Chapter 8-Settle Agreements, Settlement Options, and Surrender Values Flashcards
What does the Standard Nonforfeiture Law allow?
- Relieves the insurer of the obligation of granting cash surrender values until the end of 3 policy year for ordinary insurance
- Allows the insurer to postpone the payment of a policy owners cash surrender value for up to 6 months
- Limits the amount of extra first year expense allowance that the insurer may use to calculate surrender value
(the adjusted premium is the level annual premium that will amortize the PV of future benefits of the policy and the special first year expense allowance)
(the difference between reserve and surrender value is surrender charges imposed to cover unamortized first year expenses so the larger the extra first year expense, the smaller the surrender value)
What is subtracted from policy owner proceeds during a policy surrender?
- Loans
- Accrued and unpaid interest on loans
What are the characteristics of a reduced paid-up insurance surrender option?
- If surrendering a limited-payment whole life policy the new policy will be paid-up whole life (same type of policy but with less value)
- The amount of paid-up insurance purchased is based on the insured attained age at the time the option is chosen
- The net single premium to purchase paid-up coverage is calculated as the policy cash value, plus dividend cash value, minus policy loans and interest
- The cash value of the new coverage will gradually grow to reach the new, reduced face amount by the last age in the mortality table
What are the characteristics of the extended term insurance surrender option?
- The automatic option of most insurers
- The face amount of the new coverage will be increased by dividend additions and deposits
- The face amount of the new coverage will be decreased by any policy indebtedness
- The new coverage will be purchased on an attained age basis
- Coverage is purchased by means of a net single premium
- The net single premium to purchase paid-up coverage is calculated as the policy cash value, plus dividend cash value, minus policy loans and interest
- Investment element is at its’ peak when the option is chosen (slowly declines to zero when term expires)
Under the extended term surrender option, where is indebtedness against the policy subtracted?
- The term coverage purchased
- The surrender value used as the net single premium
What is the result of the extended term surrender option when indebtedness is involved?
- Results in a shorter period of term than with no indebtedness
- Results in a lower amount of term than with no indebtedness
Why do insurers prefer the extended term over the paid up whole life option?
- Lower expense rate
- More liberal reinstatement
- Reduced problem of tracking policy owners
(Disadvantage of this option is a higher degree of adverse selection than the paid up option)
What are the characteristics of the automatic premium loan option?
- Special policy benefits stay in full force ( such as double indemnity)
- Advantage of not lapsing due to occasional nonpayment
- Disadvantage of cash value declining at an increasing rate
- Disadvantage of cash value growing at a slower rate
What settlement option fully discharges the insurer of liability?
Lump sum payment
What are the characteristics of a typical life settlement agreement?
- Agreement may be decided when the policy takes effect or at a later date
- Policy owner may change settlement option anytime before death
- Beneficiary may have the right to change the settlement agreement after the insured dies
- Agreement may be arranged to provide payments to the insured (such as endowments, surrender values, accelerated benefits, etc)
What is the spendthrift clause?
Agreement to protect life proceeds from beneficiary creditors
(may not be chosen by person receiving benefits)
Why do life companies deny the beneficiary the right to name a revocable secondary beneficiary for unpaid proceeds?
- The arrangement may legally be viewed as a disposition of property at death
- The arrangement may legally be required to meet the formal requirements of a will
What are settlement agreement contract rates?
Guaranteed rates of income to be paid as specified in the settlement agreement
(Insurers may pay more if mortality, expenses, or earnings are more favorable)
What is the relationship between contract and current rates?
The insurer’s contract rates may be higher, lower, or the same as current rates
(current rates are recent contract rates)
What are the possible beneficiary restrictions when withdrawing principal under the interest only option?
- Minimum withdrawal per transaction
- Maximum withdrawal per transaction
- Maximum withdrawal in a year
- Maximum withdrawal in total
- Frequency limitations on withdrawals
What is the right of commutation?
A right to withdraw in a lump sum the PV of remaining installment payments under liquidating options such as life income, fixed period, or fixed amount (not interest only)
What are the characteristics of the interest only option?
- Designed as an interim option to postpone the disposition of proceeds
- Must be followed by a lump sum distribution or liquidating option (no more interest only)
- Provides life Income for the primary beneficiary
- Conserve principal for a contingent beneficiary
- Provides flexibility of income to the primary beneficiary by allowing the right of withdrawal
- Most companies are willing to keep proceeds for the beneficiary’s lifetime or 30 years (whichever is longer)
- Most companies will not accumulate interest and require that it is paid out at least annually
- Beneficiary may have limited (cumulative or noncumulative) or unlimited right of withdrawal
- Beneficiary may have right to select a liquidating option
- May have the right to irrevocably name a person to receive unliquidated proceeds
When is the primary beneficiary allowed to retain contract rates?
When a liquidating option is chosen within a specified time frame
What are the characteristics of the fixed period option?
-Dividends, paid up additions, and loans affect the payment amount (not period of payments)