EXHIBIT 4.3
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Travelers P&C Capital I
Dated as of May 10, 2002
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation .............................. 2
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application ............................ 5
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities .............................. 5
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 ............ 6
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver ................................... 6
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice .................................... 6
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 ........ 7
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee ............... 8
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee ....... 10
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility .................... 10
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of
Preferred Guarantee Trustees .................... 11
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee ................................................... 12
SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand ................................. 12
SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected .................................... 13
SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders ........................................... 13
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment ........................................ 14
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SECTION 5.6 Subrogation ................................................. 14
SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations ..................................... 15
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions .................................. 15
SECTION 6.2 Ranking ..................................................... 16
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination ................................................. 16
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation ................................................. 17
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification ............................................. 17
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns ...................................... 18
SECTION 9.2 Amendments .................................................. 18
SECTION 9.3 Notices ..................................................... 18
SECTION 9.4 Benefit ..................................................... 19
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law ............................................... 19
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AMENDED AND RESTATED
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This AMENDED AND RESTATED GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Preferred
Securities Guarantee"), dated as of May 10, 2002, is executed and delivered by
and among Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc. (formerly named
Travelers/Aetna Property Casualty Corp.), a Delaware corporation (the
"Guarantor"), Travelers Property Casualty Corp. (formerly named The Travelers
Insurance Group Inc.), a Connecticut corporation, as an additional guarantor
("Travelers"), and JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly named The Chase Manhattan Bank,
N.A.), 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 Travelers P&C Capital I, a Delaware statutory business trust
(the "Issuer");
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust
(the "Declaration"), dated as of April 30, 1996, 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
issued, on April 30, 1996, 32,000,000 preferred securities, having an aggregate
liquidation amount of $800,000,000, designated the 8.08% Trust Preferred
Securities (the "Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agreed, to the extent
set forth in the Original Preferred Securities Guarantee Agreement, dated as of
April 30, 1996, between the Guarantor and the Trustee (the "Original Preferred
Guarantee") to pay to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and
to make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.
WHEREAS, on the date hereof, the Guarantor is a wholly owned
subsidiary of Travelers;
WHEREAS, Travelers desires to irrevocably and unconditionally agree,
to the extent set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, to pay to the
Holders the Guarantee Payments and to make certain other payments on the terms
and conditions set forth herein, as long as the Guarantor remains a wholly owned
subsidiary of Travelers and the Preferred Securities remain outstanding; and
WHEREAS, the execution of this Preferred Securities Guarantee is
authorized and permitted by Section 9.2 of the Original Preferred Securities
Guarantee Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in order to effectuate the guarantees described
above, the parties hereto agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of the
respective Holders, as follows:
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;
(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.
"Authorized Officer" of a Person means any Person that is authorized
to bind such Person.
"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.
"Business Day" means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or a day
on which banking institutions in the City of New York, New York are permitted 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 000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx, Xxx
Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000.
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"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 8.08% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest
Debentures due April 30, 2036 held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in
the Declaration) of the Issuer.
"Event of Default" means (i) a default by the Guarantor on any of
its payment or other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, or
(ii) a default by Travelers 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 Annex I to the Declaration) that are required to be paid on the Preferred
Securities, to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, (ii) the
redemption price of $25 per Preferred Security, plus all accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price"), 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 or the redemption of all of
the Preferred Securities upon the maturity or redemption of all of the
Debentures as provided in the Declaration) the lesser of (a) the aggregate of
the liquidation amount of $25 per Preferred Security and all accrued and unpaid
Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, or (b) the
amount of assets of the Issuer remaining for distribution to Holders in
liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution").
"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, any Affiliate of the Guarantor, Travelers or
any Affiliate of Travelers.
"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 Indenture dated as of April 30, 1996, among
the Guarantor and JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly named The Chase Manhattan Bank,
N.A.), as trustee, and any indenture supplemental thereto, pursuant to which the
Debentures 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), voting separately as a
class, holding Preferred Securities
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representing more than 50% of the aggregate 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 definitions 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
(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 JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly
named The Chase Manhattan Bank, N.A.), 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.
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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 ("List of Holders") as of such date,
(i) within one Business Day after January 1 and June 30 of each year, and (ii)
at any other 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 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 Sections 311(a), 311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
Within 60 days after April 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall provide to the Holders 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
Travelers and 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.
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SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent
Travelers and 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, 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.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have
knowledge of any Event of Default unless either the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall have received written notice, or a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the Declaration shall have
obtained actual knowledge.
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.
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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, and the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer its right, title and interest in this
Preferred Securities Guarantee to any Person except a Holder 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 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, or Travelers 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,
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custodians or attorneys, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any 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:
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(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor or Travelers; 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 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 except if an
Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
(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.
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(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.
(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 and owing to such Preferred Guarantee Trustee to the date of
such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE V.
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee
The Guarantor and Travelers, jointly and severally, irrevocably and
unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments, 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
(a) 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.
(b) Travelers 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 Travelers, protest,
notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other
notices and demands.
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SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor
and Travelers 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;
(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;
(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 and
Travelers 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 or Travelers 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 any
proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in
respect of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
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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 its rights
under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, any Holder may directly institute a
legal proceeding against the Guarantor or Travelers to enforce the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee's rights under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, without
first instituting a legal proceeding against the Issuer, the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee or any other Person or entity.
(c) A Holder of Preferred Securities may also directly institute a
legal proceeding against the Guarantor and Travelers to enforce such Holder's
right to receive payment under this Preferred Securities Guarantee without first
(i) directing the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to enforce the terms of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee or (ii) instituting a legal proceeding directly
against the Issuer or any other Person or entity.
SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment
This Preferred Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment
and not of collection.
SECTION 5.6 Subrogation
(a) 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.
(b) Travelers 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 Travelers under this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
provided, however, that Travelers 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
Travelers in violation of the preceding sentence, Travelers 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
(a) The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Issuer and Travelers 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.
(b) Travelers acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Issuer and the Guarantor with respect to
the Preferred Securities, and that Travelers 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
(a) So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if there
shall have occurred any event that would constitute 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 or make any guarantee payment with respect thereto (other than (i)
repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the
Guarantor in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other
similar arrangement with or for the benefit of employees, officers, directors or
consultants, (ii) as a result of an exchange or conversion of any class or
series of the Guarantor's capital stock for any other class or series of the
Guarantor's capital stock, or (iii) the purchase of fractional interests in
shares of the Guarantor's capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange
provisions of such capital stock or the security being converted or exchanged)
and (b) the Guarantor shall not make any payment of interest on, or principal of
(or premium, if any, on), or repay, repurchase or redeem, any debt securities
issued by the Guarantor which rank pari passu with or junior to the Debentures;
provided, however, the Guarantor may declare and pay a stock dividend where the
dividend stock is the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid.
(b) So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if there
shall have occurred any event that would constitute an Event of Default or an
event of default under the Declaration, then (a) Travelers 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 or make any guarantee payment with respect thereto (other than (i)
repurchases, redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of
Travelers in connection with any
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employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or for the
benefit of employees, officers, directors or consultants, (ii) as a result of an
exchange or conversion of any class or series of Travelers' capital stock for
any other class or series of Travelers' capital stock, or (iii) the purchase of
fractional interests in shares of Travelers' capital stock pursuant to the
conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being
converted or exchanged) and (b) Travelers shall not make any payment of interest
on, or principal of (or premium, if any, on), or repay, repurchase or redeem,
any debt securities issued by Travelers which rank pari passu with or junior to
the Debentures; provided, however, Travelers may declare and pay a stock
dividend where the dividend stock is the same stock as that on which the
dividend is being paid.
SECTION 6.2 Ranking
(a) 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 other liabilities of the Guarantor, (ii) pari passu with 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 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 and (iii) senior
to the Guarantor's common stock.
(b) This Preferred Securities Guarantee will constitute an unsecured
obligation of Travelers and will rank (i) subordinate and junior in right of
payment to all other liabilities of Travelers, (ii) pari passu with the most
senior preferred or preference stock now or hereafter issued by Travelers and
with any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by Travelers and with any
guarantee now or hereafter entered into by Travelers in respect of any preferred
or preference stock of any Affiliate of Travelers and (iii) senior to Travelers'
common stock.
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) the
distribution of the Debentures to the Holders of all of the Preferred Securities
or (iii) 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 must restore payment of any sums paid
under the Preferred Securities or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
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ARTICLE VIII.
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor, Travelers 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 might properly be paid.
(c) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in
good faith upon the records of Travelers and upon such information, opinions,
reports or statements presented to Travelers 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 Travelers, 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 might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification
Each of the Guarantor and Travelers, jointly and severally, agrees
to indemnify each Indemnified Person for, and to hold each Indemnified Person
harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or
bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or
administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the costs and
expenses (including reasonable legal fees and expenses) of defending itself
against, or investigating, any claim or liability in connection with the
exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder. The obligation
to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall survive the termination of
this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
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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 be amended only with the prior approval of
the Holders of not less than a Majority in aggregate 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 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):
JPMorgan Chase Bank
000 Xxxx 00xx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
Attention: Institutional Trust Services
(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):
Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 0 XX
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxx
(c) If given to Travelers, at Travelers' mailing address set forth
below (or such other address as Travelers may give notice of to the Holders):
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Travelers Property Casualty Corp.
Xxx Xxxxx Xxxxxx, 0 XX
Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxx 00000
Attention: Xxxx Xxxx
(d) If given to any Holder, 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,
AND ALL RIGHTS AND REMEDIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY SUCH LAWS WITHOUT REGARD FOR
THE PRINCIPLES OF ITS CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
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THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and
year first above written.
TRAVELERS INSURANCE GROUP
HOLDINGS INC.,
as Guarantor
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Vice President and Treasurer
TRAVELERS PROPERTY CASUALTY CORP.,
as secondary guarantor
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx
Title: Vice President and Treasurer
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK,
as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
-------------------------------------
Name: Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Title: Assistant Vice President
