PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT Among First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York, Third Avenue Variable Series Trust, and Third Avenue Management LLC
Among
First Security Benefit Life Insurance and
Annuity Company of New York,
Third Avenue Variable Series Trust,
and
Third Avenue Management LLC
THIS AGREEMENT, dated as of the 1st day of December, 2010, by and among First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York, (the "Company"), a stock life insurance company organized under the laws of the State of New York, on its own behalf and on behalf of each segregated asset account of the Company currently in existence or hereafter created, as set forth on Schedule A hereto, which may be updated from time to time for the convenience of the parties, (each an “Account"), Third Avenue Variable Series Trust (the "Fund"), a Delaware business trust, and Third Avenue Management LLC (the "Adviser"), a Delaware limited liability company.
WHEREAS, the shares of beneficial interest/common stock of the Fund are divided into a series of shares, representing the interest in a particular managed portfolio of securities and other assets (the “Portfolio”); and
WHEREAS, the Fund was established for the purpose of serving as the investment vehicle for insurance company separate accounts supporting variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies to be offered by insurance companies that have entered into participation agreements with the Fund and the Adviser (the “Participating Insurance Companies”), and
WHEREAS, the Fund is registered as an open-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) and shares of the Portfolios are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"); and
WHEREAS, the Adviser, which serves as investment adviser to the Fund, is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended; and
WHEREAS, the Company has issued or will issue certain variable annuity contracts supported wholly or partially by the Account (the "Contracts"), and said Contracts are listed in Schedule A hereto, which may be updated from time to time for convenience of the parties; and
WHEREAS, the Account is duly established and maintained as a segregated asset account, duly established by the Company, to set aside and invest assets attributable to the aforesaid Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios of the Funds on behalf of the Account to fund the aforesaid Contracts;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of their mutual promises, the Company, the Fund and the Adviser agree as follows:
ARTICLE I. Sale of Fund Shares
1.1. Subject to Article X hereof, the Fund agrees to make available to the Company for purchase on behalf of the Account, shares of the Portfolios, such purchases to be effected at net asset value in accordance with Section 1.3 of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Portfolios (other than those listed on Schedule A) in existence now or that may be established in the future will be made available to the Company only as the Fund may so provide, and (ii) the Board of Trustees of the Fund (the "Board") may suspend or terminate the offering of shares of any Portfolio or class thereof upon written notice to the Company, if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction or if, in the sole discretion of the Board acting in good faith and in light of its fiduciary duties under federal and any applicable state laws, suspension or termination is necessary and in the best interests of the shareholders of such Portfolio.
1.2. The Fund shall redeem, at the Company's request, any full or fractional Portfolio shares held by the Company on behalf of the Account, such redemptions to be effected at net asset value in accordance with Section 1.3 of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund may delay redemption of Fund shares of any Portfolio to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, and any rules, regulations or orders thereunder.
1.3. Purchase and Redemption Procedures
(a) The Fund hereby appoints the Company as an agent of the Fund for the limited purpose of receiving and accepting purchase and redemption requests on behalf of the Account (but not with respect to any Fund shares that may be held in the general account of the Company) for shares of those Portfolios made available hereunder, based on allocations of amounts to the Account or subaccounts thereof under the Contracts and other transactions relating to the Contracts or the Account. Receipt and acceptance of any such request (or relevant transactional information therefore) on any day the New York Stock Exchange is open for trading and on which a Portfolio calculates its net asset value (a "Business Day") pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), by the Company as such limited agent of the Fund prior to the time that the Fund ordinarily calculates its net asset value as described from time to time in the Fund’s prospectus shall constitute receipt and acceptance by the Portfolio on that same Business Day, provided that the Fund receives notice of such request by 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on the next following Business Day.
(b) The Company shall pay for shares of each Portfolio on the same Business Day that it notifies the Fund of a purchase request for such shares. Payment for Portfolio shares shall be made in federal funds transmitted to the Fund or other designated person by wire to be received by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the Business Day the Fund is notified of the purchase request for Portfolio shares (unless the Fund determines and so advises the Company that sufficient proceeds are available from redemption of shares of other Portfolios effected pursuant to redemption requests tendered by the Company on behalf of the Account, or unless the Fund otherwise determines and so advises the Company to delay the date of payment, to the extent the Fund may do so under the 1940 Act). If federal funds are not received on time, such funds will be invested, and Portfolio shares purchased thereby will be issued, as soon as practicable and the Company shall promptly, upon the Fund's request, reimburse the Fund for any charges, costs, fees, interest or other expenses incurred by the Fund in connection with any advances to, or borrowing or overdrafts by, the Fund, or any similar expenses incurred by the Fund, as a result of
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(c) Payment for Portfolio shares redeemed by the Account or the Company shall be made by the Fund in federal funds transmitted by wire to the Company or any other designated person by 3 p.m. Eastern Time on the same Business Day the Fund is properly notified of the redemption order of such shares (unless redemption proceeds are to be applied to the purchase of shares of other Portfolios in accordance with Section 1.3(b) of this Agreement), except that the Fund reserves the right to delay payment of redemption proceeds to the extent permitted under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act and any rules thereunder, and in accordance with the procedures and policies of the Fund as described in the then-current prospectus.
Any purchase or redemption request for Portfolio shares held or to be held in the Company's general account shall be effected at the net asset value per share next determined after the Fund's receipt and acceptance of such request, provided that, in the case of a purchase request, payment for Fund shares so requested is received by the Fund in federal funds prior to close of business for determination of such value, as defined from time to time in the Fund’s prospectus.
1.4. The Fund shall use its reasonable commercial efforts to make the net asset value per share for each Portfolio available to the Company by 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time each Business Day, and in any event, as soon as reasonably practicable after the net asset value per share for such Portfolio is calculated, and shall calculate such net asset value in accordance with the Fund's prospectus. If the Fund provides the Company with materially incorrect share net asset value information, the Company on behalf of the Account, shall be entitled to an adjustment to the number of shares purchased or redeemed to reflect the correct share net asset value. Any material error in the calculation of the net asset value per share, dividend or capital gain information shall be reported promptly to the Company upon discovery. In the event that any such material error is the result of the gross negligence of the Fund, or its designated agent for calculating the net asset value, any administrative or other costs or losses incurred for correcting underlying Contract owner accounts shall be at the Adviser’s expense.
1.5. The Fund shall use its reasonable commercial efforts to furnish notice (by wire or telephone followed by written confirmation sent by fax or email) to the Company of any income dividends or capital gain distributions payable on any Portfolio shares by the record date, but in no event later than 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the ex-dividend date. The Company, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account, hereby elects to receive all such dividends and distributions as are payable on any Portfolio shares in the form of additional shares of that Portfolio. The Company reserves the right, on its behalf and on behalf of the Account, to revoke this election and to receive all such dividends and capital gain distributions in cash. The Fund shall notify the Company promptly of the number of Portfolio shares so issued as payment of such dividends and distributions.
1.6. Issuance and transfer of Fund shares shall be by book entry only. Share certificates will not be issued to the Company or the Account. Purchase and redemption orders for Fund shares shall be recorded in an appropriate ledger for the Account or the appropriate subaccount of the Account.
1.7. (a) The parties hereto acknowledge that the arrangement contemplated by this Agreement is not exclusive; the Fund's shares may be sold to other insurance companies and the cash value of the Contracts may be invested in other investment companies.
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(b) The Company shall not, without prior notice to the Adviser (unless otherwise required by applicable law), take any action to operate the Account as a management investment company under the 1940 Act.
(c) The Company shall not, without prior notice to the Adviser (unless otherwise required by applicable law), induce Contract owners to change or modify the Fund or change the Fund's investment adviser.
(d) The Company shall not, without prior notice to the Fund, induce Contract owners to vote on any matter submitted for consideration by the shareholders of the Fund in a manner other than as recommended by the Board.
1.8 The parties may agree, in lieu of the procedures set forth above in this Article 1, to place and settle trades for Fund shares through a clearing corporation. In the event that such a clearing corporation is used, the parties agree to abide by the rules of the clearing corporation.
ARTICLE II. Representations and Warranties
2.1. The Company represents and warrants that the Contracts (a) are, or prior to issuance will be, registered under the 1933 Act, or (b) 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 and sold in compliance in all material respects with all applicable federal securities and state securities and insurance laws. The Company further represents and warrants that it is an insurance company duly organized and in good standing under applicable law, that it has legally and validly established the Account as a segregated asset account under Kansas insurance laws, and that it (a) has registered or, prior to any issuance or sale of the Contracts, will register the 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, or alternatively (b) has not registered the Account in proper reliance upon an exclusion from registration under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
2.2. The Fund represents and warrants that Portfolio shares sold pursuant to this Agreement shall be registered under the 1933 Act, shall be duly authorized for issuance and sold in compliance with applicable state and federal securities laws and that the Fund is and shall remain registered under the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇. 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 maintain 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 represents and warrants that it is lawfully organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Delaware and that it does and will comply in all material respects with the 1940 Act, including, without limitation, Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act.
2.4. The Adviser represents and warrants that it is registered as an investment adviser with the SEC and that it does and will comply in all material respects with the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, including, without limitation, Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act.
2.5. The Fund and the Adviser represent and warrant that all of their trustees/directors, officers, employees, and other individuals or 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 minimum coverage as required
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ARTICLE III. Prospectuses and Proxy Statements; Voting
3.1. The Fund shall provide the Company with as many printed copies of the current prospectus, current Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), supplements, proxy statements, and annual or semi-annual reports of each Portfolio as the Company may reasonably request, with expenses to be borne in accordance with Schedule B hereof. If requested by the Company in lieu thereof, the Fund shall provide such documents (including a print-ready PDF, or an electronic copy of the documents in a format suitable for printing and posting on the Company’s website, all as the Company may reasonably request) and such other assistance as is reasonably necessary in order for the Company to have prospectuses, SAIs, supplements and annual or semi-annual reports for the Contracts and the Fund printed together in a single document or posted on the Company’s web-site or printed individually by the Company if it so chooses.
3.2. The Fund's prospectus shall state that the current SAI for the Fund is available.
3.3. The Fund shall provide the Company with information regarding the Fund’s expenses, which information may include a table of fees and related narrative disclosure for use in any prospectus or other descriptive document relating to a Contract. The Company agrees that it will use such information substantially in the form provided. The Company shall provide prior written notice of any proposed modification of such information, which notice will describe the manner in which the Company proposes to modify the information, and agrees that it may not modify such information in any way without the prior consent of the Fund, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
3.4. So long as, and to the extent the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to require pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners, or to the extent otherwise required by law, the Company shall, at the Company’s option, follow one of the two methods described below to provide pass-through voting privileges to contract owners:
(a) Provide a list of Contract owners with value allocated to a Portfolio as of the record date to the Fund or its agent in order to permit the Fund to send solicitation material and gather voting instructions from Contract owners on behalf of the Company. The Company shall also provide such other information to the Fund as is reasonably necessary in order for the Fund to properly tabulate votes for Fund initiated proxies. In the event that the Company chooses this option, the Fund shall be responsible for properly “echo voting” shares of a Portfolio for which no voting instructions have been received.
(b) Solicit voting instructions from Contract holders itself and vote shares of the Portfolio in accordance with instructions received from Contract holders. The Company shall vote the shares of the Portfolios for which no instructions have been received in the same proportion as shares of the Portfolio for which instructions have been received.
3.5 The Company reserves the right to vote Fund shares held in its general account in its own right, to the extent permitted by applicable laws.
ARTICLE IV. Sales Material and Information
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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 that the Company develops and in which the Fund (or a Portfolio thereof) or the Adviser is named. No such material shall be used until approved by the Fund or its designee, and the Fund will use its reasonable commercial efforts for it or its designee to review such sales literature or promotional material within five (5) Business Days after receipt of such material. Materials not approved or disapproved within five (5) Business Days shall be deemed approved. The Fund or its designee reserves the right to reasonably object to the continued use of any such sales literature or other promotional material in which the Fund (or a Portfolio thereof) or the Adviser is named, and no such material shall be used if the Fund or its designee so objects.
4.2. The Company shall not give any information or make any representations or statements on behalf of the Fund or concerning the Fund or the Adviser in connection with the sale of the Contracts other than the information or representations contained in the registration statement or prospectus or SAI for the Fund shares, as such registration statement and prospectus or SAI 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 or its designee.
4.3. The Fund and the Adviser, or their designee, shall furnish, or cause to be furnished, to the Company, each piece of sales literature or other promotional material that it develops and in which the Company, and/or the Account, is named. No such material shall be used until approved by the Company, and the Company will use its reasonable commercial efforts to review such sales literature or promotional material within five (5) Business Days after receipt of such material. Materials not approved or disapproved within five (5) Business Days shall be deemed approved. The Company reserves the right to reasonably object to the continued use of any such sales literature or other promotional material in which the Company and/or its Account is named, and no such material shall be used if the Company so objects.
4.4. The Fund shall not give any information or make any representations on behalf of the Company or concerning the Company, the Account, or the Contracts other than the information or representations contained in a registration statement, prospectus (which shall include an offering memorandum, if any, if the Contracts issued by the Company or interests therein are not registered under the 1933 Act), or SAI for the Contracts, as such registration statement, prospectus, or SAI may be amended or supplemented from time to time, or in published reports for the 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, except with the permission of the Company.
4.5. Upon request, the Fund will provide to the Company at least one complete copy of all registration statements, prospectuses, SAIs, 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 Portfolios or their shares, after the filing of such document(s) with the SEC or other regulatory authorities.
4.6. Upon request, the Company will provide to the Fund at least one complete copy of all registration statements, prospectuses (which shall include an offering memorandum, if any, if the Contracts issued by the Company or interests therein are not registered under the 1933 Act), SAIs, 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 the Account, after the filing of such document(s) with the SEC or other regulatory
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4.7. The Fund will provide the Company with as much notice as is reasonably practicable of any proxy solicitation for any Portfolio, and of any material change in the Fund's registration statement, particularly any change resulting in a change to the registration statement or prospectus for any Account. The Fund will work with the Company so as to enable the Company to solicit proxies from Contract owners, or to make changes to its prospectus or registration statement, in an orderly manner. The Fund will make reasonable efforts to attempt to have changes affecting Contract prospectuses become effective simultaneously with the annual updates for such prospectuses.
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 Fund may make payments to the Company or to the underwriter for the Contracts if and in amounts agreed to by the Fund in writing.
5.2. All expenses incident to performance by the Fund under this Agreement shall be paid in accordance with Schedule B hereof.
5.3. The Company shall bear expense in accordance with Schedule B hereof.
ARTICLE VI. Qualification
6.1 The Fund will invest its assets in such a manner as to ensure that the Contracts will be treated as annuity or life insurance contracts, whichever is appropriate, under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”) and the regulations issued thereunder (or any successor provisions). Without limiting the scope of the foregoing, each Portfolio represents and warrants that it has complied and will continue to comply with Section 817(h) of the Code and Treasury Regulation §1.817-5, and any Treasury interpretations thereof, relating to the diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment, or life insurance contracts, and any amendments or other modifications or successor provisions 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 within the grace period afforded by Regulation 1.817-5.
6.2 The Fund represents and warrants that it is qualified as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code and that it will maintain such qualification (under Subchapter M or any successor or similar provisions) and that it 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.
6.3 The Company represents that the Contracts are currently, and at the time of issuance shall be, treated as life insurance or annuity insurance contracts, under applicable provisions 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 the Contracts have ceased to be so treated or that they might not be so treated in the future. The Company agrees that any prospectus offering a contract that is a "modified endowment contract" as that term is defined in Section 7702A of the Code (or any successor or similar provision), shall identify such contract as a modified endowment contract.
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ARTICLE VII. Potential Conflicts
7.1 Subject to Section 7.2 of this Agreement, the Board will monitor the Fund for the existence of any irreconcilable material conflict among 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 Participating Insurance Companies or by variable annuity and variable life insurance contract owners; or (f) a decision by an insurer to disregard the voting instructions of contract owners. The Board will promptly inform the Company if it determines that an irreconcilable material conflict exists and the implications thereof. A majority of the Board will consist of persons who are not “interested” persons of the Fund.
7.2 The Company will report any potential or existing conflicts of which it is aware to the Board. The Company agrees to assist the Board in carrying out its responsibilities, as delineated in the 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 Fund Board whenever Contract owner voting instructions are to be disregarded. The Board will 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 Board, or a majority of its disinterested directors, that an irreconcilable material conflict exists, the Company and other Participating Insurance Companies will, 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: (a) withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of the 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., variable annuity contract owners or variable life insurance 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.
7.4 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 Fund and/or the Participating Insurance Companies, as appropriate, will 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 VIII. Indemnification
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8.1 Indemnification by the Company
8.1(a). The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each of the Fund and the Adviser and each of its trustees/directors and officers, and each person, if any, who controls the Fund or Adviser within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or who is under common control with the Fund or the Adviser (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 legal and other expenses), to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or 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 statements of any material fact contained in the registration statement, prospectus (which shall include a written description of a Contract that is not registered under the 1933 Act), or SAI 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 or the Adviser for use in the registration statement, prospectus or SAI 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
(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 registration statement, prospectus, SAI, or sales literature of the Fund not supplied by the Company or persons under its control) or wrongful conduct of the Company or its agents or persons under the Company's authorization or control, with respect to the sale or distribution of the Contracts, or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement, prospectus, SAI, 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 information furnished to the Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the registration statement, prospectus or SAI of the Fund or in sales literature; or
(iv) arise as a result of any material 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 to which an Indemnified Party would
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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 an Indemnified Party, 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 reasonably 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 Adviser
8.2(a). The Adviser 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 (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 Adviser) or litigation (including legal and other expenses) to which the Indemnified Parties may become subject under any statute or 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 or prospectus or SAI 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 Adviser or Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the registration statement, prospectus or SAI 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 Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations by or on behalf of the Fund or the Adviser (other than statements or representations contained in the registration statement, prospectus, SAI or sales literature for the Contracts not
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supplied by the Fund or the Adviser) or wrongful conduct of the Adviser or the Fund 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, SAI 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 Adviser or the Fund; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Fund or the Adviser to provide the services and furnish the materials under the terms of this Agreement (including a failure of the Fund, whether unintentional or in good faith or otherwise, to comply with the diversification and other qualification requirements specified in Article VI of this Agreement); or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any representation and/or warranty made by or on behalf of the Adviser or the Fund in this Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by or on behalf of the Adviser or the Fund;
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.2(b) and 8.2(c) hereof.
8.2(b). The Adviser shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance or such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to the Company or the Account, whichever is applicable.
8.2(c). The 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 Party, 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 reasonably 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 the Account.
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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 (collectively, the "Indemnified Parties" for purposes of this Section 8.3) against any and all losses, claims, expenses, 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 be required to pay or may become subject under any statute or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, expenses, damages, liabilities or expenses (or actions in respect thereof) or settlements, are related to the operations of the Fund 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 SAI 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 Adviser or Fund by or on behalf of the Company for use in the registration statement, prospectus or SAI 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 Fund shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or representations by or on behalf of the Fund or the Adviser (other than statements or representations contained in the registration statement, prospectus, SAI or sales literature for the Contracts not supplied by the Fund or the Adviser) or wrongful conduct of the Adviser or the Fund 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, SAI 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 Adviser 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 and other qualification requirements specified in Article VI of this Agreement); or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach of any representation and/or warranty made by or on behalf of the Fund in this Agreement or arise out of or result from any other material breach of this Agreement by or on behalf of the Fund;
12
as limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections 8.3(b) and 8.3(c) hereof.
8.3(b). The Fund shall not be liable under this indemnification provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation to which an Indemnified Party would otherwise be subject by reason of such Indemnified Party's willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of such Indemnified Party's duties or by reason of such Indemnified Party's reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this Agreement or to the Company or the Account, whichever is applicable.
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 reasonably 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 proceeding against it or any of its respective officers or directors in connection with the Agreement, the issuance or sale of the Contracts, the operation of the 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, without regard to the conflict of laws provisions thereof.
9.2. This Agreement shall be subject to the provisions of the 1933 and 1940 Acts as well as the Exchange Act of 1934, and the rules and regulations and rulings thereunder, including such exemptions from those statutes, rules and regulations as the SEC may grant, and the terms hereof shall be interpreted and construed in accordance therewith. If, in the future, the Mixed and Shared Funding Order discussed in Article VII should no longer be necessary under applicable law, then Article VII hereof shall no longer apply.
ARTICLE X. Termination
10.1. This Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until the first to occur of:
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(a)
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termination by any party, for any reason with respect to some or all Portfolios, by six (6) months advance written notice delivered to the other parties; or
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13
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(b)
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termination by the Company by written notice to the other parties based upon the Company's determination that shares of the Fund are not reasonably available to meet the requirements of the Contracts; or
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(c)
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termination by the Company by written notice to the other parties 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
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(d)
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termination by the Fund or Adviser by written notice to the Company in the event that formal administrative proceedings are instituted against the Company by the FINRA, the SEC, the Insurance Commissioner or like official 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 operation of any Account, or the purchase of the Portfolios’ shares; provided, however, that the Fund or Adviser determines in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that any such administrative proceedings will have a material adverse effect upon the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
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(e)
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termination by the Company by written notice to the other parties in the event that formal administrative proceedings are instituted against the Fund or Adviser by the SEC or any state securities department or any other regulatory body; provided, however, that the Company determines in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that any such administrative proceedings will have a material adverse effect upon the ability of the Fund or Adviser to perform its obligations under this Agreement; or
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(f)
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termination by the Company by written notice to the other parties in the event that any Portfolio ceases to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M or fails to comply with the Section 817(h) diversification requirements specified in Article VI hereof, or if the Company reasonably believes that any such Portfolio may fail to so qualify or comply with either provision; or
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(g)
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termination by either the Fund or the Adviser by written notice to the other parties, if either one or both the Fund and 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
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(h)
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termination by the Company by written notice to the other parties, if the Company shall determine, in its sole judgment exercised in good faith, that 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
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(i)
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termination by the Company upon any substitution of the shares of another investment company or series thereof for shares of a Portfolio of the Fund in accordance with the terms of the Contracts, provided that the Company has given
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14
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at least 45 days prior written notice to the Fund and Adviser of the date of substitution.
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10.2. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, the Fund and the Adviser 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"), unless the Company seeks an order pursuant to Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act to permit the substitution of other securities for the shares of the Portfolios. Specifically, 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 (subject to any such election by the Company).
10.3. Notwithstanding any termination of this Agreement, each party's obligation under Article VIII to indemnify the other parties shall survive.
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.
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If to the Company:
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First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company of New York
Attention General Counsel
One Security Benefit Place
Topeka, Kansas 66636 - 0001
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If to the Fund:
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Third Avenue Variable Series Trust
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: General Counsel
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If to Adviser:
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Third Avenue Management LLC
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: General Counsel
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ARTICLE XII. Miscellaneous
12.1. All persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the property of the respective Portfolios listed on Schedule A hereto as though each such Portfolio had separately contracted with the Company and the Adviser for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund. The parties agree that neither the Board, officers, agents or shareholders of the Fund assume any personal liability or responsibility for obligations entered into by or on behalf of the Fund.
12.2. Subject to the requirements of legal process and regulatory authority, the Fund and the Adviser shall treat as confidential the names and addresses of the owners of the Contracts. Each party shall treat as confidential all information reasonably identified as confidential in writing by any other party hereto and, except as permitted by this
15
Agreement, shall not disclose, disseminate or utilize such information without the express written consent of the affected party until such time as such information has come into the public domain.
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 SEC, the FINRA, 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 New York 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 variable insurance operations of the Company are being conducted in a manner consistent with the New York insurance laws and 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.
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12.8.
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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.
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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.
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First Security Benefit Life
Insurance and Annuity Company of New York
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By its authorized officer
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By: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
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Title: Senior Vice President Retail Retirement
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Date: 11/30/2010
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Signatures continued on next page
▇▇
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▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Variable Series Trust
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By its authorized officer
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By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
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Title: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer
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Date:
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Third Avenue Management LLC
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By its authorized officer
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By: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
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Title: Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer
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Date:
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17
[Date]
Schedule A
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Account(s)
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Contract(s)
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Account A
Account B
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AdvisorDesigns
EliteDesigns
AdvanceDesigns
SecureDesigns
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Additionally, “Accounts” and “Contracts” will include any new Accounts and Contracts created subsequent to the date hereof.
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Fund and Portfolios
Third Avenue Value Portfolio
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A-1
SCHEDULE B
EXPENSES
The Fund and the Company will coordinate the functions and pay the costs of the completing these functions based upon an allocation of costs in the tables below. The term “Current” is defined as an existing Contract owner with value allocated to one or more Portfolios. The term “Prospective” is defined as a potential new Contract owner.
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Item
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Function
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Party Responsible for Expense
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Fund Prospectus
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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Current and Prospective – Fund (Company may choose to do the printing at Fund’s expense)
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Fund Prospectus and SAI Supplements
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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Fund (Company may choose to do the printing at Fund’s expense)
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Fund SAI
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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Fund
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Proxy Material for Fund
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Printing, Distribution to Current (including postage), tabulation and solicitation
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Fund
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Fund Annual & Semi-Annual Report
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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Fund (Company may choose to do the printing at Fund’s expense)
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Contract Prospectus
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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Company
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Contract Prospectus and SAI Supplements
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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Company
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Contract SAI
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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Company
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Other communication to Prospective and Current
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Printing and Distribution (including postage)
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If Required by Law or Fund – Fund
If Required by Company – Company
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Operations of the Fund
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All operations and related expenses, including the cost of registration and qualification of shares, taxes on the issuance or transfer of shares, cost of management of the business affairs of a Fund, and expenses paid or assumed by a Fund pursuant to any Rule 12b-1 plan
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Fund
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2
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Item
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Function
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Party Responsible for Expense
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Operations of the Accounts
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Federal registration of units of separate account (24f-2 fees)
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Company
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3
SCHEDULE C
Frequent Trading and Provision of Certain Shareholder Information
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1.
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Agreement to Provide Information. Company agrees to provide the Fund, upon written request, the taxpayer identification number (“TIN”), the Individual/International Taxpayer Identification Number ("ITIN")1, or other government-issued identifier ("GII"), if known, of any or all Shareholder(s) of the account and the amount, date, name or other identifier of any investment professional(s) associated with the Shareholder(s) or account (if known), and transaction type (purchase, redemption, transfer, or exchange) of every purchase, redemption, transfer, or exchange of Shares held through an account maintained by Company during the period covered by the request.
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Unless otherwise specifically requested by a Fund, Company will not be required to provide the information on the following types of transactions: (1) purchases of Shares in connection with automated periodic or scheduled purchases of Shares pursuant to a contractual arrangement such as a salary reduction agreement or other type of scheduled Plan contribution; (2) redemptions of Shares in connection with automated periodic or scheduled redemptions of Shares pursuant to a contractual arrangement such as a Plan benefit payment; and (3) transfers or exchanges of Shares in connection with automated scheduled transfers or exchanges of Shares, such as through a “dollar cost averaging” program, asset allocation program or periodic “account rebalancing” program.
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1.1.
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Period Covered by Request. Unless otherwise directed by the Fund, Company agrees to provide the information specified in Section 1 for each trading day within the scope of the request, which will not request transaction information older than 90 calendar days from the date of the request except as the Fund deems necessary to investigate compliance with policies established by the Fund for the purpose of eliminating or reducing dilution of the value of outstanding shares of the Fund.
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1.2.
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Form and Timing of Response.
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1.2.1.
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Company agrees to provide, promptly upon request of the Fund, the requested information specified in Section 1. If requested by the Fund, Company agrees to use reasonable efforts to determine promptly whether any specific person about whom it has received the identification and transaction information specified in Section 1 is itself a financial intermediary (“indirect intermediary”) and, upon further request of the Fund, promptly either (i) provide (or arrange to have provided) the information set forth in Section 1 for those shareholders who hold an account with an indirect intermediary, or (ii) restrict or prohibit the indirect
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1
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According to the IRS’ website, the ITIN refers to the Individual Taxpayer Identification number, which is a nine-digit number that always begins with the number 9 and has a 7 or 8 in the fourth digit, example 9XX-7X-XXXX.. The IRS issues ITINs to individuals who are required to have a U.S. taxpayer identification number but who do not have, and are not eligible to obtain a Social Security Number (SSN) from the Social Security Administration (SSA). SEC Rule 22c-2 inadvertently refers to the ITIN as the International Taxpayer Identification Number.
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4
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intermediary from purchasing, in nominee name on behalf of other persons, securities issued by the Fund. Company additionally agrees to inform the Fund whether it plans to perform (i) or (ii).
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1.2.2.
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Responses required by this section must be communicated in writing and in a format mutually agreed upon by the parties.
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1.2.3.
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To the extent practicable, the format for any transaction information provided to the Fund should be consistent with the NSCC Standardized Data Reporting Format.
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1.3.
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Limitations on Use of Information. The Fund agrees not to use the information received from the Company other than as necessary to comply with the provisions of Rule 22c-2 or to fulfill other regulatory or legal requirements, the receipt, use, handling and disposal of which is subject to the privacy provisions of Title V of the ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇▇▇ Act (Public Law 106-102) and comparable state laws.
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2.
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Agreement to Restrict Trading. Company agrees to execute written instructions from the Fund to restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Shares by a Shareholder that has been identified by the Fund as having engaged in transactions in the Fund’s Shares (directly or indirectly through the Company’s account) that violate policies established by the Fund for the purpose of eliminating or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding Shares issued by the Fund.
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Unless otherwise specifically requested by the Fund and agreed to by Company, Company will not be required to assess redemption fees on or restrict or prohibit the following types of transactions: (1) purchases of Fund Shares in connection with automated periodic or scheduled purchases of Fund Shares pursuant to a contractual arrangement such as a salary reduction agreement or other type of scheduled Plan contribution; (2) redemptions of Fund Shares in connection with automated periodic or scheduled redemptions of Fund Shares pursuant to a contractual arrangement such as a Plan benefit payment; and (3) transfers or exchanges or Fund Shares in connection with automated scheduled transfers or exchanges of Fund Shares, such as through a “dollar cost averaging” program, asset allocation program or periodic “account rebalancing” program.
Non-routine inquiries with respect to market timing or written instructions from the Fund to restrict or prohibit further purchases or exchanges of Shares by any Shareholder that has been identified by the Fund as having engaged in transactions in Shares that violate policies established or utilized by the Fund for the purpose of eliminating or reducing any dilution of the value of the outstanding Shares issued by the Fund (e.g., market timing and late trading policies) must be received by Company or its designee at the following email address, or such other email address and/or facsimile number that Company may communicate to the Fund in written correspondence from time to time:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇-▇@▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇.▇▇▇
5
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2.1.
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Form of Instructions. Instructions to restrict or prohibit trading must include the TIN, ITIN, or GII, if known, and the specific restriction(s) to be executed. If the TIN, ITIN, or GII is not known, the instructions must include an equivalent identifying number of the Shareholder(s) or account(s) or other agreed upon information to which the instruction relates.
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2.2.
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Timing of Response. Company agrees to execute instructions from the Fund to restrict or prohibit trading as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than five (5) business days after receipt of the instructions by the Company.
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2.3.
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Confirmation by Company. Company must provide written confirmation to the Fund that instructions have been executed. Company agrees to provide confirmation as soon as reasonably practicable, but not later than ten (10) business days after the instructions have been executed.
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3.
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Definitions. For purposes of this Schedule B:
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3.1.
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The term “Fund” includes the Fund’s principal underwriter and transfer agent. The term not does include any “excepted funds” as defined in SEC Rule 22c-2(b) under the 1940 Act.2
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3.2.
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The term “Shares” means the interests of Shareholders corresponding to the redeemable securities of record issued by the Fund under the 1940 Act that are held by the Company.
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3.3.
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The term “Shareholder” means the beneficial owner of Shares, whether the Shares are held directly or by the Company in nominee name; except:
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3.3.1.
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with respect to retirement plan recordkeepers, the term “Shareholder” means the Plan Participant notwithstanding that the Plan may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of Shares; and
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3.3.2.
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with respect to insurance companies, the term “Shareholder” means the holder of interests in a variable annuity or variable life insurance contract issued by the Company.
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3.4.
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The term “written” includes electronic writings and facsimile transmissions.
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3.5.
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The term “Company” will mean a “financial intermediary” as defined in SEC Rule 22c-2.3
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2
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As defined in SEC Rule 22c-2(b), the term “excepted fund” means any: (1) money market fund; (2) fund that issues securities that are listed on a national exchange; and (3) fund that affirmatively permits short-term trading of its securities, if its prospectus clearly and prominently discloses that the fund permits short-term trading of its securities and that such trading may result in additional costs for the fund.
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3
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“Financial intermediary” is defined in SEC Rule 22c-2(c)(1) as: “(i) any broker, dealer, bank, or other entity that holds securities of record issued by the fund, in nominee name; (ii) a unit investment trust or fund that invests in the fund in reliance on section 12(d)(1)(E) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 80a-12(d)(1)(E)); and (iii) in the case of a participant-directed employee benefit plan that owns the securities issued by the fund, a retirement plan’s administrator under section 3(16)(A) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002(16)(A)) or any entity that maintains the plan’s participant records.”
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6
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3.6.
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The term “purchase” does not include the automatic reinvestment of dividends.
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3.7.
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The term “promptly” as used in Section 1.2 will mean as soon as practicable but in no event later than 10 business days from the Company’s receipt of the request for information from the Fund or its designee.
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7