INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT is
entered into as of this 7th day of June, 2005, by and between United Rentals,
Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx
("Indemnitee").
RECITALS
A. The
Company is aware that because of the increased exposure to litigation costs,
talented and experienced persons are increasingly reluctant to serve or continue
serving as directors and officers of corporations unless they are protected by
comprehensive liability insurance and indemnification.
B. The
statutes and judicial decisions regarding the duties of directors and officers
are often difficult to apply, ambiguous, or conflicting, and therefore fail to
provide such directors and officers with adequate guidance regarding the proper
course of action.
C. The
Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") has concluded that, in order to
retain and attract talented and experienced individuals to serve as officers and
directors of the Company and its subsidiaries and to encourage such individuals
to take the business risks necessary for the success of the Company and its
subsidiaries, the Company should contractually indemnify its officers and
directors, and the officers and directors of its subsidiaries, in connection
with claims against such officers and directors in connection with their
services to the Company and its subsidiaries, and has further concluded that the
failure to provide such contractual indemnification could be detrimental to the
Company, its subsidiaries and stockholders.
NOW,
THEREFORE, the
parties, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:
1.
Definitions.
(a)
Agent. "Agent"
with respect to the Company means any person who is or was a director, officer,
employee or other agent of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company; or is or
was serving at the request of, for the convenience of, or to represent the
interests of, the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company as a director, officer,
employee or agent of another entity or enterprise; or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of a predecessor corporation (or other predecessor entity or
enterprise) of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, or was a director,
officer, employee or agent of another enterprise at the request of, for the
convenience of, or to represent the interests of such predecessor.
(b)
Expenses.
"Expenses" means all direct and indirect costs of any type or nature whatsoever
(including, without limitation, all attorneys' fees, costs of investigation and
related disbursements) incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the
investigation, settlement, defense or appeal of a Proceeding covered hereby or
the establishment or enforcement of a right to indemnification under this
Agreement.
(c)
Proceeding.
"Proceeding" means any threatened, pending, or completed claim, suit or action,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or otherwise.
(d)
Subsidiary.
"Subsidiary" means any corporation or other entity of which more than 10% of the
outstanding voting securities or other voting interests is owned directly or
indirectly by the Company, and one or more other Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
2.
Maintenance
of Liability Insurance.
(a) The
Company hereby covenants and agrees with Indemnitee that, subject to Section
2(b), the Company shall obtain and maintain in full force and effect directors'
and officers' liability insurance ("D&O Insurance") in reasonable amounts as
the Board of Directors shall determine from established and reputable insurers.
In no event shall the terms of such D&O Insurance be less favorable to
Indemnitee than the terms generally applicable to the Company’s executive
officers and directors generally.
(b)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to obtain or
maintain D&O Insurance if the Company determines in good faith that the
premium costs for such insurance are (i) disproportionate to the amount of
coverage provided after giving effect to exclusions, and (ii) substantially more
burdensome to the Company than the premiums charged to the Company for D&O
Insurance currently in effect.
3.
Mandatory
Indemnification. The
Company shall defend, indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee:
(a)
Third
Party Actions. If
Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a
party, to any Proceeding (other than an action by or in the right of the
Company) by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was or is claimed to be an
Agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in
any such capacity, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee personally
guaranteed any obligation of the Company at any time, against any and all
Expenses and liabilities or any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to,
legal fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid
in settlement) incurred by such person in connection with the investigation,
defense, settlement or appeal of such Proceeding, so long as the Indemnitee
acted in good faith and in a manner the Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in
or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with respect to any
criminal action or Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe such person's
conduct was unlawful.
(b)
Derivative
Actions. If
Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a
party, to any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company by reason of the fact
that he is or was an Agent of the Company, or by reason of anything done or not
done by him in any such capacity, against any and all Expenses and liabilities
of any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, legal fees, judgments,
fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties, and amounts paid in settlement) incurred
by him in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of
such Proceeding, so long as the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner
he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company; except that no indemnification under this subsection shall be made, and
Indemnitee shall repay all amounts previously advanced by the Company, in
respect of any claim, issue or matter for which such person is judged in a
final, non-appealable decision to be liable to the Company by a court of
competent jurisdiction due to willful misconduct in the performance of his
duties to the Company, unless and only to the extent that the court in which
such Proceeding was brought or the Court of Chancery of Delaware shall determine
that Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity.
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(c)
Actions
Where Indemnitee Is Deceased. If
Indemnitee is a person who was or is a party, or is threatened to be made a
party, to any Proceeding by reason of the fact that he is or was an Agent of the
Company, or by reason of anything done or not done by him in any such capacity,
and prior to, during the pendency of, or after completion of, such Proceeding,
the Indemnitee shall die, then the Company shall defend, indemnify and hold
harmless the estate, heirs and legatees of the Indemnitee against any and all
Expenses and liabilities incurred by or for such persons or entities in
connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of such
Proceeding on the same basis as provided for the Indemnitee in Sections 3(a) and
3(b) above.
The
Expenses and liabilities covered hereby shall be net of any payments by D&O
Insurance carriers or others.
4.
Partial
Indemnification. If
Indemnitee is found under Section 3, 6 or 9 hereof not to be entitled to
indemnification for all of the Expenses relating to a Proceeding, the Company
shall indemnify the Indemnitee for any portion of such Expenses not specifically
precluded by the operation of such Section 3, 6 or 9.
5.
Indemnification
Procedures; Mandatory Advancement of Expenses.
(a)
Promptly after receipt by Indemnitee of notice to him or her of the commencement
or threat of any Proceeding covered hereby, Indemnitee shall notify the Company
of the commencement or threat thereof, provided that any failure to so notify
shall not relieve the Company of any of its obligations hereunder.
(b) If,
at the time of the receipt of a notice pursuant to Section 5(a) above, the
Company has D&O Insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of
the Proceeding or claim to its insurers in accordance with the procedures set
forth in the applicable policies. The Company shall thereafter take all
necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay all amounts payable
as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies.
(c)
Indemnitee shall be entitled to retain one or more counsel from time to time
selected by it in its sole discretion to act as its counsel in and for the
investigation, defense, settlement or appeal of each Proceeding. The Company
shall not waive any privilege or right available to Indemnitee in any such
Proceeding.
(d) The
Company shall bear all fees and Expenses (including invoices for advance
retainers) of such counsel, and all fees and Expenses invoiced by other persons
or entities, in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement or appeal
of each such Proceeding. Such fees and Expenses are referred to herein as
"Covered Expenses."
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(e) Until
a determination to the contrary under Section 6 hereof is made, the Company
shall advance all Covered Expenses in connection with each Proceeding. If
required by law, as a condition to such advances, Indemnitee shall, at the
request of the Company, agree to repay such amounts advanced if it shall
ultimately be determined by a final order of a court that Indemnitee is not
entitled to be indemnified by the Company by the terms hereof or under
applicable law.
(f) Each
advance to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee within
10 days following delivery of a written request therefor by Indemnitee to the
Company.
(g) The
Company acknowledges the potentially severe damage to Indemnitee should the
Company fail timely to make such advances to Indemnitee.
6.
Determination
of Right to Indemnification.
(a) To
the extent Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in defense
of any Proceeding, claim, issue or matter covered hereby, Indemnitee need not
repay any of the Expenses advanced in connection with the investigation, defense
or appeal of such Proceeding.
(b) If
Section 6(a) is inapplicable, the Company shall remain obligated to indemnify
Indemnitee, and Indemnitee need not repay Expenses previously advanced, unless
the Company, by motion before a court of competent jurisdiction, obtains an
order for preliminary or permanent relief suspending or denying the obligation
to advance or indemnify for Expenses.
(c)
Notwithstanding a determination by a court that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification with respect to a specific Proceeding, Indemnitee shall have the
right to apply to the Court of Chancery of Delaware for the purpose of enforcing
Indemnitee's right to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement.
(d)
Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, the
Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee
in connection with any Proceeding under Section 6(b) or 6(c) and against all
Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any other Proceeding between
the Company and Indemnitee involving the interpretation or enforcement of the
rights of Indemnitee under this Agreement unless a court of competent
jurisdiction finds that each of the material claims and/or defenses of
Indemnitee in any such Proceeding were frivolous or made in bad faith.
7.
Certificate
of Incorporation and By-Laws. The
Company agrees that the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and By-laws in
effect on the date hereof shall not be amended to reduce, limit, hinder or delay
(i) the rights of Indemnitee granted hereby, or (ii) the ability of the Company
to indemnify Indemnitee as required hereby. The Company further agrees that it
shall exercise the powers granted to it under its Certificate of Incorporation,
its By-laws and by applicable law to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent
possible as required hereby.
8.
Witness
Expenses. The
Company agrees to compensate Indemnitee for the reasonable value of his or her
time spent, and to reimburse Indemnitee for all Expenses (including attorneys'
fees and travel costs) incurred by him or her, in connection with being a
witness, or if Indemnitee is threatened to be made a witness, with respect to
any Proceeding, by reason of his or her serving or having served as an Agent of
the Company.
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9.
Exceptions.
Notwithstanding any other provision hereunder to the contrary, the Company shall
not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a)
Claims
Initiated by Indemnitee. To
indemnify or advance Expenses to Indemnitee with respect to Proceedings or
claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee and not by way of defense
(other than Proceedings under Section 6(b) or Section 6(c) or brought to
establish or enforce a right to indemnification under this Agreement or the
provisions of the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws unless a
court of competent jurisdiction determines that each of the material assertions
made by Indemnitee in such Proceeding were not made in good faith or were
frivolous).
(b)
Unauthorized
Settlements. To
indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of
a Proceeding covered hereby without the prior written consent of the Company to
such settlement.
10.
Non-exclusivity. This
Agreement is not the exclusive arrangement between the Company and Indemnitee
regarding the subject matter hereof and shall not diminish or affect any other
rights which Indemnitee may have under any provision of law, the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, under other agreements, or otherwise.
11.
Continuation
After Term.
Indemnitee's rights hereunder shall continue after the Indemnitee has ceased
acting as a director or Agent of the Company and the benefits hereof shall inure
to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of Indemnitee.
12.
Interpretation
of Agreement. This
Agreement shall be interpreted and enforced so as to provide indemnification to
Indemnitee to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by law.
13.
Severability. If any
provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, illegal
or unenforceable, provisions of the Agreement shall not in any way be affected
or impaired thereby, and to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this
Agreement shall be construed or altered by the court so as to remain enforceable
and to provide Indemnitee with as many of the benefits contemplated hereby as
are permitted under law.
14.
Counterparts,
Modification and Waiver. This
Agreement may be signed in counterparts. This Agreement constitutes a separate
agreement between the Company and Indemnitee and may be supplemented or amended
as to Indemnitee only by a written instrument signed by the Company and
Indemnitee, with such amendment binding only the Company and Indemnitee. All
waivers must be in a written document signed by the party to be charged. No
waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be implied by the
conduct of the parties. A waiver of any right hereunder shall not constitute a
waiver of any other right hereunder.
15.
Notices. All
notices, demands, consents, requests, approvals and other communications
required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have
been properly given if hand delivered (effective upon receipt or when refused),
or if sent by a courier freight prepaid (effective upon receipt or when
refused), in the case of the Company, at the addresses listed below, or to such
other addresses as the parties may notify each other in writing.
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To Company: | United Rentals, Inc.
Five
Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
XX 00000
Attention:
Legal Department
|
To
Indemnitee: At the Indemnitee's residence address and facsimile number on the
records of the Company from time to time.
16.
Evidence
of Coverage. Upon
request by Indemnitee, the Company shall provide evidence of the liability
insurance coverage required by this Agreement. The Company shall promptly notify
Indemnitee of any change in the Company's D&O Insurance coverage.
17.
Governing
Law. This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal
laws of the State of Delaware.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have entered into this Indemnification
Agreement effective as of the date first above written.
UNITED RENTALS, INC. | ||
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By: | ||
Name: Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
Title: Chief
Executive Officer |
INDEMNITEE: | ||
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By: | ||
Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx |
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