[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 12, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 12CFR14.40]

[Page 234-235]
 
                       TITLE 12--BANKS AND BANKING
 
   CHAPTER I--COMPTROLLER OF THE CURRENCY, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
 
PART 14_CONSUMER PROTECTION IN SALES OF INSURANCE--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 14.40  What a covered person must disclose.

    (a) Insurance disclosures. In connection with the initial purchase 
of an insurance product or annuity by a consumer from a covered person, 
a covered person must disclose to the consumer, except to the extent the 
disclosure would not be accurate, that:
    (1) The insurance product or annuity is not a deposit or other 
obligation of, or guaranteed by, the bank or an affiliate of the bank;
    (2) The insurance product or annuity is not insured by the Federal 
Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other agency of the United 
States, the bank, or (if applicable) an affiliate of the bank; and
    (3) In the case of an insurance product or annuity that involves an 
investment risk, there is investment risk associated with the product, 
including the possible loss of value.
    (b) Credit disclosure. In the case of an application for credit in 
connection with which an insurance product or annuity is solicited, 
offered, or sold, a covered person must disclose that the bank may not 
condition an extension of credit on either:
    (1) The consumer's purchase of an insurance product or annuity from 
the bank or any of its affiliates; or
    (2) The consumer's agreement not to obtain, or a prohibition on the 
consumer from obtaining, an insurance product or annuity from an 
unaffiliated entity.
    (c) Timing and method of disclosures--(1) In general. The 
disclosures required by paragraph (a) of this section must be provided 
orally and in writing before the completion of the initial sale of an 
insurance product or annuity to a consumer. The disclosure required by 
paragraph (b) of this section must be made orally and in writing at the 
time the consumer applies for an extension of credit in connection with 
which an insurance product or annuity is solicited, offered, or sold.
    (2) Exception for transactions by mail. If a sale of an insurance 
product or annuity is conducted by mail, a covered person is not 
required to make the oral disclosures required by paragraph (a) of this 
section. If a covered person takes an application for credit by mail, 
the covered person is not required to make the oral disclosure required 
by paragraph (b).
    (3) Exception for transactions by telephone. If a sale of an 
insurance product or annuity is conducted by telephone, a covered person 
may provide the written disclosures required by paragraph (a) of this 
section by mail within 3 business days beginning on the first business 
day after the sale, excluding Sundays and the legal public holidays 
specified in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a). If a covered person takes an application 
for credit by telephone, the covered person may provide the written 
disclosure required by paragraph (b) of this section by mail, provided 
the covered person mails it to the consumer within three days beginning 
the first business day after the application is taken, excluding Sundays 
and the legal public holidays specified in 5 U.S.C. 6103(a).
    (4) Electronic form of disclosures. (i) Subject to the requirements 
of section 101(c) of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National 
Commerce Act (12 U.S.C. 7001(c)), a covered person may

[[Page 235]]

provide the written disclosures required by paragraph (a) and (b) of 
this section through electronic media instead of on paper, if the 
consumer affirmatively consents to receiving the disclosures 
electronically and if the disclosures are provided in a format that the 
consumer may retain or obtain later, for example, by printing or storing 
electronically (such as by downloading).
    (ii) Any disclosures required by paragraphs (a) or (b) of this 
section that are provided by electronic media are not required to be 
provided orally.
    (5) Disclosures must be readily understandable. The disclosures 
provided shall be conspicuous, simple, direct, readily understandable, 
and designed to call attention to the nature and significance of the 
information provided. For instance, a covered person may use the 
following disclosures in visual media, such as television broadcasting, 
ATM screens, billboards, signs, posters and written advertisements and 
promotional materials, as appropriate and consistent with paragraphs (a) 
and (b) of this section:

 NOT A DEPOSIT
 NOT FDIC-INSURED
 NOT INSURED BY ANY FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AGENCY
 NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK [OR SAVINGS ASSOCIATION]
 MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE

    (6) Disclosures must be meaningful. (i) A covered person must 
provide the disclosures required by paragraphs (a) and (b) of this 
section in a meaningful form. Examples of the types of methods that 
could call attention to the nature and significance of the information 
provided include:
    (A) A plain-language heading to call attention to the disclosures;
    (B) A typeface and type size that are easy to read;
    (C) Wide margins and ample line spacing;
    (D) Boldface or italics for key words; and
    (E) Distinctive type style, and graphic devices, such as shading or 
sidebars, when the disclosures are combined with other information.
    (ii) A covered person has not provided the disclosures in a 
meaningful form if the covered person merely states to the consumer that 
the required disclosures are available in printed material, but does not 
provide the printed material when required and does not orally disclose 
the information to the consumer when required.
    (iii) With respect to those disclosures made through electronic 
media for which paper or oral disclosures are not required, the 
disclosures are not meaningfully provided if the consumer may bypass the 
visual text of the disclosures before purchasing an insurance product or 
annuity.
    (7) Consumer acknowledgment. A covered person must obtain from the 
consumer, at the time a consumer receives the disclosures required under 
paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section, or at the time of the initial 
purchase by the consumer of an insurance product or annuity, a written 
acknowledgment by the consumer that the consumer received the 
disclosures. A covered person may permit a consumer to acknowledge 
receipt of the disclosures electronically or in paper form. If the 
disclosures required under paragraphs (a) or (b) of this section are 
provided in connection with a transaction that is conducted by 
telephone, a covered person must:
    (i) Obtain an oral acknowledgment of receipt of the disclosures and 
maintain sufficient documentation to show that the acknowledgment was 
given; and
    (ii) Make reasonable efforts to obtain a written acknowledgment from 
the consumer.
    (d) Advertisements and other promotional material for insurance 
products or annuities. The disclosures described in paragraph (a) of 
this section are required in advertisements and promotional material for 
insurance products or annuities unless the advertisements and 
promotional materials are of a general nature describing or listing the 
services or products offered by the bank.