215 ILCS 5/300.1

(215 ILCS 5/300.1) (from Ch. 73, par. 912.1)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2027)

Sec. 300.1. The benefit contract.

(a) Every society authorized to do business in this State shall issue to each owner of a benefit contract a certificate specifying the amount of benefits provided thereby. The certificate, together with any riders or endorsements attached thereto, the laws of the society, the application for membership, the application for insurance and declaration of insurability, if any, signed by the applicant and all amendments to each thereof shall constitute the benefit contract, as of the date of issuance, between the society and the owner, and the certificate shall so state. A copy of the application for insurance and declaration of insurability, if any, shall be endorsed upon or attached to the certificate. All statements on the application shall be representations and not warranties. Any waiver of this provision shall be void.

(b) Any changes, additions or amendments to the laws of the society duly made or enacted subsequent to the issuance of the certificate shall bind the owner and the beneficiaries and shall govern and control the benefit contract in all respects the same as though such changes, additions or amendments had been made prior to and were in force at the time of the application for insurance, except that no change, addition or amendment shall destroy or diminish benefits which the society contracted to give the owner as of the date of issuance.

(c) Any person upon whose life a benefit contract is issued prior to attaining the age of majority shall be bound by the terms of the application and certificate and by all the laws and rules of the society to the same extent as though the age of majority had been attained at the time of application.

(d) A society shall provide in its laws and its certificates that, if its reserves as to all or any class of certificates become impaired, its board of directors or corresponding body may require that there shall be paid by the owner to the society an assessment in the amount of the owner's equitable proportion of such deficiency as ascertained by its board, and that, if the payment is not made, either (1) it shall stand as an indebtedness against the certificate and draw interest not to exceed the rate specified for certificate loans under the certificates; or (2) in lieu of or in combination with (1), the owner may accept a proportionate reduction in benefits under the certificate. However, in no event may an assessment obligation be forgiven, credited, or repaid by whatever means or however labeled by the society in lieu of collection or reduction in benefits, unless provided to all society members and approved in writing by the Director, except that the forgiveness or repayment of any assessments issued by a society that remain outstanding as of January 1, 2015 (the effective date of Public Act 98-814) may be forgiven or repaid by any manner or plan certified by an independent actuary and filed with the Director to make reasonable and adequate provision for the forgiveness or repayment of the assessment to all society members. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a society may fully repay, credit, or forgive an assessment from the date of death of any life insured under a certificate so long as the plan to forgive or repay the assessment is certified by an independent actuary and filed with the Director to make reasonable and adequate provision for the forgiveness or repayment of the assessment to all assessed society members as a result of the death. The society may specify the manner of the election and which alternative is to be presumed if no election is made. No such assessment shall take effect unless a 30-day notification has been provided to the Director, who shall have the ability to disapprove the assessment only if the Director finds that such assessment is not in the best interests of the benefit members of the domestic society. Disapproval by the Director shall be made within 30 days after receipt of notice and shall be in writing and mailed to the domestic society. If the Director disapproves the assessment, the reasons therefor shall be stated in the written notice.

(e) Copies of any of the documents mentioned in this Section, certified by the secretary or corresponding officer of the society, shall be received in evidence of the terms and conditions thereof.

(f) No certificate shall be delivered or issued for delivery in this State unless a copy of the form has been filed with the Director in the manner provided for like policies issued by life insurers in this State. Every life, accident, health or disability insurance certificate and every annuity certificate issued on or after one year from January 1, 1986 (the effective date of Public Act 84-303) shall meet the standard contract provision requirements not inconsistent with Public Act 84-303 for like policies issued by life insurers in this State except that a society may provide for a grace period for payment of premiums of one full month in its certificates. The certificate shall also contain a provision stating the amount of premiums which are payable under the certificate and a provision reciting or setting forth the substance of any sections of the society's laws or rules in force at the time of issuance of the certificate which, if violated, will result in the termination or reduction of benefits payable under the certificate. If the laws of the society provide for expulsion or suspension of a member, the certificate shall also contain a provision that any member so expelled or suspended, except for nonpayment of a premium or within the contestable period for material misrepresentation in the application for membership or insurance, shall have the privilege of maintaining the certificate in force by continuing payment of the required premium.

(g) Benefit contracts issued on the lives of persons below the society's minimum age for adult membership may provide for transfer of control or ownership to the insured at an age specified in the certificate. A society may require approval of an application for membership in order to effect this transfer and may provide in all other respect for the regulation, government and control of such certificates and all rights, obligations and liabilities incident thereto and connected therewith. Ownership rights prior to such transfer shall be specified in the certificate.

(h) A society may specify the terms and conditions on which benefit contracts may be assigned.

(Source: P.A. 101-81, eff. 7-12-19.)