EXHIBIT 4.4
[EXECUTION COPY]
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
PLC CAPITAL TRUST IV
Dated as of September 25, 2002
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE I. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1. Definitions and Interpretation................................................................... 1
ARTICLE II. TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1. Trust Indenture Act; Application................................................................. 4
SECTION 2.2. Lists of Holders of Securities................................................................... 4
SECTION 2.3. Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee....................................................... 5
SECTION 2.4. Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee.................................................. 5
SECTION 2.5. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent................................................. 5
SECTION 2.6. Events of Default; Waiver........................................................................ 5
SECTION 2.7. Event of Default; Notice......................................................................... 5
SECTION 2.8. Conflicting Interests............................................................................ 6
ARTICLE III. POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1. Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee............................................. 6
SECTION 3.2. Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee.................................................... 7
SECTION 3.3. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee............................................ 9
ARTICLE IV. PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1. Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility......................................................... 9
SECTION 4.2. Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred Guarantee Trustees............................. 10
ARTICLE V. GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1. Guarantee........................................................................................ 11
SECTION 5.2. Waiver of Notice and Demand...................................................................... 11
SECTION 5.3. Obligations Not Affected......................................................................... 11
SECTION 5.4. Rights of Holders................................................................................ 12
SECTION 5.5. Guarantee of Payment............................................................................. 12
SECTION 5.6. Subrogation...................................................................................... 12
SECTION 5.7. Independent Obligations.......................................................................... 13
ARTICLE VI. LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1. Limitation of Transactions....................................................................... 13
SECTION 6.2. Ranking.......................................................................................... 13
ARTICLE VII. TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1. Termination...................................................................................... 14
ARTICLE VIII. INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1. Exculpation...................................................................................... 14
SECTION 8.2. Indemnification.................................................................................. 14
ARTICLE IX. MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1. Successors and Assigns........................................................................... 15
SECTION 9.2. Amendments....................................................................................... 15
SECTION 9.3. Notices.......................................................................................... 15
SECTION 9.4. Benefit.......................................................................................... 16
SECTION 9.5. Governing Law.................................................................................... 16
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Preferred Securities Guarantee"), dated
as of September 25, 2002, is executed and delivered by
Protective Life
Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor"), and Wilmington Trust
Company, as trustee (the "Preferred Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the
Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred Securities (as
defined herein) of PLC Capital Trust IV, a Delaware statutory business trust
(the "Issuer").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the
"Declaration"), dated as of September 25, 2002, among the trustees of the Issuer
named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is
issuing on the date hereof 4,600,000 preferred securities, having an aggregate
liquidation amount of $115,000,000, designated the 7-1/4% Trust Originated
Preferred Securities (the "Preferred Securities") and 142,280 common securities,
having an aggregate liquidation amount of $3,557,000, designated the 7-1/4%
Trust Originated Common Securities (the "Common Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, to pay to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein)
and to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;
and
WHEREAS, the Guarantor is also executing and delivering a guarantee
agreement (the "Common Securities Guarantee") in substantially identical terms
to this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the holders of the
Common Securities (as defined herein), except that if an Event of Default (as
defined in the Indenture), has occurred and is continuing, the rights of holders
of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under the Common
Securities Guarantee are subordinated to the rights of Holders of Preferred
Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of
Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit
the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Preferred Securities
Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1. DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION. In this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee but
not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them
in this Section 1.1;
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(b) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities Guarantee has
the same meaning throughout;
(c) all references to "the Preferred Securities Guarantee" or "this
Preferred Securities Guarantee" are to this Preferred Securities Guarantee as
modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(d) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to Articles
and Sections are to Articles and Sections of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;
(e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning
when used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in
this Preferred Securities Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires;
and
(f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Authorized Officer" of a Person means any Person that is authorized
to bind such Person.
"Business Day" means any day other than a day on which banking
institutions in the City of
New York,
New York are authorized or required by any
applicable law to close. "Common Securities" means the securities representing
common undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office at the
date of execution of this Agreement is located at Wilmington Trust Company,
Xxxxxx Square North, 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000,
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred
Securities.
"Debentures" means the series of junior subordinated debt securities
of the Guarantor designated the 7-1/4% Subordinated Debentures due 2032, Series
E held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in the Declaration) of the
Issuer.
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or distributions,
without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not
paid or made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued and unpaid Distributions (as defined
in the Declaration) that are required to be paid on such Preferred Securities to
the extent the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, (ii) the redemption
price, including all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date of redemption
(the "Redemption Price")
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to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any
Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, and (iii) upon a
voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer
(other than in connection with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders in
exchange for Preferred Securities as provided in the Declaration), the lesser of
(a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and unpaid
Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, to the extent
the Issuer shall have funds available therefor, and (b) the amount of assets of
the Issuer remaining available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the
Issuer (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution"). If an event of default
under the Indenture has occurred and is continuing, the rights of holders of the
Common Securities to receive payments under the Common Securities Guarantee
Agreement are subordinated to the rights of Holders of Preferred Securities to
receive Guarantee Payments.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records
of the Issuer of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that, in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any
Affiliate of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees,
custodians or agents of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Subordinated Indenture dated as of June 1, 1994,
among the Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and The Bank of
New York (as
successor to AmSouth Bank), as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto
pursuant to which certain subordinated debt securities of the Debenture Issuer
are to be issued to the Institutional Trustee of the Issuer.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities" means, except as
provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s) of Preferred
Securities, voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the liquidation
amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption,
liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon
which the voting percentages are determined) of all Preferred Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by two Authorized Officers of such Person. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the Officers' Certificate
has read the covenant or condition and the definition relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or
investigation undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers' Certificate;
(c) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or
investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is necessary to enable such officer
to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition
has been complied with; and
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(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer,
such condition or covenant has been complied with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual, corporation,
estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited
liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or government or any
agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means Wilmington Trust Company until a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such
appointment pursuant to the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and
thereafter means each such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, including any vice-president, any assistant vice-president,
any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer or other officer
of the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee customarily
performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated
officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter,
any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer's
knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred Guarantee
Trustee under Section 4.1. "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939, as amended.
ARTICLE II.
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1. TRUST INDENTURE ACT; APPLICATION. (a) This Preferred
Securities Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act
that are required to be part of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and shall,
to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions; and
(b) if and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by
Section 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties
shall control.
SECTION 2.2. LISTS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES. (a) The Guarantor shall
provide the Preferred Guarantee Trustee with a list, in such form as the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses
of the Holders of the Preferred Securities ("List of Holders") as of such date,
(i) concurrently with the provision of such a list to the Institutional Trustee
pursuant to the Declaration, and (ii) at any time within 30 days of receipt by
the Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders as of a date no more
than 14 days before such List of Holders is given to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee provided, that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List
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of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the most recent
List of Holders given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor. The
Preferred Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to
it on receipt of a new List of Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations
under Section 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3. REPORTS BY THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. Within 60
days after May 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall provide to
the Holders of the Preferred Securities such reports as are required by Section
313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided
by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4. PERIODIC REPORTS TO PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such documents,
reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) and the compliance
certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, in
the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.5. EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRECEDENT. The
Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such evidence of
compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section
314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be
given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an
Officers' Certificate.
SECTION 2.6. EVENTS OF DEFAULT; WAIVER. The Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the
Holders of all of the Preferred Securities, waive any past Event of Default and
its consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to
exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been
cured, for every purpose of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, but no such
waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or
impair any right consequent thereon.
SECTION 2.7. EVENT OF DEFAULT; NOTICE. (a) The Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default,
transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, notices of all Events of Default actually known to a Responsible
Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured
before the giving of such notice, provided, that, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a
Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines
that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the
Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Event of Default unless the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have received written notice, or unless a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Declaration shall have
obtained actual knowledge thereof.
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SECTION 2.8. CONFLICTING INTERESTS. The Declaration shall be deemed to
be specifically described in this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the
purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the
Trust Indenture Act.
ARTICLE III.
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. (a)
This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, and the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Preferred Securities
Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Preferred Securities exercising his
or her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee of its
appointment to act as Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The right, title
and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall automatically vest in any
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of title
shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and
delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the
benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any
Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have
occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set
forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be
read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or
waived pursuant to Section 2.6) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer
of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof, as
a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of
his or her own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be
construed to relieve the Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own
negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have
occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be determined solely by the express
provisions of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the
performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically
set forth in this Preferred Securities
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Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be
read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and
the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee; but in the case of any such certificates
or opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically
required to be furnished to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to
examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to
the requirements of this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for
any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent
facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with
respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith
in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities relating to
the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust
or power conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
require the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds
or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of
any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for
believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not
reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
SECTION 3.2. CERTAIN RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE. (a)
Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and
shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting upon, any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by the
proper party or parties.
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(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by
a Direction (as defined in the Declaration) or an Officers'
Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it
desirable that a matter be proved or established before taking,
suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may,
in the absence of bad faith on its part, request and conclusively rely
upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon receipt of such request,
shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.
(iv) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see
to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any
rerecording, refiling or registration thereof).
(v) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel,
and the written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal
matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in
respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in
good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel
may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may
include any of its employees. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Preferred Securities Guarantee from any court of
competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee at the request or direction of any
Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, against the costs, expenses
(including attorneys' fees and expenses and the expenses of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's agents, nominees or custodians) and
liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request
or direction, including such reasonable advances as may be requested by
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided that, nothing contained in
this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its
obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(vii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to
make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note,
other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further
inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.
(viii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the
trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either
directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians or attorneys,
and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be responsible for any
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misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed
with due care by it hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or
its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, and the signature of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its
agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such
action. No third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority
of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance
with any of the terms and provisions of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it
desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy
or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee (i) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities, (ii) may refrain from
enforcing such remedy or right or taking such other action until such
instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in conclusively
relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions.
(b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be
deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to
perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation
conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or
in which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in
accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise
any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
SECTION 3.3. NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF GUARANTEE.
The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of the
Guarantor, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not assume any
responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee makes no
representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV.
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1. PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE; ELIGIBILITY. (a) There shall
at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the
laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof
or of the District of Columbia, or a
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corporation or Person permitted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission to act as an institutional trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust
powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million
U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination
by Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If
such corporation publishes reports of condition at least annually,
pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or examining
authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section
4.1(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall
be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its
most recent report of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be
eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 4.2 (c).
(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
SECTION 4.2. APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF PREFERRED
GUARANTEE TRUSTEES. (a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance
with Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by
such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold
office until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed
or until its removal or resignation. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may resign
from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument
in writing executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment by
instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and
delivered to the Guarantor and the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60
days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the
resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. Such
court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem
proper, appoint a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
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(e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or
omissions to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or removal
or resignation of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.2,
the Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee all amounts accrued
to the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE V.
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1. GUARANTEE. The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally
agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication
of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer), as and when due, regardless of any
defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert.
The Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by
direct payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by
causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2. WAIVER OF NOTICE AND DEMAND. The Guarantor hereby waives
notice of acceptance of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and of any liability
to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to
require a proceeding first against the Issuer or any other Person before
proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of
dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.
SECTION 5.3. OBLIGATIONS NOT AFFECTED. The obligations, covenants,
agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee
shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to
time of any of the following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed
or observed by the Issuer;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any
portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any
other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension
of time for the performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in
connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for
payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other
sum payable that results from the extension of any interest payment period on
the Debentures or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures permitted
by the Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy
conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred Securities, or
any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or extension of any
kind;
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(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any
collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of
creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of,
or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any of the assets of the
Issuer;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby
or hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise constitute
a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of
this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be
absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.4. RIGHTS OF HOLDERS. (a) The Holders of a Majority in
liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities have the right to direct the
time, method and place of conducting of any proceeding for any remedy available
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(b) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce this Preferred
Securities Guarantee with respect to the right of any Holders to receive any
Guarantee Payment in accordance herewith, such Holder may directly institute a
proceeding against the Guarantor for enforcement of the Preferred Security
Guarantee for such payment. The Guarantor waives any right or remedy to require
that any action be brought first against the Issuer or any other Person or
entity before proceeding directly against the Guarantor.
SECTION 5.5. GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT. This Preferred Securities Guarantee
creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection.
SECTION 5.6. SUBROGATION. The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if
any) rights of the Holders of Preferred Securities against the Issuer in respect
of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Guarantor shall not (except to
the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or
exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity,
reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts
are due and unpaid under this Preferred Securities Guarantee. If any amount
shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the
Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over
such amount to the Holders.
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SECTION 5.7. INDEPENDENT OBLIGATIONS. The Guarantor acknowledges that
its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the Issuer with
respect to the Preferred Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as
principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the
terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of
any event referred to in subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3
hereof.
ARTICLE VI.
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1. LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS. So long as any Preferred
Securities remain outstanding, if there shall have occurred and be continuing an
Event of Default or an event of default under the Declaration, then (a) the
Guarantor shall not declare or pay any dividend on, make any distributions with
respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with
respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (i) purchases or acquisitions
of shares of its common stock in connection with the satisfaction by the
Guarantor of its obligations under any employee benefit plans or the
satisfaction by the Guarantor of its obligations pursuant to any contract or
security requiring the Guarantor to purchase shares of its common stock, (ii) as
a result of a reclassification of its capital stock or the exchange or
conversion of one class or series of its capital stock for another class or
series of its capital stock, (iii) the purchase of fractional interests in
shares of its capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of
such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged, and (iv)
redemptions or purchases pursuant to the Guarantor's Rights Agreement, dated
August 7, 1995, between the Guarantor and The Bank of
New York (as successor to
AmSouth Bank) as Rights Agent, (b) the Guarantor shall not make any payment of
interest, principal or premium, if any, on or repay, repurchase or redeem any
debt securities (including guarantees) issued by the Guarantor which rank pari
passu with or junior to the Debentures and (c) the Guarantor shall not make any
guarantee payments with respect to the foregoing (other than pursuant to this
Agreement, the Common Securities Guarantee, dated as of September 25, 2002 of
the Guarantor with respect to the 7-1/4% Trust Originated Common Securities of
the Trust, the Preferred Securities Guarantee dated as of April 29, 1997 and the
Common Securities Guarantee, dated as of April 29, 1997 of the Guarantor with
respect to the 8-1/4% Trust Originated Preferred Securities, Series B of PLC
Capital Trust I and the Preferred Securities Guarantee, dated August 22, 2001
and the Common Securities Guarantee dated as of August 22, 2001 of the Company
with respect to the 7-1/2% Trust Originated Preferred Securities Series D of PLC
Capital Trust III).
SECTION 6.2. RANKING. This Preferred Securities Guarantee will
constitute an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i)
subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness (as such
term is defined in the Indenture), (ii) PARI PASSU with the Debentures and the
Guarantor's Preferred Securities Guarantee of PLC Capital Trust's 7-1/4% Trust
Originated Preferred Securities, Series E and any other liabilities or
obligations that may be PARI PASSU by their terms and (iii) senior to the
Guarantor's common stock, the most senior preferred or preference stock now or
hereafter issued by the Guarantor and with any guarantee now or hereafter
entered into by the Guarantor in respect of any preferred or preference stock of
any affiliate of the Guarantor.
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ARTICLE VII.
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1. TERMINATION. This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
terminate upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred
Securities, (ii) upon the distribution of the Debentures to the Holders of all
of the Preferred Securities or (iii) upon full payment of the amounts payable in
accordance with the Declaration upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Preferred Securities Guarantee will continue to be effective
or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of
Preferred Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred
Securities or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE VIII.
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1. EXCULPATION. (a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable,
responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any
Covered Person for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or
omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in
accordance with this Preferred Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such
Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority
conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
by law, except that an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss,
damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or
willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good
faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to matters the
Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other Person's
professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care
by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, opinions, reports or
statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits,
losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from
which Distributions to Holders of Preferred Securities might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2. INDEMNIFICATION. (a) To the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, the Guarantor shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified
Person from and against any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified
Person by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified
Person in good faith in accordance with this Guarantee Agreement and in a manner
such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority
conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Guarantee Agreement, except that no
Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss,
damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by reason of negligence or
willful misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.
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(b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, reasonable
expenses (including legal fees) incurred by an Indemnified Person in defending
any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be
advanced by the Guarantor prior to the final disposition of such claim, demand,
action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the Guarantor of an undertaking by or
on behalf of the Indemnified Person to repay such amount if it shall be
determined that the Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as
authorized in Section 8.2(a).
(c) The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall
survive the termination of the Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IX.
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. All guarantees and agreements
contained in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall bind the successors,
assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall
inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then
outstanding.
SECTION 9.2. AMENDMENTS. Except with respect to any changes that do
not adversely affect the rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders
will be required), this Preferred Securities Guarantee may only be amended with
the prior approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount
(including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or
otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the
voting percentages are determined) of all the outstanding Preferred Securities.
The provisions of Section 12.2 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of
Holders of the Securities apply to the giving of such approval.
SECTION 9.3. NOTICES. All notices provided for in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such
notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by registered or certified
mail, as follows:
(a) if given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the
Preferred Securities):
Wilmington Trust Company
Xxxxxx Square North
0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Corporate Trust Administration
(b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address set
forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the
Holders of the Preferred Securities):
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Protective Life Corporation
0000 Xxxxxxx 000 Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Secretary
(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the address set
forth on the books and records of the Issuer.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in
person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 9.4. BENEFIT. This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely
for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and, subject to
Section 3.1(a), is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
SECTION 9.5. GOVERNING LAW. THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL
BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF
THE STATE OF
NEW YORK.
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THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year
first above written.
PROTECTIVE LIFE CORPORATION, as Guarantor
BY:
----------------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Title: Senior Vice President, Chief Investment
Officer and Treasurer
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WILMINGTON TRUST COMPANY, as Preferred
Guarantee Trustee
By:
----------------------------------
Name:
Title:
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