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Virginia Administrative Code
Title 14. Insurance
Agency 5. State Corporation Commission, Bureau Of Insurance
Chapter 45. Rules Governing Suitability in Annuity Transactions
2/27/2021

14VAC5-45-20. Definitions.

The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meaning, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Agent" or "insurance agent" means an individual or business entity that sells, solicits, or negotiates contracts of insurance or annuity in this Commonwealth.

"Annuity" means a fixed, variable, or modified guaranteed annuity that is individually solicited, whether the product is classified as an individual annuity or group annuity.

"Commission" means the State Corporation Commission.

"Continuing education credit" or "CE credit" means one continuing education credit as defined in § 38.2-1867 of the Code of Virginia.

"Continuing education provider" or "CE provider" means an individual or entity that is approved to offer continuing education courses pursuant to § 38.2-1867 of the Code of Virginia.

"FINRA" means the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or a succeeding agency.

"Insurer" means an insurance company required to be licensed under the laws of this Commonwealth to provide insurance products, including annuities.

"Recommendation" means advice provided by an agent, or an insurer where no agent is involved, to an individual consumer that results in a purchase, exchange, or replacement of an annuity in accordance with that advice.

"Replacement" means a transaction in which a new policy or contract is to be purchased, and it is known or should be known to the proposing agent, or to the proposing insurer if there is no agent, that by reason of the transaction, an existing policy or contract, has been or is to be:

1. Lapsed, forfeited, surrendered or partially surrendered, assigned to the replacing insurer, or otherwise terminated;

2. Converted to reduced paid-up insurance, continued as extended term insurance, or otherwise reduced in value by the use of nonforfeiture benefits or other policy values;

3. Amended so as to effect either a reduction in benefits or in the term for which coverage would otherwise remain in force or for which benefits would be paid;

4. Reissued with any reduction in cash value; or

5. Used in a financed purchase.

"Suitability information" means information that is reasonably appropriate to determine the suitability of a recommendation, including the following:

1. Age;

2. Annual income;

3. Financial situation and needs, including the financial resources used for the funding of the annuity;

4. Financial experience;

5. Financial objectives;

6. Intended use of the annuity;

7. Financial time horizon;

8. Existing assets, including investment and life insurance holdings;

9. Liquidity needs;

10. Liquid net worth;

11. Risk tolerance; and

12. Tax status.

Statutory Authority

§§ 12.1-13 and 38.2-223 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 09, eff. April 1, 2007; amended, Virginia Register Volume 33, Issue 15, eff. April 1, 2017.

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