No policy of individual life insurance shall be delivered in this State unless it contains in substance the following provisions, or provisions that in the Commissioner’s opinion are more favorable to the person insured:

(1)        Grace period. – A provision that the insured is entitled to a grace period of 31 days for the payment of any premium due except the first, during which grace period the death benefit coverage shall continue in force. The policy may provide that if a claim arises under the policy during the grace period, the amount of any premium due or overdue may be deducted from any amount payable under the policy in settlement.

(2)        Incontestability. – A provision that the validity of the policy shall not be contested, except for nonpayment of premium, once it has been in force for two years after its date of issue; and that no statement made by any person insured under the policy about that person’s insurability shall be used during the person’s lifetime to contest the validity of the policy after the insurance has been in force for two years.

(3)        Misstatement of age or gender. – A provision specifying an equitable adjustment of premiums or benefits, or both, to be made if the age or gender of the person insured has been misstated; the provision to contain a clear statement of the method of adjustment to be used.

(4)        Suicide. – A provision that may not limit payment of benefits for a period more than two years after the date of issue of the policy because of suicide and that provides for at least the return of premiums paid on the policy if there is suicide during the two-year period.

(5)        Reinstatement. – A provision that, unless the policy has been surrendered for its cash surrender value, or its cash surrender value has been exhausted, the policy will be reinstated at any time within five years after the date of premium default upon written application therefor, the production of evidence of insurability satisfactory to the insurer, the payment of all overdue premiums, and the payment of reinstatement of any other indebtedness to the insurer upon the policy, all with interest at the rate specified. (1995, c. 517, s. 31(a).)

Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 58-58-22

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
  • Grace period: The number of days you'll have to pay your bill for purchases in full without triggering a finance charge. Source: Federal Reserve
  • Policy: means an individual or group life insurance policy, group life insurance certificate, group life insurance contract, or any other arrangement of life insurance affecting the rights of a resident of this State or bearing a reasonable relation to this State, regardless of whether delivered or issued for delivery in this State. See North Carolina General Statutes 58-58-205
  • Settlement: Parties to a lawsuit resolve their difference without having a trial. Settlements often involve the payment of compensation by one party in satisfaction of the other party's claims.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3