PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT
PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") made by and between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
VARIABLE LIFE INVESTMENT FUND (the "Fund"), a Massachusetts business trust
created under a Declaration of Trust dated March 15, 1985, as amended, with a
principal place of business in Boston, Massachusetts and CHARTER NATIONAL LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY, a Missouri corporation (the "Company"), with a principal
place of business in St. Louis, Missouri, on behalf of Charter National Variable
Annuity Account and Charter National Variable Account, each a separate account
of the Company, and any other separate account of the Company as designated by
the Company from time to time, upon written notice to the Fund in accordance
with Section 10 herein (together, the "Account").
WHEREAS, the Fund acts as the investment vehicle for the separate accounts
established for variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts
(collectively referred to herein as "Variable Insurance Products") to be offered
by insurance companies which have entered into participation agreements
substantially identical to this Agreement ("Participating Insurance Companies")
and their affiliated insurance companies; and
WHEREAS, the beneficial interest in the Fund is divided into several series
of shares of beneficial interest ("Shares"), and additional series of Shares may
be established, each designated a "Portfolio" and representing the interest in a
particular managed portfolio of securities; and
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WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of Participating Insurance Companies to
make capital contributions if required so that the annual expenses of each
Portfolio of the Fund in which a Participating Insurance Company is a
shareholder will not exceed a fixed percentage of the Portfolio's average annual
net assets; and
WHEREAS, the Parties desire to evidence their agreement as to certain other
matters,
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants
and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Additional Definitions.
For the purposes of this Agreement, the following definitions shall apply:
(a) The "expenses of a Portfolio" for any fiscal year shall mean the
expenses for such fiscal year as shown in the Statement of Operations (or
similar report) certified by the Fund's independent public accountants;
(b) A "Portfolio's average daily net assets" for each fiscal year shall
mean the sum of the net asset values determined throughout the year for the
purpose of determining net asset value per Share, divided by the number of such
determinations during such year;
(c) The Company's "Required Contribution" on behalf of the Account in
respect of a Portfolio for any fiscal year shall mean an amount equal to the
expenses of that Portfolio for such
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year minus the below-indicated percentage of that Portfolio's average daily net
assets for the year:
International Portfolio.............................................. 1.50%
Each other Portfolio................................................. 0.75%
multiplied by a fraction the denominator of which is the average daily net
assets of that Portfolio and the numerator of which is the average daily net
asset value of the Shares of that Portfolio owned by the Account (referred to
herein as a "Participating Shareholder"). The Company's Required Contribution in
respect of a Portfolio shall be pro-rated based on the number of business days
on which this Agreement is in effect for periods of less than a fiscal year.
(d) The "average daily net asset value of the Shares of the Portfolio"
owned by the Account for any fiscal year of the Fund shall mean the greater of
(i) $500,000 or (ii) the sum of the aggregate net asset values of the Shares so
owned determined during the fiscal year, as of each determination of the net
asset value per Share, divided by the total number of determinations of net
asset value during such year.
(e) "Shares" means shares of beneficial interest, without par value, of
any Portfolio, now or hereafter created, of the Fund.
2. Capital Contribution.
The Company on behalf of the Account shall, within sixty days after the end
of each fiscal year of the Fund, make a capital contribution to the Fund in
respect of each Portfolio equal to the Required Contribution for that Portfolio
for such year; provided,
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however, that in the event that both clauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (d) of
Section 1 of this Agreement or similar agreements are applicable to different
Participating Insurance Companies during the same fiscal year, there shall be a
proportionate reduction of the Required Contribution of each Participating
Insurance Company to which said clause (ii) is applicable so that the total of
all required capital contributions to the Fund on behalf of any Portfolio is not
greater than the excess of the expenses of that Portfolio for that fiscal year
less the percentage of that Portfolio's total expenses set forth in
paragraph (c) of Section 1 of this Agreement for such fiscal year.
3. Duty of Fund to Sell.
The Fund shall make its Shares available for purchase at the applicable net
asset value per Share by Participating Insurance Companies and their affiliates
and separate accounts on those days on which the Fund calculates its net asset
value pursuant to rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission; provided,
however, that the Trustees of the Fund may refuse to sell Shares of any
Portfolio to any person, or suspend or terminate the offering of Shares of any
Portfolio, if such action is required by law or by regulatory authorities having
jurisdiction or is, in the sole discretion of the Trustees, necessary in the
best interest of the shareholders of any Portfolio.
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4. Requirement to Execute Participation Agreement; Requests.
Each Participating Insurance Company shall, prior to purchasing Shares in
the Fund, execute and deliver a participation agreement in a form substantially
identical to this Agreement.
The Fund shall make available, upon written request from the Participating
Insurance Company given in accordance with Paragraph 10, to each Participating
Insurance Company which has executed an Agreement and which Agreement has not
been terminated pursuant to Paragraph 8 (i) a list of all other Participating
Insurance Companies, and (ii) a copy of the Agreement as executed by any other
Participating Insurance Company.
The Fund shall also make available upon request to each Participating
Insurance Company which has executed an Agreement and which Agreement has not
been terminated pursuant to Paragraph 8, the net asset value of any Portfolio of
the Fund as of any date upon which the Fund calculates the net asset value of
its Portfolios for the purpose of purchase and redemption of Shares.
5. Indemnification.
(a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Fund and each
of its Trustees and officers and each person, if any, who controls the Fund
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act")
against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities or litigation
(including legal and other expenses), arising out of the acquisition of any
Shares by any person, to which the Fund or such Trustees, officers or
controlling person may become subject under the Act, under any other statute, at
common law or otherwise, which (i) may be based
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upon any wrongful act by the Company, any of its employees or
representatives, any affiliate of or any person acting on behalf of the Company
or a principal underwriter of its insurance products, or (ii) may be based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in
a registration statement or prospectus covering Shares 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 the Company, or (iii) may be based on any
untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in a
registration statement or prospectus covering insurance products sold by the
Company or any insurance company which is an affiliate thereof, or any
amendments 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, unless such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Company or such
affiliate by or on behalf of the Fund; provided, however, that in no case (i) is
the Company's indemnity in favor of a Trustee or officer or any other person
deemed to protect such Trustee or officer or other person against any liability
to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of his duties or
by reason of his reckless disregard of obligations and duties under
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this Agreement or (ii) is the Company to be liable under its indemnity agreement
contained in this Paragraph 5 with respect to any claim made against the Fund or
any person indemnified unless the Fund or such person, as the case may be, shall
have notified the Company in writing pursuant to Paragraph 10 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 the Fund or
upon such person (or after the Fund or such person 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 has to the
Fund or any person against whom such action is brought otherwise than on account
of its indemnity agreement contained in this Paragraph 5. The Company shall be
entitled to participate, at its own expense, in the defense, or, if it so
elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to enforce any such liability,
but, if it elects to assume the defense, such defense shall be conducted by
counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the Fund, to its officers and Trustees,
or to any controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit. In
the event that the Company elects to assume the defense of any such suit and
retain such counsel, the Fund, such officers and Trustees or controlling person
or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear the fees and
expenses of any additional counsel retained by them, but, in case the Company
does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, the Company will
reimburse the Fund, such officers and Trustees or
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controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in such suit, for the
reasonable fees and expenses of any counsel retained by them. The Company agrees
promptly to notify the Fund pursuant to Paragraph 10 of the commencement of any
litigation or proceedings against it in connection with the issue and sale of
any Shares.
(b) 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 Act against any and all losses,
claims, damages, liabilities or litigation (including legal and other expenses)
to which it or such directors, officers or controlling person may become
subject under the Act, under any other statute, at common law or otherwise,
arising out of the acquisition of any Shares by any person which (i) may be
based upon any wrongful act by the Fund, any of its employees or
representatives or a principal underwriter of the Fund, or (ii) may be
based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact contained in a registration statement or prospectus covering Shares 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 unless such statement
or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the Fund
by the Company or (iii) may be based on any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of a material fact contained in a registration statement or
prospectus covering insurance products
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sold by the Company, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or the omission or
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statement or statements therein not misleading, if such
statement or omission was made in reliance upon information furnished to the
Company by or on behalf of the Fund; provided, however, that in no case (i) is
the Fund's indemnity in favor of a director or officer or any other person
deemed to protect such director or officer or other person against any liability
to which any such person would otherwise be subject by reason of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of his duties or
by reason of his reckless disregard of obligations and duties under this
Agreement or (ii) is the Fund to be liable under its indemnity agreement
contained in this Paragraph 5 with respect to any claims made against the
Company or any such director, officer or controlling person unless it or such
director, officer or controlling person, as the case may be, shall have notified
the Fund in writing pursuant to Paragraph 10 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 it or upon such director, officer or
controlling person (or after the Company or such director, officer or
controlling person shall have received notice of such service on any designated
agent), but failure to notify the Fund of any claim shall not relieve it from
any liability which it may have to the person against whom such action is
brought otherwise than on account of its indemnity agreement contained in
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this Paragraph. The Fund will be entitled to participate at its own expense in
the defense, or, if it so elects, to assume the defense of any suit brought to
enforce any such liability, but if the Fund elects to assume the defense, such
defense shall be conducted by counsel chosen by it and satisfactory to the
Company, its directors, officers or controlling person or persons, defendant or
defendants, in the suit. In the event the Fund elects to assume the defense of
any such suit and retain such counsel, the Company, its directors, officers or
controlling person or persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, shall bear
the fees and expenses of any additional counsel retained by them, but, in case
the Fund does not elect to assume the defense of any such suit, it will
reimburse the Company or such directors, officers or controlling person or
persons, defendant or defendants in the suit, for the reasonable fees and
expenses of any counsel retained by them. The Fund agrees promptly to notify the
Company pursuant to Paragraph 10 of the commencement of any litigation or
proceedings against it or any of its officers or Trustees in connection with the
issuance or sale of any Shares.
6. Procedure for Resolving Irreconcilable Conflicts.
(a) The Trustees of the Fund will monitor the operations of the Fund for
the existence of any material irreconcilable conflict among the interests of all
the contract holders and policy owners of Variable Insurance Products (the
"Participants") of all separate accounts investing in the Fund. An
irreconcilable material conflict may arise, among other things, from: (a) an
action by any
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state insurance regulatory authority; (b) a change in applicable insurance laws
or regulations; (c) a tax ruling or provision of the Internal Revenue Code or
the regulations thereunder; (d) any other development relating to the tax
treatment of insurers, contract holders or policy owners or beneficiaries of
Variable Insurance Products; (e) the manner in which the investments of any
Portfolio are being managed; (f) a difference in voting instructions given by
variable annuity contract holders, on the one hand, and variable life insurance
policy owners, on the other hand, or by the contract holders or policy owners of
different participating insurance companies; or (g) a decision by an insurer to
override the voting instructions of Participants.
(b) The Company will be responsible for reporting any potential or existing
conflicts to the Trustees of the Fund. The Company will be responsible for
assisting the Trustees in carrying out their responsibilities under this
Paragraph 6(b) and Paragraph 6(a), by providing the Trustees with all
information reasonably necessary for the Trustees to consider the issues raised.
The Fund will also request its investment adviser to report to the Trustees any
such conflict which comes to the attention of the adviser.
(c) If it is determined by a majority of the Trustees of the Fund, or a
majority of its disinterested Trustees, that a material irreconcilable conflict
exists involving the Company, the Company shall, at its expense, and to the
extent reasonably practicable (as determined by a majority of the disinterested
Trustees), take whatever steps are necessary to eliminate the irreconcilable
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material conflict, including withdrawing the assets allocable to some or all of
the separate accounts from the Fund or any Portfolio and reinvesting such assets
in a different investment medium, including another Portfolio of the Fund,
offering to the affected Participants the option of making such a change or
establishing a new funding medium including a registered investment company.
For purposes of this Paragraph 6(c), the Trustees, or the disinterested
Trustees, shall determine whether or not any proposed action adequately remedies
any irreconcilable material conflict. In the event of a determination of the
existence of an irreconcilable material conflict, the Trustees shall cause the
Fund to take such action, such as the establishment of one or more additional
Portfolios, as they in their sole discretion determine to be in the interest of
all shareholders and Participants in view of all applicable factors, such as
cost, feasibility, tax, regulatory and other considerations. In no event will
the Fund be required by this Paragraph 6(c) to establish a new funding medium
for any variable contract or policy.
The Company shall not be required by this Paragraph 6(c) to establish a new
funding medium for any variable contract or policy if an offer to do so has been
declined by a vote of a majority of the Participants materially adversely
affected by the material irreconcilable conflict. The Company will recommend to
its Participants that they decline an offer to establish a new funding medium
only if the company believes it is in the best interest of the Participants.
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(d) The Trustees' determination of the existence of an irreconcilable
material conflict and its implications promptly shall be communicated to all
Participating Insurance Companies by written notice thereof delivered or mailed,
first class postage prepaid.
7. Voting Privileges.
The Company shall be responsible for assuring that its separate account or
accounts participating in the Fund shall use a calculation method of voting
procedures substantially the same as the following: those Participants permitted
to give instructions and the number of Shares for which instructions may be
given will be determined as of the record date for the Fund shareholders'
meeting, which shall not be more than 60 days before the date of the meeting.
Whether or not voting instructions are actually given by a particular
Participant, all Fund shares held in any separate account or sub-account thereof
and attributable to policies will be voted for, against, or withheld from voting
on any proposition in the same proportion as (i) the aggregate record date cash
value held in such sub-account for policies giving instructions, respectively,
to vote for, against, or withhold votes on such proposition, bears to (ii) the
aggregate record date cash value held in the sub-account for all policies for
which voting instructions are received. Participants continued in effect under
lapse options will not be permitted to give voting instructions. Shares held in
any other insurance company general or separate account or sub-account thereof
will be voted in the proportion
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specified in the second preceding sentence for shares attributable to policies.
8. Duration and Termination.
This Agreement shall remain in force one year from the date of its
execution (such date and any anniversary of such date being hereinafter called a
"Renegotiation Date"), and from year to year thereafter provided that neither
the Company nor the Fund shall have given written notice to the other within
thirty (30) days prior to a Renegotiation Date that it desires to renegotiate
the amount of contribution to capital due hereunder ("Renegotiation Notice"). In
the event any other Participating Insurance Company (which thereafter remains a
Participating Insurance Company) shall cease to be subject to the obligation to
make capital contributions under the terms of their respective Participation
Agreement, this agreement will remain in effect; however, the Company shall
discontinue payment of capital contributions as defined in paragraph (c) of
Section 1 of this Agreement.
If a Renegotiation Notice is properly given as aforesaid and the Fund and
the Company shall fail, within sixty (60) days after the Renegotiation Date,
either to enter into an amendment to this Agreement or a written acknowledgment
that the Agreement shall continue in effect, this Agreement shall terminate as
of the one hundred twentieth day after such Renegotiation Date. If this
Agreement is so terminated, the Fund may, at any time thereafter, automatically
redeem the Shares of any Portfolio held by a Participating Shareholder. This
Agreement may be terminated at any
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time, at the option of either of the company or the Fund, when neither the
Company, any insurance company nor the separate account or accounts of such
insurance company which is an affiliate thereof which is not a Participating
Insurance Company own any Shares of the Fund or may be terminated by either
party to the Agreement upon a determination by a majority of the Trustees of the
Fund, or a majority of its disinterested Trustees, following certification
thereof by a Participating Insurance Company given in accordance with Paragraph
10 that an irreconcilable conflict exists among the interests of (i) all
contract holders and policy holders of Variable Insurance Products of all
separate accounts or (ii) the interests of the Participating Insurance Companies
investing in the Fund. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this
Agreement or its termination as provided herein, the Company's obligation to
make a capital contribution to the Fund in accordance with this Agreement at the
time in effect shall continue (i) following a properly given Renegotiation
Notice, in the absence of agreement otherwise, until termination of this
Agreement, and (ii) (except termination due to the existence of an
irreconcilable conflict), following termination of this Agreement, until the
later of the anniversary of the date of this Agreement or the date on which the
Company, its separate account(s) or the separate account(s) of any affiliated
insurance company owns no Shares.
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9. Compliance.
The Fund will comply with the provisions of Section 4240(a) of the New York
Insurance Law.
Each Portfolio of the Fund will comply with the provisions of Section
817(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), relating
to diversification requirements for variable annuity, endowment and life
insurance contracts. Specifically, each Portfolio will comply with either (i)
the requirement of Section 817(h) (1) of the Code that its assets be adequately
diversified, or (ii) the "Safe Harbor for Diversification" specified in Section
817(h) (2) of the Code, or (iii) the diversification requirement of Section
817(h) (1) of the Code by having all or part of its assets invested in U.S.
Treasury securities which qualify for the "Special Rule for Investments in
United states Obligations" specified in Section 817(h) (3) of the Code.
The provisions of Paragraphs 6 and 7 of this Agreement shall be interpreted
in a manner consistent with any Rule or order of the Securities and Exchange
Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, applicable to
the parties hereto.
No Shares of any Portfolio of the Fund may be sold to the general public.
10. Notices.
Any notice shall be sufficiently given when sent by registered or certified
mail to the other party at the address of such party
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set forth below or at such other address as such party may from time to time
specify in writing to the other party.
If to the Fund:
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Variable Life Investment Fund
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
(▇▇▇) ▇▇▇-▇▇▇▇
Attn.: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
If to the Company:
Charter National Life Insurance Company
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attn.:
11. Massachusetts Law to Apply.
This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions hereof interpreted
under and in accordance with the laws of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
12. Miscellaneous.
The name "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ Variable Life Investment Fund" is the designation of the
Trustees for the time being under a Declaration of Trust dated March 15, 1985,
as amended, and all persons dealing with the Fund must look solely to the
property of the Fund for the enforcement of any claims against the Fund as
neither the Trustees, officers, agents or shareholders assume any personal
liability for obligations entered into on behalf of the Fund. No Portfolio shall
be liable for any obligations properly attributable to any other Portfolio.
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.
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This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each
of which taken together shall constitute one and the same instrument.
13. Entire Agreement.
This Agreement incorporates the entire understanding and agreement among
the parties hereto, and supersedes any and all prior understandings and
agreements between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties hereto has caused this Agreement to
be executed in its name and behalf by its duly authorized representative and its
seal to be hereunder affixed hereto as of the 3rd day of September, 1993.
SEAL ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ VARIABLE LIFE
INVESTMENT FUND
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
------------------
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
President
SEAL CHARTER NATIONAL LIFE
INSURANCE COMPANY
By: /s/ Charter National Life Insurance Company, Exceutive Vice President
------------------
Executive Vice President
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