(A) The viatical settlement provider shall instruct the viator to send the executed documents required to effect the change in ownership, assignment, or change in beneficiary directly to the escrow agent. Within three business days after the date the escrow agent receives the documents, or from the date the viatical settlement provider receives the documents if the viator erroneously provides the documents directly to the viatical settlement provider, the viatical settlement provider shall pay or transfer the gross amount to be paid by the viatical settlement provider to the escrow agent for deposit in a trust or escrow account set up for that purpose by the escrow agent in a regulated financial institution. Upon payment of the settlement proceeds into the escrow or trust account, the escrow agent or trustee shall deliver the original change in ownership, assignment, or change in beneficiary forms to the viatical settlement provider, a representative of the viatical settlement provider, or related provider trust. Upon the escrow agent’s receipt of the acknowledgment of the properly completed transfer of ownership, assignment, or designation of beneficiary from the insurance company, the escrow agent shall pay the settlement proceeds to the viator and any other person pursuant to the viatical settlement contract and the escrow agreement. The escrow agent shall make payment within three business days of the date the escrow agent received the acknowledged forms from the insurance company. Funds are considered sent to a viator as of the date that the escrow agent either releases the funds for wire transfer to the viator or places a check for delivery to the viator via United States postal service or other nationally recognized delivery service.

Terms Used In Ohio Code 3916.09

  • Beneficiary: A person who is entitled to receive the benefits or proceeds of a will, trust, insurance policy, retirement plan, annuity, or other contract. Source: OCC
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Escrow: Money given to a third party to be held for payment until certain conditions are met.
  • Escrow agent: means an independent third-party person who, pursuant to a written agreement signed by the viatical settlement provider and viator, provides escrow services related to the acquisition of a policy pursuant to a viatical settlement contract. See Ohio Code 3916.01
  • person: means a natural person or a legal entity, including, but not limited to, an individual, partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, association, trust, business trust, or corporation. See Ohio Code 3916.01
  • Policy: means an individual or group policy, group certificate, or other contract or 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 Ohio Code 3916.01
  • Related provider trust: means a titling trust or any other trust established by a licensed viatical settlement provider or a financing entity for the sole purpose of holding ownership or beneficial interest in purchased policies in connection with a financing transaction, provided that the trust has a written agreement with the licensed viatical settlement provider under which the licensed viatical settlement provider is responsible for ensuring compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements and under which the trust agrees to make all records and files related to viatical settlement transactions available to the superintendent of insurance as if those records and files were maintained directly by the licensed viatical settlement provider. See Ohio Code 3916.01
  • 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.
  • Trustee: A person or institution holding and administering property in trust.
  • Viatical settlement contract: means any of the following:

    (a) A written agreement between a viator and a viatical settlement provider that establishes the terms under which compensation or anything of value, that is less than the expected death benefit of the policy is or will be paid in return for the viator's present or future assignment, transfer, sale, release, devise, or bequest of the death benefit or ownership of any portion of the policy or any beneficial interest in the policy or its ownership;

    (b) The transfer or acquisition for compensation or anything of value for ownership or beneficial interest in a trust or an interest in another person that owns such a policy if the trust or other person was formed or availed of for the principal purpose of acquiring one or more life insurance policies;

    (c) A premium finance loan made for a policy by a lender to a viator on, before, or after the date of issuance of the policy in either of the following situations:

    (i) The viator or the insured receives a guarantee of the viatical settlement value of the policy. See Ohio Code 3916.01

  • Viator: means the owner of a policy or a certificate holder under a group policy that has not previously been viaticated who, in return for compensation or anything of value that is less than the expected death benefit of the policy or certificate, assigns, transfers, sells, releases, devises, or bequests the death benefit or ownership of any portion of the policy or certificate of insurance. See Ohio Code 3916.01

(B) Failure to transfer the proceeds to the viator within the period of time disclosed pursuant to division (A)(1)(f) of section 3916.06 of the Revised Code renders the viatical settlement contract voidable by the viator for lack of consideration until the time consideration is tendered to and accepted by the viator. If a viatical settlement contract is voided by the viator pursuant to this division, ownership of the policy reverts to the viator or to the viator’s estate if the viator is deceased, irrespective of any transfer of ownership of the policy by the viator, viatical settlement provider, or any other person.

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