ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
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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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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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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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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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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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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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16
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16
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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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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
FINRA; 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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21
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21
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21
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(k)
Termination of Terms Agreement
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22
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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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ii
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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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23
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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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25
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25
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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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27
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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
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
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To:
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The
Underwriters named in the
within-mentioned Terms Agreement
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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 Swiss
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 The Bank of
New York Mellon (formerly known as The Bank of New York Trust
Company, N.A., as successor to J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National
Association and 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
1
offering of
Debt Securities shall specify the aggregate principal amount of
Debt Securities to be 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. 333-156143), 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 15, 2008, 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
2
preliminary
prospectus or to any amendment or supplement to any of the
foregoing shall be deemed to include any copy filed with the
Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and
Retrieval (also known as Interactive Data Electronic Applications)
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, (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 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)), each of
the Company and the Guarantor 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
3
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.
(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
4
Prospectus
there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of
which such 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
5
in each of the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus
are 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; Place of Management . The Company is a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Guarantor and it 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
6
expected to
result in a Material Adverse Change. The Company is domiciled and
has its effective place of management outside
Switzerland.
(7) Valid
Existence of the Guarantor . The Guarantor has been duly
incorporated for an unlimited duration and is validly existing as a
company limited by shares ( Aktiengesellschaft ) under the
laws of Switzerland, 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
7
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, 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
8
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 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 Switzerland 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 Switzerland and
all such payments made to holders thereof or therein who are
non-residents of Switzerland will not be subject to income,
withholding or other taxes under laws and regulations of
Switzerland 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 Switzerland or any
political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein and
without the necessity of obtaining any governmental authorization
in Switzerland 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.
9
(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 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
10
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
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
11
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 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 th
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