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Fla. Stat. § 626.99287

Contestability of viaticated policies

Redline — January 1, 2011 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2017
As of January 1, 2011
Except as hereinafter provided, if a viatical settlement contract is entered into within the 2-year period commencing with the date of issuance of the insurance policy or certificate to be acquired, the viatical settlement contract is void and unenforceable by either party. Notwithstanding this limitation, such a viatical settlement contract is not void and unenforceable if:
(1) Except as hereinafter provided, if a viatical settlement contract is entered into within the 2-year period commencing with the date of issuance of the insurance policy or certificate to be acquired, the viatical settlement contract is void and unenforceable by either party.
(1) The policy was issued upon the owner’s exercise of conversion rights arising out of a group or term policy;
(2) The owner of the policy is a charitable organization exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. s. 501(c)(3);
(3) The owner of the policy is not a natural person;
(4) The viatical settlement contract was entered into before July 1, 2000;
(2) Except as hereinafter provided, if a viatical settlement policy is subject to a loan secured directly or indirectly by an interest in the policy within a 5-year period commencing on the date of issuance of the policy or certificate, the viatical settlement contract is void and unenforceable by either party.
(5) The viator certifies by producing independent evidence to the viatical settlement provider that one or more of the following conditions have been met within the 2-year period: (a)1. The viator or insured is diagnosed with an illness or condition that is either: a. Catastrophic or life threatening; or b. Requires a course of treatment for a period of at least 3 years of long-term care or home health care; and 2. The condition was not known to the insured at the time the life insurance contract was entered into. (b) The viator’s spouse dies; (c) The viator divorces his or her spouse; (d) The viator retires from full-time employment; (e) The viator becomes physically or mentally disabled and a physician determines that the disability prevents the viator from maintaining full-time employment; (f) The owner of the policy was the insured’s employer at the time the policy or certificate was issued and the employment relationship terminated; (g) A final order, judgment, or decree is entered by a court of competent jurisdiction, on the application of a creditor of the viator, adjudicating the viator bankrupt or insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization of the viator or appointing a receiver, trustee, or liquidator to all or a substantial part of the viator’s assets; or (h) The viator experiences a significant decrease in income which is unexpected by the viator and which impairs his or her reasonable ability to pay the policy premium.If the viatical settlement provider submits to the insurer a copy of the viator’s or owner’s certification described above, then the provider submits a request to the insurer to effect the transfer of the policy or certificate to the viatical settlement provider, the viatical settlement agreement shall not be void or unenforceable by operation of this section. The insurer shall timely respond to such request. Nothing in this section shall prohibit an insurer from exercising its right during the contestability period to contest the validity of any policy on grounds of fraud.
(3) Notwithstanding the limitations in subsections (1) and (2), such a viatical settlement contract is not void and unenforceable if the viator provides a sworn affidavit and accompanying independent evidentiary documentation certifying to the viatical settlement provider that one or more of the following conditions were met during the periods applicable to the viaticated policy as stated in subsection (1) or subsection (2): (a) The policy was issued upon the owner’s exercise of conversion rights arising out of a group or term policy, if the total time covered under the prior policy is at least 60 months. The time covered under a group policy must be calculated without regard to any change in insurance carriers, provided the coverage has been continuous and under the same group sponsorship. (b) The owner of the policy is a charitable organization exempt from taxation under 26 U.S.C. s. 501(c)(3). (c) The viator certifies by producing independent evidence to the viatical settlement provider that one or more of the following conditions were met: 1. The viator or insured is terminally or chronically ill and the condition was not known to the insured at the time the life insurance contract was entered into; 2. The viator’s spouse dies; 3. The viator divorces his or her spouse; 4. The viator retires from full-time employment; 5. The viator becomes physically or mentally disabled and a physician determines that the disability prevents the viator from maintaining full-time employment; 6. The owner of the policy was the insured’s employer at the time the policy or certificate was issued and the employment relationship terminated; 7. A final order, judgment, or decree is entered by a court of competent jurisdiction, on the application of a creditor of the viator, adjudicating the viator bankrupt or insolvent, or approving a petition seeking reorganization of the viator or appointing a receiver, trustee, or liquidator to all or a substantial part of the viator’s assets; or 8. The viator experiences a significant decrease in income which is unexpected by the viator and which impairs his or her reasonable ability to pay the policy premium. (d) The viator entered into a viatical settlement contract more than 2 years after the policy’s issuance date and, with respect to the policy, at all times before the date that is 2 years after policy issuance, each of the following conditions is met: 1. Policy premiums have been funded exclusively with unencumbered assets, including an interest in the life insurance policy being financed only to the extent of its net cash surrender value, provided by, or fully recourse liability incurred by, the insured; 2. There is no agreement or understanding with any other person to guarantee any such liability or to purchase, or stand ready to purchase, the policy, including through an assumption or forgiveness of the loan; and 3. Neither the insured or the policy has been evaluated for settlement.

Official source: Online Sunshine (Florida Legislature). Reproduced from public-domain Florida statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.