Iowa Admin. Code r. 191-48.9

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 20, April 3, 2024

Rule 191-48.9 - Requirements and prohibitions

(1) With respect to policies containing a provision for double or additional indemnity for accidental death, the additional payment shall remain payable to the beneficiary last named by the viator prior to entering into the viatical settlement contract, or to such other beneficiary, other than the viatical settlement provider, as the viator may thereafter designate, or in the absence of a beneficiary, to the estate of the viator.

(2) Payment of the proceeds to the viator pursuant to a viatical settlement contract shall be made in a lump sum except where the viatical settlement provider has purchased a single-premium paid-up annuity issued by a licensed insurance company to the viator Retention of a portion of the proceeds by the viatical settlement provider or escrow agent is not permissible. For purposes of this subrule, "escrow agent" means an individual or institution that has established an escrow or trust account with a state-chartered or federally chartered financial institution whose deposits and accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and with which an escrow account has been established for use by a viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement purchaser

(3) If a viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker is served with a subpoena and thereby compelled to produce records containing patient-identifying information, the viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker shall notify the viator and the insured in writing at the viator's and the insured's last-known addresses within five business days after receiving notice of the subpoena.

(4) A viatical settlement provider shall not act also as a viatical settlement broker, whether entitled to collect a fee directly or indirectly, related to the same viatical settlement contract.

(5) A viatical settlement broker shall not, without the written agreement of the viator obtained prior to performing any services in connection with a viatical settlement, seek or obtain any compensation from the viator

(6) A viatical settlement provider shall not use a longer life expectancy than is reasonable based on all medical and actuarial information available at the time of a viatical settlement transaction in order to reduce the payout to which the viator is entitled.

(7) A viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker shall not discriminate in the making or solicitation of viatical settlement contracts on the basis of race, age, sex, national origin, creed, religion, occupation, marital or family status or sexual orientation, or discriminate between viators with or without dependents.

(8) A viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker shall not pay or offer to pay any finder's fee, commission or other compensation to any insured's physician, or to an attorney, accountant or other person providing medical, legal or financial planning services to an insured or viator, or to any other person acting as an agent of an insured or viator with respect to a viatical settlement contract.

(9) A viatical settlement provider shall not knowingly solicit individuals who have treated or have been asked to treat the illness of an insured whose coverage would be the subject of a viatical settlement contract.

(10) A life insurance company may not charge a fee for responding to a request for information from a viatical settlement provider or viatical settlement broker in compliance with this rule in excess of any usual and customary charges to contract holders, certificate holders or insureds for similar services.

(11) In recommending a viatical settlement contract, viatical settlement brokers and viatical settlement providers shall make suitable recommendations.

Iowa Admin. Code r. 191-48.9