[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 30, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74117-74119]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-30088]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-63368; File No. SR-NSCC-2010-15]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing 
Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating to 
Establishing an Automated Service for the Processing of Transfers, 
Replacements, and Exchanges of Insurance and Retirement Products

November 23, 2010.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(the ``Act''),\1\ notice is hereby given that on November 18, 2010, the 
National Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') filed with the 
Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule 
change as described in Items I and II below, which Items have been 
prepared primarily by NSCC. The Commission is publishing this notice to 
solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The proposed rule change would allow NSCC to add a new automated 
service to process transfers, replacements, and exchanges of insurance 
and retirement products through NSCC's Insurance and Retirement 
Processing Service (``IPS'').

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, NSCC included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The 
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in 
Item IV below. NSCC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, 
and C below, of the most significant aspects of these statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    The purpose of the proposed rule change is to allow NSCC to offer a 
new automated service to transfer, replace, or exchange (collectively 
referred to as a ``Replacement'') an existing insurance contract that 
is eligible for NSCC's IPS.

[[Page 74118]]

1. Background
    Currently, the Replacement process is not conducted through a 
centralized or automated process and requires extensive manual 
processing of paper forms and other documents. The insurance industry 
currently utilizes Transfer of Assets forms, 1035 Exchange Forms, or 
other similar paperwork (collectively referred to as ``TOA'') to 
document the request and the authorization for a Replacement. 
Currently, once an authorization has been obtained and the needed forms 
have been executed, the documents are transmitted by facsimile, mail, 
electronic mail, or other means. Because there is no centralized and 
automated mechanism for processing Replacements, there is also no 
centralized and automated settlement process for managing the movement 
of funds associated with Replacements. This lack of centralized and 
automated processing makes the overall Replacement process time 
consuming and labor intensive.
2. Proposed Amendments
    NSCC proposes to add a new Section 11 to Rule 57 (``Insurance and 
Retirement Processing Services'') so that NSCC can provide a service 
that will centralize and automate the processing of Replacements and 
will decrease the administrative burden on and risk to NSCC Members, 
Insurance Carrier/Retirement Service Members, Mutual Fund/Insurance 
Services Members, and Data Services Only Members.
    Under the proposal, an Insurance Carrier/Retirement Services Member 
would be able to initiate a Replacement (``Receiving Carrier'') by 
submitting an instruction to NSCC to process a Replacement (``Request 
for Replacement''). NSCC would then transmit the Request for 
Replacement to the designated Insurance Carrier/Retirement Services 
Member (``Delivering Carrier''). The Delivery Member would have to 
confirm, reject, or request modification to the Request for Replacement 
in the format and by such time as established by NSCC. NSCC would 
delete from the IPS transfers that are not confirmed or rejected. The 
IPS would also incorporate and automate the settlement of confirmed 
Replacements into NSCC's existing settlement process for IPS.
    NSCC states that the proposed service would decrease the 
operational risk inherent in the processing of paper documentation, 
would provide a uniform platform for Replacements, and would provide 
uniform rules and procedures for Replacements.
    Under the proposed new Section 11, the Delivering Carrier waives 
the obligation of the Receiving Carrier to submit a signed physical 
copy of the TOA unless specifically required by state or local law. The 
transfer of any physical documents related to Replacements that are 
required under state law would continue to be transferred outside of 
NSCC. It would be the sole obligation of the Insurance Carrier/
Retirement Services Members involved in the Replacement to confirm that 
all legal requirements, including any requirement to obtain a signed 
physical copy of the TOA imposed by applicable state or local law, are 
satisfied prior to confirming a Request for Replacement. The 
Replacement service would permit the transfer of documentation as an 
attachment to the Request for Replacement, but this would not be a 
requirement to utilize the Replacement service. The waiver of the 
obligation to submit signed physical documents is intended to improve 
the orderly processing of Replacements.
    Finally, NSCC proposes to update the Fee Schedule to incorporate 
the fees associated with processing a Request for Replacement. The fee 
associated with a Request for Replacement, including submitting 
incremental replacement status messages and money settlement would be 
$5.00 per Request for Replacement. The cost would be divided between 
the carriers associated with the transaction with the Receiving Carrier 
responsible for $3.75 per transaction, which is three-fourths of the 
cost of the Replacement service, and the Delivering Carrier responsible 
for the remaining $1.25 fee, which is one-fourth of the cost. The fee 
associated with obtaining the status of a pending Request for 
Replacement, including incremental statuses, would be $1.00 per pending 
status request. The cost would be divided evenly between the Receiving 
Carrier and the Distributor, each of which would be responsible for 
paying a fee of $0.50.
3. Implementation Timeframe
    NSCC intends for the Replacement service to be implemented on or 
after January 1, 2011. Members would be advised of the specific 
implementation date through the issuance of an NSCC Important Notice.
    NSCC states that the proposed rule change is consistent with the 
requirements of Section 17A of the Act \2\ and the rules and 
regulations thereunder because it will assist NSCC's Members in 
processing Replacements in a timely and efficient manner. NSCC further 
states that the proposed rule change is also consistent with 
Recommendation 15 of the CPSS/IOSCO Recommendations for Securities 
Settlement Systems in that the Replacement service should reduce manual 
errors, lower costs, and increase the speed of processing Replacements 
through the use of automation.
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    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    NSCC believes that the proposed rule change will not impose any 
burden on competition not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of 
the purposes of the Act.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received from Members, Participants, or Others

    NSCC has not solicited or received written comments relating to the 
proposed rule change. NSCC will notify the Commission of any written 
comments it receives.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    Within 45 days of the date of publication of this notice in the 
Federal Register or within such longer period (i) as the Commission may 
designate up to 90 days of such date if it finds such longer period to 
be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to 
which the self-regulatory organization consents, the Commission will:
    (A) By order approve or disapprove such proposed rule change, or
    (B) Institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule 
change should be disapproved.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

    Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and 
arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule 
change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:
     Electronic comments may be submitted by using the 
Commission's Internet comment form http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml, 
or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Please include File No. SR-
NSCC-2010-15 on the subject line.
     Paper comments should be sent in triplicate to Elizabeth 
M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.
    All submissions should refer to File No. SR-NSCC-2010-15. This file

[[Page 74119]]

number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml. 
Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written 
statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with 
the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed 
rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those 
that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions 
of 5 U.S.C 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in 
the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, 
DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 
p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and 
copying at NSCC's principal office and NSCC's Web site http://www.dtcc.com/legal/rule_filings/nscc/2010.php. All comments received 
will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal 
identifying information from submissions. You should submit only 
information that you wish to make available publicly. All submission 
should refer to File No. SR-NSCC-2010-15 and should be submitted within 
December 21, 2010 days after the date of publication.\3\
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    \3\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.
Elizabeth M. Murphy,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010-30088 Filed 11-29-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P