Group life standard provisions

(a) Except as set forth in subsection (b), below, no policy of group life insurance shall be delivered in this state unless it contains in substance the standard provisions as required by sections nine to eighteen, inclusive, of this article, or provisions which in the opinion of the commissioner are more favorable to the persons insured, or at least as favorable to the persons insured and more favorable to the policyholder. (b) The provisions of sections fourteen to eighteen, inclusive, of this article shall not apply to policies issued to a creditor to insure debtors of such creditor. The standard provisions required for individual life insurance policies shall not apply to group life insurance policies. If the group life insurance policy is on a plan of insurance other than the term plan, it shall contain a nonforfeiture provision or provisions which in the opinion of the commissioner is or are equitable to the insured persons and to the policyholder, but nothing herein shall be construed to require that group life insurance policies contain the same nonforfeiture provisions as are required for individual life insurance policies.