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EXHIBIT 1 A 8(g)
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
This Agreement is entered into as of the 23rd day of March, 1998, between
National Life Insurance Company ("Insurance Company"), a life insurance company
organized under the laws of the State of Vermont, and J. P. Morgan Series
Trust II ("Fund"), a business trust organized under the laws of Delaware, with
respect to the Fund's portfolio or portfolios set forth on Schedule 1 hereto,
as such Schedule may be revised from time to time (the "Series"; if there are
more than one Series to which this Agreement applies, the provisions herein
shall apply severally to each such Series).
ARTICLE I 1.
DEFINITIONS
1.1 "Act" shall mean the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
1.2 "Board" shall mean the Board of Trustees of the Fund having the
responsibility for management and control of the Fund.
1.3 "Business Day" shall mean any day for which the 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 variable life insurance
contract that uses the Fund as an underlying investment medium.
Individuals who participate under a group Contract are "Participants".
1.6 "Contractholder" shall mean any entity that is a party to a Contract
with a Participating Company.
1.7 "Disinterested Board Members" shall mean those members of the Board
that are not deemed to be "interested persons" of the Fund, as defined
by the Act.
1.8 "Participating Companies" shall mean any insurance company (including
Insurance Company), which offers variable annuity and/or variable life
insurance contracts to the public and which has entered into an
agreement with the Fund for the purpose of making Fund shares
available to serve as the underlying investment medium for the
aforesaid Contracts.
1.9 "Plans" shall mean qualified pension and retirement benefit plans.
1.10 "Prospectus" shall mean the Fund's current prospectus and statement of
additional information, as most recently filed with the Commission,
with respect to the Series.
1.11 "Separate Accounts" shall mean National Variable Life Insurance
Account and National Variable Annuity Account, each a separate account
established by Insurance Company in accordance with the laws of the
State of Vermont, as set forth on Schedule II.
1.12 "Software Program" shall mean the software program used by the Fund
for providing Fund and account balance information including net asset
value per share.
1.13 "Insurance Company's General Account(s)" shall mean the general
account(s) of Insurance Company and its affiliates which invest in the
Fund.
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ARTICLE II 2.
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 Accounts pursuant
to the Vermont Insurance Code for the purpose of offering to the
public certain individual variable annuity contracts; (c) it has
registered the Separate Accounts as a unit investment trust under the
Act to serve as the segregated investment account for the Contracts;
(d) each Separate Account is eligible to invest in shares of the Fund
without such investment disqualifying the Fund as an investment medium
for insurance company separate accounts supporting variable annuity
contracts or variable life insurance contracts; and (e) each Separate
Account shall comply with all applicable legal requirements.
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 inform the Fund promptly of any investment
restrictions imposed by state insurance law and applicable to the
Fund.
2.3 Insurance Company represents and warrants that the income, gains and
losses, whether or not realized, from assets allocated to the Separate
Accounts are, in accordance with the applicable Contracts, to be
credited to or charged against such Separate Accounts without regard
to other income, gains or losses from assets allocated to any other
accounts of Insurance Company. Insurance Company represents and
warrants that the assets of the Separate Accounts 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 Fund represents that the Fund 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 Fund to operate and offer
its shares as an underlying investment medium for Participating
Companies. The Fund has established five portfolios and may in the
future establish other portfolios.
2.5 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 make every effort to
maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or
similar provision) and that it will notify Insurance Company
immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that it has
ceased to so qualify or that it might not so qualify in the future.
2.6 Insurance Company represents and agrees that the Contracts are
currently, and at the time of issuance will be, treated as life
insurance policies or annuity contracts, whichever is appropriate,
under applicable provisions of the Code, and that it will make every
effort to maintain such treatment and that it will notify the Fund and
its investment adviser 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 is a "modified endowment
contract," as that term is defined in Section 7702A of the Code, will
identify such Contract as a modified endowment contract (or policy).
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2.7 Fund agrees that the Fund's 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 the Fund shall be permitted (subject to
the other terms of this Agreement) to make Series' shares available to
other Participating Companies and contractholders and to Plans.
2.9 Fund represents and warrants that any of its trustees, officers,
employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/entities who
deal with the money and/or securities of the Fund are and shall
continue to be at all times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or
similar coverage for the benefit of the 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.
2.10 Insurance Company represents and warrants that all of its employees
and agents who deal with the money and/or securities of the 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 Fund. The aforesaid Bond shall
include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be issued by a
reputable bonding company.
2.11 Insurance Company agrees that the Fund's investment adviser 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 3.
FUND SHARES
3.1 The Contracts funded through the Separate Accounts will provide for
the investment of certain amounts in the Series' shares.
3.2 Fund agrees to make the shares of its Series available for purchase at
the then applicable net asset value per share by Insurance Company and
the Separate Accounts on each Business Day pursuant to rules of the
Commission. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may refuse to
sell the shares of any Series to any person, or suspend or terminate
the offering of the shares of any Series if such action is required by
law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or is, in the
sole discretion of the Board, acting in good faith and in light of its
fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws,
necessary and in the best interests of the shareholders of such
Series.
3.3 Fund agrees that shares of the Fund will be sold only to Participating
Companies and their separate accounts and to the general accounts of
those Participating Companies and their affiliates and to Plans. No
shares of any Series will be sold to the general public.
3.4 Fund shall use its best efforts to provide closing net asset value,
dividend and capital gain information for each Series available on a
per-share and Series basis to Insurance Company by 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Time on each Business Day. Any material errors in the calculation of
net asset value, dividend and capital gain information shall be
reported immediately upon discovery to Insurance Company.
Non-material errors will be corrected in the next Business Day's net
asset value per share for the Series in question.
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
Separate Account unit values for the day. Using this unit value,
Insurance Company will process the day's Separate Account transactions
received by it by the close of trading on the floor of the New York
Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) to determine the net
dollar amount of Series shares which will be purchased or redeemed at
that day's closing net asset value per share for such Series. The net
purchase or redemption orders
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will be transmitted to the Fund by Insurance Company by 9:00 a.m.
Eastern Time on the Business Day next following Insurance Company's
receipt of that information. Subject to Sections 3.6 and 3.8, all
purchase and redemption orders for Insurance Company's General
Accounts shall be effected at the net asset value per share of the
relevant Series next calculated after receipt of the order by the Fund
or its Transfer Agent.
3.6 Fund appoints Insurance Company as its agent for the limited purpose
of accepting orders for the purchase and redemption of shares of each
Series for the Separate Account. Fund will execute orders for any
Series 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
Fund receives notice of such orders by 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the
next following Business Day and, if such orders request the purchase
of Series shares, the conditions specified in Section 3.8, as
applicable, are satisfied. A redemption or purchase request for any
Series that does not satisfy the conditions specified above and in
Section 3.8, as applicable, will be effected at the net asset value
computed for such Series on the Business Day immediately preceding the
next following Business Day upon which such conditions have been
satisfied.
3.7 Insurance Company will make its best efforts to notify Fund in advance
of any unusually large purchase or redemption orders.
3.8 If Insurance Company's order requests the purchase of Series shares,
Insurance Company will pay for such purchases by wiring Federal Funds
to Fund or its designated custodial account on the day the order is
transmitted. Insurance Company shall make all reasonable efforts to
transmit to the Fund payment in Federal Funds by 12:00 noon Eastern
Time on the Business Day the Fund receives the notice of the order
pursuant to Section 3.5. 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 Fund receives payment in
Federal Funds by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the Business Day the 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
the Fund after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on such Business Day, Insurance
Company shall promptly upon the Fund's request, reimburse the Fund for
any charges, costs, fees, interest or other expenses incurred by the
Fund in connection with any advances to, or borrowings or overdrafts
by, the Fund, or any similar expenses incurred by the Fund, as a
result of portfolio transactions effected by the Fund based upon such
purchase request. If Insurance Company's order requests the
redemption of Series shares valued at or greater than $1 million
dollars, the Fund may wire such amount to Insurance Company within
seven days of the order.
3.9 Fund has the obligation to ensure that Series shares are registered
with applicable federal agencies at all times.
3.10 Fund will confirm each purchase or redemption order made by Insurance
Company. Transfer of Series shares will be by book entry only. No
share certificates will be issued to Insurance Company. Insurance
Company will record shares ordered from Fund in an appropriate title
for the corresponding account.
3.11 Fund shall credit Insurance Company with the appropriate number of
shares.
3.12 On each ex-dividend date of the Fund or, if not a Business Day, on the
first Business Day thereafter, Fund shall communicate to Insurance
Company the amount of dividend and capital gain, if any, per share of
each Series. All dividends and capital gains of any Series shall be
automatically reinvested in additional shares of the relevant Series
at the applicable net asset value per share of such Series on the
payable date. Fund shall, on the day after the payable date or, if
not a Business Day, on the first Business Day thereafter, notify
Insurance Company of the number of shares so issued.
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ARTICLE IV 4.
STATEMENTS AND REPORTS
4.1 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 Fund shall distribute to Insurance Company copies of the Fund's
Prospectuses, proxy materials, notices, periodic reports and other
printed materials (which the Fund customarily provides to its
shareholders) in quantities as Insurance Company may reasonably
request for distribution to each Contractholder and Participant.
4.3 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 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 the 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 Accounts,
contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the
Commission.
ARTICLE V 5.
EXPENSES
5.1 The charge to the Fund for all expenses and costs of the Series,
including but not limited to management fees, administrative expenses
and legal and regulatory costs, will be made in the determination of
the relevant Series' daily net asset value per share so as to
accumulate to an annual charge at the rate set forth in the Fund's
Prospectus. Excluded from the expense limitation described herein
shall be brokerage commissions and transaction fees and extraordinary
expenses.
5.2 Except as provided in this Article V and, in particular in the next
sentence, Insurance Company shall not be required to pay directly any
expenses of the 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 Fund materials,
including the cost of printing the Fund's Prospectus, or
marketing materials for prospective Insurance Company
Contractholders and Participants as the Fund's investment
adviser and Insurance Company shall agree from time to time.
b. Distribution expenses of any Fund materials or marketing
materials for prospective Insurance Company Contractholders
and Participants.
c. Distribution expenses of Fund materials or marketing materials
for Insurance Company Contractholders and Participants.
Except as provided herein, all other Fund expenses shall not be borne
by Insurance Company.
ARTICLE VI 6.
EXEMPTIVE RELIEF
6.1 Insurance Company has reviewed a copy of the order dated December,
1996 of the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 6(c) of
the Act and, in particular, has reviewed the
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conditions to the relief set forth in the related Notice. As set
forth therein, Insurance Company agrees to report any potential or
existing conflicts promptly to the Board, and in particular whenever
contract voting instructions are disregarded, and recognizes that it
will be responsible for assisting the 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 the Fund, the Board shall
give prompt notice to all Participating Companies. 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 Accounts from
the Series and reinvesting such assets in a different
investment medium, or submitting the question of whether such
segregation should be implemented to a vote or 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 the Fund,
Insurance Company may be required, at the Board's election, to
withdraw the Separate Accounts' investment in the 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
the 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 Accounts or the 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 7.
VOTING OF FUND SHARES
7.1 Fund shall provide Insurance Company with copies at no cost to
Insurance Company, of the 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 or Participants.
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Insurance Company shall:
(a) solicit voting instructions from Contractholders or
Participants on a timely basis and in accordance with
applicable law;
(b) vote the Series shares in accordance with instructions
received from Contractholders or Participants; and
(c) vote Series shares for which no instructions have been
received in the same proportion as Series shares for which
instructions have been received.
Insurance Company agrees at all times to votes its General Account
shares in the same proportion as Series shares for which instructions
have been received from Contractholders or Participants. Insurance
Company further agrees to be responsible for assuring that voting
Series 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 the Fund and its investment adviser, solicit, induce or
encourage Contractholders to (a) change or supplement the Fund's
current investment adviser or (b) change, modify, substitute, add to
or delete the Fund from the current investment media for the
Contracts.
ARTICLE VIII 8.
MARKETING AND REPRESENTATIONS
8.1 The 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;
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 which
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 and shall comply
with all applicable federal and state laws in connection therewith.
8.3 Insurance Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to
the Fund, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material
in which the 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 Fund 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. The Fund shall use all reasonable efforts to respond within
ten days of receipt.
8.4 Insurance Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the
Fund or any Series in connection with the sale of the Contracts other
than the information or representations contained in the registration
statement or Prospectus, as may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, or in reports or proxy statements for the Fund, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved by the Fund.
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8.5 Fund shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to Insurance
Company, each piece of the Fund's sales literature or other
promotional material in which Insurance Company or the Separate
Accounts are 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 Fund shall not, in connection with the sale of Series shares, give any
information or make any representations on behalf of Insurance Company
or concerning Insurance Company, the Separate Accounts, 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 Accounts which 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 9.
INDEMNIFICATION
9.1 Insurance Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, its
investment adviser, any sub-investment adviser of a Series, and their
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 of the Fund or with respect to
the Separate Accounts 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 of the Fund) of Insurance Company or its agents, with
respect to the sale and distribution of Contracts for which Series
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 Series 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 Fund specifically for use therein; and provided, further, that the
Insurance Company shall not be liable for special, consequential, or
incidental damages. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to
any liability which Insurance Company may otherwise have.
9.22 The Fund 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 of the Fund; (2) arise out of or are based upon the
omission to state in the registration statement or Prospectus or sales
literature or advertisements of the 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 with respect to the Separate Account or the Contracts
and such statements were based on information provided to Insurance
Company by the Fund; and the 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 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 in conformity with
written information furnished to
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the Fund by Insurance Company specifically for use therein; and
provided, further, that the Fund shall not be liable for special,
consequential or incidental damages. This indemnity agreement will be
in addition to any liability which the Fund may otherwise have.
9.3 The Fund 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
Fund's (1) incorrect calculation of the daily net asset value,
dividend rate or capital gain distribution rate of a Series; (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 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; and provided, further, that the Fund
shall not be liable for special, consequential or incidental damages.
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 reasonably 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.
9.5 Insurance Company shall indemnify and hold the Fund, its investment
adviser and any sub-investment adviser of a Series harmless against
any tax liability incurred by the Fund under Section 851 of the Code
arising from purchases or redemptions by Insurance Company's General
Accounts or the account of its affiliates.
ARTICLE X 10.
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 as to one or more
Series at the option of the terminating party:
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a. At the option of Insurance Company or the Fund at any time
from the date hereof upon 180 days' notice, unless a shorter
time is agreed to by the parties;
b. At the option of Insurance Company, if shares of any Series
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 Fund makes available a sufficient
number of shares to meet the requirements of the Contracts
within said ten-day period;
c. At the option of Insurance Company, upon the institution of
formal proceedings against the Fund 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 the Fund's ability to meet and
perform the 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. At the option of the 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 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
the Fund with said termination to be effective upon receipt of
notice;
e. At the option of the Fund, if the 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 the Fund or
its investment adviser, the Fund shall notify Insurance
Company in writing of such determination and its intent to
terminate this Agreement, and after considering the actions
taken by Insurance Company and any other changes in
circumstances since the giving of such notice, such
determination of the 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. Upon termination of the Investment Advisory Agreement between
the Fund and its investment adviser or its successors unless
Insurance Company specifically approves the selection of a new
Fund investment adviser. The Fund shall promptly furnish
notice of such termination to Insurance Company;
g. In the event the 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 upon such
occurrence without notice;
h. At the option of the Fund upon a determination by the Board in
good faith that it is no longer advisable and in the best
interests of shareholders for the Fund to continue to operate
pursuant to this Agreement. Termination pursuant to this
Subsection (h) shall be effective upon notice by the Fund to
Insurance Company of such termination;
i. At the option of the Fund if the Contracts cease to qualify as
annuity contracts or life insurance policies, as applicable,
under the Code, or if the Fund reasonably believes that the
Contracts may fail to so qualify;
12
j. At the option of either party to this Agreement, upon another
party's breach of any material provision of this Agreement;
k. At the option of the Fund, if the Contracts are not
registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable
federal and/or state law; or
l. Upon assignment of this Agreement, unless made with the
written consent of the non-assigning party.
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, the Fund and its investment adviser may, at the option of
the Fund, continue to make available additional Series shares for so
long as the Fund 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, if the
Fund so elects to make additional Series shares available, the owners
of the Existing Contracts or Insurance Company, whichever shall have
legal authority to do so, shall be permitted to reallocate investments
in the Series, redeem investments in the Fund and/or invest in the
Fund upon the making of additional purchase payments under the
Existing Contracts. In the event of a termination of this Agreement
pursuant to Section 10.2 hereof, the Fund, as promptly as is
practicable under the circumstances, shall notify Insurance Company
whether the Fund will continue to make Series shares available after
such termination. If Series shares continue to be made available
after such termination, the provisions of this Agreement shall remain
in effect and thereafter either the Fund or Insurance Company may
terminate the Agreement, as so continued pursuant to this Section
10.3, upon prior written notice to the other party, such notice to be
for a period that is reasonable under the circumstances but, if given
by the Fund, need not be for more than six months.
ARTICLE XI 11.
AMENDMENTS
11.1 Any other changes in the terms of this Agreement shall be made by
agreement in writing between Insurance Company and Fund.
ARTICLE XII 12.
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:
National Life Insurance Company
One National Life Drive
Montpelier, Vermont 05604
Attention: D. Russell Morgan
Fund:
13
J. P. Morgan Series Trust II
c/o Morgan Guaranty Trust Company
522 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10036
Attention: Sharon J. Weinberg
Notice shall be deemed to be given on the date of receipt by the
addresses as evidenced by the return receipt.
ARTICLE XIII 13.
MISCELLANEOUS
13.1 This Agreement has been executed on behalf of the 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
Trustee, officer or shareholder of the Fund individually.
ARTICLE XIV 14.
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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement to be duly
executed and attested as of the date first above written.
NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By:
-------------------------------
Its:
------------------------------
J. P. MORGAN SERIES TRUST II
By:
-------------------------------
Its:
------------------------------
14
SCHEDULE 1
Name of Series
J. P. Morgan International Opportunities Portfolio
J. P. Morgan Small Company Portfolio
SCHEDULE II
Separate Accounts
National Variable Life Insurance Account
National Variable Annuity Account II