PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made this _____ day of ______________ , 1997, by and
among The Alger American Fund (the "Trust"), an open-end management investment
company organized as a Massachusetts business trust, Fred Alger Management,
Inc., an investment adviser organized under the laws of the state of New York
(the "Adviser"), Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company, a life
insurance company organized as a corporation under the laws of the State of
California, (the "Company"), on its own behalf and on behalf of each segregated
asset account of the Company set forth in Schedule A, as may be amended from
time to time (the "Accounts"), and Fred Alger and Company, Incorporated, a
Delaware corporation, the Trust's distributor (the "Distributor").
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") as an open-end management investment company under
the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and has an
effective registration statement relating to the offer and sale of the various
series of its shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act");
WHEREAS, the Trust and the Distributor desire that Trust shares be used
as an investment vehicle for separate accounts established for variable life
insurance policies and variable annuity contracts to be offered by life
insurance companies which have entered into fund participation agreements with
the Trust (the "Participating Insurance Companies");
WHEREAS, shares of beneficial interest in the Trust are divided into
the following series which are available for purchase by the Company for the
Accounts: Alger American Small Capitalization Portfolio, Alger American Growth
Portfolio, Alger American Income & Growth Portfolio, Alger American Balanced
Portfolio, Alger American MidCap Growth Portfolio, and Alger American Leveraged
AllCap Portfolio;
WHEREAS, the Trust has received an order from the Commission, dated
February 17, 1989 (File No. 812-7076), granting Participating Insurance
Companies and their separate accounts exemptions from the provisions of Sections
9(a), 13(a), 15(a) and 15(b) of the 1940 Act, and Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and
6e-3(T)(b)(15) thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit shares of the
Portfolios of the Trust to be sold to and held by variable annuity and variable
life insurance separate accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life
insurance companies (the "Shared Funding Exemptive Order");
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register under the 1933 Act
certain variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts to be
issued by the Company under which the Portfolios are to be made available as
investment vehicles (the "Contracts");
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a
unit investment trust under the 1940 Act unless an exemption from registration
under the 1940 Act is available and the Trust has been so advised;
WHEREAS, the Company may contract with an Administrator to perform
certain services with regard to the Contracts and, therefore, certain
obligations and services of the Adviser and/or Trust should be directed to the
Administrator, as directed by the Company,
WHEREAS, the Company desires to use shares of the Portfolios indicated on
Schedule A as investment vehicles for the Accounts;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the parties
agree as follows:
ARTICLE I.
Purchase and Redemption of Trust Portfolio Shares
1.1. For purposes of this Article I, the Company or its administrator shall be
the Trust's agent for the receipt from each account of purchase orders and
requests for redemption pursuant to the Contracts relating to each Portfolio,
provided that the Company or its administrator notifies the Trust of such
purchase orders and requests for redemption by 9:30 a.m. Eastern time on the
next following Business Day, as defined in Section 1.3.
1.2. The Trust shall make shares of the Portfolios available to the Accounts at
the net asset value next computed after receipt of a purchase order by the Trust
(or its agent), as established in accordance with the provisions of the then
current prospectus of the Trust describing Portfolio purchase procedures. The
Company or its administrator will transmit order from time to time to the Trust
for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Portfolios. The Trustees of the
Trust (the "Trustees") may refuse to sell shares of any Portfolio to any person,
or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio if such action
is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or if, in
the sole discretion of the Trustees acting in good faith and in light of their
fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, such action is
deemed in the best interests of the shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.3. The Company shall pay for the purchase of shares of a Portfolio on behalf
of an Account with federal funds to be transmitted by wire to the Trust, with
the reasonable expectation of receipt by the Trust by 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on
the next Business Day after the Trust (or its agent) receives the purchase
order. Upon receipt by the Trust of the federal funds so wired, such funds shall
cease to be the responsibility of the Company and shall become the
responsibility of the Trust for this purpose. "Business Day" shall mean any day
on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
1.4. The Trust will redeem for cash any full or fractional shares of any
Portfolio, when requested by the Company on behalf of an Account, at the net
asset value next computed after receipt by the Trust (or its agent) of the
request for redemption, as established in accordance with the provisions of the
then current prospectus of the Trust describing Portfolio redemption procedures.
The Trust shall make payment for such shares in the manner established from time
to time by the Trust. Proceeds of redemption with respect to a Portfolio will be
paid to the Company for an Account in federal funds transmitted by wire to the
Company by order of the Trust with the reasonable expectation of receipt by the
Company by 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on the next Business Day after the receipt by
the Trust (or its agent) of the request for redemption. Such payment may be
delayed if, for example, the portfolio's cash position so requires or if
extraordinary market conditions exist, but in no event shall payment be delayed
for a greater period than is permitted by the 1940 Act. The Trust reserves the
right to suspend the right of redemption, consistent with Section 22(e) of the
1940 Act and any rules thereunder.
1.5. Payments for the purchase of shares of the Trust's Portfolios by the
Company under Section 1.3 and payments for the redemption of shares of the
Trust's Portfolios under Section 1.4 on any Business Day may be netted against
one another for the purpose of determining the amount of any wire transfer.
1.6. Issuance and transfer of the Trust's Portfolio shares will be by book
entry only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or the
Accounts. Portfolio Shares purchased from the Trust will be recorded in the
appropriate title for each Account or the appropriate subaccount of each
Account.
1.7. The Trust shall furnish, two days before the ex-dividend date, notice to
the Company that an income dividend or capital gain distribution will be paid on
the shares of any Portfolio of the Trust. The Company hereby elects to receive
all such income dividends and capital gain distributions as are payable on a
Portfolio's shares in additional shares of that Portfolio. The Trust shall
notify the Company of the number of shares so issued as payment of such
dividends and distributions.
1.8. The Trust shall calculate the net asset value of each Portfolio on each
Business Day, as defined in Section 1.3. The Trust shall make the net asset
value per share for each Portfolio available to the Company or its designated
agent on a daily basis as soon as reasonably practical after the net asset value
per share is calculated and shall use its best efforts to make such net asset
value per share available to the Company by 6:30 p.m. Eastern time each Business
Day.
1.9. The Trust agrees that its Portfolio shares will be sold only to
Participating Insurance Companies and their segregated asset accounts, to the
Fund Sponsor or its affiliates and to such other entities as may be permitted by
Section 817(h) of the Code, the regulations hereunder, or judicial or
administrative interpretations thereof. No shares of any Portfolio will be sold
directly to the general public. The Company agrees that it will use Trust shares
only for the purposes of funding the Contracts through the Accounts listed in
Schedule A, as amended from time to time.
1.10. The Trust agrees that all Participating Insurance Companies shall have
the obligations and responsibilities regarding pass-through voting and conflicts
of interest corresponding materially to those contained in Section 2.9 and
Article IV of this Agreement.
ARTICLE II.
Obligations of the Parties
2.1. The Trust shall prepare and be responsible for filing with the Commission
and any state regulators requiring such filing all shareholder reports, notices,
proxy materials (or similar materials such as voting instruction solicitation
materials), prospectuses and statements of additional information of the Trust.
The Trust shall bear the costs of registration and qualification of shares of
the Portfolios, preparation and filing of the documents listed in this Section
2.1 and all taxes to which an issuer is subject on the issuance and transfer of
its shares.
2.2. The Company shall distribute such prospectuses, proxy statements and
periodic reports of the Trust to the Contract owners as required to be
distributed to such Contract owners under applicable federal or state law.
2.3. The Trust shall provide such documentation (including a final copy of the
prospectus(es) of the Portfolios indicated on Schedule A as set in type or in
camera-ready copy) and other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for
the Company to print together in one document the current prospectus for the
Contracts issued by the Company and the current prospectus for the Trust. The
Trust shall bear the expense of printing copies of its current prospectus that
will be distributed to existing Contract owners, and the Company shall bear the
expense of printing copies of the Trust's prospectus that are used in connection
with offering the Contracts issued by the Company.
2.4. The Trust and the Distributor shall provide (1) at the Trust's expense, one
copy of the Trust's current Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") to the
Company and to any Contract owner who requests such SAI, (2) at the Company's
expense, such additional copies of the Trust's current SAI as the Company shall
reasonably request and that the Company shall require in accordance with
applicable law in connection with offering the Contracts issued by the Company.
2.5. The Trust, at its expense, shall provide the Company with copies of its
proxy material, periodic reports to shareholders and other communications to
shareholders in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably require for
purposes of distributing to Contract owners. The Trust, at the Company's
expense, shall provide the Company with copies of its periodic
reports to shareholders and other communications to shareholders in such
quantity as the Company shall reasonably request for use in connection with
offering the Contracts issued by the Company. If requested by the Company in
lieu thereof, the Trust shall provide such documentation (including a final copy
of the Trust's proxy materials, periodic reports to shareholders and other
communications to shareholders, as set in type or in camera-ready copy) and
other assistance as reasonably necessary in order for the Company to print such
shareholder communications for distribution to Contract owners.
2.6. The Company agrees and acknowledges that the Distributor is the sole owner
of the name and mark "Alger" and that all use of any designation comprised in
whole or part of such name or mark under this Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of the Distributor. Except as provided in Section 2.5, the Company shall
not use any such name or mark on its own behalf or on behalf of the Accounts or
Contracts in any registration statement, advertisement, sales literature or
other materials relating to the Accounts or Contracts without the prior written
consent of the Distributor. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason,
the Company shall cease all use of any such name or mark as soon as reasonably
practicable.
2.7. The Company shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Trust or its
designee a copy of each Contract prospectus and/or statement of additional
information describing the Contracts, each report to Contract owners, proxy
statement, application for exemption or request for no-action letter in which
the Trust or the Distributor is named contemporaneously with the filing of such
document with the Commission. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be
furnished, to the Trust or its designee each piece of sales literature or other
promotional material in which the Trust or the Distributor is named, at least
five Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the Trust
or its designee reasonably objects to such use within three Business Days after
receipt of such material.
2.8. The Company shall not give any information or make any representations or
statements on behalf of the Trust or concerning the Trust or the Distributor in
connection with the sale of the Contracts other than information or
representations contained in and accurately derived from the registration
statement or prospectus for the Trust shares (as such registration statement and
prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time), annual and
semi-annual reports of the Trust, Trust-sponsored proxy statements, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved by the Trust or its designee,
except as required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with the prior
written permission of the Trust, the Distributor or their respective designees.
The Trust and the Distributor agree to respond to any request for approval on a
prompt and timely basis. The Company shall adopt and implement procedures
reasonably designed to ensure that "broker only" materials including information
therein about the Trust or the Distributor are not distributed to existing or
prospective Contract owners.
2.9. The Trust shall use its best efforts to provide the Company, on a timely
basis, with such information about the Trust, the Portfolios and the
Distributor, in such form as the Company may reasonably require, as the Company
shall reasonably request in connection with the preparation of registration
statements, prospectuses and annual and semi-annual reports pertaining to the
Contracts.
2.10. The Trust and the Distributor shall not give, and agree that no affiliate
of either of them shall give, any information or make any representations or
statements on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, the Accounts or
the Contracts other than information or representations contained in and
accurately derived from the registration statement or prospectus for the
Contracts (as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time), or in materials approved by the Company for
distribution including sales literature or other promotional materials, except
as required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with the prior written
permission of the Company. The Company agrees to respond to any request for
approval of a prompt and timely basis.
2.11. So long as, and to the extent that, the Commission interprets the 1940
Act to require pass-through voting privileges for Contract owners, the Company
will provide pass-through voting privileges to Contract owners whose cash values
are invested, through the registered Accounts, in shares of one or more
Portfolios of the Trust. The Trust shall require all Participating Insurance
Companies to calculate voting privileges in the same manner and the Company
shall be responsible for assuring that the Accounts calculate voting privileges
in the manner established by the Trust. With respect to each registered Account,
the Company will vote shares of each Portfolio of the Trust held by a registered
Account and for which no timely voting instructions from Contract owners are
received in the same proportion as those shares for which voting instructions
are received. The Company and its agents will in no way recommend or oppose or
interfere with the solicitation of proxies for Portfolio shares held to fund the
Contacts without the prior written consent of the Trust, which consent may be
withheld in the Trust's sole discretion. The Company reserves the right, to the
extent permitted by law, to vote shares held in any Account in its sole
discretion.
2.12. The Company and the Trust will each provide to the other information about
the results of any regulatory examination relating to the Contracts or the
Trust, including relevant portions of any "deficiency letter" and any response
thereto.
2.13. No compensation shall be paid by the Trust to the Company, or by the
Company to the Trust, under this Agreement (except for specified expense
reimbursements). However, nothing herein shall prevent the parties hereto from
otherwise agreeing to perform, and arranging for appropriate compensation for,
other services relating to the Trust, the Accounts or both.
ARTICLE III.
Representations and Warranties
3.1. The Company represents and warrants that it is an insurance company
duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the State of New
York and that it has legally and validly established each Account as a
segregated asset account under such law as of the date set forth in
Schedule A, and that _________________________________, the principal
underwriter for the Contracts, is registered as a broker-dealer under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member in good standing of
the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
3.2. The Company represents and warrants that it has registered or, prior to
any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will register each Account as a
unit investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act
and cause each Account to remain so registered to serve as a segregated
asset account for the Contracts, unless an exemption from registration
is available.
3.3. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts will be registered
under the 1933 Act unless an exemption from registration is available prior to
any issuance or sale of the Contracts; the Contracts will be issued and sold in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and state laws;
and the sale of the Contracts shall comply in all material respects with state
insurance law suitability requirements.
3.4. The Trust represents and warrants that it is duly organized and validly
existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that it does
and will comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
3.5. The Trust and the Distributor represent and warrant that the Portfolio
shares offered and sold pursuant to this Agreement will be registered under the
1933 Act and sold in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws, and
the Trust shall be registered under the 1940 Act prior to and at the time of any
issuance or sale of such shares. The Trust shall amend its registration
statement under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in
order to effect the continuous offering of its shares. The Trust shall register
and qualify its shares for sale in accordance with the laws of the various
states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Trust.
3.6. The Trust and Adviser represent and warrant that the investments of each
Portfolio complies and will comply with the diversification requirements for
variable annuity, endowment or life insurance contracts set forth in Section
817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and the
rules and regulations thereunder, including without limitation Treasury
Regulation 1.817-5, and will notify the Company immediately upon having a
reasonable basis for believing any Portfolio has ceased to comply or might not
so comply and will immediately take all reasonable steps to adequately diversify
the Portfolio to achieve compliance within the grace period afforded by
Regulation 1.817-5.
3.7. The Trust and Adviser represent and warrant that each Portfolio is
currently qualified as a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of
the Code, that such qualification will be maintained and the Trust or the
Adviser will notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing it has ceased to so qualify or might not so qualify in the future.
3.8. The Trust represents and warrants that it, its directors, officers,
employees and others dealing with the money or securities, or both, of a
Portfolio shall at all times be covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar
coverage for the benefit of the Trust in an amount not less than the minimum
coverage required by Rule 17g-1 or other applicable regulations under the 1940
Act. Such bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and be issued
by a reputable bonding company.
3.9. The Distributor represents that it is duly organized and validly existing
under the laws of the State of Delaware and that it is registered, and will
remain registered, during the term of this Agreement, as a broker-dealer under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is a member in good standing of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
ARTICLE IV.
Potential Conflicts
4.1. The parties acknowledge that a Portfolio's shares may be made available for
investment to other Participating Insurance Companies. In such event, the
Trustees will monitor the Trust for the existence of any material irreconcilable
conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all Participating
Insurance Companies. A material irreconcilable conflict may arise for a variety
of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance regulatory
authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance, tax or
securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter ruling,
no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance, tax, or
securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial decision in
any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of any
Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given by
variable annuity contract and variable life insurance contract owners; or (f) a
decision by an insurer to disregard the voting instructions of contract owners.
The Trust shall promptly inform the Company of any determination by the Trustees
that a material irreconcilable conflict exists and of the implications thereof.
4.2. The Company agrees to report promptly any potential or existing conflicts
of which it is aware to the Trustees. The Company will assist the Trustees in
carrying out their responsibilities under the Shared Funding Exemptive Order by
providing the Trustees with all information reasonably necessary for and
requested by the Trustees to consider any issues raised including, but not
limited to, information as to a decision by the Company to disregard Contract
owner voting instructions. All communications from the Company to the Trustees
may be made in care of the Trust.
4.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Trustees, or a majority of the
disinterested Trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists that
affects the interests of contract owners, the Company shall, in cooperation with
other Participating Insurance Companies whose contract owners are also affected,
at its own expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by
the Trustees) take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or eliminate the
material irreconcilable conflict, which steps could include: (a) withdrawing the
assets allocable to some or all of the Accounts from the Trust or any Portfolio
and reinvesting such assets in a different investment medium, including (but not
limited to) another Portfolio of the Trust, or submitting the question of
whether or not such segregation should be implemented to a vote of all affected
Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of any appropriate
group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance contract owners, or
variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance Companies) that
votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected Contract owners
the option of making such a change; and (b) establishing a new registered
management investment company or managed separate account.
4.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision by the
Company to disregard Contract owner voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Company
may be required, at the Trust's election, to withdraw the affected Account's
investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement with respect to such
Account; provided, however that such withdrawal and termination shall be limited
to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as
determined by a majority of the disinterested Trustees. Any such withdrawal and
termination must take place within six (6) months after the Trust gives written
notice that this provision is being implemented. Until the end of such six (6)
month period, the Trust shall continue to accept and implement orders by the
Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Trust.
4.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular state
insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with the
majority of other state regulators, then the Company will withdraw the affected
Account's investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement with respect to
such Account within six (6) months after the Trustees inform the Company in
writing that the Trust has determined that such decision has created a material
irreconcilable conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination
shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested Trustees. Until the
end of such six (6) month period, the Trust shall continue to accept and
implement orders by the Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the
Trust.
4.6. For purposes of Section 4.3 through 4.6 of this Agreement, a majority of
the disinterested Trustees shall determine whether any proposed action
adequately remedies any material irreconcilable conflict, but in no event will
the Trust be required to establish a new funding medium for any Contract. The
Company shall not be required to establish a new funding medium for the
Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of
Contract owners materially adversely affected by the material irreconcilable
conflict. In the event that the Trustees determine that any proposed action does
not adequately remedy any material irreconcilable conflict, then the Company
will withdraw the Account's investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement
within six (6 months after the Trustees inform the Company in writing of the
foregoing determination; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination
shall be limited to the extent required by any such material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested Trustees.
4.7. The Company shall at least annually submit to the Trustees such reports,
materials or data as the Trustees may reasonably request so that the Trustees
may fully carry out the duties imposed upon them by the Shared Funding Exemptive
Order, and said reports, materials and data shall be submitted more frequently
if reasonably deemed appropriate by the Trustees.
4.8. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-3(T) is amended, or Rule 6e-3 is
adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the 1940 Act or the
rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared funding (as defined
in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions materially
different from those contained in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, then the
Trust and/or the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate, shall take
such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rule 6e-3(T), as amended, or Rule
6e-3, as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable.
ARTICLE V.
Indemnification
5.1. Indemnification By the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold
harmless the Adviser, --------------------------------- Distributor, the Trust
and each of its Trustees, officers, employee and agents and each person, if any,
who controls the Trust within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act
(collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 5.1)
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid
in settlement with the written consent of the Company, which consent shall not
be unreasonably withheld) or expenses (including the reasonable costs of
investigating or defending any alleged loss, claim, damage, liability or expense
and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in connection therewith)
(collectively, "Losses"), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject
under any statute or regulation, or at common law or otherwise,
insofar as such Losses are related to the sale or acquisition of the Contracts
or Trust shares and:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in a registration statement or
prospectus for the Contracts or in the Contracts themselves or in sales
literature generated or approved by the Company on behalf of the Contracts or
Accounts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing) (collectively,
"Company Documents" for the purposes of this Article V), or arise out of or are
based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, provided that this indemnity shall not apply as to any Indemnified
Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was
made in reliance upon and was accurately derived from written information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Trust for use in Company
Documents or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or
Trust shares; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations (other
than statements or representations contained in and accurately derived from
Trust Documents as defined in Section 5.2(a)) or wrongful conduct of the Company
or persons under its control, with respect to the sale or acquisition of the
Contracts or Trust shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in Trust Documents as defined in Section
5.2(a) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and
accurately derived from written information furnished to the Trust by or on
behalf of the Company; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Company or administrator
to provide the services or furnish the materials required under the terms of
this Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company or administrator in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this
Agreement by the Company or administrator; or
(f) arise out of or result from the provision by the Company or
administrator to the Trust of insufficient or incorrect information regarding
the purchase or sale of shares of any Portfolio, or the failure of the Company
or administrator to provide such information on a timely basis.
5.2. Indemnification by the Distributor. The Distributor, Adviser and Trust
each jointly and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and
each of its directors, officers, employees, and agents and each person, if any,
who controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties"
for the purposes of this Section 5.2) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Distributor, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) or
expenses (including the reasonable costs of investigating or defending any
alleged loss, claim, damage, liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel
fees incurred in connection therewith) (collectively, "Losses"), to which the
Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or regulation, or at
common law or otherwise, insofar as such Losses are related to the sale or
acquisition of the Contracts or Trust shares and:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or alleged
untrue statements of any material fact contained in the registration statement
or prospectus for the Trust (or any amendment or supplement thereto)
(collectively, "Trust Documents" for the purposes of this Article V), or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided that this indemnity shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and was accurately derived from written
information furnished to the Adviser, Distributor or the Trust by or on behalf
of the Company for use in Trust Documents or otherwise for use in connection
with the sale of the Contracts or Trust shares and; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations (other
than statements or representations contained in and accurately derived form
Company Documents) or wrongful conduct of the Adviser, Distributor or persons
under their control, with respect to the sale or acquisition of the Contracts or
Portfolio shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in Company Documents or the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and accurately derived from written
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Trust, Adviser or
Distributor; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Adviser, Distributor or
the Trust to provide the services or furnish the materials required under the
terms of this Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Adviser, Distributor or the Trust in
this Agreement (including a failure, whether unintentional or in good faith or
otherwise, to comply with the diversification and subchapter M requirements
specified in Article III ) or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Adviser Distributor or the Trust; or
(f) arise out of or result from the materially incorrect or materially
untimely calculation or reporting of the daily net asset value per share or
dividend or capital gain distribution rate.
5.3. None of the Company, the Adviser, the Trust or the Distributor shall be
liable under the indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, as
applicable, with respect to any Losses incurred or assessed against an
Indemnified Party that arise from such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance,
bad faith or negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or
by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations or
duties under this Agreement.
5.4. None of the Company, the Adviser, Trust or the Distributor shall be liable
under the indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, as applicable, with
respect to any claim made against an Indemnified party unless such Indemnified
Party shall have notified the other party in writing within a reasonable time
after the summons, or other first written notification, giving information of
the nature of the claim shall have been served upon or otherwise received by
such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received
notice of service upon or other notification to any designated agent), but
failure to notify the party against whom indemnification is sought of any such
claim shall not relieve that party from any liability which it may have to the
Indemnified Party in the absence of Sections 5.1 and 5.2.
5.5. In case any such action is brought against an Indemnified Party, the
indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense of such action. The indemnifying party also shall be entitled to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the party named in
the action. After notice from the indemnifying party to the Indemnified Party of
an election to assume such defense, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees
and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the indemnifying
party will not be liable to the Indemnified Party under this Agreement for any
legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in
connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of
investigation.
ARTICLE VI.
Termination
6.1. This Agreement shall terminate:
(a) at the option of any party upon 60 days advance written notice to the
other parties, unless a shorter time is agreed to by the parties;
(b) at the option of the Trust or the Distributor if the Contracts
issued by the Company cease to qualify as annuity contracts or life insurance
contracts, as applicable, under the Code or if the Contracts are not registered,
issued or sold in accordance with applicable state and/or federal law; or
(c) at the option of any party upon a determination by a majority of the
Trustees of the Trust, or a majority of its disinterested Trustees, that a
material irreconcilable conflict exists; or
(d) at the option of the Company upon institution of formal proceedings
against the Trust or the Distributor by the NASD, the SEC, or any state
securities or insurance department or any other regulatory body regarding the
Trust's or the Distributor's duties under this Agreement or related to the sale
of Trust shares or the operation of the Trust; or
(e) at the option of the Company if the Trust or a Portfolio fails to meet
the diversification requirements specified in Section 3.6 hereof; or
(f) at the option of the Company if shares of the Series are not
reasonably available to meet the requirements of the Variable Contracts issued
by the Company, as determined by the Company, and upon prompt notice by the
Company to the other parties; or
(g) at the option of the Company in the event any of the shares of the
Portfolio are not registered, issued or sold in accordance with applicable state
and/or federal law, or such law precludes the use of such shares as the
underlying investment media of the Variable Contracts issued or to be issued by
the Company; or
(h) at the option of the Company, if the Portfolio fails to qualify as a
Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code; or
(i) at the option of the Distributor if it shall determine in its sole
judgment exercised in good faith, that the Company and/or its affiliated
companies has suffered a material adverse change in its business, operations,
financial condition or prospects since the date of this Agreement or is the
subject of material adverse publicity.
6.2. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Trust shall, at the
option of the Company, continue to make available additional shares of any
Portfolio and redeem shares of any Portfolio pursuant to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement for all Contracts in effect on the effective date
of termination of this Agreement.
6.3. The provisions of Article V shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, and the provisions of Articles I, II, III, IV, and VII and shall
survive the termination of this Agreement as long as shares of the Trust are
held on behalf of Contract owners in accordance with Section 6.2.
ARTICLE VII.
Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below
or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing
to the other party.
If to the Trust, its Adviser, or its Distributor:
Fred Alger Management, Inc.
30 Montgomery Street
Jersey City, NJ 07302
Attn: Gregory S. Duch
If to the Company:
Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
Corporate Secretary
1150 S. Olive Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
ARTICLE VIII.
Miscellaneous
8.1. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of reference
only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or otherwise
affect their construction or effect.
8.2. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which
taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
8.3. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by a
court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement shall
not be affected thereby.
8.4. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted
under and in accordance with the laws of the State of California. It shall also
be subject to the provisions of the federal securities laws and the rules and
regulations thereunder and to any orders of the Commission granting exemptive
relief therefrom and the conditions of such orders. Copies of any such orders
shall be promptly forwarded by the Trust to the Company.
8.5. All liabilities of the Trust arising, directly or indirectly, under this
Agreement, of any and every nature whatsoever, shall be satisfied solely out of
the assets of the Trust and no Trustee, officer, agent or holder of shares of
beneficial interest of the Trust shall be personally liable for any such
liabilities.
8.6. Each party shall cooperate with each other party and all appropriate
governmental authorities (including without limitation the Commission, the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and state insurance regulators)
and shall permit such authorities reasonable access to its books and records in
connection with any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the
transactions contemplated hereby.
8.7. The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement are
cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and obligations,
at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under state and
federal laws.
8.8. This Agreement shall not be exclusive in any respect.
8.9. Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be
assigned by either party without the prior written approval of the other party.
8.10. No provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any manner
except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by both parties.
8.11. Each party hereto shall, except as required by law or otherwise permitted
by this Agreement, treat as confidential the names and addresses of the owners
of the Contracts and all information reasonably identified as confidential in
writing by any other party hereto, and shall not disclose such confidential
information without the written consent of the affected party unless such
information has become publicly available.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused their duly authorized
officers to execute this Participation Agreement as of the date and year first
above written.
Fred Alger and Company, Incorporated
By:________________________________
Name:
Title:
The Alger American Fund
By:_________________________________
Name:
Title:
Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
By:___________________________________
Name:
Title:
SCHEDULE A
The Alger American Fund:
Alger American Growth Portfolio
Alger American Leveraged AllCap Portfolio
Alger American Income & Growth Portfolio
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
AMONG
TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY,
TRANSAMERICA SECURITIES SALES CORPORATION,
ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP
AND
ALLIANCE FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
DATED AS OF
DECEMBER 15, 1997
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of December
1997 ("Agreement"), by and among Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company,
a California life insurance company ("Insurer") (on behalf of itself and its
"Separate Account," defined below); Transamerica Securites Sales Corporation, a
Maryland corporation ("Contracts Distributor"), the principal underwriter with
respect to the Contracts referred to below; Alliance Capital Management L.P., a
Delaware limited partnership ("Adviser"), the investment adviser of the Fund
referred to below; and Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc., a Delaware, corporation
("Distributor"), the Fund's principal underwriter (collectively, the "Parties"),
WITNESSETH THAT:
WHEREAS Insurer, the Distributor, and Alliance Variable Products Series
Fund, Inc. (the "Fund") desire that shares of the Fund's Premier Growth and
Growth and Income (the "Portfolios"; reference herein to the "Fund" includes
reference to each Portfolio to the extent the context requires) be made
available by Distributor to serve as underlying investment media for those
combination fixed and variable annuity contracts of Insurer that are the subject
of Insurer's Form N-4 registration statement filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), File No. 333-9745 (the "Contracts"), to be
offered through contracts Distributor and other registered broker-dealer firms
as agreed to by Insurer and Contracts Distributor; and
WHEREAS the Contracts provide for the allocation of net amounts
received by Insurer to separate series (the "Divisions"; reference herein to the
"Separate Account" includes reference to each Division to the extent the context
requires) of the Separate Account for investment in the shares of corresponding
Portfolios of the Fund that are made available through the Separate Account to
act as underlying investment media,
WHEREAS the Insurer may contract with an administrator (the
"Administrator") to perform certain services with respect to the Contracts and,
therefore, certain obligations of the Adviser may be directed to such
Administrator, if the Insurer so directs the Adviser;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual benefits and promises
contained herein, the Fund and Distributor will make shares of the Portfolios
available to Insurer for this purpose at net asset value and with no sales
charges, all subject to the following provisions:
Section 1. Additional Portfolios
The Fund has and may, from time to time, add additional Portfolios,
which will become subject to this Agreement, if, upon the written consent of
each of the Parties hereto, they are made available as investment media for the
Contracts.
Section 2. Processing Transactions
2.1 Timely Pricing and Orders.
The Adviser or its designated agent will provide closing net asset
value, dividend and capital gain information for each Portfolio to Insurer or
its Administrator, as directed by Insurer, at the close of trading on each day
(a "Business Day") on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular
trading. The Fund or its designated agent will use its best efforts to provide
this information by 6:00 p.m., Eastern time. Insurer will use these data to
calculate unit values, which in turn will be used to process transactions that
receive that same Business Day's Separate Account Division's unit values. Such
Separate Account processing will be done the same evening, and corresponding
orders with respect to Fund shares will be placed the morning of the following
Business Day. Insurer will use its best efforts to place such orders with the
Fund by 10:00 a.m., Eastern time.
If the Adviser provides material incorrect share net asset value
information, the Adviser shall make an adjustment to the number of shares
purchased or redeemed for the Separate Account to reflect the correct net asset
value per share. Any material error in the calculation or reporting of net asset
value per share, dividend or capital gains information shall be reported
promptly upon discovery to the Insurer.
2.2 Timely Payments.
Insurer or its Administrator will transmit orders for purchases and
redemptions of Fund shares to Distributor, and will wire payment for net
purchases to a custodial account designated by the Fund on the day the order for
Fund shares is placed, to the extent practicable. Payment for net redemptions
will be wired by the Fund to an account designated by Insurer on the same day as
the order is placed, to the extent practicable, and in any event be made within
six calendar days after the date the order is placed in order to enable Insurer
to pay redemption proceeds within the time specified in Section 22(e) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act").
2.3 Applicable Price.
The Parties agree that Portfolio share purchase and redemption orders
resulting from Contract owner purchase payments, surrenders, partial
withdrawals, routine withdrawals of charges, or other transactions under
Contracts will be executed at the net asset values as determined as of the close
of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange on the Business Day that
Insurer receives such orders and processes such transactions, which, Insurer
agrees shall occur not earlier than the Business Day prior to Distributor's
receipt of the corresponding orders for purchases and redemptions of Portfolio
shares. For the purposes of this section, Insurer and its Administrator shall be
deemed to be the agent of the Fund for receipt of such orders from holders or
applicants of contracts, and receipt by Insurer shall constitute receipt by the
Fund. All other purchases and redemptions of Portfolio shares by Insurer, will
be effected at the net asset values next computed after receipt by Distributor
of the order therefor, and such orders will be irrevocable. Insurer hereby
elects to reinvest all dividends and capital gains distributions in additional
shares of the corresponding Portfolio at the record-date net asset values until
Insurer otherwise notifies the Fund in writing, it being agreed by the Parties
that the record date and the payment date with respect to any dividend or
distribution will be the same Business Day. The Adviser shall give Insurer or
its Administrator, as directed by Insurer, two Business Days' notice of any
distributions.
Section 3. Costs and Expenses
3.1 General.
Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, each Party will bear
all expenses incident to its performance under this Agreement.
3.2 Registration.
The Fund will bear the cost of its registering as a management
investment company under the 1940 Act and registering its shares under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and keeping such
registrations current and effective; including, without limitation, the
preparation of and filing with the SEC of Forms N-SAR and Rule 24f-2 Notices
respecting the Fund and its shares and payment of all applicable registration or
filing fees with respect to any of the foregoing. Insurer will bear the cost of
registering the Separate Account as a unit investment trust under the 1940 Act
and registering units of interest under the Contracts under the 1933 Act and
keeping such registrations current and effective; including, without limitation,
the preparation and filing with the SEC of Forms N-SAR and Rule 24f-2 Notices
respecting the Separate Account and its units of interest and payment of all
applicable registration or filing fees with respect to any of the foregoing.
3.3 Other (Non-Sales-Related) Expenses.
The Fund will bear the costs of preparing, filing with the SEC and
setting for printing the Fund's prospectus, statement of additional information
and any amendments or supplements thereto (collectively, the "Fund Prospectus"),
periodic reports to shareholders, Fund proxy material and other shareholder
communications and any related requests for voting instructions from
Participants (as defined below). Insurer will bear the costs of preparing,
filing with the SEC and setting for printing, the Separate Account's prospectus,
statement of additional information and any amendments or supplements thereto
(collectively, the "Separate Account Prospectus"), any periodic reports to
owners, annuitants or participants under the Contracts (collectively,
"Participants"), and other Participant communications. The Fund and Insurer each
will bear the costs of printing in quantity and delivering to existing
Participants the documents as to which it bears the cost of preparation as set
forth above in this Section 3.3, it being understood that reasonable cost
allocations will be made in cases where any such Fund and Insurer documents are
printed or mailed on a combined or coordinated basis. If requested by Insurer,
the Fund will provide annual Prospectus text to Insurer on diskette for printing
and binding with the Separate Account Prospectus.
3.4 Other Sales-Related Expenses.
Expenses of distributing the Portfolio's shares and the Contracts will
be paid by Contracts Distributor and other parties, as they shall determine by
separate agreement.
3.5 Parties to Cooperate.
The Adviser, Insurer, Contracts Distributor, and Distributor each
agrees to cooperate with the others, as applicable, in arranging to print, mail
and/or deliver combined or coordinated prospectuses or other materials of the
Fund and Separate Account.
Section 4. Legal Compliance
4.1 Tax Laws.
(a) The Adviser represents and warrants that each Portfolio will elect
to qualify as a regulated investment company ("RIC") under Subchapter M of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and shall maintain such
qualification, and the Adviser or Distributor will notify Insurer immediately
upon having a reasonable basis for believing that a Portfolio has ceased to so
qualify or that it might not so qualify in the future.
(b) Insurer represents that it believes, in good faith, that the
Contracts will be treated as life insurance or annuity contracts under sections
7702 or 72 of the Code and that it will make every effort to maintain such
treatment. Insurer will notify the Fund and Distributor immediately upon having
a reasonable basis for believing that any of the Contracts have ceased to be so
treated or that they might not be so treated in the future.
(c) The Adviser represents and warrants that it will maintain each
Portfolio's compliance with the diversification requirements set forth in
Section 817(h) of the Code and Section 1.817-5(b) of the regulations under the
Code, and the Fund, Adviser or Distributor will notify Insurer immediately upon
having a reasonable basis for believing that a Portfolio has ceased to so comply
or that a Portfolio might not so comply in the future, and they will immediately
take all steps to adequately diversify the Portfolio to achieve compliance
within the grace period afforded by Treasury Regulation 1.817-5.
(d) Insurer represents that it believes, in good faith, that the
Separate Account is a "segregated asset account" and that interests in the
Separate Account are offered exclusively through the purchase of or transfer
into a "variable contract," within the meaning of such terms under Section
817(h) of the Code and the regulations thereunder. Insurer will make every
effort to continue to meet such definitional requirements, and it will notify
the Fund and Distributor immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing that such requirements have ceased to be met or that they might not be
met in the future.
(e) The Adviser will manage the Fund as a RIC in compliance with
Subchapter M of the Code and with Section 817(h) of the Code and regulations
thereunder. The Fund has adopted and will maintain procedures for ensuring that
the Fund is managed in compliance with Subchapter M and Section 817(h) and
regulations thereunder.
(f) Should the Distributor or Adviser become aware of a failure of
Fund, or any of its Portfolios, to be in compliance with Subchapter M of the
Code or Section 817(h) of the Code and regulations thereunder, they represent
and agree that they will immediately notify Insurer of such in writing.
4.2 Insurance and Certain Other Laws.
(a) The Adviser will use its best efforts to cause the Fund to comply
with any applicable state insurance laws or regulations, to the extent
specifically requested in writing by Insurer. If it cannot comply, it will so
notify Insurer in writing.
(b) Insurer represents and warrants that (i) it is an insurance company
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
State of California and has full corporate power, authority and legal right to
execute, deliver and perform its duties and comply with its obligations under
this Agreement, (ii) it has legally and validly established and maintains the
Separate Account as a segregated asset account under North Carolina Law, and
(iii) the Contracts comply in all material respects with all other applicable
federal and state laws and regulations.
(c) Insurer and Contracts Distributor represent and warrant that
Contracts Distributor is a business corporation duly organized, validly
existing, and in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland and has
full corporate power, authority and legal right to execute, deliver, and perform
its duties and comply with its obligations under this Agreement.
(d) Distributor represents and warrants that it is a business
corporation duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the
laws of the State of Delaware and has full corporate power, authority and legal
right to execute, deliver, and perform its duties and comply with its
obligations under this Agreement.
(e) Distributor represents and warrants that the Fund is a corporation
duly organized, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the
State of Maryland and has full power, authority, and legal right to execute,
deliver, and perform its duties and comply with its obligations under this
Agreement.
(f) Adviser represents and warrants that it is a limited partnership,
duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
State of Delaware and has full power, authority, and legal right to execute,
deliver, and perform its duties and comply with its obligations under this
Agreement.
4.3 Securities Laws.
(a) Insurer represents and warrants that (i) interests in the Separate
Account pursuant to the Contracts will be registered under the 1933 Act to the
extent required by the 1933 Act and the Contracts will be duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with [State] law, (ii) the Separate Account is
and will remain registered under the 1940 Act to the extent required by the 1940
Act, (iii) the Separate Account does and will comply in all material respects
with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, (iv) the
Separate Account's 1933 Act registration statement relating to the Contracts,
together with any amendments thereto, will, at all times comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules thereunder, and (v)
the Separate Account Prospectus will at all times comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the rules thereunder.
(b) The Adviser and Distributor represent and warrant that (i) Fund
shares sold pursuant to this Agreement will be registered under the 1933 Act to
the extent required by the 1933 Act and duly authorized for issuance and sold in
compliance with Maryland law, (ii) the Fund is and will remain registered under
the 1940 Act to the extent required by the 1940 Act, (iii) the Fund will amend
the registration statement for its shares under the 1933 Act and itself under
the 1940 Act from time to time as required in order to effect the continuous
offering of its shares, (iv) the Fund does and will comply in all material
respects with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder, (v) the
Fund's 1933 Act registration statement, together with any amendments thereto,
will at all times comply in all material respects with the requirements of the
1933 Act and rules thereunder, and (vi) the Fund Prospectus will at all times
comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the
rules thereunder.
(c) The Fund will register and qualify its shares for sale in
accordance with the laws of any state or other jurisdiction only if and to the
extent reasonably deemed advisable by the Fund, Insurer or any other life
insurance company utilizing the Fund.
(d) Distributor and Contracts Distributor each represents and warrants
that it is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and is a member in good standing of the
National Association of Securities Dealers Inc. (the "NASD").
4.4 Notice of Certain Proceedings and Other Circumstances.
(a) Distributor or the Fund shall immediately notify Insurer of (i) the
issuance by any court or regulatory body of any stop order, cease and desist
order, or other similar order with respect to the Fund's registration statement
under the 1933 Act or the Fund Prospectus, (ii) any request by the SEC for any
amendment to such registration statement or Fund Prospectus, (iii) the
initiation of any proceedings for that purpose or for any other purpose relating
to the registration or offering of the Fund's shares, or (iv) any other action
or circumstances that may prevent the lawful offer or sale of Fund shares in any
state or jurisdiction, including, without limitation, any circumstances in which
(x) the Fund's shares are not registered and, in all material respects, issued
and sold in accordance with applicable state and federal law or (y) such law
precludes the use of such shares as an underlying investment medium of the
Contracts issued or to be issued by Insurer. Distributor and the Fund will make
every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any such stop order, cease
and desist order or similar order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain
the lifting thereof at the earliest possible time.
(b) Insurer and Contracts Distributor shall immediately notify the Fund
of (i) the issuance by any court or regulatory body of any stop order, cease and
desist order or similar order with respect to the Separate Account's
registration statement under the 1933 Act relating to the Contracts or the
Separate Account Prospectus, (ii) any request by the SEC for any amendment to
such registration statement or Separate Account Prospectus, (iii) the initiation
of any proceedings for that purpose or for any other purpose relating to the
registration or offering of the Separate Account interests pursuant to the
Contracts, or (iv) any other action or circumstances that may prevent the lawful
offer or sale of said interests in any state or jurisdiction, including, without
limitation, any circumstances in which said interests are not registered and, in
all material respects, issued and sold in accordance with applicable state and
federal law. Insurer and Contracts Distributor will make every reasonable effort
to prevent the issuance of any such stop order, cease and desist order or
similar order and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at
the earliest possible time.
4.5 Insurer to Provide Documents.
Upon request, Insurer will provide the Fund and the Distributor one
complete copy of SEC registration statements, Separate Account Prospectuses,
reports, any preliminary and final voting instruction solicitation material,
applications for exemptions, requests for no-action letters, and amendments to
any of the above, that relate to the Separate Account or the Contracts,
contemporaneously with the filing of such document with the SEC or other
regulatory authorities.
4.6 Fund to Provide Documents.
Upon request, the Fund will provide to Insurer one complete copy of SEC
registration statements, Fund Prospectuses, reports, any preliminary and final
proxy material, 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 SEC or other
regulatory authorities.
Section 5. Mixed and Shared Funding
5.1 General.
The Fund has obtained an order exempting it from certain provisions of
the 1940 Act and rules thereunder so that the Fund is available for investment
by certain other entities, including, without limitation, separate accounts
funding variable life insurance policies and separate accounts of insurance
companies unaffiliated with Insurer ("Mixed and Shared Funding Order"). The
Parties recognize that the SEC has imposed terms and conditions for such orders
that are substantially identical to many of the provisions of this Section 5.
5.2 Disinterested Directors.
The Fund agrees that its Board of Directors shall at all times consist
of directors a majority of whom (the "Disinterested Directors") are not
interested persons of Adviser or Distributor within the meaning of Section
2(a)(I 9) of the 1940 Act.
5.3 Monitoring for Material Irreconcilable Conflicts.
The Fund agrees that its Board of Directors will monitor for the
existence of any material irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the
participants in all separate accounts of life insurance companies utilizing the
Fund, including the Separate Account. Insurer agrees to inform the Board of
Directors of the Fund of the existence of or any potential for any such material
irreconcilable conflict of which it is aware. The concept of a "material
irreconcilable conflict" is not defined by the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder,
but the Parties recognize that such a conflict may arise for a variety of
reasons, including, without limitation:
(a) an action by any state insurance or other regulatory authority;
(b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance, tax or
securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter ruling,
no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance, tax or
securities regulatory authorities;
(c) an administrative or judicial decision in any relevant proceeding;
(d) the manner in which the investments of any Portfolio are being managed;
(e) a difference in voting instructions given by variable annuity
contract and variable life insurance contract participants or by participants of
different life insurance companies utilizing the Fund; or
(f) a decision by a life insurance company utilizing the Fund to
disregard the voting instructions of participants.
Insurer will assist the Board of Directors in carrying out its
responsibilities by providing the Board of Directors with all information
reasonably necessary for the Board of Directors to consider any issue raised,
including information as to a decision by Insurer to disregard voting
instructions of Participants.
5.4 Conflict Remedies.
(a) It is agreed that if it is determined by a majority of the members
of the Board of Directors or a majority of the Disinterested Directors that a
material irreconcilable conflict exists, Insurer and the other life insurance
companies utilizing the Fund will, at their own expense and to the extent
reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the Disinterested
Directors), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or eliminate the
material irreconcilable conflict, which steps may include, but are not limited
to:
(i) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate
accounts from the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a
different investment medium, including another Portfolio of the Fund, or
submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote
of all affected participants and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of any
particular group (e.g., annuity contract owners or participants, life insurance
contract owners or all contract owners and participants of one or more life
insurance companies utilizing the Fund) that votes in favor of such segregation,
or offering to the affected contract owners or participants the option of making
such a change; and
(ii) establishing a new registered investment company of the type
defined as a "Management Company" in Section 4(3) of the 1940 Act or a new
separate account that is operated as a Management Company.
(b) If the material irreconcilable conflict arises because of Insurer's
decision to disregard Participant voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, Insurer may be
required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the Separate Account's investment
in the Fund. No charge or penalty will be imposed as a result of such
withdrawal. Any such withdrawal must take place within six months after the Fund
gives notice to Insurer that this provision is being implemented, and until such
withdrawal Distributor and the Fund shall continue to accept and implement
orders by Insurer for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Fund.
(c) If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to Insurer conflicts with the
majority of other state regulators, then Insurer will withdraw the Separate
Account's investment in the Fund within six months after the Fund's Board of
Directors informs Insurer that it has determined that such decision has created
a material irreconcilable conflict, and until such withdrawal Distributor and
Fund shall continue to accept and implement orders by Insurer for the purchase
and redemption of shares of the Fund.
(d) Insurer agrees that any remedial action taken by it in resolving
any material irreconcilable conflict will be carried out at its expense and with
a view only to the interests of Participants.
(e) For purposes hereof, a majority of the Disinterested Directors will
determine whether or not any proposed action adequately remedies any material
irreconcilable conflict. In no event, however, will the Fund or Distributor be
required to establish a new funding medium for any Contracts. Insurer will not
be required by the terms hereof to establish a new funding medium for any
Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of
Participants materially adversely affected by the material irreconcilable
conflict.
5.5 Notice to Insurer.
The Fund will promptly make known in writing to Insurer the Board of
Directors' determination of the existence of a material irreconcilable conflict,
a description of the facts that give rise to such conflict and the implications
of such conflict.
5.6 Information Requested by Board of Directors.
Insurer and the Fund will at least annually submit to the Board of
Directors of the Fund such reports, materials or data as the Board of Directors
may reasonably request so that the Board of Directors may fully carry out the
obligations imposed upon it by the provisions hereof, and said reports,
materials and data will be submitted at any reasonable time deemed appropriate
by the Board of Directors. All reports received by the Board of Directors of
potential or existing conflicts, and all Board of Directors actions with regard
to determining the existence of a conflict, notifying life insurance companies
utilizing the Fund of a conflict, and determining whether any proposed action
adequately remedies a conflict, will be properly recorded in the minutes of the
Board of Directors or other appropriate records, and such minutes or other
records will be made available to the SEC upon request.
5.7 Compliance with SEC Rules.
If, at any time during which the Fund is serving an investment medium
for variable life insurance policies, 1940 Act Rules 6e-3(T) or, if applicable,
6e-2 are amended or Rule 6e-3 is adopted to provide exemptive relief with
respect to mixed and shared funding, the Parties agree that they will comply
with the terms and conditions thereof and that the terms of this Section 5 shall
be deemed modified if and only to the extent required in order also to comply
with the terms and conditions of such exemptive relief that is afforded by any
of said rules that are applicable.
Section 6. Termination
6.1 Events of Termination.
Subject to Section 6.4 below, this Agreement will terminate as to a
Portfolio:
(a) at the option of Insurer or Distributor upon at least six months
advance written notice to the other Parties, or
(b) at the option of the Fund upon (i) at least sixty days advance
written notice to the other parties, and (ii) approval by (x) a majority of the
disinterested Directors upon a finding that a continuation of this Contract is
contrary to the best interests of the Fund, or (y) a majority vote of the shares
of the affected Portfolio in the corresponding Division of the Separate Account
(pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 10 of this Agreement for voting
Trust shares in accordance with Participant instructions).
(c) at the option of the Fund upon institution of formal proceedings
against Insurer or Contracts Distributor by the NASD, the SEC, any state
insurance regulator or any other regulatory body regarding Insurer's obligations
under this Agreement or related to the sale of the Contracts, the operation of
the Separate Account, or the purchase of the Fund shares, if, in each case, the
Fund reasonably determines that such proceedings, or the facts on which such
proceedings would be based, have a material likelihood of imposing material
adverse consequences on the Portfolio to be terminated; or
(d) at the option of Insurer upon institution of formal proceedings
against the Fund, Adviser, or Distributor by the NASD, the SEC, or any state
insurance regulator or any other regulatory body regarding the Fund's, Adviser's
or Distributor's obligations under this Agreement or related to the operation or
management of the Fund or the purchase of Fund shares, if, in each case, Insurer
reasonably determines that such proceedings, or the facts on which such
proceedings would be based, have a material likelihood of imposing material
adverse consequences on Insurer, Contracts Distributor or the Division
corresponding to the Portfolio to be terminated; or
(e) at the option of any Party in the event that (i) the Portfolio's
shares are not registered and, in all material respects, issued and sold in
accordance with any applicable state and federal 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 Insurer; or
(f) upon termination of the corresponding Division's investment in the
Portfolio pursuant to Section 5 hereof; or
(g) at the option of Insurer if the Portfolio ceases to qualify as a
RIC under Subchapter M of the Code or under successor or similar provisions; or
(h) at the option of Insurer if the Portfolio fails to comply with Section
817(h) of the Code or with successor or similar provisions; or
(i) at the option of Insurer if Insurer reasonably believes that any
change in a Fund's investment adviser or investment practices will materially
increase the risks incurred by Insurer.
6.2 Funds to Remain Available.
Except (i) as necessary to implement Participant-initiated
transactions, (ii) as required by state insurance laws or regulations, (iii) as
required pursuant to Section 5 of this Agreement, or (iv) with respect to any
Portfolio as to which this Agreement has terminated, Insurer shall not (x)
redeem Fund shares attributable to the Contracts, or (y) prevent Participants
from allocating payments to or transferring amounts from a Portfolio that was
otherwise available under the Contracts, until, in either case, 90 calendar days
after Insurer shall have notified the Fund or Distributor of its intention to do
so.
6.3 Survival of Warranties and Indemnifications.
All warranties and indemnifications will survive the termination of
this Agreement.
6.4 Continuance of Agreement for Certain Purposes.
Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Distributor
shall continue to make available shares of the Portfolios pursuant to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement, for all Contracts in effect on the effective
date of termination of this Agreement (the "Existing Contracts"), except as
otherwise provided under Section 5 of this Agreement. Specifically, and without
limitation, the Distributor shall facilitate the sale and purchase of shares of
the portfolios as necessary in order to process premium payments, surrenders and
other withdrawals, and transfers or reallocations of values under Existing
Contracts.
Section 7. Parties to Cooperate Respecting Termination
The other Parties hereto agree to cooperate with and give reasonable
assistance to Insurer in taking all necessary and appropriate steps for the
purpose of ensuring that the Separate Account owns no shares of a Portfolio
after the Final Termination Date with respect thereto.
Section 8. Assignment
This Agreement may not be assigned by any Party, except with the
written consent of each other Party.
Section 9. Notices
Notices and communications required or permitted by Section 2 hereof
will be given by means mutually acceptable to the Parties concerned. Each other
notice or communication required or permitted by this Agreement will be given to
the following persons at the following addresses and facsimile numbers, or such
other persons, addresses or facsimile numbers as the Party receiving such
notices or communications may subsequently direct in writing:
Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
Corporate Secretary
1150 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, California 90015
Transamerica Securities Sales Corporation
Transamerica Center
1150 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, California 90015
Alliance Fund Distributors, Inc.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York NY 10105
Attn.: Edmund P. Bergan
FAX: (212) 969-2290
Alliance Capital Management L.P.
1345 Avenue of the Americas
New York NY 10105
Attn: Edmund P. Bergan
FAX: (212) 969-2290
Section 10. Voting Procedures
Subject to the cost allocation procedures set forth in Section 3
hereof, Insurer will distribute all proxy material furnished by the Fund to
Participants and will vote Fund shares in accordance with instructions received
from Participants. Insurer will vote Fund shares that are (a) not attributable
to Participants or (b) attributable to Participants, but for which no
instructions have been received, in the same proportion as Fund shares for which
said instructions have been received from Participants. Insurer agrees that it
will disregard Participant voting instructions only to the extent it would be
permitted to do so pursuant to Rule 6e-3 (T)(b)(15)(iii) under the 1940 Act if
the Contracts were variable life insurance policies subject to that rule. Other
participating life insurance companies utilizing the Fund will be responsible
for calculating voting privileges in a manner consistent with that of Insurer,
as prescribed by this Section 10.
Section 11. Foreign Tax Credits
The Adviser agrees to consult in advance with Insurer concerning any
decision to elect or not to elect pursuant to Section 853 of the Code to pass
through the benefit of any foreign tax credits to the Fund's shareholders.
Section 12. Indemnification
12.1 Of Fund, Distributor and Adviser by Insurer.
(a) Except to the extent provided in Sections 12.1(b) and 12.1(c),
below, Insurer agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund, Distributor and
Adviser, each of their directors and officers, and each person, if any, who
controls the Fund, Distributor or Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of
the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this
Section 12. 1) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of Insurer) or
actions in respect thereof (including, to the extent reasonable, legal and other
expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any
statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or actions are related to the sale, acquisition, or holding
of the Fund's shares and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Separate Account's 1933 Act
registration statement, the Separate Account Prospectus, the Contracts or, to
the extent prepared by Insurer or Contracts Distributor, sales literature or
advertising for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged
omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that this
agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished to Insurer or Contracts
Distributor by or on behalf of the Fund, Distributor or Adviser for use in the
Separate Account's 1933 Act registration statement, the Separate Account
Prospectus, the Contracts, or sales literature or advertising (or any amendment
or supplement to any of the foregoing); or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of any other statements or
representations (other than statements or representations contained in the
Fund's 1933 Act registration statement, Fund Prospectus, sales literature or
advertising of the Fund, or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing,
not supplied for use therein by or on behalf of Insurer or Contracts
Distributor) or the negligent, illegal or fraudulent conduct of Insurer or
Contracts Distributor or persons under their control (including, without
limitation, their employee and "Associated Persons," as that term is defined in
paragraph (m) of Article I of the NASD's By-Laws), in connection with the sale
or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(iii) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Fund's 1933 Act
registration statement, Fund Prospectus, sales literature or advertising of the
Fund, or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing, or the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if such a statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Fund, Adviser or Distributor by or on behalf of Insurer or
Contracts Distributor for use in the Fund's 1933 Act registration statement,
Fund Prospectus, sales literature or advertising of the Fund, or any amendment
or supplement to any of the foregoing; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by Insurer or Contracts
Distributor to perform the obligations, provide the services and furnish the
materials required of them under the terms of this Agreement.
(b) Insurer shall not be liable under this Section 12.1 with respect to
any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions to which an Indemnified
Party would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or
gross negligence in the performance by that Indemnified Party of its duties or
by reason of that Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations or
duties under this Agreement or to Distributor or to the Fund.
(c) Insurer shall not be liable under this Section 12.1 with respect to
any action against an Indemnified Party unless the Fund, Distributor or Adviser
shall have notified Insurer in writing within a reasonable time after the
summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the
action shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such
Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any designated
agent), but failure to notify Insurer of any such action shall not relieve
Insurer from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against
whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this Section 12. 1. In
case any such action is brought against an Indemnified Party, Insurer shall be
entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense of such action.
Insurer also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel
approved by the Indemnified Party named in the action, which approval shall not
be unreasonably withheld. After notice from Insurer to such Indemnified Party of
Insurer's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party will
cooperate fully with Insurer and shall bear the fees and expenses of any
additional counsel retained by it, and Insurer will not be liable to such
Indemnified Party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party independently in connection with
the defense thereof, other than reasonable costs of investigation.
12.2 Indemnification of Insurer and Contracts Distributor by Adviser and
Distributor.
(a) Except to the extent provided in Sections 12.2(d) and 12.2(e),
below, Adviser and Distributor agree to indemnify and hold harmless Insurer and
Contracts Distributor, each of their directors and officers, and each person, if
any, who controls Insurer or Contracts Distributor within the meaning of Section
15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this
Section 12.2) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of Adviser) or
actions in respect thereof (including, to the extent reasonable, legal and other
expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or actions are related to the sale, acquisition, or holding of the Fund's shares
and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Fund's 1933 Act
registration statement, Fund Prospectus, sales literature or advertising of the
Fund or, to the extent not prepared by Insurer or Contracts Distributor, sales
literature or advertising for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to
any of the foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or the
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided that this
agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission was made in reliance
upon and in conformity with information furnished to Distributor, Adviser or the
Fund by or on behalf of Insurer or Contracts Distributor for use in the Fund's
1933 Act registration statement, Fund Prospectus, or in sales literature or
advertising (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing); or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of any other statements or
representations (other than statements or representations contained in the
Separate Account's 1933 Act registration statement, Separate Account Prospectus,
sales literature or advertising for the Contracts, or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing, not supplied for use therein by or on behalf
of Distributor, Adviser, or the Fund) or the negligent, illegal or fraudulent
conduct of the Fund, Distributor, Adviser or persons under their control
(including, without limitation, their employees and Associated Persons), in
connection with the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares;
or
(iii) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Separate Account's 1933
Act registration statement, Separate Account Prospectus, sales literature or
advertising covering the Contracts, or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading, if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to Insurer or Contracts Distributor by or
on behalf of the Fund, Distributor or Adviser for use in the Separate Account's
1933 Act registration statement, Separate Account Prospectus, sales literature
or advertising covering the Contracts, or any amendment or supplement to any of
the foregoing;
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund, Adviser or Distributor
to perform the obligations, provide the services and furnish the materials
required of them under the terms of this Agreement;
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Adviser or Distributor in this
Agreement (including a failure, whether unintentional or in good faith or
otherwise, to comply with the diversification and Sub-Chapter M qualification
requirements specified in Section 4 of this Agreement) or arise out of or result
form any other material breach of this Agreement by the Adviser or Distributor;
or
(vi) arise out of or result from the materially incorrect or untimely
calculation or reporting of the daily net asset value per share or dividend or
capital gain distribution rate.
(b) Except to the extent provided in Sections 12.2(d) and 12.2(e)
hereof, Adviser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified Parties
from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including
amounts paid in settlement thereof with, except as set forth in Section 12.2(c)
below, the written consent of Adviser) or actions in respect thereof (including,
to the extent reasonable, legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified
Parties may become subject directly or indirectly under any statute, at common
law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
actions directly or indirectly result from or arise out of the failure of any
Portfolio to operate as a regulated investment company in compliance with (i)
Subchapter M of the Code and regulations thereunder and (ii) Section 817(h) of
the Code and regulations thereunder (except to the extent that such failure is
caused by Insurer), including, without limitation, any income taxes and related
penalties, rescission charges, liability under state law to Contract owners or
Participants asserting liability against Insurer or Contracts Distributor
pursuant to the Contracts, the costs of any ruling and closing agreement or
other settlement with the Internal Revenue Service, and the cost of any
substitution by Insurer of shares of another investment company or portfolio for
those of any adversely affected Portfolio as a funding medium for the Separate
Account that Insurer deems necessary or appropriate as a result of the
noncompliance.
(c) The written consent of Adviser referred to in Section 12.2(b) above
shall not be required with respect to amounts paid in connection with any ruling
and closing agreement or other settlement with the Internal Revenue Service.
(d) Adviser shall not be liable under this Section 12.2 with respect to
any losses, claims; damages, liabilities or actions to which an Indemnified
Party would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or
gross negligence in the performance by that Indemnified Party of its duties or
by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of its obligations and
duties under this Agreement or to Insurer, Contracts Distributor or the Separate
Account.
(e) Adviser shall not be liable under this Section 12.2 with respect to
any action against an Indemnified Party unless Insurer or Contracts Distributor
shall have notified Adviser in writing within a reasonable time after the
summons or other first legal process giving information of the nature of the
action shall have been served upon such Indemnified Party (or after such
Indemnified Party shall have received notice of such service on any designated
agent), but failure to notify Adviser of any such action shall not relieve
Adviser from any liability which it may have to the Indemnified Party against
whom such action is brought otherwise than on account of this Section 12.2. In
case any such action is brought against an Indemnified Party, Adviser will be
entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense of such action.
Adviser also shall be entitled to assume the defense thereof (which shall
include, without limitation, the conduct of any ruling request and closing
agreement or other settlement proceeding with the Internal Revenue Service),
with counsel approved by the Indemnified Party named in the action, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld. After notice from Adviser to such
Indemnified Party of Adviser's election to assume the defense thereof, the
Indemnified Party will cooperate fully with Adviser and shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and Adviser will not be
liable to such Indemnified Party under this Agreement for any legal or other
expenses subsequently incurred by such Indemnified Party independently in
connection with the defense thereof, other than reasonable costs of
investigation.
12.3 Effect of Notice.
Any notice given by the indemnifying Party to an Indemnified Party
referred to in Section 12.1(c) or 12.2(e) above of participation in or control
of any action by the indemnifying Party will in no event be deemed to be an
admission by the indemnifying Party of liability, culpability or responsibility,
and the indemnifying Party will remain free to contest liability with respect to
the claim among the Parties or otherwise.
Section 13. Applicable Law
This Agreement will be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted
under and in accordance with New York law, without regard for that state's
principles of conflict of laws.
Section 14. Execution in Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together will constitute one and the same
instrument.
Section 15. Severability
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.
Section 16. Rights Cumulative
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.
Section 17. Restrictions on Sales of Fund Shares
Insurer agrees that the Fund will be permitted (subject to the other
terms of this Agreement) to make its shares available to separate accounts of
other life insurance companies.
Section 18. Headings
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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be
executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized
officers signing below.
TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By:
Name:
Title:
TRANSAMERICA SECURITIES SALES
CORPORATION
By:
Name:
Title:
ALLIANCE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LP
By: Alliance Capital Management Corporation,
its General Partner
By:
Name:
Title:
ALLIANCE FUND DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By:
Name:
Title:
JANUS ASPEN SERIES
FUND PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made this ____ day of __________, 199_, between JANUS
ASPEN SERIES, an open-end management investment company organized as a Delaware
business trust (the "Trust"), JANUS CAPITAL CORPORATION (the "Adviser"), a
Colorado Corporation and the investment adviser to the Trust, and TRANSAMERICA
OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, a life insurance company organized under the
laws of the State of California (the "Company"), on its own behalf and on behalf
of each segregated asset account of the Company set forth on Schedule A, as may
be amended from time to time (the "Accounts").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Trust has registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an open-end management investment company under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), and has registered the offer
and sale of its shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933
Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires to act as an investment vehicle for separate
accounts established for variable life insurance policies and variable annuity
contracts to be offered by insurance companies that have entered into
participation agreements with the Trust (the "Participating Insurance
Companies"); and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Trust is divided into several
series of shares, each series representing an interest in a particular managed
portfolio of securities and other assets (the "Portfolios"); and
WHEREAS, the Trust has received an order from the Securities and
Exchange Commission granting Participating Insurance Companies and their
separate accounts exemptions from the provisions of Sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a)
and 15(b) of the 1940 Act, and Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3(T)(b)(15) thereunder,
to the extent necessary to permit shares of the Trust to be sold to and held by
variable annuity and variable life insurance separate accounts of both
affiliated and unaffiliated life insurance companies and certain qualified
pension and retirement plans (the "Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register (unless
registration is not required under applicable law) certain variable life
insurance policies and/or variable annuity contracts under the 1933 Act (the
"Contracts"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register (unless
registration is not required under applicable law) each Account as a unit
investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Adviser is registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940,
as amended;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to utilize shares of one or more Portfolios as
an investment vehicle of the Accounts;
WHEREAS, the Company may contract with an Administrator to perform
certain administrative services with regard to the Contracts and Account(s) and,
therefore, certain obligations of the Trust and/or Adviser shall be directed to
the Administrator, as directed by the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the parties
agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
Sale of Trust Shares
1.1 The Trust and the Adviser shall make shares of the Trust's
Portfolios available to the Accounts at the net asset value next computed after
receipt of such purchase order by the Trust (or its agent), as established in
accordance with the provisions of the then current prospectus of the Trust.
Shares of a particular Portfolio of the Trust shall be ordered in such
quantities and at such times as determined by the Company or its Administrator
to be necessary to meet the requirements of the Contracts. The Trustees of the
Trust (the "Trustees") may refuse to sell shares of any Portfolio to any person,
or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio if such action
is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or is, in
the sole discretion of the Trustees acting in good faith and in light of their
fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, necessary in the
best interests of the shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.2 The Trust will redeem any full or fractional shares of any
Portfolio when requested by the Company or its Administrator on behalf of an
Account at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Trust (or its
agent) of the request for redemption, as established in accordance with the
provisions of the then current prospectus of the Trust.
1.3 For the purposes of Sections 1.1 and 1.2, the Trust hereby appoints
the Company as its agent for the limited purpose of receiving and accepting
purchase and redemption orders resulting from investment in and payments under
the Contracts. Receipt by the Company shall constitute receipt by the Trust
provided that i) such orders are received by the Company in good order prior to
the time the net asset value of each Portfolio is priced in accordance with its
prospectus and ii) the Trust receives notice of such orders by 11:00 a.m. New
York time on the next following Business Day. "Business Day" shall mean any day
on which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading unless the Trust is not
required to calculate its net asset value on such a day pursuant to the rules of
the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
1.4 Purchase orders that are transmitted to the Trust in accordance
with Section 1.3 shall be paid for no later than 12:00 noon New York time on the
same Business Day that the Trust receives notice of the order. The Trust shall
use its best efforts to make payment for redemption orders transmitted to the
Trust in accordance with Section 1.3 by 3:00 p.m. New York time on the same
Business Day that the Trust receives notice of the order, but in no event shall
payment be delayed for a greater period than is permitted by the 1940 Act.
Payments shall be made in federal funds transmitted by wire.
1.5 Issuance and transfer of the Trust's shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Account.
Shares ordered from the Trust will be recorded in the appropriate title for each
Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.6 The Trust shall furnish prompt notice to the Company or its
Administrator, as specified by the Company, of any income dividends or capital
gain distributions payable on the Trust's shares prior to the payment of such
dividends. The Company hereby elects to receive all such income dividends and
capital gain distributions as are payable on a Portfolio's shares in additional
shares of that Portfolio. The Trust shall notify the Company or its
Administrator, as specified by the Company, of the number of shares so issued as
payment of such dividends and distributions prior to the payment of such
dividends.
1.7 The Trust shall make the net asset value per share for each
Portfolio available to the Company or its Administrator, as specified by the
Company, on a daily basis every Business Day as soon as reasonably practical
after the net asset value per share is calculated and shall use its best efforts
to make such net asset value per share available by 6 p.m. New York time.
1.8 The Trust and the Adviser agree that the Trust's shares will be
sold only to Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts and
to certain qualified pension and retirement plans to the extent permitted by the
Exemptive Order. No shares of any Portfolio will be sold directly to the general
public. The Company agrees that Trust shares will be used only for the purposes
of funding the Contracts and Accounts listed in Schedule A, as amended from time
to time.
1.9 The Trust and the Adviser agree that all Participating Insurance
Companies shall have the obligations and responsibilities regarding pass-through
voting and conflicts of interest corresponding to those contained in Section 2.8
and Article IV of this Agreement.
1.10 If the Trust provides materially incorrect share net asset value
information through no fault of the Company, the Company shall be entitled to an
adjustment with respect to the Trust shares purchased or redeemed to reflect the
correct net asset value per share. The determination of the materiality of any
net asset value pricing error shall be based on the SEC's recommended guidelines
regarding such errors. The correction of any such errors shall be made at the
Company level and shall be made pursuant to the SEC's recommended guidelines.
Any material error in the calculation or reporting of net asset value per share,
dividend or capital gain information shall be reported promptly upon discovery
to the Company.
ARTICLE II
Obligations of the Parties
2.1 The Trust and the Adviser shall prepare and be responsible for
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission and any state regulators
requiring such filing all shareholder reports, notices, proxy materials (or
similar materials such as voting instruction solicitation materials),
prospectuses, statements of additional information, and fund profiles (upon the
adoption of Rule 498 under the 1933 Act) of the Trust. The Trust shall bear the
costs of registration and qualification of its shares, preparation and filing of
the documents listed in this Section 2.1 and all taxes to which an issuer is
subject on the issuance and transfer of its shares.
2.2 At the option of the Company, the Trust shall either (a) provide
the Company (at the Company's expense) with as many copies of the current
prospectus, annual report, semi-annual report, fund profiles and other
shareholder communications, including any amendments or supplements to any of
the foregoing, for the Trust's Portfolios in which the Accounts invest, as the
Company shall reasonably request; or (b) provide the Company with a camera ready
copy of such documents in a form suitable for printing. The Trust shall provide
the Company with a copy of its statement of additional information in a form
suitable for duplication by the Company. The Trust (at its expense) shall
provide the Company with copies of any Trust-sponsored proxy materials in such
quantity as the Company shall reasonably require for distribution to Contract
owners.
2.3 The Company shall bear the costs of printing and distributing the
Trust's prospectus, statement of additional information, shareholder reports and
other shareholder communications to owners of and applicants for policies for
which the Trust is serving or is to serve as an investment vehicle. The Company
shall bear the costs of distributing proxy materials (or similar materials such
as voting solicitation instructions) to Contract owners. The Company assumes
sole responsibility for ensuring that such materials are delivered to Contract
owners in accordance with applicable federal and state securities laws.
2.4 The Company agrees and acknowledges that the Adviser is the sole
owner of the name and mark "Janus" and that all use of any designation comprised
in whole or part of Janus (a "Janus Mark") under this Agreement shall inure to
the benefit of the Adviser. Except as provided in Section 2.5, the Company shall
not use any Janus Mark on its own behalf or on behalf of the Accounts or
Contracts in any registration statement, advertisement, sales literature or
other materials relating to the Accounts or Contracts without the prior written
consent of the Adviser. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, the
Company shall cease all use of any Janus Mark(s) as soon as reasonably
practicable except with respect to shares of the Trust that continue to be made
available to Contract owners in accordance with Section 6.2.
2.5 The Company shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Trust
or its designee, a copy of each Contract prospectus or statement of additional
information in which the Trust or the Adviser is named prior to the filing of
such document with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company shall
furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the Trust or its designee, each
piece of sales literature or other promotional material in which the Trust or
the Adviser is named, at least fifteen Business Days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used if the Trust or its designee reasonably objects to such
use within fifteen Business Days after receipt of such material.
2.6 The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Trust or concerning the Trust or
the Adviser in connection with the sale of the Contracts other than information
or representations contained in and accurately derived from the registration
statement or prospectus for the Trust shares (as such registration statement and
prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time), reports of the
Trust, Trust-sponsored proxy statements, or in sales literature or other
promotional material approved by the Trust or its designee, except as required
by legal process or regulatory authorities or with the written permission of the
Trust or its designee.
2.7 The Trust and the Adviser shall not give any information or make
any representations or statements on behalf of the Company or concerning the
Company, the Accounts or the Contracts other than information or representations
contained in and accurately derived from the registration statement or
prospectus for the Contracts (as such registration statement and prospectus may
be amended or supplemented from time to time), or in materials approved by the
Company for distribution including sales literature or other promotional
materials, except as required by legal process or regulatory authorities or with
the written permission of the Company.
2.8 So long as, and to the extent that the Securities and Exchange
Commission interprets the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges for
variable policyowners, the Company will provide pass-through voting privileges
to owners of policies whose cash values are invested, through the Accounts, in
shares of the Trust. The Trust shall require all Participating Insurance
Companies to calculate voting privileges in the same manner and the Company
shall be responsible for assuring that the Accounts calculate voting privileges
in the manner established by the Trust. With respect to each Account, the
Company will vote shares of the Trust held by the Account and for which no
timely voting instructions from policyowners are received as well as shares it
owns that are held by that Account, in the same proportion as those shares for
which voting instructions are received. The Company and its agents will in no
way recommend or oppose or interfere with the solicitation of proxies for Trust
shares held by Contract owners without the prior written consent of the Trust,
which consent may be withheld in the Trust's sole discretion.
2.9 The Company shall notify the Trust of any applicable state
insurance laws that restrict the Portfolios' investments or otherwise affect the
operation of the Trust and shall notify the Trust of any changes in such laws.
ARTICLE III
Representations and Warranties
3.1 The Company represents and warrants that it is an insurance company
duly organized and in good standing under the laws of the State of California
and that it has legally and validly established each Account as a segregated
asset account under such law.
3.2 The Company represents and warrants that each Account (1) has been
registered or, prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will be
registered as a unit investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the
1940 Act or, alternatively (2) has not been registered in proper reliance upon
an exclusion from registration under the 1940 Act.
3.3 The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts or interests
in the Accounts (1) are or, prior to issuance, will be registered as securities
under the 1933 Act or, alternatively (2) are not registered because they are
properly exempt from registration under the 1933 Act or will be offered
exclusively in transactions that are properly exempt from registration under the
1933 Act. The Company further represents and warrants that the Contracts will be
issued in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and
state laws and the Company represents and warrants that it will make every
effort to see that the Contracts are sold in compliance in all material respects
with all applicable federal and state laws and that the sale of the Contracts
shall comply in all material respects with state insurance suitability
requirements.
3.4 The Trust and the Adviser represent and warrant that the Trust is
duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware.
3.5 The Trust and the Adviser represent and warrant that the Trust
shares offered and sold pursuant to this Agreement will be registered under the
1933 Act and the Trust shall be registered under the 1940 Act prior to any
issuance or sale of such shares. The Trust shall amend its registration
statement under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in
order to effect the continuous offering of its shares. The Trust shall register
and qualify its shares for sale in accordance with the laws of the various
states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Trust.
3.6 The Trust and the Adviser represent and warrant that the
investments of each Portfolio will comply with the diversification requirements
set forth in Section 817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
and the rules and regulations thereunder, that the Trust and Adviser will notify
the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that the
Trust or any Portfolio has ceased to meet such diversification requirements and
will immediately take steps to adequately diversify the Trust and/or Portfolio
to achieve compliance within the grace period afforded by Treas. Reg. Section
1.817-5.
3.7 the Trust and the Adviser represent and warrant that the Trust and
each Portfolio is currently qualified as a regulated investment company under
Subchapter M of the Code, that they will maintain that qualification and that
they will notify the Company immediately upon having a reasonable basis for
believing that the Trust has ceased to qualify or may not qualify in the future.
ARTICLE IV
Potential Conflicts
4.1 The parties acknowledge that the Trust's shares may be made
available for investment to other Participating Insurance Companies. In such
event, the Trustees will monitor the Trust for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
Participating Insurance Companies. An irreconcilable material conflict may arise
for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance
regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance,
tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter
ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance,
tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial
decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of
any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given
by variable annuity contract and variable life insurance contract owners; or (f)
a decision by an insurer to disregard the voting instructions of contract
owners. The Trustees shall promptly inform the Company if they determine that an
irreconcilable material conflict exists and the implications thereof.
4.2 The Company agrees to promptly report any potential or existing
conflicts of which it is aware to the Trustees. The Company will assist the
Trustees in carrying out their responsibilities under the Exemptive Order by
providing the Trustees with all information reasonably necessary for the
Trustees to consider any issues raised including, but not limited to,
information as to a decision by the Company to disregard Contract owner voting
instructions.
4.3 If it is determined by a majority of the Trustees, or a majority of
its disinterested Trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists that
affects the interests of Contract owners, the Company shall, in cooperation with
other Participating Insurance Companies whose contract owners are also affected,
at its expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by the
Trustees) take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or eliminate the
irreconcilable material conflict, which steps could include: (a) withdrawing the
assets allocable to some or all of the Accounts from the Trust or any Portfolio
and reinvesting such assets in a different investment medium, including (but not
limited to) another Portfolio of the Trust, or submitting the question of
whether or not such segregation should be implemented to a vote of all affected
Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of any appropriate
group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance contract owners, or
variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance Companies) that
votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected Contract owners
the option of making such a change; and (b) establishing a new registered
management investment company or managed separate account.
4.4 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision
by the Company to disregard Contract owner voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Company
may be required, at the Trust's election, to withdraw the affected Account's
investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement with respect to such
Account; provided, however that such withdrawal and termination shall be limited
to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable conflict as
determined by a majority of the disinterested Trustees. Any such withdrawal and
termination must take place within six (6) months after the Trust gives written
notice that this provision is being implemented. Until the end of such six (6)
month period, the Trust shall continue to accept and implement orders by the
Company for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Trust.
4.5 If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will withdraw the
affected Account's investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement with
respect to such Account within six (6) months after the Trustees inform the
Company in writing that it has determined that such decision has created an
irreconcilable material conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested
Trustees. Until the end of such six (6) month period, the Trust shall continue
to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase and redemption of
shares of the Trust.
4.6 For purposes of Sections 4.3 through 4.6 of this Agreement, a
majority of the disinterested Trustees shall determine whether any proposed
action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in no event
will the Company be required to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts
if an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of Contract owners
materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable material conflict. In the
event that the Trustees determine that any proposed action does not adequately
remedy any irreconcilable material conflict, then the Company will withdraw the
Account's investment in the Trust and terminate this Agreement within six (6)
months after the Trustees inform the Company in writing of the foregoing
determination; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall be
limited to the extent required by any such material irreconcilable conflict as
determined by a majority of the disinterested Trustees.
4.7 The Company shall at least annually submit to the Trustees such
reports, materials or data as the Trustees may reasonably request so that the
Trustees may fully carry out the duties imposed upon them by the Exemptive
Order, and said reports, materials and data shall be submitted more frequently
if deemed appropriate by the Trustees.
4.8 If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended,
or Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the
1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared
funding (as defined in the Exemptive Order) on terms and conditions materially
different from those contained in the Exemptive Order, then the Trust and/or the
Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate, shall take such steps as may
be necessary to comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3,
as adopted, to the extent such rules are applicable.
ARTICLE V
Indemnification
5.1 Indemnification By the Company. The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Trust, the Adviser, and each of their Trustees, Directors,
officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls the Trust
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified
Parties" for purposes of this Article V) against any and all losses, claims,
damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written
consent of the Company) or expenses (including the reasonable costs of
investigating or defending any alleged loss, claim, damage, liability or expense
and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in connection therewith)
(collectively, "Losses"), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject
under any statute or regulation, or at common law or otherwise, insofar as such
Losses:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or
alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained in a registration
statement or prospectus for the Contracts or in the Contracts themselves or in
sales literature generated or approved by the Company on behalf of the Contracts
or Accounts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing)
(collectively, "Company Documents" for the purposes of this Article V), or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided that this indemnity shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and was accurately derived from written
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Trust for se in
Company Documents or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the
Contracts or Trust shares; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in and accurately derived
from Trust Documents as defined in Section 5.2(a)) or wrongful conduct of the
Company or persons under its control, with respect to the sale or acquisition of
the Contracts or Trust shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in Trust Documents as
defined in Section 5.2(a) or the omission or alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading if such statement or omission was made in reliance upon
and accurately derived from written information furnished to the Trust by or on
behalf of the Company; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Company to
provide the services or furnish the materials required under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Company.
5.2 Indemnification By the Trust and the Adviser. The Trust and the
Adviser agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of its
directors, officers, employees and agents and each person, if any, who controls
the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Article V) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with
the written consent of the Trust or the Adviser) or expenses (including the
reasonable costs of investigating or defending any alleged loss, claim, damage,
liability or expense and reasonable legal counsel fees incurred in connection
therewith) (collectively, "Losses"), to which the Indemnified Parties may become
subject under any statute or regulation, or at common law or otherwise, insofar
as such Losses:
(a) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or
alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained in the registration
statement or prospectus for the Trust (or any amendment or supplement thereto),
(collectively, "Trust Documents" for the purposes of this Article V), or arise
out of or are based upon the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided that this indemnity shall not apply as to any
Indemnified Party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and was accurately derived from written
information furnished to the Trust by or on behalf of the Company for use in
Trust Documents or otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the
Contracts or Trust shares; or
(b) arise out of or result from statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in and accurately derived
from Company Documents) or wrongful conduct of the Trust or Adviser or persons
under its control, with respect to the sale or acquisition of the Contracts or
Trust shares; or
(c) arise out of or result from any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in Company Documents or
the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading if
such statement or omission was made in reliance upon and accurately derived from
written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Trust or the
Adviser; or
(d) arise out of or result from any failure by the Trust or
the Adviser to provide the services or furnish the materials required under the
terms of this Agreement; or
(e) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Trust or the Adviser in this
Agreement (including a failure, whether unintentional or in good faith or
otherwise, to comply with the diversification or Sub-Chapter M requirements of
Article III of this Agreement) or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Trust or the Adviser.
(f) arise out of or result from the materially incorrect or
untimely calculation or reporting of the daily net asset value per share or
dividend or capital gain distribution rate.
5.3 Neither the Company nor the Trust or the Adviser shall be liable
under the indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, as applicable, with
respect to any Losses incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party that
arise from such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith or negligence
in the performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such
Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this
Agreement.
5.4 Neither the Company nor the Trust or the Adviser shall be liable
under the indemnification provisions of Sections 5.1 or 5.2, as applicable, with
respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless such Indemnified
Party shall have notified the other party in writing within a reasonable time
after the summons, or other first written notification, giving information of
the nature of the claim shall have been served upon or otherwise received by
such Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received
notice of service upon or other notification to any designated agent), but
failure to notify the party against whom indemnification is sought of any such
claim shall not relieve that party from any liability which it may have to the
Indemnified Party in the absence of Sections 5.1 and 5.2.
5.5 In case any such action is brought against the Indemnified Parties,
the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in
the defense of such action. The indemnifying party also shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the indemnifying party to the Indemnified
Party of an election to assume such defense, the Indemnified Party shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the
indemnifying party will not be liable to the Indemnified Party under this
Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by such party
independently in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs
of investigation.
ARTICLE VI
Termination
6.1 This Agreement may be terminated
(a) by any party for any reason by ninety (90) days' advance written notice
delivered to the other parties.
(b) at the option of the Company to the extent that the
Portfolios are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of the
Contracts or are not "appropriate funding vehicles" for the Contracts, as
reasonably determined by the Company. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the Portfolios would not be "appropriate funding vehicles" if, for
example, such Portfolios did not meet the diversification or other requirements
referred to in Article III hereof; or if the Company would be permitted to
disregard Contract owner voting instructions pursuant to Rule 6e-2 or 6e-3(T)
under the 1940 Act. Prompt notice of the election to terminate for such cause
and an explanation of such cause shall be furnished to the Trust by the Company;
or
(c) at the option of the Trust or the Adviser upon institution
of formal proceedings against the Company by the NASD, the SEC, or any insurance
department or other regulatory body regarding the Company's duties under this
Agreement or related to the sale of the Contracts, the operation of the
Accounts, or the purchase of the shares of the Portfolios; or
(d) at the option of the Company upon institution of formal
proceedings against the Trust by the NASD, the SEC, or any state securities or
insurance department or any other regulatory body regarding the Trust's or the
Adviser's duties under this Agreement or related to the sale of the shares of
the Portfolios; or
(e) at the option of the Company, the Trust or the Adviser
upon receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals and/or the vote of the
Contract owners having an interest in the Accounts (or any subaccounts) to
substitute the shares of another investment company for the corresponding
Portfolio shares in accordance with the terms of the Contracts for which those
Portfolio shares had been selected to serve as the underlying investment media.
The Company will give thirty (30) days' prior written notice to the Trust of the
date of any proposed vote or other action taken to replace the Portfolio shares;
or
(f) termination by either the Trust or the Adviser by written
notice to the Company, if either one or both of the Trust or the Adviser
respectively, shall determine, in their sole judgment exercised in good faith,
that the Company has suffered a material adverse change in its business,
operations, financial condition, or prospects since the date of this Agreement
or is the subject of material adverse publicity; or
(g) termination by the Company by written notice to the Trust
and the Adviser, if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment exercised
in good faith, that the Trust or the Adviser has suffered a material adverse
change in this business, operations, financial condition or prospects since the
date of this Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity; or
(h) at the option of any party to this Agreement, upon another party's
material breach of any provision of this Agreement; or
(i) upon assignment of this Agreement, unless made with the
written consent of the parties hereto.
6.2 Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Trust and
the Adviser shall, at the option of the Company, continue to make available
additional shares of the Trust (or any Portfolio) pursuant to the terms and
conditions of this Agreement for all Contracts in effect on the effective date
of termination of this Agreement, provided that the Company continues to pay the
costs set forth in Section 2.3.
6.3 The provisions of Article V shall survive the termination of this
Agreement, and the provisions of Article IV and Section 2.8 shall survive the
termination of this Agreement as long as shares of the Trust are held on behalf
of Contract owners in accordance with Section 6.2.
ARTICLE VII
Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below
or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing
to the other party.
If to the Trust:
Janus Aspen Series
100 Fillmore Street
Denver, Colorado 80206
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Adviser:
Janus Capital Corporation
100 Fillmore Street
Denver, Colorado 80206
Attention: General Counsel
If to the Company:
Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
1150 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, California 90015
Attention: Corporate Secretary
ARTICLE VIII
Miscellaneous
8.1 The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
8.2 This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
8.3 If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid by
a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement
shall not be affected thereby.
8.4 This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of California.
8.5 The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that all
liabilities of the Trust arising, directly or indirectly, under this Agreement,
of any and every nature whatsoever, shall be satisfied solely out of the assets
of the Trust and that no Trustee, officer, agent or holder of shares of
beneficial interest of the Trust shall be personally liable for any such
liabilities.
8.6 Each party shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
8.7 The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement
are cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and
obligations, at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under
state and federal laws.
8.8 The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that this
Agreement shall not be exclusive in any respect.
8.9 Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may
be assigned by either party without the prior written approval of the other
party.
8.10 No provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any
manner except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by both
parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused their duly authorized
officers to execute this Participation Agreement as of the date and year first
above written.
JANUS ASPEN SERIES
By:
Name:
Title:
JANUS CAPITAL CORPORATION
By:
Name:
Title:
TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By:
Name:
Title:
Schedule A
Separate Accounts and Associated Contracts
Contracts Funded
Name of Separate Account By Separate Account
Separate Account VUL-1
Separate Account VUL-2
Separate Account VUL-4
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of December ,
1997 by and among TRANSAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY COMPANY (hereinafter
the "Company"), a California corporation, on its own behalf and on behalf of
each separate account of the Company set forth on Schedule A hereto as may be
amended from time to time (each such account hereinafter referred to as the
"Account"), and MORGAN STANLEY UNIVERSAL FUNDS, INC. (hereinafter the "Fund"), a
Maryland corporation, and MORGAN STANLEY ASSET MANAGEMENT INC. and MILLER
ANDERSON & SHERRERD, LLP (hereinafter collectively the "Advisers" and
individually the "Adviser"), a Delaware corporation and a Pennsylvania limited
liability partnership, respectively.
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end management
investment company and is available to act as (i) the investment vehicle for
separate accounts established by insurance companies for individual and group
life insurance policies and annuity contracts with variable accumulation and/or
pay-out provisions (hereinafter referred to individually and/or collectively as
"Variable Insurance Products") and (ii) the investment vehicle for certain
qualified pension and retirement plans (hereinafter "Qualified Plans"); and
WHEREAS, insurance companies desiring to utilize the Fund as an
investment vehicle under their Variable Insurance Contracts enter into
participation agreements with the Fund and the Advisers (the "Participating
Insurance Companies");
WHEREAS, shares of the Fund are divided into several series of shares,
each representing the interest in a particular managed portfolio of securities
and other assets, any one or more of which may be made available under this
Agreement, as may be amended from time to time by mutual agreement of the
parties hereto (each such series hereinafter referred to as a "Portfolio"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities and
Exchange Commission, dated September 19, 1996 (File No. 812-10118), granting
Participating Insurance Companies and Variable Insurance Product separate
accounts exemptions from the provisions of Sections 9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and
15(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (hereinafter the "1940
Act"), and Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3(T)(b)(15) thereunder, to the extent
necessary to permit shares of the Fund to be sold to and held by Variable
Annuity Product separate accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated life
insurance companies and Qualified Plans (hereinafter the "Shared Funding
Exemptive Order"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment
company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, each Adviser is duly registered as an investment adviser under
the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, and any applicable state
securities laws; and
WHEREAS, each Adviser manages certain Portfolios of the Fund; and
WHEREAS, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (the "Underwriter") is
registered as a broker/dealer under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (hereinafter the "1934 Act"), is a member in good standing of the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. (hereinafter "NASD") and serves
as principal underwriter of the shares of the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain Variable
Insurance Products under the 1933 Act; and
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution or under authority of the Board of
Directors of the Company, on the date shown for such Account on Schedule A
hereto, to set aside and invest assets attributable to the aforesaid Variable
Insurance Product; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register each Account as a
unit investment trust under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase, on behalf of each Account, shares
in the Portfolios, set forth in Schedule B attached to this Agreement, to fund
certain of the aforesaid Variable Insurance Products and the Underwriter is
authorized to sell such shares to each such Account at net asset value;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company,
the Fund and the Underwriter agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Purchase of Fund Shares
1.1. The Fund agrees to make available for purchase by the Company
shares of the Fund and shall execute orders placed for each Account on a daily
basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by the Fund or its
designee of such order. For purposes of this Section 1.1, the Company or its
administrator shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of such orders from
each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund;
provided that the Fund receives notice of such order by 10:00 a.m. Eastern time
on the next following Business Day. "Business Day" shall mean any day on which
the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
1.2. The Fund, so long as this Agreement is in effect, agrees to make
its shares available indefinitely for purchase at the applicable net asset value
per share by the Company and its Accounts on those days on which the Fund
calculates its net asset value pursuant to rules of the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the Fund shall use reasonable efforts to calculate such net asset
value on each day which the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors of the Fund (hereinafter
the "Board") may refuse to permit the Fund to sell shares of any Portfolio to
any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio 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
their fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, necessary in
the best interests of the shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.3. The Fund agrees that shares of the Fund will be sold only to
Participating Insurance Companies and their separate accounts and to certain
Qualified Plans. No shares of any Portfolio will be sold to the general public.
1.4. The Fund will not make its shares available for purchase by any
insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing provisions
substantially the same as Articles I, V,VI, VII and Section 2.5 of Article II of
this Agreement is in effect to govern such sales.
1.5. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, on the Company's request, any
full or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Company, executing such
requests on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed after receipt by
the Fund or its designee of the request for redemption. For purposes of this
Section 1.5, the Company or its administrator shall be the designee of the Fund
for receipt of requests for redemption from each Account and receipt by such
designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund; provided that the Fund receives
notice of such request for redemption on the next following Business Day.
1.6. The Company agrees that purchases and redemptions of Portfolio
shares offered by the then current prospectus of the Fund shall be made in
accordance with the provisions of such prospectus. The Variable Insurance
Products issued by the Company, under which amounts may be invested in the Fund
(hereinafter the "Contracts"), are listed on Schedule A attached hereto and
incorporated herein by reference, as such Schedule A may be amended from time to
time by mutual written agreement of all of the parties hereto. The Company will
give the Fund and the Adviser 45 days written notice of its intention to make
available in the future, as a funding vehicle under the Contracts, any other
investment company.
1.7. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next Business Day
after an order to purchase Fund shares is made in accordance with the provisions
of Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire.
For purposes of Section 2.10 and 2.11, upon receipt by the Fund of the federal
funds so wired, such funds shall cease to be the responsibility of the Company
and shall become the responsibility of the Fund.
1.8. Issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares will be by book entry
only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or any Account.
Shares ordered from the Fund will be recorded in an appropriate title for each
Account or the appropriate subaccount of each Account.
1.9. The Fund shall furnish same day notice (by wire or telephone,
followed by written confirmation) to the Company or its administrator of any
income, dividends or capital gain distributions payable on the Fund's shares.
The Company hereby elects to receive all such income dividends and capital gain
distributions as are payable on the Portfolio shares in additional shares of
that Portfolio. The Company reserves the right to revoke this election and to
receive all such income dividends and capital gain distributions in cash. The
Fund shall notify the Company or its administrator, as directed by the Company,
of the number of shares so issued as payment of such dividends and
distributions.
1.10. The Fund shall make the net asset value per share for each
Portfolio available to the Company or its administrator, as directed by the
Company, on a daily basis as soon as reasonably practical after the net asset
value per share is calculated (normally by 6:30 p.m. Eastern time) and shall use
its best efforts to make such net asset value per share available by 7:00 p.m.
Eastern time.
1.11. If the Fund provides materially incorrect share net asset value
information through no fault of the Company, the Company or its administrator
shall be entitled to an adjustment with respect to the Fund shares purchased or
redeemed to reflect the correct net asset value per share. The determination of
the materiality of any net asset value pricing error shall be based on the SEC's
recommended guidelines regarding such errors. The correction of any such errors
shall be made at the Company level and shall be made pursuant to the SEC's
recommended guidelines. Any material error in the calculation or reporting of
net asset value per share, dividend or capital gain information shall be
reported promptly upon discovery to the Company.
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts are or will
be registered under the 1933 Act and that the Contracts will be issued in
compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal and state laws.
The Company represents and warrants that it will make every effort to ensure
that the Contracts are sold in compliance in all material respects with all
applicable federal and state laws and that the sale of the Contracts comply in
all material respects with state insurance suitability requirements. The Company
further represents and warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized
and in good standing under applicable law and that it has legally and validly
established each Account prior to any issuance or sale thereof as a segregated
asset account under North Carolina Law and has registered or, prior to any
issuance or sale of the Contracts, will register each Account as a unit
investment trust in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as a
segregated investment account for the Contracts.
2.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Fund shares sold pursuant to
this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, duly authorized for
issuance and sold in compliance with the laws of the State of Maryland and all
applicable federal and state securities laws and that the Fund is and shall
remain registered under the 1940 Act. The Fund shall amend the registration
statement for its shares under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time
as required in order to effect the continuous offering of its shares. The Fund
shall register and qualify the shares for sale in accordance with the laws of
the various states only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund.
2.3 The Fund and each Adviser represents with respect to the Portfolios
for which it acts as investment adviser, that the Portfolios to which this
agreement applies are currently qualified as a Regulated Investment Company
under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), that the Portfolios will maintain such qualification (under Subchapter
M or any successor or similar provision) and that they will notify the 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.
2.4. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently treated as
life insurance policies or annuity contracts, under Sections 7702, 7702A or 72,
their amendments and successors thereto, of the Code and that it will maintain
such treatment and that it will notify the Fund 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.
2.5.. The Fund represents that to the extent that it decides to finance
distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, the Fund
undertakes to have a board of directors, a majority of whom are not interested
persons of the Fund, formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance
distribution expenses.
2.6. The Fund makes no representation as to whether any aspect of its
operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and investment
policies) complies with the insurance laws or regulations of the various states
except that the Fund represents that the Fund's investment policies, fees and
expenses are and shall at all times remain in compliance with the laws of the
State of Maryland and the Fund represents that their respective operations are
and shall at all times remain in material compliance with the laws of the State
of Maryland to the extent required to perform this Agreement.
2.7. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and validly
existing under the laws of the State of Maryland and that it does and will
comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act.
2.8. Each Adviser represents and warrants that it is and shall remain
duly registered in all material respects under all applicable federal and state
securities laws and that it will perform its obligations for the Fund in
compliance in all material respects with the laws of its state of domicile and
any applicable state and federal securities laws.
2.9. The Fund represents and warrants that its directors, officers,
employees, and other individuals/entities dealing 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 the minimal coverage as required currently by Rule 17g-(1)
of the 1940 Act or related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time.
The aforesaid blanket fidelity bond shall include coverage for larceny and
embezzlement and shall be issued by a reputable bonding company.
2.10. The Company represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals/entities dealing
with the money and/or securities of the Fund are covered by a blanket fidelity
bond or similar coverage, in an amount not less $5 million. The aforesaid
includes coverage for larceny and embezzlement is issued by a reputable bonding
company. The Company agrees to make all reasonable efforts to see that this bond
or another bond containing these provisions is always in effect, and agrees to
notify the Fund and the Underwriter in the event that such coverage no longer
applies.
ARTICLE III. Prospectuses, Reports to Shareholders and Proxy
Statements; Voting
3.1. The Fund or its designee shall provide the Company with as many
printed copies of the Fund's current prospectus (relating to the Portfolios) and
statement of additional information as the Company may reasonably request. If
requested by the Company, in lieu of providing printed copies the Fund shall
provide camera-ready film or computer diskettes containing the Fund's prospectus
(relating to the Portfolios) and statement of additional information, and such
other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Company once each
year (or more frequently if the prospectus and/or statement of additional
information for the Fund is amended during the year) to have the prospectus for
the Contracts and the Fund's prospectus (relating to the Portfolios) printed
together in one document, and to have the statement of additional information
for the Fund and the statement of additional information for the Contracts
printed together in one document. Alternatively, the Company may print the
Fund's prospectus and/or its statement of additional information in combination
with other fund companies' prospectuses and statements of additional
information.
3.2. Except as provided in this Section 3.2., all expenses of printing
and distributing Fund prospectuses and statements of additional information
shall be the expense of the Company. For prospectuses and statements of
additional information provided by the Company to its existing owners of
Contracts who currently own shares of one or more of the Fund's Portfolios, in
order to update disclosure as required by the 1933 Act and/or the 1940 Act, the
cost of printing shall be borne by the Fund. If the Company chooses to receive
camera-ready film or computer diskettes in lieu of receiving printed copies of
the Fund's prospectus, the Fund will reimburse the Company in an amount equal to
the product of x and y where x is the number of such prospectuses distributed to
owners of the Contracts who currently own shares of one or more of the Fund's
Portfolios, and y is the Fund's per unit cost of typesetting and printing the
Fund's prospectus. The same procedures shall be followed with respect to the
Fund's statement of additional information. The Company agrees to provide the
Fund or its designee with such information as may be reasonably requested by the
Fund to assure that the Fund's expenses do not include the cost of printing any
prospectuses or statements of additional information other than those actually
distributed to existing owners of the Contracts.
3.3. The Fund's statement of additional information shall be obtainable
from the Fund, the Company or such other person as the Fund may designate, as
agreed upon by the parties.
3.4. The Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Company with copies of
its proxy statements, reports to shareholders, and other communications (except
for prospectuses and statements of additional information, which are covered in
section 3.1) to shareholders in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably
require for distributing to Contract owners.
3.5. If and to the extent required by law the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from Contract owners;
(ii) vote the Fund shares in accordance with
instructions received from Contract owners; and
(iii) vote Fund shares for which no instructions
have been received in the same proportion as
Fund shares of such Portfolio for which
instructions have been received,
so long as and to the extent that the Securities and Exchange Commission
continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges
for variable contract owners. The Company reserves the right to vote Fund shares
held in any segregated asset account in its own right, to the extent permitted
by law. The Fund and the Company shall follow the procedures, and shall have the
corresponding responsibilities, for the handling of proxy and voting instruction
solicitations, as set forth in Schedule C attached hereto and incorporated
herein by reference. Participating Insurance Companies shall be responsible for
ensuring that each of their separate accounts participating in the Fund
calculates voting privileges in a manner consistent with the standards set forth
on Schedule C, which standards will also be provided to the other Participating
Insurance Companies.
3.7. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act requiring
voting by shareholders, and in particular the Fund will either provide for
annual meetings or comply with Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act (although the Fund
is not one of the trusts described in Section 16(c) of that Act) as well as with
Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable, 16(b). Further, the Fund will act in
accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's interpretation of the
requirements of Section 16(a) with respect to periodic elections of directors
and with whatever rules the Commission may promulgate with respect thereto.
3.8. The Fund shall use reasonable efforts to provide Fund
prospectuses, reports to shareholders, proxy materials and other Fund
communications (or camera-ready equivalents) to the Company sufficiently in
advance of the Company's mailing dates to enable the Company to complete, at
reasonable cost, the printing, assembling and/or distribution of the
communications in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund or its designee, each piece of sales literature or other promotional
material in which the Fund or the Adviser(s) is named, at least ten Business
Days prior to its use. No such material shall be used if the Fund or its
designee reasonably objects to such use within ten Business Days after receipt
of such material. The Fund and the Adviser(s) shall use their best efforts to
review any such material within five Business Days of receipt from the Company.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund in
connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus 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 or its
designee, except with the permission of the Fund.
4.3. The Fund or its designee shall furnish, or shall cause to be
furnished, to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales literature or
other promotional material in which the Company and/or its separate account(s)
is named at least ten Business Days prior to its use. No such material shall be
used if the Company or its designee reasonably objects to such use within ten
Business Days after receipt of such material. The Company shall use its best
efforts to review any such material within five Business Days of receipt from
the Fund or the Fund's designee.
4.4. The Fund and the Advisers shall not give any information or make
any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, each
Account, or the Contracts, other than the information or representations
contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts, as such
registration statement and prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time
to time, or in published reports for each Account which are in the public domain
or approved by the Company for distribution to Contract owners, or in sales
literature or other promotional material approved by the Company or its
designee, except with the permission of the Company.
4.5. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of
all registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information,
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, which are relevant
to the Company or the Contracts.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of
all registration statements, prospectuses, statements of additional information,
reports, solicitations for voting instructions, 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 investment
in the Fund under the Contracts.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales literature or
other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to, any of the
following that refer to the Fund or any affiliate of the Fund: 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 (i.e., any written communication distributed or made generally
available to customers or the public, including brochures, circulars, research
reports, market letters, form letters, seminar texts, 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, and registration statements,
prospectuses, statements of additional information, shareholder reports, and
proxy materials.
ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses
5.1. The Fund shall pay no fee or other compensation to the Company
under this Agreement, except that if the Fund or any Portfolio adopts and
implements a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution expenses, then
the Underwriter may make payments to the Company or to the underwriter for the
Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the Underwriter in writing.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this
Agreement shall be paid by the Fund. The Fund shall see to it that all its
shares are registered and authorized for issuance in accordance with applicable
federal law and, if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund, in
accordance with applicable state laws prior to their sale. The Fund shall bear
the expenses for the cost of registration and qualification of the Fund's
shares, preparation and filing of the Fund's prospectus and registration
statement, proxy materials and reports, setting the prospectus in type, setting
in type and printing the proxy materials and reports to shareholders (including
the costs of printing a prospectus that constitutes an annual report), the
preparation of all statements and notices required by any federal or state law,
and all taxes on the issuance or transfer of the Fund's shares.
5.3. The Company shall bear the expenses of distributing the Fund's
prospectus, proxy materials and reports to owners of Contracts issued by the
Company.
ARTICLE VI. Diversification
6.1. The Advisers and the Fund each represent and warrant that they
will at all times invest money from the Contracts in such a manner as to ensure
that the Contracts will be treated as variable contracts under the Code and the
regulations issued thereunder. Without limiting the scope of the foregoing, the
Fund will at all times comply with Section 817(h) of the Code and Treasury
Regulation 1.817-5, and Treasury interpretations thereof, relating to the
diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life insurance
contracts and any amendments or other modifications to such Section or
Regulations. In the event of a breach of this Article VI by the Fund, it will
take all reasonable steps (a) to notify immediately the Company of such breach
and (b) to adequately diversify the Fund so as to achieve compliance within the
grace period afforded by Regulation 817-5.
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts
7.1. The Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any material
irreconcilable conflict between the interests of the contract owners of all
separate accounts investing in the Fund. An irreconcilable material conflict may
arise for a variety of reasons, including: (a) an action by any state insurance
regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable federal or state insurance,
tax, or securities laws or regulations, or a public ruling, private letter
ruling, no-action or interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance,
tax, or securities regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial
decision in any relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of
any Portfolio are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given
by Variable Insurance Product owners; or (f) a decision by a Participating
Insurance Company to disregard the voting instructions of contract owners. The
Board shall promptly inform the Company if it determines that an irreconcilable
material conflict exists and the implications thereof.
7.2. The Company will report any potential or existing conflicts of
which it is aware to the Board. The Company will assist the Board in carrying
out its responsibilities under the Shared Funding Exemptive Order, by providing
the Board with all information reasonably necessary for the Board to consider
any issues raised. This includes, but is not limited to, an obligation by the
Company to inform the Board whenever contract owner voting instructions are
disregarded.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Board, or a majority of
its disinterested members, that a material irreconcilable conflict exists, the
Company and other Participating Insurance Companies shall, at their expense and
to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the
disinterested directors), take whatever steps are necessary to remedy or
eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including: (1)
withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts from
the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different investment
medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund, or
submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a vote
of all affected Contract owners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets of
any appropriate group (i.e., annuity contract owners, life insurance policy
owners, or variable contract owners of one or more Participating Insurance
Companies) that votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected
contract owners the option of making such a change; and (2) establishing a new
registered management investment company or managed separate account.
7.4. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because of a decision
by the Company to disregard contract owner voting instructions and that decision
represents a minority position or would preclude a majority vote, the Company
may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the affected Account's
investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with respect to such Account
(at the Company's expense); provided, however that such withdrawal and
termination shall be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material
irreconcilable conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members
of the Board.
7.5. If a material irreconcilable conflict arises because a particular
state insurance regulator's decision applicable to the Company conflicts with
the majority of other state regulators, then the Company will withdraw the
affected Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with
respect to such Account within six months after the Board informs the Company in
writing that it has determined that such decision has created an irreconcilable
material conflict; provided, however, that such withdrawal and termination shall
be limited to the extent required by the foregoing material irreconcilable
conflict as determined by a majority of the disinterested members of the Board.
Until the end of the foregoing six month period, the Underwriter and Fund shall
continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and
redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.6 of this Agreement, a
majority of the disinterested members of the Board shall determine whether any
proposed action adequately remedies any irreconcilable material conflict, but in
no event will the Fund be required to establish a new funding medium for the
Contracts. The Company shall not be required by Section 7.3 to establish a new
funding medium for the Contracts if an offer to do so has been declined by vote
of a majority of Contract owners materially adversely affected by the
irreconcilable material conflict.
7.7. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3(T) are amended,
or Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any provision of the
1940 Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed or shared
funding (as defined in the Shared Funding Exemptive Order) on terms and
conditions materially different from those contained in the Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, then (a) the Fund and/or the Participating Insurance Companies,
as appropriate, shall take such steps as may be necessary to comply with Rules
6e-2 and 6e-3(T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted, to the extent such
rules are applicable; and (b) Sections 3.4, 3.5, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 of
this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the extent that terms and
conditions substantially identical to such Sections are contained in such
Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification
8.1. Indemnification By The Company
8.1(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and
each member of the Board and officers, and each Adviser and each director and
officer of each Adviser, and each person, if any, who controls the Fund or the
Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" and individually, "Indemnified Party," for purposes of
this Section 8.1) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Company)
or litigation (including legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified
Parties may become subject under any statute, regulation, at common law or
otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or
actions in respect thereof) or settlements are related to the sale or
acquisition of the Fund's shares or the Contracts and:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or
alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained in
the registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts or
contained in the Contracts or sales literature for the
Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided that this agreement to
indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission
was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the Fund for use
in the registration statement or prospectus for the Contracts
or in the Contracts or sales literature (or any amendment or
supplement) or otherwise for use in connection with the sale
of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii)arise out of or as a result of statements or representations
(other than statements or representations contained in the
registration statement, prospectus or sales literature of the
Fund not supplied by the Company, or persons under its control
and other than statements or representations authorized by the
Fund or an Adviser) or unlawful conduct of the Company or
persons under its control, with respect to the sale or
distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(iii) arise out of or as a result of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
registration statement, prospectus, or sales literature of the
Fund or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto or the
omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading if such a statement or
omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the
Company; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to provide the
services and furnish the materials under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Company in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Company, as limited by and in
accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.1(b) and 8.1(c)
hereof.
8.1(b). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations or duties under this Agreement.
8.1(c). The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Company in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Company of any
such claim shall not relieve the Company from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Company shall be entitled to participate,
at its own expense, in the defense of such action. The Company also shall be
entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the Company to such party of the
Company's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall
bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the
Company will not be liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or
other expenses subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.1(d). The Indemnified Parties will promptly notify the Company of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection with
the issuance or sale of the Fund shares or the Contracts or the operation of the
Fund.
8.2. Indemnification by the Advisers
8.2(a). Each Adviser agrees, with respect to each Portfolio that it
manages, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and each of its directors
and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties"
and individually, "Indemnified Party," for purposes of this Section 8.2) against
any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in
settlement with the written consent of the Adviser) or litigation (including
legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject
under any statute, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements
are related to the sale or acquisition of shares of the Portfolio that it
manages or the Contracts and:
(i) 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 of
the Fund (or any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing), or arise out of or are based upon the omission or
the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading, provided that this agreement to
indemnify shall not apply as to any Indemnified Party if such
statement or omission or such alleged statement or omission
was made in reliance upon and in conformity with information
furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use
in the registration statement or prospectus for the Fund or in
sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or otherwise
for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts or
Portfolio shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or
representations (other than statements or representations
contained in the registration statement, prospectus or sales
literature for the Contracts not supplied by the Fund or
persons under its control and other than statements or
representations authorized by the Company) or unlawful conduct
of the Fund, Adviser(s) or Underwriter or persons under their
control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the
Contracts or Portfolio shares; or
(iii) arise out of or as a result of any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
registration statement, prospectus, or sales literature
covering the Contracts, or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto, or the omission or alleged omission to state therein
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if
such statement or omission was made in reliance upon
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the
Fund; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide
the services and furnish the materials under the terms of this
Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Adviser in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Adviser (including a failure,
whether unintentional or in good faith or otherwise, to comply
with the diversification requirements of Article IV or the
Subchapter M qualification of Section 2.3 of this Agreement);
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of
Sections 8.2(b) and 8.2(c) hereof.
8.2(b). An Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as such may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement.
8.2(c). An Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Adviser in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Adviser of any
such claim shall not relieve the Adviser from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Adviser will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Adviser also shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the
action.
After notice from the Adviser to such party of the Adviser's election to assume
the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and expenses of
any additional counsel retained by it, and the Adviser will not be liable to
such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently
incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense thereof
other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.2(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Adviser of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its officers
or directors in connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the
operation of each Account.
8.3. Indemnification by the Fund
8.3(a). The Fund agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, and each of
its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Company
within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act (hereinafter collectively, the
"Indemnified Parties" and individually, "Indemnified Party," for purposes of
this Section 8.3) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the Fund) or
litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties
may become subject under any statute, at common law or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect
thereof) or settlements result from the gross negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct of the Board or any member thereof, are related to the operations of
the Fund and:
(i) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to provide
the services and furnish the materials under the terms of
this Agreement; or
(ii) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Fund in this
Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material
breach of this Agreement by the Fund (including a failure,
whether unintentional or in good faith or otherwise, to comply
with the diversifictation requirements of Article IV or the
Subchapter M qualification of Section 2.3 of this Agreement);
8.3(b). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
incurred or assessed against an Indemnified Party as may arise from such
Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the
performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified
Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement.
8.3(c). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any claim made against an Indemnified Party unless
such Indemnified Party shall have notified the Fund in writing within a
reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
Indemnified Party (or after such Indemnified Party shall have received notice of
such service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the Fund of any
such claim shall not relieve the Fund from any liability which it may have to
the Indemnified Party against whom such action is brought otherwise than on
account of this indemnification provision. In case any such action is brought
against the Indemnified Parties, the Fund will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Fund also shall be entitled to
assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the
action. After notice from the Fund to such party of the Fund's election to
assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified Party shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by it, and the Fund will not be
liable to such party under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses
subsequently incurred by such party independently in connection with the defense
thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation.
8.3(d). The Company agrees promptly to notify the Fund of the
commencement of any litigation or proceedings against it or any of its
respective officers or directors in connection with this Agreement, the issuance
or sale of the Contracts, with respect to the operation of either Account, or
the sale or acquisition of shares of the Fund.
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof
interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933,
1934 and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder,
including such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the
Securities and Exchange Commission may grant (including, but not limited to, the
Shared Funding Exemptive Order) and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and
construed in accordance therewith.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the first to
occur of:
(a) termination by any party for any reason by ninety (90)
days advance written notice delivered to the other parties;
or
(b) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund
and the Adviser with respect to any Portfolio based upon the
Company's determination that shares of such Portfolio is not
reasonably available to meet the requirements of the
Contracts; or
(c) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund
and the Adviser with respect to any Portfolio in the event
any of the Portfolio's shares are not registered, issued or
sold in accordance with applicable state and/or federal law
or such law precludes the use of such shares as the
underlying investment media of the Contracts issued or to be
issued by the Company; or
(d) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund
and the Adviser with respect to any Portfolio in the event
that such Portfolio ceases to qualify as a Regulated
Investment Company under Subchapter M of the Code or under
any successor or similar provision, or if the Company
reasonably believes that the Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(e) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund
and the Adviser with respect to any Portfolio in the event
that such Portfolio falls to meet the diversification
requirements specified in Article VI hereof; or
(f) termination by either the Fund by written notice to the
Company if the Fund shall determine, in its sole judgment
exercised in good faith, that the Company and/or its
affiliated companies has suffered a material adverse change
in its business, operations, financial condition or prospects
since the date of this Agreement or is the subject of
material adverse publicity, or
(g) termination by the Company by written notice to the Fund
and the Adviser, if the Company shall determine, in its sole
judgment exercised in good faith, that either the Fund or the
Adviser has suffered a material adverse change in its
business, operations, financial condition or prospects since
the date of this Agreement or is the subject of material
adverse publicity; or
(h) termination by the Fund or the Adviser by written notice
to the Company, if the Company gives the Fund and the Adviser
the written notice specified in Section 1.6 hereof and at the
time such notice was given there was no notice of termination
outstanding under any other provision of this Agreement;
provided, however any termination under this Section 10.1(h)
shall be effective forty five 45 days after the notice
specified in Section 1.6 was given.
10.2. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Fund shall
at the option of the Company, continue to make available additional shares of
the Fund pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, for all
Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination of this Agreement
(hereinafter referred to as "Existing, Contracts"). specifically, without
limitation, the owners of the Existing Contracts shall be permitted to direct
reallocation of investments in the Fund, redemption of investments in the Fund
and/or investment in the Fund upon the making of additional purchase payments
under the Existing Contracts. The parties agree that this Section 10.2 shall not
apply to any terminations under Article VII and the effect of such Article VII
terminations shall be governed by Article VII of this Agreement.
10.3. The Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the
Contracts (as distinct from Fund shares attributable to the Company's assets
held in the Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract Owner
initiated or approved transactions, or (ii) as required by state and/or federal
laws or regulations or judicial or other legal precedent of general application
(hereinafter referred to as a "Legally Required Redemption") or (iii) as
permitted by an order of the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to
Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act. Upon request, the Company will promptly furnish
to the Fund the opinion of counsel for the Company (which counsel shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Fund) to the effect that any redemption pursuant
to clause (ii) above is a Legally Required Redemption. Furthermore, except in
cases where permitted under the terms of the Contracts, the Company shall not
prevent Contract Owners from allocating payments to a Portfolio that was
otherwise available under the Contracts without first giving the Fund 90 days
prior written notice of its intention to do so.
ARTICLE XI. Notices
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or
certified mail to the other party at the address of such party set forth below
or at such other address as such party may from time to time specify in writing
to the other party.
If to the Fund:
Morgan Stanley Universal Funds, Inc.
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Attention: Secretary
If to Adviser:
Morgan Stanley Asset Management Inc.
1221 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
Attention: Harold J. Schaaff, Jr., Esq.
If to Adviser:
Miller Anderson & Sherrerd, LLP
One Tower Bridge
West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428
Attention: Lorraine Truten
If to the Company:
Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
1150 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, California 90015
Attention: Corporate Secretary
ARTICLE XII. Miscellaneous
12.1. All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the
property of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as
neither the Board, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal
liability for obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund.
12.2. Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory
authority, each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses
of the owners of the Contracts and all information reasonably identified as
confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted by
this Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize such names and
addresses and other confidential information until such time as it may come into
the public domain without the express written consent of the affected party.
12.3. The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience of
reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the provisions hereof or
otherwise affect their construction or effect.
12.4. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more
counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the same
instrument.
12.5. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made invalid
by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the Agreement
shall not be affected thereby.
12.6. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party and all
appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the
Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Association of Securities
Dealers and state insurance regulators) and shall permit such authorities
reasonable access to its books and records in connection with any investigation
or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, each party hereto further
agrees to furnish the California Insurance Commissioner with any information or
reports in connection with services provided under this Agreement which such
Commissioner may request in order to ascertain whether the insurance operations
of the Company are being conducted in a manner consistent with the California
Insurance Regulations and any other applicable law or regulations.
12.7. The rights, remedies and obligations contained in this Agreement
are cumulative and are in addition to any and all rights, remedies and
obligations at law or in equity, which the parties hereto are entitled to under
state and federal laws.
12.8. This Agreement or any of the rights and obligations hereunder may
not be assigned by any party without the prior written consent of all parties
hereto; provided, however, that an Adviser may assign this Agreement or any
rights or obligations hereunder to any affiliate of or company under common
control with the Adviser, if such assignee is duly licensed and registered to
perform the obligations of the Adviser under this Agreement.
12.9. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be furnished, to the
Fund or its designee copies of the following reports:
(a) the Company's annual statement (prepared under
statutory accounting principles) and annual report
(prepared under generally accepted accounting
principles ("GAAP"), if any), as soon as practical
and in any event within 90 days after the end of each
fiscal year;
(b) the Company's quarterly statements (statutory)
(and GAAP, if any), as soon as practical and in any
event within 45 days after the end of each quarterly
period:
(c) any financial statement, proxy statement, notice
or report of the Company sent to stockholders and/or
policyholders, as soon as practical after the
delivery thereof to stockholders;
(d) any registration statement (without exhibits) and
financial reports of the Company filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission or any state
insurance regulator, as soon as practical after the
filing thereof;
(e) any other report submitted to the Company by
independent accountants in connection with any
annual, interim or special audit made by them of the
books of the Company, as soon as practical after the
receipt thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this
Agreement to be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized
representative and its seal to be hereunder affixed hereto as of the date
specified above.
TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
By: ______________________________
Name:
Title:
MORGAN STANLEY UNIVERSAL FUNDS, INC.
By: ______________________________
Name:
Title:
MORGAN STANLEY ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.
By: ______________________________
Name:
Title:
MILLER ANDERSON & SHERRERD, LLP
By: ______________________________
Name:
Title:
SCHEDULE A
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS AND CONTRACTS
Name of Separate Account Form Number and Name of Contract Funded by Separate
-------------------
Account
Separate Account VUL-1
Separate Account VUL-2
Separate Account VUL-4
SCHEDULE B
PORTFOLIOS OF MORGAN STANLEY
UNIVERSAL FUNDS, INC.
Fixed Income Portfolio
High Yield Portfolio
International Magnum Portfolio
SCHEDULE C
PROXY VOTING PROCEDURES
The following is a list of procedures and corresponding responsibilities for the
handling of proxies and voting instructions relating to the Fund. The defined
terms herein shall have the meanings assigned in the Participation Agreement
except that the term "Company" shall also include the department or third party
assigned by the Company to perform the steps delineated below.
. The proxy proposals are given to the Company by the Fund as early as
possible before the date set by the Fund for the shareholder meeting to
enable the Company to consider and prepare for the solicitation of
voting instructions from owners of the Contracts and to facilitate the
establishment of tabulation procedures. At this time the Fund will
inform the Company of the Record, Mailing and Meeting dates. This will
be done verbally approximately two months before meeting.
. Promptly after the Record Date, the Company will perform a "tape run",
or other activity, which will generate the names, addresses and number
of units which are attributed to each contract owner/policyholder (the
"Customer") as of the Record Date. Allowance should be made for account
adjustments made after this date that could affect the status of the
Customers' accounts as of the Record Date.
Note: The number of proxy statements is determined by the activities
described in this Step #2. The Company will use its best efforts to
call in the number of Customers to the Fund , as soon as possible, but
no later than two weeks after the Record Date.
. The Fund's Annual Report must be sent to each Customer by the Company
either before or together with the Customers' receipt of voting,
instruction solicitation material. The Fund will provide the last
Annual Report to the Company pursuant to the terms of Section 3.3 of
the Agreement to which this Schedule relates.
. The text and format for the Voting Instruction Cards ("Cards" or
"Card") is provided to the Company by the Fund. The Company, at its
expense, shall produce and personalize the Voting Instruction Cards.
The Fund or its affiliate must approve the Card before it is printed.
Allow approximately 2-4 business days for printing information on the
Cards. Information commonly found on the Cards includes:
. name (legal name as found on account registration)
. address
. fund or account number
. coding to state number of units
. individual Card number for use in tracking and verification of
votes (already on Cards as printed by the Fund).
(This and related steps may occur later in the chronological process due to
possible uncertainties relating to the proposals.)
. During this time, the Fund will develop, produce and pay for the Notice
of Proxy and the Proxy Statement (one document). Printed and folded
notices and statements will be sent to Company for insertion into
envelopes (envelopes and return envelopes are provided and paid for by
the Company). Contents of envelope sent to Customers by the Company
will include:
. Voting Instruction Card(s)
. One proxy notice and statement (one document)
. return envelope (postage pre-paid by Company) addressed to the
Company or its tabulation agent
. "urge buckslip" - optional, but recommended. (This is a small,
single sheet of paper that
requests Customers to vote as quickly as possible and that
their vote is important. One copy will be supplied by the
Fund.)
. cover letter - optional, supplied by Company and reviewed and
approved in advance by the Fund.
. The above contents should be received by the Company approximately 3-5
business days before mail date. Individual in charge at Company reviews
and approves the contents of the mailing package to ensure correctness
and completeness. Copy of this approval sent to the Fund.
. Package mailed by the Company.
* The Fund must allow at least a 15-day solicitation time to the
Company as the shareowner. (A 5-week period is recommended.)
Solicitation time is calculated as calendar days from (but not
including,) the meeting, counting backwards.
. Collection and tabulation of Cards begins. Tabulation usually takes
place in another department or another vendor depending on process
used. An often used procedure is to sort Cards on arrival by proposal
into vote categories of all yes, no, or mixed replies, and to begin
data entry.
Note: Postmarks are not generally needed. A need for postmark information
would be due to an insurance company's internal procedure and has not been
required by the Fund in the past.
. Signatures on Card checked against legal name on account registration
which was printed on the Card. Note: For Example, if the account
registration is under "John A. Smith, Trustee," then that is the exact
legal name to be printed on the Card and is the signature needed on the
Card.
. If Cards are mutilated, or for any reason are illegible or are not
signed properly, they are sent back to Customer with an explanatory
letter and a new Card and return envelope. The mutilated or illegible
Card is disregarded and considered to be not received for purposes of
vote tabulation. Any Cards that have been "kicked out" (e.g. mutilated,
illegible) of the procedure are "hand verified," i.e., examined as to
why they did not complete the system. Any questions on those Cards are
usually remedied individually.
. There are various control procedures used to ensure proper tabulation
of votes and accuracy of that tabulation. The most prevalent is to sort
the Cards as they first arrive into categories depending upon their
vote; an estimate of how the vote is progressing may then be
calculated. If the initial estimates and the actual vote do not
coincide, then an internal audit of that vote should occur. This may
entail a recount.
. The actual tabulation of votes is done in units which is then converted
to shares. (It is very important that the Fund receives the tabulations stated
in terms of a percentage and the number of shares.) The Fund must review and
approve tabulation format.
. Final tabulation in shares is verbally given by the Company to the Fund
on the morning of the meeting not later than 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.
The Fund may request an earlier deadline if reasonable and if required
to calculate the vote in time for the meeting.
. A Certification of Mailing and Authorization to Vote Shares will be
required from the Company as well as an original copy of the final
vote. The Fund will provide a standard form for each Certification.
. The Company will be required to box and archive the Cards received from
the Customers. In the event that any vote is challenged or if otherwise
necessary for legal, regulatory, or accounting purposes, the Fund will
be permitted reasonable access to such Cards.
. All approvals and "signing-off' may be done orally, but must always be
followed up in writing.
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
Among
MORGAN STANLEY UNIVERSAL FUNDS, INC.,
MORGAN STANLEY ASSET MANAGEMENT INC.
MILLER ANDERSON & SHERRERD, LLP
and
TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
DATED AS OF
DECEMBER 15, 1997
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
By and Among
OCC ACCUMULATION TRUST
And
TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
And
OCC DISTRIBUTORS
And
OpCap Advisors
THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into this 18th day of
December, 1997, by and among Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company, a
California Corporation (hereinafter the "Company"), on its own behalf and on
behalf of each separate account of the Company named in Schedule 1 to this
Agreement, as may be amended from time to time (each account referred to as the
"Account"), OCC ACCUMULATION TRUST, an open-end diversified management
investment company organized under the laws of the State of Massachusetts
(hereinafter the "Fund"), OpCap Advisors (hereinafter the "Adviser") and OCC
DISTRIBUTORS, a Delaware general partnership (hereinafter the "Underwriter").
WHEREAS, the Fund engages in business as an open-end
diversified, management investment company and was established for the purpose
of serving as the investment vehicle for separate accounts established for
variable life insurance contracts and variable annuity contracts to be offered
by insurance companies which have entered into participation agreements
substantially identical to this Agreement (hereinafter "Participating Insurance
Companies"); and
WHEREAS, beneficial interests in the Fund are divided into
several series of shares, each representing the interest in a particular managed
portfolio of securities and other assets (the "Portfolios"); and
WHEREAS, the Fund has obtained an order from the Securities &
Exchange Commission (alternatively referred to as the "SEC" or the
"Commission"), dated February 22, 1995 (File No. 812-9290), granting
Participating Insurance Companies and variable annuity separate accounts and
variable life insurance separate accounts relief from the provisions of Sections
9(a), 13(a), 15(a), and 15(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended,
(hereinafter the "1940 Act") and Rules 6e-2(b)(15) and 6e-3(T)(b)(15)
thereunder, to the extent necessary to permit shares of the Fund to be sold to
and held by variable annuity separate accounts and variable life insurance
separate accounts of both affiliated and unaffiliated Participating Insurance
Companies and qualified pension and retirement plans (hereinafter the "Mixed and
Shared Funding Exemptive Order");and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management
investment company under the 1940 Act and its shares are registered under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (hereinafter the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered or will register certain
variable annuity or life insurance contracts (the "Contracts") under the 1933
Act; and
WHEREAS, the Account is a duly organized, validly existing
segregated asset account, established by resolution of the Board of Directors of
the Company under the insurance laws of the State of North Carolina, to set
aside and invest assets attributable to the Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company has registered the Account as a unit investment trust
under the 1940 Act; and
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is registered as a broker-dealer with
the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (hereinafter the
"1934 Act"), and is a member in good standing of the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (hereinafter "NASD"); and
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws
and regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios named
in Schedule 2 on behalf of the Account to fund the Contracts and the Underwriter
is authorized to sell such shares to unit investment trusts such as the Account
at net asset value;
WHEREAS, the Company may contract with an Administrator to
perform certain services with regard to the Contracts and, therefore, certain
obligations and services of the Adviser and/or Trust should be directed to the
Administrator, as directed by the Company;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the
Company, the Fund and the Underwriter agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Sale of Fund Shares
1.1. The Underwriter agrees to sell to the Company those
shares of the Fund which the Company or its Administrator orders on behalf of
the Account, executing such orders on a daily basis at the net asset value next
computed after receipt and acceptance by the Fund or its agent of the order for
the shares of the Fund. For purposes of this Section 1.1, the Company or its
Administrator shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of such orders from
each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund;
provided that the Fund receives notice of such order by 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time
on the next following Business Day. "Business Day" shall mean any day on which
the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading.
1.2. The Company shall pay for Fund shares on the next
Business Day after it places an order to purchase Fund shares in accordance with
Section 1.1 hereof. Payment shall be in federal funds transmitted by wire.
1.3. The Fund agrees to make its shares available indefinitely
for purchase at the applicable net asset value per share by Participating
Insurance Companies and their separate accounts each Business Day; provided,
however, that the Board of Trustees of the Fund (hereinafter the "Directors")
may refuse to sell shares of any Portfolio to any person, or suspend or
terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio if such action is required by
law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or is, in the sole
discretion of the Directors, acting in good faith and in light of their
fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, necessary in the
best interests of the shareholders of any Portfolio.
1.4. The Fund and the Underwriter agree that shares of the
Fund shall be sold only to Participating Insurance Companies and their separate
accounts, qualified pension and retirement plans or such other persons as are
permitted under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, (the "Internal Revenue Code"), and regulations promulgated thereunder,
the sale to which will not impair the tax treatment currently afforded the
contracts. No shares of any Portfolio shall be sold to the general public.
1.5. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not sell Fund shares
to any insurance company or separate account unless an agreement containing
provisions substantially the same as Articles I, III, V, VI and VII of this
Agreement are in effect to govern such sales. The Fund shall make available upon
written request from the Company (i) a list of all other Participating Insurance
Companies and (ii) a copy of the Participation Agreement executed by any other
Participating Insurance Company.
1.6. The Fund agrees to redeem for cash, upon the Company's
request, any full or fractional shares of the Fund held by the Company,
executing such requests on a daily basis at the net asset value next computed
after receipt and acceptance by the Fund or its agent of the request for
redemption. For purposes of this Section 1.6, the Company or its Administrator
shall be the designee of the Fund for receipt of requests for redemption from
each Account and receipt by such designee shall constitute receipt by the Fund;
provided the Fund receives notice of request for redemption by 10:00 a.m.
Eastern Time on the next following Business Day. Payment shall be in federal
funds transmitted by wire to the Company's account as designated by the Company
in writing from time to time, on the same Business Day the Fund receives notice
of the redemption order from the Company except that the Fund reserves the right
to delay payment of redemption proceeds, but in no event may such payment be
delayed longer than the period permitted under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act.
Neither the Fund nor the Underwriter shall bear any responsibility whatsoever
for the proper disbursement or crediting of redemption proceeds to Contract
owners; the Company alone shall be responsible for such action. If notification
of redemption is received after 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, payment for redeemed
shares will be made on the next following Business Day.
1.7. The Company agrees to purchase and redeem the shares of
the Portfolios named in Schedule 2 offered by the then current prospectus of the
Fund in accordance with the provisions of such prospectus. The Company agrees
that all net amounts available under the Contracts shall be invested in the
Fund, or in the Company's general account; provided that such amounts may also
be invested in an investment company other than the Fund if (a) such other
investment company, or series thereof, has investment objectives or policies
that are substantially different from the investment objectives and policies of
the Portfolios of the Fund named in Schedule 2; or (b) the Company gives the
Fund and the Underwriter 45 days written notice of its intention to make such
other investment company available as a funding vehicle for the Contracts; or
(c) such other investment company was available as a funding vehicle for the
Contracts prior to the date of this Agreement and the Company so informs the
Fund and Underwriter prior to their signing this Agreement; or (d) the Fund or
Underwriter consents in writing to the use of such other investment company.
1.8. Issuance and transfer of the Fund's shares will be by
book entry only. Stock certificates will not be issued to the Company or any
Account. Purchase and redemption orders for Fund shares will be recorded in an
appropriate title for each Account or the appropriate subaccount of each
Account.
1.9. The Fund shall furnish notice to Company or its
Administrator by Company, two days prior to the distribution of any income,
dividends or capital gain distributions payable on the Fund's shares. The
Company hereby elects to receive all such dividends and distributions as are
payable on the Portfolio shares in the form of additional shares of that
Portfolio. The Company reserves the right to revoke this election and to receive
all such dividends and distributions in cash. The Fund shall notify the Company
of the number of shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions
the day of distribution when it reports the Portfolio's NAV pursuant to Section
1.10.
1.10. The Fund shall report the net asset value per share for
each Portfolio to the Company or its Administrator, as directed by Company, on a
daily basis as soon as reasonably practical after the net asset value per share
is calculated and shall use its best efforts to make such net asset value per
share available by 5:30 p.m., Eastern Time, each business day. If the Fund
provides materially incorrect share net asset value information, the Fund shall
make an adjustment to the number of shares purchased or redeemed for the
Accounts to reflect the correct net asset value per share. Any material error in
the calculation or reporting of net asset value per share, dividend or capital
gains information shall be reported promptly upon discovery to the Company.
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts
are or will be registered under the 1933 Act and that the Contracts will be
issued and sold in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws. The
Company further represents and warrants that it is an insurance company duly
organized and in good standing under applicable law and that it has legally and
validly established each Account as a segregated asset account under applicable
state law and has registered each Account as a unit investment trust in
accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act to serve as segregated investment
accounts for the Contracts, and that it will maintain such registration for so
long as any Contracts are outstanding. The Company shall amend the registration
statement under the 1933 Act for the Contracts and the registration statement
under the 1940 Act for the Account from time to time as required in order to
effect the continuous offering of the Contracts or as may otherwise be required
by applicable law. The Company shall register and qualify the Contracts for sale
in accordance with the securities laws of the various states only if and to the
extent deemed necessary by the Company.
2.2. The Company represents that the Contracts are currently
and at the time of issuance will be treated as life insurance or annuity
contracts under Sections 7702 or 72 of the Internal Revenue Code and that it
will maintain such treatment and that it will notify the Fund and the
Underwriter 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.
2.3. The Fund and Adviser represent and warrant that Fund
shares sold pursuant to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act
and duly authorized for issuance in accordance with applicable law and that the
Fund is and shall remain registered under the 1940 Act for as long as the Fund
shares are sold. The Fund shall amend the registration statement for its shares
under the 1933 Act and the 1940 Act from time to time as required in order to
effect the continuous offering of its shares. The Fund shall register and
qualify the shares for sale in accordance with the laws of the various states
only if and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund or the Underwriter.
2.4. The Fund and Adviser represent and warrant that the Fund
and each of the Portfolios is currently qualified as a Regulated Investment
Company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code, and that they will
maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar
provision) (or correct any failure during the applicable grace period) and that
they will notify the 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.
2.5. The Fund represents that its investment objectives,
policies and restrictions comply with applicable state investment laws as they
may apply to the Fund. The Fund makes no representation as to whether any aspect
of its operations (including, but not limited to, fees and expenses and
investment policies) complies with the insurance laws and regulations of any
state. The Company alone shall be responsible for informing the Fund of any
insurance restrictions imposed by state insurance laws which are applicable to
the Fund. To the extent feasible and consistent with market conditions, the Fund
will adjust its investments to comply with the aforementioned state insurance
laws upon written notice from the Company of such requirements and proposed
adjustments, it being agreed and understood that in any such case the Fund shall
be allowed a reasonable period of time under the circumstances after receipt of
such notice to make any such adjustment.
2.6. The Fund currently does not intend to make any payments
to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act or
otherwise, although it may make such payments in the future. To the extent that
it decides to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1, the Fund
undertakes to have its Board of Trustees, a majority of whom are not interested
persons of the Fund, formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance
distribution expenses.
2.7. The Underwriter represents and warrants that it is a
member in good standing of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.,
("NASD") and is registered as a broker-dealer with the SEC. The Underwriter
further represents that it will sell and distribute the Fund shares in
accordance with all applicable federal and state securities laws, including
without limitation the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, and the 1940 Act.
2.8. The Fund represents that it is lawfully organized and
validly existing under the laws of Massachusetts and that it does and will
comply with applicable provisions of the 1940 Act.
2.9. The Underwriter and the Adviser represent and warrant
that Adviser is and shall remain duly registered under all applicable federal
and state securities laws and that the Adviser will perform its obligations to
the Fund in accordance with the laws of Massachusetts and any applicable state
and federal securities laws.
2.10. The Fund, Adviser and Underwriter represent and warrant
that all of their directors, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other
individuals/entities having access to the funds and/or securities of the Fund
are and 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 the
minimal coverage as required currently by Rule 17g-(1) of the 1940 Act or
related provisions as may be promulgated from time to time. The aforesaid Bond
includes coverage for larceny and embezzlement and is issued by a reputable
bonding company.
2.11. The Company represents and warrants that all of its
directors, officers, employees, investment advisers, and other
individuals/entities dealing with the money and/or securities of the Fund are
covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of the
Fund, in an amount not less than $5 million. The aforesaid includes coverage for
larceny and embezzlement and is issued by a reputable bonding company. The
Company agrees to make all reasonable efforts to see that this bond or another
bond containing these provisions is always in effect, and agrees to notify the
Fund and the Underwriter in the event that such coverage no longer applies.
ARTICLE III. Prospectuses and Proxy Statements; Voting
3.1. The Underwriter shall provide the Company, at the
Company's expense, with as many copies of the current prospectuses for the
Portfolios listed on Schedule 2 as the Company may reasonably request for use
with prospective contractowners and applicants. The Underwriter shall print and
distribute, at the Fund's or Underwriter's expense, as many copies of said
prospectuses as necessary for distribution to existing contractowners or
participants. If requested by the Company in lieu thereof, the Fund shall
provide such documentation including a final copy of a current prospectus set in
type at the Fund's expense and other assistance as is reasonably necessary in
order for the Company at least annually (or more frequently if the said
prospectuses are amended more frequently) to have the new prospectus for the
Contracts and the Portfolios' new prospectuses printed together in one document.
In such case the Fund shall bear its share of expenses as described above.
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the Statement of
Additional Information for the Fund is available from the Underwriter or
alternatively from the Company (or, in the Fund's discretion, the Prospectus
shall state that such Statement is available from the Fund), and the Underwriter
(or the Fund) shall provide such Statement, at its expense, to the Company and
to any owner of or participant under a Contract who requests such Statement or,
at the Company's expense, to any prospective contractowner and applicant who
requests such statement.
3.3. The Fund, at its expense, shall provide the Company with
copies of proxy material, if any, reports to shareholders and other
communications to shareholders with regard to the Portfolios listed in Schedule
2 in such quantity as the Company shall reasonably require and shall bear the
costs of distributing them to existing contractowners or participants.
3.4. If and to the extent required by law the Company shall:
(i) solicit voting instructions from contract owners or
participants;
(ii) vote the Fund shares held in the Account in accordance
with instructions received from contractowners or
participants; and
(iii) vote Fund shares held in the Account for which no
timely instructions have been received, in the same proportion
as Fund shares of such Portfolio for which instructions have
been received from the Company's contractowners or
participants;
so long as and to the extent that the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to
require pass through voting privileges for variable contractowners. The Company
reserves the right to vote Fund shares held in any segregated asset account in
its own right, to the extent permitted by law. Participating Insurance Companies
shall be responsible for assuring that each of their separate accounts
participating in the Fund calculates voting privileges in a manner consistent
with other Participating Insurance Companies.
3.5. The Fund will comply with all provisions of the 1940 Act
requiring voting by shareholders, and in particular as required, the Fund will
either provide for annual meetings or comply with Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act
(although the Fund is not one of the trusts described in Section 16(c) of that
Act) as well as with Sections 16(a) and, if and when applicable, 16(b). Further,
the Fund will act in accordance with the SEC interpretation of the requirements
of Section 16(a) with respect to periodic elections of directors and with
whatever rules the Commission may promulgate with respect thereto.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
4.1. The Company shall furnish, or shall cause to be
furnished, to the Fund or the Underwriter, each piece of sales literature or
other promotional material in which the Fund or the Fund's adviser or the
Underwriter is named, at least five business days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used if the Fund or the Underwriter reasonably objects in
writing to such use within fifteen business days after receipt of such material.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any
representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund in
connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus for the
Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus 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 or by
the Underwriter, except with the permission of the Fund or the Underwriter. The
Fund and the Underwriter agree to respond to any request for approval on a
prompt and timely basis.
4.3. The Fund or the Underwriter shall furnish, or shall cause
to be furnished, to the Company or its designee, each piece of sales literature
or other promotional material in which the Company or its separate account is
named, at least fifteen business days prior to its use. No such material shall
be used if the Company reasonably objects in writing to such use within fifteen
business days after receipt of such material.
4.4. The Fund and the Underwriter shall not give any
information or make any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning
the Company, each Account, or the Contracts other than the information or
representations contained in a registration statement or prospectus for the
Contracts, as such registration statement and prospectus may be amended or
supplemented from time to time, or in published reports for each Account which
are in the public domain or approved by the Company for distribution to
contractowners or participants, or in sales literature or other promotional
material approved by the Company, except with the permission of the Company. The
Company agrees to respond to any request for approval on a prompt and timely
basis.
4.5. The Fund will provide to the Company at least one
complete copy of all registration statements, prospectuses, statements of
additional information, 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 SEC or other
regulatory authorities.
4.6. The Company will provide to the Fund at least one
complete copy of all registration statements, prospectuses, statements of
additional information, reports, solicitations for voting instructions, 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 each Account, contemporaneously with the filing of
such document with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
4.7. For purposes of this Article IV, the phrase "sales
literature or other promotional material" includes, but is not limited to,
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 (i.e., any written communication distributed or made generally
available to customers or the public, including brochures, circulars, research
reports, market letters, form letters, seminar texts, 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 NASD rules, the 1940 Act or the 1933 Act.
ARTICLE V. Fees and Expenses
5.1. The Fund and Underwriter shall pay no fee or other
compensation to the Company under this Agreement, except that if the Fund or any
Portfolio adopts and implements a plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 to finance
distribution expenses, then, subject to obtaining any required exemptive orders
or other regulatory approvals, the Underwriter may make payments to the Company
or to the underwriter for the Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the
Underwriter in writing. Currently, no such payments are contemplated.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund of this
Agreement shall be paid by the Fund to the extent permitted by law. All Fund
shares will be duly authorized for issuance and registered in accordance with
applicable federal law and to the extent deemed advisable by the Fund, in
accordance with applicable state law, prior to sale. The Fund shall bear the
expenses for the cost of registration and qualification of the Fund's shares,
preparation and filing of the Fund's prospectus and registration statement, Fund
proxy materials and reports, setting in type, printing and distributing the
prospectuses, the proxy materials and reports to existing shareholders and
contractowners, the preparation of all statements and notices required by any
federal or state law, all taxes on the issuance or transfer of the Fund's
shares, and any expenses permitted to be paid or assumed by the Fund pursuant to
a plan, if any, under Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
5.3 Adviser will quarterly reimburse the Company certain of
the administrative costs and expenses incurred by the Company as a result of
operations necessitated by the beneficial ownership by Contract owners of shares
of the Portfolios of the Fund, equal to 0.15% per annum of the average daily net
assets of the Fund attributable to variable life or variable annuity contracts
offered by the Company or its affiliates up to $300 million and 0.20% per annum
of the average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to such contracts in
excess of $300 million but less than $600 million and 0.25% per annum of the
average daily net assets of the Fund attributable to such contracts in excess of
$600 million. In no event shall such fee be paid by the Fund, its shareholders
or by the contract holders.
ARTICLE VI. Diversification
6.1. The Fund and the Adviser represent and warrant that the
Fund will at all times invest money from the Contracts in such a manner as to
ensure that the Contracts will be treated as variable contracts under the
Internal Revenue Code and the regulations issued thereunder. Without limiting
the scope of the foregoing, the Fund will comply with Section 817(h) of the
Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulation 1.817-5, relating to the
diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life insurance
contracts and any amendments or other modifications to such Section or
Regulations. In the event of a breach of this Article VI by the Fund, it will
take all reasonable steps (a) to notify the Company of such breach and (b) to
adequately diversify the Fund so as to achieve compliance with the grace period
afforded by Treasury Regulation 1.817-5.
ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts
7.1. The Board of Trustees of the Fund (the "Fund Board") will
monitor the Fund for the existence of any material irreconcilable conflict among
the interests of the contractowners of all separate accounts investing in the
Fund. An irreconcilable material conflict may arise for a variety of reasons,
including: (a) an action by any state insurance regulatory authority; (b) a
change in applicable federal or state insurance, tax, or securities laws or
regulations, or a public ruling, private letter ruling, no-action or
interpretative letter, or any similar action by insurance, tax, or securities
regulatory authorities; (c) an administrative or judicial decision in any
relevant proceeding; (d) the manner in which the investments of any Portfolio
are being managed; (e) a difference in voting instructions given by
Participating Insurance Companies or by variable annuity contract and variable
life insurance contractowners; or (f) a decision by an insurer to disregard the
voting instructions of contractowners. The Board shall promptly inform the
Company if it determines that an irreconcilable material conflict exists and the
implications thereof. A majority of the Fund Board shall consist of persons who
are not "interested" persons of the Fund.
7.2. The Company has reviewed a copy of the Mixed and Shared
Funding Exemptive Order, and in particular, has reviewed the conditions to the
requested relief set forth therein. As set forth in the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, the Company will report any potential or existing conflicts of
which it is aware to the Fund Board. The Company agrees to assist the Fund Board
in carrying out its responsibilities under the Mixed and Shared Funding
Exemptive Order, by providing the Fund Board with all information reasonably
necessary for the Fund Board to consider any issues raised. This includes, but
is not limited to, an obligation by the Company to inform the Fund Board
whenever contractowner voting instructions are disregarded. The Fund Board shall
record in its minutes or other appropriate records, all reports received by it
and all action with regard to a conflict.
7.3. If it is determined by a majority of the Fund Board, or a
majority of its disinterested Directors, that an irreconcilable material
conflict exists, the Company and other Participating Insurance Companies shall,
at their expense and to the extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a
majority of the disinterested Directors), take whatever steps are necessary to
remedy or eliminate the irreconcilable material conflict, up to and including:
(1) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the separate accounts
from the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets in a different
investment medium, including (but not limited to) another Portfolio of the Fund,
or submitting the question whether such segregation should be implemented to a
vote of all affected contractowners and, as appropriate, segregating the assets
of any appropriate group (i.e., variable annuity contractowners or variable life
insurance contractowners, of one or more Participating Insurance Companies) that
votes in favor of such segregation, or offering to the affected contractowners
the option of making such a change; and (2) establishing a new registered
management investment company or managed separate account.
7.4. If the Company's disregard of voting instructions could
conflict with the majority of contractowner voting instructions, and the
Company's judgment represents a minority position or would preclude a majority
vote, the Company may be required, at the Fund's election, to withdraw the
Account's investment in the Fund and terminate this Agreement with respect to
such Account. Any such withdrawal and termination must take place within 60 days
after the Fund gives written notice to the Company that this provision is being
implemented. Until the end of such 60 day period the Underwriter and Fund shall
continue to accept and implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and
redemption) of shares of the Fund.
7.5. If a particular state insurance regulator's decision
applicable to the Company conflicts with the majority of other state insurance
regulators, then the Company will withdraw the Account's investment in the Fund
and terminate this Agreement with respect to such Account. Any such withdrawal
and termination must take place within 60 days after the Fund gives written
notice to the Company that this provision is being implemented. Until the end of
such 60 day period the Underwriter and Fund shall continue to accept and
implement orders by the Company for the purchase (and redemption) of shares of
the Fund.
7.6. For purposes of Sections 7.3 through 7.6 of this
Agreement, a majority of the disinterested members of the Fund Board shall
determine whether any proposed action adequately remedies any irreconcilable
material conflict, but in no event will the Fund or Quest Advisors be required
to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts. The Company shall not be
required by Section 7.3 to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts if
an offer to do so has been declined by vote of a majority of contractowners
materially adversely affected by the irreconcilable material conflict.
7.7. The Company shall at least annually submit to the Fund
Board such reports, materials or data as the Fund Board may reasonably request
so that the Fund Board may fully carry out the duties imposed upon it as
delineated in the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order, and said reports,
materials and data shall be submitted more frequently if deemed appropriate by
the Fund Board.
7. 8. If and to the extent that Rule 6e-2 and Rule 6e-3 (T)
are amended, or Rule 6e-3 is adopted, to provide exemptive relief from any
provision of the Act or the rules promulgated thereunder with respect to mixed
or shared funding (as defined in the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive Order)
on terms and conditions materially different from those contained in the Mixed
and Shared Funding Exemptive Order, (a) the Fund and/or the Participating
Insurance Companies, as appropriate, shall take such steps as may be necessary
to comply with Rules 6e-2 and 6e-3 (T), as amended, and Rule 6e-3, as adopted,
to the extent such rules are applicable; and (b) Sections 3.4, 3.5, 7.1, 7.2,
7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 of this Agreement shall continue in effect only to the extent
that terms and conditions substantially identical to such Sections are contained
in such Rule(s) as so amended or adopted.
ARTICLE VIII. Indemnification
8.1. Indemnification By The Company
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Fund, the Adviser, the Underwriter, and each of the Fund's or the Underwriter's
directors, officers, employees or agents and each person, if any, who controls
or is associated with the Fund or the Underwriter within the meaning of such
terms under the federal securities laws (collectively, the "indemnified parties"
for purposes of this Section 8.1) against any and all losses, claims, damages,
liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of
the Company) or litigation (including reasonable legal and other expenses), to
which the indemnified parties may become subject under any statute, regulation,
at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities
or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statements or
alleged untrue statements of any material fact contained in
the registration statement, prospectus or statement of
additional information for the Contracts or contained in the
Contracts or sales literature or other promotional material
for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement to any of
the foregoing), 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 in light of the
circumstances in which they were made; provided that this
agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any indemnified
party if such statement or omission or such alleged statement
or omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with
information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of the
Fund for use in the registration statement, prospectus or
statement of additional information for the Contracts or in
the Contracts or sales literature or other promotional
material for the Contracts (or any amendment or supplement) or
otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts
or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or
representations by or on behalf of the Company (other than
statements or representations contained in the Fund
registration statement, Fund prospectus, Fund statement of
additional information or sales literature or other
promotional material of the Fund not supplied by the Company
or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the
Company or persons under its control, with respect to the sale
or distribution of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in the Fund
registration statement, Fund prospectus, statement of
additional information or sales literature or other
promotional material of the Fund or any amendment thereof or
supplement thereto or the omission or alleged omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in
light of the circumstances in which they were made, if such a
statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to the Fund by or on
behalf of the Company or persons under its control; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Company to
provide the services and furnish the materials or to make
any payments under the terms of this Agreement; or
(v) arise out of any material breach of any representation
and/or warranty made by the Company in this Agreement or arise
out of or result from any other material breach by the Company
of this Agreement; except to the extent provided in Sections
8.1(b) and 8.3 hereof. This indemnification shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise
have.
(b) No party shall be entitled to indemnification if such loss, claim,
damage, liability or litigation is due to the willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the party seeking
indemnification.
(c) The indemnified parties will promptly notify the Company
of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in connection
with the issuance or sale of the Fund shares or the Contracts or the operation
of the Fund.
8.2. Indemnification By the Underwriter
(a) The Underwriter and Adviser, on their own behalf and on
behalf of the Fund, joint and severally agree to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company and each of its directors, officers, employees or agents and each
person, if any, who controls or is associated with the Company within the
meaning of such terms under the federal securities laws (collectively, the
"indemnified parties" for purposes of this Section 8.2) against any and all
losses, claims, damages, liabilities (including amounts paid in settlement with
the written consent of the Underwriter or Adviser) or litigation (including
reasonable legal and other expenses) to which the indemnified parties may become
subject under any statute, regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect
thereof) or settlements:
(i) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained in the
registration statement, prospectus or statement of additional
information for the Fund or sales literature or other
promotional material of the Fund (or any amendment or
supplement to any of the foregoing), 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 in
light of the circumstances in which they were made; provided
that this agreement to indemnify shall not apply as to any
indemnified party if such statement or omission or such
alleged statement or omission was made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to the Underwriter or
Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the
registration statement, prospectus or statement of additional
information for the Fund or in sales literature or other
promotional material of the Fund (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) or otherwise for use in connection with
the sale of the Contracts or Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or
representations (other than statements or representations
contained in the Contracts or in the Contract or Fund
registration statement, the Contract or Fund prospectus,
statement of additional information, or sales literature or
other promotional material for the Contracts or of the Fund
not supplied by the Underwriter or the Fund or persons under
the control of the Underwriter or the Fund respectively) or
wrongful conduct of the Underwriter or the Fund or persons
under the control of the Underwriter or the Fund respectively,
with respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts or
Fund shares; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in a registration
statement, prospectus, statement of additional information
or sales literature or other promotional material covering
the Contracts (or any amendment thereof or supplement
thereto), or the omission or alleged omission to state
therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statement or statements therein not
misleading in light of the circumstances in which they
were made, if such statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished
to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriter or the
Fund or persons under the control of the Underwriter or
the Fund; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund to
provide the services and furnish the materials under the
terms of this Agreement (including a failure, whether
unintentional or in good faith or otherwise, to comply
with the diversification requirements and procedures
related thereto specified in Article VI or the Sub-Chapter
M qualification specified in Section 2.4 of this
Agreement; or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any
representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter or
the Fund in this Agreement or arise out of or result from
any other material breach of this Agreement by the
Underwriter or the Fund; or
(vi) arise out of or result from the materially incorrect
or untimely calculation or reporting of the daily net
asset value per share or dividend or capital gain
distribution rate; except to the extent provided in
Sections 8.2(b) and 8.3 hereof. This indemnification shall
be in addition to any liability which the Underwriter may
otherwise have.
(b) No party shall be entitled to indemnification if such
loss, claim, damage, liability or litigation is due to the willful misfeasance,
bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty by the party seeking
indemnification.
(c) The indemnified parties will promptly notify the
Underwriter of the commencement of any litigation or proceedings against them in
connection with the issuance or sale of the Contracts or the operation of the
Account.
8.3. Indemnification Procedure
Any person obligated to provide indemnification under this
Article VIII ("indemnifying party" for the purpose of this Section 8.3) shall
not be liable under the indemnification provisions of this Article VIII with
respect to any claim made against a party entitled to indemnification under this
Article VIII ("indemnified party" for the purpose of this Section 8.3) unless
such indemnified party shall have notified the indemnifying party in writing
within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process giving
information of the nature of the claim shall have been served upon such
indemnified party (or after such party shall have received notice of such
service on any designated agent), but failure to notify the indemnifying party
of any such claim shall not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability
which it may have to the indemnified party against whom such action is brought
under the indemnification provision of this Article VIII, except to the extent
that the failure to notify results in the failure of actual notice to the
indemnifying party and such indemnifying party is damaged solely as a result of
failure to give such notice. In case any such action is brought against the
indemnified party, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The indemnifying party also shall be
entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party
named in the action. After notice from the indemnifying party to the indemnified
party of the indemnifying party's election to assume the defense thereof, the
indemnified party shall bear the fees and expenses of any additional counsel
retained by it, and the indemnifying party will not be liable to such party
under this Agreement for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such party independently in connection with the defense thereof other than
reasonable costs of investigation, 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
but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the
plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from
and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.
A successor by law of the parties to this Agreement shall be
entitled to the benefits of the indemnification contained in this Article VIII.
The indemnification provisions contained in this Article VIII shall survive any
termination of this Agreement.
8.4. Contribution
In order to provide for just and equitable contribution in
circumstances in which the indemnification provided for in this Article VIII is
due in accordance with its terms but for any reason is held to be unenforceable
with respect to a party entitled to indemnification ("indemnified party" for
purposes of this Section 8.4) pursuant to the terms of this Article VIII, then
each party obligated to indemnify pursuant to the terms of this Article VIII
shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities and litigations in such
proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
parties to this Agreement in connection with the offering of Fund shares to the
Account and the acquisition, holding or sale of Fund shares by the Account, or
if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportions as is
appropriate to reflect the relative net benefits referred to above but also the
relative fault of the parties to this Agreement in connection with any actions
that lead to such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigations, as well
as any other relevant equitable considerations.
ARTICLE IX. Applicable Law
9.1. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions
hereof interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New
York.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the
1933, 1934 and 1940 Acts, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder,
including such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC
may grant (including, but not limited to the Mixed and Shared Funding Exemptive
Order) and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance
therewith.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1. This Agreement shall terminate:
(a) at the option of any party upon one-year advanced
written notice to the other parties unless otherwise agreed
in a separate written agreement among the parties; or
(b) at the option of the Company if shares of the
Portfolios delineated in Schedule 2 are not reasonably
available to meet the requirements of the Contracts as
determined by the Company; or
(c) at the option of the Fund upon institution of
formal proceedings against the Company by the NASD, the SEC,
the insurance commission of any state or any other
regulatory body regarding the Company's duties under this
Agreement or related to the sale of the Contracts, the
administration of the Contracts, the operation of the
Account, or the purchase of the Fund shares, which would
have a material adverse effect on the Company's ability to
perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
(d) at the option of the Company upon institution of
formal proceedings against the Fund or the Underwriter by
the NASD, the SEC, or any state securities or insurance
department or any other regulatory body, which would have a
material adverse effect on the Fund's or the Underwriter's
ability to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
(e) at the option of the Company or the Fund upon
receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals and/or the
vote of the contractowners having an interest in the Account
(or any subaccount) to substitute the shares of another
investment company for the corresponding Portfolio shares of
the Fund in accordance with the terms of the Contracts for
which those Portfolio shares had been selected to serve as
the underlying investment media. The Company will give 30
days prior written notice to the Fund of the date of any
proposed vote or other action taken to replace the Fund's
shares; or
(f) at the option of the Company or the Fund upon a
determination by a majority of the Fund Board, or a majority
of the disinterested Fund Board members, that an
irreconcilable material conflict exists among the interests
of (i) all contractowners of variable insurance products of
all separate accounts or (ii) the interests of the
Participating Insurance Companies investing in the Fund as
delineated in Article VII of this Agreement; or
(g) at the option of the Company if the Fund ceases to
qualify as a Regulated Investment Company under Subchapter M
of the Internal Revenue Code, or under any successor or
similar provision, or if the Company reasonably believes
that the Fund may fail to so qualify; or
(h) at the option of the Company if the Fund fails to
meet the diversification requirements specified in Article
VI hereof; or
(i) at the option of any party to this Agreement, upon
another party's material breach of any provision of this
Agreement; or
(j) at the option of the Company, if the Company
determines in its sole judgment exercised in good faith,
that either the Fund or the Underwriter has suffered a
material adverse change in its business, operations or
financial condition since the date of this Agreement or is
the subject of material adverse publicity which is likely to
have a material adverse impact upon the business and
operations of the Company; or
(k) at the option of the Fund or Underwriter, if the
Fund or Underwriter respectively, shall determine in its
sole judgment exercised in good faith, that the Company has
suffered a material adverse change in its business,
operations or financial condition since the date of this
Agreement or is the subject of material adverse publicity
which is likely to have a material adverse impact upon the
business and operations of the Fund or Underwriter; or
(l) at the option of the Fund in the event any of the
Contracts are not issued or sold in accordance with
applicable federal and/or state law. Termination shall be
effective immediately upon such occurrence without notice.
10.2. Notice Requirement
(a) In the event that any termination of this Agreement is based upon the
provisions of Article VII, such prior written notice shall be given in advance
of the effective date of termination as required by such provisions.
(b) In the event that any termination of this Agreement is based upon the
provisions of Sections 10.1(b) - (d) or 10.1(g) - (i), prompt written notice of
the election to terminate this Agreement for cause shall be furnished by the
party terminating the Agreement to the non-terminating parties, with said
termination to be effective upon receipt of such notice by the non-terminating
parties.
(c) In the event that any termination of this Agreement is based upon the
provisions of Sections 10.1(j) or 10.1(k), prior written notice of the election
to terminate this Agreement for cause shall be furnished by the party
terminating this Agreement to the non-terminating parties. Such prior written
notice shall be given by the party terminating this Agreement to the
non-terminating parties at least 30 days before the effective date of
termination.
10.3. It is understood and agreed that the right to terminate
this Agreement pursuant to Section 10.1(a) may be exercised for any reason or
for no reason.
10.4. Effect of Termination
(a) Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section
10.1 of this Agreement, and subject to Section 1.3 of this Agreement, the
Company may require the Fund and the Underwriter to, continue to make available
additional shares of the Fund for so long after the termination of this
Agreement as the Company desires pursuant to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement as provided in paragraph (b) 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 shall be permitted to reallocate investments in the Fund,
redeem investments in the Fund and/or invest in the Fund upon the making of
additional purchase payments under the Existing Contracts. The parties agree
that this Section 10.4 shall not apply to any terminations under Article VII and
the effect of such Article VII terminations shall be governed by Article VII of
this Agreement.
(b) If shares of the Fund continue to be made available after termination
of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10.4, the provisions of this
Agreement shall remain in effect except for Section 10.1(a) and thereafter the
Fund, the Underwriter, or the Company may terminate the Agreement, as so
continued pursuant to this Section 10.4, upon 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 or Underwriter, need not be for more than 90 days.
10.5. Except as necessary to implement contractowner initiated
or approved transactions, or as required by state insurance laws or regulations,
the Company shall not redeem Fund shares attributable to the Contracts (as
opposed to Fund shares attributable to the Company's assets held in the
Account), and the Company shall not prevent contractowners from allocating
payments to a Portfolio that was otherwise available under the Contracts, until
90 days after the Company shall have notified the Fund or Underwriter of its
intention to do so.
ARTICLE XI. Notices
Any notice shall be deemed duly given only if sent by hand, evidenced
by written receipt or by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the other
party at the address of such party set forth below or at such other address as
such party may from time to time specify in writing to the other party. All
notices shall be deemed given three business days after the date received or
rejected by the addressee.
If to the Fund:
Mr. Bernard H. Garil
President
OpCap Advisors
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
If to the Company:
[Name]
[Title]
[Co. Name]
[Address]
If to the Underwriter:
Mr. Thomas E. Duggan
Secretary
OCC Distributors
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10281
ARTICLE XII. Miscellaneous
12.1. All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to
the property of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as
neither the Directors, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal
liability for obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund.
12.2. Subject to law and regulatory authority, each party
hereto shall treat as confidential all information reasonably identified as such
in writing by any other party hereto (including without limitation the names and
addresses of the owners of the Contracts) and, except as contemplated by this
Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize such confidential
information until such time as it may come into the public domain without the
express prior written consent of the affected party.
12.3. The captions in this Agreement are included for
convenience of reference only and in no way define or delineate any of the
provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
12.4. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or
more counterparts, each of which taken together shall constitute one and the
same instrument.
12.5. If any provision of this Agreement shall be held or made
invalid by a court decision, statute, rule or otherwise, the remainder of the
Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
12.6. This Agreement shall not be assigned by any party hereto without the
prior written consent of all the parties.
12.7. Each party hereto shall cooperate with each other party
and all appropriate governmental authorities (including without limitation the
SEC, the NASD and state insurance regulators) and shall permit each other and
such authorities reasonable access to its books and records in connection with
any investigation or inquiry relating to this Agreement or the transactions
contemplated hereby.
12.8. Each party represents that the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated herein have
been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or trust action, as applicable,
by such party and when so executed and delivered this Agreement will be the
valid and binding obligation of such party enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
12.9. The parties to this Agreement may amend the schedules to
this Agreement from time to time to reflect changes in or relating to the
Contracts, the Accounts or the Portfolios of the Fund.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused
this Agreement to be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized
representative as of the date and year first written above.
Company:
TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
SEAL By: ______________________________
Fund:
OCC ACCUMULATION TRUST
SEAL By: ______________________________
Underwriter:
OCC DISTRIBUTORS
By: ______________________________
Adviser:
OpCap Advisors
By:_______________________________
Schedule 1
Participation Agreement
Among
OCC Accumulation Trust, Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
and
OCC Distributors
The following separate accounts of Transamerica Occidental Life
Insurance Company are permitted in accordance with the provisions of this
Agreement to invest in Portfolios of the Fund shown in Schedule 2:
Separate Account VUL-1
Separate Account VUL-2
Separate Account VUL-4
[Date]
Schedule 2
Participation Agreement
Among
OCC Accumulation Trust, Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Company
and
OCC Distributors
The Separate Account(s) shown on Schedule 1 may invest in the following
Portfolios of the OCC Accumulation Trust:
[Date]
Oppenheimer Capital Managed
Oppenheimer Capital Value Equity