Life policies (surrenders, non-payment of premiums, paid-up policies)
149.—(1)  Where a life policy has been in force for 3 years or more, the policy owner may by written notice to the insurer surrender the policy, and the policy owner is then entitled to receive the surrender value thereof (if any) determined in accordance with such rules as may be prescribed (but subject to any deduction for sums due under the policy or under an agreement charging them on the policy).
[11/2013]
(2)  Where a life policy has been in force for 3 years or more, the policy does not lapse and must not be forfeited by reason of the non‑payment of premiums, but has effect subject to such modifications as to the period for which it is to be in force or the benefits receivable thereunder or both as may be determined in accordance with any system adopted by the insurer and applicable to the policy; and —
(a)in the case of a policy issued as a Singapore policy after 1 January 1967 or as an offshore policy issued after 1 January 1987, the system must be approved by the Authority, and must be that adopted and applicable at the time the policy is issued, and the policy must contain a statement in a form approved by the Authority of the effect of this subsection in relation to the policy; and
(b)in any other case, unless the system is determined by the policy, the system must be that which at the time when this section becomes applicable to the policy would apply to a like policy then issued as a Singapore policy.
(3)  Where a life policy has been in force for 3 years or more, the policy owner may by written notice to the insurer elect to exchange the policy for a paid‑up policy, which must be a non‑participating policy for an amount determined in accordance with such rules as may be prescribed, but with no other modification not required by this Act or some other written law.
(4)  A policy issued in place of an earlier policy is, for the purposes of this section (including this subsection), treated as having been in force since the earlier policy began to be in force; but this does not affect the operation in relation to a policy of subsection (2)(a) or (b).
(5)  Subsections (1) to (3) do not apply —
(a)to a policy securing the grant of an annuity for a term dependent upon human life; or
(b)to a policy under which no policy moneys are necessarily payable, not being a policy which provides for the payment of policy moneys on a death after a specified period.
(6)  As respects policies of any prescribed description, subsections (1), (2) and (3) have effect subject to such modifications as may be prescribed.
(7)  The rights conferred by this section are in addition to, and not in derogation of, any other rights available to the policy owner under the terms of the policy or otherwise; but this section is not to be taken to confer on a policy owner any rights except against the insurer as such.
(8)  This section applies to policies whenever issued; and, subject to subsection (5), extends to any Singapore policy and offshore policy.
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