§ 515.526 Transactions involving blocked life insurance policies.

(a) The following transactions are hereby authorized:

(1) The payment of premiums and interest on policy loans with respect to any blocked life insurance policy;

(2) The issuance, servicing or transfer of any blocked life insurance policy in which the only blocked interest is that of one or more of the following:

(i) A member of the armed forces of the United States or a person accompanying such forces (including personnel of the American Red Cross, and similar organizations);

(ii) An officer or employee of the United States; or

(iii) A citizen of the United States resident in a designated foreign country; and

(3) The issuance, servicing or transfer of any blocked life insurance policy in which the only blocked interest (other than that of a person specified in paragraph (a)(2) of this section) is that of a beneficiary.

(b) Paragraph (a) of this section does not authorize:

(1) Any payment to the insurer from any blocked account except a blocked account of the insured or beneficiary, or

(2) Any payment by the insurer to a national of a designated foreign country unless payment is made by deposit in a blocked account in a domestic bank in the name of the national who is the ultimate beneficiary thereof.

(c) The application, in accordance with the provisions of the policy or the established practice of the insurer of the dividends, cash surrender value, or loan value, of any blocked life insurance policy is also hereby authorized for the purpose of:

(1) Paying premiums;

(2) Paying policy loans and interest thereon;

(3) Establishing paid-up insurance; or

(4) Accumulating such dividends or values to the credit of the policy on the books of the insurer.

(d) As used in this section:

(1) The term blocked life insurance policy shall mean any life insurance policy or annuity contract, or contract supplementary thereto, in which there is a blocked interest.

(2) Any interest of a national of a designated foreign country shall be deemed to be a “blocked interest.”

(3) The term servicing shall mean the following transactions with respect to any blocked life insurance policy:

(i) The payment of premiums, the payment of loan interest, and the repayment of policy loans;

(ii) The effecting by a life insurance company or other insurer of loans to an insured;

(iii) The effecting on behalf of an insured or surrenders, conversions, modifications, and reinstatements; and

(iv) The exercise or election by an insured of nonforfeiture options, optional modes of settlement, optional disposition of dividends, and other policy options and privileges not involving payment by the insurer.

(4) The term transfer shall mean the change of beneficiary, or the assignment or pledge of the interest of an insured in any blocked life insurance policy subsequent to the issuance thereof.

(e) This section does not authorize any transaction with respect to any blocked life insurance policy issued by a life insurance company or other insurer which is a national of a designated foreign country or which is not doing business or effecting insurance in the United States.