Exhibit 10(v)
MARKETING AGREEMENT
This Marketing Agreement is made and
entered into and effective as of October 10, 2005, by and between
the parties as follows:
Conseco Marketing L.L.C., an Indiana
Limited Liability Company (“CONSECO”), and Legacy
Marketing Group, a California corporation (“LMG”),
based on the following facts:
A.
LMG and Conseco Insurance Company and
Conseco Services L.L.C. are entering into an Administrative
Services Agreement pursuant to which certain insurance business is
to be administered by LMG.
B.
CONSECO is, and from time to time will
be, affiliated with a number of insurance and related service
companies, hereinafter called the “Conseco Companies,”
that offer and service annuity, life and health insurance
products.
C.
The objective of this Agreement is to
provide an arrangement to sell certain Proprietary Products offered
by CONSECO through Legacy Marketing Group.
D.
LMG is engaged in the business of
marketing insurance products to Wholesalers and Producers
nationally and has developed a significant marketing operation and
independent distribution channel, identified as:
“Producers,” duly licensed and appointed independent
insurance agents; and “Wholesalers,” duly licensed and
appointed independent insurance agents or agencies who are
responsible for recruiting, training and managing Producers.
E.
CONSECO desires to have LMG utilize its
marketing operation and sales force for the solicitation of the
Proprietary Products.
Based on the foregoing facts, LMG and
CONSECO (“the parties”) agree as follows:
1.
DESIGNATION OF LMG AND SCOPE OF
LMG’S AUTHORITY
1.1.
CONSECO designates LMG to appoint
Wholesalers and Producers on behalf of CONSECO for the solicitation
of the Proprietary Products. Such appointments will take
place in accordance with the Administrative Services Agreement
executed by the parties.
1.2.
LMG is designated by CONSECO to market
the Proprietary Products to LMG’s Wholesalers and Producers
who will solicit applications and to otherwise transact the
business of this Agreement.
1.3.
LMG will have a written Producer
Agreement with each Wholesaler and Producer, to which CONSECO will
not be a party and shall have no obligation or liability
thereunder.
*Confidential
information omitted and filed separately with the SEC.
Page 1 of 24
1.4.
It is understood and agreed that LMG is
an independent contractor, and nothing herein shall be construed to
create the relationship of employer or employee between CONSECO and
LMG or between CONSECO and any officer, employee, Wholesaler,
Producer, or other associated person of LMG. Neither LMG nor
any Wholesaler or Producer has authority to incur any liability on
behalf of, or to bind, CONSECO in any way or change its rights,
duties, or obligations, except as may be set forth in the
Administrative Services Agreement between CONSECO and LMG.
1.5.
All Wholesalers and Producers who have
been recruited by LMG and are appointed with CONSECO using criteria
established by CONSECO to sell Proprietary Products shall be
identified by CONSECO as Wholesalers and Producers of LMG as to
such Proprietary Products. Any and all contracts
entered into by and between such Wholesalers or Producers with
respect to such Proprietary Products shall be coded by
LMG onto its system and deemed Wholesalers and Producers of LMG.
Upon CONSECO’s reasonable request,
LMG will terminate the appointment of any agent appointed
with CONSECO. In any event, CONSECO shall impose no more
restrictive criteria for LMG’s Wholesalers and Producers than
for any other similar distribution channel of
CONSECO.
1.6
CONSECO and the Conseco Companies shall
not directly or indirectly appoint Wholesalers and Producers of LMG
for the purpose of selling non-Proprietary Products who are not
contracted and/or appointed with CONSECO as of the date of this
Agreement and during the term of this Agreement and for * (*)
months following the termination of the Agreement. LMG may be
willing to discuss other arrangements if the circumstances warrant.
In any event, CONSECO shall offer to LMG no less than the
highest contracting commission to LMG for any non-Proprietary
Products of CONSECO.
2.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF
CONSECO
2.1.
Subject to Section 2.2, CONSECO and LMG
will work together to develop new products to be underwritten by
CONSECO and made available to LMG Producers and Wholesalers as
specified on “Work Orders.” The parties may, from time
to time, agree in writing to append Work Orders to this Agreement.
The products set forth on Work Orders, executed by both parties,
shall be referred to as a “Proprietary Product” or
“Proprietary Products” throughout this Agreement. Each
new Proprietary Product Work Order will provide for the
compensation payable to LMG from CONSECO pertaining to that new
Proprietary Product. The marketing allowance and
commissions provided for in each Work Order may vary with the
development of each new Proprietary Product. Such marketing
allowance will be specifically provided for in that Proprietary
Product’s Work Order, or any subsequent amendments to the
Work Order.
2.2.
LMG will provide to CONSECO a Product
Summary Overview for a proposed Proprietary Product, containing a
general summary of the product design information and pricing.
Following receipt of the Product Summary Overview, CONSECO
will use its best efforts to approve the product design within ten
(10) days, but, in any event, no later than thirty (30) days
(“Initial Approval”). Upon receipt of
CONSECO’s Initial Approval,
*Confidential
information omitted and filed separately with the SEC.
Page 2 of 24
LMG will, within thirty (30) days,
proceed with drafting detailed product descriptions, specifications
and preliminary pricing models of the proposed Proprietary
Product
(“Product Information”). LMG
will also provide access to such other information, materials and
personnel relating to such products as CONSECO reasonably requests,
without charge to CONSECO. Following receipt of the Product
Information, CONSECO will have thirty (30) days to determine, in
its sole discretion, if the product is approved (“Final
Approval”). The parties may, by mutual agreement,
extend any deadline during this process. In addition, the
parties may revise the product design or re-price the product as
necessary during these periods, to ensure that the product meets
the desired objectives. If CONSECO determines the product is
acceptable and gives its Final Approval, it will notify LMG in
writing and a Work Order will be executed with a mutually agreed
Effective Date. The product will be deemed to be a Proprietary
Product within the terms of this Agreement, if: (a) a Work Order is
signed for the product; and (b) the product is placed by mutual
agreement of LMG and CONSECO on a Proprietary Products list.
2.3.
The commissions specified in a Work Order
shall be modified whenever necessary to conform to the legal
requirements of any state. CONSECO agrees not to withdraw,
discontinue or significantly modify a Proprietary Product that has
been launched into the marketplace pursuant to Section 2.2 without
providing * (*) days prior written notice to LMG unless such
withdrawal, discontinuance or modification is mandated by law,
regulation, regulatory authority or court of law, or in response to
a material regulatory, market conduct, rating issue or economic
conditions, including tax issues, which was/were not anticipated
when the Proprietary Product was launched which results in the
Proprietary Product performing adversely to its original pricing.
CONSECO retains sole discretion to determine if a regulatory or
market conduct issue is material but will not be unreasonable in
its assertion of same. If CONSECO withdraws any Proprietary
Product within * (*) months of the Launch Date for reasons
other than CONSECO’s determination that the withdrawal is
mandated by law, regulation, regulatory authority or court of law,
or in response to a material regulatory market conduct, rating
issue or economic conditions, including tax issues which was/were
not anticipated when the Proprietary Product was launched which
results in the Proprietary Product performing adversely, CONSECO
will reimburse LMG $*, plus the cost of any unused inventory of
marketing materials. Notwithstanding, all such costs to be
reimbursed will not exceed $* per Proprietary Product.
Furthermore, CONSECO may not be required to reimburse LMG if
CONSECO and LMG agree in writing to withdraw such a Proprietary
Product.
2.4.
CONSECO shall have the sole
responsibility for maintaining and filing, and the costs associated
with the filing, advertising materials in those states that so
require prior to approving their use by LMG. In addition, CONSECO
shall ensure a timely response to LMG’s submission of
marketing materials requiring approval by CONSECO. CONSECO agrees
to the following objectives in terms of service standards for
CONSECO in supporting the marketing activities of LMG:
*Confidential
information omitted and filed separately with the SEC.
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Description
Turnaround Times
Best Efforts
No Later Than
Advertising
* hours
* hours unless state
approval is required
Contract forms
* business days
* business days
Marketing Materials
*-* business days
*-* business days
Education Materials
*-* business days
* business days
Market Conduct Materials
*-* business days
* business days
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2.5.
CONSECO shall provide LMG with written
notice of any change of authority of persons authorized and
enumerated in APPENDIX B to provide LMG with instructions or
directions relating to services to be performed by LMG under this
Agreement.
2.6.
During the term of this Agreement and for
a period of * (*) months immediately following the termination of
this Agreement between the parties, CONSECO or Conseco Companies
shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit or recruit to represent
CONSECO or Conseco Companies any LMG Wholesaler, Producer, or
employee, unless such Wholesaler or Producer was contracted and/or
appointed with CONSECO as of the date of this Agreement.
2.7.
CONSECO shall pay all license or royalty
fees for use of any intellectual property belonging to a Third
Party that is used with any Proprietary Products except to the
extent of any intellectual property used by LMG in connection with
performing its services pursuant to the Administrative Services
Agreement between the parties or this Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if this Agreement or the
Administrative Services Agreement terminates, and CONSECO desires
to process or perform any services for which LMG had previously
been responsible, CONSECO shall be required to obtain all licenses
and pay any royalty fees on its own behalf to the extent CONSECO
wishes to use such intellectual property.
2.8.
LMG will use commercially reasonable
efforts, employing reasonable and standard industry practices, to
collect outstanding debit balances (“Commercial Collection
Process”) from Wholesalers and Producers. If a debit
balance is not collected within * (*) months of the date it arises
and LMG has utilized its Commercial Collection Process, LMG shall
be responsible for the uncollected portion of any such debit
balance.
2.8.1.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the
debit balance results from the unilateral decision, action,
omission, or error of CONSECO or any CONSECO agent, CONSECO shall
be *% responsible for any such resulting uncollected debit balance.
The parties shall use their best efforts to discuss and
agree what, if any, charge-backs shall be made and/or collection
efforts LMG shall utilize in such instances.
*Confidential
information omitted and filed separately with the SEC.
Page 4 of 24
2.8.2.
Except for debit balances subject to
Section 2.8.1., the parties further agree that if the debit balance
results from a rescission ordered by a governmental entity or
otherwise imposed upon the parties, or considered by the parties in
resolution of any such action, the parties shall use their best
efforts to discuss and resolve the parties’ responsibility
for any such resulting uncollected debit balance. The
parties shall use their best efforts to discuss and agree what, if
any, charge-backs shall be made and/or collection efforts LMG shall
utilize in such instances.
2.9.
CONSECO shall be responsible for the cost
of filing the Proprietary Products Contract Forms with applicable
regulatory authorities including the costs of obtaining
“opinion letters” from counsel or any consulting fees
on such Proprietary Products. However, if LMG requests a separate
legal opinion letter or the use of a consultant for its exclusive
benefit separate from the joint product development process, LMG
will be solely responsible for all such costs or fees.
“Contract forms” shall include, but are not
limited to, master contract forms, riders, endorsements,
certificates, policies, notices, disclosures, applications,
amendments or administrative forms. Further, CONSECO shall have the
sole responsibility for drafting and the costs of any required
group trusts and LMG will assist in the drafting, completion
and preparation of filing of such policy (contract) forms if
requested by CONSECO. If CONSECO authorizes LMG to contract
with outside consultants to assist with the preparation of contract
forms or to expedite the state Department of Insurance approval
process, CONSECO shall reimburse LMG for such expenses.
2.10
CONSECO shall be responsible for ensuring
compliance with applicable laws regarding the Contracts
underwritten by it and any required interpretation of such
laws.
2.11
CONSECO shall dedicate the resources
necessary to bring the Proprietary Products to the market. In
any event, CONSECO agrees to use its best efforts to underwrite at
least one new Proprietary Product per contract year, or as
otherwise mutually agreed by the parties.
3.
RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF
LMG
3.1.
At all times during the term of this
Agreement, LMG (or the licensed individual who is acting on behalf
of LMG in the capacity of an Officer in such states that do not
permit the licensing of corporations) and all Wholesalers and
Producers shall be properly licensed with each state or other
jurisdiction and properly appointed with CONSECO in each state or
other jurisdiction within the Territory before engaging in any
activity that under the laws of such state or other jurisdiction
makes such licensing and appointment necessary. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, LMG shall require all such
Wholesalers and Producers to, at all times, bear the cost of
maintaining all licenses required by any such state, it being
understood that CONSECO is not responsible for licensing fees or
other costs of licensing.
*Confidential
information omitted and filed separately with the SEC.
Page 5 of 24
3.2
LMG will itself and will communicate to
and cause each Wholesaler and Producer to use only forms,
applications, advertising (as such term is generally defined by the
regulation of the state or other jurisdiction in which the
Proprietary Products are solicited), guides, and rules
furnishe