§ 17B:30B-8 — Disclosures to viator, procedure.

New Jersey § 17B:30B-8

• Jurisdiction: New Jersey
• Title 17B: INSURANCE

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8. a. With each application for a viatical settlement, a viatical settlement provider or life insurance producer shall provide the viator with at least the following disclosures no later than the time the application for the viatical settlement contract is signed by all parties. The disclosures shall be provided in a separate document that is signed by the viator and the viatical settlement provider, and shall provide the following information: (1) There are possible alternatives to viatical settlement contracts, including any accelerated death benefits or policy loans offered under the viator's life insurance policy; (2) Some or all of the proceeds of the viatical settlement contract may be taxable under federal income tax and state franchise and income taxes, and assistance should be sought from a professional tax advisor; (3) Proceeds of the viatical settlement contract could be subject to the claims of creditors; (4) Receipt of the proceeds of a viatical settlement contract may adversely affect the viator's eligibility for Medicaid or other government benefits or entitlements, and advice should be obtained from the appropriate government agencies; (5) The viator has the right to rescind a viatical settlement contract before the earlier of 30 calendar days after the date upon which the settlement contract is executed by all parties or 15 calendar days after the receipt of the viatical settlement proceeds by the viator, as provided in subsection c. of section 9 of this act. If exercised by the viator, rescission is effective only if both notice of the rescission is given and repayment of all proceeds and any premiums, loans and loan interest to the settlement provider is made within the rescission period. If the insured dies during the rescission period, the viatical settlement contract shall be deemed to have been rescinded, subject to repayment of all viatical settlement proceeds and any premiums, loans and loan interest to the viatical settlement provider; (6) Funds will be sent to the viator within three business days after the viatical settlement provider has received the insurer or group administrator's acknowledgment that ownership of the policy has been transferred and the beneficiary has been designated pursuant to the viatical settlement contract; (7) Entering into a viatical settlement contract may cause other rights or benefits, including conversion rights and waiver of premium benefits that may exist under the policy, to be forfeited by the viator and that assistance should be sought from a financial adviser; (8) Disclosure to a viator shall include distribution of a brochure, describing the process of viatical settlements approved by the commissioner. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) form for the brochure shall be used unless one is developed by the commissioner; (9) The disclosure document shall contain the following language: "All medical, financial or personal information solicited or obtained by a viatical settlement provider or life insurance producer about an insured, including the insured's identity or the identity of family members, a spouse or a significant other, may be disclosed as necessary to effect the viatical settlement between the viator and the viatical settlement provider. If you are asked to provide this information, you will be asked to consent to the disclosure. The information may be provided to someone who buys the policy or provides funds for the purchase. You may be asked to renew your permission to share information every two years."; and (10) The insured may be contacted by the viatical settlement provider or its authorized representative for the purpose of determining the insured's health status. This contact shall be limited to once every three months if the insured has a life expectancy of more than one year, and no more than once per month if the insured has a life expectancy of one year or less. b. A viatical settlement provider shall provide the viator with at least the following disclosures no later than the date the viatical settlement contract is signed by all parties. The disclosures shall be conspicuously displayed in the viatical settlement contract or in a separate document signed by the viator and the viatical settlement provider and provide the following information: (1) State the affiliation, if any, between the viatical settlement provider and the issuer of the insurance policy to be acquired pursuant to a viatical settlement contract; (2) The document shall include the name, address and telephone number of the viatical settlement provider; (3) If the policy to be acquired pursuant to a viatical settlement contract has been issued as a joint policy or involves family riders or any coverage of a life other than the insured under the policy to be acquired pursuant to a viatical settlement contract, the viator shall be informed of the possible loss of coverage on the other lives; (4) State the dollar amount of the current death benefit payable to the viatical settlement provider under the policy. The viatical settlement provider shall, if known, also disclose the availability of any additional guaranteed insurance benefits, the dollar amount of any accidental death and dismemberment benefits under the policy and the viatical settlement provider's interest in those benefits; and (5) State the name, business address and telephone number of the independent third party escrow agent, and the fact that the viator or owner may inspect or receive copies of the relevant escrow or trust agreements or documents. c. If the viatical settlement provider transfers ownership or changes the beneficiary of the policy, the viatical settlement provider shall communicate the change in ownership or beneficiary to the insured within 20 days after the change. L.2005,c.229,s.8.