(a) As prescribed in subdivision (b), an insurer may maintain reserves on a one year preliminary term basis on a life, term or endowment policy if by its terms such policy expressly provides that the first year’s insurance under such policy is term insurance purchased by part or the whole of the premium to be received during the first year.

(b) If the actuarial net preliminary term renewal premium in the case of

(1) insurance under a limited-payment life preliminary term policy providing for the payment of all premiums thereon within less than 20 years from the date thereof; or

(2) endowment insurance under an endowment preliminary term policy,

exceeds the actuarial net preliminary term renewal premium, calculated on the same table of mortality and rate of interest, for a 20-payment life policy, the reserve on such policy specified under (1) or (2) of this subdivision (b), as the case may be, at the end of any year, including the first, shall not be less than the sum of the reserve on a 20-payment life preliminary term policy issued at the same time on a life of the same age, and the actuarial net level premium reserve for a pure endowment maturing at the end of the premium payment period, equal to the excess of the full net level premium reserve, at the end of such premium payment period, on such policy specified under (1) or (2) of this subdivision (b), as the case may be, over the reserve, at the end of such premium payment period, of such 20-payment life preliminary term policy.

The premium payment period herein referred to is 20 years or the period, if less, during which premiums are actually payable under such policy specified in (1) or (2) of this subdivision (b), as the case may be.

(c) As used in this section, the term “20-payment life preliminary term policy” means a life insurance policy embodying all of the following attributes:

(1) It is whole-life insurance;

(2) The premium charged is payable annually or at lesser intervals until 20 annual premiums or a proportionately greater number of premiums payable at intervals less than one year shall have been paid, or until the prior death of the insured;

(3) The first year’s insurance is term insurance purchased by the whole or part of the premium to be received during the first contract year.

(Added by Stats. 1941, Ch. 277.)