ACE INA HOLDINGS INC. (a Delaware corporation) UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT Dated: June 3, 2009
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION COPY
ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
(a Delaware corporation)
Dated: June 3, 2009
SECTION 1. Representations and Warranties |
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(a) Representations and Warranties by the Company and the Guarantor
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(1) Compliance with Registration Requirements; Disclosure
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(2) Incorporated Documents
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(3) Independent Accountants
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(4) Financial Statements
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(5) No Material Adverse Change in Business
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(6) Good Standing of the Company
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(7) Good Standing of the Guarantor
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(8) Good Standing of Corporate Subsidiaries
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(9) Good Standing of Partnership Subsidiaries
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(10) Capitalization
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(11) Authorization of this Underwriting Agreement and Terms Agreement
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(12) Authorization of Underwritten Securities
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(13) Authorization of Guarantee
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(14) Authorization of the Indentures
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(15) Descriptions of the Underwritten Securities, the Guarantee and the
Indentures
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(16) Non-Taxation of Interest
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(17) Reserves
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(18) Absence of Defaults and Conflicts
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(19) Absence of Proceedings
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(20) Accuracy of Exhibits
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(21) Absence of Further Requirements
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(22) Possession of Licenses and Permits
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(23) Insurance Laws
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(24) Governmental Authorization
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(25) Commodity Exchange Act
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(26) Investment Company Act
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(27) Internal Controls and Procedures
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(b) Officers’ Certificates
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SECTION 2. Sale and Delivery to Underwriters; Closing
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(a) Underwritten Securities
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(b) Payment
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(c) Denominations; Registration
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SECTION 3. Covenants of the Company and the Guarantor
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(a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests;
Payment of Filing Fees
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(b) Filing of Amendments and Exchange Documents; Preparation of Final Term
Sheet
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(c) Delivery of Registration Statements
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(d) Delivery of Prospectuses
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(e) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws
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(f) Blue Sky Qualifications
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(g) Earnings Statement
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(h) Use of Proceeds
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(i) Listing
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(j) Restriction on Sale of Debt Securities
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(k) Reporting Requirements
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(l) Documentary, Stamp or Similar Issue Taxes
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(m) Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses
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(n) Registration Statement Renewal Deadline
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(o) Notice of Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration
Statement Form
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SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
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(a) Expenses
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(b) Termination of Agreement
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SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations
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(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; No Objection from
the FINRA; Filings
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(b) Opinions of Counsel for Company and Guarantor
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(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters
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(d) Company Officers’ Certificate
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(e) Guarantor Officers’ Certificate
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(f) Accountant’s Comfort Letters
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(g) Bring-down Comfort Letters
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(h) Ratings
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(i) Approval of Listing
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(j) Additional Documents
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(k) Termination of Terms Agreement
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SECTION 6. Indemnification.
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(a) Indemnification of Underwriters
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(b) Indemnification of Company, Guarantor, Directors and Officers
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(c) Actions against Parties; Notification
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(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse
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SECTION 7. Contribution
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SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery
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SECTION 9. Termination.
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(a) Terms Agreement
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(b) Liabilities
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SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters
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SECTION 11. Notices
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SECTION 12. Parties
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SECTION 13. Consent to Jurisdiction; Miscellaneous
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SECTION 14. Waiver of Immunities
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SECTION 15. Judgment Currency
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SECTION 16. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility
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SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME
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SECTION 18. Effect of Headings
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iii
ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
(a Delaware corporation)
Senior and Subordinated Debt Securities
Unconditionally Guaranteed as to Payment of
Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest by
Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest by
ACE LIMITED
June 3, 2009
To: | The Underwriters named in the 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 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 X.X. Xxxxxx 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 X.X. Xxxxxx 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
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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
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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 (“XXXXX”).
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
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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 0000 Xxx) 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
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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 XXXXX, 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
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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 Xxx 0000 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 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
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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”).
(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, 000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx
00000, 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
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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
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
14
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 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 XXXXX, 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 XXXXX, 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
15
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 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 conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any preliminary prospectus or included or would include
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or would omit to state a material fact necessary
in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances prevailing at that
subsequent time, not misleading, the Company and the Guarantor will promptly notify the
Representative(s) and will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free
Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict, untrue statement or omission and will
promptly file such amendment or supplement with the Commission.
(f) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company and the Guarantor will use their best efforts, in
cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Underwritten Securities for offering and sale
under the applicable securities laws of such states and other jurisdictions (domestic or foreign)
as the Representative(s) may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period
of not less than one year from the date of the applicable Terms Agreement; provided, however, that
the Company and the Guarantor shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of
process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in
which they are not so qualified or to subject themselves to taxation in respect of doing business
in any jurisdiction in which they are not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the
Underwritten Securities have been so qualified, the Company and the Guarantor will file such
statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such
qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date of such Terms
Agreement.
(g) Earnings Statement. The Guarantor and, to the extent separately required pursuant to Rule
158 under the 1933 Act, the Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are
necessary in order to make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable an
earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last
paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act.
(h) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of
the Underwritten Securities in the manner specified under “Use of Proceeds” in each of the
Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company will receive and use all of the proceeds from
the offering exclusively outside Switzerland.
16
(i) Listing. The Company and the Guarantor will use their best efforts to effect the listing
of the Underwritten Securities, prior to the Closing Time, on any national securities exchange or
quotation system if and as specified in the applicable Terms Agreement.
(j) Restriction on Sale of Debt Securities. Between the date of the applicable Terms
Agreement and the Closing Time or such other date specified in such Terms Agreement, neither the
Company nor the Guarantor will, without the prior written consent of the Representative(s),
directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer or contract to sell, grant any option for the sale of,
or otherwise dispose of, the debt securities specified in such Terms Agreement.
(k) Reporting Requirements. The Guarantor, during the period when the Prospectus is required
to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed
with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and
the 1934 Act Regulations.
(l) Documentary, Stamp or Similar Issue Taxes. The Company and the Guarantor will jointly and
severally indemnify and hold harmless the Underwriters against any documentary, stamp or similar
issue tax, including any interest and penalties, on the creation, issue and sale of the
Underwritten Securities and on the execution and delivery of this Underwriting Agreement or the
applicable Terms Agreement. All payments to be made by the Company or the Guarantor hereunder
shall be made without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes,
duties or governmental charges whatsoever unless the Company or the Guarantor is compelled by law
to deduct or withhold such taxes, duties or charges. In that event, the Company or the Guarantor
shall pay such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts received after
such withholding or deduction shall equal the amounts that would have been received if no
withholding or deduction had been made.
(m) Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses. Each of the Company and the Guarantor represents
that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the
Representative(s), it will not make, any offer relating to the Underwritten Securities that would
constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing
prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the 1933 Regulations) required to be filed by the Company or
the Guarantor with the Commission or retained by the Company or the Guarantor under Rule 433 of the
1933 Act Regulations; provided that the prior written consent of the Representative(s) shall be
deemed to have been given in respect of the free writing prospectuses listed in Schedule I to the
applicable Terms Agreement. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representative(s)
is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus”. Each of the Company and the
Guarantor agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free
Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) has complied and will comply, as
the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the 1933 Act Regulations applicable
to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the
Commission, legending and record keeping. Each of the Company and the Guarantor consents to the
use by any Underwriter of a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an “issuer free writing
prospectus” as defined in Rule 433, and (b) contains only (i) information describing the
preliminary terms of the Underwritten Securities or their offering, (ii) information permitted by
Rule 134 of the 1933 Act Regulations
17
or (iii) information that describes the final terms of the Underwritten Securities or their
offering and that is included in the Final Term Sheet
(n) Registration Statement Renewal Deadline. If immediately prior to the third anniversary
(the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the
Underwritten Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company and the Guarantor will prior
to the Renewal Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new
automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Underwritten Securities, in a form
satisfactory to the Representative(s). If the Company or the Guarantor is no longer eligible to
file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company and the Guarantor will prior to the
Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating
to the Underwritten Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representative(s), and will use its
best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 60 days after the
Renewal Deadline. The Company and the Guarantor will take all other action necessary or
appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Underwritten Securities to continue as
contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Underwritten Securities.
References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration
statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.
(o) Notice of Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form. If at any time
when Underwritten Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters either the Company or the Guarantor
receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations or
otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company
or the Guarantor will (i) promptly notify the Representative(s), (ii) promptly file a new
registration statement or post-effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Underwritten
Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representative(s), (iii) use its best efforts to cause
such registration statement of post-effective amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly
notify the Representative(s) of such effectiveness. The Company and the Guarantor will take all
other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Underwritten
Securities to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the
Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company or the Guarantor has otherwise become ineligible.
References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or
post-effective amendment, as the case may be.
SECTION 4. Payment of Expenses.
(a) Expenses. The Company and the Guarantor will pay all expenses incidental to the
performance of their obligations under this Underwriting Agreement or the applicable Terms
Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement
(including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto,
(ii) the preparation, printing and delivery to the Underwriters of this Underwriting Agreement, any
Terms Agreement, any Agreement among Underwriters, the Indentures, and such other documents as may
be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale, issuance or delivery of the
Underwritten Securities, (iii) the preparation, issuance and delivery of the Underwritten
Securities and any certificates for the Underwritten Securities, to the Underwriters, including any
transfer taxes and any stamp or other duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the
Underwritten Securities to the Underwriters, (iv) the fees and disbursements of
18
the Company’s and the Guarantor’s counsel, accountants and other advisors or agents (including
transfer agents and registrars), as well as the fees and disbursements of the Trustees, and their
respective counsel, (v) the qualification of the Underwritten Securities under state securities
laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 3(f) hereof, including filing fees and the
reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in
connection with the preparation, printing and delivery of the Blue Sky Survey, and any amendment
thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters and filing of copies of each
preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus, any free writing prospectus and any amendments or
supplements thereto, (vii) the fees charged by nationally recognized statistical rating
organizations for the rating of the Underwritten Securities, if applicable, (viii) the fees and
expenses incurred with respect to the listing of the Underwritten Securities, if applicable, and
(ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel to the
Underwriters in connection with, the review, if any, by the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority, Inc. (the “FINRA”) of the terms of the sale of the Underwritten Securities.
(b) Termination of Agreement. If the applicable Terms Agreement is terminated by the
Representative(s) in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 or Section 9(a)(i) or 9(a)(ii)
hereof, the Company and the Guarantor shall reimburse the Underwriters for all of their
out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters.
SECTION 5. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligations of the
Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Underwritten Securities pursuant to the applicable Terms
Agreement are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company and the
Guarantor contained in Section 1(a) hereof or in certificates of any officer of the Company, the
Guarantor or any of their respective subsidiaries delivered pursuant to the provisions hereof, to
the performance by the Company and the Guarantor of their covenants and other obligations
hereunder, and to the following further conditions:
(a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement; No Objection from the FINRA; Filings. The
Registration Statement has become effective under the 1933 Act; no stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending or threatened by the
Commission; any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been
complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters; no notice pursuant to
Rule 401(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations shall have been received by the Company or the Guarantor
objecting to the use of the automatic shelf registration statement form; the Registration Statement
is not the subject of a pending proceeding or examination under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the 1933
Act, and neither the Company nor the Guarantor is 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 shall have been filed with the Commission (including the
information required by Rule 430B of the 1933 Act Regulations) in the manner and within the time
period required by Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations without reliance on Rule 424(b)(8) of
the 1933 Act Regulations, or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement containing
the information required by such Rule 430B shall have been filed, and such post-effective amendment
shall have become effective. The Final Term Sheet and any other material required to be filed by
the Company or the Guarantor
19
pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the 1933 Act Regulations, shall have been filed with the Commission
within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings under such Rule 433.
(b) Opinions of Counsel for Company and Guarantor. At Closing Time, the Representative(s)
shall have received the favorable opinions, each dated as of Closing Time, of Xxxxxxxx Kraft & Xxxx
XX, Swiss counsel for the Guarantor, Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx, Bermuda Counsel for the Guarantor, the
Guarantor’s General Counsel, and Xxxxx Xxxxx LLP, United States counsel for the Company and the
Guarantor, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed
or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth
in: Exhibit B hereto with respect to the opinion of Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx & Xxxx XX; Exhibit C hereto with
respect to the opinion of Xxxxxxx Xxxx & Xxxxxxx; Exhibit D hereto with respect to the opinion of
the Guarantor’s General Counsel and Exhibit E hereto with respect to the opinion of Xxxxx Xxxxx
LLP, and, as to each opinion, to such further effect as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At Closing Time, the Representative(s) shall have
received the favorable opinion, dated as of Closing Time, of Sidley Austin llp, counsel
for the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters, together
with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters. In giving such
opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than
the law of the State of New York, the federal law of the United States and the General Corporation
Law of the State of Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representative(s).
Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have
relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company, the Guarantor
and their respective subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.
(d) Company Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, the Representative(s) shall have received
a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial
officer or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of Closing Time, to the effect that
(i) there has not been, since the date of the applicable Terms Agreement or since the respective
dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material
adverse change, or any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the
financial condition, business or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries
considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) the
representations and warranties of the Company in Section 1(a) are true and correct with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Company has
complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted,
are pending or, to the best of such officer’s knowledge, are threatened by the Commission.
(e) Guarantor Officers’ Certificate. At Closing Time, the Representative(s) shall have
received a certificate of either the Chairman, the President and Chief Executive Officer or the
General Counsel and Secretary of the Guarantor and of either the chief financial officer, chief
accounting officer or chief investment officer of the Guarantor, dated as of Closing Time, to the
effect that, to the best of their knowledge and after reasonable investigation, (i) there has not
20
been, since the date of the applicable Terms Agreement or since the respective dates as of
which information is given in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any material adverse
change, or 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
considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, (ii) the
representations and warranties of the Guarantor in Section 1(a) are true and correct with the same
force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Time, (iii) the Guarantor has
complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied
at or prior to the Closing Time, and (iv) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted,
are pending or are threatened by the Commission.
(f) Accountant’s Comfort Letters. At the time of the execution of the applicable Terms
Agreement, the Representative(s) shall have received from Pricewaterhouse Coopers llp
letters, each dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representative(s),
together with signed or reproduced copies of such letters for each of the other Underwriters,
containing statements and information of the type ordinarily included in accountants’ “comfort
letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information
contained in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus or prospectuses that are part
of the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.
(g) Bring-down Comfort Letters. At Closing Time, the Representative(s) shall have received
from Pricewaterhouse Coopers llp letters, each dated as of Closing Time, to the effect
that they reaffirm the statements made in the letters furnished pursuant to subsection (f) of this
Section 5, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business
days prior to the Closing Time.
(h) Ratings. At Closing Time, the Underwritten Securities shall have the ratings accorded by
any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as defined by the Commission for
purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) of the 1933 Act Regulations (each, a “Rating Organization”), if and as
specified in the applicable Terms Agreement, and the Company and the Guarantor shall have delivered
to the Representative(s) a letter, dated as of such date, from each such rating organization, or
other evidence satisfactory to the Representative(s), confirming that the Underwritten Securities
have such ratings. Since the time of execution of such Terms Agreement, there shall not have
occurred a downgrading in, or withdrawal of, the rating assigned to the Underwritten Securities or
any of the Guarantor’s other securities or the Guarantor’s financial strength or claims paying
ability by any such Rating Organization, and no such Rating Organization shall have publicly
announced that it has under surveillance or review with negative implications its rating of the
Underwritten Securities or any of the Guarantor’s other securities or the Guarantor’s financial
strength or claims paying ability.
(i) Approval of Listing. At Closing Time, the Underwritten Securities shall have been
approved for listing, subject only to official notice of issuance, on the securities exchanges, if
any, specified in the applicable Terms Agreement.
(j) Additional Documents. At Closing Time, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been
furnished with such documents and opinions as they may require for the purpose of
21
enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Underwritten Securities as herein
contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or
the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the
Company and the Guarantor in connection with the issuance and sale of the Underwritten Securities
and the Guarantee as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the
Representative(s) and counsel for the Underwriters.
(k) Termination of Terms Agreement. If any condition specified in this Section 5 shall not
have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, the applicable Terms Agreement may be
terminated by the Representative(s) by notice to the Company and the Guarantor at any time at or
prior to the Closing Time, and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any
other party except as provided in Section 4 and except that Sections 1, 6, 7 and 8 shall survive
any such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 6. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Underwriters. The Company and the Guarantor agree to jointly and
severally indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act as
follows:
(1) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B
Information deemed to be a part thereof, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading or arising out of any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material
fact included in any preliminary prospectus, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the information contained in the Final Term
Sheet, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order
to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading;
(2) against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever, as
incurred, to the extent of the aggregate amount paid in settlement of any litigation, or any
investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or
any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged
untrue statement or omission; provided that (subject to Section 6(d) below) any such
settlement is effected with the written consent of the Company and the Guarantor; and
(3) against any and all expense whatsoever, as incurred (including the fees and
disbursements of counsel chosen by the Representative(s)), reasonably incurred in
investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or
proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim
whatsoever based upon any such untrue statement or omission, or any such alleged untrue
22
statement or omission, to the extent that any such expense is not paid under (1) or (2)
above;
provided, however, that this indemnity agreement shall not apply to any loss,
liability, claim, damage or expense to the extent arising out of any untrue statement or omission
or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company or the Guarantor by any Underwriter through the
Representative(s) expressly for use in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto),
including the Rule 430B Information deemed to be a part thereof or any preliminary prospectus or
the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(b) Indemnification of Company, Guarantor, Directors and Officers. Each Underwriter severally
and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantor, their respective
directors, each of their respective officers who signed the Registration Statement, and each
person, if any, who controls the Company or the Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the
1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and
expense described in the indemnity contained in subsection (a) of this Section, as incurred, but
only with respect to untrue statements or omissions, or alleged untrue statements or omissions,
made in the Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto), including the Rule 430B Information
deemed to be a part thereof or any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or
supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the
Company or the Guarantor by such Underwriter through the Representative(s) expressly for use in the
Registration Statement (or any amendment thereto) or such preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus
(or any amendment or supplement thereto).
(c) Actions against Parties; Notification. Each indemnified party shall give notice as
promptly as reasonably practicable to each indemnifying party of any action commenced against it in
respect of which indemnity may be sought hereunder, but failure to so notify an indemnifying party
shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability hereunder to the extent it is not
materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability
which it may have otherwise than on account of this indemnity agreement. In the case of parties
indemnified pursuant to Section 6(a) above, counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by
the Representative(s), and, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 6(b) above,
counsel to the indemnified parties shall be selected by the Guarantor. An indemnifying party may
participate at its own expense in the defense of any such action; provided, however, that counsel
to the indemnifying party shall not (except with the consent of the indemnified party) also be
counsel to the indemnified party. In no event shall the indemnifying parties be liable for fees
and expenses of more than one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) separate from their own
counsel for all indemnified parties in connection with any one action or separate but similar or
related actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or
circumstances. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any
litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or
threatened, or any claim whatsoever in respect of which indemnification or contribution could be
sought under this Section 6 or Section 7 hereof (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual
or potential parties thereto), unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an
unconditional release of each indemnified
23
party from all liability arising out of such litigation, investigation, proceeding or claim
and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to
act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) Settlement without Consent if Failure to Reimburse. If at any time an indemnified party
shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses
of counsel, such indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of the nature
contemplated by Section 6(a)(2) effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is
entered into more than 45 days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request,
(ii) such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such settlement at least 30
days prior to such settlement being entered into and (iii) such indemnifying party shall not have
reimbursed such indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such
settlement.
SECTION 7. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in Section 6 hereof is
for any reason unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of
any losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses referred to therein, then each indemnifying
party shall contribute to the aggregate amount of such losses, liabilities, claims, damages and
expenses incurred by such indemnified party, as incurred, (i) in such proportion as is appropriate
to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and
the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Underwritten Securities pursuant to
the applicable Terms Agreement or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by
applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor, on
the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, liabilities, claims, damages or expenses, as well as any
other relevant equitable considerations.
The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the
Underwriters, on the other hand, in connection with the offering of the Underwritten Securities
pursuant to the applicable Terms Agreement shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions
as the total net proceeds from the offering of such Underwritten Securities (before deducting
expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discount received by the Underwriters,
in each case as set forth on the cover of the Prospectus bear to the aggregate initial public
offering price of such Underwritten Securities as set forth on such cover.
The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on
the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any such untrue or
alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission to state a material
fact relates to information supplied by the Company or the Guarantor or by the Underwriters and the
parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent
such statement or omission.
The Company, the Guarantor and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable
if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the
Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this Section 7.
The aggregate amount of losses, liabilities, claims, damages and expenses incurred by
24
an indemnified party and referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in investigating, preparing
or defending against any litigation, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency
or body, commenced or threatened, or any claim whatsoever based upon any such untrue or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to
contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Underwritten
Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the
amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of any
such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.
No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
0000 Xxx) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.
For purposes of this Section 7, each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the
meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to
contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of the Company and the Guarantor, each officer
of the Company and the Guarantor who signed the Registration Statement, and each person, if any,
who controls the Company or the Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or
Section 20 of the 1934 Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company and the
Guarantor. The Underwriters’ respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are
several in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Initial Underwritten Securities set
forth opposite their respective names in the applicable Terms Agreement, and not joint.
SECTION 8. Representations, Warranties and Agreements to Survive Delivery. All
representations, warranties and agreements contained in this Underwriting Agreement or the
applicable Terms Agreement or in certificates of officers of the Company, the Guarantor or any of
their respective subsidiaries submitted pursuant hereto or thereto shall remain operative and in
full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or
controlling person, or by or on behalf of the Company or the Guarantor, and shall survive delivery
of and payment for the Underwritten Securities.
SECTION 9. Termination.
(a) Terms Agreement. The Representative(s) may terminate this Agreement and the applicable
Terms Agreement, by notice to the Company and the Guarantor, at any time at or prior to the Closing
Time, if (i) there has been, since the time of execution of such Terms Agreement or since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, any
material adverse change, or any development or event involving a prospective material adverse
change, in the financial condition, business or results of operations of the Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of
business, (ii) there has been, since the time of execution of such Terms Agreement or since the
respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change,
or 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 considered as
one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary
25
course of business, (iii) there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial
markets in the United States or any outbreak of hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity
or crisis or any change or development involving a prospective change in national or international
political, financial or economic conditions, in each case referred to in this clause (iii), the
effect of which is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representative(s), impracticable or
inadvisable to market the Underwritten Securities or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Underwritten Securities, (iv) any downgrading in the rating of any debt securities of the Guarantor
or the Company or the insurance claims paying ability rating or other insurance rating of the
Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, in each case by any “nationally recognized
statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436 (g) under the 1933 Act), or
any public announcement that any such organization has under surveillance or review its rating of
any debt securities of the Guarantor or the Company (other than an announcement with positive
implications of a possible upgrading, and no implication of a possible downgrading, of such rating)
or of the insurance claims paying ability or other insurance rating of the Guarantor or any of its
Significant Subsidiaries, (v) trading in any securities of the Company or the Guarantor has been
suspended or materially limited by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange, or if trading
generally on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or in the Nasdaq National
Market has been suspended or materially limited, or minimum or maximum prices for trading have been
fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have been required, by either of said exchanges or by such
system or by order of the Commission, the FINRA or any other governmental authority or a material
disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the
United States or (vi) a banking moratorium has been declared by either U.S. Federal, New York or
Bermuda authorities or, if the Underwritten Securities are denominated or payable in, or indexed
to, one or more foreign or composite currencies, by the relevant authorities in the related foreign
country or countries.
(b) Liabilities. If this Underwriting Agreement or the applicable Terms Agreement is
terminated pursuant to this Section 9, such termination shall be without liability of any party to
any other party except as provided in Section 4 hereof, and provided further that Sections 1, 6, 7
and 8 shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 10. Default by One or More of the Underwriters. If one or more of the
Underwriters shall fail at the Closing Time to purchase the Underwritten Securities which it or
they are obligated to purchase under the applicable Terms Agreement (the “Defaulted Securities”),
then the Representative(s) shall have the right, within 24 hours thereafter, to make arrangements
for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but
not less than all, of the Defaulted Securities in such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the
terms herein set forth; if, however, the Representative(s) shall not have completed such
arrangements within such 24-hour period, then:
(a) if the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may be, of Defaulted
Securities does not exceed 10% of the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may
be, of Underwritten Securities to be purchased on such date pursuant to such Terms
Agreement, the non-defaulting Underwriters shall be obligated, severally and not jointly, to
purchase the full amount thereof in the proportions that their respective underwriting
26
obligations under such Terms Agreement bear to the underwriting obligations of all
non-defaulting Underwriters, or
(b) if the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may be, of Defaulted
Securities exceeds 10% of the number or aggregate principal amount, as the case may be, of
Underwritten Securities to be purchased on such date pursuant to such Terms Agreement, such
Terms Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting
Underwriter.
No action taken pursuant to this Section 10 shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability in respect of its default.
In the event of any such default which does not result in a termination of the applicable
Terms Agreement, either the Representative(s) or the Company shall have the right to postpone the
Closing Time for a period not exceeding seven days in order to effect any required changes in the
Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or in any other documents or
arrangements.
SECTION 11. Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted by any standard form
of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representatives at the
address specified in the applicable Terms Agreement; notices to the Company shall be directed to it
at 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000, attention of General Counsel; and notices to the
Guarantor shall be directed to it at Xxxxxxxxxx 00, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx CH-8001, attention of
General Counsel and Secretary.
SECTION 12. Parties. This Underwriting Agreement and the applicable Terms Agreement
shall each inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company and the Guarantor and, upon
execution of such Terms Agreement, any Underwriters named therein and their respective successors.
Nothing expressed or mentioned in this Underwriting Agreement or such Terms Agreement is intended
or shall be construed to give any person, firm or corporation, other than the Underwriters, the
Company, the Guarantor and their respective successors and the controlling persons and officers and
directors referred to in Sections 6 and 7 and their heirs and legal representatives, any legal or
equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Underwriting Agreement or such Terms
Agreement or any provision herein or therein contained. This Underwriting Agreement and such Terms
Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof and thereof are intended to be for the sole and
exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and thereto and their respective successors, and said
controlling persons and officers and directors and their heirs and legal representatives, and for
the benefit of no other person, firm or corporation. No purchaser of Underwritten Securities from
any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such purchase.
SECTION 13. Consent to Jurisdiction; Miscellaneous. Each of the parties hereto hereby
expressly and irrevocably submits to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of any competent court in the
place of its domicile and any United States Federal or New York State court sitting in the Borough
of Manhattan in The City of New York in any action, suit or proceeding arising out of or relating
to this Underwriting Agreement or the applicable Terms Agreement or the
27
transactions contemplated hereby or thereby to the extent that such court has subject matter
jurisdiction over the controversy, and expressly and irrevocably waives, to the extent permitted
under applicable law, any immunity from the jurisdiction thereof and any claim or defense in such
action, suit or proceeding based on a claim of improper venue, forum non
conveniens or any similar basis to which it might otherwise be entitled in any such action,
suit or proceeding. Each of the Company and the Guarantor irrevocably appoints ACE USA, Inc., 1133
Avenue of the Americas, 00xx Xxxxx, Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000, as its authorized agent in
the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York upon which process may be served in any such
action, suit or proceeding, and agrees that service of process upon such agent, and written notice
of said service to the Company or the Guarantor by the person serving the same to the address
provided in Section 11, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the
Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, in any such action, suit or proceeding. Each of the
Company and the Guarantor further agrees to take any and all action as may be necessary to maintain
such designation and appointment of such agent in full force and effect for a period of seven years
from the date of this Underwriting Agreement.
SECTION 14. Waiver of Immunities. To the extent that the Company or the Guarantor or
any of their respective properties, assets or revenues may have or may hereafter become entitled
to, or have attributed to them, any right of immunity, on the grounds of sovereignty, from any
legal action, suit or proceeding, from set-off or counterclaim, from the jurisdiction of any court,
from service of process, from attachment upon or prior to judgment, or from attachment in aid of
execution of judgment, or from execution of judgment, other legal process or proceeding for the
giving of any relief or for the enforcement of any judgment, in any jurisdiction in which
proceedings may at any time be commenced, with respect to their obligations, liabilities or any
other matter under or arising out of or in connection with this Underwriting Agreement or any
additional agreement, each of the Company and the Guarantor hereby irrevocably and unconditionally,
to the extent permitted by applicable law, waives and agrees not to plead or claim any such
immunity and consents to such relief and enforcement.
SECTION 15. Judgment Currency. The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally
agree to indemnify each Underwriter against any loss incurred by such Underwriter as a result of
any judgment or order being given or made for any amount due hereunder and such judgment or order
being expressed and paid in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than United States dollars
and as a result of any variation as between (i) the rate of exchange at which the United States
dollar amount is converted into the Judgment Currency for the purpose of such judgment or order,
and (ii) the rate of exchange at which such Underwriter is able to purchase United States dollars
with the amount of the Judgment Currency actually received by such Underwriter. The foregoing
indemnity shall constitute a separate and independent obligation of each of the Company and the
Guarantor and shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding any such judgment or order as
aforesaid. The term “rate of exchange” shall include any premiums and costs of exchange payable in
connection with the purchase of, or conversion into, the relevant currency.
SECTION 16. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company and the Guarantor
acknowledge and agree that (i) the purchase and issuance of the Underwritten Securities pursuant to
this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Guarantor, on
the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in
28
connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is
acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or the Guarantor, (iii)
no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or the
Guarantor with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto
(irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or the
Guarantor on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or the Guarantor except the
obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company and the Guarantor have
consulted their own legal and financial advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate. The
Company and the Guarantor agree that they will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, has
rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the
Company or the Guarantor, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
SECTION 17. GOVERNING LAW AND TIME. THIS UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT AND ANY APPLICABLE
TERMS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW
YORK. SPECIFIED TIMES OF DAY REFER TO NEW YORK CITY TIME.
SECTION 18. Effect of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table
of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
[REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
29
Very truly yours, ACE INA HOLDINGS INC. |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxx Xxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer | |||
ACE LIMITED |
||||
By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Name: | Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx | |||
Title: | Chief Financial Officer | |||
30
Exhibit A
ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
(a Delaware corporation)
(a Delaware corporation)
Debt Securities
Unconditionally Guaranteed as to Payment of
Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest by
Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest by
ACE LIMITED
TERMS AGREEMENT
[-]
To: | ACE INA HOLDINGS INC. 000 Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, XX00X Xxxxxxxxxxxx, XX 00000 ACE LIMITED Xxxxxxxxxx 00, Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx CH-8001 |
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We understand that ACE INA Holdings Inc., a Delaware company (the “Company”), proposes to
issue and sell $ aggregate principal amount of its [senior] [subordinated] debt
securities (the “Underwritten Securities”), which will be unconditionally guaranteed as to payment
of principal, premium, if any, and interest by ACE Limited, a Swiss company. Subject to the terms
and conditions set forth or incorporated by reference herein, the underwriter[s] named below (the
“Underwriters”) offer[s] to purchase [, severally and not jointly,] the principal amount of
Underwritten Securities opposite [its] [their] name[s] set forth below at the purchase price set
forth below.
A-1
Principal Amount | ||||
Underwriter | of Underwritten Securities | |||
Total |
[$] | |||
The Underwritten Securities shall have the following terms:
Title:
Rank:
Ratings:
Aggregate principal amount:
Denominations:
Currency of payment:
Interest rate or formula:
Interest payment dates:
Regular record dates:
Stated maturity date:
Redemption provisions:
Sinking fund requirements:
Conversion or exchange provisions:
Guarantee Provisions:
Listing requirements:
Black-out provisions:
Fixed or Variable Price Offering: [Fixed] [Variable] Price Offering
Rank:
Ratings:
Aggregate principal amount:
Denominations:
Currency of payment:
Interest rate or formula:
Interest payment dates:
Regular record dates:
Stated maturity date:
Redemption provisions:
Sinking fund requirements:
Conversion or exchange provisions:
Guarantee Provisions:
Listing requirements:
Black-out provisions:
Fixed or Variable Price Offering: [Fixed] [Variable] Price Offering
If Fixed Price Offering, initial public offering price: % of the principal amount, plus
accrued interest [amortized original issue discount], if any, from .
Purchase price: % of principal amount, plus accrued interest [amortized original issue
discount], if any, from .
Form:
Applicable Time:
Other terms and conditions:
Closing date and location:
Applicable Time:
Other terms and conditions:
Closing date and location:
Notices: Notice to the Underwriters shall be directed to the Representative(s) c/o:
[
]
All of the provisions contained in the document attached as Annex I hereto entitled “ACE INA
HOLDINGS INC.—Senior and Subordinated Debt Securities – Unconditionally Guaranteed
A-2
as to Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest by ACE LIMITED —Underwriting
Agreement” are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety herein and shall be deemed to be
a part of this Terms Agreement to the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full
herein. Terms defined in such document are used herein as therein defined.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
New York.
Please accept this offer no later than o’clock P.M. (New York City time) on
by signing a copy of this Terms Agreement in the space set forth below and returning
the signed copy to us.
Very truly yours, | ||||||
[REPRESENTATIVE(S)] | ||||||
By | ||||||
[Acting on behalf of [itself] [themselves] and as Representative(s) of the other named Underwriters.] |
Accepted:
ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
By |
||||
Title: |
||||
ACE LIMITED | ||||
By |
||||
Title: |
A-3
Schedule I
[ISSUER FREE WRITING PROSPECTUS(ES)]
Final Term Sheet dated [-] (attached hereto as Schedule II)
A-4
Schedule II
ACE INA HOLDINGS INC.
FINAL TERM SHEET
Dated: [-]
Issuer:
|
ACE INA Holdings Inc. | |
Guarantor:
|
ACE Limited | |
Size: |
||
Trade Date: |
||
Maturity Date: |
||
Coupon (Interest Rate): |
||
Yield to Maturity: |
||
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: |
||
Benchmark Treasury: |
||
Benchmark Treasury Price and Yield: |
||
Interest Payment Dates: |
||
Redemption Provision: |
||
Price to Public: |
||
Settlement Date: |
||
Underwriters: |
||
CUSIP: |
The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the
offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in
that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete
information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these
A-5
documents for free
by visiting XXXXX on the SEC Web site at xxx.xxx.xxx. Alternatively, [REPRESENTATIVE(S)]
can arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling or e-mailing [ ] at 1-800-[ ]
or [ ]@[ ].
A-6