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EXHIBIT 8(a)(2)
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
as of May 1, 2000
Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Variable Insurance Products Trust
Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Distributors, Inc.
The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company
CONTENTS
Paragraph Subject Matter
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1. Parties and Purpose
2. Representations and Warranties
3. Purchase and Redemption of Trust Portfolio Shares
4. Fees, Expenses, Prospectuses, Proxy Materials and Reports
5. Voting
6. Sales Material, Information and Trademarks
7. Indemnification
8. Notices
9. Termination
10. Miscellaneous
SCHEDULES TO THIS AGREEMENT
A. The Company
B. Accounts of the Company
C. Available Portfolios and Classes of Shares of the Trust; Investment Advisers
D. Contracts of the Company
E. Other Portfolios Available under the Contracts
F. [REDACTED]
G. Addresses for Notices
H. Shared Funding Order
1. PARTIES AND PURPOSE
This agreement (the "Agreement") is between Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Variable
Insurance Products Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as
a business trust under Massachusetts law (the "Trust"), Franklin Xxxxxxxxx
Distributors, Inc., a California corporation which is the principal underwriter
for the Trust (the "Underwriter," and together with the Trust, "we" or "us") and
the insurance company identified on Schedule a ("you"), on your own behalf and
on behalf of each segregated asset account maintained by you that is listed on
Schedule B, as that schedule may be amended from time to time ("Account" or
"Accounts").
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[REDACTED]
2. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
(a) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY YOU
You represent and warrant that:
1. You are an insurance company duly organized and in good
standing under the laws of your state of incorporation.
2. All of your directors, officers, employees, and other
individuals or entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Trust
are and shall be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar
coverage for the benefit of the Trust, in an amount not less than $5 million.
Such bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be
issued by a reputable bonding company. You agree to make all reasonable efforts
to see that this bond or another bond containing such provisions is always in
effect, and you agree to notify us in the event that such coverage no longer
applies.
3. Each Account is a duly organized, validly existing
segregated asset account under applicable insurance law and interests in each
Account are offered exclusively through the purchase of or transfer into a
"variable contract" within the meaning of such terms under Section 817 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code") and the regulations
thereunder. You will use your best efforts to continue to meet such definitional
requirements, and will notify us immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing that such requirements have ceased to be met or that they might not be
met in the future.
4. Each Account either: (i) has been registered or, prior to
any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will be registered as a unit investment
trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act"); or (ii) has not
been so registered in proper reliance upon an exemption from registration under
Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act; if the Account is exempt from registration as an
investment company under Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act, you will make every
effort to maintain such exemption and will notify us immediately upon having a
reasonable basis for believing that such exemption no longer applies or might
not apply in the future.
5. The Contracts or interests in the Accounts: (i) are or,
prior to any issuance or sale will be, registered as securities under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"); or (ii) are not registered
because they are properly exempt from registration under Section 3(a)(2) of the
1933 Act or will be offered exclusively in transactions that are properly exempt
from registration under Section 4(2) or Regulation D of the 1933 Act, in which
case you will make every effort to maintain such exemption and will notify us
immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that such exemption no
longer applies or might not apply in the future.
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6. The Contracts: (i) will be sold by broker-dealers, or their
registered representatives, who are registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "1934 Act") and who are members in good standing of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (the "NASD"); (ii) will be issued and
sold in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and
state laws; and (iii) will be sold in compliance in all material respects with
state insurance suitability requirements and NASD suitability guidelines.
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8. The fees and charges deducted under each Contract, in the
aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the services rendered, the expenses
expected to be incurred, and the risks assumed by you.
9. You will use shares of the Trust only for the purpose of
funding benefits of the Contracts through the Accounts.
10. Contracts will not be sold outside of the United States.
11. With respect to any Accounts which are exempt from
registration under the 1940 Act in reliance on 3(c)(1) or Section 3(c)(7)
thereof:
a. the principal underwriter for each such
Account and any subaccounts thereof is a
registered broker-dealer with the SEC under
the 1934 Act;
b. the shares of the Portfolios of the Trust
are and will continue to be the only
investment securities held by the
corresponding subaccounts; and
c. with regard to each Portfolio, you, on
behalf of the corresponding subaccount;
will:
(i) vote such shares held by it in the
same proportion as the vote of all
other holders of such shares; and
(ii) refrain from substituting
shares of another security for such
shares unless the SEC has approved
such substitution in the manner
provided in Section 26 of the 1940
Act.
(b) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY THE TRUST
The Trust represents and warrants that:
1. It is duly organized and in good standing under the laws of
the State of Massachusetts.
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2. All of its directors, officers, employees and others
dealing with the money and/or securities of a Portfolio are and shall be at all
times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of
the Trust in an amount not less that the minimum coverage required by Rule 17g-1
or other regulations under the 1940 Act. Such bond shall include coverage for
larceny and embezzlement and be issued by a reputable bonding company.
3. It is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act.
4. Each class of shares of the Portfolios of the Trust is
registered under the 1933 Act.
5. It will amend its registration statement under the 1933 Act
and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous
offering of its shares.
6. It will comply, in all material respects, with the 1933 and
1940 Acts and the rules and regulations thereunder.
7. It is currently qualified as a "regulated investment
company" under Subchapter M of the Code, it will make every effort to maintain
such qualification, and will notify you 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.
8. The investments of each Portfolio will comply with the
diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment or life insurance
contracts set forth in Section 817(h) of the Code, and the rules and regulations
thereunder, including without limitation Treasury Regulation 1.817-5. Upon
having a reasonable basis for believing any Portfolio has ceased to comply and
will not be able to comply within the grace period afforded by Regulation
1.817-5, the Trust will notify you immediately and will take all reasonable
steps to adequately diversify the Portfolio to achieve compliance.
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(c) REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES BY THE UNDERWRITER
The Underwriter represents and warrants that:
1. It is registered as a broker dealer with the SEC under the
1934 Act, and is a member in good standing of the NASD.
2. Each investment adviser listed on Schedule C (each, an
"Adviser") is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and any applicable state securities law.
(d) WARRANTY AND AGREEMENT BY BOTH YOU AND US
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We received an order from the SEC dated November 16, 1993 (file no.
812-8546), which was amended by a notice and an order we received on September
17, 1999 and October 13, 1999, respectively (file no. 812-11698) (collectively,
the "Shared Funding Order," attached to this Agreement as Schedule H). The
Shared Funding Order grants exemptions from certain provisions of the 1940 Act
and the regulations thereunder to the extent necessary to permit shares of the
Trust to be sold to and held by variable annuity and variable life insurance
separate accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies
and qualified pension and retirement plans outside the separate account context.
You and we both warrant and agree that both you and we will comply with the
"Applicants' Conditions" prescribed in the Shared Funding Order as though such
conditions were set forth verbatim in this Agreement, including, without
limitation, the provisions regarding potential conflicts of interest between the
separate accounts which invest in the Trust and regarding contract owner voting
privileges.
3. PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF TRUST PORTFOLIO SHARES
(a) We will make shares of the Portfolios available to the Accounts for
the benefit of the Contracts. The shares will be available for purchase at the
net asset value per share next computed after we (or our agent) receive a
purchase order, as established in accordance with the provisions of the then
current prospectus of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trust's
Board of Trustees ("Trustees") may refuse to sell shares of any Portfolio to any
person, or may suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio if
such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction
or if, in the sole discretion of the Trustees, they deem such action to be in
the best interests of the shareholders of such Portfolio. Without limiting the
foregoing, the Trustees have determined that there is a significant risk that
the Trust and its shareholders may be adversely affected by investors whose
purchase and redemption activity follows a market timing pattern, and have
authorized the Trust, the Underwriter and the Trust's transfer agent to adopt
procedures and take other action (including, without limitation, rejecting
specific purchase orders) as they deem necessary to reduce, discourage or
eliminate market timing activity. You agree to cooperate with us to assist us in
implementing the Trust's restrictions on purchase and redemption activity that
follows a market timing pattern.
(b) We agree that shares of the Trust will be sold only to life
insurance companies which have entered into fund participation agreements with
the Trust ("Participating Insurance Companies") and their separate accounts or
to qualified pension and retirement plans in accordance with the terms of the
Shared Funding Order. No shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general
public.
(c) { }
(d) { }
(e) { }
(f) { }
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(g) We will redeem any full or fractional shares of any Portfolio, when
requested by you on behalf of an Account, at the net asset value next computed
after receipt by us (or our agent) of the request for redemption, as established
in accordance with the provisions of the then current prospectus of the Trust.
We shall make payment for such shares in the manner we establish from time to
time, but in no event shall payment be delayed for a greater period than is
permitted by the 1940 Act. Payments for the purchase or redemption of shares by
you may be netted against one another on any Business Day for the purpose of
determining the amount of any wire transfer on that Business Day.
(h) Issuance and transfer of the Portfolio shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to you or the Accounts. Portfolio
shares purchased from the Trust will be recorded in the appropriate title for
each Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
(i) We shall furnish, on or before the ex-dividend date, notice to you
of any income dividends or capital gain distributions payable on the shares of
any Portfolio. You hereby elect to receive all such income dividends and capital
gain distributions as are payable on shares of a Portfolio in additional shares
of that Portfolio, and you reserve the right to change this election in the
future. We will notify you of the number of shares so issued as payment of such
dividends and distributions.
4. FEES, EXPENSES, PROSPECTUSES, PROXY MATERIALS AND REPORTS
(a) { }
(b) We shall prepare and be responsible for filing with the SEC, and
any state regulators requiring such filing, all shareholder reports, notices,
proxy materials (or similar materials such as voting instruction solicitation
materials), prospectuses and statements of additional information of the Trust.
We shall bear the costs of preparation and filing of the documents listed in the
preceding sentence, registration and qualification of the Trust's shares of the
Portfolios.
(c) We shall use reasonable efforts to provide you, on a timely basis,
with such information about the Trust, the Portfolios and each Adviser, in such
form as you may reasonably require, as you shall reasonably request in
connection with the preparation of disclosure documents and annual and
semi-annual reports pertaining to the Contracts.
(d) { }
(e) { }
(f) You assume sole responsibility for ensuring that the Trust's
prospectuses, shareholder reports and communications, and proxy materials are
delivered to Contract owners in accordance with applicable federal and state
securities laws.
5. VOTING
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(a) All Participating Insurance Companies shall have the obligations
and responsibilities regarding pass-through voting and conflicts of interest
corresponding to those contained in the Shared Funding Order.
(b) If and to the extent required by law, you shall: (i) solicit voting
instructions from Contract owners; (ii) vote the Trust shares in accordance with
the instructions received from Contract owners; and (iii) vote Trust shares for
which no instructions have been received in the same proportion as Trust shares
of such Portfolio for which instructions have been received; so long as and to
the extent that the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require
pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners. You reserve the
right to vote Trust shares held in any Account in your own right, to the extent
permitted by law.
(c) So long as, and to the extent that, the SEC interprets the 1940 Act
to require pass-through voting privileges for Contract owners, you shall provide
pass-through voting privileges to Contract owners whose Contract values are
invested, through the Accounts, in shares of one or more Portfolios of the
Trust. We shall require all Participating Insurance Companies to calculate
voting privileges in the same manner and you shall be responsible for assuring
that the Accounts calculate voting privileges in the manner established by us.
With respect to each Account, you will vote shares of each Portfolio of the
Trust held by an Account and for which no timely voting instructions from
Contract owners are received in the same proportion as those shares held by that
Account for which voting instructions are received. You and your agents will in
no way recommend or oppose or interfere with the solicitation of proxies for
Portfolio shares held to fund the Contracts without our prior written consent,
which consent may be withheld in our sole discretion.
6. SALES MATERIAL, INFORMATION AND TRADEMARKS
(a) { }
(b) { }
(c) You and your agents shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Trust or concerning the Trust,
the Underwriter or an Adviser, other than information or representations
contained in and accurately derived from the registration statement or
prospectus for the Trust shares (as such registration statement and prospectus
may be amended or supplemented from time to time), annual and semi-annual
reports of the Trust, Trust-sponsored proxy statements, or in Sales literature
or other Promotional material approved by the Trust or its designee, except as
required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with the written
permission of the Trust or its designee.
(d) We shall not give any information or make any representations or
statements on behalf of you or concerning you, the Accounts or the Contracts
other than information or representations contained in and accurately derived
from disclosure documents for the Contracts (as such disclosure documents may be
amended or supplemented from time to time), or in materials approved by you for
distribution, including Sales literature or other Promotional materials, except
as required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with
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your written permission. We may use the names of you, the Accounts and the
Contracts in our sales literature and disclosure documents.
(e) Except as provided in Section 6(b), you shall not use any
designation comprised in whole or part of the names or marks "Franklin" or
"Xxxxxxxxx" or any logo or other trademark relating to the Trust or the
Underwriter without prior written consent, and upon termination of this
Agreement for any reason, you shall cease all use of any such name or xxxx as
soon as reasonably practicable.
7. INDEMNIFICATION
(a) INDEMNIFICATION BY YOU
1. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriter,
the Trust and each of its Trustees, officers, employees and agents and each
person, if any, who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" and individually the
"Indemnified Party" for purposes of this Section 7) against any and all losses,
claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with your
written consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) or expenses
(including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss,
claim, damage, liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred
in connection therewith) (collectively, "Losses"), to which the Indemnified
Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, or at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such Losses are related to the sale or acquisition of
shares of the Trust or the Contracts and
a. arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statements or alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained
in a disclosure document for the Contracts or in the Contracts
themselves or in sales literature generated or approved by you on
behalf of the Contracts or Accounts (or any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing) (collectively, "Company Documents" for the
purposes of this Section 7), 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 indemnity 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 was accurately
derived from written information furnished to you by or on behalf of
the Trust for use in Company Documents or otherwise for use in
connection with the sale of the Contracts or Trust shares; or
b. arise out of or result from statements or
representations (other than statements or representations contained in
and accurately derived from Trust Documents as defined below in Section
7(b)) or wrongful conduct of you or persons under your control, with
respect to the sale or acquisition of the Contracts or Trust shares; or
c. arise out of or result from any untrue statement
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in Trust
Documents as defined below in
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Section 7(b) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading if such statement or omission was
made in reliance upon and accurately derived from written information
furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of you; or
d. arise out of or result from any failure by you to
provide the services or furnish the materials required under the terms
of this Agreement;
e. arise out of or result from any material breach of
any representation and/or warranty made by you in this Agreement or
arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement
by you; or
f. arise out of or result from a Contract failing to
be considered a life insurance policy or an annuity Contract, whichever
is appropriate, under applicable provisions of the Code thereby
depriving the Trust of its compliance with Section 817(h) of the Code.
2. You shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any Losses to which an Indemnified Party would
otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance,
bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's
duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of
obligations and duties under this Agreement or to the Trust or Underwriter,
whichever is applicable. You shall also not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified you in writing within a reasonable
time after the summons or other first legal process giving information of the
nature of the claim shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after
such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any
designated agent), but failure to notify you of any such claim shall not relieve
you 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,
you shall be entitled to participate, at your own expense, in the defense of
such action. Unless the Indemnified Party releases you from any further
obligations under this Section 7(a), you also shall be entitled to assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action.
After notice from you to such party of the your election to assume the defense
thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and you will not be liable to such party
under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such party independently in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation.
3. The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify you of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with
the issuance or sale of the Trust shares or the Contracts or the operation of
the Trust.
(b) INDEMNIFICATION BY THE UNDERWRITER
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1. The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless you,
and each of your directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls
you within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" and individually an "Indemnified Party" for purposes of
this Section 7(b)) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the
Underwriter, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) or expenses
(including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss,
claim, damage, liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred
in connection therewith) (collectively, "Losses") to which the Indemnified
Parties may become subject under any statute, at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such Losses are related to the sale or acquisition of the shares of
the Trust or the Contracts and:
a. arise out of or are based upon any untrue
statements or alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained
in the Registration Statement, prospectus or sales literature of the
Trust (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing)
(collectively, the "Trust Documents") 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 of
such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to us by or on behalf of you for
use in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Trust or in
sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise for use
in connection with the sale of the Contracts or Trust shares; or
b. arise out of or as a result of statements or
representations (other than statements or representations contained in
the disclosure documents or sales literature for the Contracts not
supplied by the Underwriter or persons under its control) or wrongful
conduct of the Trust, Adviser or Underwriter or persons under their
control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or
Trust shares; or
c. arise out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a disclosure document
or sales literature covering the Contracts, or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if such
statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished
to you by or on behalf of the Trust; or
d. arise as a result of any failure by us 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 qualification representation specified
above in Section 2(b)(7) and the diversification requirements specified
above in Section 2(b)(8); or
e. arise out of or result from any material breach of
any representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter in this
Agreement or arise out
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of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Underwriter; as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of
Sections 7(b)(2) and 7(b)(3) hereof.
2. The Underwriter shall not be liable under this
indemnification provision with respect to any Losses to which an Indemnified
Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party's willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such
Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless
disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to you or the
Accounts, whichever is applicable.
3. The Underwriter shall not be liable under this
indemnification provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified
Party unless such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Underwriter in
writing within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process
giving information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Underwriter of
any such claim shall not relieve the Underwriter from any liability which it may
have to the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than
on account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Underwriter will be entitled to
participate, at its own expense, in the defense thereof. Unless the Indemnified
Party releases the Underwriter from any further obligations under this Section
7(b), the Underwriter also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with
counsel satisfactory to the party named in the action. After notice from the
Underwriter to such party of the Underwriter's election to assume the defense
thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the expenses of any additional counsel
retained by it, and the Underwriter will not be liable to such party under this
Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party
independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs
of investigation.
4. You agree promptly to notify the Underwriter of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against you or the Indemnified
Parties in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the
operation of each Account.
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(c) INDEMNIFICATION BY THE TRUST
1. The Trust agrees to indemnify and hold harmless you, and
each of your directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls you
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" for purposes of this Section 7(c)) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Trust, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) or
litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties
may become subject under any statute, at common law or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect
thereof) or settlements result from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct of the Board or any member thereof, are related to the operations of
the Trust, and arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Trust in this Agreement or arise out
of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the Trust; as
limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 7(c)(2) and 7(c)(3)
hereof. It is understood and expressly stipulated that neither the holders of
shares of the Trust nor any Trustee, officer, agent or employee of the Trust
shall be personally liable hereunder, nor shall any resort be had to other
private property for the satisfaction of any claim or obligation hereunder, but
the Trust only shall be liable.
2. The Trust shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against any Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to
you, the Trust, the Underwriter or each Account, whichever is applicable.
3. The Trust shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Trust in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claims shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Trust of any
such claim shall not relieve the Trust 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 Trust will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. Unless the Indemnified Party releases
the Trust from any further obligations under this Section 7(c), the Trust also
shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
the party named in the action. After notice from the Trust to such party of the
Trust's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Trust
will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with
the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
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4. You agree promptly to notify the Trust of the commencement
of any litigation or proceedings against you or the Indemnified Parties in
connection with this Agreement, the issuance or sale of the Contracts, with
respect to the operation of the Account, or the sale or acquisition of shares of
the Trust.
8. NOTICES
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified mail
to the other party at the address of such party set forth in Schedule G below or
at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing to
the other party.
9. TERMINATION
(a) This Agreement may be terminated by any party in its entirety or
with respect to one, some or all Portfolios for any reason by sixty (60) days
advance written notice delivered to the other parties, and shall terminate
immediately in the event of its assignment, as that term is used in the 1940
Act.
(b) This Agreement may be terminated immediately by us upon written
notice to you if:
1. you notify the Trust or the Underwriter that the exemption
from registration under Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act no longer applies,
or might not apply in the future, to the unregistered Accounts, or that
the exemption from registration under Section 4(2) or Regulation D
promulgated under the 1933 Act no longer applies or might not apply in
the future, to interests under the unregistered Contracts; or
2. either one or both of the Trust or the Underwriter
respectively, shall determine, in their sole judgment exercised in good
faith, that you have suffered a material adverse change in your
business, operations, financial condition or prospects since the date
of this Agreement or are the subject of material adverse publicity; or
3. you give us the written notice specified above in Section
3(c) and at the same time you give us such notice there was no notice
of termination outstanding under any other provision of this Agreement;
provided, however, that any termination under this Section 9(b)(3)
shall be effective forty-five (45) days after the notice specified in
Section 3(c) was given; or
4. upon your assignment of this Agreement without our prior
written approval.
(c) If this Agreement is terminated for any reason, except as required
by the Shared Funding Order or pursuant to Section 9(b)(1), above, we shall, at
your option, continue to make available additional shares of any Portfolio and
redeem shares of any Portfolio pursuant to all of the terms and conditions of
this Agreement for all Contracts in effect on the effective
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date of termination of this Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated as
required by the Shared Funding Order, its provisions shall govern.
(d) The provisions of Sections 2 (Representations and Warranties) and 7
(Indemnification) shall survive the termination of this Agreement. All other
applicable provisions of this Agreement shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, as long as shares of the Trust are held on behalf of Contract owners
in accordance with Section 9(c), except that we shall have no further obligation
to sell Trust shares with respect to Contracts issued after termination.
(e) You shall not redeem Trust shares attributable to the Contracts (as
opposed to Trust shares attributable to your assets held in the Account) except:
(i) as necessary to implement Contract owner initiated or approved transactions;
(ii) as required by state and/or federal laws or regulations or judicial or
other legal precedent of general application (hereinafter referred to as a
"Legally Required Redemption"); or (iii) as permitted by an order of the SEC
pursuant to Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act. Upon request, you shall promptly
furnish to us the opinion of your counsel (which counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to us) to the effect that any redemption pursuant to clause (ii)
above is a Legally Required Redemption. Furthermore, except in cases where
permitted under the terms of the Contracts, you shall not prevent Contract
owners from allocating payments to a Portfolio that was otherwise available
under the Contracts without first giving us ninety (90) days notice of your
intention to do so.
10. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions of this
Agreement or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
(b) This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
(c) 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.
(d) This Agreement shall be construed and its provisions interpreted
under and in accordance with the laws of the State of California. It shall also
be subject to the provisions of the federal securities laws and the rules and
regulations thereunder, to any orders of the SEC on behalf of the Trust granting
it exemptive relief, and to the conditions of such orders. We shall promptly
forward copies of any such orders to you.
(e) The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that all
liabilities of the Trust arising, directly or indirectly, under this Agreement,
of any and every nature whatsoever, shall be satisfied solely out of the assets
of the Trust and that no Trustee, officer,
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agent or holder of shares of beneficial interest of the Trust shall be
personally liable for any such liabilities.
(f) Each party to this Agreement shall cooperate with each other party
and all appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the
SEC, the NASD, and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
(g) Each party to this Agreement shall treat as confidential all
information reasonably identified as confidential in writing by any other party
to this Agreement, and, except as permitted by this Agreement or as required by
legal process or regulatory authorities, shall not disclose, disseminate, or use
such names and addresses and other confidential information until such time as
they may come into the public domain, without the express written consent of the
affected party. Without limiting the foregoing, no party to this Agreement shall
disclose any information that such party has been advised is proprietary, except
such information that such party is required to disclose by any appropriate
governmental authority (including, without limitation, the SEC, the NASD, and
state securities and insurance regulators).
(h) 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 to this Agreement are
entitled to under state and federal laws.
(i) The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that this
Agreement shall not be exclusive in any respect, except as provided above in
Section 3(c).
(j) Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations created by it
may be assigned by any party without the prior written approval of the other
parties.
(k) No provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any
manner except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by both
parties.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties have caused their duly
authorized officers to execute this Agreement.
The Company: The Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company
By:
------------------------------------------------
Name:
----------------------------------------------
Title:
---------------------------------------------
The Trust: Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Variable Insurance Products Trust
By:
------------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice President, Assistant Secretary
The Underwriter: Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Distributors, Inc.
By:
------------------------------------------------
Name: [ ]
Title: [ ]
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SCHEDULE A
THE COMPANY
[name]
[address]
[state of incorporation]
[name]
[address]
[state of incorporation]
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SCHEDULE B
ACCOUNTS OF THE COMPANY
1. Name: [name]
Date Established: [date]
SEC Registration Number: 811-____
2. Name: [name]
Date Established: [date]
SEC Registration Number: 811-____
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SCHEDULE C
AVAILABLE PORTFOLIOS AND CLASSES OF SHARES OF THE TRUST; INVESTMENT ADVISERS
Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Variable Insurance Products Trust Investment Adviser
---------------------------------------------------- ------------------
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SCHEDULE D
CONTRACTS OF THE COMPANY
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTRACT 1 CONTRACT 2 CONTRACT 3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTRACT/PRODUCT NAME
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTERED (Y/N)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC REGISTRATION NUMBER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REPRESENTATIVE FORM
NUMBERS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEPARATE ACCOUNT
NAME/DATE ESTABLISHED
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC REGISTRATION NUMBER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PORTFOLIOS AND CLASSES
-ADVISER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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SCHEDULE D CONT.
CONTRACTS OF THE COMPANY
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTRACT 4 CONTRACT 5 CONTRACT 6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CONTRACT/PRODUCT NAME
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REGISTERED (Y/N)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC REGISTRATION NUMBER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
REPRESENTATIVE FORM
NUMBERS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEPARATE ACCOUNT
NAME/DATE ESTABLISHED
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEC REGISTRATION NUMBER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PORTFOLIOS AND CLASSES
-ADVISER
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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SCHEDULE E
OTHER PORTFOLIOS AVAILABLE UNDER THE CONTRACTS
[names of other portfolios]
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SCHEDULE F
[REDACTED]
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SCHEDULE G
ADDRESSES FOR NOTICES
To the Company: [ ] Insurance Company
[address]
[address]
Attention: [name, title]
To the Trust: Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Variable Insurance Products Trust
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
[title]
To the Underwriter: Franklin Xxxxxxxxx Distributors, Inc.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: [name, title]
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SCHEDULE H
SHARED FUNDING ORDER
25
