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1 SEC Docket 1 (1973)

handle is hein.journals/secdoc1 and id is 1 raw text is: RELEASES IN THIS ISSUE
33- 5360-62          IC- 7640-57
34- 9929              IA- 359
9965
9969              LF 5711
9972-85              57.1417
35-17866-73
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Rel. No. 5360/January 31, 1973
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Rel. No. 9972/January 31, 1973
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Rel. No. 7644/January 31, 1973
INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940
Rel. No. 359/January 31, 1973
ADOPTION OF RULE 3c-4 UNDER THE INVEST-
MENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et
seq.) TO DEFINE A SEPARATE ACCOUNT ESTAB-
LISHED BY A LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY TO
FUND CERTAIN TYPES OF VARIABLE LIFE INSUR-
ANCE CONTRACTS AS AN INSURANCE COMPANY
SO AS TO EXEMPT SUCH SEPARATE ACCOUNT
FROM THE PROVISIONS OF THE INVESTMENT COM-
PANY ACT AND ADOPTION OF RULE 202-1 UNDER
THE INVESTMENT ADVISERS ACT OF 1940 (15
U.S.C. 80b-1 et seq.) TO EXEMPT FROM THAT ACT
AN INSURANCE COMPANY OR AN AFFILIATED
COMPANY THEREOF TO THE EXTENT IT PERFORMS
ADVISORY SERVICES INCIDENTAL TO THE ISSU-
ANCE OF VARIABLE LIFE INSURANCE CONTRACTS.
(File No. 4-149)
On February 15, 1972, the Securities and Exchange Commission
published a notice of and order for hearing with respect to rules
proposed by the American Life Convention and the Life Insurance
Association of America (Petitioners) in   Petition for Issuance
and Amendment of Rules and Rulemaking Proceeding Therefor
(Petition).1 As proposed, the rules would exempt certai- vari-
able life insurance contracts, related interests and participations
therein, and the issuers thereof and their related persons from the
Securities Act of 1933 (Securities Act) (15 U.S.C. 70a et seq.),
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Exchange Act) (15 U.S.C.
78a et seq.), the Investment Company Act of 1940 (Investment
Company Act) (15 U.S.C. 80a-1 et seq.), and the Investment Ad-
visors Act of 1940 (Investment Advisers Act) (15 U.S.C. 80b-1
et seq.). The Commission invited all interested persons who wished
to comment on the proposed rules to appear in person at the
hearing or to submit written statements for inclusion in the pro-
ceeding.

The public hearing commenced on April 10, 1972 and concluded
on June 7, 1972 during which time the Commission had the aid
and assistance of extensive testimony and written submissions. The
Commission has considered the comments and submissions made
at the hearing. The Commission has also considered a report pre-
pared by its Division of Investment Management Regulation, short-
ly to be published, which summarizes and explains the features of
variable life insurance based upon information developed during
the hearing and provides an analysis of the law with regard to
variable life insurance. Based upon this record and upon its own
independent review of the Petition and the issues raised therein,
the Commission has determined:
1. A public offering of variable life insurance contracts in the
forms proposed in the Petition would involve an offering of secu-
rities required to be registered under the Securities Act.
2. Persons selling such variable life contracts would generally be
required to register as broker-dealers under the Securities Ex-
change Act.
3. A company, including a separate account of an insurance com-
pany, primarily engaged in issuing and selling such variable life in-
surance contracts would be an investment company required to be
registered under the Investment Company Act.
4. An insurance company or other person rendering investment
advice to a separate account issuing and funding such variable life
insurance contracts would be required to register as an investment
adviser under the Investment Advisers Act.
The Commission has further determined:
1. To adopt Rule 3c-4 under the Investment Company Act to ex-
empt from the Act separate accounts with certain specified char-
acteristics established to fund such contracts.
2. To adopt Rule 202-1 under the Investment Advisers Act to
exempt from the Act an insurance company or affiliated com-
pany acting as adviser to such an account.
The Applicability of the Federal Securities Laws
In arriving at these determinations, the Commission in no way
questions the merits or desirability of variable life insurance which
may well become an important and valuable combined investment
and insurance vehicle. Analysis of the record does indicate that
such a contract would involve important elements of insurance.
In particular, a variable life insurance contract would provide im-
mediate insurance equal to the initial face amount many times the
amount of premiums paid, and a guaranteed minimum death bene-
fit also equal to the initial face amount. But, unlike traditional
life insurance, a variable life contract would also provide a variable
death benefit and a variable cash value - important features which
are likely to be emphasized in the sale of variable life insurance.
As to these critical features, the contractholder participates direct-
ly in the investment experience of the separate account and bears
an investment risk.
For these reasons the Comission has determined that a variable
life contract would be a security, not entitled to the exemption
set forth in Section 3(a)(8) of the Securities Act. That provision
was intended only to exempt an insurance policy or contract un-
der which a policyholder has a fixed benefit and does not share
in the investment experienceof-an equity portfolio and as to

SEC RELEASES/1

VOLUME , N. 1    FEBRUARY 13, 1973
3 doc
A WEEKLY COMPILATION OF RELEASES FROM THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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