§ 23-81-303 - Nonforfeiture requirements.
23-81-303. Nonforfeiture requirements.
(a) In the case of contracts issued on or after the operative date of this subchapter as defined in 23-81-312, no contract of annuity, except as stated in 23-81-302, shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this state unless it contains in substance the following provisions or corresponding provisions, which in the opinion of the Insurance Commissioner are at least as favorable to the contract holder, upon cessation of payment of considerations under the contract:
(1) That upon cessation of payment of considerations under a contract or upon the written request of the contract owner, the insurer will grant a paid-up annuity benefit on a plan stipulated in the contract of such value as is specified in 23-81-305 -- 23-81-308 and 23-81-310;
(2) (A) If a contract provides for a lump-sum settlement at maturity or at any other time, that upon surrender of the contract at or prior to the commencement of any annuity payments, the insurer will pay in lieu of any paid-up annuity benefit a cash surrender benefit of such amount as is specified in 23-81-305, 23-81-306, 23-81-308, and 23-81-310.
(B) The insurer may reserve the right to defer the payment of the cash surrender benefit for a period not to exceed six (6) months after demand therefor with surrender of the contract after making written request and receiving written approval of the commissioner. The request shall address the necessity and equitability of the deferral to all policyholders;
(3) A statement of the mortality table, if any, and interest rates used in calculating any minimum paid-up annuity, cash surrender, or death benefits that are guaranteed under the contract, together with sufficient information to determine the amounts of the benefits; and
(4) A statement that any paid-up annuity, cash surrender, or death benefits that may be available under the contract are not less than the minimum benefits required by any statute of the state in which the contract is delivered and an explanation of the manner in which such benefits are altered by the existence of any additional amounts credited by the insurer to the contract, any indebtedness to the insurer on the contract, or any prior withdrawals from or partial surrenders of the contract.
(b) Notwithstanding the requirements of this section, any deferred annuity contract may provide that if no considerations have been received under a contract for a period of two (2) full years and the portion of the paid-up annuity benefit at maturity on the plan stipulated in the contract arising from consideration paid prior to the period would be less than twenty dollars ($20.00) monthly, the insurer may at its option terminate the contract by payment in cash of the then-present value of the portion of the paid-up annuity benefit, calculated on the basis of the mortality table, if any, and interest rate specified in the contract for determining the paid-up annuity benefit, and by the payment shall be relieved of any further obligation under the contract.