20 CSR 400-5.400
Life Insurance and Annuities Replacement
PURPOSE: This rule regulates the activities of insurers, agents, and
brokers with respect to the replacement of existing life insurance
and annuities and protects the interests of life insurance and
annuity purchasers by establishing minimum standards of
conduct to be observed in replacement transactions. This rule
effectuates and aids in the interpretation of sections 375.934,
375.936, and 375.948, RSMo.
(1) Purpose and Scope.
(A) The purpose of this rule is—
1. To regulate the activities of insurers and producers
with respect to the replacement of existing life insurance and
annuities; and
2. To protect the interests of life insurance and annuity
purchasers by establishing minimum standards of conduct to
be observed in replacement or financed purchase transactions.
It will—
A. Assure that purchasers receive information with
which a decision can be made in his or her own best interest;
and
B. Reduce the opportunity for misrepresentation and
incomplete disclosure.
(B) Unless otherwise specifically included, this rule shall not
apply to transactions involving—
1. Credit life insurance;
2. Group life insurance or group annuities where there is
no direct solicitation of individuals by an insurance producer.
Direct solicitation shall not include any group meeting held
by an insurance producer solely for the purpose of educating
or enrolling individuals or, when initiated by an individual
member of the group, assisting with the selection of investment
options offered by a single insurer in connection with enrolling
that individual in group life insurance or a group annuity.
Group life insurance or group annuity certificates marketed
through direct response solicitation shall be subject to the
provisions of section (7) of this rule;
3. Group life insurance or annuities used to fund
prearranged funeral contracts;
4. An application to the existing insurer that issued the
existing policy or contract when a contractual change or a
conversion privilege is being exercised; or, when the existing
policy or contract is being replaced by the same insurer
pursuant to a new policy or contract filed with and approved
by the director; or, when a term conversion privilege is
exercised among corporate affiliates;
5. Proposed life insurance that is to replace life insurance
under a binding or conditional receipt issued by the same
company;
6. (Reserved)
A. Policies or contracts used to fund 1) an employee
pension or welfare benefit plan that is covered by the Employee
Retirement and Income Security Act (ERISA); 2) a plan described
by Sections 401(a), 401(k) or 403(b) of the Internal Revenue
Code, where the plan, for purposes of ERISA, is established
or maintained by an employer; 3) a governmental or church
plan defined in Section 414, a governmental or church welfare
benefit plan, or a deferred compensation plan of a state or
local government or tax exempt organization under Section
457 of the Internal Revenue Code; or 4) a nonqualified deferred
compensation arrangement established or maintained by an
employer or plan sponsor.
B. Notwithstanding subparagraph (1)(B)6.A., this rule
shall apply to policies or contracts used to fund any plan
or arrangement that is funded solely by contributions an
employee elects to make, whether on a pre-tax or after-tax
basis, and where the insurer has been notified that plan
participants may choose from among two (2) or more insurers,
and there is a direct solicitation of an individual employee
by an insurance producer for the purchase of a contract or
policy. As used in this subsection, direct solicitation shall not
include any group meeting held by an insurance producer
solely for the purpose of educating individuals about the
plan or arrangement or enrolling individuals in the plan or
arrangement or, when initiated by an individual employee,
assisting with the selection of investment options offered by
a single insurer in connection with enrolling that individual
employee in group life insurance or a group annuity;
7. Where new coverage is provided under a life insurance
policy or contract and the cost is borne wholly by the insured’s
employer or by an association of which the insured is a
member;
8. Existing life insurance that is a non-convertible term
life insurance policy that will expire in five (5) years or less and
cannot be renewed;
9. Immediate annuities that are purchased with proceeds
from an existing contract. Immediate annuities purchased
with proceeds from an existing policy are not exempted from
the requirements of this rule; or
10. Structured settlements.
(C) Registered contracts shall be exempt from the
requirements of paragraph (5)(A)2. and subsection (6)(B) of
this rule with respect to the provision of illustrations or
policy summaries; however, premium or contract contribution
amounts and identification of the appropriate prospectus or
offering circular shall be required instead.
(2) Definitions.
(A) “Direct-response solicitation” means a solicitation
through a sponsoring or endorsing entity or individually
solely through mails, telephone, the Internet, or other mass
communication media.
(B) “Existing insurer” means the insurance company whose
policy or contract is or will be changed or affected in a manner
described within the definition of “replacement.”
(C) “Existing contract” means an annuity contract (contract)
in force, including a contract under a binding or conditional
receipt or a contract that is within an unconditional refund
period.
(D) “Existing policy” means an individual life insurance
policy (policy) in force, including a policy under a binding or
conditional receipt or a policy that is within an unconditional
refund period.
(E) “Financed purchase” means the purchase of a new policy
or contract involving the actual or intended use of funds
obtained by the withdrawal or surrender of, or by borrowing
from values of an existing policy or contract to pay all or part of
any premium due on the new policy or contract. For purposes
of a regulatory review of an individual transaction only, if a
withdrawal, surrender, or borrowing involving the policy or
contract values of an existing policy or contract is used to pay
premiums on a new policy or contract owned by the same
policyholder and issued by the same company within four (4)
months before or thirteen (13) months after the effective date
of the new policy or contract, it will be deemed prima facie
evidence of the policyholder’s intent to finance the purchase
of the new policy or contract with existing policy or contract
values. This prima facie standard is not intended to increase or
decrease the monitoring obligations contained in paragraph
(4)(A)5. of this rule.
(F) “Illustration” means a presentation or depiction that
includes non-guaranteed elements of a policy of life insurance
or annuity contract over a period of years as defined in section
375.1503, RSMo.
(G) “Policy summary,” for the purposes of this rule—
1. For policies or contracts other than universal life
policies, means a written statement regarding a policy or
contract that shall contain to the extent applicable, but need
not be limited to, the following information: current death
benefit; annual contract premium; current cash surrender
value; current dividend; application of current dividend; and
amount of outstanding loan;
2. For universal life policies, means a written statement
that shall contain at least the following information: the
beginning and end date of the current report period; the policy
value at the end of the previous report period and at the end
of the current report period; the total amounts that have been
credited or debited to the policy value during the current
report period, identifying each by type (e.g., interest, mortality,
expense, and riders); the current death benefit at the end of the
current report period on each life covered by the policy; the net
cash surrender value of the policy as of the end of the current
report period; and the amount of outstanding loans, if any, as
of the end of the current report period.
(H) “Producer,” for the purpose of this rule, shall be defined
to include agents, brokers, and producers.
(I) “Replacing insurer” means the insurance company that
issues or proposes to issue a new policy or contract that replaces
an existing policy or contract or is a financed purchase.
(J) “Registered contract” means an annuity contract or
life insurance policy subject to the prospectus delivery
requirements of the Securities Act of 1933.
(K) “Replacement” means a transaction in which a new policy
or contract is to be purchased, and it is known or should be
known to the proposing producer, or to the proposing insurer
if there is no producer, that by reason of the transaction, an
existing policy or contract has been or is to be—
1. Lapsed, forfeited, surrendered, or partially surrendered,
assigned to the replacing insurer, or otherwise terminated;
2. Converted to reduced paid-up insurance, continued as
extended term insurance, or otherwise reduced in value by the
use of nonforfeiture benefits or other policy values;
3. Amended so as to effect either a reduction in benefits
or in the term for which coverage would otherwise remain in
force or for which benefits would be paid;
4. Reissued with any reduction in cash value; or
5. Used in a financed purchase.
(L) “Sales material” means a sales illustration and any
other written, printed, or electronically presented information
created, completed, or provided by the company or producer
and used in the presentation to the policy or contract owner
related to the policy or contract purchased.
(3) Duties of Producers.
(A) A producer who initiates an application shall submit
to the insurer, with or as part of the application, a statement
signed by both the applicant and the producer as to whether
the applicant has existing policies or contracts. If the answer
is “no,” the producer’s duties with respect to replacement are
complete.
(B) If the applicant answered “yes” to the question regarding
existing coverage referred to in subsection (3)(A), the producer
shall present and read to the applicant, not later than at the
time of taking the application, a notice regarding replacements
in the form as described in Appendix A, included herein, or
other substantially similar form. The notice shall be signed by
both the applicant and the producer attesting that the notice
has been read aloud by the producer or that the applicant
did not wish the notice to be read aloud (in which case the
producer need not have read the notice aloud) and left with
the applicant.
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(C) The notice shall list all life insurance policies or annuities
proposed to be replaced, properly identified by name of insurer,
the insured or annuitant, and policy or contract number if
available; and shall include a statement as to whether each
policy or contract will be replaced or whether a policy will be
used as a source of financing for the new policy or contract. If
a policy or contract number has not been issued by the existing
insurer, alternative identification, such as an application or
receipt number, shall be listed.
(D) In connection with a replacement transaction, the
producer shall leave with the applicant at the time an
application for a new policy or contract is completed the
original or a copy of all sales material. With respect to
electronically presented sales material, it shall be provided to
the policy or contract owner in printed form no later than at
the time of policy or contract delivery.
(E) Except as provided in subsection (5)(C), in connection
with a replacement transaction, the producer shall submit to
the insurer to which an application for a policy or contract is
presented, a copy of each document required by this section,
a statement identifying any preprinted or electronically
presented company approved sales materials used, and copies
of any individualized sales materials, including any illustrations
related to the specific policy or contract purchased.
(F) Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in
section (3) of this rule shall constitute false information and/or
misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies
and/or misrepresentation in insurance applications as those
terms are used in section 375.936(4), (6), and (7), RSMo.
(4) Duties of Insurers that Use Producers. Each insurer shall—
(A) Maintain a system of supervision and control to insure
compliance with the requirements of this rule that shall
include at least the following:
1. Inform its producers of the requirements of this rule
and incorporate the requirements of this rule into all relevant
producer training manuals prepared or distributed by the
insurer;
2. Provide to each producer a written statement of the
company’s position with respect to the acceptability of
replacements, providing guidance to its producer as to the
appropriateness of these transactions;
3. A system to review the appropriateness of each
replacement transaction that the producer does not indicate is
in accord with paragraph (4)(A)2. above;
4. Procedures to confirm that the requirements of this rule
have been met; and
5. Procedures to detect transactions that are replacements
of existing policies or contracts by the existing insurer, but that
have not been reported as such by the applicant or producer.
Compliance with this rule may include, but shall not be limited
to, systematic customer surveys, interviews, confirmation
letters, or programs of internal monitoring;
(B) Have the capacity to monitor each producer’s life insurance
policy and annuity contract replacements for that insurer, and
shall produce, upon request, and make such records available
to the department. The capacity to monitor shall include the
ability to produce records for each producer’s—
1. Life replacements, including financed purchases, as
a percentage of the producer’s total annual sales for life
insurance;
2. Number of lapses of policies by the producer as
a percentage of the producer’s total annual sales for life
insurance;
3. Annuity contract replacements as a percentage of the
producer’s total annual annuity contract sales;
4. Number of transactions that are unreported replacements
of existing policies or contracts by the existing insurer detected
by the company’s monitoring system as required by paragraph
(4)(A)5.; and
5. Replacements, indexed by replacing producer and
existing insurer;
(C) Require with, or as a part of, each application for life
insurance or an annuity, a signed statement by both the
applicant and the producer as to whether the applicant has
existing policies or contracts;
(D) Require with each application for life insurance or
an annuity that indicates an existing policy or contract, a
completed notice regarding replacements as contained in
Appendix A, included herein;
(E) When the applicant has existing policies or contracts,
each insurer shall be able to produce copies of any sales
material required by subsection (3)(E), the basic illustration and
any supplemental illustrations related to the specific policy or
contract that is purchased, and the producer’s and applicant’s
signed statements with respect to financing and replacement
for at least five (5) years after the termination or expiration of
the proposed policy or contract;
(F) Ascertain that the sales material and illustrations required
by subsection (3)(E) of this rule meet the requirements of this
rule and are complete and accurate for the proposed policy or
contract;
(G) If an application does not meet the requirements of
this rule, notify the producer and applicant and fulfill the
outstanding requirements;
(H) Maintains records in paper, photograph, microprocess,
magnetic, mechanical or electronic media, or by any process
that accurately reproduces the actual document; and
(I) Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in
section (4) of this rule shall constitute false information and/or
misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies
and/or misrepresentation in insurance applications as those
terms are used in section 375.936(4), (6), and (7), RSMo.
(5) Duties of Replacing Insurers that Use Producers.
(A) Where a replacement is involved in the transaction, the
replacing insurer shall—
1. Verify that the required forms are received and are in
compliance with this rule;
2. Notify any other existing insurer that may be affected
by the proposed replacement within five (5) business days of
receipt of a completed application indicating replacement
or when the replacement is identified if not indicated on the
application, and mail a copy of the available illustration or
policy summary for the proposed policy or available disclosure
document for the proposed contract within five (5) business
days of a request from an existing insurer;
3. Be able to produce copies of the notification regarding
replacement required in subsection (3)(B), indexed by producer,
for at least five (5) years or until the next regular examination
by the insurance department of a company’s state of domicile,
whichever is later; and
4. Provide to the policy or contract owner notice of the
right to return the policy or contract within thirty (30) days of
the delivery of the contract and receive an unconditional full
refund of all premiums or consideration paid on it, including
any policy fees or charges or, in the case of a variable or market
value adjustment policy or contract, a payment of the cash
surrender value provided under the policy or contract plus the
fees and other charges deducted from the gross premiums or
consideration or imposed under such policy or contract. Such
notice may be included in Appendix A or C, included herein.
(B) In transactions where the replacing insurer and the
existing insurer are the same or subsidiaries or affiliates under
common ownership or control, allow credit for the period of
time that has elapsed under the replaced policy’s or contract’s
incontestability and suicide period up to the face amount
of the existing policy or contract. With regard to financed
purchases, the credit may be limited to the amount the face
amount of the existing policy is reduced by the use of existing
policy values to fund the new policy or contract.
(C) If an insurer prohibits the use of sales material other
than that approved by the company, as an alternative to the
requirements made of an insurer pursuant to subsection (3)(E),
the insurer may—
1. Require with each application a statement signed by the
producer that—
A. Represents that the producer used only companyapproved sales material; and
B. States that copies of all sales material were left with
the applicant in accordance with subsection (3)(D); and
2. Within ten (10) days of the issuance of the policy or
contract—
A. Notify the applicant by sending a letter or by verbal
communication with the applicant by a person whose duties
are separate from the marketing area of the insurer, that the
producer has represented that copies of all sales material have
been left with the applicant in accordance with subsection (3)
(D);
B. Provide the applicant with a toll free number to
contact company personnel involved in the compliance
function if such is not the case; and
C. Stress the importance of retaining copies of the sales
material for future reference; and
3. Be able to produce a copy of the letter or other
verification in the policy file for at least five (5) years after the
termination or expiration of the policy or contract.
(D) Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in
section (5) of this rule shall constitute false information and/or
misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies
and/or misrepresentation in insurance applications as those
terms are used in section 375.936(4), (6), and (7), RSMo.
(6) Duties of the Existing Insurer. Where a replacement is
involved in the transaction, the existing insurer shall—
(A) Retain and be able to produce all replacement notifications
received, indexed by replacing insurer, for at least five (5) years;
(B) Send a letter to the policy or contract owner of the right
to receive information regarding the existing policy or contract
values including, if available, an in force illustration or policy
summary, if an in force illustration cannot be produced within
five (5) business days of receipt of a notice that an existing
policy or contract is being replaced. The information shall be
provided within five (5) business days of receipt of the request
from the policy or contract owner;
(C) Upon receipt of a request to borrow, surrender, or
withdraw any policy values, send a notice advising the
policy owner that the release of policy values may affect the
guaranteed elements, non-guaranteed elements, face amount,
or surrender value of the policy from which the values are
released. The notice shall be sent separate from the check if the
check is sent to anyone other than the policy owner. In the case
of consecutive automatic premium loans, the insurer is only
required to send the notice at the time of the first loan; and
(D) Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in
section (6) of this rule shall constitute false information and/or
misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies
and/or misrepresentation in insurance applications as those
terms are used in section 375.936(4), (6), and (7), RSMo.
(7) Duties of Insurers with Respect to Direct Response
Solicitations.
(A) In the case of an application that is initiated as a result of
a direct response solicitation, the insurer shall require, with or
as part of each completed application for a policy or contract,
a statement asking whether the applicant, by applying for the
proposed policy or contract, intends to replace, discontinue,
or change an existing policy or contract. If the applicant
indicates a replacement or change is not intended, or if the
applicant fails to respond to the statement, the insurer shall
send the applicant, with the policy or contract, a notice
regarding replacement in Appendix B, included herein, or
other substantially similar form approved by the director.
(B) If the insurer has proposed the replacement or if the
applicant indicates a replacement is intended and the insurer
continues with the replacement, the insurer shall—
1. Provide to applicants or prospective applicants with
the policy or contract a notice, as described in Appendix C,
included herein, or other substantially similar form approved
by the director. In these instances the insurer may delete the
references to the producer, including the producer’s signature,
and references not applicable to the product being sold or
replaced, without having to obtain approval of the form from
the director. The insurer’s obligation to obtain the applicant’s
signature shall be satisfied if it can demonstrate that it has
made a diligent effort to secure a signed copy of the notice
referred to in this paragraph. The requirement to make a
diligent effort shall be deemed satisfied if the insurer includes
in the mailing a self-addressed postage prepaid envelope with
instructions for the return of the signed notice referred to in
this section; and
2. Comply with the requirements of paragraph (5)(A)2., if the
applicant furnishes the names of the existing insurers, and the
requirements of paragraphs (5)(A)3., (5)(A)4., and subsection (5)
(B).
(C) Failure to comply with the requirements set forth in
section (7) of this rule shall constitute false information and/or
misrepresentations and false advertising of insurance policies
and/or misrepresentation in insurance applications as those
terms are used in section 375.936(4), (6), and (7), RSMo.
(8) Violations.
(A) Any failure to comply with this rule shall be considered
a violation of the Unfair Trade Practice Act, sections 375.930 to
375.948, RSMo, as more fully set forth in this rule. Examples of
violations include:
1. Any deceptive or misleading information set forth in
sales material;
2. Failing to ask the applicant in completing the application
the pertinent questions regarding the possibility of financing
or replacement;
3. The intentional incorrect recording of an answer;
4. Advising an applicant to respond negatively to any
question regarding replacement in order to prevent notice to
the existing insurer; or
5. Advising a policy or contract owner to write directly
to the company in such a way as to attempt to obscure the
identity of the replacing producer or company.
(B) Policy and contract owners have the right to replace
existing life insurance policies or annuity contracts after
AND INSURANCE
indicating in, or as a part of, an application for new coverage
that replacement is not their intention; however, patterns
of inaccurate recordations of the expression of intention
regarding replacement by policy or contract owners of the
same producer shall be deemed prima facie evidence of
the producer’s knowledge that replacement was intended
in connection with the identified transactions, and these
patterns of action shall be deemed prima facie evidence of the
producer’s intent to violate this rule.
(C) Where it is determined that the requirements of this rule
have not been met, the replacing insurer shall provide to the
policy or contract owner an in force illustration if available
or policy summary for the replacement policy or available
disclosure document for the replacement contract and the
appropriate notice regarding replacements in Appendix A or
C, included herein.
(9) Severability. If any section or portion of a section of this
rule, or its applicability to any person or circumstances, is
held invalid by a court, the remainder of this rule, or the
applicability of its provisions to other persons, shall not be
affected.
APPENDIX A
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
REPLACEMENT OF LIFE INSURANCE OR ANNUITIES
This document must be signed by the applicant and the producer, if there is one,
and a copy left with the applicant.
You are contemplating the purchase of a life insurance policy or annuity contract. In some cases
this purchase may involve discontinuing or changing an existing policy or contract. If so, a
replacement is occurring. Financed purchases are also considered replacements.
A replacement occurs when a new policy or contract is purchased and, in connection with the sale,
you discontinue making premium payments on the existing policy or contract, or an existing policy
or contract is surrendered, forfeited, assigned to the replacing insurer, or otherwise terminated or
used in a financed purchase.
A financed purchase occurs when the purchase of a new policy or contract involves the use of
funds obtained by the withdrawal or surrender of or by borrowing some or all of the policy values,
including accumulated dividends, of an existing policy or contract to pay all or part of any premium
or payment due on the new policy or contract. A financed purchase is a replacement.
You should carefully consider whether a replacement is in your best interests. You will pay
acquisition costs and there may be surrender costs deducted from your policy or contract. You may
be able to make changes to your existing policy or contract to meet your insurance needs at less
cost. A financed purchase will reduce the value of your existing policy or contract and may reduce
the amount paid upon the death of the insured or annuitant.
We want you to understand the effects of replacements before you make your purchase decision
and ask that you answer the following questions and consider the questions on the back of this
form.
1.
Are you considering discontinuing making premium payments, surrendering, forfeiting,
assigning to the insurer, or otherwise terminating your existing policy or contract?
___ YES
___ NO
2.
Are you considering using funds from your existing policies or contracts to pay premiums
due on the new policy or contract? ___ YES ___ NO
If you answered “yes” to either of the above questions, list each existing policy or contract
you are contemplating replacing (include the name of the insurer, the insured or annuitant,
and the policy or contract number, if available) and whether each policy or contract will be
replaced or used as a source of financing:
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INSURER
NAME
CONTRACT OR
POLICY #
INSURED OR
ANNUITANT
REPLACED (R) OR
FINANCING (F)
1.
2.
3.
Make sure you know the facts. Contact your existing company or its agent for information
about the old policy or contract. If you request one, an in force illustration, policy summary,
or available disclosure documents must be sent to you by the existing insurer. Ask for and
retain all sales material used by the agent in the sales presentation. Be sure that you are
making an informed decision.
The existing policy or contract is being replaced because _________________________.
I certify that the responses herein are, to the best of my knowledge, accurate:
_________________________________________
__________________________
Applicant’s Signature and Printed Name
Date
_________________________________________
__________________________
Producer’s Signature and Printed Name
Date
I do not want this notice read aloud to me. ____ (Applicants must initial only if they do not want
the notice read aloud.)
A replacement may not be in your best interest, or your decision could be a good one. You should
make a careful comparison of the costs and benefits of your existing policy or contract and the
proposed policy or contract. One way to do this is to ask the company or agent that sold you your
existing policy or contract to provide you with information concerning your existing policy or
contract. This may include an illustration of how your existing policy or contract is working now
and how it would perform in the future based on certain assumptions. Illustrations should not,
however, be used as a sole basis to compare policies or contracts. You should discuss the following
with your agent to determine whether replacement or financing your purchase makes sense:
PREMIUMS:
Are they affordable?
Could they change?
You’re older—are premiums higher for the proposed new policy?
How long will you have to pay premiums on the new policy? On the old
policy?
POLICY VALUES:
New policies usually take longer to build cash values and to pay
dividends.
Acquisition costs for the old policy may have been paid, you will incur costs
for the new one.
What surrender charges do the policies have?
What expense and sales charges will you pay on the new policy?
Does the new policy provide more insurance coverage?
INSURABILITY: If your health has changed since you bought your old policy, the new one
could cost you more, or you could be turned down.
You may need a medical exam for a new policy.
Claims on most new policies for up to the first two years can be denied based
on inaccurate statements.
Suicide limitations may begin anew on the new coverage.
IF YOU ARE KEEPING THE OLD POLICY AS WELL AS THE NEW POLICY:
How are premiums for both policies being paid?
How will the premiums on your existing policy be affected?
Will a loan be deducted from death benefits?
What values from the old policy are being used to pay premiums?
IF YOU ARE SURRENDERING AN ANNUITY OR INTEREST SENSITIVE LIFE PRODUCT:
Will you pay surrender charges on your old contract?
What are the interest rate guarantees for the new contract?
Have you compared the contract charges or other policy expenses?
OTHER ISSUES TO CONSIDER FOR ALL TRANSACTIONS:
What are the tax consequences of buying the new policy?
Is this a tax free exchange? (See your tax advisor.)
Is there a benefit from favorable “grandfathered” treatment of the old policy
under the federal tax code?
Will the existing insurer be willing to modify the old policy?
How does the quality and financial stability of the new company compare with
your existing company?
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APPENDIX B
NOTICE REGARDING REPLACEMENT
REPLACING YOUR LIFE INSURANCE POLICY OR ANNUITY?
Are you thinking about buying a new life insurance policy or annuity and discontinuing or
changing an existing one? If you are, your decision could be a good one—or a mistake. You will
not know for sure unless you make a careful comparison of your existing benefits and the proposed
policy or contract’s benefits.
Make sure you understand the facts. You should ask the company or agent that sold you your
existing policy or contract to give you information about it.
Hear both sides before you decide. This way you can be sure you are making a decision that is in
your best interest.
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
REPLACEMENT OF LIFE INSURANCE OR ANNUITIES
You are contemplating the purchase of a life insurance policy or annuity contract. In some cases
this purchase may involve discontinuing or changing an existing policy or contract. If so, a
replacement is occurring. Financed purchases are also considered replacements.
A replacement occurs when a new policy or contract is purchased and, in connection with the sale,
you discontinue making premium payments on the existing policy or contract, or an existing policy
or contract is surrendered, forfeited, assigned to the replacing insurer, or otherwise terminated or
used in a financed purchase.
A financed purchase occurs when the purchase of a new policy or contract involves the use of
funds obtained by the withdrawal or surrender of or by borrowing some or all of the policy or
contract values, including accumulated dividends, of an existing policy or contract, to pay all or
part of any premium or payment due on the new policy or contract. A financed purchase is a
replacement.
You should carefully consider whether a replacement is in your best interests. You will pay
acquisition costs and there may be surrender costs deducted from your policy or contract. You may
be able to make changes to your existing policy or contract to meet your insurance needs at less
cost. A financed purchase will reduce the value of your existing policy or contract and may reduce
the amount paid upon the death of the insured or annuitant.
We want you to understand the effects of replacements and ask that you answer the following
questions and consider the questions on the back of this form.
1.
Are you considering discontinuing making premium payments, surrendering, forfeiting,
assigning to the insurer, or otherwise terminating your existing policy or contract?
___ YES ___ NO
2.
Are you considering using funds from your existing policies or contracts to pay premiums
due on the new policy or contract? ___ YES ___ NO
Please list each existing policy or contract you are contemplating replacing (include the name of the
insurer, the insured, and the policy or contract number, if available) and whether each policy or
contract will be replaced or used as a source of financing:
INSURER
NAME
CONTRACT OR
POLICY #
INSURED
OR ANNUITANT
REPLACED (R) OR
FINANCING (F)
1.
2.
3.
AND INSURANCE
Make sure you know the facts. Contact your existing company or its agent for information about
the old policy or contract. If you request one, an in force illustration, policy summary, or available
disclosure documents must be sent to you by the existing insurer. Ask for and retain all sales
material used by the agent in the sales presentation. Be sure that you are making an informed
decision.
I certify that the responses herein are, to the best of my knowledge, accurate:
_________________________________________
__________________________
Applicant’s Signature and Printed Name
Date
A replacement may not be in your best interest, or your decision could be a good one. You should
make a careful comparison of the costs and benefits of your existing policy or contract and the
proposed policy or contract. One way to do this is to ask the company or agent that sold you your
existing policy or contract to provide you with information concerning your existing policy or
contract. This may include an illustration of how your existing policy or contract is working now
and how it would perform in the future based on certain assumptions. Illustrations should not,
however, be used as a sole basis to compare policies or contracts. You should discuss the following
with your agent to determine whether replacement or financing your purchase makes sense:
PREMIUMS:
Are they affordable?
Could they change?
You’re older—are premiums higher for the proposed new policy?
How long will you have to pay premiums on the new policy? On the old
policy?
POLICY VALUES:
New policies usually take longer to build cash values and to pay
dividends.
Acquisition costs for the old policy may have been paid, you will incur costs
for the new one.
What surrender charges do the policies have?
What expense and sales charges will you pay on the new policy?
Does the new policy provide more insurance coverage?
INSURABILITY: If your health has changed since you bought your old policy, the new one
could cost you more, or you could be turned down.
You may need a medical exam for a new policy.
Claims on most new policies for up to the first two (2) years can be denied
based on inaccurate statements.
Suicide limitations may begin anew on the new coverage.
IF YOU ARE KEEPING THE OLD POLICY AS WELL AS THE NEW POLICY:
How are premiums for both policies being paid?
How will the premiums on your existing policy be affected?
Will a loan be deducted from death benefits?
What values from the old policy are being used to pay premiums?
IF YOU ARE SURRENDERING AN ANNUITY OR INTEREST SENSITIVE LIFE PRODUCT:
Will you pay surrender charges on your old contract?
What are the interest rate guarantees for the new contract?
Have you compared the contract charges or other policy expenses?
OTHER ISSUES TO CONSIDER FOR ALL TRANSACTIONS:
What are the tax consequences of buying the new policy?
Is this a tax free exchange? (See your tax advisor.)
Is there a benefit from favorable “grandfathered” treatment of the old policy
under the federal tax code?
Will the existing insurer be willing to modify the old policy?
How does the quality and financial stability of the new company compare with
your existing company?
AND INSURANCE
AUTHORITY: sections 374.045, 375.143, 375.934, 375.936, and
375.948, RSMo 2016.* This rule was previously filed as 4 CSR
190-13.060. Original rule filed Jan. 5, 1970, effective Jan. 15, 1970.
Amended: Filed June 21, 1970, effective July 1, 1970. Amended: Filed
Feb. 18, 1972, effective Feb. 28, 1972. Amended: Filed Aug. 5, 1974,
effective Aug. 15, 1974. Amended: Filed Dec. 23, 1975, effective Jan.
2, 1976. Rescinded and readopted: Filed March 15, 1979, effective
Sept. 14, 1979. Rescinded: Filed July 3, 1985, effective Oct. 25,
1985. Rescinded and readopted: Filed Aug. 12, 1983, effective Dec.
12, 1983. Amended: Filed July 12, 2002, effective Feb. 28, 2003.
Amended: Filed Sept. 30, 2016, effective May 30, 2017.
*Original authority: 374.045, RSMo 1967, amended 1993, 1995, 2008; 375.143, RSMo
2007; 375.934, RSMo 1959, amended 1978, 1991; 375.936, RSMo 1959, amended 1967,
1969, 1971, 1976, 1978, 1983, 1991; and 375.948, RSMo 1959, amended 1978, 1991.
Op. Atty. Gen. No. 23, Fink (5-5-71). Subsection 3 of the Division
of Insurance’s regulation 3.11 (now 4 CSR 190-13.060(1)), which
defines “replacement of life insurance” is in compliance with
section 374.045(1), (3), RSMo (1969) because such regulation is
reasonably related to section 375.936(5), RSMo (1969).