CHAPTER 96SYNTHETIC GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACTS19196.1(505, 508) Authority. This chapter is promulgated by the commissioner of insurance pursuant to Iowa Code section 505.8.Related ARC(s): 9926B19196.2(505, 508) Purpose. 96.2(1) The purpose of this chapter is to prescribe: a. The terms and conditions under which life insurance companies may issue group annuity contracts and other contracts issued in connection with group annuity contracts that in whole or in part establish the insurer’s obligation by reference to a segregated portfolio of assets that is not owned by the insurer; b. The essential operational features of the segregated portfolio of assets; and c. The reserve requirements for these contracts. 96.2(2) This chapter is intended to aid in the timely approval of such products by the commissioner and to recognize that timely approval is essential, given the competitive nature of the market for these products.Related ARC(s): 9926B19196.3(505, 508) Scope and application. 96.3(1) This chapter applies to that portion of a group annuity contract or other contract issued in connection with group annuity contracts described in rule 191—96.4(505,508), definition of “synthetic guaranteed investment contract,” and issued by a life insurer: a. That functions as an accounting record for an accumulation fund; and b. That has benefit guarantees relating to a principal amount and levels of interest at a fixed rate of return specified in advance. 96.3(2) The fixed rate of return: a. Shall be constant over the applicable rate periods; b. May reflect prior and current market conditions with respect to the segregated portfolio; and c. Shall not reference future changes in market conditions. 96.3(3) This chapter applies to all synthetic guaranteed investment contract forms filed on or after January 18, 2012. In addition, the minimum statutory reserve requirements of rule 191—96.10(505,508) shall apply to all synthetic guaranteed investment contracts regardless of issue date. The contract forms and related plans of operation that were issued or filed prior to January 1, 2017, need not be refiled with the commissioner.Related ARC(s): 9926B, 3144C19196.4(505, 508) Definitions. For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:
"Account assets" means the assets in the segregated portfolio plus any assets held in the general account or a separate account to meet the asset maintenance requirements.
"Actuarial opinion and memorandum" means the opinion and memorandum of the valuation actuary required to be submitted to the commissioner pursuant to subrule 96.10(8).
"Affirmatively approved" means approval of an insurer’s plan of operation for a class of contracts containing the form of contract under review after the plan of operation associated with the class of contracts has been reviewed by the insurer’s domiciliary insurance department and the plan of operation has been found to be in compliance with this chapter by the domiciliary insurance department. Affirmatively approved does not mean approval as a result of the deemer provision.
"Appointed actuary" means the qualified actuary appointed or retained either directly by or by the authority of the board of directors through an executive officer of the company to prepare the annual statement of actuarial opinion for the company as a whole pursuant to Iowa Code section 508.36.
"Asset maintenance requirement" means the requirement to maintain assets to fund contract benefits in accordance with rule 191—96.10(505,508).
"Class of contracts" means the set of all contracts to which a given plan of operation pertains.
"Commissioner" means the Iowa commissioner of insurance.
"Contract value record" means an accounting record, provided by the contract in relation to a segregated portfolio of assets, that is credited with a fixed rate of return over regular periods and that is used to measure the extent of the insurer’s obligation to the contract holder. The fixed rate of return credited to the contract value record is determined by means of a crediting rate formula or declared at the inception of the contract and is valid for the entire term of the contract.
"Crediting rate formula" means a mathematical formula used to calculate the fixed rate of return credited to the contract value record during any rate period and based in part upon the difference between the contract value record and the market value record amortized over an appropriate period. The fixed rate of return calculated by means of this formula may reflect prior and current market conditions with respect to the segregated portfolio, but may not reference future changes in market conditions.
"Duration" means, with respect to the segregated portfolio assets or guaranteed contract liabilities, a measure of price sensitivity to changes in interest rates, such as the Macaulay duration or option-adjusted duration.
"Fair market value" means a reasonable estimate of the amount that a knowledgeable buyer of an asset would be willing to pay, and a knowledgeable seller of an asset would be willing to accept, for the asset without duress in an arm’s length transaction. In the case of a publicly traded security, the fair market value is the price at which the security is traded or, if no price is available, a price that appropriately reflects the latest bid and asked prices for the security. For all non-publicly traded assets, fair market value will be determined in accordance with valuation practices customarily used within the financial industry.
"Investment guidelines" means a set of written guidelines, established in advance by the person with investment authority over the segregated portfolio, to be followed by the investment manager. The guidelines shall include a description of:
- The segregated portfolio’s investment objectives and limitations;
- The investment manager’s degree of discretion;
- The duration, asset class, quality, diversification, and other requirements of the segregated portfolio; and
- The manner in which derivative instruments may be used, if at all, in the segregated portfolio.
"Investment manager" means the person (including the contract holder) responsible for managing the assets in the segregated portfolio in accordance with the investment guidelines in a fiduciary capacity to the owner of the assets.
"Market value record" means an accounting record provided by the contract to reflect the fair market value of the segregated portfolio.
"NAIC" means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
"Permitted custodial institution" means a bank, trust company or other licensed fiduciary services provider.
"Plan of operation" means a written plan meeting the requirements of paragraph 96.5(2)“a.”
"Qualified actuary" means an individual who meets the qualification standards set forth in 191—paragraph 5.34(5)“b.”
"Rate period" means the period of time during which the fixed rate of return credited to the contract value record is applicable between crediting rate formula adjustments.
"Segregated portfolio" means:
- A portfolio or subportfolio of assets to which the contract pertains that is held in a custody or trust account by the permitted custodial institution and identified on the records of the permitted custodial institution as special custody assets held for the exclusive benefit of the retirement plans or other entities on whose behalf the contract holder holds the contract; and
- Any related cash or currency received by the permitted custodial institution for the account of the contract holder and held in a deposit account for the exclusive benefit of the retirement plans or other entities on whose behalf the contract holder holds the contract.
"Spot rate" means:
- “Treasury-based spot rate,” corresponding to a given time of benefit payment, means the yield on a zero-coupon noncallable and nonprepayable United States government obligation maturing at that time, or the zero-coupon yield implied by the price of a representative sampling of coupon-bearing, noncallable and nonprepayable United States government obligations in accordance with a formula set forth in the plan of operation.
- “Index spot rate,” corresponding to a given time of benefit payment, means the zero-coupon yield implied by (a) the Barclays Short Term Corporate Index for a given time of benefit payment under one year or (b) the zero-coupon yield implied by the Barclays United States Corporate Investment Grade Bond Index for a given time of benefit payment greater than or equal to one year.
- “Blended spot rate,” corresponding to a given time of benefit payment, means a blend of 50 percent each of (a) the treasury-based spot rate, and (b) the index spot rate. To the extent that guaranteed contract liabilities are denominated in the currency of a foreign country rated in one of the two highest rating categories by an independent, nationally recognized United States rating agency acceptable to the commissioner and are supported by investments denominated in the currency of the foreign country, the treasury-based spot rate component of the blended spot rate may be determined by reference to substantially similar obligations of the government of the foreign country. For liabilities other than those described above, the blended spot rate shall be determined on a basis mutually agreed upon by the insurer and the commissioner.
"Synthetic guaranteed investment contract" "contract" means a group annuity contract or other contract issued in connection with a group annuity contract that establishes the insurer’s obligations by reference to a segregated portfolio of assets that is not owned by the insurer. The contract functions as an accounting record for an accumulation fund, and the fixed rate of return credited to the fund reflects an amortization of the segregated portfolio’s market gains and losses based on the period specified in the crediting formula, subject to any minimum interest rate guarantee.
"Unilateral contract termination event" means an event allowing the insurer to unilaterally and immediately terminate the contract, without future liability or obligation to the contract holder.
"United States government obligation" means a direct obligation issued, assumed, guaranteed or insured by the United States or by an agency or instrumentality of the United States government.
"Valuation actuary" means the appointed actuary or, alternatively, a qualified actuary designated by the appointed actuary to render the actuarial opinion pursuant to rule 191—96.10(505,508). Written documentation of any such designation shall be on file at the company and available for review by the commissioner upon request.
"Value of guaranteed contract liabilities" means the same as set forth in subrule 96.10(6).
Related ARC(s): 9926B, 3144C19196.5(505, 508) Financial requirements and plan of operation. A contract may not be delivered or issued for delivery in this state unless the issuing insurer is licensed as a life insurance company in this state and is financially qualified under the provisions of subrule 96.5(1). In addition, a domestic insurer may not deliver or issue for delivery, either in this state or outside this state, a contract unless the insurer has satisfied the requirements of subrule 96.5(2) with respect to the class of contracts to which the contract belongs. 96.5(1) An insurer will be financially qualified under this rule if its most recent statutory financial statements reflect at least $1 billion in admitted assets or $100 million in capital and surplus, and its risk-based capital results do not place it at a regulatory level of action. In lieu of the requirements in the preceding sentence, the insurer may be required to satisfy such other financial qualification requirements set forth by the commissioner as having been deemed necessary or appropriate in a particular case to protect the insurer’s policyholders and the public. 96.5(2) A domestic insurer will satisfy the requirements of this subrule with respect to a class of contracts if the insurer has filed with the commissioner a plan of operation pertaining to the class of contracts, together with copies of the forms of contract in the class, and the filing of the plan of operation has been approved or has not been disapproved within the 60-day period following the date of filing, in which event the plan of operation shall be deemed approved. a. The plan of operation for a class of contracts shall describe the financial implications for the insurer of the issuance of contracts in the class and shall include at least the following: (1) A statement that the plan of operation will be administered in accordance with the requirements prescribed by the commissioner pursuant to this chapter, along with a statement that the insurer will comply with the plan of operation in its administration of the contract; (2) A statement describing the methods and procedures used to value statutory liabilities for purposes of rule 191—96.10(505,508); (3) A description of the criteria used by the insurer in approving the investment manager for the segregated portfolio of assets associated with a contract in the class, if the investment manager is an entity other than the insurer or is controlling, controlled by or under common control with the insurer; (4) A description of the insurer’s requirement for reports concerning the assets in each segregated portfolio and transactions involving the assets and a description of how the insurer can use the information in a report to determine that the segregated portfolio is being managed in accordance with its investment guidelines. The insurer shall require that the report be prepared no less frequently than quarterly and include a complete statement of segregated portfolio holdings and their fair market value; (5) A demonstration of financial results for one or more sample contracts from the class of contracts showing, at a minimum, the projected contract value records, the applicable fixed rate or rates of return, and the projected market value records and describing how the investments in the segregated portfolio reflect provision for benefits insured by the contract and how the contract value and market values and the rates of return may be affected by changes in the investment returns of the segregated portfolio and by reasonably anticipated deposits to and withdrawals from the segregated portfolio by the contract holder, and any advances made by the insurer to the contract holder. The sample contracts shall be chosen to reasonably represent the range of results that could be expected from possible combinations of contract provisions of all contracts within the class. The demonstration shall include at least three hypothetical return scenarios: level, increasing, and decreasing. For each of these scenarios, at least three withdrawal scenarios shall be modeled: zero, moderate, and high. The commissioner may require additional scenarios if deemed necessary to fully understand the risks under the class of contracts. The demonstration period shall be the greater of five years or the minimum period the insurer must underwrite the risk; (6) A statement that all contracts in the class of contracts satisfy the requirement of rule 191—96.9(505,508) regarding unilateral contract terminations, together with a description of all termination events, discontinuation triggers and options, notice requirements, corrective action procedures, all other contract safeguards, and the procedures to be followed when a unilateral contract termination event occurs; (7) A description of the allowable investment parameters (such as objectives, derivative strategies, asset classes, quality, duration and diversification requirements applied to the assets held within the segregated portfolio) to be reflected in the investment guidelines applicable to each contract issued in the class to which the submitted plan of operation applies; and a description of the procedures that will be followed by the insurer in evaluating the appropriateness of any specific investment guidelines submitted by the contract holder. If the insurer chooses to operate a contract in accordance with investment guidelines that do not conform to the criteria established pursuant to this subparagraph, the nonconforming set of investment guidelines shall be filed with the commissioner in accordance with the filing requirements of this subrule; (8) For contract forms filed on or after January 1, 2017, a description of the criteria used by the insurer in approving for contract issuance a pooled fund representing multiple employer-sponsored plans and in approving the investment manager for the segregated portfolio of assets associated with such pooled fund contract; (9) For contract forms filed on or after January 1, 2017, a description of risk-mitigation techniques used by the insurer in connection with contracts issued to pooled funds representing multiple employer-sponsored plans; (10) An unqualified opinion by a qualified actuary with expertise to evaluate the adequacy of the consideration charged by the insurer for the risks it has assumed with respect to the contracts in the class to which the plan of operation applies; (11) A statement that the actuarial opinion and memorandum required by rule 191—96.10(505,508) shall include, with respect to the class of contracts to which the plan of operation applies:- If a payment has been made by the insurer in the prior reporting period under a contract in the class, the amount of aggregate risk charges (net of administrative expenses) for contracts in the class and the aggregate amount of any losses incurred; and
- An inventory of all material unilateral contract termination events in the class that have not been cured within the time period specified and that have occurred during the prior reporting period for which the company decided not to terminate the contract.
- Known plan sponsor withdrawals, and
- A prudent estimate of future plan sponsor withdrawals. The prudent estimate shall be based on company experience and other relevant criteria.
- The expected return from the segregated portfolio of assets, or
- The blended spot rate based on the duration of the segregated portfolio of assets.
- If the valuation actuary considers it necessary to state a qualification of the valuation actuary’s opinion;
- If the valuation actuary must disclose an inconsistency in the method of analysis used at the prior opinion date with that used for this opinion;
- If the valuation actuary chooses to add a paragraph briefly describing the assumptions which form the basis of the actuarial opinion.
- Reserves for expected guaranteed contract benefits are calculated pursuant to the requirements of subrule 96.10(1);
- After taking into account any reserve liability with respect to the asset maintenance requirement, the amount of the account assets satisfies the asset maintenance requirement;
- The fixed-income segregated portfolio conforms to and justifies the rates used to discount expected guaranteed contract benefits for valuation pursuant to subrule 96.10(6);
- Whether any rates used pursuant to subrule 96.10(6) to discount expected guaranteed contract benefits and other items applicable to the segregated portfolio were modified from the rate or rates described in the plan of operation filed pursuant to rule 191—96.5(505,508); and
- The level of risk charges, if any, retained in the general account is appropriate in view of such factors as the nature of the expected guaranteed contract benefits and losses experienced in connection with contracts and other pricing factors.
- Demonstrate the adequacy of account assets based upon cash flow analysis, or
- Explain why cash flow testing analysis is not appropriate, describe the alternative methodology of asset adequacy testing used, and demonstrate the adequacy of account assets under that methodology;