Md. Code Regs. 31.09.15.04

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 24, December 2, 2024

Section 31.09.15.04 - General Calculation Method for Reserves

A. The minimum valuation standard for universal life insurance policies shall be

(1) The Commissioner's Reserve Valuation Method, as described in §B of this regulation for such policies; and

(2) The mortality tables and interest rates specified in §B(2) of this regulation.

B. Commissioner's Reserve Valuation Method.

(1) The terminal reserve for the basic policy and any benefits or riders for which premiums are not paid separately as of any policy anniversary shall be equal to the net level premium reserves less (C) and less (D), where:

(a) Reserves by the net level premium method shall be equal to ((A) - (B)) rwhere:

(i) The quantity (A) is the present value of all future guaranteed benefits at the date of valuation;

(ii) The quantity (B) is the quantity (PVFB) (ax+t/ax);

(iii) PVFB is the present value of all benefits guaranteed at issue assuming future guaranteed maturity premiums are paid by the policyowner and taking into account all guarantees contained in the policy or declared by the insurer;

(iv) The quantities ax and ax+t are present values of an annuity of one per year payable on policy anniversaries beginning at ages x and x+t, respectively, and continuing until the highest attained age at which a premium may be paid under the policy;

(v) The letter x is the issue age;

(vi) The letter t is the duration of the policy; and

(vii) The letter r is equal to one unless the policy is a flexible premium policy and the policy value is less than the guaranteed maturity fund, in which case "r" is the ratio of the policy value to the guaranteed maturity fund;

(b) The guaranteed maturity premium for flexible premium universal life insurance policies shall be that level gross premium, paid at issue and periodically thereafter over the period during which premiums are allowed to be paid, which will mature the policy on the latest maturity date, if any, permitted under the policy, otherwise at the highest age in the valuation mortality table, for an amount which is in accordance with the policy structure;

(c) The guaranteed maturity premium is calculated at issue based on all policy guarantees at issue (excluding guarantees linked to an external referent);

(d) The guaranteed maturity premium for fixed premium universal life insurance policies shall be the premium defined in the policy which at issue provides the minimum policy guarantees;

(e) The guaranteed maturity fund at any duration is that amount which, together with future guaranteed maturity premiums, will mature the policy based on all policy guarantees at issue;

(f) The quantity (C) is((a) - (b)) (ax+t /ax) r where (a) - (b) is the amount, if any, that the present value, at the date of valuation, of the guaranteed benefits under the policy exceeds the present value, at the date of valuation, of any future modified net premiums for the policy, as described in Insurance Article, § 5-307(a)(2), Annotated Code of Maryland, for the plan of insurance defined at issue by the guaranteed maturity premiums and all guarantees contained in the policy or declared by the insurer;

(g) The quantity (D) is the sum of any additional quantities analogous to the quantity (C) which arise because of structural changes in the policy, with each such quantity being determined on a basis consistent with that of the quantity (C) using the maturity date in effect at the time of the change;

(h) The guaranteed maturity premium, the guaranteed maturity fund, and the quantity (B) described in §B(1)(a)(ii) of this regulation shall be recalculated to reflect any structural changes in the policy; and

(i) The recalculation described in §B(1)(h) of this regulation shall be done in a manner consistent with the descriptions found in §B(1)(a)-(g) of this regulation.

(2) Future guaranteed benefits are determined by:

(a) Projecting the greater of the guaranteed maturity fund and the policy value, taking into account future guaranteed maturity premiums, if any, and using all guarantees of interest, mortality, expense deductions, and other deductions, contained in the policy or declared by the insurer; and

(b) Taking into account any benefits guaranteed in the policy or by declaration which do not depend on the policy value.

(3) All present values shall be determined using:

(a) An interest rate, or rates, specified by Insurance Article, § 5-306(c), Annotated Code of Maryland, for policies issued in the same year;

(b) The mortality rates specified by Insurance Article, § 5-304(b)(3), Annotated Code of Maryland, for policies issued in the same year or the mortality rates contained in another table as may be approved by the Commissioner for this purpose; and

(c) Any other tables needed to value supplementary benefits provided by a rider which is being valued together with the policy.

Md. Code Regs. 31.09.15.04