10271.1
. (a) (1) Supplemental benefits that operate to safeguard
life insurance contracts against lapse are defined as a waiver of
premium benefit or a waiver of monthly deduction benefit, as
applicable, in which the insurer waives the premium or monthly
deduction for a life insurance contract when the insured becomes
totally disabled, as defined by the supplemental benefit, and where
the waiver continues until the end of the insured's disability, or
for the period specified by the supplemental benefit, consistent with
paragraph (5).
(2) For purposes of this subdivision, total disability shall not
be less favorable to the insured than the following:
(A) During the first 24 months of total disability, the insured is
unable to perform with reasonable continuity the substantial and
material duties of his or her job due to sickness or bodily injury.
(B) After the first 24 months of total disability, the insured,
due to sickness or bodily injury, is unable to engage with reasonable
continuity in any other job in which he or she could reasonably be
expected to perform satisfactorily in light of his or her age,
education, training, experience, station in life, or physical and
mental capacity.
(3) The definition of total disability may also include
presumptive total disability, such as the insured's total and
permanent loss of sight of both eyes, hearing of both ears, speech,
the use of both hands, both feet, or one hand and one foot.
(4) The insurer may require total disability to continue for an
uninterrupted period of time specified by the supplemental benefit,
or the insurer may allow separate periods of disability to be
combined.
(5) The waiver of premium or monthly deduction benefit shall
continue for the period specified by the supplemental benefit, but
shall not be less favorable to the insured than the following:
(A) If the insured's total disability begins before the insured
attains 60 years of age, the insurer shall waive all premiums or
monthly deductions due for the period that the insured continues to
be totally disabled.
(B) If the insured's total disability begins after the age
specified in subparagraph (A), the insurer shall waive all premiums
or monthly deductions due for the period that the insured continues
to be totally disabled up to 65 years of age.
(6) In addition to the permissible exclusions listed in
subdivision (g) of Section 10271, the insurer may exclude a total
disability occurring after the policy anniversary or supplemental
contract anniversary, as applicable and as defined by the
supplemental benefit, on which the insured attains a specified age of
no less than 65 years.
(b) "Special surrender benefit" is defined as a "waiver of
surrender charge benefit" wherein the insurer waives the surrender
charge usually charged for a withdrawal of funds from the cash value
of a life insurance contract or the account value of an annuity
contract if the owner, insured, or annuitant, as applicable, meets
any of the following criteria:
(1) Develops any medical condition where the owner's, insured's,
or annuitant's life expectancy is expected to be less than or equal
to a limited period of time that shall not be restricted to a period
of less than 12 months or greater than 24 months.
(2) Is receiving, as prescribed by a physician, registered nurse,
or licensed social worker, home care or community-based services, as
defined in subdivision (a) of Section 10232.9, or is confined in a
skilled nursing facility, convalescent nursing home, or extended care
facility, which shall not be defined more restrictively than as in
the Medicare program, or is confined in a residential care facility
or residential care facility for the elderly, as defined in the
Health and Safety Code. Out-of-state providers of services shall be
defined as comparable in licensure and staffing requirements to
California providers.
(3) Has any medical condition that would, in the absence of
treatment, result in death within a limited period of time, as
defined by the supplemental benefit, but that shall not be restricted
to a period of less than six months.
(4) Is totally disabled, as follows:
(A) During the first 24 months of total disability, the owner,
insured, or annuitant, as applicable, is unable to perform with
reasonable continuity the substantial and material duties of his or
her job due to sickness or bodily injury.
(B) After the first 24 months of total disability, the owner,
insured, or annuitant, as applicable, due to sickness or bodily
injury, is unable to engage with reasonable continuity in any other
job in which he or she could reasonably be expected to perform
satisfactorily in light of his or her age, education, training,
experience, station in life, or physical and mental capacity.
(C) The definition of total disability may also include
presumptive total disability, such as the insured's total and
permanent loss of sight of both eyes, hearing of both ears, speech,
the use of both hands, both feet, or one hand and one foot.
(D) The insurer may require the total disability to continue for
an uninterrupted period of time specified by the supplemental
benefit, or the insurer may allow separate periods of disability to
be combined.
(5) Has a chronic illness as defined pursuant to either
subparagraph (A) or (B):
(A) Either of the following:
(i) Impairment in performing two out of seven activities of daily
living, as set forth in subdivisions (a) and (g) of Section 10232.8,
meaning the insured needs human assistance, or needs continual
substantial supervision.
(ii) The insured has an impairment of cognitive ability, meaning a
deterioration or loss of intellectual capacity due to mental illness
or disease, including Alzheimer's disease or related illnesses, that
requires continual supervision to protect oneself or others.
(B) Either of the following:
(i) Impairment in performing two out of six activities of daily
living as described in subdivisions (b), (d), (e), and (f) of Section
10232.8 due to a loss of functional capacity to perform the
activity.
(ii) Impairment of cognitive ability, meaning the insured needs
substantial supervision due to severe cognitive impairment, as
described in subdivisions (b), (d), and (e) of Section 10232.8.
(6) Has become involuntarily or voluntarily unemployed.
(c) The term "supplemental benefit" means a rider to or provision
in a life insurance policy, certificate, or annuity contract that
provides a benefit as set forth in subdivision (a) of Section 10271.