Exhibit 10.51
UNCONDITIONAL GUARANTY
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(Corporate)
RECITALS
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A. COMERICA BANK - CALIFORNIA, successor by merger to Imperial Bank
("Bank") and ANCHOR PACIFIIC UNDERWRITERS, INC. ("Borrower") are parties to that
certain Credit Terms and Conditions Agreement dated September 30, 1997 and the
Addendum thereto dated October 17, 1997 (as amended, restated, modified,
supplemented or revised from time to time, the "Credit Terms and Conditions").
B. Borrower is in default under the Agreement.
C. Borrower and the undersigned Guarantor share an identity of
interests as members of a consolidated group of companies engaged in
substantially similar businesses; the making of Loans and other financial
accommodations will enhance the overall financial strength and stability of
Guarantor's corporate group.
D. In order to induce Bank to forbear as to certain defaults and to
enter into the Forbearance Agreement and Amendment to Promissory Note and
Conditional Consent to Subsidiary Transactions (the "Forbearance Agreement"),
and acknowledging that Bank would not enter into the Forbearance Agreement
without the benefit of this Guaranty, and as a condition precedent to Bank `s
obligations under the Forbearance Agreement, Guarantor hereby unconditionally
and irrevocably guarantees the prompt and complete payment of all amounts that
Borrower owes to Bank and performance by Borrower of the Credit Terms and
Conditions and any other agreements between Borrower and Bank, as amended from
time to time (collectively referred to as the "Agreements"), in strict
accordance with their respective terms.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
GUARANTY
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1. If Borrower does not perform its obligations in strict accordance
with the Agreements, Guarantor shall immediately pay all amounts due thereunder
(including, without limitation, all principal, interest, and fees) and otherwise
to proceed to complete the same and satisfy all of Borrower's obligations under
the Agreements.
2. If there is more than one Guarantor, the obligations hereunder are
joint and several, and whether or not there is more than one Guarantor, the
obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of Borrower, and a
separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against Guarantor
whether action is brought against Borrower or whether Borrower be joined in any
such action or actions. Guarantor waives the benefit of any statute of
limitations affecting its liability hereunder or the enforcement thereof, to the
extent permitted by law.
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Guarantor's liability under this Guaranty is not conditioned or contingent upon
the genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of the Agreements.
3. Guarantor authorizes Bank, without notice or demand and without
affecting its liability hereunder, from time to time to (a) renew, extend, or
otherwise change the terms of the Agreements or any part thereof; (b) take and
hold security for the payment of this Guaranty or the Agreements, and exchange,
enforce, waive and release any such security; and (c) apply such security and
direct the order or manner of sale thereof as Bank in its sole discretion may
determine.
4. Guarantor waives any right to require Bank to (a) proceed against
Borrower or any other person; (b) proceed against or exhaust any security held
from Borrower; or (c) pursue any other remedy in Bank's power whatsoever. Bank
may, at its election, exercise or decline or fail to exercise any right or
remedy it may have against Borrower or any security held by Bank, including
without limitation the right to foreclose upon any such security by judicial or
nonjudicial sale, without affecting or impairing in any way the liability of
Guarantor hereunder. Guarantor waives any defense arising by reason of any
disability or other defense of Borrower or by reason of the cessation from any
cause whatsoever of the liability of Borrower. Guarantor waives any setoff,
defense or counterclaim that Borrower may have against Bank. Guarantor waives
any defense arising out of the absence, impairment or loss of any right of
reimbursement or subrogation or any other rights against Borrower. Until all of
the amounts that Borrower owes to Bank have been paid in full, Guarantor shall
have no right of subrogation or reimbursement for claims arising out of or in
connection with this Guaranty, contribution or other rights against Borrower,
and Guarantor waives any right to enforce any remedy that Bank now has or may
hereafter have against Borrower. Guarantor waives all rights to participate in
any security now or hereafter held by Bank. Guarantor waives all presentments,
demands for performance, notices of nonperformance, protests, notices of
protest, notices of dishonor, and notices of acceptance of this Guaranty and of
the existence, creation, or incurring of new or additional indebtedness.
Guarantor assumes the responsibility for being and keeping itself informed of
the financial condition of Borrower and of all other circumstances bearing upon
the risk of nonpayment of any indebtedness or nonperformance of any obligation
of Borrower, warrants to Bank that it will keep so informed, and agrees that
absent a request for particular information by Guarantor, Bank shall have no
duty to advise Guarantor of information known to Bank regarding such condition
or any such circumstances. Guarantor waives the benefits of California Civil
Code sections 2809, 2810, 2819, 2845, 2847, 2848, 2849, 2850, 2899 and 3433.
5. Guarantor acknowledges that, to the extent Guarantor has or may have
certain rights of subrogation or reimbursement against Borrower for claims
arising out of this Guaranty, those rights may be impaired or destroyed if Bank
elects to proceed against any real property security of Borrower by non-judicial
foreclosure. That impairment or destruction could, under certain judicial cases
and based on equitable principles of estoppel, give rise to a defense by
Guarantor against its obligations under this Guaranty. Guarantor waives that
defense and any others arising from Bank's election to pursue non-judicial
foreclosure. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Guarantor waives
any and all benefits and defenses under California Code of Civil Procedure
Sections 580a, 580b, 580d and 726, to the extent they are applicable.
6. If Borrower becomes insolvent or is adjudicated bankrupt or files a
petition for reorganization, arrangement, composition or similar relief under
any present or future provision of the United States Bankruptcy Code, or if such
a petition is filed against Borrower, and in any
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such proceeding some or all of any indebtedness or obligations under the
Agreements are terminated or rejected or any obligation of Borrower is modified
or abrogated, or if Borrower's obligations are otherwise avoided for any reason,
Guarantor agrees that Guarantor's liability hereunder shall not thereby be
affected or modified and such liability shall continue in full force and effect
as if no such action or proceeding had occurred. This Guaranty shall continue to
be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if any payment must be
returned by Bank upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of Borrower,
Guarantor, any other guarantor, or otherwise, as though such payment had not
been made.
7. Any indebtedness of Borrower now or hereafter held by Guarantor is
hereby subordinated to any indebtedness of Borrower to Bank; and such
indebtedness of Borrower to Guarantor shall be collected, enforced and received
by Guarantor as trustee for Bank and be paid over to Bank on account of the
indebtedness of Borrower to Bank but without reducing or affecting in any manner
the liability of Guarantor under the other provisions of this Guaranty.
8. Guarantor agrees to pay a reasonable attorneys' fee and all other
costs and expenses which may be incurred by Bank in the enforcement of this
Guaranty. No terms or provisions of this Guaranty may be changed, waived,
revoked or amended without Bank's prior written consent. Should any provision of
this Guaranty be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
unenforceable, all of the other provisions shall remain effective. This
Guaranty, together with any agreements (including without limitation any
security agreements or any pledge agreements) executed in connection with this
Guaranty, embodies the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to
the matters set forth herein, and supersedes all prior agreements among the
parties with respect to the matters set forth herein. No course of prior dealing
among the parties, no usage of trade, and no parol or extrinsic evidence of any
nature shall be used to supplement, modify or vary any of the terms hereof.
There are no conditions to the full effectiveness of this Guaranty. Bank may
assign this Guaranty without in any way affecting Guarantor's liability under
it. This Guaranty shall inure to the benefit of Bank and its successors and
assigns. This Guaranty is in addition to the guaranties of any other guarantors
and any and all other guaranties of Borrower's indebtedness or liabilities to
Bank.
9. Guarantor represents and warrants to Bank that (i) Guarantor has
taken all necessary and appropriate action to authorize the execution, delivery
and performance of this Guaranty, (ii) execution, delivery and performance of
this Guaranty do not conflict with or result in a breach of or constitute a
default under Guarantor's Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws or other
organizational documents or agreements to which it is party or by which it is
bound, and (iii) this Guaranty constitutes a valid and binding obligation,
enforceable against Guarantor in accordance with its terms.
10. Guarantor covenants and agrees that Guarantor shall do all of the
following:
10.1. Guarantor shall maintain its corporate existence, remain in
good standing in California, and continue to qualify in each jurisdiction in
which the failure to so qualify could have a material adverse effect on the
financial condition, operations or business of Guarantor. Guarantor shall
maintain in force all licenses, approvals and agreements, the loss of which
could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, operations or
business.
10.2. Guarantor shall comply with all statutes, laws, ordinances,
directives, orders, and government rules and regulations to which it is subject
if non-compliance with such laws could adversely affect the financial condition,
operations or business of Guarantor.
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10.3. At any time and from time to time Guarantor shall execute and
deliver such further instruments and take such further action as may reasonably
be requested by Bank to effect the purposes of this Agreement.
10.4. Guarantor shall not transfer, assign, encumber or otherwise
dispose of any shares of capital stock or other equity interest Guarantor may
now have or hereafter acquire in Borrower.
11. This Guaranty shall be governed by the laws of the State of
California, without regard to conflicts of laws principles. GUARANTOR WAIVES ANY
RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL OF ANY CLAIM OR CAUSE OF ACTION BASED UPON OR ARISING OUT
OF THIS GUARANTY OR ANY OF THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED THEREIN, INCLUDING
CONTRACT CLAIMS, TORT CLAIMS, BREACH OF DUTY CLAIMS, AND ALL OTHER COMMON LAW OR
STATUTORY CLAIMS. Guarantor submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state
and federal courts located in San Diego County, California.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Guarantor has executed this
Guaranty as of this ___ day of January, 2002.
XXXX NORTH AMERICA HOLDING, INC.
By:_______________________________
Title:____________________________
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