(a) Issuance prior to May 17, 1921.--Reserves for policies and contracts issued prior to May 17, 1921, may be calculated, at the option of the company, according to any standards that produce greater aggregate reserves for all these policies and contracts than the minimum reserves required by law.

(b) Issuance on or after May 17, 1921.--Reserves for any category of policies, contracts or benefits established by the commissioner, issued on or after May 17, 1921, may be calculated, at the option of the company, according to any standards that produce greater aggregate reserves for the category than those calculated according to the minimum standard provided under this chapter, but the rate or rates of interest used for policies and contracts, other than annuity and pure endowment contracts, shall not be greater than the corresponding rate or rates of interest used in calculating any nonforfeiture benefits provided in the policies or contracts.

(c) Adoption of alternative standards.--The following shall apply:

(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a company that adopts at any time a standard of valuation producing greater aggregate reserves than those calculated according to the minimum standard provided under this chapter may adopt a lower standard of valuation with the approval of the commissioner, but not lower than the minimum provided in this chapter.

(2) For the purposes of this section, the holding of additional reserves previously determined by the appointed actuary to be necessary to render the opinion required by section 7113 (relating to actuarial opinion of reserves prior to operative date of valuation manual) or 7114 (relating to actuarial opinion of reserves on or after operative date of valuation manual) shall not be deemed to be the adoption of a higher standard of valuation.

Cross References. Section 7121 is referred to in section 7103 of this title.