Terms of Use

Last Updated: January 4, 2021

Welcome to the Merit Life Insurance Co. website (including this website, the mobile application, and the content within them, collectively, the “Site”). Please read these Terms of Use (“Terms”) carefully. These Terms apply to all users of this Site, including without limitation users who are browsers, vendors, customers and/or merchants. We occasionally update these Terms based on changes to the Site or other factors. Any updates made to the Terms go into effect once they are posted. By using the Site, you are agreeing to the Terms. If you do not agree to the Terms, you may not use this website.

Website Ownership

This website is owned and operated by Merit Life Insurance Co., which is referred to as “Merit” or “we” or “us” or “our.”

Permitted Use

You agree that:

Your use of this Site is subject to and governed by these Terms;
You will only access or use this Site and transact business with us if you are at least 18 years old;
You will comply with and be bound by these Terms as they appear on this Site each time you access and use this website;
Each use of this Site by you indicates and confirms your assent and agreement to be bound by these Terms;
These Terms are a legally binding agreement between you and Merit that will be enforceable against you.
Prohibited Uses

You agree that you will only use or attempt to use this Site for legitimate purposes with Merit as a bona fide client of Merit; you may not use or attempt to use this Site or any of its contents: (a) for any unlawful purpose; (b) to solicit others to perform or participate in any unlawful acts; (c) to violate any international, federal, provincial or state regulations, rules, laws, or local ordinances; (d) to infringe upon or violate our intellectual property rights or the intellectual property rights of others; (e) to harass, abuse, insult, harm, defame, slander, disparage, intimidate, or discriminate; (f) to submit false or misleading information; (g) to upload or transmit viruses or any other type of malicious code that will or may be used in any way that will affect the functionality or operation of the Service or of any related website, other websites, or the Internet; (h) to collect or track the personal information of others; (i) to spam, phish, pharm, pretext, spider, crawl, or scrape; (j) for any obscene or immoral purpose; (k) to overburden or damage Merit equipment or software; (l) to send electronic mail to us that is illegal, obscene, profane, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, infringing of intellectual property rights; or contains harmful code, political campaigning, commercial solicitation, chain letters, or mass mailings; or violates any applicable law, such as the CANSPAM Act or (m) to interfere with or circumvent the security features of the Site or any related website, other websites, or the Internet. We reserve the right to terminate your use of the Site or any related website for violating any of the prohibited uses.

Agreement to Provide Accurate Information

In making an inquiry, application or in entering into any other transaction or request for information on this Site, you agree to provide accurate, true, current and complete information upon which Merit may rely.

Disclosures

Neither the materials nor other website content constitutes an offer to sell or offer to buy any insurance product.

Merit Income Insurance, a Fixed Contingent Deferred Annuity (“CDA”), may not be available in all states. To check whether this product is available for you, click on our State Availability page.

Merit CDAs are sold by prospectus. Contact Merit for a prospectus and read it carefully. The posting of the prospectus on the Website is not a recommendation or opinion for you to buy or sell any particular product or participate in any particular transaction.

This product does not take into account the objectives, financial condition, or particular needs of any specific person. Applicants should discuss their specific situation with their financial professional. Securities and advisory services are offered through INTE, a registered investment advisor. Member of FINRA/SIPC. Merit CDAs have no cash value, surrender value, or death benefit. The information provided is not intended as legal or tax advice.

Nothing on this Site including our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) shall be construed as rendering financial, legal, tax or investment advice. Materials filed with the SEC may be obtained by accessing the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

Computer Requirements: To access this Site, you must have a computer equipped with a modem or other access device. You are responsible for the selection, installation, maintenance, and operation of your computer and software. We are not responsible for any errors, failures, or malfunctions of your computer or software. You are responsible for ensuring that your computer and software are compatible with our Site. We reserve the right to change the system requirements for using this Site.

Copyright and Trademarks

Copyright in the pages and in the screens displaying the pages, and in the information and material thereon and in their arrangement is owned by Merit unless otherwise indicated.

All trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, and icons are proprietary to Merit. You acknowledge and agree that you do not acquire any rights by implication, estoppel or otherwise, to use any trademark displayed on this Site without the express permission of Merit. You further acknowledge and agree that you will not in any way copy, reproduce, publish, create derivative works from, perform, upload, post, distribute, transfer, modify, adapt, reverse engineer or frame in any other web page, any web page content on these pages.

You may not use Merit’s name or trademarks in any way that implies an affiliation with, or an endorsement, sponsorship or approval by Merit without our express written permission.

Links

This site may contain links to websites controlled by or offered by third parties and non-affiliates of Merit. Merit hereby DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR, ANY INFORMATION, MATERIALS, PRODUCTS OR SERVICES POSTED OR OFFERED AT ANY OF THE THIRD-PARTY SITE LINKED TO THIS SITE. BY CREATING A LINK TO A THIRD PARTY SITE, MERIT DOES NOT ENDORSE OR RECOMMEND ANY PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED OR INFORMATION CONTAINED AT THAT WEBSITE, NOR IS MERIT LIABLE FOR ANY FAILURE OF SUCH WEBSITE, ITS PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED OR ADVERTISED. SUCH THIRD PARTY WEBSITES MAY HAVE A PRIVACY POLICY DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF MERIT AND MAY PROVIDE LESS SECURITY THAN THE MERIT SITE.

User IDs and Passwords

Certain areas or features of this website may be restricted to users who have obtained a user identification and password by completing a registration process described on this website. Please be sure to protect and maintain the confidentiality of any user identification, password or other identifying information you may obtain in connection with your use of this website. You agree to notify Merit immediately if you believe your user identification, password or other identifying information has been lost, stolen or otherwise compromised. You also acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for all damages or claims that may arise from any access to or use of this website by any person to whom you have provided your user identification, password or other identifying information, or by any person who has obtained such information from you, including, but not limited to, any access to or use of this website that may occur after you have notified us that your user identification, password or other identifying information has been lost, stolen or otherwise compromised.

Privacy and Security

For information on how Merit uses and protects the personal information you may provide through this website, please visit our Privacy Policy.

Telephone Calls and Text Messages Regarding an Annuity

If you contact us by phone, you agree that we may monitor and/or record your phone conversations. If you provide us with a cell phone number, you authorize us to contact you from time to time regarding our annuity products.

Additional Terms

Certain sections or pages on this site may contain separate terms and conditions which are in addition to these terms and conditions. Additionally, other products or services offered by Merit, including those available through this site, may be subject to terms, conditions and disclaimers in addition to these Terms. You agree that your use of such products and services will be subject to such additional terms, conditions and disclaimers. In the event of a conflict, the additional terms and conditions will govern for those sections or pages or products.

Your Cooperation Needed

Merit generally begins processing your application upon the submission of a full and complete application. If you submit an application, you agree to cooperate in the application process (including submitting all required documentation in a timely manner) and if needed, to obtain information Merit may need from third parties such as your bank, wealth management advisor/firm, investment advisor, or other financial institution. In addition, you agree to notify Merit of any changes in any information submitted in connection with your application.

Reasonable Efforts

While Merit will use all of its reasonable efforts to have your application fully processed on or before any anticipated closing date, some processes are not under our control. For instance, Merit cannot be responsible for delays due to the untimely receipt of required documentation or any other matters beyond Merit’s reasonable control.

Governing Law

You agree that these Terms of Use shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Connecticut, without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law. You agree that any action at law or in equity arising out of or relating to these Terms or the use of this Site shall be filed only in the state or federal courts located in Connecticut, and you hereby consent and submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts for the purposes of litigating any such action.

Indemnification

As a condition of your use of the Site, you agree to indemnify and hold Merit and its third party content providers harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, liability, costs, and expenses (including but not limited to attorneys’ fees) arising from your use of the Merit Site, or from your violation of these Terms.

NO WARRANTY

THE INFORMATION AND MATERIALS CONTAINED IN THIS SITE, INCLUDING TEXT, GRAPHICS, LINKS OR OTHER ITEMS ARE PROVIDED “AS IS”, “AS AVAILABLE”. MERIT DOES NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THIS INFORMATION AND MATERIALS AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN THIS INFORMATION AND MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, IMPLIED, EXPRESSED OR STATUTORY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS, TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM COMPUTER VIRUS, IS GIVEN IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE INFORMATION AND MATERIALS.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

IN NO EVENT WILL MERIT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DIRECT OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES ARISING IN CONNECTION WITH THIS SITE OR ANY LINKED SITE OR USE THEREOF OR INABILITY TO USE BY ANY PARTY, OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS OR LINE OR SYSTEM FAILURE, EVEN IF MERIT, OR REPRESENTATIVES THEREOF, ARE ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, LOSSES OR EXPENSES.

Severability

You agree that if any provision of these Terms shall be found to be unlawful or void, or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from the other provisions of these Terms and Conditions and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of such other provisions.