17B:30B-10 - Two-year period required between issuance of policy and viatical settlement; exceptions

17B:30B-10  Two-year period required between issuance of policy and viatical settlement; exceptions.

10. a. It is a violation of this act for any person to enter into a viatical settlement contract within a two-year period commencing with the date of issuance of the insurance policy unless the viator certifies to the viatical settlement provider that one or more of the following conditions have been met within the two-year period:

(1)The policy was issued upon the viator's exercise of conversion rights arising out of a group or individual life insurance policy, so long as the total amount of time covered under the conversion policy plus the time covered under the prior policy is at least 24 months. The time covered under a group policy shall be calculated without regard to any change in insurance carriers, provided the coverage has been continuous and under the same group sponsorship;

(2)The viator submits independent evidence to the viatical settlement provider that within the two-year period: (a) the viator or insured was terminally ill or chronically ill; or (b) the viator or insured disposed of his ownership interests in a closely held corporation pursuant to a buyout or other similar agreement in effect at the time the insurance policy was initially issued; or (c) both.

b.Copies of the independent evidence described in paragraph (2) of subsection a. of this section and documents required by subsection a. of section 9 of this act shall be submitted to the insurer when the viatical settlement provider submits a request to the insurer for verification of coverage. The copies shall be accompanied by a letter of attestation from the viatical settlement provider that the copies are true and correct copies of the documents received by the viatical settlement provider.

c.If the viatical settlement provider submits to the insurer a copy of the owner or insured's certification described in subsection a. of this section when the provider submits a request to the insurer to effect the transfer of the policy to the viatical settlement provider, the copy shall be deemed to conclusively establish that the viatical settlement contract satisfies the requirements of this section and the insurer shall timely respond to the request.

L.2005,c.229,s.10.