As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 1999
Registration No. 2-66295
811-2982
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
F O R M N-4
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Post-Effective Amendment No. 25 [ X ]
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
Amendment No. 25 [ X ]
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE VARIABLE ANNUITY FUND A
(Exact Name of Registrant)
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
(Name of Depositor)
95 Wall Street, 22nd Floor, New York, New York 10005
(Address of Depositor's Principal Executive Offices)
(212) 858-8200
(Depositor's Telephone Number, including Area Code)
Richard H. Gaebler, President
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
95 Wall Street, 22nd Floor
New York, New York 10005
(Name and Address of Agent For Service)
Copies of all communications to:
Freedman, Levy, Kroll & Simonds
1050 Connecticut Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20036-5366
Attn: Gary O. Cohen, Esq.
<PAGE>
Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: Continuous
It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check the appropriate
box):
|_| immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
|_| on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485
|X| 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
|_| on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 485
If appropriate, check the following box:
|_| this post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a
previously filed post-effective amendment
Title of Securities Being Registered: Units of interest in First Investors Life
Variable Annuity Fund A under deferred variable annuity contracts.
<PAGE>
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE VARIABLE ANNUITY FUND A
CROSS-REFERENCE SHEET
N-4 Item No. Location
- ------------ --------
PART A: PROSPECTUS
1. Cover Page..................................... Cover Page
2. Definitions.................................... Glossary of Special
Terms
3. Synopsis....................................... Fee Table
4. Condensed Financial Information................ Condensed Financial
Information
5. General Description of Registrant,
Depositor, and Portfolio Companies............ Overview, How the
Contracts Work, Who We
Are; The Contracts in
Detail, Allocation of
Net Purchase Payments
to Subaccount
6. Deductions and Expenses......................... Fee Table; The
Contracts in Detail,
Sales Charge Deducted
from Purchase
Payments, Mortality
and Expense Risk
Charges, Other Charges
7. General Description of Variable
Annuity Contracts.............................. Overview; The
Contracts in Detail;
Tax Information; Other
Information
8. Annuity Period.................................. Overview; The
Contracts in Detail,
The Annuity Period
9. Death Benefit................................... Overview; The
Contracts in Detail,
The Accumulation
Period, The Annuity
Period
10. Purchases and Contract Value.................... The Contracts in
Detail
11. Redemptions..................................... The Contracts in
Detail
12. Taxes........................................... Tax Information
13. Legal Proceedings............................... Not Applicable
14. Table of Contents of the Statement
of Additional Information...................... Table of Contents of
the Statement of
Additional Information
<PAGE>
PART B: STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
15. Cover Page...................................... Cover Page
16. Table of Contents............................... Table Of Contents
17. General Information and History................. General Description;
Other Information
18. Services........................................ Services
19. Purchase of Securities Being Offered............ Purchase of Securities
20. Underwriters.................................... Services
21. Calculation of Performance Data................. Performance
Information
22. Annuity Payments................................ Annuity Payments
23. Financial Statements............................ Relevance of Financial
Statements;
Financial Statements
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
Information required to be included in Part C is set forth under the appropriate
item so numbered, in Part C hereof.
<PAGE>
INDIVIDUAL VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACTS
OFFERED BY
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
("FIRST INVESTORS LIFE")
THROUGH
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE VARIABLE ANNUITY FUND A ("SEPARATE ACCOUNT A")
95 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005/(212) 858-8200
This Prospectus describes deferred Variable Annuity Contracts (the
"Contracts") that First Investors Life is offering you the opportunity to
accumulate capital, on a tax-deferred basis, for retirement or other long-term
purposes and thereafter to annuitize your accumulated cash value if you so
elect. If you so elect, the Contracts offer several options under which you can
receive annuity payments for life.
The Contracts invest, through Separate Account A, in the First Investors
Special Bond Fund, Inc. ("Special Bond Fund"). The amount you accumulate depends
upon the performance of Separate Account A. You bear all of the investment risk,
which means that you could lose money.
The Internal Revenue Service may assess a penalty on early withdrawal. The
Contracts provide you with a 10-day revocation right.
Please read this prospectus and keep it for future reference. It contains
important information that you should know before buying a Contract. We filed a
Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"), dated April 30, 1999, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. We incorporate the SAI by reference into
this prospectus. See page 23 of this prospectus for the SAI Table of Contents.
You can get a free SAI by contacting us at the address or telephone number shown
above.
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved
these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This prospectus is valid only if attached to the current prospectus of
First Investors Special Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund").
The date of this Prospectus is April 30, 1999
<PAGE>
TABLE OF CONTENTS*
VARIABLE ANNUITY PROSPECTUS
Item Page
----
GLOSSARY OF SPECIAL TERMS...............................................
FEE TABLE...............................................................
CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION.........................................
OVERVIEW................................................................
How the Contracts Work...............................................
Who We Are...........................................................
Who Should Consider Purchasing a Contract............................
Risk and Reward Considerations.......................................
THE CONTRACTS IN DETAIL.................................................
Purchase Payments....................................................
Sales Charge Deducted from Purchase Payments.........................
Mortality and Expense Risk Charges...................................
Other Charges........................................................
The Accumulation Period..............................................
Exchange Privilege...................................................
The Annuity Period...................................................
Ten-Day Revocation Right.............................................
TAX INFORMATION.........................................................
General..............................................................
Non-Qualified Contracts..............................................
Qualified Plan Contracts.............................................
Withholding..........................................................
Our Tax Status.......................................................
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION.................................................
OTHER INFORMATION.......................................................
Voting Rights........................................................
Reservation of Rights................................................
Distribution of Contracts............................................
Year 2000............................................................
Financial Statements.................................................
- -----------------------------
*A Table of Contents for the Special Bond Fund prospectus can be found at page
__ of that prospectus.
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<PAGE>
GLOSSARY OF SPECIAL TERMS
ACCUMULATED VALUE - The value of all the Accumulation Units credited to the
Contract.
ACCUMULATION PERIOD - The period between the date of issue of a Contract
and the Annuity Commencement Date.
ACCUMULATION UNIT - A unit that measures the value of a Contractowner's
interest in Separate Account A before the Annuity Commencement Date.
ADDITIONAL PAYMENT - A Purchase Payment made to First Investors Life after
issuance of a Contract.
ANNUITANT - The person who is designated to receive annuity payments or who
is actually receiving annuity payments.
ANNUITY COMMENCEMENT DATE - The date on which we begin making annuity
payments.
ANNUITY UNIT - A unit that determines the amount of each annuity payment
after the first annuity payment.
BENEFICIARY - The person who is designated to receive any benefits under a
Contract upon the death of the Annuitant or the Contractowner.
CONTRACT - An individual variable annuity contract offered by this
Prospectus.
CONTRACTOWNER - The person or entity with legal rights of ownership of the
Contract.
FIXED ANNUITY - An annuity with annuity payments that remain fixed as to
dollar amount throughout the payment period.
GENERAL ACCOUNT - All assets of First Investors Life other than those
allocated to Separate Account A and other segregated investment accounts of
First Investors Life.
JOINT ANNUITANT - The designated second person under a joint and survivor
life annuity.
PURCHASE PAYMENT - A payment made to First Investors Life to purchase a
Contract.
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A - The segregated investment account entitled "First
Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A," established by First Investors Life
pursuant to applicable law and registered as a unit investment trust under the
Investment Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act").
VALUATION DATE - Any date on which the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is
open for regular trading. Each Valuation Date ends as of the close of regular
trading on the NYSE (normally 4:00 P.M., Eastern Time). The NYSE currently
observes the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Day,
Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
VALUATION PERIOD - The period beginning at the end of any Valuation Date
and extending to the end of the next Valuation Date.
VARIABLE ANNUITY - An annuity with annuity payments that vary in dollar
amount, in accordance with the net investment experience of Separate Account A,
throughout the payment period.
WE (AND OUR) - First Investors Life.
YOU (AND YOUR) - The prospective Contractowner.
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<PAGE>
FEE TABLE
The tables below are provided to help you understand the various charges
and expenses you will directly or indirectly bear in purchasing a Contract. They
reflect the charges and expenses of Separate Account A, as well as the Fund in
which Separate Account A invests. The tables reflect expenses expected to be
incurred in 1999.
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A EXPENSES
Contractowner Transaction Expenses
- ----------------------------------
Maximum Sales Load Imposed on Purchases (as a percentage of Purchase
Payments)............................................................... 7.00%
Separate Account A Annual Expenses
- ----------------------------------
(as a percentage of average account value)
Mortality and Expense Risk Charges...................................... 0.75%
Other Charges........................................................... 0.00%
-----
Total Separate Account A Annual Expenses................................ 0.75%
FUND ANNUAL EXPENSES
(as a percentage of Fund average net assets)
Management Fees.................................................... 0.75%
Other Expenses..................................................... 0.11%
-----
Total Fund Operating Expenses ..................................... 0.86%*
* The Fund has an expense offset arrangement that may reduce the Fund's
custodian fee based on the amount of cash maintained by the Fund with its
custodian. We do not reflect these fee reductions under Total Fund Operating
Expenses.
For more complete descriptions of the various charges and expenses shown in
the Fee Table, please refer to "THE CONTRACTS IN DETAIL -- Sales Charge,
Mortality and Expense Risk Charges, and Other Charges." We may deduct an
administrative charge if the Accumulated Value of a Contract is less than $1,500
(see "Administrative Charge"). In addition, Premium taxes may be applicable (see
"Other Charges").
EXAMPLE
If you surrender your Contract
(or if you annuitize)at the end
of the period shown, you would pay the
following expenses on a $1,000 investment,
assuming 5% annual return on assets:......... 1 year 3 years 5 years 10 years
------ ------- ------- --------
$[ ] $[ ] $[ ] $[ ]
YOU SHOULD NOT CONSIDER THE EXPENSES IN THE EXAMPLE A REPRESENTATION OF
PAST OR FUTURE EXPENSES. ACTUAL EXPENSES IN FUTURE YEARS MAY BE GREATER OR LESS
THAN THOSE SHOWN.
4
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CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ACCUMULATION UNIT VALUES
This table shows the accumulation unit values and the number of
accumulation units outstanding for Separate Account A for the last ten fiscal
years.
Accumulation Number of
At Unit Value($) Accumulation Units
----------------- ------------- ------------------
December 31, 1989 2.08689 40,781,044.9
December 31, 1990 1.88053 28,318,605.0
December 31, 1991 2.53391 19,910,946.0
December 31, 1992 2.88323 15,144,947.0
December 31, 1993 3.38150 12,724,736.0
December 31, 1994 3.31907 11,057,783.2
December 31, 1995 3.97815 9,552,100.7
December 31, 1996 4.46562 8,254,269.6
December 31, 1997 4.91727 7,334,261.6
December 31, 1998
OVERVIEW
This overview highlights some basic information about the Variable Annuity
Contract offered by First Investors Life Insurance Company ("First Investors
Life", "We", "Us", or "Our") in this prospectus. We sell Separate Account A
Contracts with a front-end sales charge. The Contracts invest in Separate
Account A. You will find more information about the Contracts on pages 7 through
15 of this Prospectus.
HOW THE CONTRACTS WORK
Like all variable annuity contracts, the Contract has two phases: an
accumulation period and an annuity income period. During the accumulation
period, earnings on your investment accumulate on a tax-deferred basis. The
annuity income period begins when you start to receive annuity income payments.
You can select one of several annuity income payment options. The amount of your
annuity payments will vary with the performance of Separate Account A as well as
the type of annuity option you choose
During the accumulation period, the amount of money you accumulate in your
Contract depends on the performance of Separate Account A. You can gain or lose
money if you invest in the Contract. Separate Account A invests at net asset
value in shares of the Special Bond Fund.
The Contract provides a guaranteed death benefit that we pay to a
designated beneficiary when the Annuitant dies. The Separate Account A Contract
guarantees that the beneficiary will receive the greater of (i) the total
Purchase Payments less any withdrawals or (ii) the Accumulated Value of the
Contract at the time of death.
WHO WE ARE
First Investors Life Insurance Company
--------------------------------------
First Investors Life, 95 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005 is a stock
life insurance company incorporated in New York in 1962. We write life
insurance, annuities and accident and health insurance. First Investors
Consolidated Corporation ("FICC"), a holding company, owns all of the voting
common stock of First Investors Management Company, Inc. and all of the
outstanding stock of First Investors Life, First Investors Corporation ("FIC" or
"Underwriter") and Administrative Data Management Corp., the transfer agent for
the Life Series Fund. Mr. Glenn O. Head, Chairman of FICC, controls FICC and,
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<PAGE>
therefore, controls the First Investors Management Company, Inc. and First
Investors Life.
Separate Account A
------------------
First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A ("Separate Account A") was
established on September, 1979 under New York Insurance Law.
Separate Account A is a registered unit investment trust with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). This registration does not involve
SEC supervision or the management or investment practices or policies of
Separate Account A.
We segregate the assets of Separate Account A from our other assets. We
cannot charge liabilities arising out of our other businesses against that
portion of Separate Account A's assets that is approximately equal to Contract
reserves and liabilities. We credit to, or charge against, Separate Account A
realized and unrealized income, gains and losses without regard to our other
income, gains and losses. The obligations under the Contracts are our
obligations.
Separate Account A invests, at net asset value, in shares of the Special
Bond Fund. Separate Account A reinvests all distributions received from the Fund
in additional shares of the Fund at net asset value. Separate Account A may make
deductions for charges and expenses by redeeming the number of equivalent Fund
shares at net asset value. We value Fund shares that we hold in Separate Account
A at their net asset values.
The Special Bond Fund
---------------------
The Special Bond Fund is a diversified open-end management investment
company (commonly known as a "mutual fund") registered with the SEC under the
1940 Act. Registration of the Fund does not involve supervision by the SEC of
the management or investment practices or policies of the Fund. The Fund offers
its shares only through the purchase of our variable annuity contracts. It does
not offer its shares directly to the general public. The Fund reserves the right
to offer its shares to other separate accounts of ours or directly to us.
First Investors Management Company, Inc. (the "Adviser"), an affiliate of
First Investors Life, is the investment adviser of the Fund. The Adviser
supervises and manages the investments and operations of the Fund. The Adviser
is a New York corporation located at 95 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005.
WHO SHOULD CONSIDER PURCHASING A CONTRACT
The Contract allows you to accumulate money on a tax-deferred basis for
retirement or other long-term goals and thereafter to annuitize the accumulated
value of your Contract if you wish. Generally, the higher your tax bracket, the
more you will benefit from the tax-deferred feature of the Contract. You should
not purchase a Contract if you are looking for a short-term investment or if you
cannot take the risk of receiving less money than you paid for the Contract. You
may want to consult a tax advisor or other professional before you purchase a
Contract.
RISK AND REWARD CONSIDERATIONS
The Contracts offer you the opportunity to benefit on a tax deferred
basis from the performance of an underlying investment portfolio or Subaccount.
However, there are several important factors that you should consider before
making a decision to purchase a Contract:
1. You bear all of the investment risk of the underlying investment
portfolio. You should therefore carefully review the prospectus for the Special
Bond Fund. It explains the Fund's investment objectives, primary investment
strategies, and primary risks.
6
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2. The Contracts are generally not appropriate choices for the
investment of money that you will need in the short term. You should therefore
only invest money that you will not need in the short term.
3. If you are considering purchasing a Contract inside of an individual
retirement account or qualified retirement plan, you should know that the same
tax benefits are available whether you invest in mutual funds or variable
annuities and that variable annuities generally have higher cost structures than
those of mutual funds. The variable annuity's death benefit should be an
important factor if you select a variable annuity.
4. Like other financial services organizations, First Investors Life and
its affiliates could experience problems in processing policy-related requests
and rendering other services if the computers or other systems on which they
rely are not properly programmed to operate after January 1, 2000. (See "OTHER
INFORMATION--Year 2000" for more information.)
THE CONTRACTS IN DETAIL
The Contract is a variable annuity contract which provides you with the
opportunity to accumulate capital on a tax deferred basis by investing in
Separate Account A and thereafter annuitizing your accumulated cash value if you
wish. We offer the Contract in states where we have the authority to issue the
Contract. We designed the Contract to provide lifetime annuity payments to
Annuitants according to several annuity options. The amount of annuity payments
will vary with the investment performance of Separate Account A as well as the
type of annuity you select. The Contract obligates us to make payments for the
lifetime of the Annuitant in accordance with the annuity rates in the Contract,
regardless of actual mortality experience (see "The Annuity Period"). On the
death of the Annuitant before the Annuity Commencement Date, we pay a death
benefit to the Beneficiary whom you designate. For a discussion of the amount
and manner of payment of this benefit, see "Death of Annuitant During the
Accumulation Period."
You may surrender all or a portion of the Accumulated Value during the
Accumulation Period. For a discussion on withdrawals during the Accumulation
Period, see "Surrender and Termination (Redemption) During the Accumulation
Period." For Federal income tax consequences of a withdrawal, see "Tax
Information." The exercise of any Contract right, including the right to make a
withdrawal during the Accumulation Period, is subject to the terms and
conditions of any qualified trust or plan under which the Contracts are
purchased. This Prospectus contains no information concerning such trust or
plan.
We reserve the right to amend the Contracts to meet the requirements of the
1940 Act or other applicable Federal or state laws or regulations.
Contractowners with any inquiries concerning their account should write to
us at our Home Office, 95 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005.
PURCHASE PAYMENTS
Your initial Purchase Payment must be at least $2,000. You may make
Additional Payments under the Contract of at least $200 at any time after
Contract issuance.
We credit your initial Purchase Payment (less any charges) to a your
Account on the Valuation Date that we receive it, provided that we have received
a properly completed application. We credit an Additional Payment to your
Account on the Valuation Date that we receive it. If we receive an incomplete
application from you, you must provide us with all required information not
later than five business days following the receipt of such application.
Otherwise, we will return the Purchase Payment to you at the end of such
five-day period.
Your Purchase Payments buy Accumulation Units of Separate Account A and not
shares of the Fund in which Separate Account A invests. We allocate Purchase
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Payments to Separate Account A based on the next computed value of an
Accumulation Unit following receipt at our Home Office or other designated
office. We value Accumulation Units at the end of each Valuation Date (I.E., as
of the close of regular trading on the NYSE, normally 4:00 P.M., Eastern Time).
SALES CHARGE DEDUCTED FROM PURCHASE PAYMENTS
We intend the sales charge to cover expenses relating to the sale of the
Contracts, including commissions paid to persons distributing the Contracts.
Discounts are available on larger purchases. Moreover, when you make an
Additional Payment after the issuance of the Contract, you are entitled to a
credit for all prior payments in computing the sales charge percentage. In other
words, you pay the sales charge percentage that reflects: (a) the total amount
of all Purchase Payments previously made plus (b) the amount of the Additional
Payment being made.
Deduction Table
Sales Charge as % of
---------------------- Concession to
Offering Net Amount Dealers as % of
Amount of Purchase Payment(s) Price* Invested Offering Price
Less than $25,000................. 7.00% 7.53% 5.75%
$25,000 but under $50,000......... 6.25 6.67 5.17
$50,000 but under $100,000........ 4.75 4.99 3.93
$100,000 but under $250,000....... 3.50 3.63 2.90
$250,000 but under $500,000....... 2.50 2.56 2.19
$500,000 but under $1,000,000..... 2.00 2.04 1.67
$1,000,000 or over................ 1.50 1.52 1.24
* Assumes that we have deducted no Premium taxes.
We do not impose a sales charge for Contracts sold to (a) officers and
full-time employees of First Investors Life or its affiliates who have been
employed for at least one year, or (b) our agents who have been under contract
for at least one year.
MORTALITY AND EXPENSE RISK CHARGES
The mortality risk that we assume arises from our obligation to continue to
make Fixed or Variable Annuity payments, determined in accordance with the other
provisions of the Contracts, to each Annuitant regardless of (a) how long that
person lives and (b) how long all payees as a group live. This assures an
Annuitant that neither the Annuitant's own longevity nor an improvement in life
expectancy generally will have any adverse effect on the variable annuity
payments the Annuitant will receive under the Contract. Moreover, these factors
may reduce the risk that the Annuitant will outlive the funds that the Annuitant
has accumulated for retirement. We also assume mortality risk because of our
guarantee of a minimum payment in the event of the death prior to the Annuity
Commencement Date of the Annuitant prior to the Annuity Commencement Date. In
addition, we assume the risk that the charges for administrative expenses may
not be adequate to cover such expenses. We will not increase the amount we
charge for administrative expenses. In consideration for our assumption of these
mortality and expense risks, we deduct an amount equal, on an annual basis, to
0.75% of the daily Accumulation Unit value of Separate Account A. Of this
charge, approximately 0.60% is for assuming the mortality risk, and 0.15% is for
assuming the expense risk.
We guarantee that we will not increase the mortality and expense risk charges
during the term of any Contract. If the charges are insufficient to cover the
actual cost of the mortality and expense risks, the loss will fall on us.
Conversely, if the deductions prove more than sufficient, the excess will be a
profit to us. We can use any profits resulting to us from over-estimates of the
actual costs of the mortality and expense risks for any business purpose,
including the payment of expenses of distributing the Contracts. These profits
will not remain in Separate Account A.
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OTHER CHARGES
Administrative Charge
---------------------
We may deduct an administrative charge of $7.50 annually from the
Accumulated Value of Contracts that have an Accumulated Value of less than
$1,500 due to partial surrenders. These charges are to compensate us for
expenses involved in administering small accounts. If the actual expenses exceed
charges, we will bear the loss.
Premium Tax Charge
------------------
Some states assess Premium taxes at the time you:
o make Purchase Payments,
o surrender, or
o begin receiving annuity payments.
We currently advance any Premium taxes due at the time you make Purchase
Payments and then deduct Premium taxes from the Accumulated Value of the
Contract at the time of surrender, on death of the Annuitant or when annuity
payments begin. However, we reserve the right to deduct Premium taxes when
incurred. See "Appendix I" for Premium tax table.
Expenses
--------
Total Separate Account A expenses for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1998 amounted to $__________ or _____% of average net assets for Separate
Account A. The Special Bond Fund has expenses that it pays out of its assets.
THE ACCUMULATION PERIOD
Crediting Accumulation Units
----------------------------
During the Accumulation Period, we credit Purchase Payments on the
Contracts to the Contractowner's Individual Account in the form of Accumulation
Units. We determine the number of Accumulation Units that we credit to a
Contractowner for Separate Account A by dividing (a) the Purchase Payment (less
any charges) by (b) the value of an Accumulation Unit for Separate Account A. We
make this valuation after we receive the Purchase Payment at our Home Office or
other designated office.
The value of the Contractowner's Individual Account varies with the value
of the assets of Separate Account A. The investment performance of Separate
Account A and the expenses and deduction of certain charges affect the value of
an Accumulation Unit. There is no assurance that the value of your Individual
Account will equal or exceed Purchase Payments. We determine your Individual
Account for a Valuation Period by multiplying (a) the total number of
Accumulation Units we credit to Separate Account A by (b) the value of an
Accumulation Unit for Separate Account A for the Valuation Period.
Death of Annuitant During the Accumulation Period
-------------------------------------------------
If the Annuitant dies before the Annuity Commencement Date, we pay a Death
Benefit to the Beneficiary you have designated. We make this payment when we
receive (a) a death certificate or similar proof of the death of the Annuitant
("Due Proof of Death") and (b) a First Investors Life Claimant's Statement that
includes notification of the Beneficiary's election to receive payment in either
a single sum settlement or an Annuity Option. We determine the value of the
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Death Benefit as of the next computed value of the Accumulation Units following
our receipt of written notification of death at our Home Office or other
designated office.
If you do not elect payment of the Death Benefit under one of the Annuity
Options before the Annuitant's death, the Beneficiary may elect to have the
Death Benefit (a) paid in a single sum, (b) applied to provide an annuity under
one of the Annuity Options or (c) as we otherwise permit. If the Beneficiary
elects a single sum settlement, we pay the amount of the Death Benefit within
seven days of receipt of Due Proof of Death and a Claimant's statement.
If the Beneficiary wants an Annuity Option, the Beneficiary will have up to
60 days commencing with the date of our receipt of Due Proof of Death to select
an Annuity Option. If the Beneficiary does not make a selection by the end of
the 60-day period, we pay a single sum settlement to the Beneficiary. If the
Beneficiary selects any Annuity Option, the Annuity Commencement Date is the
date specified in the election. That date may be no later than 60 days after
receipt by us of Due Proof of Death.
The amount of the Death Benefit payable upon the death of the Annuitant
will be the greater of (a) the total Purchase Payments less withdrawals or (b)
the Accumulated Value.
Death Benefit During Annuity Period
-----------------------------------
On receipt of Due Proof of Death of the Annuitant after annuity payments have
begun under an Annuity Option, we make any remaining payments under the Annuity
Option to the Beneficiary as provided by the Annuity Option.
Unless otherwise provided in the Beneficiary designation, if no Beneficiary
survives the Annuitant, the proceeds will be paid in one sum to the
Contractowner, if living; otherwise, to the Contractowner's estate.
Death of Contractowner During the Accumulation Period
-----------------------------------------------------
If the Contractowner dies before we have distributed the entire interest in
the Contract, we must distribute the value of the Contract to the Beneficiary as
provided below. Otherwise, the Contract will not qualify as an annuity under
Section 72 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"). The
entire interest of the Contractowner is the Accumulated Value of the Contract.
If the death of the Contractowner occurs before the Annuity Commencement
Date, we distribute the entire interest in the Contract to the Beneficiary (a)
within five years, or (b) beginning within one year of death, over a period not
longer than the life or life expectancy of the Beneficiary. If the Contract is
payable to (or for the benefit of) the Contractowner's surviving spouse, we need
not make any distribution. The surviving spouse may continue the Contract as the
new Contractowner. If the Contractowner is also the Annuitant, the spouse has
the right to become the Annuitant under the Contract. Likewise, if the Annuitant
dies and the Contractowner is not a natural person, the Annuitant's surviving
spouse has the right to become the Contractowner and the Annuitant.
Surrender and Termination (Redemption) During the Accumulation Period
---------------------------------------------------------------------
You may elect, at any time before the earlier of the Annuity Commencement
Date or the death of the Annuitant, to surrender the Contract for all or any
part of your Individual Account. In the event of the termination of the Contract
and on due surrender of the Contract at our Home Office or other designated
office, we pay you the Accumulated Value of the Contract.
We deduct any amount you request as a partial surrender from Separate
Account A. This results in a corresponding reduction in the number of
Accumulation Units credited to you in Separate Account A. For any total or
partial surrender, we base the deduction on the next computed value of an
Accumulation Unit following our receipt of a written request at our Home Office
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or other designated office. We may defer any such payment for a period of not
more than seven days. However, we may postpone such payment during any period
when:
o trading on the NYSE is restricted as the SEC determines or the NYSE is
closed for other than weekends and holidays;
o the SEC has by order permitted such suspension; or
o any emergency, as defined by SEC rules, exists when the sale of
portfolio securities or calculation of securities is not reasonably
practicable.
For information as to Federal tax consequences of surrenders, see "Tax
Information." For information as to Premium tax consequences, see "Other
Charges."
EXCHANGE PRIVILEGE
At any time prior to the Annuity Commencement Date, you may exchange
Separate Account A Contracts for First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund C
("Separate Account C") Contracts, at the next computed values of the respective
Accumulation Units of the two Separate Accounts. Although there is no charge for
this exchange, Contractowners who exchange from Separate Account A to Separate
Account C will be required to execute a change of contract form. This form
states that we deduct a daily charge equal to an annual rate of 1.00% of the
daily Accumulation Unit value of Separate Account C as a charge for mortality
and expense risks. Contractowners are advised to read the Prospectus of Separate
Account C, which may be obtained free of charge from First Investors Life,
before exchanging Separate Account A Contracts for Separate Account C Contracts.
We may modify or terminate this exchange privilege at any time.
THE ANNUITY PERIOD
Commencement Date
-----------------
Annuity payments begin on the Annuity Commencement Date you select when you
buy a Contract. You may elect in writing to advance or defer the Annuity
Commencement Date, not later than 30 days before the Annuity Commencement Date.
You may defer the Annuity Commencement Date until the first day of the calendar
month after the Annuitant's 85th birthday or, if state law permits, 90th
birthday. If you elect no other date, annuity payments will commence on the
Contract anniversary date after the Annuitant's 85th birthday, or, if state law
permits, 90th birthday.
If the net Accumulated Value on the Annuity Commencement Date is less than
$2,000, we may pay such value in one sum in lieu of annuity payments. If the net
Accumulated Value is $2,000 or more, but the variable annuity payments are less
than $20, we may change the frequency of annuity payments to intervals that will
result in payments of at least $20.
Assumed Investment Rate
-----------------------
We build a 3.5% assumed investment rate into the Contract's Annuity Tables
which are used to determine the amount of the monthly annuity payments. A higher
rate would mean a higher initial payment but more slowly rising and more rapidly
falling subsequent Variable Annuity payments. A lower rate would have the
opposite effect. If the actual net investment rate of Separate Account A is at
the annual rate of 3.5%, the Variable Annuity payments will be level. A Fixed
Annuity features annuity payments that remain fixed as to dollar amount
throughout the payment period and an assumed interest rate of 3.5% per year
built into the Annuity Tables in the Contract.
Annuity Options
---------------
You may elect to receive payments under any one of the Annuity Options in
the Contract. You may make this election at any time up to 30 days before the
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Annuity Commencement Date on written notice to us at our Home Office or other
designated office. If no election is in effect on the Annuity Commencement Date,
we will make annuity payments on a variable basis only under Annuity Option 3
below, Life Annuity with 120 Monthly Payments Guaranteed. This is the Basic
Annuity.
The material factors that determine the level of your annuity benefits are:
o the value of your Individual Account described in this Prospectus
before the Annuity Commencement Date;
o the Annuity Option you select;
o the frequency and duration of annuity payments;
o the sex and adjusted age of the Annuitant and any Joint Annuitant at
the Annuity Commencement Date; and,
o in the case of a variable annuity, the investment performance of
Separate Account A.
On the Annuity Commencement Date, we apply the Accumulated Value, reduced
by any applicable Premium taxes not previously deducted, to provide (a) the
Basic Annuity or (b) if you have elected an Annuity Option, one of the Annuity
Options we describe below.
The Contracts provide for the six Annuity Options described below:
Option 1 - LIFE ANNUITY payable monthly during the lifetime of the
Annuitant, ceasing with the last payment due before the death of the Annuitant.
If you elect this Option, annuity payments terminate automatically and
immediately on the death of the Annuitant without regard to the number or total
amount of payments received.
Option 2a - JOINT AND SURVIVOR LIFE ANNUITY payable monthly during the
joint lifetime of the Annuitant and the Joint Annuitant and continuing
thereafter during the lifetime of the survivor, ceasing with the last payment
due before the death of the survivor.
Option 2b - JOINT AND TWO-THIRDS TO SURVIVOR LIFE ANNUITY payable monthly
during the joint lifetime of the Annuitant and the Joint Annuitant and
continuing thereafter during the lifetime of the survivor at an amount equal to
two-thirds of the joint annuity payment, ceasing with the last payment due
before the death of the survivor.
Option 2c - JOINT AND ONE-HALF TO SURVIVOR LIFE ANNUITY payable monthly
during the joint lifetime of the Annuitant and the Joint Annuitant and
continuing thereafter during the lifetime of the survivor at an amount equal to
one-half of the joint annuity payment, ceasing with the last payment due before
the death of the survivor.
Under Annuity Options 2a, 2b and 2c, annuity payments terminate
automatically and immediately on the deaths of both the Annuitant and the Joint
Annuitant without regard to the number or total amount of payments received.
Option 3 - LIFE ANNUITY WITH 60, 120 OR 240 MONTHLY PAYMENTS GUARANTEED
payable monthly during the lifetime of the Annuitant, with the guarantee that
if, at his or her death, we have made payments for less than 60, 120 or 240
monthly periods, as elected, we make payments as follows:
o We continue to pay to the Beneficiary any guaranteed payments during
the remainder of the selected period. Pursuant to the 1940 Act, the
Beneficiary may, at any time, elect to have us compute the present
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value of the guaranteed number of annuity payments, as specified
immediately below, and pay that present value in a lump sum.
o If a Beneficiary receiving annuity payments under this Option dies
after the death of the Annuitant, we make the following calculation.
As of the Valuation Period in which we receive notice of death of the
Beneficiary at our Home Officer or other designated office, we compute
the present value of the guaranteed number of annuity payments
remaining after receipt of such notice. These payments will be equal
to the payments that the deceased Beneficiary would have received had
the Beneficiary not died. We compute this value at the effective
annual interest rate assumed in determining the Annuity Tables, and
pay it in a lump sum in accordance with the Contract.
Option 4 - UNIT REFUND LIFE ANNUITY payable monthly during the lifetime of
the Annuitant, terminating with the last payment due before the death of the
Annuitant. We make an additional annuity payment to the Beneficiary equal to the
following. We take the Annuity Unit value of Separate Account A as of the date
we receive notice of death in writing at our Home Office or other designated
office. We multiply that value by the excess, if any, of (a) over (b). For this
purpose, (a) is (i) the net Accumulated Value we allocate to Separate Account A
and apply under the option at the Annuity Commencement Date, divided by (ii) the
corresponding Annuity Unit Value as of the Annuity Commencement Date, and (b) is
the product of (i) the number of Annuity Units applicable under Separate Account
A represented by each annuity payment and (ii) the number of annuity payments
made. (For an illustration of this calculation, see Appendix II, Example A, in
the Statement of Additional Information.)
Annuity Election
----------------
You may elect to have the net Accumulated Value applied at the Annuity
Commencement Date to provide a Fixed Annuity, a Variable Annuity, or any
combination thereof. After the Annuity Commencement Date, we allow no transfers
or redemptions where we are making payments based on life contingencies. You
must make these elections in writing to us at our Home Office or other
designated office at least 30 days before the Annuity Commencement Date. In the
absence of an election, we make annuity payments on a variable basis only under
Annuity Option 3 above. Option 3 is the Basic Annuity, a Life Annuity with 120
Monthly Payments Guaranteed.
Annuity Commencement Date Exchange Privilege
--------------------------------------------
If you fully surrender this Contract during the one-year period preceding
its Annuity Commencement Date, you can use the proceeds to purchase Class A
shares of First Investors mutual funds without incurring a sales charge.
Death of Contractowner During the Annuity Period
------------------------------------------------
If the death of the Contractowner occurs on or after the Annuity
Commencement Date, we distribute the entire interest in the Contract at least as
rapidly as under the Annuity Option in effect on the date of death.
TEN-DAY REVOCATION RIGHT
You may elect to cancel the Contract, (a) within ten days from the date the
Contract is delivered to you or (b) longer as applicable state law requires. We
will cancel the Contract after we receive from you (a) the Contract and (b) a
written request for cancellation, at our Home Office or other designated office.
We will pay you an amount equal to the sum of (a) the difference between the
Purchase Payments made under the Contract and the amount allocated to Separate
Account A under the Contract and (b) the Accumulated Value of the Contract on
the date of surrender. The amount we refund to you may be more or less than your
initial Purchase Payment depending on the investment results of Separate Account
A. Some states require a full refund of premiums. In those states, if the
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Contractowner elects to cancel the Contract under the ten-day revocation right,
the Contractowner will receive a full refund of the Purchase Payment.
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TAX INFORMATION
General
We base this discussion on our understanding of the federal income tax law
and interpretations in effect on the date of this Prospectus. The discussion
assumes that the contractowner is a natural person who is a U.S. citizen and
U.S. resident. The tax effect on corporate taxpayers, non-U.S. citizens, and
non-U.S. residents may be different. That law and interpretations could change,
possibly retroactively. The discussion is general in nature. We do not intend it
as tax advice, for which you should consult a qualified tax adviser.
We discuss only federal income taxes and not state or other taxes.
Taxation of the Contracts will depend, in part, on whether the Contract is
purchased outside of a qualified retirement plan or an individual retirement
account ("Non-Qualified Contracts") or as part of an individual retirement
account or qualified plan ("Qualified Contracts").
NON-QUALIFIED CONTRACTS
Purchase Payments
-----------------
Your Purchase Payments under a Non-Qualified Contract are not deductible from
your gross income for tax purposes.
Increases in Accumulated Value Before Distribution from Contract
----------------------------------------------------------------
Generally, there is no tax on increases in your Contract's Accumulated Value
until there is a distribution from a Non-Qualified Contract. A distribution
could include a surrender or an annuity payment. However, the Contractowner is
subject to tax on such increases, even before a distribution, in the following
two situations:
o The Contractowner is not a natural person, subject to exceptions.
o The investments of Separate Account A do not meet certain
diversification or "investor controls" tests, discussed below.
Annuity Payments
----------------
Once annuity payments begin, a portion of each payment is taxable as
ordinary income. The remaining portion is a nontaxable recovery of your
investment in the contract. Generally, your investment in the Contract equals
the Purchase Payments you made, less any amounts you previously withdrew that
were not taxable.
For fixed annuity payments, the tax-free portion of each payment is
determined by:
o dividing your investment in the Contract by the total amount you
expect to receive out of the Contract and
o multiplying the result by the amount of the payment.
For Variable Annuity payments, the tax-free portion of each payment is (a)
your investment in the Contract divided by (b) the number of expected payments.
The remaining portion of each payment, and all of the payments you receive
after you recover your investment in the Contract, are fully taxable. If
payments under a life annuity stop because the Annuitant dies, there is an
income tax deduction for any unrecovered investment in the contract.
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Distributions Other than Annuity Payments
-----------------------------------------
Before annuity payments begin, the Code taxes distributions from
Non-Qualified Contracts as follows:
o a total or partial surrender is taxed in the year of receipt to the
extent that the Contract's Accumulated Value exceeds the investment in
the Contract;
o a loan under, or an assignment or pledge of, a Contract is taxed in
the same manner as a partial or total surrender;
o a penalty equal to 10% of the taxable distribution applies to
distributions before the taxpayer's age 59-1/2, subject to certain
exceptions; and
o the Code treats all Contracts that we issue to you in the same
calendar year as a single Contract. Consequently, you should consult
your tax advisor before buying more than one Contract in any calendar
year.
Diversification and Control Tests
---------------------------------
Separate Account A must meet the Code's investment diversification test. It
meets the test if:
o the Fund in which Separate Account A invests is diversified according
to certain limits;
o the Fund in which Separate Account A invests is a regulated investment
company under the Code;
o all shares of the Fund are owned only by (a) Separate Account A or
similar accounts of First Investors Life or other insurance companies,
(b) a life insurance company general account, or (c) the Adviser in
starting or managing the Fund (in the case of (b) and (c) of this
paragraph, there must be no intention to sell shares of the Fund to
the general public); (d) the trustee of a qualified pension or
retirement plan; and
o access to the Fund is available only through the purchase of
Contracts, or other Variable Annuity or life insurance products of
First Investors Life or other insurance companies.
If Separate Account A failed the diversification test, you would be taxed
on increases in the value of any Contract you own that is supported by Separate
Account A. The tax would apply from the first quarter of the failure, until we
corrected the failure in conformity with a Treasury Department procedure.
The Contracts must also meet an "investor control" test, which the Treasury
Department has said it may address in guidelines through regulations or rulings.
This test could specify that your control over allocation of values among
different investments may cause you to be treated as the owner of Separate
Account A assets, as applicable, for tax purposes. We reserve the right to amend
the Contracts in any way necessary to avoid this result. As of the date of this
prospectus, the Treasury Department has issued no guidelines on the subject.
However, the Department has informally indicated that guidelines could limit the
number of underlying funds or the frequency of transfers among those funds. The
guidelines may apply only prospectively, although retroactive effect is possible
if the guidelines do not embody a new position. Failure of the "control test"
would result in current taxation to you of increases in your Contract value.
QUALIFIED PLAN CONTRACTS
Taxation of a Contract depends, in part, on the provisions of the
applicable plan where the Contract is issued to
o a qualified individual retirement account;
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o a qualified corporate employee pension and profit-sharing plan; or
o a retirement or deferred compensation plan that does not meet the
requirements applicable to a qualified plan.
Some of tax rules applicable to such Contracts are similar to tax rules
applicable to Non-Qualified Contracts, including: (a) deferral of the taxation
until you receive a distribution, (b) taxation of a part of each distribution or
annuity payment, and (c) the 10% penalty on early distributions.
WITHHOLDING
The Code generally requires us to withhold income tax from any Contract
distribution, including a total or partial surrender or an annuity payment. The
amount of withholding depends, in part, on whether the payment is "periodic" or
"non-periodic."
For periodic payments (e.g., annuity payments), we withhold from the
taxable portion of each payment based on a payroll withholding schedule that
assumes a married recipient claiming three withholding exemptions. If you want
us to withhold on a different basis, you must file an appropriate withholding
certificate with us. For non-periodic payments (e.g., distributions such as
partial surrenders), we generally withhold 10% of the taxable portion of each
payment.
You may elect not to have the withholding rules apply. For periodic
payments, that election is effective for the calendar year for which you file it
with us, and for each subsequent year until you amend or modify it. For
non-periodic payments, an election is effective when you file it with us, but
only for the payment to which it is applicable. We have to notify your
recipients of your right to elect not to have taxes withheld.
The Code generally requires us to report all payments to the Internal
Revenue Service.
OUR TAX STATUS
The Code taxes us as a life insurance company. The Code taxes Separate
Account A as part of our overall operation. Currently, we do not charge Separate
Account A for an allocable portion of our federal income taxes. However, we do
reserve the right to impose such a charge if it becomes necessary in the future.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
From time to time, Separate Account A may advertise several types of
performance information, including "yield," "average annual total return" and
"total return." We base each of these figures on historical results and do not
intend them to indicate the future performance of Separate Account A.
The "total return" of Separate Account A is the total change in value of an
investment in Separate Account A over a period of time, expressed as a
percentage. "Average annual total return" is the rate of return that would
produce that change in value over the specified period, if compounded annually.
We will quote average annual total return for one, five and ten-year periods.
Average annual total return and total return figures include the deduction of
all expenses and fees, including the payment of the Mortality and Expense Risk
charges of 0.75% and the maximum sales charge of 7.00%.
The "yield" of Separate Account A refers to the income that an investment
in Separate Account A generates over a one-month or 30-day period expressed as a
percentage of the value of Separate Account A's Accumulation Units. Yield is an
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annualized figure. We assume that Separate Account A generates the same level of
net income over a one-year period, which we compound on a semi-annual basis.
Neither the total return nor the yield figures reflect deductions for
Premium taxes, since most states do not impose those taxes.
For further information on performance calculations, see "Performance
Information" in the Statement of Additional Information.
OTHER INFORMATION
VOTING RIGHTS
Because the Special Bond Fund is not required to have annual shareholder
meetings, Contractowners generally will not have an occasion to vote on matters
that pertain to the Special Bond Fund. In certain circumstances, the Fund may be
required to hold a shareholders meeting or may choose to hold one voluntarily.
For example, the Fund may not change fundamental investment objectives or
investment policies without the approval of a majority vote of the Fund's
shareholders in accordance with the 1940 Act. Thus, if the Fund sought to change
fundamental investment objectives or investment policies, Contractowners would
have an opportunity to provide voting instructions for shares of the Fund held
by the Subaccount in which their Contract invests.
We would vote the shares of the Fund held in Separate Account A or
directly, at any Fund shareholders as follows:
o shares attributable to Contractowners for which we received
instructions, would be voted in accordance with the instructions;
o shares attributable to Contractowners for which we did not receive
instructions would be voted in the same proportion that we voted
shares held in Separate Account A for which we received instructions;
and
o shares not attributable to Contractowners would be voted in the same
proportion that we voted shares held in Separate Account A
attributable to Contractowners for which we received instructions.
We will vote Fund shares that we hold directly in the same proportion that
we vote shares held in Separate Account A that are attributable to
Contractowners and for which we receive instructions. However, we will vote our
own shares as we deem appropriate where there are no shares held in the
subaccount. We will present all the shares of the Fund that we held through
Separate Account A or directly at any Fund shareholders meeting for purposes of
determining a quorum.
We will determine the number of Fund shares held in Separate Account A that
is attributable to each Contractowner as follows:
o before the Annuity Commencement Date, we divide Separate Account A's
Accumulated Value by the net assets value of one Fund share, and
o after the Annuity Commencement Date, we divide the reserve held in
Separate Account A for the variable annuity payment under the
Contracts by the net asset value of one Fund share. As this reserve
fluctuates, the number of votes fluctuates.
We will determine the number of votes that a Contractowner has the right to
cast as of the record date that the Fund establishes.
We will solicit instructions by written communication before the date of
the meeting at which votes will be cast. We will send meeting and other
materials relating to the Fund to each Contractowner having a voting interest in
Separate Account A.
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The voting rights that we describe in this Prospectus are created under
applicable laws. If the laws eliminate the necessity to submit such matters for
approval by persons having voting rights in separate accounts of insurance
companies or restrict such voting rights, we reserve the right to proceed in
accordance with any such changed laws or regulations. Specifically, we reserve
the right to vote Fund shares in our own right, to the extent the law permits.
RESERVATION OF RIGHTS
We also reserve the right to make certain changes if we believe they would
(a) best serve the interests of the Contractowners and Annuitants or (b) be
appropriate in carrying out the purposes of the Contract. We will make a change
only as the law permits. We will obtain, when required, the necessary
Contractowner or regulatory approval for any change and provide, when required,
notification to Contractowners before making a change. For example, we may:
o operate Separate Account A in any form permitted under the 1940 Act or
in any other form permitted by law,
o add, delete, or substitute for the Fund shares held in Separate
Account A, the shares of any investment company or series thereof, or
any investment permitted by law, or
o amend the Contracts if required to comply with the Internal Revenue
Code or any other applicable federal or state law.
DISTRIBUTION OF CONTRACTS
Separate Account A, along with First Investors Life, has entered into an
Underwriting Agreement with its affiliate, FIC, 95 Wall Street, New York, New
York 10005 to sell the Contract. First Investors Life has reserved the right in
the Underwriting Agreement to sell the Contracts directly. Insurance agents
licensed to sell variable annuities sell the Contracts. These agents are
registered representatives of the Underwriter or broker-dealers who have sales
agreements with the Underwriter.
YEAR 2000
On and after January 1, 2000, computer date-related errors could adversely
affect Separate Account A, as they could other separate accounts. These errors
could occur in the computer and other information processing systems used by
First Investors Life, the underlying Fund, the Adviser, Transfer Agent and other
service providers. Typically, these systems use a two-digit number to represent
the year for any date. Consequently, computer systems could incorrectly
misidentify "00" as 1900, rather than 2000, and make related mistakes when
performing operations. First Investors Life, the Fund, the Adviser and Transfer
Agent are taking steps that they believe are reasonably designed to address the
Year 2000 problem for computer and other systems used by them. They are
obtaining assurances from other service providers that the service providers are
taking comparable steps. However, there can be no assurance that these steps
will avoid any adverse impact on Separate Account A. Nor can Separate Account A
estimate the extent of any impact.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The Statement of Additional Information, dated April 30, 1999, includes:
o the financial statements for First Investors Life and the accompanying
Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants; and
o and the financial statements for Separate Account A and the
accompanying Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants.
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You can get the Statement of Additional Information at no charge on request
to First Investors Life at the address or telephone number on the cover page of
this Prospectus.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION
Item Page
---- ----
General Description........................................................2
Services...................................................................2
Annuity Payments...........................................................3
Other Information..........................................................4
Performance Information....................................................5
Relevance of Financial Statements..........................................9
Appendices................................................................10
Financial Statements......................................................15
APPENDIX I
STATE AND LOCAL TAXES*
Alabama...................-- Mississippi...............--
Alaska....................-- Missouri..................--
Arizona...................-- Nebraska..................--
Arkansas..................-- New Jersey................--
California................2.35% New Mexico................--
Colorado..................-- New York .................--
Connecticut...............-- North Carolina ...........--
Delaware..................-- Ohio......................--
District of Columbia......2.25% Oklahoma..................--
Florida...................1.00% Oregon....................--
Georgia...................-- Pennsylvania..............--
Illinois..................-- Rhode Island..............--
Indiana...................-- South Carolina............--
Iowa......................-- Tennessee.................--
Kentucky..................2.00% Texas.....................--
Louisiana.................-- Utah......................--
Maryland..................-- Virginia..................--
Massachusetts.............-- Washington................--
Michigan..................-- West Virginia.............1.00%
Minnesota.................-- Wisconsin.................--
Wyoming...................1.00%
Note: State legislation could change the rates above. State insurance
regulation could change the applicability of the rates above.
* Includes local annuity Premium taxation
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FIRST INVESTORS LIFE VARIABLE ANNUITY FUND A
INDIVIDUAL VARIABLE ANNUITY CONTRACTS
OFFERED BY
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DATED APRIL __, 1999
This Statement of Additional Information is not a Prospectus and should be
read in conjunction with the Prospectus for First Investors Life Variable
Annuity Fund A, dated April 30, 1999, which may be obtained at no cost by
writing to First Investors Life Insurance Company, 95 Wall Street, New York, New
York 10005, or by telephoning (212) 858-8200.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
----
General Description........................................ 2
Services................................................... 2
Annuity Payments........................................... 3
Other Information.......................................... 4
Performance Information.................................... 5
Relevance of Financial Statements.......................... 7
Appendices................................................. 8
Financial Statements....................................... 13
<PAGE>
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY. First Investors Life Insurance
Company, 95 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005 ("First Investors Life"), a
stock life insurance company incorporated under the laws of the State of New
York in 1962, writes life insurance, annuities and accident and health
insurance. First Investors Consolidated Corporation ("FICC"), a holding company,
owns all of the voting common stock of First Investors Management Company, Inc.
("FIMCO" or "Adviser") and all of the outstanding stock of First Investors Life,
First Investors Corporation ("FIC" or "Underwriter") and Administrative Data
Management Corp., the transfer agent for First Investors Special Bond Fund, Inc.
Mr. Glenn O. Head, Chairman of FICC, controls FICC and, therefore, controls the
Adviser and First Investors Life.
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A. First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A
("Separate Account A") was established on September 11, 1979 under the
provisions of the New York Insurance Law. The assets of Separate Account A are
segregated from the assets of First Investors Life, and that portion of such
assets having a value equal to, or approximately equal to, the reserves and
contract liabilities under the Contracts are not chargeable with liabilities
arising out of any other business of First Investors Life. Separate Account A is
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") as a unit
investment trust under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940
Act"), but such registration does not involve any supervision by the Commission
of the management or investment practices or policies of Separate Account A.
The assets of Separate Account A are invested at net asset value in shares
of First Investors Special Bond Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"). The Fund's Prospectus
describes the risks attendant to an investment in the Fund.
SERVICES
CUSTODIAN. First Investors Life, subject to applicable laws and
regulations, is the custodian of the securities of Separate Account A.
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS. Tait, Weller & Baker, Eight Penn Center
Plaza, Philadelphia, PA 19103, independent certified public accountants, has
been selected as the independent accountants for Separate Account A. First
Investors Life pays Tait, Weller & Baker a fee for serving as the independent
accountants for Separate Account A which is set by the Audit Committee of the
Board of Directors of First Investors Life.
UNDERWRITER. First Investors Life and Separate Account A have entered into
an Underwriting Agreement with FIC. FIC, an affiliate of First Investors Life,
and of the Adviser has its principal business address at 95 Wall Street, New
York, New York 10005. For the fiscal years ending December 31, 1996, 1997, and
1998, FIC received fees of $5,165, $9,399, and $_____, respectively, in
connection with the distribution of the Contracts in a continuous offering.
The Contracts are sold by insurance agents licensed to sell variable
annuities, who are registered representatives of the Underwriter or
broker-dealers who have sales agreements with the Underwriter.
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ANNUITY PAYMENTS
VALUE OF AN ACCUMULATION UNIT. For Separate Account A, the value of an
Accumulation Unit was arbitrarily initially set at $1.00. The value of an
Accumulation Unit for any subsequent Valuation Period is determined by
multiplying the value of an Accumulation Unit for the immediately preceding
Valuation Period by the Net Investment Factor for the Valuation Period for which
the Accumulation Unit Value is being calculated (see Appendix I, Example B). The
investment performance of the Fund, and expenses and deductions of certain
charges affect the Accumulation Unit Value. The value of an Accumulation Unit
for Separate Account A may increase or decrease from Valuation Period to
Valuation Period.
NET INVESTMENT FACTOR. The Net Investment Factor for Separate Account A
for any Valuation Period is determined by dividing (a) by (b) and subtracting
(c) from the result, where:
(a) is the net result of:
(1) the net asset value per share of the Fund determined at the end of
the current Valuation Period, plus
(2) the per share amount of any dividend or capital gains distributions
made by the Fund if the "ex-dividend" date occurs during the current
Valuation Period.
(b) is the net asset value per share of the Fund determined as of the end of
the immediately preceding Valuation Period.
(c) is a factor representing the charges deducted for mortality and expense
risks. Such factor is equal on an annual basis to 0.75% of the daily net
asset value of Separate Account A. This percentage represents
approximately 0.60% charge for the mortality risk assumed and 0.15% charge
for the expense risk assumed.
The Net Investment Factor may be greater or less than one, and therefore,
the value of an Accumulation Unit for Separate Account A may increase or
decrease. (For an illustration of this calculation, see Appendix I, Example A.)
VALUE OF AN ANNUITY UNIT. For Separate Account A, the value of an Annuity
Unit was arbitrarily initially set at $10.00. The value of an Annuity Unit for
any subsequent Valuation Period is determined by multiplying the Annuity Unit
Value for the immediately preceding Valuation Period by the Net Investment
Factor for the Valuation Period for which the Annuity Unit Value is being
calculated, and multiplying the result by an interest factor to offset the
effect of an investment earnings rate of 3.5% per annum, which is assumed in the
Annuity Tables contained in the Contract. (For an illustration of this
calculation, see Appendix III, Example A.)
AMOUNT OF ANNUITY PAYMENTS. When annuity payments are to commence, the
Accumulated Value to be applied to a variable annuity option will be determined
by multiplying the value of an Accumulation Unit for the Valuation Date on or
immediately preceding the seventh day before the Annuity Commencement Date by
the number of Accumulation Units owned. This seven day period is used to permit
calculation of amounts of annuity payments and mailing of checks in advance of
the due date. At that time any applicable Premium taxes not previously deducted
will be deducted from the Accumulated Value to determine the Net Accumulated
Value. The resultant value is then applied to the Annuity Tables set forth in
the Contract to determine the amount of the first monthly annuity payment. The
Contract contains Annuity Tables setting forth the amount of the first monthly
installment for each $1,000 of Accumulated Value applied. These Annuity Tables
vary according to the Annuity Option selected by the Contractowner and according
to the sex and adjusted age of the Annuitant and any Joint Annuitant at the
Annuity Commencement Date. The Contract contains a formula for determining the
3
<PAGE>
adjusted age, and the Annuity Tables are determined from the Progressive Annuity
Table with interest at 3.5% per year and assumes births prior to 1900, adjusted
by a setback of four years of age for persons born 1900 and later and an
additional setback of one year of age for each completed five years by which the
year of birth is later than 1900. Annuity Tables used by other insurers may
provide greater or less benefits to the Annuitant.
The dollar amount of the first monthly Variable Payment, based on Separate
Account A determined as above, is divided by the value of an Annuity Unit for
Separate Account A for the Valuation Date on or immediately preceding the
seventh day before the Annuity Commencement Date to establish the number of
Annuity Units representing each monthly payment under Separate Account A. This
seven day period is used to permit calculation of amounts of annuity payments
and mailing of checks in advance of the due date. This number of Annuity Units
remains fixed for all variable annuity payments. The dollar amount of the second
and subsequent variable annuity payments is determined by multiplying the fixed
number of Annuity Units for Separate Account A by the applicable value of an
Annuity Unit Value for the Valuation Date on or immediately preceding the
seventh day before the due date of the payment. The value of an Annuity Unit
will vary with the investment performance of the Fund, and, therefore, the
dollar amount of the second and subsequent variable annuity payments may change
from month to month. (For an illustration of the calculation of the first and
subsequent Variable Payments, see Appendix III, Examples B, C and D.)
A fixed annuity is an annuity with annuity payments which remain fixed as
to dollar amount throughout the payment period and is based on an assumed
interest rate of 3.5% per year built into the Annuity Tables in the Contract.
OTHER INFORMATION
TIME OF PAYMENTS. All payments due under the Contracts will ordinarily be
made within seven days of the payment due date or within seven days after the
date of receipt of a request for partial surrender or termination. However,
First Investors Life reserves the right to suspend or postpone the date of any
payment due under the Contracts (1) for any period during which the New York
Stock Exchange ("NYSE") is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday
closings) or during which trading on the NYSE, as determined by the Commission,
is restricted; (2) for any period during which an emergency, as determined by
the Commission, exists as a result of which disposal of securities held by the
Fund are not reasonably practical or it is not reasonably practical to determine
the value of the Fund's net assets; or (3) for such other periods as the
Commission may by order permit for the protection of security holders or as may
be permitted under the 1940 Act.
REPORTS TO CONTRACTOWNERS. First Investors Life will mail to each
Contractowner, at the last known address of record at the Home Office of First
Investors Life, at least annually, a report containing such information as may
be required by any applicable law or regulation and a statement of the
Accumulation Units credited to the Contract for Separate Account A and the
Accumulation Unit Values. In addition, latest available reports of the Fund will
be mailed to each Contractowner.
ASSIGNMENT. Any amounts payable under the Contracts may not be commuted,
alienated, assigned or otherwise encumbered before they are due. To the extent
permitted by law, no such payments shall be subject in any way to any legal
process to subject them to payment of any claims against any Annuitant, Joint
Annuitant or Beneficiary. The Contracts may be assigned. No assignment of a
Contract shall be binding on First Investors Life unless such assignment is in
writing and is filed with First Investors Life at its Home Office.
4
<PAGE>
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Separate Account A may advertise its performance in various ways.
The yield for Separate Account A is presented for a specified thirty-day
period (the "base period"). Yield is based on the amount determined by (i)
calculating the aggregate amount of net investment income earned by Separate
Account A during the base period less expenses accrued for that period (net of
reimbursement), and (ii) dividing that amount by the product of (A) the average
daily number of Accumulation Units of Separate Account A outstanding during the
base period and (B) the maximum public offering price per Accumulation Unit on
the last day of the base period. The result is annualized by compounding on a
semi-annual basis to determine Separate Account A's yield. For this calculation,
interest earned on debt obligations held by the Fund is generally calculated
using the yield to maturity (or first expected call date) of such obligations
based on their market values (or, in the case of receivables-backed securities
such as GNMA's, based on cost). Dividends on equity securities are accrued daily
at their estimated stated dividend rates.
Separate Account A's "average annual total return" ("T") is an average
annual compounded rate of return. The calculation produces an average annual
total return for the number of years measured. It is the rate of return based on
factors which include a hypothetical initial investment of $1,000 ("P" in the
formula below) over a number of years ("n") with an Ending Redeemable Value
("ERV") of that investment, according to the following formula:
T=[(ERV/P)(SUPERSCRIPT)1/n(/SUPERSCRIPT)]-1
The "total return" uses the same factors, but does not average the rate of
return on an annual basis. Total return is determined as follows:
[ERV-P]/P = TOTAL RETURN
In providing such performance data, Separate Account A will assume the
payment of the maximum sales charge of 7.00% (as a percentage of the purchase
payment) on the initial investment and the payment of the Mortality and Expense
Risk Charges of 0.75% ("P"). Separate Account A will assume that during the
period covered all dividends and capital gain distributions are paid at net
asset value per Accumulation Unit, and that the investment is redeemed at the
end of the period.
5
<PAGE>
Average annual total return and total return for the periods ended
December 31, 1998 calculated using the offering price for Separate Account A is
set forth in the tables below:
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN*
One Year ____%
Five Years ____%
Ten Years ____%
TOTAL RETURN*
One Year ____%
Five Years ____%
Ten Years ____%
Nonstandardized average annual total return and total return may also be
advertised using reduced sales charge levels or at net asset value per
Accumulation Unit. In such case, the initial investment will either reflect a
reduced sales load or no sales load. Any quotation of return not reflecting the
maximum sales charge will be greater than if the maximum sales charge were used.
Nonstandardized average annual total return and total return computed at net
asset value for the periods ended December 31, 1998 for Separate Account A is
set forth in the tables below:
NONSTANDARDIZED AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN
One Year ____%
Five Years ____%
Ten Years ____%
TOTAL RETURN
One Year ____%
Five Years ____%
Ten Years ____%
Return information may be useful to investors in reviewing Separate
Account A's performance. However, the total return and average annual total
return will fluctuate over time and the return for any given past period is not
an indication or representation by Separate Account A of future rates of return.
At times, the Adviser may reduce its compensation or assume expenses of
the Fund in order to reduce the Fund's expenses. Any such waiver or
reimbursement would increase Separate Account A's total return, average annual
total return and yield during the period of the waiver or reimbursement.
Separate Account A may include in advertisements and sales literature,
examples, information and statistics that illustrate the effect of taxable vs.
tax-deferred compounding income at a fixed rate of return to demonstrate the
growth of an investment over a stated period of time resulting from the payment
of dividends and capital gains distributions in additional Accumulation Units.
The examples may include hypothetical returns comparing taxable versus
tax-deferred growth. The examples used will be for illustrative purposes only
and are not representations by Separate Account A of past or future yield or
return.
- --------
* The return figures assume the current maximum sales charge of 7.00%. Prior to
December 30, 1991, the maximum sales charge for Separate Account A was 7.25%.
6
<PAGE>
From time to time, in reports and promotional literature, Separate Account
A may compare its performance to, or cite the historical performance of, other
variable annuities. The performance rankings and ratings of variable annuities
reported in L-VIPPAS, a monthly publication for insurance companies and money
managers published by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc. and in Morningstar
Variable Annuity Performance Report, also a monthly publication published by
Morningstar, Inc., may be used. Additionally, performance rankings and ratings
reported periodically in national financial publications such as MONEY, FORBES,
BUSINESS WEEK, BARRON'S, FINANCIAL TIMES, CHANGING TIMES, FORTUNE, NATIONAL
UNDERWRITER, etc., may also be used. Quotations from articles appearing in daily
newspaper publications such as THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and
THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS may be cited.
RELEVANCE OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The values of the interests of Contractowners under the variable portion
of the Contracts will be affected solely by the investment results of Separate
Account A. The financial statements of First Investors Life as contained herein
should be considered only as bearing upon First Investors Life's ability to meet
its obligations to Contractowners under the Contracts, and they should not be
considered as bearing on the investment performance of Separate Account A.
7
<PAGE>
APPENDICES
8
<PAGE>
APPENDIX I
EXAMPLE A
FORMULA AND ILLUSTRATION FOR DETERMINING
THE NET INVESTMENT FACTOR OF A SUBACCOUNT
OF SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
Net Investment Factor = A + B
----- -D
C
Where:
A = The Net Asset Value of a Fund share, plus dividends accrued but
not reinvested, as of the end of the current Valuation Period.
Assume................................................. = $8.51000000
B = The per share amount of any dividend or capital gains
distribution reinvested since the end of the immediately
preceding Valuation Period.
Assume................................................. = 0
C = The Net Asset Value of a Fund share, plus dividends
accrued but not reinvested, as of the end of the
immediately preceding Valuation Period.
Assume................................................. = $8.39000000
D = The daily deduction for mortality and expense risks,
which totals .75% on an annual basis.
On a daily basis....................................... = .00002054
Then, the Net Investment Factor = 8.51000000 + 0 - .00002054.. = 1.01428220
--------------
8.39000000
EXAMPLE B
FORMULA AND ILLUSTRATION FOR DETERMINING
ACCUMULATION UNIT VALUE OF A SUBACCOUNT
OF SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
Accumulation Unit Value = A x B Where:
A = The Accumulation Unit Value for the immediately preceding Valuation
Period.
Assume................................................. = $1.46328760
B = The Net Investment Factor for the current Valuation Period.
Assume................................................. = 1.01428220
Then, the Accumulation Unit Value = $1.46328760 x 1.01428220.. = 1.48418657
9
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APPENDIX II
EXAMPLE A
FORMULA AND ILLUSTRATION FOR DETERMINING
DEATH BENEFIT PAYABLE UNDER
ANNUITY OPTION 4-UNIT REFUND LIFE ANNUITY
Upon the death of the Annuitant, the designated Beneficiary under this option
will receive under a Separate Account a lump sum death benefit of the then
dollar value of a number of Annuity Units computed using the following formula:
Annuity Units Payable = A A
- (CxD), if - is greater than CxD
B B
Where:
A = The Net Accumulated Value applied on the Annuity
Commencement Date to purchase the Variable Annuity.
Assume.................................................. = $20,000.00
B = The Annuity Unit Value at the Annuity Commencement Date.
Assume................................................... = $1.08353012
C = The number of Annuity Units represented by each payment made.
Assume................................................... = 116.61488844
D = The total number of monthly Variable Annuity Payments made
prior to the Annuitant's death.
Assume................................................... = 30
Then the number of Annuity Units Payable:
$20,000.00
------------ - (116.61488844 x 30)
$1.08353012
= 18,458.18554633 - 3,498.44665320
= 14,959.73889313
If the value of an Annuity Unit on the date of receipt of notification of death
was $1.12173107 then the amount of the death benefit under the Separate Account
would be:
14,959.73889313 x $1.12173107 = $16,780.80
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<PAGE>
APPENDIX III
EXAMPLE A
FORMULA AND ILLUSTRATION FOR DETERMINING
ANNUITY UNIT VALUE OF
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
Annuity Unit Value = A x B x C
Where:
A = Annuity Unit Value of the immediately preceding Valuation
Period.
Assume................................................... = $1.10071211
B = Net Investment Factor for the Valuation Period for
which the Annuity Unit is being calculated.
Assume................................................... = 1.00083530
C = A factor to neutralize the assumed interest rate of
3 1/2% built into the Annuity Tables used.
Daily factor equals...................................... = 0.99990575
Then, the Annuity Value is:
$1.10071211 x 1.00083530 x 0.99990575 = $1.10152771
EXAMPLE B
FORMULA AND ILLUSTRATION FOR DETERMINING
AMOUNT OF FIRST MONTHLY VARIABLE ANNUITY PAYMENT FROM
SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
First Monthly Variable Annuity Payment = A
------ x B
$1,000
Where:
A = The Net Accumulated Value allocated to Separate
Account A for the Valuation Date on or immediately
preceding the seventh day before the Annuity
Commencement Date.
Assume................................................... = $20,000.00
B = The Annuity purchase rate per $1,000 based upon the
option selected, the sex and adjusted age of the Annuitant
according to the Annuity Tables contained in the Contract.
Assume................................................... = $6.40
Then, the first Monthly Variable Payment = $20,000 x $6.40 = $128.00
-------
$1,000
11
<PAGE>
EXAMPLE C
FORMULA AND ILLUSTRATION FOR DETERMINING
THE NUMBER OF ANNUITY UNITS FOR SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
REPRESENTED BY EACH MONTHLY VARIABLE ANNUITY PAYMENT
Number of Annuity Units = A
-
B
Where:
A = The dollar amount of the first monthly Variable Annuity
Payment.
Assume................................................... = $128.00
B = The Annuity Unit Value for the Valuation Date on or
immediately preceding the seventh day before the Annuity
Commencement Date.
Assume................................................... = $1.09763000
Then, the number of Annuity Units = $128.00 = 116.61488844
-------
$1.09763000
EXAMPLE D
FORMULA AND ILLUSTRATION FOR DETERMINING
THE AMOUNT OF SECOND AND SUBSEQUENT MONTHLY VARIABLE
ANNUITY PAYMENTS FROM SEPARATE ACCOUNT A
Second Monthly Variable Annuity Payment = A x B
Where:
A = The Number of Annuity Units represented by each monthly
Variable Annuity Payment.
Assume..............................................= 116.61488844
B = The Annuity Unit Value for the Valuation Date
on or immediately preceding the seventh day
before the date on which the second (or
subsequent) Variable Annuity Payment is due.
Assume..............................................= $1.11834234
Then, the second monthly Variable Annuity Payment = 116.61488844 x $1.11834234
= $130.42
The above example was based upon the assumption of an increase in the Annuity
Unit Value since the initial Variable Annuity Payment due to favorable
investment results of the Separate Account and the Fund. If the investment
results were less favorable, a decrease in the Annuity Unit Value and in the
second monthly Variable Annuity Payment could result.
Assume B above was $1.08103230.
Then, the second monthly Variable Annuity Payment = 116.61488844 x $1.08103230
= $126.06
12
<PAGE>
Financial Statements
as of December 31, 1998
13
<PAGE>
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE VARIABLE ANNUITY FUND A
PART C: OTHER INFORMATION
ITEM 24. Financial Statement and Exhibits
(a) Financial Statements:
To be filed.
(b) Exhibits:
1. Resolution of the Board of Directors of First
Investors Life Insurance Company creating the
Separate Account./1/
2. Not applicable.
3. Distribution Contracts:
a. Underwriting Agreement between First
Investors Life Insurance Company and First
Investors Corporation dated April 16, 1987.
/1/
b. Specimen Variable Annuity Agreement between
First Investors Corporation and dealers and
salesman. /1/
4. Specimen Individual Variable Annuity Contracts issued
by the Company for participation in the Separate
Account A. /1/
5. Form of application used with Individual Variable
Annuity Contracts provided in response to (4)
above./1/
6. a. Articles of Incorporation of First Investors
Life Insurance Company./1/
b. By-laws of First Investors Life Insurance
Company./1/
7. Not applicable.
8. Not applicable.
9. Opinion of counsel. (To be filed.)
10. a. Consent of Independent Public Accountants
(To be filed.)
b. Powers of Attorney./1/
11. Not applicable.
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12. Not applicable.
13. Performance Calculations.
14. Financial Data Schedule. (See Exhibit 27 below.)
27. Financial Data Schedule. (Inapplicable, because,
notwithstanding Item 24 (b)(14) of Form N-4, the
Commission staff has advised that no such schedule is
required.)
- --------------------
/1/ Previously filed on May 19, 1997 in Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to
this Registration Statement.
ITEM 25. Directors and Officers of the Depositor
The following are the Directors and Officers of First Investors Life Insurance
Company:
Position and Office
Name and Principal with First Investors
Business Address Life Insurance Company
- ------------------ ----------------------
(Unless otherwise noted, an
individual's business address
is 95 Wall Street,
New York, New York 10005.)
Lawrence M. Falcon Senior Vice President
and Comptroller
Richard H. Gaebler President and Director
Jay G. Baris
Kramer, Levin, Naftalis
& Frankel Director
919 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
William H. Drinkwater First Vice President
and Chief Actuary
George V. Ganter Director
Scott Hodes Director
Ross & Hardies
150 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Il 60601
Glenn O. Head Chairman and Director
Glenn T. Dallas Director
21 Eagle Nest Road
Morristown, NJ 07960
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Carol Lerner Brown Secretary
Jackson Ream
Nations Bank of Texas Director
P.O. Box 225961
Dallas, TX 75265
Nelson Schaenen Jr. Director
Weiss, Peck & Greer
One New York Plaza
New York, NY 10004
Robert J. Grosso Director
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
John T. Sullivan Director
Kathryn S. Head Director
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Ada M. Suchow Vice President
& Assistant Secretary
William M. Lipkus Vice President &
581 Main Street Chief Financial Officer
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Martin A. Smith Vice President
ITEM 26. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Depositor or
Registrant
There are no persons directly or indirectly controlled by or under
common control with the Registrant. Registrant is a Separate Account of First
Investors Life Insurance Company, the Depositor. Set forth below are all persons
controlled by or under common control with First Investors Life Insurance
Company:
ROUTE 33 REALTY CORPORATION (New Jersey). Ownership: 100% by First
Investors Life Insurance Company; Principal Business: Real Estate;
Subsidiary of First Investors Life Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS CONSOLIDATED CORPORATION (FICC) (Delaware). Ownership:
Glenn O. Head is the controlling person of the voting stock; Principal
Business: Holding Company; Parent of First Investors Life Insurance
Company.
ADMINISTRATIVE DATA MANAGEMENT CORP. (New York). Ownership: 100% owned
by FICC; Principal Business: Transfer Agent; Affiliate of First
Investors Life Insurance Company.
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EXECUTIVE INVESTORS MANAGEMENT COMPANY, INC. (Delaware). Ownership:
100% owned by FICC; Principal Business: Investment Advisor; Affiliate
of First Investors Life Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS ASSET MANAGEMENT COMPANY, INC. (Delaware). Ownership:
100% owned by FICC; Principal Business: Investment Advisor; Affiliate
of First Investors Life Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS CORPORATION (New York). Ownership: 100% owned by FICC;
Principal Business: Broker-Dealer; Affiliate of First Investors Life
Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS LEVERAGE CORPORATION (New York). Ownership: 100% owned
by FICC; Principal Business: Inactive; Affiliate of First Investors
Life Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS MANAGEMENT COMPANY, INC. (New York). Ownership: 100% of
voting common stock owned by FICC; Principal Business: Investment
Advisor; Affiliate of First Investors Life Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS REALTY COMPANY, INC. (New Jersey). Ownership: 100%
owned by FICC; Principal Business: Real Estate; Affiliate of First
Investors Life Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS RESOURCES, INC. (Delaware). Ownership: 100% owned by
FICC; Principal Business: Commodity Pool Operator; Affiliate of First
Investors Life Insurance Company.
EXECUTIVE INVESTORS CORPORATION. (Delaware). Ownership: 100% owned by
FICC; Principal Business: Broker-Dealer; Affiliate of First Investors
Life Insurance Company.
FIRST FINANCIAL SAVINGS BANK, S.L.A. (FFSB) (New Jersey). Ownership:
100% owned by FICC, except Directors Qualifying Shares; Principal
Business: Savings and Loan; Affiliate of First Investors Life Insurance
Company.
FIRST INVESTORS CREDIT CORPORATION (New Jersey). Ownership: 100% owned
by FFSB; Principal Business: Inactive; Affiliate of First Investors
Life Insurance Company.
N.A.K. REALTY CORPORATION (New Jersey). Ownership: 100% owned by FICC;
Principal Business: Real Estate; Affiliate of First Investors Life
Insurance Company.
REAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (New Jersey). Ownership: 100%
owned by FICC; Principal Business: Real Estate; Affiliate of First
Investors Life Insurance Company.
FIRST INVESTORS CREDIT FUNDING CORPORATION (New York). Ownership: 100%
owned by FICC; Principal Business: Sells commercial paper; Affiliate of
First Investors Life Insurance Company.
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SCHOOL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES, INC. (Ohio). Ownership: 100%
owned by FICC; Principal Business: Tuition assistance program;
Affiliate of First Investors Life Insurance Company.
ITEM 27. Number of Contractowners
As of February 19, 1999, the number of owners of variable annuity
contracts offered by First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A was 1,187.
ITEM 28. Indemnification
Article XIV of the By-Laws of First Investors Life Insurance Company
provides as follows:
"To the full extent authorized by law and by the Charter, the
Corporation shall and hereby does indemnify any person who shall at any
time be made, or threatened to be made, a party in any civil or
criminal action or proceeding by reason of the fact that he, his
testator or his intestate is or was a director or officer of the
Corporation or served another corporation in any capacity at the
request of the Corporation, provided, that the notice required by
Section 62-a of the Insurance Law of the State of New York, as now in
effect or as amended from time to time, be filed with the
Superintendent of Insurance."
Reference is hereby made to the New York Business Corporation Law,
Sections 721 through 725.
The general effect of this Indemnification will be to indemnify any
person made, or threatened to be made, a party to an action by or in the right
of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that
the person, or that person's testator or intestate, is or was a director or
officer of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the
corporation as a director or officer of any other corporation of any type or
kind, domestic or foreign, of any partnership, joint venture, trust, employee
benefit plan or other enterprise, against amounts paid in settlement and
reasonable expenses, including attorney's fees, actually and necessarily
occurred in connection with the defense or settlement of such action, or in
connection with an appeal therein if such director or officer acted in good
faith, for a purpose reasonably believed by that person to be in, and not
opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and not otherwise knowingly
unlawful.
A directors and officers liability policy in the amount of $3,000,000
covering First Investors Life's directors and officers has been issued by the
Great American Insurance Companies.
Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities
Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of
the First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A pursuant to the foregoing
provisions, or otherwise, the First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A has
been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such
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<PAGE>
indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities (other than the payment by the First Investors Life Variable
Annuity Fund A of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A in the
successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund A will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against policy as expressed in the Act and will be
governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
ITEM 29. Principal Underwriters
(a) First Investors Corporation, Underwriter of the Registrant, is
also underwriter for:
First Investors Cash Management Fund, Inc.
First Investors Fund For Income, Inc.
First Investors Series Fund
First Investors Government Fund, Inc.
First Investors High Yield Fund, Inc.
First Investors Global Fund, Inc.
First Investors Multi-State Insured Tax Free Fund
First Investors New York Insured Tax Free Fund, Inc.
First Investors Insured Tax Exempt Fund, Inc.
First Investors Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund, Inc.
First Investors U.S. Government Plus Fund
First Investors Series Fund II, Inc.
First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund C
First Investors Life Level Premium Variable Life
Insurance (Separate Account B)
First Investors Life Variable Annuity Fund D
First Investors Corporation is Sponsor of:
First Investors Single Payment and Periodic Payment Plans I for
Investment in First Investors Global Fund, Inc.
First Investors Single Payment and Periodic Payment Plans II for
Investment in First Investors Global Fund, Inc.
First Investors Single Payment and Periodic Payment Plans for
Investment in First Investors Fund For Income, Inc.
First Investors Single Payment and Periodic Payment Plans for
Investment in First Investors Government Fund, Inc.
First Investors Periodic Payment Plans for Investment in First
Investors High Yield Fund, Inc.
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First Investors Single Payment and Periodic Payment Plans for the
Accumulation of Shares of First Investors Global Fund, Inc.
First Investors Single Payment and Periodic Payment Plans for
Investment in First Investors Insured Tax Exempt Fund, Inc.
(b) The following persons are the officers and directors of First
Investors Corporation:
Name and Principal Position and Office with
Business Address First Investors Corporation
- ------------------ ---------------------------
(Unless otherwise noted,
an individual's business
address is 95 Wall Street,
New York, New York 10005.)
Glenn O. Head Chairman of the Board and Director
Lawrence A. Fauci Senior Vice President and Director
Kathryn S. Head Vice President and Director
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Joseph I. Benedek Treasurer
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Louis Rinaldi Senior Vice President
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Jeremiah J. Lyons Director
56 Weston Avenue
Chatham, NJ 07928
Frederick Miller Senior Vice President
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Larry R. Lavoie Secretary and General Counsel
Marvin M. Hecker President
Matthew Smith Vice President
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Anne Condon Vice President
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
John T. Sullivan Director
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Jane W. Kruzan Director
232 Adair Street
Decatur, GA 30030
Elizabeth Reilly Vice President
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
Robert Flanagan Vice President-Sales
Administration
William M. Lipkus Chief Financial Officer
581 Main Street
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
(c) Not Applicable
ITEM 30. Location of Accounts and Records
All accounts, books and other documents required to be maintained
pursuant to Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, are
located at the offices of First Investors Life Insurance Company, 95 Wall
Street, New York, New York 10005.
ITEM 31. Management Services
Not applicable.
ITEM 32. Undertakings
Registrant hereby makes the following undertakings:
(a) An undertaking to file a post-effective amendment to this
registration statement as frequently as is necessary to ensure
that the audited financial statements in the registration
statement are never more than 16 months old for so long as
payments under the variable annuity contracts may be accepted;
(b) An undertaking to include either (1) as part of any
application to purchase a contract offered by the prospectus,
a space that an applicant can check to request a Statement of
Additional Information or (2) a post card or similar written
communication affixed to or included in the prospectus that
the applicant can remove to send for a Statement of Additional
Information;
(c) An undertaking to deliver any Statement of Additional
Information and any financial statements required to be made
available under this Form promptly upon written or oral
request.
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(d) Representation Regarding Reasonableness of Aggregate Contract
Fees and Charges Pursuant to Section 26(a)(e)(2)(A) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940
First Investors Life represents that the fees and charges
deducted under the Contracts described in this Registration
Statement, in the aggregate, are reasonable in relation to the
services rendered, the expenses expected to be incurred, and
the risks assumed by First Investors Life under the Contracts.
First Investors Life bases its representations on its
assessment of all of the facts and circumstances, including
such relevant factors as: the nature and extent of such
services, expenses and risks; the need for First Investors
Life to earn a profit; and the regulatory standards for
exemptive relief under the Investment Company Act of 1940 used
prior to October 1996, including the range of industry
practice. This representation applies to all Contracts sold
pursuant to this Registration Statement, including those sold
on terms specifically described in the prospectus contained
herein, or any variations therein, based on supplements,
endorsements, or riders to any Contracts or prospectus, or
otherwise.
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<PAGE>
SIGNATURES
As required by the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act
of 1940, the Registrant has caused this Amendment to be signed on its behalf, in
the City of New York, and State of New York, on the 22nd day of February, 1999.
FIRST INVESTORS LIFE VARIABLE
ANNUITY FUND A
(Registrant)
BY: FIRST INVESTORS LIFE INSURANCE
COMPANY
(Depositor)
(On behalf of the Registrant and itself)
By /s/ Richard H. Gaebler
-------------------------
Richard H. Gaebler
President
As required by the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment to Registrant's
Registration Statement has been signed by the following officers and directors
of the Depositor in the capacities and on the dates indicated:
SIGNATURE TITLE DATE
--------- ----- ----
/s/ Richard H. Gaebler President and Director February 22, 1999
- -----------------------
Richard H. Gaebler
/s/ William M. Lipkus Vice President and February 22, 1999
- --------------------- Chief Financial
William M. Lipkus Officer
<PAGE>
Glenn O. Head* Chairman and Director February 22, 1999
Jay G. Baris* Director February 22, 1999
George V. Ganter* Director February 22, 1999
Robert J. Grosso* Director February 22, 1999
Scott Hodes* Director February 22, 1999
Jackson Ream* Director February 22, 1999
Nelson Schaenen Jr.* Director February 22, 1999
John T. Sullivan* Director February 22, 1999
Kathryn S. Head* Director February 22, 1999
Glenn T. Dallas* Director February 22, 1999
* By: /s/ Richard H. Gaebler
----------------------------
Richard H. Gaebler
Attorney-In-Fact
Pursuant to Powers of
Attorney previously filed
