(1) Reserves for policies and contracts issued before January 1, 1994, may be calculated, at the option of the company, according to any standards which produce greater aggregate reserves for such policies and contracts than the minimum reserves required by the laws in effect immediately before that date. Reserves for any category of policies, contracts, or benefits as established by the commissioner, issued on or after January 1, 1994, may be calculated, at the option of the company, according to any standards which produce greater aggregate reserves for such category than those calculated according to the minimum standard provided in this part, but the rate or rates of interest used for policies and contracts, other than annuity and pure endowment contracts, may not be greater than the corresponding rate or rates of interest used in calculating any nonforfeiture benefits provided in the policy or contract.

(2) Any such company which at any time shall have adopted any standard of valuation producing greater aggregate reserves than those calculated according to the minimum standard provided in this part may, with the approval of the commissioner, adopt any lower standard of valuation, but not lower than the minimum provided in this part, except that, 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 31A-17-503 may not be considered to be the adoption of a higher standard of valuation.