PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
AMONG ________________________________. ON BEHALF OF ITSELF
AND
___________________________________________________________
AND
KEYPORT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
THIS AGREEMENT made as of _____________, among ___________________ (the
"Trust"), a corporation organized under ___________ law,
_______________________, a ___________ corporation, the Trust's principal
underwriter ("Underwriter"), and Keyport Life Insurance Company, a life
insurance company organized as a corporation under Rhode Island law (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").
W I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "SEC") 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 Underwriter 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, 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, and certain of those series, named in
Schedule B, (the "Portfolios") are to be made available for purchase by the
Company for the Accounts; and
WHEREAS, the Trust has been granted or currently intends to apply for
an order from the SEC 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 "Shared Funding Exemptive Order");
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; and has
registered or will register certain variable annuity contracts and variable life
insurance policies under which the portfolios are to be made available as
investment vehicles (the "Contracts") under the 1933 Act unless such interests
under the Contracts in the Accounts are exempt from registration under the 1933
Act and the Trust has been so advised;
WHEREAS, each Account is a duly organized, validly existing segregated
asset account, established by resolution 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 one or more Contracts; and
WHEREAS, the Underwriter is registered as a broker dealer with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the "1934 Act"), and is a member in good standing of the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD"); and
WHEREAS, each investment adviser listed on Schedule B (each, an
"Adviser") is duly registered as an investment adviser under the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940, as amended ("Advisers Act") and any applicable state
securities laws;
WHEREAS, to the extent permitted by applicable insurance laws and
regulations, the Company intends to purchase shares in the Portfolios on behalf
of each Account to fund certain of the aforesaid Contracts and the Underwriter
is authorized to sell such shares to unit investment trusts such as each Account
at net asset value;
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 shall be the Trust's
designee for receipt of purchase orders and requests for redemption relating to
each Portfolio from each Account, provided that the Company notifies the Trust
of such purchase orders and requests for redemption by 9:00 a.m. Eastern time on
the next following Business Day, as defined in Section 1.3.
1.2. The Trust agrees to make shares of the Portfolios available to the
Accounts for purchase at the net asset value per share next computed after
receipt of a purchase order by the Trust (or its designee), as established in
accordance with the provisions of the then current prospectus of the Trust
describing Portfolio purchase procedures on those days on which the Trust
calculates its net asset value pursuant to rules of the SEC, and the Trust shall
use its best efforts to calculate such net asset value on each day on which the
New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is open for trading. The Company will transmit
orders from time to time to the Trust for the purchase 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 submit payment for the purchase of shares of a
Portfolio on behalf of an Account no later than the close of business on the
next Business Day after the Trust receives the purchase order. Payment shall be
made in federal funds transmitted by wire to the Trust or its designated
custodian. 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 NYSE is open for trading and on which the Trust calculates its net
asset value pursuant to the rules of the SEC.
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 designee) 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. Redemption with respect to a Portfolio will
normally be paid to the Company for an Account in federal funds transmitted by
wire to the Company before the close of business on the next Business Day after
the receipt 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 ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
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 may be netted against one another on any
Business Day for the purpose of determining the amount of any wire transfer on
that Business Day.
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
Account. 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, on or before the ex-dividend date, notice
to the Company of any income dividends or capital gain distributions payable 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 the 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 reasonable efforts to make such net asset
value per share available by 7:00 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 separate accounts and to certain
qualified pension and retirement plans to the extent permitted by the Shared
Funding Exemptive Order. 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 Company agrees that all net amounts available under the
Contracts shall be invested in the Trust, in such other Funds advised by an
Adviser or its affiliates as may be mutually agreed to in writing by the parties
hereto, or in the Company's general account, provided that such amounts may also
be invested in an investment company other than the Trust 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; or (b) the Company gives the Trust 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 is
available as a funding vehicle for the Contracts at the date of this Agreement
and the Company so informs the Trust and the Underwriter prior to their signing
this Agreement; or (d) the Trust or Underwriter consents to the use of such
other investment company.
1.11 The Trust agrees 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 2.10 and
Article IV of this Agreement.
1.12 Each party to this Agreement shall have the right to rely on
information or confirmations provided by any other party (or by any affiliate of
any other party), and shall not be liable in the event that an error results
from any incorrect information or confirmations supplied by any other party. If
an error is made in reliance upon incorrect information or confirmations, any
amount required to make a Contract owner's account whole shall be borne by the
party who provided the incorrect information or confirmation.
ARTICLE II.
OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES; FEES AND EXPENSES
2.1 The Trust shall prepare and be responsible for filing with the SEC
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 its 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 At the option of the Company, the Trust or the Underwriter shall
either (a) provide the Company with as many copies of portions of the Trust's
current prospectus, annual report, semi-annual report and other shareholder
communications, including any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing,
pertaining specifically to the Portfolios 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 and from which information relating to series of
the Trust other than the Portfolios has been deleted to the extent practicable.
The Trust or the Underwriter shall provide the Company with a copy of its
current statement of additional information, including any amendments or
supplements, in a form suitable for duplication by the Company. Expenses of
furnishing such documents for marketing purposes shall be borne by the Company
and expenses of furnishing such documents for current contract owners invested
in the Trust shall be borne by the Trust or the Underwriter.
2.3 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. The Company shall bear
the costs of distributing proxy materials (or similar materials such as voting
solicitation instructions), prospectuses and statements of additional
information 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 If and to the extent required by law, the Company shall: (i)
solicit voting instructions from Contract owners; (ii) vote the Trust shares in
accordance with the instructions received from Contract owners; and (iii) vote
Trust shares for which no instructions have been received in the same proportion
as Trust shares of such Portfolio for which instructions have been received; so
long as and to the extent that the SEC continues to interpret the 1940 Act to
require pass-through voting privileges for variable contract owners. The Company
reserves the right to vote Trust shares held in any segregated asset account in
its own right, to the extent permitted by law.
2.5 The Company shall furnish, or cause to be furnished to the Trust or
its designee, at least one complete copy of each registration statement,
prospectus, statement of additional information, retirement plan disclosure
information or other disclosure documents or similar information, as applicable
(collectively "disclosure documents"), as well as any report, solicitation for
voting instructions, sales literature and other promotional materials, and all
amendments to any of the above that relate to the Contracts or the Accounts
prior to its first use. 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 an Adviser is named, at least 15 Business Days prior to its use. No such
material shall be used if the Trust or its designee reasonably objects to such
use within five Business Days after receipt of such material. For purposes of
this paragraph, "sales literature or other promotional material" includes, but
is not limited to, portions of the following that use any Trademark related to
the Trust or Underwriter or refer to the Trust or affiliates of the Trust:
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 electronic
communication 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 or any other advertisement, sales
literature or published article or electronic communication), educational or
training materials or other communications distributed or made generally
available to some or all agents or employees, and disclosure documents,
shareholder reports and proxy materials.
2.6 The Company and its agents shall not give any information or make
any representations or statements on behalf of the Trust or concerning the
Trust, the Underwriter or an 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), 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 written permission of the Trust or its designee.
2.7 The Trust shall use its best efforts to provide the Company, on a
timely basis, with such information about the Trust, the Portfolios and each
Adviser, in such form as the Company may reasonably require, as the Company
shall reasonably request in connection with the preparation of disclosure
documents and annual and semi-annual reports pertaining to the Contracts.
2.8 The Trust 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 disclosure documents for the Contracts
(as such disclosure documents 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.
2.9 So long as, and to the extent that, the SEC 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 Contract 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 held by that registered Account
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 Contracts without the prior written consent of
the Trust, which consent may be withheld in the Trust's sole discretion.
2.10 The Trust and Underwriter shall pay no fee or other compensation
to the Company under this Agreement except as provided on Schedule C.
Nevertheless, the Trust or the Underwriter or an affiliate may make payments
(other than pursuant to a Rule 12b-1 Plan) to the Company or its affiliates or
to the Contracts' underwriter in amounts agreed to by the Underwriter in writing
and such payments may be made out of fees otherwise payable to the Underwriter
or its affiliates, profits of the Underwriter or its affiliates, or other
resources available to the Underwriter or its affiliates.
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 its state of incorporation
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.
3.2 The Company represents and warrants that, with respect to each Account,
(1) the Company 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
asset account for the Contracts, or (2) if the Account is exempt from
registration as an investment company under Section 3(c) of the 1940
Act, the Company will make every effort to maintain such exemption and
will notify the Trust and the Adviser immediately upon having a
reasonable basis for believing that such exemption no longer applies or
might not apply in the future.
3.3 The Company represents and warrants that, with respect to each
Contract, (1) the Contract will be registered under the 1933 Act, or (2) if the
Contract is exempt from registration under Section 3(a)(2) of the 1933 Act or
under Section 4(2) and Regulation D of the 1933 Act, the Company will make every
effort to maintain such exemption and will notify the Trust and the Adviser
immediately upon having a reasonable basis for believing that such exemption no
longer applies or might not apply in the future. The Company further represents
and warrants that the Contracts will be sold by broker-dealers, or their
registered representatives, who are registered with the SEC under the 1934 Act
and who are members in good standing of the NASD; 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 suitability requirements.
For any unregistered Accounts which are exempt from registration under
the 1940 Act in reliance upon Sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) thereof, the Company
represents and warrants that:
(a) each Account and sub-account thereof has a principal
underwriter which is registered as a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(b) Trust shares are and will continue to be the only investment
securities held by the corresponding Account sub-accounts; and
(c) with regard to each Portfolio, the Company, on behalf of the
corresponding sub-account, will:
(1) seek instructions from all Contract owners with
regard to the voting of all proxies with respect to
Trust shares and vote such proxies only in accordance
with such instructions or vote such shares held by it
in the same proportion as the vote of all other
holders of such shares; and
(2) refrain from substituting shares of another security
for such shares unless the SEC has approved such
substitution in the manner provided in Section 26 of
the ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇.
3.4 The Trust represents and warrants that it is duly 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 and the rules and
regulations thereunder.
3.5 The Trust represents and warrants that the Portfolio 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 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 or the
Underwriter.
3.6 The Trust represents and warrants that the investments of each
Portfolio 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
in that event 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 represents and warrants that it is currently qualified as
a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Code, that it will
make every effort to maintain such qualification and 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 should it ever desire to
make any payments to finance distribution expenses pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under
the 1940 Act, the Trustees, including a majority who are not "interested
persons" of the Trust under the 1940 Act ("disinterested Trustees"), will
formulate and approve any plan under Rule 12b-1 to finance distribution
expenses.
3.9 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 that the minimum
coverage required by Rule 17g-1 or other regulations under the 1940 Act. Such
bond shall include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and be issued by a
reputable bonding company.
3.10 The Company represents and warrants that all of its directors,
officers, employees, investment advisers, and other individuals or entities
dealing with the money and/or securities of the Trust are and shall be at all
times covered by a blanket fidelity bond or similar coverage for the benefit of
the Trust, in an amount not less than $5 million. The aforesaid bond shall
include coverage for larceny and embezzlement and shall be 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 Trust and the Underwriter in the event that such coverage
no longer applies.
3.11 The Underwriter represents that each Adviser is duly organized and
validly existing under applicable corporate law and that it is registered and
will during the term of this Agreement remain registered as an investment
adviser under the Advisers Act.
3.12 The Trust currently intends for one or more classes of shares
(each, a "Class") to make payments to finance its distribution expenses,
including service fees, pursuant to a Plan adopted under Rule 12b-1 under the
1940 Act ("Rule 12b-1"), although it may determine to discontinue such practice
in the future. To the extent that any Class of the Trust finances its
distribution expenses pursuant to a Plan adopted under Rule 12b-1, the Trust
undertakes to comply with any then current SEC and SEC staff interpretations
concerning Rule 12b-1 or any successor provisions.
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. 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 Trust shall promptly inform the Company of any determination by the
Trustees that an irreconcilable material conflict exists and of 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 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. 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
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 withdrawal should be implemented to a vote of all affected
Contract owners and, as appropriate, withdrawal of 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 withdrawal, 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 a
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 Trust be required to establish a new funding medium for the Contracts.
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 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-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 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
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Underwriter, the Trust and each of its Trustees, 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" and individually the "Indemnified Party" 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, 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 Trust 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 a disclosure document 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
(ii) 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)(i)) 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
(iii) 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)(i)
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
(iv) 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
(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.
(b) The Company shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any Losses 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 Trust or Underwriter, whichever is applicable. The
Company shall also 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.
(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 Trust shares or the
Contracts or the operation of the Trust.
5.2 Indemnification By The Underwriter
(a) The Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Company, the underwriter of the Contracts 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 an "Indemnified Party" for 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
Underwriter, 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, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such Losses are related
to the sale or acquisition of the Trust'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, prospectus or sales
literature of the Trust (or any amendment or supplement to any
of the foregoing) (collectively, the "Trust Documents") 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 of such alleged statement or omission was made in
reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to
the Underwriter or Trust by or on behalf of the Company for
use in the Registration Statement or prospectus for the Trust
or in sales literature (or any amendment or supplement) or
otherwise for use in connection with the sale of the Contracts
or Trust shares; or
(ii) arise out of or as a result of statements or
representations (other than statements or representations
contained in the disclosure documents or sales literature for
the Contracts not supplied by the Underwriter or persons under
its control) or wrongful conduct of the Trust, Adviser or
Underwriter or persons under their control, with respect to
the sale or distribution of the Contracts or Trust shares; or
(iii) arise out of any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact contained in a disclosure
document 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 Trust; or
(iv) arise as a result of any failure by the Trust 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
qualification representation specified in Section 3.7
of this Agreement and the diversification requirements
specified in Section 3.6 of this Agreement); or
(v) arise out of or result from any material breach
of any representation and/or warranty made by the Underwriter
in this Agreement or arise out of or result from any other
material breach of this Agreement by the Underwriter; as
limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Sections
5.2(b) and 5.2(c) hereof.
(b) The Underwriter shall not be liable under this
indemnification provision with respect to any Losses 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 each Company or the Account, whichever is
applicable.
(c) The Underwriter 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
Underwriter 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 Underwriter of any such
claim shall not relieve the Underwriter 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
Underwriter will be entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the
defense thereof. The Underwriter also shall be entitled to assume the
defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the party named in the
action. After notice from the Underwriter to such party of the
Underwriter's election to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnified
Party shall bear the expenses of any additional counsel retained by it,
and the Underwriter 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.
(d) The Company agrees promptly to notify the Underwriter 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.
5.3 Indemnification By The Trust
(a) The Trust 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 5.3) against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities
(including amounts paid in settlement with the written consent of the
Trust, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld) 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 Trust, and arise out of
or result from any material breach of any representation and/or
warranty made by the Trust in this Agreement or arise out of or result
from any other material breach of this Agreement by the Trust; as
limited by and in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.3(b) and
5.3(c) hereof. It is understood and expressly stipulated that neither
the holders of shares of the Trust nor any Trustee, officer, agent or
employee
of the Trust shall be personally liable hereunder, nor shall any resort
be had to other private property for the satisfaction of any claim or
obligation hereunder, but the Trust only shall be liable.
(b) The Trust shall not be liable under this indemnification
provision with respect to any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or
litigation incurred or assessed against any 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 or to the Company, the
Trust, the Underwriter or each Account, whichever is applicable.
(c) The Trust 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 Trust in writing
within a reasonable time after the summons or other first legal process
giving information of the nature of the claims 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 Trust of any such claim shall not relieve the Trust 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 Trust will be entitled to participate, at
its own expense, in the defense thereof. The Trust also shall be
entitled to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to
the party named in the action. After notice from the Trust to such
party of the Trust'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 Trust 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.
(d) The Company and the Underwriter agree promptly to notify
the Trust 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 the Account, or the sale or acquisition of
share of the Trust.
ARTICLE VI.
TERMINATION
6.1 This Agreement may be terminated by any party in its entirety or
with respect to one, some or all Portfolios or any reason by sixty (60) days
advance written notice delivered to the other parties, and shall terminate
immediately in the event of its assignment, as that term is used in the 1940
Act. 6.2 This Agreement may be terminated immediately by either the Trust or the
Underwriter following consultation with the Trustees upon written notice to the
Company if:
(a) the Company notifies the Trust or the Underwriter that the
exemption from registration under Section 3(c) of the 1940 Act no
longer applies, or might not apply in the future, to the unregistered
Accounts, or that the exemption from registration under Section 4(2) or
Regulation D promulgated under the 1933 Act no longer applies or might
not apply in the future, to interests under the unregistered Contracts;
or
(b) either one or both of the Trust or the Underwriter
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
(c) the Company gives the Trust and the Underwriter the
written notice specified in Section 1.10 hereof and at the same time
such notice was given there was no notice of termination outstanding
under any other provision of this Agreement; provided, however, that
any termination under this Section 6.2(c) shall be effective forty-five
(45) days after the notice specified in Section 1.10 was given; or
6.3 If this Agreement is terminated for any reason, except under
Article IV (Potential Conflicts) above, 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 all of the terms and conditions of
this Agreement for all Contracts in effect on the effective date of termination
of this Agreement. If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Article IV, the
provisions of Article IV shall govern.
6.4 The provisions of Articles II (Representations and Warranties) and
V (Indemnification) shall survive the termination of this Agreement. All other
applicable provisions of this Agreement 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 6.3, except that the Trust and the Underwriter shall
have no further obligation to sell Trust shares with respect to Contracts issued
after termination.
6.5 The Company shall not redeem Trust shares attributable to the
Contracts (as opposed to Trust shares attributable to the Company's assets held
in the Account) except (i) as necessary to implement Contract owner initiated or
approved transactions, (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 SEC pursuant to Section 26(b) of the 1940 Act. Upon
request, the Company will promptly furnish to the Trust and the Underwriter the
opinion of counsel for the Company (which counsel shall be reasonably
satisfactory to the Trust and the Underwriter) 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 Trust or
the Underwriter 90 days notice of its intention to do so.
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 or the Underwriter:
_____________________
_____________________
_____________________
If to the Company:
Keyport Life Insurance Company
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
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 Rhode Island.
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 SEC 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 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 SEC, the NASD, 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 Each party hereto shall treat as confidential the names and addresses
of the Contract owners and all information reasonably identified as confidential
in writing by any other party hereto, and, except as permitted by this Agreement
or as required by legal process or regulatory authorities, shall not disclose,
disseminate, or utilize such names and addresses and other confidential
information until such time as they may come into the public domain, without the
express written consent of the affected party. Without limiting the foregoing,
no party hereto shall disclose any information that such party has been advised
is proprietary, except such information that such party is required to disclose
by any appropriate governmental authority (including, without limitation, the
SEC, the NASD, and state securities and insurance regulators).
8.8 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.
8.9 The parties to this Agreement acknowledge and agree that this
Agreement shall not be exclusive in any respect, except as provided in Section
1.10.
8.10 Neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations hereunder may be
assigned by either party without the prior written approval of the other party.
8.11 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.
The Company:
Keyport Life Insurance Company
By its authorized officer
By:
-----------------------------
Name:
Title:
The Underwriter:
--------------------------------
By its authorized officer
By:
-----------------------------
Name:
Title:
SCHEDULE A
SEPARATE ACCOUNTS OF
KEYPORT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
1. Variable Account A
Date Established: January 30, 1996
SEC Registration Numbers: 333-75729
333-75747
SCHEDULE B
TRUST PORTFOLIOS AND CLASSES AVAILABLE
SCHEDULE C
RULE 12B-1 PLANS
COMPENSATION SCHEDULE
Each Portfolio named below shall pay the following amounts pursuant to the terms
and conditions referenced below under its Class B Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan,
stated as a percentage per year of Class B's average daily net assets
represented by shares of Class B.
Portfolio Name Maximum Annual Payment Rate
Agreement Provisions
If the Company, on behalf of any Account, purchases Trust Portfolio shares
("Eligible Shares") which are subject to a Rule 12b-1 Plan adopted under the
1940 Act (the "Plan"), the Company may participate in the Plan.
To the extent the Company or its affiliates, agents or designees
(collectively "you") you provide administrative and other services which assist
in the promotion and distribution of Eligible Shares or Variable Contracts
offering Eligible Shares, the Underwriter, the Trust or their affiliates
(collectively, "we") may pay you a Rule 12b-1 fee. "Administrative and other
services" may include, but are not limited to, furnishing personal services to
owners of Contracts which may invest in Eligible Shares ("Contract Owners"),
answering routine inquiries regarding a Portfolio, coordinating responses to
Contract Owner inquiries regarding the Portfolios, maintaining such accounts or
providing such other enhanced services as a Trust Portfolio or Contract may
require, maintaining customer accounts and records, or providing other services
eligible for service fees as defined under NASD rules. Your acceptance of such
compensation is your acknowledgment that eligible services have been rendered.
All Rule 12b-1 fees, shall be based on the value of Eligible Shares owned by the
Company on behalf of its Accounts, and shall be calculated on the basis and at
the rates set forth in the Compensation Schedule stated above. The aggregate
annual fees paid pursuant to each Plan shall not exceed the amounts stated as
the "annual maximums" in the Portfolio's prospectus, unless an increase is
approved by shareholders as provided in the Plan. These maximums shall be a
specified percent of the value of a Portfolio's net assets attributable to
Eligible Shares owned by the Company on behalf of its Accounts (determined in
the same manner as the Portfolio uses to compute its net assets as set forth in
its effective Prospectus).
You shall furnish us with such information as shall reasonably be
requested by the Trust's Boards of Trustees ("Trustees") with respect to the
Rule 12b-1 fees paid to you pursuant to the Plans. We shall furnish to the
Trustees, for their review on a quarterly basis, a written report of the amounts
expended under the Plans and the purposes for which such expenditures were made.
The Plans and provisions of any agreement relating to such Plans must be
approved annually by a vote of the Trustees, including the Trustees who are not
interested persons of the Trust and who have no financial interest in the Plans
or any related agreement ("Disinterested Trustees"). Each Plan may be terminated
at any time by the vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees, or by a
vote of a majority of the outstanding shares as provided in the Plan, on sixty
(60) days' written notice, without payment of any penalty. The Plans may also be
terminated by any act that terminates the
Underwriting Agreement between the Underwriter and the Trust, and/or the
management or administration agreement between ______________________________,
Inc. or its/their affiliates and the Trust. Continuation of the Plans is also
conditioned on Disinterested Trustees being ultimately responsible for selecting
and nominating any new Disinterested Trustees. Under Rule 12b-1, the Trustees
have a duty to request and evaluate, and persons who are party to any agreement
related to a Plan have a duty to furnish, such information as may reasonably be
necessary to an informed determination of whether the Plan or any agreement
should be implemented or continued. Under Rule 12b-1, the Trust is permitted to
implement or continue Plans or the provisions of any agreement relating to such
Plans from year-to-year only if, based on certain legal considerations, the
Trustees are able to conclude that the Plans will benefit each affected Trust
Portfolio and class. Absent such yearly determination, the Plans must be
terminated as set forth above. In the event of the termination of the Plans for
any reason, the provisions of this Schedule C relating to the Plans will also
terminate.
Any obligation assumed by the Trust pursuant to this Agreement shall be limited
in all cases to the assets of the Trust and no person shall seek satisfaction
thereof from shareholders of the Trust. You agree to waive payment of any
amounts payable to you by Underwriter under a Plan until such time as the
Underwriter has received such fee from the Fund.
The provisions of the Plans shall control over the provisions of the
Participation Agreement, including this Schedule C, in the event of any
inconsistency.
You agree to provide complete disclosure as required by all applicable statutes,
rules and regulations of all rule 12b-1 fees received from us in the prospectus
of the contracts.