EXECUTION COPY

                                 XL CAPITAL LTD

                             SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES

                                  -------------

                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT


                                                                 August 18, 2004

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036

Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019

as Representatives of the several
   Underwriters named in the Pricing
   Agreement hereinafter described

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         From time to time XL Capital  Ltd, a Cayman  Islands  exempted  limited
company (the "Company"),  proposes to enter into one or more Pricing  Agreements
(each a "Pricing  Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto, with such additions
and deletions as the parties  thereto may determine,  and,  subject to the terms
and conditions  stated herein and therein,  to issue and sell to the firms named
in Schedule I to the applicable  Pricing Agreement (such firms  constituting the
"Underwriters"  with  respect  to such  Pricing  Agreement  and  the  securities
specified   therein)   certain  of  its  senior  debt   securities   (the  "Debt
Securities"),  specified in Schedule II to such Pricing  Agreement (with respect
to such Pricing Agreement, the "Designated Debt Securities").

         The terms and rights of any  particular  issuance  of  Designated  Debt
Securities shall be as specified in the Pricing  Agreement  relating thereto and
in or pursuant to the indenture,  as amended or supplemented by any supplemental
indenture  relating  Designated Debt Securities (the  "Indenture"),  between the
Company and the  trustee  (the  "Trustee"),  in each case as  identified  in the
Pricing Agreement.

         1. Particular sales of Designated Debt Securities may be made from time
to  time to the  Underwriters  of such  Debt  Securities,  for  whom  the  firms
designated as representatives of the Underwriters of such Debt Securities in the
Pricing   Agreement   relating   thereto  will  act  as   representatives   (the
"Representatives").  The term  "Representatives"  also  refers to a single  firm
acting




as sole  representative  of the Underwriters and to Underwriters who act without
any firm being designated as their representative.  This Underwriting  Agreement
shall not be construed as an  obligation  of the Company to sell any of the Debt
Securities or as an obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the
Debt Securities. The obligation of the Company to issue and sell any of the Debt
Securities and the obligation of any of the  Underwriters to purchase any of the
Debt Securities shall be evidenced by the Pricing  Agreement with respect to the
Designated  Debt  Securities  specified  therein.  Each Pricing  Agreement shall
specify the aggregate  principal amount of such Designated Debt Securities,  the
initial public  offering price of such  Designated Debt Securities or the manner
of  determining  such price,  the  purchase  price to the  Underwriters  of such
Designated  Debt  Securities,  the names of the  Underwriters of such Designated
Debt Securities,  the names of the  Representatives  of such  Underwriters,  the
aggregate principal amount of such Designated Debt Securities to be purchased by
each Underwriter and the commission,  if any,  payable to the Underwriters  with
respect  thereto  and shall set forth the date,  time and manner of  delivery of
such  Designated  Debt  Securities,  if any, and payment  therefor.  The Pricing
Agreement  shall also  specify (to the extent not set forth in the  registration
statement and prospectus with respect thereto) the terms of such Designated Debt
Securities, including the interest rates, if any, and maturity of the Designated
Debt Securities,  whether such Designated Debt Securities will be convertible at
the option of the holder thereof, any redemption provisions and any sinking fund
requirements.  A Pricing  Agreement shall be in the form of an executed  writing
(which  may  be in  counterparts),  and  may  be  evidenced  by an  exchange  of
telegraphic  communications or any other rapid  transmission  device designed to
produce a written record of communications  transmitted.  The obligations of the
Underwriters  under this Agreement and each Pricing  Agreement  shall be several
and not joint.

         2. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the
Underwriters,  as of the date  hereof,  as of the date of the Pricing  Agreement
with respect to any  Designated  Debt  Securities and as of the Time of Delivery
(as defined in Section 4 hereof), that:

                  (a) The  Company  meets the  requirements  for use of Form S-3
         under  the Act;  and a  registration  statement  on Form  S-3  (File No
         333-116245)  (the "Initial  Registration  Statement") in respect of the
         Debt  Securities  has been  filed  with  the  Securities  and  Exchange
         Commission (the "Commission");  the Initial Registration  Statement and
         any  post-effective  amendment  thereto,  each in the  form  heretofore
         delivered  or to be  delivered to the  Representatives  and,  excluding
         exhibits to the  Initial  Registration  Statement,  but  including  all
         documents incorporated by reference in the prospectus included therein,
         to the  Representatives  for each of the  other  Underwriters  has been
         declared  effective  by the  Commission  in  such  form;  other  than a
         registration  statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a
         "Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement"),  filed pursuant to Rule 462(b)
         under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"),  which became
         effective  upon filing,  no other  document with respect to the Initial
         Registration  Statement or document  incorporated by reference  therein
         has  heretofore  been  filed,  or  transmitted  for  filing,  with  the
         Commission (other than the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
         year ended December 31, 2003 (as amended by the Company's Annual Report
         on Form 10-K/A filed on August 9, 2004), the Company's Quarterly Report
         on Form 10-Q for the  quarter  ended  March  31,  2004,  the  Company's
         Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter  ended June 30, 2004 and
         the Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated March


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         16, 2004, March 18, 2004, March 24, 2004, May 19, 2004,  August 9, 2004
         and  August  18,  2004  incorporated  by  reference  into  the  Initial
         Registration  Statement  and the  prospectuses  filed  pursuant to Rule
         424(b) of the rules and  regulations of the  Commission  under the Act,
         each in the form heretofore delivered to the  Representatives);  and no
         stop order  suspending the  effectiveness  of the Initial  Registration
         Statement,  any  post-effective  amendment  thereto or the Rule  462(b)
         Registration  Statement,  if any, has been issued and no proceeding for
         that purpose has been  initiated or threatened by the  Commission  (any
         preliminary  prospectus included in the Initial Registration  Statement
         or filed with the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule  424(a) or Rule 424(b)
         under the Act, including the related preliminary  prospectus supplement
         with respect to the Designated Debt Securities),  is hereinafter called
         a   "Preliminary   Prospectus";   the  various  parts  of  the  Initial
         Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement,  if
         any,  including all exhibits thereto and the documents  incorporated by
         reference  in the  prospectus  contained  in the  Initial  Registration
         Statement and the Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement,  if any, at the
         time such part of the Initial  Registration  Statement  or such part of
         the Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement,  if any,  became or hereafter
         becomes  effective but excluding  each Form T-1, each as amended at the
         time such part of the Initial  Registration  Statement became effective
         or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement, if any, became
         effective and, as amended,  at the time each incorporated  document was
         filed  with the  Commission  are  hereinafter  collectively  called the
         "Registration  Statement";  the  prospectus  relating to the Designated
         Debt Securities,  in the form in which it has most recently been filed,
         or transmitted for filing,  with the Commission on or prior to the date
         of this Agreement,  including any prospectus  supplements  thereto,  is
         hereinafter  called  the  "Prospectus";  any  reference  herein  to any
         Preliminary  Prospectus or the  Prospectus  shall be deemed to refer to
         and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to
         the applicable  form under the Act, as of the date of such  Preliminary
         Prospectus  or  Prospectus,  as the case may be; any  reference  to any
         amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus
         shall be deemed to refer to and include any  documents  filed after the
         date of such Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus,  as the case may be,
         under the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the  "Exchange
         Act"), and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary  Prospectus or
         Prospectus,  as the case may be; any  reference to any amendment to the
         Initial Registration  Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include
         any annual report of the Company filed pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c)
         or  15(d)  of  the  Exchange  Act  after  the  effective  date  of  the
         Registration  Statement  that  is  incorporated  by  reference  in  the
         Registration Statement;  and any reference to the Prospectus as amended
         or  supplemented  shall be deemed to refer to the Prospectus as amended
         or  supplemented   in  relation  to  the  applicable   Designated  Debt
         Securities  in the  form in  which  it is  filed  with  the  Commission
         pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in  accordance  with Section 5(a)
         hereof, including any documents incorporated by reference therein as of
         the date of such filing);

                  (b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus,
         when they became  effective or were filed with the  Commission,  as the
         case may be, conformed in all material  respects to the requirements of
         the  Act  or the  Exchange  Act,  as  applicable,  and  the  rules  and
         regulations  of the Commission  thereunder,  and none of such documents
         contained an untrue  statement of a material fact or omitted to state a
         material fact required to be stated therein or

                                       3



         necessary  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in  the  light  of  the
         circumstances  under  which they were  made,  not  misleading;  and any
         further  documents  so  filed  and  incorporated  by  reference  in the
         Prospectus or any further  amendment or supplement  thereto,  when such
         documents  become  effective or are filed with the  Commission,  as the
         case may be, will conform in all material  respects to the requirements
         of the Act or the  Exchange  Act,  as  applicable,  and the  rules  and
         regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue
         statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material fact required
         to be stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein,  in
         the  light  of the  circumstances  under  which  they  were  made,  not
         misleading;

                  (c) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus conform, and
         any further amendments or supplements to the Registration  Statement or
         the  Prospectus  will  conform,   in  all  material   respects  to  the
         requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
         (the  "Trust  Indenture  Act")  and the rules  and  regulations  of the
         Commission  thereunder  and do not and will not,  as of the  applicable
         effective  date,  as of the date hereof and as of the date of execution
         of  the  Pricing   Agreement  with  respect  to  such  Designated  Debt
         Securities as to the Registration  Statement and any amendment  thereto
         and as of the applicable  filing date and as of the Time of Delivery as
         to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement  thereto,  contain an
         untrue  statement of a material  fact or omit to state a material  fact
         required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the  statements  in
         the  Registration  Statement not  misleading  and the statements in the
         Prospectus,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
         made, not misleading;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that this representation and
         warranty  shall  not  apply  to any  statements  or  omissions  made in
         reliance upon and in conformity with  information  furnished in writing
         to the Company by an Underwriter of Designated Debt Securities  through
         the  Representatives  expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or
         supplemented  relating to such Designated Debt  Securities;  and on the
         applicable  effective  date and at the Time of Delivery,  the Indenture
         did and will  comply  in all  material  respects  with  the  applicable
         requirements  of the Trust  Indenture Act and the rules and regulations
         thereunder;

                  (d)  Neither   the   Company   nor  any  of  its   Significant
         Subsidiaries  (as defined  below) has  sustained  since the date of the
         latest  audited  financial   statements  included  or  incorporated  by
         reference in the Prospectus any loss or interference  with its business
         from fire, explosion,  flood or other calamity,  whether or not covered
         by  insurance,  or from any  labor  dispute  or  court or  governmental
         action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in
         the Prospectus which loss or interference would have a Material Adverse
         Effect (as defined  below),  or would  reasonably be expected to have a
         prospective Material Adverse Effect; and, since the respective dates as
         of which  information  is given in the  Registration  Statement and the
         Prospectus,  there has not been any change in the capital  stock (other
         than  changes  resulting  from the  exercise  of stock  options  or the
         conversions  of warrants or capital stock which were  outstanding as of
         such date,  or from the exercise of options  granted after such date in
         the ordinary  course of business or from  repurchases of capital stock)
         or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries
         or  any  material  adverse  change,   or  any  development  that  would
         reasonably be expected to involve a prospective material adverse

                                       4



         change,  in or affecting  the general  affairs,  management,  financial
         position,  stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company
         and its Significant  Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole, otherwise than as
         set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus;

                  (e) The  Company  has been duly  incorporated  and is  validly
         existing as an exempted limited company in good standing under the laws
         of the  Cayman  Islands,  with  full  power  and  authority  to own its
         properties  and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus and
         has been duly  qualified as a foreign  company for the  transaction  of
         business  and  is in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of  each  other
         jurisdiction  in which it owns or leases  properties  or  conducts  any
         business so as to require such qualification, except where such failure
         to be so qualified in any such  jurisdiction  or to have any such power
         or authority would not have a material adverse effect on the current or
         future condition (financial or other), business,  properties or results
         of operations of the Company and its  subsidiaries  taken as a whole or
         the  transactions  contemplated by this Agreement (a "Material  Adverse
         Effect");  and each Significant Subsidiary of the Company has been duly
         incorporated  and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing
         under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;

                  (f)  The  Company  had,  on  June  30,  2004,   an  authorized
         capitalization  as  set  forth  in the  Prospectus  under  the  caption
         "Actual"  under the  heading  "Capitalization",  and all of the  issued
         shares of  capital  stock of the  Company  have  been duly and  validly
         authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable;

                  (g) This  Agreement  has been duly  authorized,  executed  and
         delivered by the  Company,  and each  Pricing  Agreement  has been duly
         authorized  by and,  on the date  thereof,  will be duly  executed  and
         delivered by the Company;

                  (h)  Prior  to the  execution  and  delivery  of  the  Pricing
         Agreement  relating to the Designated Debt  Securities,  the Designated
         Debt Securities shall have been duly and validly authorized,  and, when
         the Designated Debt Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to the
         this  Agreement  and  the  Pricing   Agreement  with  respect  to  such
         Designated Debt  Securities,  and when  authenticated by the Trustee in
         accordance  with the  provisions  of the Indenture and delivered to and
         paid for by the Underwriters, such Designated Debt Securities will have
         been duly and validly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and
         will constitute  valid and legally binding  obligations of the Company,
         enforceable  against  the  Company  in  accordance  with  their  terms,
         subject,  as to  enforcement,  to  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent
         transfer,   reorganization,   moratorium  and  other  laws  of  general
         applicability  relating to or affecting  creditors' rights and remedies
         and to general equity principles,  and will be entitled to the benefits
         provided by the  Indenture;  the Indenture has been duly  authorized by
         the  Company,  and at the Time of  Delivery  for such  Designated  Debt
         Securities, will be duly executed and delivered by the Company and will
         constitute  a valid  and  legally  binding  agreement  of the  Company,
         enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms,  subject,
         as to  enforcement,  to bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent  transfer,
         reorganization,  moratorium  and other  laws of  general  applicability
         relating to or affecting  creditors' rights and remedies and to general
         equity  principles;  the  Indenture has been duly  qualified  under the
         Trust  Indenture  Act;

                                       5



         and the  Designated  Debt  Securities and the Indenture will conform to
         the  descriptions  thereof  contained in the  Prospectus  as amended or
         supplemented  with  respect  to the  Designated  Debt  Securities;  the
         Indenture  is  substantially  in the form  filed as an  exhibit  to the
         Registration Statement;

                  (i) If the Pricing  Agreement  with respect to the  Designated
         Debt Securities specifies that such Designated Debt Securities shall be
         listed on an exchange,  the  Designated  Debt  Securities  will be duly
         registered under the Exchange Act and will be authorized for listing on
         such  exchange  subject to official  notice of issuance,  in each case,
         prior to the Time of Delivery;

                  (j) The issue and sale of the Debt  Securities,  the execution
         and delivery of this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement and the Indenture
         and the  compliance  by the  Company  with all of the  provisions  this
         Agreement,   any  Pricing   Agreement,   the  Indenture  and  the  Debt
         Securities,  and  the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated
         herein  and  therein  will not  conflict  with or result in a breach or
         violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default
         under, any indenture,  mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other
         agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its  Significant
         Subsidiaries  is a  party  or by  which  the  Company  or  any  of  its
         Significant  Subsidiaries  is bound or to which any of the  property or
         assets  of  the  Company  or any of  its  Significant  Subsidiaries  is
         subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions
         of the Articles of Association  or the  Memorandum of  Association  (or
         similar  organizational  documents)  of  the  Company  or  any  of  its
         Significant   Subsidiaries  or  any  statute  or  any  order,  rule  or
         regulation of any court or governmental  agency or body  ("Governmental
         Agency") having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant
         Subsidiaries  or any of its respective  properties  except in each case
         (other than with respect to such Articles of  Association or Memorandum
         of  Association  (or  similar   organizational   documents))  for  such
         conflicts, violations, breaches or defaults which would not result in a
         Material Adverse Effect;

                  (k)  No  consent,  approval,  authorization,   order,  filing,
         registration or qualification of or with any such  Governmental  Agency
         (a "Governmental  Authorization") is required for the issue and sale by
         the Company of the Debt  Securities or the  consummation by the Company
         of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement  or any  Pricing
         Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been, or will have been
         prior to the Time of  Delivery,  obtained  under  the Act and the Trust
         Indenture   Act   and   such   consents,   approvals,   authorizations,
         registrations  or   qualifications  as  may  be  required  under  state
         securities  or Blue  Sky  laws in  connection  with  the  purchase  and
         distribution of the Debt Securities by the Underwriters;

                  (l)  All of the  issued  share  capital  of  each  Significant
         Subsidiary  of the  Company  which is a  corporation  has been duly and
         validly  authorized and issued,  is fully paid and  non-assessable  and
         (except for (i) a 15% ownership interest in XL Financial Assurance Ltd.
         owned by a third party and (ii) directors'  qualifying shares) is owned
         directly or  indirectly  by the  Company,  free and clear of all liens,
         encumbrances,  equities  or claims  (for  purposes  of this  agreement,
         "Subsidiary" means, as applied to any person, any corporation,  limited
         or general partnership,  trust, association or other business entity of
         which an aggregate of greater than

                                       6



         50% of the  outstanding  Voting  Shares of such person is, at any time,
         directly  or  indirectly,  owned  by  such  person  and/or  one or more
         subsidiaries of such person and "Significant Subsidiary" shall have the
         meaning of  "significant  subsidiary"  as set forth in  Regulation  S-X
         under the Act; for purposes of the definition of " Subsidiary," "Voting
         Shares"  means,  with  respect to any  corporation,  the capital  stock
         having the general voting power under ordinary  circumstances  to elect
         at least a majority of the board of directors  (irrespective of whether
         or not at the time stock of any other  class or  classes  shall have or
         might  have   voting   power  by  reason  of  the   happening   of  any
         contingency));

                  (m) None of the  transactions  contemplated to be performed by
         the Company by this Agreement (including,  without limitation,  the use
         of the proceeds from the sale of the Designated Debt  Securities)  will
         violate or result in a violation of Section 7 of the  Exchange  Act, or
         any regulation promulgated thereunder,  including,  without limitation,
         Regulations  T, U,  and X of the  Board  of  Governors  of the  Federal
         Reserve System;

                  (n) Prior to the date hereof,  neither the Company nor, to the
         Company's  knowledge,  any of its affiliates has taken any action which
         is  designed  to or which  has  constituted  or which  might  have been
         expected to cause or result in  stabilization  or  manipulation  of the
         price of any security of the Company in connection with the offering of
         the Designated Debt Securities in violation of the Exchange Act;

                  (o) Other than as set forth or  incorporated  by  reference in
         the Prospectus, or as encountered in the ordinary course of business in
         the Company's  claims  activities,  there are no legal or  governmental
         actions,  suits or  proceedings  pending to which the Company or any of
         its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the
         Company or any of its Significant  Subsidiaries  is the subject,  which
         would individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a
         Material  Adverse  Effect  on the  operations  of the  Company  and its
         Significant Subsidiaries;  and, to the best of the Company's knowledge,
         no such  proceedings  are threatened or  contemplated  by  governmental
         authorities or threatened by others;

                  (p)  The   financial   statements   of  the  Company  and  its
         consolidated  subsidiaries  incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
         present   fairly  the  financial   position  of  the  Company  and  its
         consolidated  Subsidiaries  as of the dates shown and their  results of
         operations  and  cash  flows  for the  periods  shown,  and  except  as
         otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus,  such financial  statements have
         been prepared in  conformity  with the  generally  accepted  accounting
         principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis;

                  (q) The  Company  and  its  Significant  Subsidiaries  possess
         adequate  certificates,  authorities  or permits  issued by appropriate
         governmental  agencies or bodies  necessary to conduct the business now
         operated  by  them  and  have  not  received  any  written   notice  of
         proceedings  relating to the  revocation  or  modification  of any such
         certificate,  authority  or permit that would,  individually  or in the
         aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

                  (r) The  Company  is  subject  to  Section  13 or 15(d) of the
         Exchange Act;

                                       7



                  (s)  Neither   the   Company   nor  any  of  its   Significant
         Subsidiaries  is  in  violation  of  its  Articles  of  Association  or
         Memorandum of Association (or similar  organizational  documents) or in
         default in the  performance  or observance of any material  obligation,
         agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture,  mortgage,
         deed of trust,  loan agreement,  lease or other agreement or instrument
         to which it is a party or by which it or any of its  properties  may be
         bound,  except for such  defaults  which would not result in a Material
         Adverse Effect;

                  (t) The  statements  set forth in the Prospectus as amended or
         supplemented  relating  to the  Designated  Debt  Securities  under the
         captions  "Description  of the Senior  Notes,"  "Prospectus  Supplement
         Summary," and "Description of XL Capital Debt  Securities",  insofar as
         they  purport  to  constitute  a  summary  of the  terms  of  the  Debt
         Securities, the Indenture and the other transaction documents described
         therein and the  statements  set forth under the caption  "Certain  Tax
         Consequences" in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented  relating to
         the Designated Debt Securities  insofar as they purport to describe the
         provisions of the laws referred to therein, are accurate,  complete and
         fair in all material respects;

                  (u)  The  Company  is not  and,  after  giving  effect  to the
         offering and sale of the Debt  Securities,  will not be an  "investment
         company",  as such term is defined  in the  Investment  Company  Act of
         1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act");

                  (v)  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP, the Company's auditors,  are
         independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and
         regulations of the Commission thereunder; and

                  (w) No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and
         no capital gains, income,  withholding or other taxes are payable by or
         on behalf of the  Underwriters  to the Cayman  Islands or any political
         subdivision or taxing  authority  thereof or therein in connection with
         (A) the  issuance,  sale  and  delivery  by the  Company  to or for the
         respective   accounts  of  the  Underwriters  of  the  Designated  Debt
         Securities  or (B) the sale or delivery  outside the Cayman  Islands by
         the  Underwriters  of the  Designated  Debt  Securities  to the initial
         purchasers  thereof,  other than as described in the opinion of Appleby
         Spurling Hunter delivered pursuant to Section 7(d) of this Agreement.

         3.  Upon the  execution  of the  Pricing  Agreement  applicable  to any
Designated  Debt  Securities and  authorization  by the  Representatives  of the
release of the Designated Debt Securities,  the several  Underwriters propose to
offer the Designated  Debt Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set
forth in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented.

         4.  Designated  Debt  Securities  to be purchased  by each  Underwriter
pursuant to the Pricing  Agreement  relating  thereto,  in the form specified in
such Pricing  Agreement and in such authorized  denominations  and registered in
such names as the  Representatives  may request upon at least forty-eight hours'
prior notice to the  Company,  shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company
to the Representatives  for the account of such Underwriter,  against payment by
such  Underwriter  or on its  behalf  of the  purchase  price  therefor  by wire
transfer of Federal  (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to
the  Representatives  at least twenty-four hours in advance as specified in such
Pricing  Agreement,  all in the  manner  and at the  place  and  time  and  date
specified in

                                       8



such  Pricing  Agreement  or at  such  other  place  and  time  and  date as the
Representatives  and the Company  may agree upon in writing,  such time and date
being herein called the "Time of Delivery" for such Debt Securities.

         5. The Company agrees with each of the  Underwriters  of any Designated
Debt Securities:

                  (a) To prepare the  Prospectus as amended or  supplemented  in
         relation  to  the  applicable  Designated  Debt  Securities  in a  form
         approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to
         Rule  424(b)  under the Act not later  than the  Commission's  close of
         business  on the  second  business  day  following  the  execution  and
         delivery of the Pricing Agreement relating to the applicable Designated
         Debt Securities or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required
         by Rule 424(b);  to make no further  amendment or any supplement to the
         Registration  Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented  after
         the date of the Pricing Agreement  relating to such Debt Securities and
         prior to any Time of Delivery for such Debt  Securities  which shall be
         disapproved by the  Representatives  for such Debt Securities  promptly
         after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Representatives promptly
         of any  such  amendment  or  supplement  so long as the  delivery  of a
         prospectus is required in connection  with the offering or sale of such
         Debt Securities and furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to
         file  promptly  all reports  and any  definitive  proxy or  information
         statements  required  to be filed by the  Company  with the  Commission
         pursuant to Sections 13(a),  13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for
         so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection  with
         the  offering  or sale of such Debt  Securities,  and during  such same
         period to advise the Representatives, promptly after it receives notice
         thereof,  of the time when any amendment to the Registration  Statement
         has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus
         or any amended  Prospectus has been filed with the  Commission,  of the
         issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing
         or  suspending  the  use  of  any  prospectus   relating  to  the  Debt
         Securities,  of  the  suspension  of the  qualification  of  such  Debt
         Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,  of the initiation
         or  threatening  of any  proceeding  for any  such  purpose,  or of any
         request by the  Commission  for the  amending or  supplementing  of the
         Registration  Statement or  Prospectus or for  additional  information;
         and, in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such
         order  preventing or suspending the use of any  prospectus  relating to
         the Debt Securities or suspending any such  qualification,  promptly to
         use its best  efforts  to obtain  the  withdrawal  of such  order;  the
         Representatives  shall  advise  the  Company  when  the  delivery  of a
         prospectus is no longer  required in connection  with the offer or sale
         of Designated Debt Securities pursuant to this Section 5(a);

                  (b)  Promptly  from  time to time to take  such  action as the
         Representatives  may reasonably request to qualify such Debt Securities
         for offering and sale under the securities  laws of such  jurisdictions
         as the  Representatives  may reasonably request and to comply with such
         laws so as to permit the  continuance of sales and dealings  therein in
         such  jurisdictions  for as long as may be  necessary  to complete  the
         distribution  of such  Debt  Securities,  provided  that

                                       9



         in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as
         a  foreign  corporation  or to file a general  consent  to  service  of
         process in any jurisdiction;

                  (c) Prior to 3:00 P.M.,  New York City  time,  on the New York
         Business Day next  succeeding  the date of the Pricing  Agreement  with
         respect to the  Designated  Debt  Securities  and from time to time, to
         furnish the  Underwriters  with  written and  electronic  copies of the
         Prospectus  as  amended  or  supplemented  in New  York  City  in  such
         quantities as the Representatives  may reasonably request,  and, if the
         delivery of a prospectus is required at any time in connection with the
         offering or sale of the Designated  Debt Securities and if at such time
         any event shall have  occurred as a result of which the  Prospectus  as
         then amended or  supplemented  would  include an untrue  statement of a
         material fact or omit to state any material fact  necessary in order to
         make the statements  therein,  in the light of the circumstances  under
         which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading,
         or, if for any  other  reason it shall be  necessary  during  such same
         period  to amend or  supplement  the  Prospectus  or to file  under the
         Exchange Act any document  incorporated  by reference in the Prospectus
         in  order  to  comply  with  the Act,  the  Exchange  Act or the  Trust
         Indenture Act, to notify the  Representatives and upon their request to
         file such  document and to prepare and furnish  without  charge to each
         Underwriter  and to any  dealer  in  securities  as  many  written  and
         electronic  copies  as  the  Representatives  may  from  time  to  time
         reasonably  request of an amended  Prospectus  or a  supplement  to the
         Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such
         compliance;

                  (d) To make  generally  available to its  security  holders as
         soon as  practicable,  but in any event not later than eighteen  months
         after the effective date of the  Registration  Statement (as defined in
         Rule 158(c)  under the Act),  an earnings  statement of the Company and
         its  subsidiaries  (which need not be audited)  complying  with Section
         11(a)  of the Act and  the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Commission
         thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

                  (e) During the period  beginning  from the date of the Pricing
         Agreement for such  Designated  Debt  Securities  and continuing to and
         including the earlier of (i) the  termination  of trading  restrictions
         for such Designated Debt Securities,  as notified to the Company by the
         Representatives  and (ii) the Time of Delivery for such Designated Debt
         Securities,  not to offer, sell,  contract to sell or otherwise dispose
         of any debt  securities  of the Company  that mature more than one year
         after such Time of Delivery and that are substantially  similar to such
         Designated  Debt  Securities,  without the prior written consent of the
         Representatives;

                  (f) To use its best  efforts  to  cause  the  Designated  Debt
         Securities to be listed,  and to maintain the listing of the Designated
         Debt  Securities,  on the  exchange,  if  any,  set  forth  in  Pricing
         Agreement with respect to the Designated Debt Securities;

                  (g) To use the net  proceeds  received  by it from the sale of
         the  Designated  Debt  Securities  pursuant to this  Agreement  and the
         Pricing  Agreement in the manner set forth in the Prospectus as amended
         or supplemented under the caption "Use of Proceeds;" and

                                       10



                  (h) If the  Company  elects  to rely  upon  Rule  462(b),  the
         Company  shall  file a Rule  462(b)  Registration  Statement  with  the
         Commission  in compliance  with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M.,  Washington,
         D.C.  time,  on the date of the Pricing  Agreement  with respect to the
         Designated Debt Securities, and the Company shall at the time of filing
         either  pay  the   Commission  the  filing  fee  for  the  Rule  462(b)
         Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment
         of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act.

         6. The Company  covenants  and agrees  with the  several  Underwriters,
subject to any agreements between the Company and the  Representatives  relating
to expenses,  that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the  following:  (i)
the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in
connection with the  registration  of the Debt Securities  under the Act and the
issuance and sale of the Debt  Securities  and all other  expenses in connection
with the  preparation,  printing and filing of the Registration  Statement,  any
Preliminary  Prospectus and the  Prospectus  and any amendments and  supplements
thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and
dealers;   (ii)  the  cost  of  printing  or  producing  any   Agreement   among
Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any Indenture, any Blue Sky
Memorandum,  and any closing documents (including  compilations thereof);  (iii)
all expenses in connection  with the  qualification  of the Debt  Securities for
offering  and sale under  state  securities  laws as  provided  in Section  5(b)
hereof,  including  the  reasonable  fees and  disbursements  of counsel for the
Underwriters  in connection with such  qualification  and in connection with the
Blue Sky and legal  investment  surveys;  (iv) any fees  charged  by  securities
rating services for rating the Debt Securities; (v) any filing fees incident to,
and the fees and  disbursements  of counsel for the  Underwriters  in connection
with, any required  reviews by the National  Association of Securities  Dealers,
Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Debt Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing
the Debt Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of any Trustee and any agent of
any Trustee and the fees and  disbursements  of counsel for any such  persons in
connection  with any Indenture or the Debt  Securities;  (viii) all expenses and
taxes arising as a result of the issuance,  sale and delivery of the  Designated
Debt  Securities,  of the sale and delivery outside of the Cayman Islands of the
Designated Debt Securities by the Underwriters to the initial purchasers thereof
in the manner  contemplated  under this  Agreement  and the  Pricing  Agreement,
including,  in  any  such  case,  any  Cayman  Islands  income,  capital  gains,
withholding,  transfer or other tax asserted  against a Underwriter by reason of
the  purchase  and  sale  of the  Designated  Debt  Securities  pursuant  to the
Underwriting  Agreement  and the Pricing  Agreement;  (ix) any cost  incurred in
connection  with the listing of the Designated  Debt Securities on the exchange,
if any, set forth in the Pricing  Agreement with respect to the Designated  Debt
Securities;  and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of
its  obligations  hereunder  and  under  any  Pricing  Agreement  which  are not
otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood,  however,
that, except as provided in this Section,  and Sections 8, 11 and 19 hereof, the
Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of
their counsel,  transfer taxes on resale of any of the Debt  Securities by them,
and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.

         7.  The  obligations  of  the   Underwriters  of  any  Designated  Debt
Securities  under  the  Pricing  Agreement  relating  to  such  Designated  Debt
Securities shall be subject,  in the discretion of the  Representatives,  to the
condition that all  representations  and warranties and other  statements of the
Company in or  incorporated  by reference in the Pricing  Agreement  relating to
such  Designated Debt

                                       11



Securities  are,  at and as of the Time of  Delivery  for such  Designated  Debt
Securities,  true and  correct,  the  condition  that  the  Company  shall  have
performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed,  and the
following additional conditions:

                  (a) The Prospectus as amended or  supplemented  in relation to
         such  Designated  Debt  Securities  shall  have  been  filed  with  the
         Commission  pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the  applicable  time period
         prescribed for such filing by the rules and  regulations  under the Act
         and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof;  if the Company has elected
         to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement shall
         have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date
         of  the  Pricing   Agreement  with  respect  to  such  Designated  Debt
         Securities;   no  stop  order  suspending  the   effectiveness  of  the
         Registration  Statement or any part thereof  shall have been issued and
         no proceeding  for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened
         by the Commission;  and all requests for additional  information on the
         part  of  the   Commission   shall  have  been  complied  with  to  the
         Representatives' reasonable satisfaction;

                  (b)  Simpson   Thacher  &  Bartlett   LLP,   counsel  for  the
         Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written
         opinion or opinions and letter,  dated such Time of  Delivery,  in form
         and substance reasonably  satisfactory to the  Representatives,  in the
         form attached  hereto in Annex II-1 and Annex II-2,  respectively,  and
         such counsel shall have received  such papers and  information  as they
         may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

                  (c) Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, United States counsel for the
         Company,  shall have  furnished to the  Representatives  their  written
         opinion or opinions and letter,  dated such Time of  Delivery,  in form
         and substance reasonably  satisfactory to the  Representatives,  in the
         form attached hereto in Annex III-1 and Annex III-2, respectively;

                  (d) Appleby  Spurling  Hunter,  Cayman Islands counsel for the
         Company,  shall have  furnished to the  Representatives  their  written
         opinion or opinions, dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance
         reasonably  satisfactory to the  Representatives,  in the form attached
         hereto in Annex IV;

                  (e) Paul S.  Giordano,  Executive  Vice  President and General
         Counsel to the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives his
         written opinion or opinions,  dated such Time of Delivery,  in form and
         substance reasonably  satisfactory to the Representatives,  in the form
         attached hereto in Annex V;

                  (f) On the date of the Pricing  Agreement for such  Designated
         Debt  Securities and at the Time of Delivery for such  Designated  Debt
         Securities,  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,  the  independent  registered
         public  accountants  of the Company who have  certified  the  financial
         statements of the Company and its subsidiaries included or incorporated
         by reference in the Registration  Statement shall have furnished to the
         Representatives  a letter or  letters,  dated the  respective  dates of
         delivery thereof, in form and substance reasonably  satisfactory to the
         Representatives;

                                       12



                  (g)  (i)  Neither  the  Company  nor  any of  its  Significant
         Subsidiaries  shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited
         financial  statements  included or  incorporated  by  reference  in the
         Prospectus  as  amended  prior  to the  date of the  Pricing  Agreement
         relating to the Designated  Debt  Securities  any loss or  interference
         with its  business  from  fire,  explosion,  flood  or other  calamity,
         whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court
         or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or
         contemplated in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented  prior to the
         date  of  the  Pricing  Agreement   relating  to  the  Designated  Debt
         Securities, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information
         is given in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented prior to the date
         of the Pricing  Agreement  relating to the Designated Debt  Securities,
         there shall not have been any change in the capital  stock  (other than
         changes  resulting  from the exercise of options or the  conversion  of
         warrants or capital  stock which were  outstanding  as of such date, or
         from the  exercise of options  granted  after such date in the ordinary
         course of business or from  repurchases  of capital stock) or long-term
         debt  of the  Company  or any of its  Significant  Subsidiaries  or any
         change,  or any  development  involving  a  prospective  change,  in or
         affecting  the  general  affairs,   management,   financial   position,
         stockholders'  equity or results of  operations  of the Company and its
         Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth
         or contemplated  in the Prospectus as amended or supplemented  prior to
         the date of the  Pricing  Agreement  relating  to the  Designated  Debt
         Securities,  the effect of which,  in any such case described in clause
         (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the  Representatives so material and
         adverse as to make it  impractical  or  inadvisable to proceed with the
         public  offering or the delivery of the Designated  Debt  Securities on
         the terms and in the manner  contemplated  in the Prospectus as amended
         or supplemented relating to the Designated Debt Securities;

                  (h) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement  relating to
         the Designated Debt  Securities (i) no downgrading  shall have occurred
         in the rating  accorded the Company's debt  securities or the Company's
         financial   strength  or  claims  paying  ability  by  any  "nationally
         recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by
         the Commission  for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2)  under the Act, and (ii)
         other  than any  announcements  made  prior to the date of the  Pricing
         Agreement,  no such organization  shall have publicly announced that it
         has under surveillance or review, with possible negative  implications,
         its rating of any of the  Company's  debt  securities  or the Company's
         financial strength or claims paying ability;

                  (i) On or after the date of the Pricing Agreement  relating to
         the Designated Debt Securities there shall not have occurred any of the
         following:  (i) a  suspension  or  material  limitation  in  trading in
         securities  generally on the New York Stock Exchange (the  "Exchange");
         (ii) a suspension  or material  limitation  in trading in the Company's
         securities  on the Exchange;  (iii) a general  moratorium on commercial
         banking  activities in New York, the Cayman Islands or Bermuda declared
         by the  relevant  authority  or a  material  disruption  in  commercial
         banking or securities  settlement  or clearance  services in the United
         States  or any  other  relevant  jurisdiction;  (iv)  the  outbreak  or
         escalation  of  hostilities  involving  the United  States,  the Cayman
         Islands or Bermuda or the declaration by the United States,  the Cayman
         Islands or Bermuda of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any
         such  event  specified  in  this  clause  (iv) in the  judgment  of the
         Representatives is so material and adverse as to make it

                                       13



         impractical or  inadvisable to proceed with the public  offering or the
         delivery  of the  Designated  Debt  Securities  on the terms and in the
         manner  contemplated  in the  Prospectus  as  amended  or  supplemented
         relating to the Designated Debt Securities; (v) a change or development
         involving  a  prospective  change  in the  Cayman  Islands  or  Bermuda
         taxation  affecting the Company,  the Designated Debt Securities or the
         transfer  thereof or the imposition of exchange  controls by the United
         States,  Bermuda or the Cayman  Islands or (vi) the  occurrence  of any
         other  calamity  or crisis or any  change in  financial,  political  or
         economic  conditions in the United States or currency exchange rates or
         controls  in  the  United  States,  the  Cayman  Islands,   Bermuda  or
         elsewhere,  if the effect of any such event  specified  in this  clause
         (vi) in the judgment of the  Representatives is so material and adverse
         as to make it  impractical  or  inadvisable  to proceed with the public
         offering or the delivery of the Designated Debt Securities on the terms
         and  in the  manner  contemplated  in  the  Prospectus  as  amended  or
         supplemented relating to the Designated Debt Securities;

                  (j) The  Designated  Debt  Securities  at the Time of Delivery
         shall  have been duly  listed,  subject to notice of  issuance,  on the
         exchange,  if any, set forth in the Pricing  Agreement  with respect to
         such Designated Debt Securities;

                  (k) The Company  shall have  complied  with the  provisions of
         Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of  prospectuses  on
         the New York  Business  Day  next  succeeding  the date of the  Pricing
         Agreement relating to such Designated Debt Securities;

                  (l) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished
         to the  Representatives at the Time of Delivery for the Designated Debt
         Securities  certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the
         Representatives  as  to  the  accuracy  of  the   representations   and
         warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as
         to the performance by the Company of all of its  obligations  hereunder
         to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters
         set forth in  subsections  (a)  relating  to the  effectiveness  of the
         Registration  Statement  and no stop  orders,  the matters set forth in
         subsections (g) and (h) of this Section and as to such other matters as
         the Representatives may reasonably request; and

                  (m) Prior to the Time of  Delivery,  the  Company  shall  have
         furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates
         and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

         8. (a) The Company will  indemnify and hold  harmless each  Underwriter
against any losses, claims,  damages or liabilities,  joint or several, to which
such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based  upon an untrue  statement  or  alleged  untrue  statement  of a
material  fact  contained  in  any  Preliminary   Prospectus,   any  preliminary
prospectus supplement,  the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented  and any other prospectus  relating to the Debt Securities,  or any
amendment or supplement  thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission
or alleged  omission  to state  therein a material  fact  required  to be stated
therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading,  and will
reimburse each Underwriter for any legal expenses of one counsel (in addition to
any local counsel) engaged reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in

                                       14



connection  with  investigating  or  defending  any such action or claim as such
expenses are incurred;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER, that the Company shall not be liable
in any such case to the extent that any such loss,  claim,  damage or  liability
arises out of or is based upon an untrue  statement or alleged untrue  statement
or  omission  or  alleged  omission  made  in any  Preliminary  Prospectus,  any
preliminary prospectus supplement, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as
amended  or  supplemented  and  any  other  prospectus   relating  to  the  Debt
Securities,  or any  such  amendment  or  supplement  in  reliance  upon  and in
conformity with written information  furnished to the Company by any Underwriter
of Designated Debt Securities through the  Representatives  expressly for use in
the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to such Debt Securities.

         (b) Each  Underwriter  will  indemnify  and hold  harmless  the Company
against  any losses,  claims,  damages or  liabilities  to which the Company may
become  subject,  under the Act or  otherwise,  insofar as such losses,  claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon an  untrue  statement  or  alleged  untrue  statement  of a  material  fact
contained in any Preliminary Prospectus,  any preliminary prospectus supplement,
the  Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus as amended or supplemented and any
other prospectus relating to the Debt Securities, or any amendment or supplement
thereto,  or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged  omission to
state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
the statements  therein not misleading,  in each case to the extent, but only to
the extent,  that such untrue  statement or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged  omission was made in any  Preliminary  Prospectus,  any  preliminary
prospectus supplement,  the Registration Statement, the Prospectus as amended or
supplemented  and any other prospectus  relating to the Debt Securities,  or any
such  amendment or supplement  in reliance  upon and in conformity  with written
information   furnished  to  the  Company  by  such   Underwriter   through  the
Representatives  expressly for use therein;  and will  reimburse the Company for
any legal or other  expenses  reasonably  incurred by the Company in  connection
with  investigating  or defending  any such action or claim as such expenses are
incurred, including the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel (in addition
to any applicable local counsel).

         (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a)
or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
shall,  if a claim in respect  thereof is to be made  against  the  indemnifying
party under such  subsection,  notify the  indemnifying  party in writing of the
commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall
not relieve it from any  liability  which it may have to any  indemnified  party
otherwise than under such  subsection.  In case any such action shall be brought
against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying  party of the
commencement  thereof,  the indemnifying  party shall be entitled to participate
therein  and,  to the  extent  that  it  shall  wish,  jointly  with  any  other
indemnifying  party  similarly  notified,  to assume the defense  thereof,  with
counsel  satisfactory to such indemnified  party (who shall not, except with the
consent of the indemnified  party, be counsel to the indemnifying  party),  and,
after  notice  from  the  indemnifying  party to such  indemnified  party of its
election so to assume the defense thereof,  the indemnifying  party shall not be
liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of
other counsel or any other expenses,  in each case subsequently incurred by such
indemnified  party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable
costs  of  investigation  (except  as  set  forth  below).  Notwithstanding  the
indemnifying  party's  election to appoint  counsel to represent the indemnified
party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the

                                       15



right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying
party  shall bear the  reasonable  fees,  costs and  expenses  of such  separate
counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying  party to represent
the  indemnified  party would  present such counsel with a conflict of interest;
(ii) the  actual or  potential  defendants  in, or targets  of, any such  action
include  both  the  indemnified  party  and  the  indemnifying   party  and  the
indemnified  party  shall  have  reasonably  concluded  that  there may be legal
defenses  available to it and/or other  indemnified  parties which are different
from or  additional  to those  available to the  indemnifying  party;  (iii) the
indemnifying  party  shall  not  have  employed  counsel   satisfactory  to  the
indemnified  party to represent the  indemnified  party within a reasonable time
after notice of the  institution of such action or (iv) the  indemnifying  party
shall authorize the indemnified  party to employ separate counsel at the expense
of the  indemnifying  party.  No indemnifying  party shall,  without the written
consent of the  indemnified  party,  effect the  settlement or compromise of, or
consent to the entry of any judgment  with respect to, any pending or threatened
action or claim in  respect  of which  indemnification  or  contribution  may be
sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential
party to such action or claim)  unless such  settlement,  compromise or judgment
(i)  includes  an  unconditional  release  of the  indemnified  party  from  all
liability  arising  out of such  action or claim and (ii) does not  include  any
statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or
on behalf of any indemnified party.

         (d)  If  the  indemnification   provided  for  in  this  Section  8  is
unavailable  to or  insufficient  to hold  harmless an  indemnified  party under
subsection  (a) or (b)  above in  respect  of any  losses,  claims,  damages  or
liabilities  (or actions in respect  thereof)  referred  to  therein,  then each
indemnifying  party  shall  contribute  to the  amount  paid or  payable by such
indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or
actions in respect  thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
relative  benefits  received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters
of the  Designated  Debt  Securities  on the  other  from  the  offering  of the
Designated  Debt Securities to which such loss,  claim,  damage or liability (or
action in respect thereof) relates.  If, however, the allocation provided by the
immediately  preceding  sentence is not  permitted by  applicable  law or if the
indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above,
then each indemnifying  party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by
such indemnified  party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only
such  relative  benefits but also the  relative  fault of the Company on the one
hand and the  Underwriters  of the  Designated  Debt  Securities on the other in
connection  with the  statements  or  omissions  which  resulted in such losses,
claims,  damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof),  as well as any
other relevant equitable  considerations.  The relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and such Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be
in the same  proportion  as the total net proceeds  from such  offering  (before
deducting  expenses)  received  by the  Company  bear to the total  underwriting
discounts and  commissions  received by such  Underwriters.  The relative  fault
shall be determined  by reference to, among other things,  whether the untrue or
alleged untrue  statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission
to state a material fact relates to  information  supplied by the Company on the
one hand or such  Underwriters  on the other and the parties'  relative  intent,
knowledge,  access to  information  and  opportunity  to correct or prevent such
statement or omission.  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not
be just and  equitable if  contributions  pursuant to this  subsection  (d) were
determined by PRO RATA allocation (even if the Underwriters  were treated as one
entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation

                                       16



which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in
this  subsection  (d). The amount paid or payable by an  indemnified  party as a
result of the  losses,  claims,  damages or  liabilities  (or actions in respect
thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any
legal  or  other  expenses  reasonably  incurred  by such  indemnified  party in
connection   with   investigating   or  defending  any  such  action  or  claim.
Notwithstanding  the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter  shall be
required  to  contribute  any  amount in excess of the amount by which the total
price at which the applicable Designated Debt Securities  underwritten by it and
distributed  to the public were offered to the public  exceeds the amount of any
damages which such  Underwriter  has otherwise been required to pay by reason of
such untrue or alleged  untrue  statement  or omission or alleged  omission.  No
person  guilty of  fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution  from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The obligations of the Underwriters
of Designated  Debt  Securities in this subsection (d) to contribute are several
in proportion to their respective underwriting  obligations with respect to such
Debt Securities and not joint.

         (e) The  obligations  of the Company  under this  Section 8 shall be in
addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend,
upon the same terms and  conditions,  to each  person,  if any, who controls any
Underwriter  within  the  meaning  of  the  Act;  and  the  obligations  of  the
Underwriters  under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any  liability  which
the respective  Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend,  upon the same
terms and  conditions,  to each  officer and director of the Company and to each
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act.

         9. (a) If any  Underwriter  shall default in its obligation to purchase
the Designated Debt Securities which it has agreed to purchase under the Pricing
Agreement relating to such Designated Debt Securities,  the  Representatives may
in their  discretion  arrange for  themselves  or another party or other parties
satisfactory  to the Company to purchase such  Designated Debt Securities on the
terms contained  herein.  If within  thirty-six  hours after such default by any
Underwriter  the  Representatives  do not  arrange  for  the  purchase  of  such
Designated  Debt  Securities  then the  Company  shall be  entitled to a further
period of  thirty-six  hours  within  which to  procure  another  party or other
parties  satisfactory  to the  Representatives  to purchase such Designated Debt
Securities on such terms.  In the event that,  within the respective  prescribed
period,  the  Representatives  notify the Company that they have so arranged for
the purchase of such Designated  Debt  Securities,  or the Company  notifies the
Representatives that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Designated Debt
Securities,  the Representatives or the Company shall have the right to postpone
the Time of Delivery for such  Designated  Debt  Securities  for a period of not
more than seven days,  in order to effect  whatever  changes may thereby be made
necessary  in  the  Registration  Statement  or the  Prospectus  as  amended  or
supplemented, or in any other documents or arrangements,  and the Company agrees
to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration  Statement or
the Prospectus which in the opinion of the  Representatives  may thereby be made
necessary.  The term  "Underwriter"  as used in this Agreement shall include any
person  substituted  under this  Section  with like effect as if such person had
originally been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to such Designated
Debt Securities.

                                       17



         (b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated  Debt  Securities of a defaulting  Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives  and the  Company as  provided  in  subsection  (a)  above,  the
aggregate  principal  amount of such Designated  Debt  Securities  which remains
unpurchased  does not exceed  one-eleventh of the aggregate  principal amount of
the Designated Debt Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require
each  non-defaulting  Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated
Debt  Securities  which such  Underwriter  agreed to purchase  under the Pricing
Agreement  relating to such  Designated  Debt  Securities  and, in addition,  to
require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on
the principal amount of Designated Debt Securities which such Underwriter agreed
to purchase under such Pricing  Agreement) of the Designated  Debt Securities of
such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not
been made;  but nothing  herein  shall  relieve a  defaulting  Underwriter  from
liability for its default.

         (c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the
Designated  Debt  Securities of a defaulting  Underwriter or Underwriters by the
Representatives  and the  Company as  provided  in  subsection  (a)  above,  the
aggregate  principal amount of Designated  Securities which remains  unpurchased
exceeds  one-eleventh of the aggregate  principal  amount of the Designated Debt
Securities to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, as referred to in subsection
(b)  above,  or if the  Company  shall  not  exercise  the  right  described  in
subsection  (b)  above  to  require  non-defaulting   Underwriters  to  purchase
Designated Debt Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then the
Pricing  Agreement  relating to such Designated Debt Securities  shall thereupon
terminate,  without liability on the part of any  non-defaulting  Underwriter or
the  Company,  except  for the  expenses  to be  borne  by the  Company  and the
Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and  contribution
agreements  in Section 8 hereof;  but nothing  herein shall relieve a defaulting
Underwriter from liability for its default.

         10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties
and other statements of the Company and the several  Underwriters,  as set forth
in this  Agreement  or made by or on behalf of them,  respectively,  pursuant to
this  Agreement,  shall  remain in full  force  and  effect,  regardless  of any
investigation  (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company,
or any officer or  director  or  controlling  person of the  Company,  and shall
survive delivery of and payment for the Debt Securities.

         11. If any Pricing Agreement shall be terminated  pursuant to Section 9
hereof,  the Company  shall not then be under any  liability to any  Underwriter
with  respect  to the  Designated  Debt  Securities  with  respect to which such
Pricing Agreement shall have been terminated except as provided in Sections 6, 8
and 19 hereof; but, if for any other reason,  Designated Debt Securities are not
delivered  by or on behalf of the Company as provided  herein,  the Company will
reimburse the Underwriters  through the  Representatives  for all  out-of-pocket
expenses approved in writing by the  Representatives,  including reasonable fees
and disbursements of counsel,  reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making
preparations  for the  purchase,  sale  and  delivery  of such  Designated  Debt
Securities,  but the  Company  shall then be under no further  liability  to any
Underwriter  with respect to such Designated Debt Securities  except as provided
in Sections 6, 8 and 19 hereof.

                                       18



         12. In all dealings hereunder,  the Representatives of the Underwriters
of Designated Debt Securities shall act on behalf of each of such  Underwriters,
and the parties  hereto  shall be  entitled to act and rely upon any  statement,
request,  notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by such
Representatives  jointly or by such of the  Representatives,  if any,  as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.

         All statements,  requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing  Agreement;  and if to the Company  shall be  delivered or sent by mail,
telex or facsimile  transmission  to the address of the Company set forth in the
Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that any notice
to an Underwriter  pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by
mail,  telex or facsimile  transmission  to such  Underwriter  at its  principal
address,  which  address will be supplied to the Company by the  Representatives
upon written request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall
take effect upon receipt thereof.

         13. This  Agreement and each Pricing  Agreement  shall be binding upon,
and inure  solely to the benefit of, the  Underwriters,  the Company and, to the
extent  provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof,  the officers and directors of the
Company and each person who controls the Company or any  Underwriter,  and their
respective  heirs,  executors,  administrators,  successors and assigns,  and no
other  person  shall  acquire  or have  any  right  under or by  virtue  of this
Agreement  or any  such  Pricing  Agreement.  No  purchaser  of any of the  Debt
Securities from any Underwriter  shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason
merely of such purchase.

         14. The Company  irrevocably (i) agrees that any legal suit,  action or
proceeding  against the Company  brought by any Underwriter or by any person who
controls  any  Underwriter  arising  out of or based  upon this  Agreement,  any
Pricing  Agreement  or the  transactions  contemplated  hereby or thereby may be
instituted in the federal  district court for the Southern  District of New York
and the New York  County  Court,  (ii)  waives,  to the  fullest  extent  it may
effectively  do so,  any  objection  which it may now or  hereafter  have to the
laying  of venue of any such  proceeding  and  (iii)  submits  to the  exclusive
jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding.  The Company
has appointed CT Corporation System, New York, New York, as its authorized agent
(the  "Authorized  Agent")  upon whom  process  may be served in any such action
arising  out of or  based  on  this  Agreement,  any  Pricing  Agreement  or the
transactions  contemplated  hereby or  thereby  which may be  instituted  in the
federal  district  court for the Southern  District of New York and the New York
County Court by any  Underwriter or by any person who controls any  Underwriter,
expressly  consents to the jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such
action,  and  waives  any  other  requirements  of  or  objections  to  personal
jurisdiction with respect thereto.  Such appointment  shall be irrevocable.  The
Company  represents and warrants that the Authorized  Agent has agreed to act as
such  agent for  service  of  process  and  agrees  to take any and all  action,
including  the  filing of any and all  documents  and  instruments,  that may be
necessary to continue  such  appointment  in full force and effect as aforesaid.
Service of process upon the Authorized  Agent and written notice of such service
to the Company shall be deemed,  in every respect,  effective service of process
upon the Company.

                                       19



         15. Time shall be of the  essence in each  Pricing  Agreement.  As used
herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's  office
in  Washington,  D.C. is open for  business.  "New York Business Day" shall mean
each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which
banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or
executive order to close.

         16. THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH PRICING  AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND
CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

         17. This  Agreement  and each Pricing  Agreement may be executed by any
one or more of the  parties  hereto and  thereto in any number of  counterparts,
each of which  shall  be  deemed  to be an  original,  but all  such  respective
counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.

         18. The Company is authorized,  subject to applicable  law, to disclose
any and all aspects of this potential  transaction that are necessary to support
any U.S. federal income tax benefits expected to be claimed with respect to such
transaction, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind.

         19. In respect of any  judgment  or order  given or made for any amount
due  hereunder or under any Pricing  Agreement  that is expressed  and paid in a
currency (the "judgment currency") other than United States dollars, the Company
will indemnify each Underwriter against any loss incurred by such Underwriter as
a result of any  variation  between (i) the rate of exchange at which the United
States dollar amount is converted into the judgment  currency for the purpose of
such judgment or order and (ii) the rate of exchange at which an  Underwriter is
able to purchase  United  States  dollars  with the amount of judgment  currency
actually received by such Underwriter.  The foregoing indemnity shall constitute
a separate and independent  obligation of the Company and shall continue in full
force and effect notwithstanding any such judgment or order aforesaid.  The term
"rate of exchange"  shall include any premiums and costs of exchange  payable in
connection with the purchase of or conversion into United States dollars.

      [Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page Follows]

                                       20



         If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding,  please sign
and  return to us one for the  Company  and one for each of the  Representatives
counterparts hereof.

                                         Very truly yours,

                                         XL Capital Ltd

                                         By: /s/ Christopher V. Greetham
                                             -----------------------------------
                                             Name:  Christopher V. Greetham
                                             Title: Executive Vice President &
                                                    Chief Investment Officer



Accepted as of the date hereof:

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Lehman Brothers Inc.

By:      Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated


         By: /s/ Harold J. Hendershot III
             -----------------------------
         Name: Harold J. Hendershot III
         Title: Executive Director

By:      Lehman Brothers Inc.


         By:  /s/ Martin Goldberg
             -----------------------------
         Name: Martin Goldberg
         Title: Senior Vice President




                                                                         ANNEX I

                                PRICING AGREEMENT
                                -----------------


Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036

Lehman Brothers Inc.
745 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019

    As Representatives of the several
      Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto


                                                                 August 18, 2004

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         XL Capital Ltd, a Cayman Islands exempted limited company (the
"Company"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein and in
the Underwriting Agreement, dated August 18, 2004 (the "Underwriting
Agreement"), between the Company on the one hand and Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated and Lehman Brothers Inc., on the other hand, to issue and sell to
the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "Underwriters") the Debt
Securities specified in Schedule II hereto (the "Designated Debt Securities").
Each of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety, and shall be deemed to be a part of this Agreement to
the same extent as if such provisions had been set forth in full herein; and
each of the representations and warranties set forth therein shall be deemed to
have been made at and as of the date of this Pricing Agreement, except that each
representation and warranty which refers to the Prospectus in Section 2 of the
Underwriting Agreement shall be deemed to be a representation or warranty as of
the date of the Underwriting Agreement in relation to the Prospectus (as therein
defined), and also a representation and warranty as of the date of this Pricing
Agreement in relation to the Prospectus as amended or supplemented relating to
the Designated Debt Securities which are the subject of this Pricing Agreement.
Each reference to the Representatives herein and in the provisions of the
Underwriting Agreement so incorporated by reference shall be deemed to refer to
you. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Underwriting
Agreement are used herein as therein defined. The Representatives designated to
act on behalf of the Representatives and on behalf of each of the Underwriters
of the Designated Debt Securities pursuant to Section 12 of the Underwriting
Agreement and the address of the Representatives referred to in such Section 12
are set forth in Schedule II hereto.

         An amendment to the Registration Statement, or a supplement to the
Prospectus, as the case may be, relating to the Designated Debt Securities, in
the form heretofore delivered to you is now proposed to be filed with the
Commission.




         Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the
Underwriting Agreement incorporated herein by reference, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees,
severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the time and place
and at the purchase price to the Underwriters set forth in Schedule II hereto,
the aggregate principal amount of Designated Debt Securities set forth opposite
the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.



      [Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page Follows]





         If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding,  please sign
and  return to us one for the  Company  and one for each of the  Representatives
plus one for each counsel  counterparts  hereof,  and upon acceptance  hereof by
you,  on behalf of each of the  Underwriters,  this  letter and such  acceptance
hereof,  including the  provisions of the  Underwriting  Agreement  incorporated
herein by reference,  shall constitute a binding  agreement  between each of the
Underwriters  and the Company.  It is  understood  that your  acceptance of this
letter on  behalf  of each of the  Underwriters  is or will be  pursuant  to the
authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which
shall be submitted to the Company for  examination,  upon  request,  but without
warranty on the part of the  Representatives  as to the authority of the signers
thereof.


                                           Very truly yours,

                                           XL Capital Ltd



                                           By: ________________________________
                                               Name:
                                               Title:




Accepted as of the date hereof:

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Lehman Brothers Inc.

By:      Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated


         By:_____________________________
         Name:
         Title:

By:      Lehman Brothers Inc.


         By:_____________________________
         Name:
         Title:


For  themselves  and the other several  Underwriters  named in Schedule I to the
foregoing Agreement.




                                   SCHEDULE I


                                                          PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF
                                                      DESIGNATED DEBT SECURITIES
            UNDERWRITER                                     TO BE PURCHASED

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated                            $150,000,000
Lehman Brothers Inc.                                         $150,000,000
                                                             ------------

        Total.............................................   $300,000,000
                                                             ============




                                   SCHEDULE II

TITLE OF DESIGNATED DEBT SECURITIES:

         5.25% Senior Notes due 2014

AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF DESIGNATED DEBT SECURITIES:

         $300,000,000

INITIAL OFFERING PRICE TO PUBLIC:

         99.432% of the principal amount of the Designated Debt Securities, plus
accrued interest, if any, from August 23, 2004.

PURCHASE PRICE BY UNDERWRITERS:

         98.982% of the principal amount of the Designated Debt Securities, plus
accrued interest, if any, from August 23, 2004.

UNDERWRITERS' COMMISSION:

         0.450%

FORM OF DESIGNATED DEBT SECURITIES:

         Book-entry only form represented by one or more global certificates
deposited with The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") of its designated custodian,
to be made available for checking by the Representatives at least 24 hours prior
to the Time of Delivery.

SPECIFIED FUNDS FOR PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE:

         Federal (Same-Day) funds

INDENTURE:

         Indenture, dated June 2, 2004, between the Company and The Bank of New
York, as Trustee, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, to be
dated as of August 23, 2004

MATURITY:

         September 15, 2014

INTEREST RATE:

         5.25% per annum



INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:

         March 15 and September 15, commencing on March 15, 2005

RECORD DATES:

         The relevant record dates will be the March 1 and September 1 preceding
the relevant payment dates

REDEMPTION PROVISIONS:

         The Notes are redeemable at the option of the Company (i) in whole at
any time or in part from time to time at a make-whole redemption price described
in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of the Senior Notes--Optional
Redemption" and (ii) if a "tax event" occurs, as described in the Prospectus
under the caption "Description of the Senior Notes--Tax Event Redemption"), in
each case in accordance with and subject to the terms to be set forth in the
Indenture.

SINKING FUND PROVISIONS:

         No sinking fund provisions

ADDITIONAL CLOSING CONDITIONS:

         None

TIME OF DELIVERY:

         9:30 A.M., New York City time, on August 23, 2004

TIME OF DELIVERY LOCATION:

         Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New
York 10017

DELAYED DELIVERY:

         None

LISTING:

         None

NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF REPRESENTATIVES:

       Designated Representatives:       Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
                                         Lehman Brothers Inc.




      Address for Notices, etc.:         Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
                                         1585 Broadway
                                         New York, New York 10036
                                         Attn:  Financial Services Group

                                         Lehman Brothers Inc.
                                         745 Seventh Avenue
                                         New York, New York 10019
                                         Attn: Debt Capital Markets,
                                         Financial Institutions
                                         Group (with a copy to the General
                                         Counsel at the same address)

OTHER TERMS:

         None




                                                                      ANNEX II-1

                 SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP FORM OF OPINION




                                                                      ANNEX II-2

        SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP FORM OF NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER










                                                                     ANNEX III-1

                   CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL LLP FORM OF OPINION






                                                                     ANNEX III-2

          CAHILL GORDON & REINDEL LLP FORM OF NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER













                                                                        ANNEX IV

                     APPLEBY SPURLING HUNTER FORM OF OPINION








                                                                         ANNEX V

                         XL CAPITAL LTD FORM OF OPINION