Section 409-A:4 Minimum Nonforfeiture Amounts.
The minimum values as specified in RSA 409-A:5, 409-A:6, 409-A:7, 409-A:8 and 409-A:9, I of any paid-up annuity, cash surrender, or death benefits available under an annuity contract shall be based upon minimum nonforfeiture amounts as defined in this section.
I. The minimum nonforfeiture amount at any time at or prior to the commencement of any annuity payments shall be equal to an accumulation up to such time at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph III of the net considerations, paid prior to such time, decreased by the sum of subparagraphs (a) through (d):
(a) Any prior withdrawals from or partial surrenders of the contract accumulated at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph III;
(b) An annual contract charge of $50, accumulated at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph III;
(c) Any premium tax paid by the company for the contract, accumulated at rates of interest as indicated in paragraph III; and
(d) The amount of any indebtedness to the company on the contract, including interest due and accrued.
II. The net considerations for a given contract year used to define the minimum nonforfeiture amount shall be an amount equal to 87 1/2 percent of the gross considerations credited to the contract during that contract year.
III. The interest rate used in determining minimum nonforfeiture amounts shall be an annual rate of interest determined as the lesser of 3 percent per annum and the following, which shall be specified in the contract if the interest rate will be reset:
(a) The 5-year Constant Maturity Treasury Rate reported by the Federal Reserve as of a date, or average over a period, rounded to the nearest 1/20th of one percent, specified in the contract no longer than 15 months prior to the contract issue date or redetermination date under subparagraph III(d);
(b) Reduced by 125 basis points;
(c) Where the resulting interest rate is not less than one percent; and
(d) The interest rate shall apply for an initial period and may be redetermined for additional periods. The redetermination date, basis, and period, if any, shall be stated in the contract. The basis is the date or average over a specified period that produces the value of the 5-year Constant Maturity Treasury Rate to be used at each redetermination date.
IV. During the period or term that a contract provides substantive participation in an equity indexed benefit, it may increase the reduction described in subparagraph III(b) by up to an additional 100 basis points to reflect the value of the equity index benefit. The present value at the contract issue date, and at each redetermination date thereafter, of the additional reduction shall not exceed the market value of the benefit. The commissioner may require a demonstration that the present value of the additional reduction does not exceed the market value of the benefit. Lacking such a demonstration that is acceptable to the commissioner, the commissioner may disallow or limit the additional reduction.
V. The commissioner may adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, as necessary to implement the provisions of paragraph IV and to provide for further adjustments to the calculation of minimum nonforfeiture amounts for contracts that provide substantive participation in an equity index benefit and for other contracts that the commissioner determines adjustments are justified.
Source. 1979, 360:4, eff. Aug. 22, 1979. 2002, 207:44, eff. May 16, 2002. 2004, 187:3, eff. June 30, 2004.