Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - INSURANCE, DEPARTMENT OF
Title 210 - NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE
Chapter 15 - VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE CONTRACTS
Section 210-15-004 - Insurance policy requirements

004.01A The procedure and requirements for such filing and approval shall be, to the extent appropriate and not inconsistent with this regulation, the same as those otherwise applicable to other life insurance policies.

004.01B The Director may approve variable life insurance policies and related forms with provisions the Director deems to be not less favorable to the policyholder and the beneficiary than those required by this regulation.

004.02A Mortality and expense risks shall be borne by the insurer. The mortality and expense charges shall be subject to the maximums stated in the contract.

004.02B For scheduled premium policies, a minimum death benefit shall be provided in an amount at least equal to the initial face amount of the policy as long as premiums are duly paid (subject to the provisions of Subsection 004.04);

004.02C The policy shall reflect the investment experience of one or more separate accounts established and maintained by the insurer. The insurer must demonstrate that the reflection of investment experience in the variable life insurance policy is actuarially sound.

004.02D Each variable life insurance policy shall be credited with the full amount of the net investment return applied to the benefit base.

004.02E Any changes in variable death benefits of each variable life insurance policy shall be determined at least annually.

004.02F The cash value of each variable life insurance policy shall be determined at least monthly. The method of computation of cash values and other non-forfeiture benefits, as described either in the policy or in a statement filed with the commissioner of the state in which the policy is delivered, or issued for delivery, shall be in accordance with actuarial procedures that recognize the variable nature of the policy. The method of computation must be such that, if the net investment return credited to the policy at all times from the date of issue should be equal to the assumed investment rate with premiums and benefits determined accordingly under the terms of the policy, then the resulting cash values and other non-forfeiture benefits must be at least equal to the minimum values required by Neb.Rev.Stat. §§ 44-407 through 44-407.09, for a general account policy with such premiums and benefits. The assumed investment rate shall not exceed the maximum interest rate permitted under the Standard Non-Forfeiture Law of this state. If the policy does not contain an assumed investment rate this demonstration shall be based on the maximum interest rate permitted under the Standard Non-Forfeiture Law. The method of computation may disregard incidental minimum guarantees as to the dollar amounts payable. Incidental minimum guarantees include, for example, but are not to be limited to, a guarantee that the amount payable at death or maturity shall be at least equal to the amount that otherwise would have been payable if the net investment return credited to the policy at all times from the date of issue had been equal to the assumed investment rate.

004.02G The computation of values required for each variable life insurance policy may be based upon such reasonable and necessary approximations as are acceptable to the Director.

004.03A the cover page or pages corresponding to the cover pages of each such policy shall contain:

004.03B(1) For scheduled premium policies, a provision for a grace period of not less than thirty-one days from the premium due date which shall provide that where the premium is paid within the grace period, policy values will be the same, except for the deduction of any overdue premium, as if the premium were paid on or before the due date.

004.03B(2) For flexible premium policies, a provision for a grace period beginning on the policy processing day when the total charges authorized by the policy that are -necessary to keep the policy in force until the next policy processing day exceed the amounts available under the policy to pay such charges in accordance with the terms of the policy. Such grace period shall end on a date not less than 61 days after the mailing date of the Report to Policyholders required by Subsection 009.03.

The death benefit payable during the grace period will equal the death benefit in effect immediately prior to such period less any overdue charges. If the policy processing days occur monthly, the insurer may require the payment of not more than 3 times the charges which were due on the policy processing day on which the amounts available under the policy were insufficient to pay all charges authorized by the policy that are necessary to keep such policy in force until the next policy processing day.

004.03C For scheduled premium policies, a provision that the policy will be reinstated at any time within two years from the date of default upon the written application of the insured and evidence of insurability, including good health, satisfactory to the insurer, unless the cash surrender value has been paid or the period of extended insurance has expired, upon the payment of any outstanding indebtedness arising subsequent to the end of the grace period following the date of default together with accrued interest thereon to the date of reinstatement and payment of an amount not exceeding the greater of:

004.03D A full description of the benefit base and of the method of calculation and application of any factors used to adjust variable benefits under the policy;

004.03E A provision designating the separate account to be used and stating that:

004.03F A provision specifying what documents constitute the entire insurance contract under state law;

004.03G A designation of the officers who are empowered to make an agreement or representation on behalf of the insurer and an indication that statements by the insured, or on his behalf, shall be considered as representations and not warranties;

004.03H An identification of the owner of the insurance contract;

004.03I A provision setting forth conditions or requirements as to the designation, or change of designation, of a beneficiary and a provision for disbursement of benefits in the absence of a beneficiary designation;

004.03J A statement of any conditions or requirements concerning the assignment of the policy;

004.03K A description of any adjustments in policy values to be made in the event of misstatement of age or sex of the insured;

004.03L A provision that the policy shall be incontestable by the insurer after it has been in force for two years during the lifetime of the insured, provided, however, that any increase in the amount of the policy's death benefits subsequent to the policy issue date, which increase occurred upon a new application or request of the owner and was subject to satisfactory proof of the insured's insurability, shall be incontestable after any such increase has been in force, during the lifetime of the insured, for two years from the date of issue of such increase;

004.03M A provision stating that the investment policy of the separate account shall not be changed without the approval of the Insurance Commissioner of the state of domicile of the insurer, and that the approval process is on file with the Director of this state;

004.03N A provision that payment of variable death benefits in excess of any minimum death benefits, cash values, policy loans, or partial withdrawals (except when used to pay premiums) or partial surrenders may be deferred:

004.03O If settlement options are provided, at least one such option shall be provided on a fixed basis only;

004.03P A description of the basis for computing the cash value and the surrender value under the policy shall be included;

004.03Q Premiums or charges for incidental insurance benefits shall be stated separately;

004.03R Any other policy provision required by this regulation;

004.03S Such other items as are currently required for fixed benefit life insurance policies and are not inconsistent with this regulation;

004.03T A provision for non-forfeiture insurance benefits. The insurer may establish a reasonable minimum cash value below which any non-forfeiture insurance options will not be available.

004.04A At least 75% of the policy's cash surrender value may be borrowed;

004.04B The amount borrowed shall bear interest at a rate not to exceed that permitted by state insurance law.

004.04C Any indebtedness shall be deducted from the proceeds payable on death.

004.04D Any indebtedness shall be deducted from the cash surrender value upon surrender or in determining any non-forfeiture benefit.

004.04E For scheduled premium policies, whenever the indebtedness exceeds the cash surrender value, the insurer shall give notice of any intent to cancel the policy if the excess indebtedness is not repaid within thirty-one days after the date of mailing of such notice. For flexible premium policies, whenever the total charges authorized by the policy that are necessary to keep the policy in force until the next following processing day exceed the amounts available under the policy to pay such charges, a report must be sent to the policyholder containing the information specified by Subsection 009.03.

004.04F The policy may provide that if, at any time, so long as premiums are duly paid, the variable death benefit is less than it would have been if no loan or withdrawal had ever been made, the policyholder may increase such variable death benefit up to what it would have been if there had been no loan or withdrawal by paying an amount not exceeding 110% of the corresponding increase in cash value and by furnishing such evidence of insurability as the insurer may request.

004.04G The policy may specify a reasonable minimum amount which may be borrowed at any time but such minimum shall not apply to any automatic premium loan provision.

004.04H No policy loan provision is required if the policy is under extended insurance non-forfeiture option.

004.04I The policy loan provisions shall be constructed so that variable life insurance policyholders who have not exercised such provisions are not disadvantaged by the exercise thereof.

004.04J Amounts paid to the policyholders upon the exercise of any policy loan provision shall be withdrawn from the separate account and shall be returned to the separate account upon repayment except that a stock insurer may provide the amounts for policy loans from the general account.

004.05A an exclusion for suicide within two years of the issue date of the policy; provided, however, that to the extent of the increased death benefits only, the policy may provide an exclusion for suicide within two years of any increase in death benefits which results from an application of the owner subsequent to the policy issue date;

004.05B incidental insurance benefits may be offered on a fixed or variable basis;

004.05C policies issued on a participating basis shall offer to pay dividend amounts in cash. In addition, such policies may offer the following dividend options:

004.05D A provision allowing the policyholder to elect in writing in the application for the policy or thereafter in automatic premium loan on a basis not less favorable than that required of policy loans under Subsection 004.04, except that a restriction that no more than two consecutive premiums can be paid under this provision may be imposed;

004.05E A provision allowing the policyholder to make partial withdrawals;

004.05F Any other policy provision approved by the Director.