(f) Nothing in this subsection requires that the insurance intermediary have an ongoing monitoring obligation, although such obligation may be separately owed under the terms of a fiduciary, consulting, investment advising, or financial planning agreement between the consumer and intermediary.
(g) In the case of an exchange or replacement of an annuity, the insurance intermediary shall consider the whole transaction, which includes taking into consideration all of the following:
1. Whether the consumer will incur a surrender charge, be subject to the commencement of a new surrender period, lose existing benefits, including death, living, or other contractual benefits, or be subject to increased fees, investment advisory fees, or charges for riders and similar product enhancements.
2. Whether the replacing product would substantially benefit the consumer in comparison to the replaced product over the life of the product.
3. Whether the consumer has had another annuity exchange or replacement, particularly within the preceding 60 months.
(h) 1. Subject to subd. 2., an insurance intermediary shall have no obligation to a consumer under this subsection if any of the following applies:
a. The intermediary made no recommendation.
b. The intermediary made a recommendation that is later found to have been prepared based on inaccurate material information provided by the consumer.
c. The consumer refuses to provide relevant consumer profile information and the annuity transaction is not recommended.
d. The consumer decides to enter into an annuity transaction that is not based on a recommendation made by the intermediary.
2. An insurer's issuance of an annuity under the circumstances specified in subd. 1. a. to d. shall be reasonable under all circumstances actually known to the insurer at the time the annuity is issued.
260,13
Section
13. 628.347 (2c) of the statutes is created to read:
628.347 (2c) Disclosure obligation. (a) Prior to the recommendation or sale of an annuity, an insurance intermediary shall prominently disclose to the consumer, on a form substantially similar to Appendix A of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Annuity Suitability Model Regulation that shall be posted on the office's Internet site, all of the following information:
1. A description of the scope and terms of the intermediary's relationship with the consumer and the role of the intermediary in the transaction.
2. An affirmative statement on whether the intermediary is licensed and authorized to sell fixed annuities, fixed indexed annuities, variable annuities, life insurance, mutual funds, stocks, bonds, and certificates of deposit.
3. An affirmative statement describing the insurers for which the intermediary is authorized, contracted, appointed, or otherwise able to sell insurance products, using whichever of the following descriptions is appropriate:
a. From one insurer.
b. From 2 or more insurers.
c. From 2 or more insurers although primarily contracted with one insurer.
4. A description of the sources and types of cash compensation and noncash compensation to be received by the intermediary, including whether the intermediary is to be compensated for the sale of a recommended annuity by commission as part of a premium or other remuneration received from the insurer or another intermediary, or by fee as a result of a contract for advice or consulting services.
5. A notice of the consumer's right to request additional information regarding cash compensation.
(b) Upon request of the consumer or the consumer's designated representative, an insurance intermediary shall disclose all of the following:
1. A reasonable estimate of the amount of cash compensation to be received by the intermediary, which may be stated as a range of amounts or percentages.
2. Whether the cash compensation is a onetime or multiple occurrence amount and, if a multiple occurrence amount, the frequency and amount of the occurrence, which may be stated as a range of amounts or percentages.
(c) Prior to or at the time of the recommendation or sale of an annuity, the insurance intermediary shall have a reasonable basis to believe the consumer has been informed of various features of the annuity, including the potential surrender period and surrender charges, potential tax penalty if the consumer sells, exchanges, surrenders, or annuitizes the annuity, mortality and expense fees, investment advisory fees, annual fees, potential charges for and features of riders and other options, limitations on interest returns, potential changes in non-guaranteed elements of the annuity, insurance and investment components, and market risk.
260,14
Section
14. 628.347 (2d) of the statutes is created to read:
628.347 (2d) Conflict of interest obligation. An insurance intermediary shall identify and avoid or reasonably manage and disclose material conflicts of interest, including material conflicts related to an ownership interest.
260,15
Section
15. 628.347 (2e) of the statutes is created to read:
628.347 (2e) Documentation obligation. An insurance intermediary shall, at the time of making a recommendation or sale of an annuity, do all of the following, as applicable: