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Abstract

The German Insurance Contract Law (Versicherungsvertragsgesetz—abbreviation VVG 2008) entered into force on 1 January 2008 after the major reform which aimed at providing stronger protection for policyholders, specifically with regard to the insurer’s obligation to provide information about the insurance coverage, policyholders’ pre-contractual duties of disclosure and violation of duties mandatory on policyholders. Insurance-based investment products are gaining popularity in Germany. These innovative life insurance products are usually complex in their structure and the German life insurance companies need to handle conflict between low interest rate and the customer’s aspiration of a certain security level. Moreover, additional requirements have been put in place in relation to transparency requirements which must correspond to the nature of these products. Bearing in mind that conclusion of unit-linked life insurance contracts in the form of an individual or collective insurance policy is a double-edged sword for potential customers, protection of consumers (policyholder and beneficiaries of a life insurance policy) is of special interest. All insurance contracts linked to investment funds (such as unit-linked insurance policy) in Germany from 23 February 2018 will be subject to the obligation to prepare a key information document pursuant to the PRIIPs Regulation and additional requirements for distribution prescribed in the Act implementing the Insurance Distribution Directive.

This paper deals with the question of liability of the insurers and insurance intermediaries in case of distribution of insurance-based investment products in Germany. This is followed by a short discussion of the historical development of unit linked business in Germany and legal framework for liability in German law.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft e.V, Statistisches Taschenbuch der Versicherungswirtschaft 2017, copy of the document available at URL: https://www.gdv.de/resource/blob/12208/b2a04a76a1597e051d5a3a6d210b8a11/download-statistisches-taschenbuch-2017-data.pdf.

  2. 2.

    Pyka and Hanusch (2006), p. 126.

  3. 3.

    Eichengreen and Ritschl (2008).

  4. 4.

    Bernhardt (2010), p. 29.

  5. 5.

    Gaida (2002), p. 217.

  6. 6.

    Döring (2010), p. 50.

  7. 7.

    Historical data for the Germany DAX (Deutscher Aktienindex) Stock Market Index of the 30 major German companies from 1970 to 2017 are available at: https://tradingeconomics.com/germany/stock-market.

  8. 8.

    Pyka and Hanusch (2006), p. 126.

  9. 9.

    Günter and Frommann (1998), p. 11.

  10. 10.

    In the German equity market, the silent partnership in the company’s (Stille Gesellschaft) became established as the dominant legal form because of the huge level of its acceptance in the partner companies. The disadvantages of this company form are the inability to influence company management and the uncertainty about the availability of liquid funds in case of partnership dissolution.

  11. 11.

    Leithoff (2014), p. 26.

  12. 12.

    Bernhardt (2010), p. 29.

  13. 13.

    Plagge (2006), p. 39.

  14. 14.

    Joint ventures in Germany are subject to German and European Antitrust Law as well as the law of the home country of the parties if they fulfill certain requirements with regard to the turnover and market shares of the undertakings concerned.

  15. 15.

    An IPO is the first sale of stock by a private company to the public.

  16. 16.

    Hagelschuer (1983), p. 23.

  17. 17.

    Unit-linked products were only sold as an add-on insurance (supplemental insurance) if client already had a conventional insurance product. Novikov and Wiesenewsky (2012).

  18. 18.

    Döring (2010), p. 50.

  19. 19.

    C. Flowers became the first ever private equity backer of an insurance acquisition in Germany with its ‘Württembergische & Badische Versicherungs-AG’ investment at the end of 2004/beginning of 2005.

  20. 20.

    Döring (2010), p. 52.

  21. 21.

    Döring (2010), p. 50.

  22. 22.

    The capital in private equity funds typically derive from institutional investors such as insurance companies, banks and pension funds; Kollmann (2008), p. 57.

  23. 23.

    Reihlen and Werr (2012), p. 363.

  24. 24.

    Gatzert and Schmeiser (2006), p. 4.

  25. 25.

    For further details on Riester Pension System in Germany see Mierzejewski (2016), pp. 327 et.seq.

  26. 26.

    Holzmann and Palmer (2006), p. 594.

  27. 27.

    Static hybrid products were introduced in 1999 as the first hybrid products in Germany (hybrid products of the first generation); Kochanski and Karnarski (2011), pp. 173–198; Bohnert (2013), pp. 555–575.

  28. 28.

    Variable annuities are unit-linked life insurance contracts with investment guarantees which, in exchange for single or regular premiums, allow the policyholder to benefit from the upside of the unit but be partially or totally protected when the unit loses value.

  29. 29.

    Storm and Naastepad (2014), copy of the document available at URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2638053, accessed 11.05.2018.

  30. 30.

    Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungswirtschaft e.V., Absenkung des Höchstrechnungszinses hat kaum Einfluss auf die Ablaufleistung, copy of the document available at URL: http://www.gdv.de/2011/02/lebensversicherung-bleibt-attraktives-vorsorgeprodukt-absenkung-des-hoechstrechnungszinses-hat-kaum-einfluss-auf-die-ablaufleistung/, accessed 11.05.2018.

  31. 31.

    A wrapper is a life assurance policy whose value is dictated by the value of a portfolio of investments selected by the life policy holder.

  32. 32.

    Under a guaranteed annuity option, an insurer guarantees to convert a policyholder’s accumulated funds to a life annuity at a fixed rate when the policy matures. Because of the way the guarantee was written, factors influenced the cost of these guarantees are stock market performance and mortality assumption.

  33. 33.

    Germany was one of the founding members of the European Union (1952) and it became a member of the Schengen area when it was created in 1985 and has been a member of the Eurozone since its launching in 1999.

  34. 34.

    The German legal system is strongly influenced by EU law and the law of European Communities exists as an independent legal system. EU Law is directly applicable, in most cases through so-called regulation (Verordnungen) which is binding in Germany after having been passed by means of one of the legislative procedures of the European Union. This basic process is the same for all EU Directives (Richtlinien) and directly applicable EU regulations. Specific national rules exit where important legal questions are not regulated by EU Law or where EU leaves room for additional national rules.

  35. 35.

    OECD, Chapter 7 The interface between member states and the EU, Better Regulation in Europe Better Regulation in Europe: Finland 2010, p. 124.

  36. 36.

    Directive 2004/39/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on markets in financial instruments.

  37. 37.

    Gesetz zur Umsetzung der Richtlinie über Märkte für Finanzinstrumente und der Durchführungsrichtlinie der Kommission (Finanzmarktrichtlinie-Umsetzungsgesetz, FRUG), BGBl. I 2007 S. 1330; 19.07.2007.

  38. 38.

    Directive 2014/65/EU on Markets in Financial Instruments, of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on markets in financial instruments, Official Journal of European Union, L 173/349.

  39. 39.

    Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014 on markets in financial instruments, Official Journal of European Union, L 173/84.

  40. 40.

    Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 November 2014 on key information documents for packaged retail and insurance-based investment products.

  41. 41.

    Zweites Gesetz zur Novellierung von Finanzmarktvorschriften auf Grund europäischer Rechtsakte (Zweites Finanzmarktnovellierungsgesetz—2. FiMaNoG), BGBl. I S. 1693.

  42. 42.

    Directive (EU) 2016/97 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 January 2016 on insurance distribution, Official Journal of the European Union, L 26/19.

  43. 43.

    Gesetz zur Umsetzung der Richtlinie (EU) 2016/97 des Europäischen Parlaments und des Rates vom 20. Januar 2016 über Versicherungsvertrieb und zur Änderung weiterer Gesetze, BGBl. I 2017 S. 2789.

  44. 44.

    The Circular no. 11/2018.sets aside former Circular 10/2014. BaFin Journal, August 2017, p. 5. Copy of the document available at URL: https://www.bafin.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/BaFinJournal/2017/bj_1708.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=5.

  45. 45.

    For example, Sections 23, 48, 48b, 48c of the VAG; Section 34d of the GewO; Sections 1a, 6, 6a, 7, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 59, 61, 66.

  46. 46.

    Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1469 of 11 August 2017 laying down a standardised presentation format for the insurance product information document, Official Journal of the European Union, L 209/19.

  47. 47.

    Neugebauer (1990), p. 47.

  48. 48.

    Gesetz über den Versicherungsvertrag vom 30. Mai 1908, Deutsches RGBl. S. 263; The VVG 1908 was neither applicable to reinsurance nor to ocean marine insurance, the latter of which continued to be an integral part of the HGB until 2008.

  49. 49.

    Koch (2010), pp. 163–171.

  50. 50.

    Sec. 16 para. 1 VVG 1908.

  51. 51.

    Sec. 241 para. 2 BGB.

  52. 52.

    OLG Frankfurt, 21.11.2001 - 6 W 217/01; OLG Hamm, 23.08.2000 - 20 U 22/00; OLG Düsseldorf, 13.12.2005 - I-20 U 81/05.

  53. 53.

    Art. 152 VVG 1908; Art. 67(2) VVG 1908; Art. 169, 170 VVG 1908 (life assurance); Art. 178 VVG 1908 (health insurance); Art. 181 VVG 1908 ((accident insurance).

  54. 54.

    For further details see Endres (1991).

  55. 55.

    Römer (2009), pp. 176, 182, copy of the document available at URL: http://www.humboldt-forum-recht.de/deutsch/13-2009/beitrag.html, accessed 31.05.2017.

  56. 56.

    Julius von Staudinge, Rolf Sack, Neubearbeitung 2003, § 138 BGB Rn. 69.

  57. 57.

    Art. § 61 VVG 1908.

  58. 58.

    Art. 21 VVG 1908.

  59. 59.

    Art. 25 VVG 1908.

  60. 60.

    For more information and different views see Grote and Schneider (2007), pp. 2689, 2690; Werber (2001), p. 1313.

  61. 61.

    Hofmann (2011), pp. 287–307; Focht et al. (2013) pp. 329–350.

  62. 62.

    Art. 20 para.3; art. 97 GG.

  63. 63.

    BGH, 14.11.2012 - IV ZR 198/10.

  64. 64.

    BGH, 11.07.2012 - IV ZR 164/11; IV ZR 122/11; IV ZR 151/11; IV ZR 268/10; IV ZR 271/10.

  65. 65.

    Clerical Medical Investment Group litigation in Germany involved more than 2000 individual claims brought by investors against a financial services provider.

  66. 66.

    BGH, 14.10.2015 - IV ZR 284/12.

  67. 67.

    Case number = C-209/12, Judgment of the Court (First Chamber), 19 December 2013, Walter Endress v Allianz Lebensversicherungs AG.

  68. 68.

    BGH, 07.05.2014 - IV ZR 76/11.

  69. 69.

    Schimikowski and Höra (2007), p. 136; Beenken (2010), p. 80.

  70. 70.

    Sec. 209 and 210 of the VVG 2008.

  71. 71.

    Directive 2002/92/EC o of 9 December 2002 on insurance mediation.

  72. 72.

    Art.1045, 1046, 1127–1130 BGB.

  73. 73.

    E.g. Sec. 4. para.1; Sec. 8. para. 4 VVG 2008 etc.

  74. 74.

    By transferring the provision duty to inform from the VAG to the VVG 2008 it is unequivocally confirmed its civil legal character.

  75. 75.

    Sec. 7 of the VVG 2008 comprises all obligations of informing, including requirement to provide suitable advice to the customer and to document such advice. These obligations have its origins from EU directives.

  76. 76.

    Based on Sec. 7, para. 2 VVG 2008.

  77. 77.

    Considering that the duty to inform has been regulated by imperative and semi-imperative provisions, German Insurance Contract Act, cannot influence its contents i.e. possible changes. By submitting to the consumer, the documents which contain particularities of the contract in a brief, precise and understandable way, the assumptions are created that he/she will not make the hasty decision.

  78. 78.

    German legislator only when regulating a time moment of informing the policyholder, uses the formulation of “in good time before the policyholder submits his contractual acceptance” or “before the contract is concluded”. This should be interpreted in a way that the insurance contract is concluded on the basis of the insformations of the terms of contract, including the general terms and conditions of insurance, in the form of a document to a policyholder. The policyholder therefore should have all the information necessary for informed decision-making about conclusion of the contract not later than in the moment of initiation of offer for conclusion of insurance contract.

  79. 79.

    Sect. 6 para. 1 VVG 2008. The insurer, unlike a broker (Versicherungsmakler) owe reasonable advice to the policyholder. In determining the reasonableness of the advice, it is generally accepted that all relevant information of the case including the demands and needs of the policyholder, the nature and complexity of the envisaged insurance contract and the amount of the premium to be paid.

  80. 80.

    Finnern (2009), pp. 215–220.

  81. 81.

    Sec. 6. para. 2 of the VVG 2008; In theory, it is pointed out that this provision has typically formal and substantive dimension. The language in insurance policy is ambiguous, contradictory or gives room to multiple interpretations and it is too difficult for insureds to understand it; Beckmann and Matusche-Beckmann (2009), p. 931.

  82. 82.

    Many consumers for different reasons do not take into account the information that were told to them on the basis of the legal duty of the insurer. From the point of view of consumer protection, the important thing is that consumers are told all the information that the law considers to be the consuming ones (regardless of whether they will want/be able to use them in a legally prescribed manner). This is especialy relevent in the case of unit-linked life insurance policy. It is up to consumers to decide about conclusion of the contract. In that way, on one hand, consumers are supplied with the information necessary to overcome information assymetry, and on the other hand, they seem to be the only ones that are responsible for making the decision on the basis of analyzing and taking into account of all the information.

  83. 83.

    Beckmann and Matusche-Beckmann (2009), p. 915.

  84. 84.

    Sec. 6 para. 4 VVG 2008. For example, if the policyholder wishes to terminate a life insurance contract, the insurer must inform him about the option to continue the policy without premium payments. The documentation requirement is intended to facilitate the production of evidence for the policyholder (if he claims for damages for inappropriate advice). Policyholders may waive their right to receive advice and/or documentation by issuing a separate written declaration to this effect and such waiver is only valid if the insurer refers in the same document to the disadvantageous effects of the waiver. In this way, policyholders are protected from hasty waivers. More details: Rüffer et al. (2008), § 6 VVG note 31.

  85. 85.

    Beckmann and Matusche-Beckmann (2009), p. 916; According to the German law, a standard term that lacks transparency will be subject to an unquestionable assumption of unreasonable discrimination (unwiderlegbare Vermutung einer unangemessenen Benachteiligung) against the contractual partner and discriminatory standard terms are null and void under Sec. 307. para. 1 BGB.

  86. 86.

    Sec. 19 para. 2, 3 VVG 2008.

  87. 87.

    Sec. 19 para. 2 VVG 2008.

  88. 88.

    Sec. 21.para 2. VVG 2008.

  89. 89.

    Sec. 19.of the VVG 2008.

  90. 90.

    Heiss (1989), p. 20ff; Fischer (1965), p. 197.

  91. 91.

    § 242 BGB “Der Schuldner ist verpflichtet, die Leistung so zu bewirken, wie Treu und Glauben mit Rücksicht auf die Verkehrssitte es erfordern.” (An obligor has a duty to perform according to the requirements of good faith, taking customary practice into consideration).

  92. 92.

    Honsell (1998), p. 2194.

  93. 93.

    Sec. 19 para. 1 VVG 2008. Pursuant to this rule, the insured shall disclose to the insurer before making his contractual acceptance the risk factors known to him which are relevant to the insurer’s decision to conclude the contract with the agreed content and which the insurer has requested in writing. If, after receiving the policyholder’s contractual acceptance and before accepting the contract, the insurer asks questions about the risk factors, the policyholder shall also be under the duty of disclosure as regards these questions. Moreover, according to Sec. 20 of the VVG 2008 if the contract is concluded by a policyholder’s representative, both the representative’s knowledge and fraudulent conduct as well as the insured’s knowledge and fraudulent conduct shall be taken into account.

  94. 94.

    The principle of utmost good faith nevertheless still is applicable where positive rules do not exist.

  95. 95.

    Pursuant to Sec. 23 of the VVG 2008 “after the policyholder has submitted his contractual acceptance, an aggravation of the risk insured occurs notwithstanding his intention, he must disclose the aggravation to the insurer without undue delay as soon as he has learned thereof”.

  96. 96.

    Directive 2009/138/EC (Solvency II) harmonizes certain aspects of insurance contract law in Title II (Art. 178 to 211 providing “Specific Provisions for Insurance and Reinsurance”), such as information duties of the insurer (Art. 183 to 185), the cancellation period in individual life insurance (Art. 186) and the free choice of a lawyer guaranteed and qualified in Art. 201 and 202; Directive 2002/92/EC (Insurance Mediation) provides provisions about contractual relationship between an insurer and its customer whenever an insurer is vicariously liable for a breach of duty committed by an agent, e.g. an inaccurate instruction on the contents of a particular product; Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD), Directive on Markets in Financial Instruments (MiFID II) and Regulation on Key Information Documents for Investment Products (PRIPs Regulation) provide special rules on insurance contracts which are investment instruments, such as funds-linked life insurance. Insurance contract law is also harmonized to a certain degree by directives on consumer contract law comprising consumer insurances, Directive 2002/65/EC (Distance Marketing of Financial Services) and Council Directive 93/13/EEC (Unfair Contract Terms), Council Directive 93/13/EEC (see Art. 8) and some of the provisions in Directive 2002/65/EC concerning information duties (Art. 4. para.2) provide EU minimum standards of consumer protection and allow Member States to adopt more protective measures.

  97. 97.

    By arrangement of the duty to inform as a pre-contractual obligation, influenced is change of model of conclusion of insurance contract. Prior to adoption of the Insurance Contract Act, the contracts were concluded by submitting insurance policy (Policenmodell), and general and special conditions were submitted only after the conclusion of the contract. It was very unfair for policyholders who did not have an insight into significant data before final commitment. Considering that now the duty to inform has been regulated as a pre-contractual one, in practice is developed of conclusion of contract by giving an offer (Antragsmodell) or invitation to offer (Invitationmodell) and submission of the legally prescribed data circle before declaring contractual will. Beckmann and Matusche-Beckmann (2009), p. 918.

  98. 98.

    van Bühren (2014), pp. 1629–1630.

  99. 99.

    According to the Sec. 108 para. 2 of the VVG 2008, the policyholder can assign its indemnity claim against a liability insurer to the third party and that this assignment cannot be excluded in the general terms of insurance.

  100. 100.

    Sec. 26. para 1. sentence 2, Sec. 28. para.2. sentance 2, Sec. 81. para.2, Sec. 82. para.3. sentence 2 and Sec. 86. para 2. sentence 3 of the VVG 2008; An insured’s fraud under group insurance policies, does not prejudice the rights of the other insureds under the same contract and any (pre-contractual or later) fraud of the policyholder of the group insurance contract can have consequences for the insureds and endanger their cover.

  101. 101.

    Sec. 26. para.1. sentence 1, Sec. 28. para.2. sentence 1, Sec. 81. para.1, Sec. 82 para.3. sentence 1 and Sec. 86. para.2, sentence 2 of the VVG 2008.

  102. 102.

    Heiss (2013).

  103. 103.

    For more information see Gebert et al. (2013), p. 173. Beckmann and Matusche-Beckmann (2009), p. 301.

  104. 104.

    The HGB contains rules that affect insurance law (intermediaries and rules of liability), but these don’t deal with contract law.

  105. 105.

    Beckmann and Matusche-Beckmann (2009), pp. 298.et seq.

  106. 106.

    Pursuant to section 34(d), para. 3 of the GewO, the authorities waive upon application the requirements of a license in the event that the applicant mediates insurance agreements as a supplement to the goods delivered or services rendered in the context of its primary activity. In such a case, the applicant would need to provide evidence that: he mediates insurance agreements as a contractor of an insurance intermediary holding a license or as a contractor of an insurance company; he is covered by a professional indemnity insurance; and he is reliable as well as appropriately qualified and does not live in disorderly financial conditions. Insurance mediation does not require any license in the context of ancillary activities if these are carried out in small scale.

  107. 107.

    Beckmann and Matusche-Beckmann (2009), p. 310.

  108. 108.

    These individuals are not subject to specific rules applicable to insurance mediation rather to certain rules of the HGB.

  109. 109.

    Sec. 61 and 62 of the VVG 2008.

  110. 110.

    Insurance Mediation Directive (IMD) ensures that insurance-based investment products sold by intermediaries meet the demands and needs of an individual consumer. The Insurance Distribution Directive (IDD) applies this requirement to all distributors and, in addition, introduces an assessment of the suitability and appropriateness of an insurance-based investment product.

  111. 111.

    The liability rule arises from EU directives (IMD) and applies for failures resulting from neglect of information, advising and documentation duties.

  112. 112.

    For example: OLG Saarbrücken, 04.05.2011 – 5 U 502/10 – 76; OLG Hamm, 04.12.2009 - I-20 U 131/09; 33 O 136/10 LG Ingolstadt; 12/29/2010; 12 U 56/11 OLG Karlsruhe; 09/15/2011; 5 U 337/09 OLG Saarland; 01/27/2010; 14 U 129/10 OLG Schleswig; 09/16/2011.

  113. 113.

    Sec. 280. para 1 BGB Damages for breach of duty.

  114. 114.

    Dörner (2010), § 63 recital 1.

  115. 115.

    Dörner (2010), § 63 recital 5,8.

  116. 116.

    Sec. 6 para and Sec. 63 of the VVG 2008; From the consumers’ point of view, missing documentation reduce the burden of proof.

  117. 117.

    This is clearly express by the wording of section 254 BGB “(1) where fault on the part of the injured person contributes to the occurrence of the damage, liability in damages as well as the extent of compensation to be paid depend on the circumstances, in particular to what extent the damage is caused mainly by one or the other party. (2) This also applies if the fault of the injured person is limited to failing to draw the attention of the obligor to the danger of unusually extensive damage, where the obligor neither was nor ought to have been aware of the danger, or to failing to avert or reduce the damage. The provision of section 278 applies with the necessary modifications.”

  118. 118.

    Tomic (2016), p. 206, available at: http://www.academia.edu/32903371/Strani_pravni_%C5%BEivot_4_2016; For further details see Gruber (2016), pp. 5–12; Di Nella (2015), pp. 767–774.

  119. 119.

    Legal Services Act of 12 December 2007, Federal Law Gazette I p. 2840, as last amended by Article 6 of the Act of 12 May 2017, Federal Law Gazette I p. 1121.

  120. 120.

    See https://eiopa.europa.eu/Publications/Guidelines/EIOPA-17-651-IDD_guidelines_execution_only_EN.pdf.

  121. 121.

    Recital (49) of the IDD.

  122. 122.

    This is a difference compared to UCITS (Undertakings for the Collective Investment of Transferable Securities).

  123. 123.

    Menzel (2008), pp. 9–12. For further details on the dynamic hybrid products in Germany see Bohnert (2013), pp. 555–577; Radstaaki (2017), p. 46.

Abbreviations

2. FiMaNoG:

Second Financial Markets Reform Act

AltZertG:

Act on Certification of Old-Age Provision and “Basic Pension” Contracts

BGB:

German civil code

BVerfG:

The Federal Constitutional Court

DIHK:

German Chamber of Trade and Commerce

ECJ:

European Court of Justice

GewO:

German Trade, Commerce and Industry Regulation Act

GG:

Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany

HGB:

German Commercial Code

IDD:

Directive (EU) 2016/97 on insurance distribution

MiFID:

Markets in Financial Instruments Directive

PRIIPs:

Packaged Retail and Insurance-based Investment Products

UCITS:

Undertakings for the Collective Investment of Transferable Securities

VAG:

German Insurance Supervision act

VersVermV:

Regulation on Insurance Mediation and Advice

VVG:

Insurance contract act

VVG-Info-Verordnung:

Regulation on information obligation for insurance contracts

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Tomic, K. (2019). Germany. In: Marano, P., Rokas, I. (eds) Distribution of Insurance-Based Investment Products. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11668-2_6

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