Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION COPY
ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
Dated: February 5,
2007
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SECTION 1. Representations and
Warranties
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3
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(a) Representations
and Warranties by the Company and the Guarantor
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3
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(1) Compliance with
Registration Requirements; Disclosure
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3
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(2) Incorporated
Documents
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5
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(3) Independent
Accountants
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5
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(4) Financial
Statements
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6
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(5) No Material Adverse
Change in Business
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6
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(6) Good Standing of the
Company
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6
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(7) Good Standing of the
Guarantor
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7
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(8) Good Standing of
Corporate Subsidiaries
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7
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(9) Good Standing of
Partnership Subsidiaries
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7
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(10) Capitalization
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8
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(11) Authorization of this
Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement
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8
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(12) Authorization of Underwritten
Securities
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8
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(13) Authorization of
Guarantee
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8
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(14) Authorization of the
Indentures
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9
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(15) Descriptions of the
Underwritten Securities, the Guarantee and the
Indentures
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9
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(16) Non-Taxation of
Interest
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9
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(17) Reserves
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9
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(18) Absence of Defaults and
Conflicts
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9
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(19) Absence of
Proceedings
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10
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(20) Accuracy of Exhibits
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11
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(21) Absence of Further
Requirements
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11
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(22) Possession of Licenses and
Permits
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11
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(23) Insurance Laws
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11
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(24) Governmental
Authorization
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12
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(25) Commodity Exchange
Act
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12
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(26) Investment Company
Act
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12
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(27) Internal Controls and
Procedures
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13
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(b) Officers’
Certificates
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13
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SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters;
Closing
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13
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(a) Underwritten
Securities
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13
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(b)
Payment
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13
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(c) Denominations;
Registration
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13
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SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the
Guarantor
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14
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(a) Compliance with
Securities Regulations and Commission Requests; Payment of Filing
Fees
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14
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(b) Filing of
Amendments and Exchange Documents; Preparation of Final Term
Sheet
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14
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i
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(c) Delivery of
Registration Statements
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15
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(d) Delivery of
Prospectuses
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15
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(e) Continued
Compliance with Securities Laws
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15
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(f) Blue Sky
Qualifications
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16
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(g) Earnings
Statement
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16
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(h) Use of
Proceeds
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16
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(i)
Listing
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16
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(j)
Restriction on Sale of Debt Securities
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16
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(k) Reporting
Requirements
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17
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(l)
Documentary, Stamp or Similar Issue Taxes
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17
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(m) Permitted Free Writing
Prospectuses
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17
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(n) Registration
Statement Renewal Deadline
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17
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(o) Notice of
Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration Statement
Form
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18
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SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses
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18
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(a)
Expenses
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18
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(b) Termination of
Agreement
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19
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SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’
Obligations
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19
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(a) Effectiveness of
Registration Statement; No Objection from the NASD;
Filings
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19
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(b) Opinions of
Counsel for Company and Guarantor
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19
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(c) Opinion of
Counsel for Underwriters
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20
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(d) Company
Officers’ Certificate
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20
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(e) Guarantor
Officers’ Certificate
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20
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(f)
Accountant’s Comfort Letters
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21
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(g) Bring-down
Comfort Letters
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21
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(h)
Ratings
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21
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(i) Approval
of Listing
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21
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(j)
Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate
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21
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(k) Additional
Documents
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21
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(l)
Termination of Terms Agreement
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22
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ii
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SECTION 6. Indemnification
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22
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(a) Indemnification
of Underwriters
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22
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(b) Indemnification
of Company, Guarantor, Directors and Officers
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23
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(c) Actions against
Parties; Notification
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23
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(d) Settlement
without Consent if Failure to Reimburse
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24
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SECTION 7. Contribution
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24
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SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and
Agreements to Survive Delivery
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25
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SECTION 9. Termination
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25
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(a) Terms
Agreement
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25
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(b)
Liabilities
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26
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SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the
Underwriters
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26
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SECTION 11. Notices
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27
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SECTION 12. Parties
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27
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SECTION 13. Consent to Jurisdiction;
Miscellaneous
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27
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SECTION 14. WAIVER OF IMMUNITIES
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28
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SECTION 15. JUDGMENT CURRENCY
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28
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SECTION 16. NO ADVISORY OR FIDUCIARY
RESPONSIBILITY
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28
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SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME
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29
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SECTION 18. EFFECT OF HEADINGS
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29
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iii
EXECUTION COPY
ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
Senior and Subordinated Debt
Securities
Unconditionally Guaranteed as to
Payment of
Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest
by
ACE LIMITED
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
February 5, 2007
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To:
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The
Underwriters named in the
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within-mentioned Terms
Agreement
Ladies and Gentlemen:
ACE INA Holdings Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell
up to $500,000,000 aggregate initial public offering price, or its
equivalent based on the applicable exchange rate at the time of
offering in such foreign or composite currencies as the Company
shall designate at the time of offering, of its senior or
subordinated debt securities (the “Debt Securities”),
from time to time, in or pursuant to one or more offerings on terms
to be determined at the time of sale. The Debt Securities will be
unconditionally guaranteed as to payment of principal, premium, if
any, and interest by ACE Limited, a Cayman Islands company (the
“Guarantor”).
The Debt Securities will be issued
in one or more series as senior indebtedness (the “Senior
Debt Securities”) under an indenture, dated as of
August 1, 1999 (the “Senior Indenture”), among the
Company, the Guarantor and J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National
Association (as successor to The First National Bank of Chicago),
as trustee (the “Senior Trustee”), or as subordinated
indebtedness (the “Subordinated Debt Securities”) under
an indenture (the “Subordinated Indenture”, and
collectively with the Senior Indenture, the
“Indentures”, and each, an “Indenture”),
dated as of December 1, 1999 among the Company, the Guarantor
and J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association, as trustee
(the “Subordinated Trustee”, and collectively with the
Senior Trustee, the “Trustees”, and each, a
“Trustee”). Each series of Debt Securities may vary, as
applicable, as to title, aggregate principal amount, rank, interest
rate or formula and timing of payments thereof, stated maturity
date, redemption and/or repayment provisions, sinking fund
requirements, conversion or exchange provisions and any other
variable terms established by or pursuant to the applicable
Indenture.
Whenever the Company determines to
make an offering of Debt Securities, the Company and the Guarantor
will enter into an agreement (each, a “Terms
Agreement”) providing for the sale of such Debt Securities
to, and the purchase and offering thereof by, the underwriters
specified in the Terms Agreement (the “Underwriters”,
which term shall include any Underwriter substituted pursuant to
Section 10 hereof). The Terms Agreement relating to the
offering of Debt Securities shall specify the aggregate principal
amount of Debt Securities to be
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issued (the “Underwritten
Securities”), the name of each Underwriter participating in
such offering (subject to substitution as provided in
Section 10 hereof) and the name of any Underwriter acting as
co-manager in connection with such offering, the aggregate
principal amount of Underwritten Securities that each such
Underwriter severally agrees to purchase, whether such offering is
on a fixed or variable price basis and, if on a fixed price basis,
the initial offering price, the price at which the Underwritten
Securities are to be purchased by the Underwriters, the form, time,
date and place of delivery and payment of the Underwritten
Securities and any other material variable terms of the
Underwritten Securities. The Terms Agreement, which shall be
substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto, may take the form of
an exchange of any standard form of written telecommunication
between the Company and one or more of the Underwriters, acting for
themselves and, if applicable, as representative(s) of any other
Underwriters. Each offering of Underwritten Securities will be
governed by this Underwriting Agreement, as supplemented by the
applicable Terms Agreement. As used herein, the term
“Representative(s)” means, with respect to any offering
of Debt Securities, any Underwriter(s) specified as the
representative(s) of the Underwriters of such offering in the
applicable Terms Agreement and if none is so designated, it means
the Underwriters.
The Company and the Guarantor have
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
“Commission”) a joint automatic shelf registration
statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-130378), for the registration
of the Debt Securities and the guarantee thereof of the Guarantor
(the “Guarantee”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the “1933 Act”), and the offering thereof from
time to time in accordance with Rule 415 of the rules and
regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act (the “1933
Act Regulations”). Such registration statement became
effective automatically upon filing on December 16, 2005, each
Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of
1939, as amended (the “1939 Act”), and the Company and
the Guarantor have filed such post-effective amendments to such
registration statement as may be required prior to the execution of
the applicable Terms Agreement and each such post-effective
amendment became effective automatically upon filing with the
Commission. At any given time, such registration statement (as so
amended, if applicable, to such time), including any required
information deemed to be a part thereof at such time pursuant to
Rule 430B under the 1933 Act (the “Rule 430B
Information”), is referred to herein as the
“Registration Statement”; and the final base prospectus
or prospectuses and the final prospectus supplement relating to the
offering of the Underwritten Securities, in the form first
furnished to the Underwriters by the Company and the Guarantor for
use in connection with the offering of the Underwritten Securities,
are collectively referred to herein as the
“Prospectus”; provided, however, that at any given time
references to the “Registration Statement” and the
“Prospectus” shall also be deemed to include all
documents incorporated therein by reference pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934
Act”), as of, in the case of the Registration Statement, such
given date, or, in the case of the Prospectus, as of the date of
the Prospectus. A “preliminary prospectus” shall be
deemed to refer to any prospectus used before the Registration
Statement became effective and any prospectus that omitted
information to be included upon pricing in a form of prospectus
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act
Regulations and was used after such effectiveness and prior to the
relevant Applicable Time (as defined in the applicable Terms
Agreement), including in each case any base prospectus so used and
the documents incorporated by reference therein. For purposes of
this Underwriting Agreement, all references to the Registration
Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or to any amendment
or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be
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deemed to include any copy filed with the
Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval system (“EDGAR”).
The term “Disclosure
Package” shall mean (i) each preliminary prospectus, as
amended or supplemented, used in connection with the offer of the
Underwritten Securities, (ii) the issuer free writing
prospectuses as defined in Rule 433 of the Securities Act (each, an
“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), if any, identified
in Schedule I to the applicable Terms Agreement, (iii) any
other free writing prospectus that the parties hereto shall
hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the
Disclosure Package and (iv) the Final Term Sheet (as defined
herein), which also shall be identified in Schedule I to the
applicable Terms Agreement.
All references in this Underwriting
Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other
information which is, at a given time, “contained,”
“included” or “stated” (or other references
of like import) in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include all such
financial statements and schedules and other information which is
incorporated by reference or deemed to be included in the
Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, as
the case may be, as of, in the case of the Registration Statement,
such given time, or, in the case of the Prospectus, the date of the
Prospectus, or, in the case of a preliminary prospectus, the
relevant Applicable Time; and all references in this Underwriting
Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration
Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed, at
a given time, to mean and include the filing of any document under
1934 Act or the 1933 Act which is incorporated by reference or
deemed to be included in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or
preliminary prospectus, as the case may be, after, in the case of
the Registration Statement, such given time, or, in the case of the
Prospectus, the date of the Prospectus, or, in the case of a
preliminary prospectus, the relevant Applicable Time.
SECTION 1. Representations and
Warranties .
(a) Representations and
Warranties by the Company and the Guarantor. The Company and
the Guarantor represent and warrant to each Underwriter named in
the applicable Terms Agreement, as of the date thereof, as of the
Applicable Time and as of the Closing Time (as defined below) (in
each case, a “Representation Date”), as
follows:
(1) Compliance with Registration
Requirements; Disclosure . (i) At the time of filing the
Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent
amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with
Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act (whether such amendment was
by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to
Section 13 or 15(d) of the 1934 Act or form of prospectus) and
(iii) at the execution time of each of this Agreement and the
applicable Terms Agreement (with each such date being used as the
determination date for purposes of this clause (iii)), the Company
was and is a “well known seasoned issuer” as defined in
Rule 405 of the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement is an
“automatic shelf registration statement”, as defined in
Rule 405 of the 1933 Act, neither the Company nor the Guarantor has
received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2)
of the 1933 Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf
registration statement form and neither the Company nor the
Guarantor has otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic
shelf registration statement form.
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(i) At the earliest time after the
filing of the Registration Statement relating to the Underwritten
Securities that the Company, the Guarantor or another offering
participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule
164(h)(2) of the 1933 Act) and (ii) as of the date of the
execution and delivery of each of this Agreement and the applicable
Terms Agreement (with each such date being used as the
determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), neither the
Company nor the Guarantor was or is an Ineligible Issuer (as
defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Act), without taking account of any
determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the 1933
Act that it is not necessary that either the Company or the
Guarantor be considered an Ineligible Issuer.
No stop order has been issued under
the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been
instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or
the Guarantor, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request
on the part of the Commission for additional information has been
complied with. In addition, each Indenture has been duly qualified
under the 1939 Act.
At the respective times the
Registration Statement became effective or was deemed effective
with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to Rule 430B(f)(2) under
the 1933 Act and at each Representation Date, the Registration
Statement and any amendments thereto complied and will comply in
all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the
1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the rules and regulations
of the Commission under the 1939 Act (the “1939 Act
Regulations”) and did not and will not contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein not misleading.
At the date of the Prospectus and at
the Closing Time, neither the Prospectus nor any amendments and
supplements thereto included or will include an untrue statement of
a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of
the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading.
As of the Applicable Time, the
Disclosure Package did not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.
Neither any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus nor the Final Term Sheet, as of its issue date and at
all subsequent times through the completion of the offering of the
Underwritten Securities or until any earlier date that the Company
or the Guarantor notified or notifies the Representatives as
described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not
include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict
with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the
Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus, including any document
incorporated by reference therein that has not been superseded or
modified. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development
as a result of which such
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Issuer Free Writing Prospectus
conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus or any preliminary
prospectus, the Company has promptly notified or will promptly
notify the Representatives and has promptly amended or supplemented
or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such
conflict.
The Company has not distributed and
will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Time and the
completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the
Underwritten Securities, any offering material in connection with
the offering and sale of the Underwritten Securities other than a
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and
included in Schedule I to the applicable Terms Agreement or the
Registration Statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply
to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement, the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in
conformity with information furnished to the Company or the
Guarantor in writing by any Underwriter through the
Representative(s) expressly for use in the Registration Statement,
the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.
To the Company’s knowledge,
the Registration Statement is not the subject of a pending
proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the
1933 Act, nor is the Company or the Guarantor the subject of a
pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in
connection with the offering of the Underwritten
Securities.
Each preliminary prospectus and the
Prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as
originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed
pursuant to Rule 424 under the 1933 Act, complied when so filed in
all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and each
preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the
Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of
Underwritten Securities will, at the time of such delivery, be
identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed
with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent
permitted by Regulation S-T.
(2) Incorporated Documents .
The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, at the time they were or hereafter are filed with
the Commission, complied and will comply in all material respects
with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the rules and regulations
of the Commission thereunder (the “1934 Act
Regulations”) and, when read together with the other
information in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the
case may be, at the Applicable Time or at the date of the
Prospectus, as the case may be, and at the Closing Time, did not
and will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit
to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading.
(3) Independent Accountants .
The accountants who certified or shall certify the financial
statements and any supporting schedules thereto of the Guarantor
included in each of the Registration Statement, the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus are
5
independent public accountants with
respect to the Guarantor and its subsidiaries as required by the
1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.
(4) Financial Statements .
The financial statements of the Guarantor included in each of the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
together with the related schedules and notes, as well as those
financial statements, schedules and notes of any other entity
included therein, present fairly the financial position of the
Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries, or such other entity,
as the case may be, at the dates indicated and the statement of
operations, stockholders’ equity and cash flows of the
Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries, or such other entity,
as the case may be, for the periods specified. Such financial
statements have been prepared in conformity with United States
generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)
applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved,
except as indicated therein or in the notes thereto. The supporting
schedules, if any, included in each of the Registration Statement,
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus present fairly in
accordance with GAAP the information required to be stated therein.
The selected financial data and the summary financial information,
if any, included in each of the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein and have
been compiled on a basis consistent with that of the related
audited financial statements included in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(5) No Material Adverse Change in
Business . Since the respective dates as of which information
is given in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and
the Prospectus, except as otherwise stated therein (i) neither
the Guarantor nor any of its subsidiaries (including the Company)
has sustained any material loss or material interference with its
business from any action, notice, order or decree from an insurance
regulatory authority and (ii) there has been (A) no
material adverse change in case reserves or losses or loss expense
of the Guarantor and its consolidated subsidiaries (including the
Company) and (B) no material adverse change, nor any
development or event involving a prospective material adverse
change, in the financial condition, business, or results of
operations of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries (including the
Company) considered as one enterprise, in either case whether or
not arising in the ordinary course of business (a “Material
Adverse Change”).
(6) Good Standing of the
Company . The Company has been duly incorporated and is
subsisting and in good standing under the laws of the State of
Delaware, with corporate power and authority to own, lease and
operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in
each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into
and perform its obligations under, or as contemplated under, this
Underwriting Agreement and the applicable Terms Agreement. The
Company is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing in all other jurisdictions in
which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its
business requires such qualification, except where the failure to
so qualify or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Change.
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(7) Good Standing of the
Guarantor . The Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is
existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands,
with corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in each of the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform
its obligations under, or as contemplated under, this Underwriting
Agreement and the applicable Terms Agreement. The Guarantor is duly
qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation and is in
good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or
lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to so qualify or be in good
standing would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change.
(8) Good Standing of Corporate
Subsidiaries . Each subsidiary of the Guarantor, other than
such subsidiaries as would not, individually or in the aggregate,
constitute a “significant subsidiary” as such term is
defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the 1933
Act (each, a “Significant Subsidiary”) (including the
Company) that is a corporation has been duly incorporated or
organized and is an existing corporation in good standing (with
respect to jurisdictions that recognize such concept) under the
laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with corporate power
and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in each of the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus; and each such Significant Subsidiary of the
Guarantor is duly qualified to transact business as a foreign
corporation and is in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions
that recognize such concept) in all other jurisdictions in which
its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify
or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Change; all of the issued and outstanding
capital stock of each such Significant Subsidiary of the Guarantor
has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and
nonassessable; and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock
of each such Significant Subsidiary is owned by the Guarantor,
directly or through subsidiaries, except for de minimis
shareholdings as required to comply with applicable law, and such
capital stock is owned free and clear of any security interest,
mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity (except for
restrictions on transferability of the shares of insurance
subsidiaries, under applicable law).
(9) Good Standing of Partnership
Subsidiaries . Each Significant Subsidiary of the Guarantor
that is a partnership has been duly formed and is an existing
partnership in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions that
recognize such concept) under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
formation, with power and authority to own, lease and operate its
properties and to conduct its business as described in each of the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and each such Significant
Subsidiary of the Guarantor is duly qualified to transact business
and is in good standing (with respect to jurisdictions that
recognize such concept) in all other jurisdictions in which its
ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business
requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify
or be in good standing would not reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Change; all of the outstanding equity
interests of each such Significant Subsidiary of the Guarantor have
been duly authorized and validly issued; and all of the equity
interests of each such Significant Subsidiary are owned by the
Guarantor,
7
directly or through subsidiaries,
free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien,
encumbrance, claim or equity (other than immaterial amounts
necessary to comply with applicable law).
(10) Capitalization . If the
Disclosure Package or the Prospectus contains a
“Capitalization” section, the authorized, issued and
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Guarantor are as set
forth in the column entitled “Actual” under such
section (except for subsequent issuances thereof, if any, pursuant
to reservations, agreements or employee benefit plans or pursuant
to the exercise of convertible securities or options). Such shares
of capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued by
the Guarantor and are fully paid and non-assessable, and none of
such shares of capital stock was issued in violation of preemptive
or other similar rights of any securityholder of the
Guarantor.
(11) Authorization of this
Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement . This Underwriting
Agreement has been, and the applicable Terms Agreement as of the
date thereof will have been, duly authorized, executed and
delivered by each of the Company and the Guarantor.
(12) Authorization of
Underwritten Securities . The Underwritten Securities have
been, or as of the date of the applicable Terms Agreement will have
been, duly authorized by the Company for issuance and sale pursuant
to this Underwriting Agreement and such Terms Agreement. Such
Underwritten Securities, when issued and authenticated in the
manner provided for in the applicable Indenture and delivered
against payment of the consideration therefor specified in such
Terms Agreement, will constitute valid and binding obligations of
the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws
relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’
rights generally or by general equitable principles (regardless of
whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law), and except further as enforcement thereof may be limited by
requirements that a claim with respect to any Underwritten
Securities payable in a foreign or composite currency (or a foreign
or composite currency judgment in respect of such claim) be
converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange prevailing on a
date determined pursuant to applicable law or by governmental
authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments
outside the United States. Such Underwritten Securities will be in
the form contemplated by, and each registered holder thereof will
be entitled to the benefits of, the applicable
Indenture.
(13) Authorization of
Guarantee . The Guarantee has been, or as of the date of such
Terms Agreement will have been, duly authorized by the Guarantor
for issuance pursuant to this Underwriting Agreement and the
applicable Terms Agreement. Such Guarantee, when issued and
delivered in the manner provided for in the applicable Indenture,
will constitute a valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor,
enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms,
except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws relating to
fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or other similar
laws
8
affecting the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable
principles (regardless of whether enforcement is considered in a
proceeding in equity or at law), and will be in the form
contemplated by, and entitled to the benefits of, the
Indenture.
(14) Authorization of the
Indentures . The applicable Indenture has been, or prior to the
issuance of the Debt Securities thereunder will have been, duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantor
and, upon such authorization, execution and delivery, will
constitute a valid and binding agreement of the Company and the
Guarantor, enforceable against each of them in accordance with its
terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency (including, without limitation, all laws
relating to fraudulent transfers), reorganization, moratorium or
other similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’
rights generally or by general equitable principles (regardless of
whether enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at
law).
(15) Descriptions of the
Underwritten Securities, the Guarantee and the Indentures . The
Underwritten Securities being sold pursuant to the applicable Terms
Agreement, the Guarantee and each applicable Indenture, as of each
Representation Date, will conform in all material respects to the
statements relating thereto contained in each of the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus and will be in substantially the form
filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement.
(16) Non-Taxation of Interest
. Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
under current laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands and
Bermuda and any political subdivision thereof, all interest payable
on the Underwritten Securities may be paid by the Guarantor
pursuant to the Guarantee to the holders thereof in United States
dollars and freely transferred out of the Cayman Islands or Bermuda
and all such payments made to holders thereof or therein who are
non-residents of the Cayman Islands or Bermuda will not be subject
to income, withholding or other taxes under laws and regulations of
the Cayman Islands or Bermuda or any political subdivision or
taxing authority thereof or therein and will otherwise be free and
clear of any other tax, duty, withholding or deduction in the
Cayman Islands or Bermuda or any political subdivision or taxing
authority thereof or therein and without the necessity of obtaining
any governmental authorization in the Cayman Islands or Bermuda or
any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or
therein.
(17) Reserves . The
description of the Guarantor’s reserves and reserving
methodology and assumptions described in each of the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus is accurate and fairly presents the
information set forth therein in all material respects and, since
the date of the latest financial statements included in each of the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no loss experience has
developed which would require or make it appropriate for the
Guarantor to alter or modify such methodology.
(18) Absence of Defaults and
Conflicts . Neither the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries
(including the Company) is in violation of its charter or by-laws,
partnership agreement or other constitutive documents or in default
in the performance or observance
9
of any obligation, agreement,
covenant or condition contained in any contract, indenture,
mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which the Guarantor or any of its
subsidiaries (including the Company) is a party or by which it or
any of them may be bound, or to which any of the assets, properties
or operations of the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries
(including the Company) is subject (collectively, “Agreements
and Instruments”), except for such defaults that would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. The
execution, delivery and performance of this Underwriting Agreement,
the applicable Terms Agreement and each applicable Indenture and
any other agreement or instrument entered into or issued or to be
entered into or issued by the Company or the Guarantor in
connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or
in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the
Prospectus, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated
herein and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package
and the Prospectus (including, without limitation, the issuance and
sale of the Underwritten Securities, the issuance of the Guarantee,
and the use of the proceeds from the sale of the Underwritten
Securities, together with the Guarantee, as described under the
caption “Use of Proceeds”) and compliance by the
Company and the Guarantor, as applicable, with their respective
obligations hereunder and thereunder have been duly authorized by
all necessary corporate action and do not and will not, whether
with or without the giving of notice or passage of time or both,
conflict with or constitute a breach of, or default or Repayment
Event (as defined below) under, or result in the creation or
imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any assets,
properties or operations of the Guarantor or any of its
subsidiaries (including the Company) pursuant to, any Agreements
and Instruments (except for such conflicts, breaches, defaults or
Repayment Events or liens, charges or encumbrances that would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change), nor
will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the
charter, by-laws, partnership agreement or other constitutive
document of the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries (including the
Company) or, to the best of the Company’s and the
Guarantor’s knowledge, any applicable law, statute, rule,
regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree of any government,
government instrumentality or court, domestic or foreign, having
jurisdiction over the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries
(including the Company) or over any of the assets, properties or
operations of the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries (including
the Company), except for such violations under applicable law,
statute, rule, regulation, judgment, order, writ or decree as would
not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
As used herein, a “Repayment Event” means any event or
condition that gives the holder of any note, debenture or other
evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such
holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase,
redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by
the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries (including the
Company).
(19) Absence of Proceedings .
There is no action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation
before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body,
domestic or foreign, now pending, or to the knowledge of the
Company or the Guarantor threatened or contemplated, against or
affecting the Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries (including the
Company) that is required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (other than as
stated therein), or that would
10
reasonably be expected to result in
a Material Adverse Change, or that would reasonably be expected to
materially and adversely affect the ability of the Company or the
Guarantor to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the
applicable Terms Agreement.
(20) Accuracy of Exhibits .
There are no contracts or documents that are required to be
described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package,
the Prospectus or the documents incorporated by reference therein
or to be filed as exhibits thereto that have not been so described
and filed as required.
(21) Absence of Further
Requirements . No consent, approval, authorization, or order
of, or filing with, any governmental agency or body or any court,
domestic or foreign, is required for the due authorization,
execution or delivery by the Company or the Guarantor of this
Underwriting Agreement or the applicable Terms Agreement or for the
performance by the Company or the Guarantor of the transactions
contemplated under the Prospectus, this Underwriting Agreement,
such Terms Agreement or the applicable Indenture, as applicable,
except such as have been obtained and made under the 1933 Act, such
filing of the Prospectus as has been made with the Bermuda
Registrar of Companies under the Companies Act 1981 of Bermuda and
such as may be required under state securities laws.
(22) Possession of Licenses and
Permits . The Guarantor and its subsidiaries (including the
Company) possess such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and
other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental
Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or
foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the
business now operated by them, except where the failure to so
possess any such Governmental Licenses would not, singly or in
aggregate, reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change. The Guarantor and its subsidiaries (including the Company)
are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such
Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would
not, singly or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to result
in a Material Adverse Change. All of the Governmental Licenses are
valid and in full force and effect, except where the invalidity of
such Governmental Licenses or the failure of such Governmental
Licenses to be in full force and effect would not reasonably be
expected to result in a Material Adverse Change. Neither the
Guarantor nor any of its subsidiaries (including the Company) has
received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
modification of any such Governmental Licenses that, singly or in
the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or
finding, would reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change.
(23) Insurance Laws . Each of
the Guarantor and its insurance subsidiaries (including insurance
holding companies) is duly registered, licensed or admitted as an
insurer or an insurance holding company (as applicable) in each
jurisdiction where it is required to be so licensed or admitted to
conduct its business as presently conducted, except where the
failure to be so registered, licensed or admitted would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change; each
of the Guarantor and its insurance subsidiaries has all other
necessary authorizations, approvals, orders, certificates and
permits, of and from, and has made all declarations and filings
with, all insurance
11
authorities, commissions or other
insurance regulatory bodies to conduct their respective businesses
as described in each of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus,
except for where the failure to have such authorizations,
approvals, orders, certificates and permits, or to make such
declarations and filings, would not reasonably be expected to
result in a Material Adverse Change; all of such authorizations,
approvals, orders, certificates and permits are in full force and
effect, except where the failure to be in full force and effect
would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change; and neither the Guarantor nor its insurance subsidiaries
has received any notification from any insurance authority,
commission or other insurance regulatory body to the effect that
any additional authorization, approval, order, license, certificate
or permit from such authority, commission or body is needed to be
obtained by any of the Guarantor or its insurance subsidiaries,
except for any authorization, approval, order, license, certificate
or permit from any such authority, commission or body the failure
of which to obtain, singly or in the aggregate, would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change.
Each of the Guarantor and its
insurance subsidiaries is in compliance with all applicable
insurance statutes and regulations and has filed all reports,
documents or other information required to be filed under such
statutes and regulations, except where the failure to comply or
file would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material
Adverse Change; and each of the Guarantor and its insurance
subsidiaries is in compliance with the insurance laws and
regulations of other jurisdictions which are applicable to the
Guarantor and its insurance subsidiaries (as the case may be),
except where the failure to comply would not reasonably be expected
to result in a Material Adverse Change.
(24) Governmental
Authorization . Except as set forth in the Registration
Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no
authorization, approval or consent of any governmental authority or
agency is required (other than any license as an insurer or
insurance holding company and other than those that have already
been obtained) under the laws of any jurisdiction in which the
Guarantor or any of its subsidiaries (including the Company)
conduct their respective businesses in connection with the
ownership, directly or indirectly, by the Guarantor of equity
interests in any subsidiary (including the Company) or the
repatriation of any amount from or to the Guarantor or any of its
subsidiaries (including the Company), except to the extent that the
failure to obtain such authorization, approval or consent would not
reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change.
(25) Commodity Exchange Act .
The Underwritten Securities, upon issuance, will be excluded or
exempted under, or beyond the purview of, the Commodity Exchange
Act, as amended (the “Commodity Exchange Act”), and the
rules and regulations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
under the Commodity Exchange Act (the “Commodity Exchange Act
Regulations”).
(26) Investment Company Act .
The Company and the Guarantor are not, and upon the issuance and
sale of the Underwritten Securities as herein contemplated and the
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in each of
the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus they will not be, an
“investment company” within the meaning of the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940
Act”).
12
(27) Internal Controls and
Procedures . The Guarantor maintains a system of internal
control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule
13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) designed by, or under the
supervision of, the Company’s principal executive officer and
principal financial officer to provide reasonable assurance
regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The
Guarantor’s internal control over financial reporting was
effective as of the end of the quarter ended December 31,
2006, and the Guarantor was not aware of any material weaknesses in
its internal control over financial reporting at such
time.
(b) Officers’
Certificates. Any certificate signed by any officer of the
Company, the Guarantor or any of their respective subsidiaries and
delivered to the Representative(s) or to counsel for the
Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Underwritten
Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the
Company, the Guarantor or such subsidiary, as the case may be, to
each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby on the date of
such certificate and, unless subsequently amended or supplemented,
at each Representation Date subsequent thereto.
SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to
Underwriters; Closing .
(a) Underwritten Securities.
The several commitments of the Underwriters to purchase the
Underwritten Securities pursuant to the applicable Terms Agreement
shall be deemed to have been made on the basis of the
representations, warranties and agreements herein contained and
shall be subject to the terms and conditions herein set
forth.
(b) Payment. Payment of the
purchase price for, and delivery of, the Underwritten Securities
shall be made at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP , 787
Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, or at such other place as
shall be agreed upon by the Representative(s) and the Company, at
9:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the third (fourth, if the pricing
occurs after 4:30 P.M. (Eastern time) on any given day) business
day after the date of the applicable Terms Agreement (unless
postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 10
hereof), or such other time not later than ten business days after
such date as shall be agreed upon by the Representative(s) and the
Company (such time and date of payment and delivery being herein
called “Closing Time”).
Payment shall be made to the Company
by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account
designated by the Company, against delivery to the
Representative(s) for the respective accounts of the Underwriters
of the Underwritten Securities to be purchased by them. It is
understood that each Underwriter has authorized the
Representative(s), for its account, to accept delivery of, receipt
for, and make payment of the purchase price for, the Underwritten
Securities which it has severally agreed to purchase. Any
Representative, individually and not as representative of the
Underwriters, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment of
the purchase price for the Underwritten Securities to be purchased
by any Underwriter whose funds have not been received by the
Closing Time, but such payment shall not relieve such Underwriter
from its obligations hereunder.
(c) Denominations;
Registration. If the Underwritten Securities are issued other
than in book-entry form, certificates for the Underwritten
Securities shall be in such denominations and
13
registered in such names as the
Representative(s) may request in writing at least one full business
day prior to the Closing Time. If the Underwritten Securities are
issued other than in book-entry form, certificates for the
Underwritten Securities will be made available for examination and
packaging by the Representative(s) in The City of New York not
later than 10:00 A.M. (Eastern time) on the business day prior
to the Closing Time.
SECTION 3. Covenants of the
Company and the Guarantor . The Company and the Guarantor
covenant with the Representative(s) and with each Underwriter
participating in the offering of Underwritten Securities, as
follows:
(a) Compliance with Securities
Regulations and Commission Requests; Payment of Filing Fees.
The Company and the Guarantor, subject to Section 3(b), will
comply with the requirements of Rule 430B of the 1933 Act
Regulations, if and as applicable, and they will notify the
Representative(s) immediately, and confirm the notice in writing,
of (i) the filing and effectiveness of any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of any
supplement or amendment to the Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of
any comments from the Commission, (iii) any request by the
Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any
amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional
information, (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop
order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or
of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary
prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the
Underwritten Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,
or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of
such purposes or of any examination pursuant to Section 8(e)
of the 1933 Act concerning the Registration Statement and
(v) if the Company or the Guarantor becomes the subject of a
proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act in connection with
the offering of the Underwritten Securities. The Company and the
Guarantor will effect the filings required under Rule 424(b) of the
1933 Act Regulations, in the manner and within the time period
required by Rule 424(b) (without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8)), and
will take such steps as they deem necessary to ascertain promptly
whether each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus transmitted
for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by the Commission
and, in the event that it was not, they will promptly file such
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus. The Company and the
Guarantor will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance
of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the
lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment. The Company and
the Guarantor agree to pay the required Commission filing fees
relating to the Underwritten Securities within the time required by
Rule 456(b)(1) of the 1933 Act Regulations without regard to the
proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and
457(r) of the 1933 Act Regulations.
(b) Filing of Amendments and
Exchange Act Documents; Preparation of Final Term Sheet . The
Company and the Guarantor will give the Representative(s) notice of
their intention to file or prepare any amendment to the
Registration Statement or any amendment, supplement or revision to
either any preliminary prospectus or to the Prospectus, whether
pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, and the
Company and the Guarantor will furnish the Representative(s) with
copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to
such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will give the
Representative(s) a reasonable opportunity to comment on any such
document prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be.
The Company will prepare a final term sheet (the “Final Term
Sheet”) reflecting the
14
final terms of the Underwritten Securities, in
form and substance satisfactory to the Representative(s) and
attached as Schedule II to the applicable Terms Agreement, and
shall file such Final Term Sheet as an “issuer free writing
prospectus” pursuant to Rule 433 under the 1933 Act
Regulations within the time required by such rule.
(c) Delivery of Registration
Statements. The Company and the Guarantor have furnished or
will deliver to the Representative(s) and counsel for the
Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration
Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto
(including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference
therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by
reference therein or deemed to be a part thereof) and signed copies
of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver
to the Representative(s), without charge, a conformed copy of the
Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment
thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. The
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the
Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted
copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except
to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.
(d) Delivery of Prospectuses.
The Company and the Guarantor will deliver to each Underwriter,
without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus and
each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus (as defined below) as such
Underwriter may reasonably request, and the Company and the
Guarantor hereby consent to the use of such copies for purposes
permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company and the Guarantor will
furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the period when
the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or
the 1934 Act, such number of copies of the Prospectus as such
Underwriter may reasonably request. The Prospectus and any
amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters
will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof
filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent
permitted by Regulation S-T.
(e) Continued Compliance with
Securities Laws. The Company and the Guarantor will comply with
the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1934 Act and the
1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the
distribution of the Underwritten Securities as contemplated in this
Underwriting Agreement and the applicable Terms Agreement and in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. If at any time when
the Prospectus is required by the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act to be
delivered in connection with sales of the Underwritten Securities,
any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which
it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or
for the Company and the Guarantor, to amend the Registration
Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not contain
an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material
fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the
Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in
the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered
to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such
counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or
amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the
requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the
Company and the Guarantor will promptly prepare and file with the
Commission, at its own expense, subject to Section 3(b), such
amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such
statement or omission or to comply with such requirements,
the
15
Company and the Guarantor will use their best
efforts to have such amendment declared effective as soon as
practicable (if it is not automatically effective with respect to
the Underwritten Securities), and the Company and the Guarantor
will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number of
copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may
reasonably request. Neither the Representatives’ consent to,
nor any Underwriters’ delivery of, any such amendment or
supplement shall constitute a waiver of any of the conditions set
forth in Section 5. If at any time following issuance of an
Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or
development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing
Prospectus confli