Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:951 – Annuities and pure endowment contracts; standard provisions
Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 22:951
- Annuity: A periodic (usually annual) payment of a fixed sum of money for either the life of the recipient or for a fixed number of years. A series of payments under a contract from an insurance company, a trust company, or an individual. Annuity payments are made at regular intervals over a period of more than one full year.
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
- Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
A. No annuity or pure endowment contract except a reversionary annuity otherwise called a survivorship annuity and except a group annuity contract shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state unless it contains in substance the following provision or provisions which in the opinion of the commissioner of insurance are more favorable to the holders of such contracts:
(1) Grace period: A provision that there shall be a period of grace, either of thirty days or of one month, within which any stipulated payment to the insurer falling due after the first may be made, during which period of grace the contract shall continue in full force; but if a claim arises under the contract on account of death during the said period of grace before the overdue payment to the insurer or the deferred payments of the current contract year, if any, are made, the amount of such payments, with interest, not in excess of six percent per annum, on any overdue payments, may be deducted from any amount payable under the contract in settlement.
(2) Incontestability: If any statements, other than those relating to age, sex, and identity, are required as a condition of issuing the contract, a provision that the contract shall be incontestable after it has been in force during the lifetime of the person or each of the persons as to whom such statements are required, for a period of two years from its date of issue, except where stipulated payments to the insurer have not been made, and except for violation of the conditions, if any, of the contract relating to military or naval service; and at the option of the insurer issuing the same, such contract may also except provisions relative to benefits in the event of total and permanent disability and provisions which grant insurance specifically against death by accident or accidental means.
(3) Entire contract: A provision that the contract shall constitute the entire contract between the parties, or if a copy of the application is endorsed upon or attached to the contract when issued, a provision that the contract and the application therefor shall constitute the entire contract between the parties.
(4) Misstatement of age or sex: A provision that if the age or sex of the person or persons upon whose life or lives the contract is made, or of any of them, has been misstated, the amount payable or benefit accruing under the contract, shall be such as the stipulated payments to the insurer would have purchased according to the correct age or sex; and that if the insurer shall make any overpayments on account of any such misstatement, the amount thereof, with interest at a rate to be specified in the contract but not exceeding six percent per annum, shall be charged against the current or next succeeding payment or payments to be made by the insurer under the contract.
(5) Participating policy: If the policy is a participating policy, a provision that the insurer shall annually ascertain and apportion any divisible surplus accruing on the contract.
(6) Nonforfeiture options: A provision specifying the options available in the event of default in a stipulated payment after three full years stipulated payments have been made, together with a table showing, in figures, the options so available during each of the first twenty years after the issuance of the contract or for the term of the stipulated payments, if that be less than twenty years.
(7) Reinstatement: A provision that at any time within one year from the date of default in making stipulated payments to the insurer, during the life of the annuitant and unless the cash surrender value, if any, has been paid, the contract will be reinstated, on the application of the person entitled thereto pursuant to the provisions of the contract, upon payment to the insurer of all overdue stipulated payments and of all indebtedness to the insurer on the contract with interest on both at a rate to be specified in the contract but not to exceed six percent per annum, compounded annually; and in cases where applicable the contract may also contain a provision requiring, as a condition of reinstatement, evidence of insurability, including good health, satisfactory to the insurer.
(8)(a) Free look period: A provision, prominently printed on the contract or attached thereto, notifying the insured that ten days are allowed, from the date of actual receipt of the contract, to examine its provisions. If the contract is not as explained by the company, its representative, or as understood by the insured, the contract may be surrendered within said ten-day period, and any premium advanced by the insured, upon the surrender, shall be immediately returned to him. The insurer shall have the option of printing, attaching, or endorsing the notice above required or a notice of equal prominence which, in the opinion of the commissioner of insurance, is not less favorable to the contract holder.
(b) If the policy is delivered by a producer, a receipt shall be signed by the policyholder acknowledging delivery of the policy. The receipt shall contain the policy number and the date the delivery was completed. The delivery receipts required by this Subparagraph shall be retained by the insurer or its producer for two consecutive years. The requirement of this Subparagraph shall not apply to any insurer that markets policies under a home service marketing distribution method and that issues a majority of its policies on a weekly or monthly basis.
(c) If the policy is delivered by mail, it shall be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, or a certificate of mailing shall be obtained showing the date the policy was mailed to the policyowner. For policy issuances verified by a certificate of mailing, it is presumed that the policy is received by the policyowner ten days from the date of mailing. The receipts and the certificate of mailing described in this Subparagraph shall be retained by the producer for two years.
B. No contract for a reversionary annuity, otherwise called a survivorship annuity, shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state unless it contains in substance the following provision or provisions which in the opinion of the commissioner of insurance are more favorable to the holders of such contracts:
(1) The provisions required by Paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) of Subsection A of this Section, except that under Paragraph (1) of Subsection A of this Section the insurer may at its option provide for an equitable reduction of the amount of the annuity payments in settlement of any overdue or deferred payments, in lieu of a provision for a deduction of such payments from any amount payable upon a settlement under the contract.
(2) A provision that the contract may be reinstated at any time within three years from the date of default in making stipulated payments to the insurer, upon production of evidence of insurability, including good health, satisfactory to the insurer, and upon the making of all overdue payments and all payments due to the insurer on any loan made by it under the contract, with interest on both at a rate to be specified in the contract but not exceeding six per cent per annum, compounded annually.
C. Any of the foregoing provisions or portions thereof not applicable to non-participating contracts or not applicable to contracts for which a single stipulated payment to the insurer is made shall, to that extent, not be incorporated in such contract. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to contracts for deferred annuities or reversionary annuities upon the lives of beneficiaries under life insurance policies nor to group annuity contracts.
D. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to charitable gift annuities entered into on behalf of an organization qualified with the United States Internal Revenue Service for an exemption from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Acts 1958, No. 125; Acts 1990, No. 580, §1; Acts 1990, No. 715, §1, eff. July 20, 1990; Acts 1993, No. 141, §1; Redesignated from La. Rev. Stat. 22:173 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2011, No. 94, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2012.