(1) The subscriber, at the time of exit, shall mandatorily purchase an annuity providing for a monthly or periodical annuity or pension as specified in these regulations.
Such annuity shall be purchased from an annuity service provider who is empanelled by the Authority.
(2) The exercise of option of the annuity and the type thereof shall be made by the subscriber at the time of exit from the National Pension System, unless otherwise specified by the Authority through circulars, notifications or guidelines issued by it from time to time.
(3) Once an annuity is purchased, the option of cancellation and reinvestment with another annuity service provider or in another annuity scheme shall not be allowed unless the same is within the time limit specified 30 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART III—SEC. 4] by the annuity service provider, for the free look period as provided in the terms of the annuity contract or as specifically provided by the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority.
(4) The subscriber shall have an option to choose from various types of annuities, provided by the annuity service provider and the annuity so chosen shall be provided by the empanelled annuity service provider.
(5) There shall be a default annuity service provider and a default annuity scheme for the benefit of subscribers exiting from the National Pension System. The information on the default annuity service provider and default annuity scheme applicable shall be such as may be specified by the Authority and placed on its website, apart from communicating to the subscriber through circulars, guidelines or notification issued by it. Such default annuity scheme shall not be available or applicable in the case of Government subscribers covered under regulation 3.