WAIVER OF ADJUSTMENTS FOR TERMINAL ILLNESS
This Rider does not provide a waiver of adjustments until after the Benefit Eligibility Date.
Upon receipt of Written Notice of Claim and Written Proof of Occurrence, we will waive any negative Market Value Adjustment that may otherwise apply under the Contract to a surrender of the Contract on or after the Benefit Eligibility Date if at the time of such surrender an Insured has been diagnosed as having a life expectancy of less than 12 months, and that diagnosis meets both of the following conditions.
| 1) | the diagnosis has been made by a Physician; and |
| 2) | such diagnosis was first made after the Contract Effective Date. |
If we deny your request, we will provide you with written notice of our decision and give you an opportunity to provide additional proof, or to decide to proceed with the surrender subject to any negative Market Value Adjustment that may apply.
This waiver does not apply to a withdrawal of an amount less than the Contract’s full Surrender Value.
DEFINITIONS
Insured
An individual whose diagnosis is used to qualify for benefits under this Rider. Each natural person (other than a trustee, custodian, or plan sponsor) who is an Owner or joint owner of the annuity contract is an Insured. If the Contract is owned by a trust, custodian, or plan sponsor, or by a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, or other entity, then each Annuitant is an Insured. Each Insured on the Contract Effective Date is set out on the first page of this Rider.
Market Value Adjustment
An adjustment to Contract values that may apply upon a withdrawal or surrender that is based on a comparison between interest rates at the beginning of a term and interest rates at the time of the withdrawal or surrender. A negative Market Value Adjustment is one that would reduce the Contract values.
Physician
A United States licensed medical doctor (M.D.) or a United States licensed doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) practicing within the scope of his or her license. The term “Physician” does not include an Owner or joint owner, an Insured, a Family Member of an Owner, joint owner, or Insured, or an employee, officer, director, owner, partner, member, or agent of a non-natural person Owner or joint owner.
Family Member
A spouse, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, sibling, aunt, uncle, first cousin, niece, or nephew, or any such relative by marriage or adoption, including in-laws and step-relatives.
Written Notice of Claim
You must provide us with a written notice of a claim for a waiver under this Rider:
| 1) | within twenty (20) days of the occurrence covered by this Rider or as soon thereafter as is reasonably possible; and |
| 2) | before the date of the surrender with respect to which a waiver under this Rider is claimed. |
Notice given by, or on behalf of the Insured, to us at our address or telephone number, or to any authorized agent of the Company, with information sufficient to identify the Insured, shall be deemed notice to us.