33-2-412. Limits -- options -- minimum reserves. (1) (a) An insurer's aggregate reserves for all life insurance policies, excluding disability and accidental death benefits issued on or after October 1, 1995, and prior to adoption of the valuation manual by the commissioner by rule may not be less than the aggregate reserves calculated in accordance with the methods set forth in 33-2-411, 33-2-417(2), subsection (3) of this section, and the mortality table or tables and rate or rates of interest used in calculating nonforfeiture benefits for the policies.

(b) After the operative date of the valuation manual, the reserve valuation methods determined by the commissioner under 33-2-411(4)(c) must be used in conjunction with the provisions of this section.

(2) Reserves for all policies and contracts issued prior to October 1, 1995, may be calculated, at the option of the insurer, according to standards that produce greater aggregate reserves for those policies and contracts than the minimum reserves required by the laws in effect immediately prior to October 1, 1995. Reserves for any category of policies, contracts, or benefits as established by the commissioner, issued on or after October 1, 1995, may be calculated at the option of the insurer according to any standards which produce greater aggregate reserves for a category than those calculated according to the minimum standard provided in this section, but the rate or rates of interest used for policies and contracts, other than annuity and pure endowment contracts, may not be higher than the corresponding rate or rates of interest used in calculating any nonforfeiture benefits provided for a category.

(3) If in any contract year the gross premium charged by any life insurer on any policy or contract is less than the valuation net premium for the policy or contract calculated by the method used in calculating the reserve on the policy or contract but using the minimum valuation standards of mortality and rate of interest, the minimum reserve required for the policy or contract must be the greater of either the reserve calculated according to the mortality table, rate of interest, and method actually used for the policy or contract or the reserve calculated by the method actually used for the policy or contract but using the minimum standards of mortality and rate of interest and replacing the valuation net premium by the actual gross premium in each contract year for which the valuation net premium exceeds the actual gross premium. The minimum valuation standards of mortality and rate of interest referred to in this section are those standards stated in 33-2-410 and 33-2-413.

(4) For every life insurance policy issued after December 30, 1986, for which the gross premium in the first policy year exceeds that of the second year, for which a comparable additional benefit is not provided in the first year for an excess, and that provides an endowment benefit, a cash surrender value, or a combination of both in an amount greater than the excess premium, subsections (1) through (3) of this section must be applied as if the method actually used in calculating the reserve for the policy were the method described in 33-2-411(1). The minimum reserve at each policy anniversary of the policy must be the greater of the minimum reserve calculated in accordance with 33-2-411 and the minimum reserve calculated in accordance with this section.

History: En. Sec. 92, Ch. 286, L. 1959; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 61, L. 1961; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 41, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 341, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 40-3011(part); amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 346, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 520, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 379, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 20, Ch. 370, L. 2015; Sec. 33-2-526, MCA 2013; redes. 33-2-412 by Sec. 40, Ch. 370, L. 2015.