Exhibit 1A.(8) (h)
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
This Agreement is entered into as of the 29th day of June, 2000, GE Capital Life
Assurance Company of New York, a life insurance company organized under the laws
of the State of New York ("Insurance Company"), and each of THE DREYFUS
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GROWTH FUND, INC. 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 Capital Life Assurance Company of New York.
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 New York.
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 State of New York 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
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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.
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 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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2.10 Insurance Company represents and warrants that all of its employees and
agents who deal with the money and/or securities of each Participating
Fund are and shall continue to be at all times covered by a blanket
fidelity bond or similar coverage in an amount not less than the
coverage required to be maintained by the Participating Fund. The
aforesaid Bond or similar coverage shall include coverage for larceny
and embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding or
insurance company.
2.11 Insurance Company agrees that Dreyfus shall be deemed a third party
beneficiary under this Agreement and may enforce any and all rights
conferred by virtue of this Agreement.
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 (as determined under SEC guidelines) 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
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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 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 the close
of business of the federal reserve wire system 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 the close of business of the
federal reserve wire system 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
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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. If Insurance Company's order requests the redemption
of any Participating Fund's shares valued at or greater than $1
million dollars, the Participating Fund will wire such amount to
Insurance Company within seven days of the order.
3.9 Each Participating Fund has the obligation to ensure that its shares
are registered with applicable 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.
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,
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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 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.
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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 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
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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
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
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(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.
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.
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 not
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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
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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 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.
9.5 Insurance Company shall indemnify and hold each respective
Participating Fund, Dreyfus and sub-investment adviser of the
Participating Fund harmless against any tax liability incurred by the
Participating Fund under Section 851 of the Code arising from purchases
or redemptions by Insurance Company's Separate Accounts or the account
of its affiliates.
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:
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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;
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
15
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;
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;
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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
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 as provided
below, 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. If such Participating Fund shares
continue to be made available after such termination, the provisions of
this Agreement shall remain in effect and thereafter either of that
Participating Fund or Insurance Company may terminate the Agreement as
to that Participating Fund, as so continued pursuant to this Section
10.3, upon prior
17
written notice to the other party, such notice to be for a period that
is reasonable under the circumstances but, if given by the
Participating Fund, need not be for more than six months.
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 Capital Life Assurance Company of New York
6610 West Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23230
Attn: General Counsel
Participating Funds: The Dreyfus Corporation
200 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10166
Attn: General Counsel
with copies to: Stroock & Stroock & Lavan
180 Maiden Lane
New York, New York 10038-4982
Attn: Lewis G. Cole, Esq.
Stuart H. Coleman, Esq.
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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 State of New York, 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.
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.
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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.
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.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be duly
executed and attested as of the date first above written.
GE Capital Life Assurance Company of New York
By:
-------------------------------
Its:
------------------------------
Attest:_____________________
THE DREYFUS SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE GROWTH FUND, INC.
By:
-------------------------------
Its:
------------------------------
Attest:_____________________
DREYFUS INVESTMENT PORTFOLIOS
By:
-------------------------------
Its:
------------------------------
Attest:_____________________
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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
GE Capital Life Separate Account II
GE Capital Life Separate Account III
CONTRACTS UTILZING TRUST BY THE SEPARATE ACCOUNTS
GE Choice Variable Annuity NY
23