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration
statement, prospectus, sales literature, or advertisement in conformity
with written information furnished to Insurance Company by the respective
Participating Fund specifically for use therein. This indemnity agreement
will be in addition to any liability which Insurance Company may otherwise
have.
9.2 Each Participating Fund severally agrees to indemnify and hold harmless
Insurance Company and each of its directors, officers, employees, agents
and each person, if any, who controls Insurance Company within the meaning
of the 1933 Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which
Insurance Company or any such director, officer, employee, agent or
controlling person may become subject, under the 1933 Act or otherwise,
insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in
respect thereof) (1) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or Prospectus or sales literature or advertisements or other
promotional materials of the respective Participating Fund; (2) arise out
of or are based upon the omission to state in the registration statement or
Prospectus or sales literature or advertisements or other promotional
materials of the respective Participating Fund any material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; or (3) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or Prospectus or sales literature or advertisements or other
promotional materials with respect to the Separate Account or the Contracts
and such statements were based on information provided to Insurance Company
by the respective Participating Fund; and the respective Participating Fund
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will reimburse any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by Insurance
Company or any such director, officer, employee, agent or controlling
person in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the respective
Participating Fund will not be liable in any such case to the extent that
any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in such registration
statement, Prospectus, sales literature or advertisements or other
promotional materials in conformity with written information furnished to
the respective Participating Fund by Insurance Company specifically for use
therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability
which the respective Participating Fund may otherwise have.
9.3 Each Participating Fund severally shall indemnify and hold Insurance
Company harmless against any and all liability, loss, damages, costs or
expenses which Insurance Company may incur, suffer or be required to pay
due to the respective Participating Fund's (1) incorrect calculation of the
daily net asset value, dividend rate or capital gain distribution rate; (2)
incorrect reporting of the daily net asset value, dividend rate or capital
gain distribution rate; and (3) untimely reporting of the net asset value,
dividend rate or capital gain distribution rate; provided that the
respective Participating Fund shall have no obligation to indemnify and
hold harmless Insurance Company if the incorrect calculation or incorrect
or untimely reporting was the result of incorrect information furnished by
Insurance Company or information furnished untimely by Insurance Company or
otherwise as a result of or relating to a breach of this Agreement by
Insurance Company.
9.4 Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Article of notice
of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim
in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
Article, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof. The
omission to so notify the indemnifying party will not relieve the
indemnifying party from any liability under this Article IX, except to the
extent that the omission results in a failure of actual notice to the
indemnifying party and such indemnifying party is damaged solely as a
result of the failure to give such notice. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party, and it notified the indemnifying
party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled
to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party, and
to the extent that the indemnifying party has given notice to such effect
to the indemnified party and is performing its obligations under this
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Article, the indemnifying party shall not be liable for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
the defense thereof, other than reasonable costs of investigation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in any such proceeding, any indemnified
party shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party
unless (i) the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have
mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii) the named parties
to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the
indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation of both
parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing interests between them. The indemnifying party shall
not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its
written consent.
A successor by law of the parties to this Agreement shall be entitled to
the benefits of the indemnification contained in this Article IX. The
provisions of this Article IX shall survive termination of this Agreement.
ARTICLE X
COMMENCEMENT AND TERMINATION
10.1 This Agreement shall be effective as of the date hereof and shall continue
in force until terminated in accordance with the provisions herein.
10.2 This Agreement shall terminate without penalty:
a. As to any Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company or
the Participating Fund at any time from the date hereof upon 180 days'
notice, unless a shorter time is agreed to by the respective
Participating Fund and Insurance Company;
b. As to any Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company,
if shares of that Participating Fund are not reasonably available to
meet the requirements of the Contracts as determined by Insurance
Company. Prompt notice of election to terminate shall be furnished
by Insurance Company, said termination to be effective ten days after
receipt of notice unless the Participating Fund makes available a
sufficient number of shares to meet the requirements of the Contracts
within said ten-day period;
c. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company, upon
the institution of formal proceedings against that Participating Fund,
Dreyfus, each Participating Fund's investment adviser and each
respective Participating Fund's distributor by the Commission,
National Association of Securities Dealers or any other regulatory
body, the expected or anticipated ruling, judgment or outcome of which
would, in Insurance Company's reasonable judgment, materially impair
that Participating Fund's ability to meet and perform the
Participating Fund's obligations and duties hereunder. Prompt notice
of election to terminate shall be furnished by Insurance Company with
said termination to be effective upon receipt of notice;
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d. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of each Participating Fund,
upon the institution of formal proceedings against Insurance Company
by the Commission, National Association of Securities Dealers or any
other regulatory body, the expected or anticipated ruling, judgment or
outcome of which would, in the Participating Fund's reasonable
judgment, materially impair Insurance Company's ability to meet and
perform Insurance Company's obligations and duties hereunder. Prompt
notice of election to terminate shall be furnished by such
Participating Fund with said termination to be effective upon receipt
of notice;
e. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of that Participating Fund,
if the Participating Fund shall determine, in its sole judgment
reasonably exercised in good faith, that Insurance Company has
suffered a material adverse change in its business or financial
condition or is the subject of material adverse publicity and such
material adverse change or material adverse publicity is likely to
have a material adverse impact upon the business and operation of that
Participating Fund or Dreyfus, such Participating Fund shall notify
Insurance Company in writing of such determination and its intent to
terminate this Agreement, and after considering the actions taken by
Insurance Company and any other changes in circumstances since the
giving of such notice, such determination of the Participating Fund
shall continue to apply on the sixtieth (60th) day following the
giving of such notice, which sixtieth day shall be the effective date
of termination;
f. As to a Participating Fund, at the option of Insurance Company,
if Insurance Company shall determine, in its sole judgment reasonably
exercised in good faith that the Participating Fund has suffered a
material adverse change in its business or financial condition or is
the subject of material adverse publicity and such material adverse
change or material adverse publicity is likely to have a material
adverse impact upon the business and operations of Insurance Company
or its Separate Account, the Insurance Company shall notify the
Participating Fund in writing of such determination and its intent to
terminate this Agreement, and after considering the actions taken by
the Participating Fund and any other changes in circumstances since
the giving of such notice, such determination of Insurance Company
shall continue to apply to the sixtieth (60th) day following the
giving of such notice, which sixtieth day shall be the effective date
of termination;
g. Upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement between
that Participating Fund and Dreyfus or its successors unless Insurance
Company specifically approves the selection of a new Participating
Fund investment adviser. Such Participating Fund shall promptly
furnish notice of such termination to Insurance Company;
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h. As to a Participating Fund, in the event that Participating Fund's
shares are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with
applicable federal law, or such law precludes the use of such shares
as the underlying investment medium of Contracts issued or to be
issued by Insurance Company. Termination shall be effective
immediately as to that Participating Fund only upon such occurrence
without notice;
i. At the option of a Participating Fund upon a determination by its
Board in good faith that it is no longer advisable and in the best
interests of shareholders of that Participating Fund (it being
understood that shareholders for this purpose shall include
contractholders) to continue to operate pursuant to this Agreement.
Termination pursuant to this Subsection (h) shall be effective upon
notice by such Participating Fund to Insurance Company of such
termination;
j. At the option of a Participating Fund if the Contracts cease to
qualify as annuity contracts or life insurance policies, as
applicable, under the Code, or if such Participating Fund reasonably
believes that the Contracts may fail to so qualify;
k. At the option of any party to this Agreement, upon another party's
breach of any material provision of this Agreement;
l. At the option of a Participating Fund, if the Contracts are not
registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable federal
and/or state law; or
m. Upon assignment of this Agreement, unless made with the written
consent of every other non-assigning party.
n. At the option of any party in the event that a (i) Participating
Fund shares are not registered and, in all material respects, issued
and sold in accordance with any applicable federal or state law, or
(ii) such law precludes the use of such shares as an underlying
investment medium of the Contracts issued or to be issued by Insurance
Company or
o. At the option of Insurance Company if the applicable Participating
Fund ceases to qualify as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code or
under successor or similar provisions or fails to comply with the
diversification requirements of Section 817(h) of the Code or such
requirements under successor or similar provisions or if Insurance
Company reasonably believes the applicable Participating Fund may so
cease to qualify; or
16
Any such termination pursuant to Section 10.2a, 10.2d, 10.2e,
10.2f or 10.2k herein shall not affect the operation of Article V of this
Agreement. Any termination of this Agreement shall not affect the
operation of Article IX of this Agreement.
10.3 Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.2
hereof, each Participating Fund and Dreyfus will at the option of the
Insurance Company, continue to make available additional shares of that
Participating Fund for as long as the Insurance Company desires 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 or Insurance Company, whichever shall have legal
authority to do so, shall be permitted to reallocate investments in that
Participating Fund, redeem investments in that Participating Fund and/or
invest in that Participating Fund upon the making of additional purchase
payments under the Existing Contracts.
10.4 Termination of this Agreement as to any one Participating Fund shall not be
deemed a termination as to any other Participating Fund unless Insurance
Company or such other Participating Fund, as the case may be, terminates
this Agreement as to such other Participating Fund in accordance with this
Article X.
ARTICLE XI
AMENDMENTS
11.1 Any other changes in the terms of this Agreement, except for the addition
or deletion of any Participating Fund as specified in Exhibit A, shall be
made by agreement in writing between Insurance Company and each respective
Participating Fund.
ARTICLE XII
NOTICE
12.1 Each notice required by this Agreement shall be given by certified mail,
return receipt requested, to the appropriate parties at the following
addresses:
Insurance Company: GE Life and Annuity Assurance Company
0000 Xxxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attn: General Counsel
Participating Funds: [Name of Fund]
c/o Premier Mutual Fund Services, Inc.
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: Vice President and Assistant Secretary
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with copies to: [Name of Fund]
c/o The Dreyfus Corporation
000 Xxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attn: General Counsel
Stroock & Stroock & Xxxxx
000 Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx X. Xxxx, Esq.
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Esq.
Notice shall be deemed to be given on the date of receipt by the addresses
as evidenced by the return receipt.
ARTICLE XIII
MISCELLANEOUS
13.1 This Agreement has been executed on behalf of each Fund by the undersigned
officer of the Fund in his capacity as an officer of the Fund. The
obligations of this Agreement shall only be binding upon the assets and
property of the Fund and shall not be binding upon any director, trustee,
officer or shareholder of the Fund individually. It is agreed that the
obligations of the Funds are several and not joint, that no Fund shall be
liable for any amount owing by another Fund and that the Funds have
executed one instrument for convenience only.
ARTICLE XIV
LAW
14.1 This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the internal laws of
the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to principles of
conflict of laws.
ARTICLE XV
FOREIGN TAX CREDITS
15.1 Each Participating Fund agrees to consult in advance with Insurance Company
concerning any decision to elect or not to pass through the benefit of any
foreign tax credits to the Participating Fund's shareholders pursuant to
Section 853 of the Code.
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ARTICLE XVI
EXECUTION IN COUNTERPARTS
16.1 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts,
each of which taken together with constitute one and the same instrument.
ARTICLE XVII
SEVERABILITY
17.1 If any provision of this Agreement is held or made invalid by a court
decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of this Agreement will
not be affected thereby.
ARTICLE XVIII
RIGHTS CUMULATIVE
18.1 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, that the Parties are entitled to under
federal and state laws.
ARTICLE XIX
HEADINGS
19.1 The Table of Contents and headings used in this Agreement are for purposes
of reference only and shall not limit or define the meaning of the
provisions of this Agreement.
ARTICLE XX
CONFIDENTIALITY
20.1 Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory authority, each
party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses of
customers of the other party and all information reasonably identified as
confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted
by this Agreement, shall not, without the express written consent of the
affected party, disclose, disseminate or utilize such names and addresses
and other confidential information until such time as it may come into the
public domain.
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ARTICLE XXI
PARTIES TO COOPERATE
21.1 Each party to this Agreement will cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including, without limitation, the
SEC, the NASD and state insurance regulators) and will permit each other
and such authorities reasonable access to its books and records (including
copies thereof) in connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to
this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be duly
executed and attested as of the date first above written.
INSURANCE COMPANY
By:_______________________________
Its:______________________________
Attest:_____________________
DREYFUS LIFE AND ANNUITY INDEX FUND, INC. (d/b/a
DREYFUS STOCK INDEX FUND)
By:_______________________________
Its:______________________________
Attest:_____________________
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THE DREYFUS SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GROWTH FUND, INC.
By:_______________________________
Its:______________________________
Attest:_____________________
DREYFUS VARIABLE INVESTMENT FUND
By:_______________________________
Its:______________________________
Attest:_____________________
DREYFUS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS
By:_______________________________
Its:______________________________
Attest:_____________________
21
EXHIBIT A
LIST OF PARTICIPATING FUNDS
Dreyfus Investment Portfolios - Emerging Markets Portfolio
The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.
22
EXHIBIT B
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS UTILIZING THE TRUSTS
--------------------------------------
Separate Account II
Separate Account III
Separate Account 4
CONTRACTS UTILZING TRUST BY THE SEPARATE ACCOUNTS
-------------------------------------------------
GE Choice Variable Annuity
23
