1
EXHIBIT 4.1
EXECUTIVE RISK INC.
INDENTURE
Dated as of February 5, 1997
THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK
as Trustee
8.675% JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEFERRABLE INTEREST DEBENTURES
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Table of Contents
Page
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01. Definitions..................................... 1
Additional Sums.......................................... 2
Adjusted Treasury Rate .................................. 2
Adverse Tax Consequence.................................. 2
Aetna Option............................................. 2
Affiliate................................................ 2
Authenticating Agent..................................... 3
Bankruptcy Law........................................... 3
Board of Directors....................................... 3
Board Resolution......................................... 3
Business Day............................................. 3
Capital Leases Obligations............................... 3
Capital Securities....................................... 3
Capital Securities Guarantee............................. 3
Commission............................................... 4
Common Securities........................................ 4
Common Securities Guarantee.............................. 4
Common Stock............................................. 4
Company.................................................. 4
Company Request.......................................... 4
Comparable Treasury Issue................................ 4
Comparable Treasury Price................................ 4
Compounded Interest...................................... 5
Conditional Tax Redemption Event......................... 5
Contingent Obligation.................................... 5
Custodian................................................ 5
Declaration.............................................. 5
Default.................................................. 5
Deferred Interest........................................ 5
Definitive Securities.................................... 6
Depositary............................................... 6
Dissolution Event........................................ 6
Event of Default......................................... 6
Exchange Act............................................. 6
Exchange Offer........................................... 6
Executive Risk Capital Trust............................. 6
Extended Interest Payment Period......................... 6
GAAP ................................................... 6
Global Security.......................................... 6
Guarantees............................................... 7
Hedging Agreement........................................ 7
Indebtedness for Money Borrowed.......................... 7
Indenture................................................ 7
Initial Optional Prepayment Date......................... 7
Interest Payment Date.................................... 7
Investment Company Event................................. 7
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Table of Contents (cont'd)
Page
Issue Date............................................... 7
Lien ................................................... 7
Liquidated Damages....................................... 8
Maturity Date............................................ 8
Mortgage................................................. 8
Non Book-Entry Capital Securities........................ 8
Officers................................................. 8
Officers' Certificate.................................... 8
Opinion of Counsel....................................... 8
Optional Prepayment Price................................ 8
Other Debentures......................................... 8
Other Guarantees......................................... 8
outstanding,............................................. 8
Person................................................... 9
Predecessor Security..................................... 9
Prepayment Price......................................... 9
Principal office of the Trustee.......................... 9
Property Trustee......................................... 10
Purchase Agreement....................................... 10
Qualified Debt Obligations............................... 10
Quorum................................................... 10
Quotation Agent.......................................... 10
Reference Treasury Dealer................................ 10
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations..................... 10
Registration Rights Agreement............................ 11
Responsible Officer...................................... 11
Restricted Security...................................... 11
Rule 144A................................................ 11
Securities............................................... 11
Securities Act........................................... 11
Securityholder........................................... 11
Security Register........................................ 11
Senior Indebtedness...................................... 12
Series A Securities...................................... 12
Series B Securities...................................... 12
Special Event............................................ 12
Special Event Prepayment Price........................... 12
Subsidiary............................................... 13
Tax Event................................................ 13
Tax Event Maturity Advancement........................... 13
Trustee.................................................. 13
Trust Indenture Act of 1939.............................. 14
Trust Securities......................................... 14
U.S. Government Obligations.............................. 14
ARTICLE II.
SECURITIES
SECTION 2.01. Forms Generally................................. 14
SECTION 2.02. Execution and Authentication.................... 15
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Table of Contents (cont'd)
Page
SECTION 2.03. Form and Payment................................ 15
SECTION 2.04. Legends......................................... 15
SECTION 2.05. Global Security................................. 16
SECTION 2.06. Interest........................................ 18
SECTION 2.07. Transfer and Exchange........................... 19
SECTION 2.08. Replacement Securities.......................... 21
SECTION 2.09. Treasury Securities............................. 21
SECTION 2.10. Temporary Securities............................ 21
SECTION 2.11. Cancellation.................................... 22
SECTION 2.12. Defaulted Interest.............................. 22
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP Numbers................................... 23
ARTICLE III.
PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
SECTION 3.01. Payment of Principal, Premium and
Interest..................................... 24
SECTION 3.02. Offices for Notices and Payments, etc........ 24
SECTION 3.03. Appointments to Fill Vacancies in
Trustee's Office............................. 25
SECTION 3.04. Provision as to Paying Agent................. 25
SECTION 3.05. Certificate to Trustee....................... 26
SECTION 3.06. Compliance with Consolidation
Provisions................................... 27
SECTION 3.07. Limitation on Dividends...................... 27
SECTION 3.08. Covenants as to Executive Risk Capital Trust. 28
SECTION 3.09. Payment of Expenses.......................... 28
SECTION 3.10. Payment Upon Resignation or Removal.......... 29
ARTICLE IV.
SECURITYHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE
COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.01. Securityholders' Lists.......................... 29
SECTION 4.02. Preservation and Disclosure of Lists............ 30
SECTION 4.03. Reports of the Company.......................... 32
SECTION 4.04. Reports by the Trustee.......................... 33
ARTICLE V.
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS
ON EVENT OF DEFAULT
SECTION 5.01. Events of Default............................... 34
SECTION 5.02. Payment of Securities on Default;
Suit Therefor................................... 36
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Table of Contents (cont'd)
Page
SECTION 5.03. Application of Moneys Collected by
Trustee......................................... 38
SECTION 5.04. Proceedings by Securityholders.................. 39
SECTION 5.05. Proceedings by Trustee.......................... 40
SECTION 5.06. Remedies Cumulative and Continuing.............. 40
SECTION 5.07. Direction of Proceedings and Waiver
of Defaults by Majority of
Securityholders................................. 41
SECTION 5.08. Notice of Defaults.............................. 42
SECTION 5.09. Undertaking to Pay Costs........................ 42
ARTICLE VI.
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 6.01. Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.......... 43
SECTION 6.02. Reliance on Documents, Opinions, etc............ 44
SECTION 6.03. No Responsibility for Recitals, etc............. 46
SECTION 6.04. Trustee, Authenticating Agent,
Paying Agents, Transfer Agents or
Registrar May Own Securities.................... 46
SECTION 6.05. Moneys to be Held in Trust...................... 46
SECTION 6.06. Compensation and Expenses of Trustee............ 47
SECTION 6.07. Officers' Certificate as Evidence............... 47
SECTION 6.08. Conflicting Interest of Trustee................. 48
SECTION 6.09. Eligibility of Trustee.......................... 48
SECTION 6.10. Resignation or Removal of Trustee............... 49
SECTION 6.11. Acceptance by Successor Trustee................. 50
SECTION 6.12. Succession by Merger, etc....................... 51
SECTION 6.13. Limitation on Rights of Trustee as
a Creditor...................................... 52
SECTION 6.14. Authenticating Agents........................... 52
ARTICLE VII.
CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS
SECTION 7.01. Action by Securityholders....................... 53
SECTION 7.02. Proof of Execution by Securityholders........... 54
SECTION 7.03. Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners.................. 55
SECTION 7.04. Securities Owned by Company Deemed
Not Outstanding................................. 55
SECTION 7.05. Revocation of Consents; Future
Holders Bound................................... 55
ARTICLE VIII.
SECURITYHOLDERS' MEETINGS
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Table of Contents (cont'd)
Page
SECTION 8.01. Purposes of Meetings............................ 56
SECTION 8.02. Call of Meetings by Trustee..................... 57
SECTION 8.03. Call of Meetings by Company or
Securityholders................................. 57
SECTION 8.04. Qualifications for Voting....................... 57
SECTION 8.05. Regulations..................................... 57
SECTION 8.06. Voting.......................................... 58
ARTICLE IX.
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 9.01. Without Consent of Securityholders.............. 59
SECTION 9.02. With Consent of Securityholders................. 61
SECTION 9.03. Compliance with Trust Indenture
Act; Effect of Supplemental
Indentures...................................... 62
SECTION 9.04. Notation on Securities.......................... 62
SECTION 9.05. Evidence of Compliance of
Supplemental Indenture to be
Furnished Trustee............................... 62
ARTICLE X.
CONSOLIDATION, CONVERSION, MERGER, SALE,
CONVEYANCE AND LEASE
SECTION 10.01. Company May Consolidate, etc., on
Certain Terms................................... 63
SECTION 10.02. Successor Corporation to be
Substituted for Company......................... 63
SECTION 10.03. Opinion of Counsel to be Given
Trustee......................................... 64
ARTICLE XI.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
SECTION 11.01. Discharge of Indenture.......................... 64
SECTION 11.02. Deposited Moneys and U.S.
Government Obligations to be Held in
Trust by Trustee................................ 65
SECTION 11.03. Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held............... 66
SECTION 11.04. Return of Unclaimed Moneys...................... 66
SECTION 11.05. Defeasance Upon Deposit of Moneys or
U.S. Government Obligations..................... 66
SECTION 11.06. Reinstatement................................... 68
ARTICLE XII
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS,
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
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Table of Contents (cont'd)
Page
SECTION 12.01. Indenture and Securities Solely
Corporate Obligations.......................... 69
ARTICLE XIII.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 13.01. Successors..................................... 69
SECTION 13.02. Official Acts by Successor Corporation......... 69
SECTION 13.03. Surrender of Company Powers.................... 69
SECTION 13.04. Addresses for Notices, etc..................... 70
SECTION 13.05. Governing Law.................................. 70
SECTION 13.06. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions
Precedent...................................... 70
SECTION 13.07. Business Days.................................. 71
SECTION 13.08. Trust Indenture Act to Control................. 71
SECTION 13.09. Table of Contents, Headings, etc............... 71
SECTION 13.10. Execution in Counterparts...................... 71
SECTION 13.11. Separability................................... 72
SECTION 13.12. Assignment..................................... 72
SECTION 13.13. Acknowledgement of Rights...................... 72
ARTICLE XIV.
PREPAYMENT OF SECURITIES
SECTION 14.01. Special Event Prepayment....................... 73
SECTION 14.02. Optional Prepayment by Company................. 73
SECTION 14.03. No Sinking Fund................................ 74
SECTION 14.04. Notice of Prepayment; Selection of
Securities..................................... 74
SECTION 14.05. Payment of Securities Called for
Prepayment..................................... 75
SECTION 14.06. Conditional Right to Advance
Maturity....................................... 76
ARTICLE XV.
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES
SECTION 15.01. Agreement to Subordinate....................... 76
SECTION 15.02. Default on Senior Indebtedness................. 77
SECTION 15.03. Liquidation; Dissolution;
Bankruptcy..................................... 78
SECTION 15.04. Subrogation.................................... 79
SECTION 15.05. Trustee to Effectuate
Subordination.................................. 80
SECTION 15.06. Notice by the Company.......................... 81
SECTION 15.07. Rights of the Trustee; Holders of
Senior Indebtedness............................ 82
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Table of Contents (cont'd)
Page
SECTION 15.08. Subordination May Not Be
Impaired....................................... 83
ARTICLE XVI.
EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD
SECTION 16.01. Extension of Interest Payment
Period......................................... 83
SECTION 16.02. Notice of Extension............................ 84
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TIE-SHEET
of provisions of Trust Indenture Act of 1939 with Indenture dated as of
February 5, 1997 between Executive Risk Inc. and The Chase Manhattan Bank,
Trustee:
ACT SECTION INDENTURE SECTION
310(a)(1)...........................................................6.09
(a)(2) ..........................................................6.09
310(a)(3)............................................................N/A
(a)(4)............................................................N/A
310(a)(5).....................................................6.10, 6.11
310(b)...............................................................N/A
310(c)..............................................................6.13
311(a) and (b).......................................................N/A
311(c).....................................................4.01, 4.02(a)
312(a)..............................................................4.02
312(b) and (c)......................................................4.04
313(a)..............................................................4.04
313(b)(1)...........................................................4.04
313(b)(2)...........................................................4.04
313(c)..............................................................4.04
313(d)..............................................................4.04
314(a)..............................................................4.03
314(b)...............................................................N/A
314(c)(1) and (2)...................................................6.07
314(c)(3)............................................................N/A
314(d) ..............................................................N/A
314(e)..............................................................6.07
314(f) ..............................................................N/A
315(a)(c) and (d)...................................................6.01
315(b) .............................................................5.08
315(e) .............................................................5.09
316(a)(1) ..........................................................5.07
316(a)(2) ...........................................................N/A
316(a) last sentence ...............................................2.09
316(b) .............................................................9.02
317(a) .............................................................5.05
317(b) .............................................................6.05
318(a) ............................................................13.08
THIS TIE-SHEET IS NOT PART OF THE INDENTURE AS EXECUTED.
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THIS INDENTURE, dated as of February 5, 1997, between Executive Risk
Inc. a Delaware corporation (hereinafter sometimes called the "Company"), and
The Chase Manhattan Bank, a New York banking corporation, as trustee
(hereinafter sometimes called the "Trustee").
W I T N E S E T H:
In consideration of the premises, and the purchase of the Securities
by the holders thereof, the Company covenants and agrees with the Trustee for
the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective holders from time to time
of the Securities, as follows:
ARTICLE I.
DEFINITIONS
SECTION 1.01. Definitions.
The terms defined in this Section 1.01 (except as herein otherwise
expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) for all purposes of
this Indenture shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section
1.01. All other terms used in this Indenture which are defined in the Trust
Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act"), or which are by
reference therein defined in the Securities Act, shall (except as herein
otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires) have the
meanings assigned to such terms in said Trust Indenture Act and in said
Securities Act as in force at the date of this Indenture as originally executed.
The following terms have the meanings given to them in the Declaration: (i)
Clearing Agency; (ii) Delaware Trustee; (iii) Depository; (iv) Capital Security
Certificate; (v) Property Trustee; (vi) Administrative Trustees; (vii) Direct
Action; (viii) Purchase Agreement; (ix) Series A Capital Securities; (x) Series
B Capital Securities; (xi) Series A Capital Securities Guarantee; (xi) Series B
Capital Securities Guarantee; and (xii) the Initial Purchasers. All accounting
terms used herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings assigned to
such terms in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and the
term "generally accepted accounting principles" means such accounting principles
as are generally accepted at the time of any computation. The words "herein",
"hereof" and "hereunder" and other words of similar import refer to this
Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other
subdivision. Headings are used for convenience of reference only and do not
affect interpretation. The singular includes the plural and vice versa.
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"Additional Sums" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.06(c).
"Adjusted Treasury Rate" shall mean, with respect to any prepayment
date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity
of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable
Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the
Comparable Treasury Price for such prepayment date, in each case calculated on
the third Business Day preceding such prepayment date, plus in each case (a)
1.25% if such prepayment date occurs on or prior to the first anniversary of the
Issue Date and (b) .50% in all other cases.
"Adverse Tax Consequence" shall have the meaning set forth in the
definition of Tax Event.
"Aetna Option" means the option to purchase 100,000 shares of Common
Stock issued by the Company to Aetna Inc.
"Affiliate" shall mean, with respect to a specified Person, (a) any
Person directly or indirectly owning, controlling or holding the power to vote
10% or more of the outstanding voting securities or other ownership interests of
the specified Person, (b) any Person 10% or more of whose outstanding voting
securities or other ownership interests are directly or indirectly owned,
controlled or held with power to vote by the specified Person, (c) any Person
directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with
the specified Person, (d) a partnership in which the specified Person is a
general partner, (e) any officer or director of the specified Person, and (f) if
the specified Person is an individual, any entity of which the specified Person
is an officer, director or general partner.
"Authenticating Agent" shall mean any agent or agents of the Trustee
which at the time shall be appointed and acting pursuant to Section 6.14.
"Bankruptcy Law" shall mean Title 11, U.S. Code, or any similar
federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
"Board of Directors" shall mean either the Board of Directors of the
Company or any duly authorized committee of that board.
"Board Resolution" shall mean a copy of a resolution certified by
the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted
by the
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Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such
certification, and delivered to the Trustee.
"Business Day" shall mean, with respect to any series of Securities,
any day other than a Saturday or a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions
in The City of New York or Wilmington, Delaware are authorized or required by
law or executive order to close.
"Capital Lease Obligations" means, with respect to the Company and
its Subsidiaries, any lease of any property that should, in accordance with
GAAP, be classified and accounted for as a capital lease on a consolidated
balance sheet of the Company and its Subsidiaries.
"Capital Securities" shall mean undivided beneficial interests in
the assets of Executive Risk Capital Trust which rank pari passu with the Common
Securities issued by Executive Risk Capital Trust; provided, however, that if an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no payments in respect of
Distributions on, or payments upon liquidation, prepayment or otherwise with
respect to, the Common Securities shall be made until the holders of the Capital
Securities shall be paid in full the Distributions and the liquidation,
prepayment and other payments to which they are entitled. References to "Capital
Securities" shall include collectively any Series A Capital Securities and
Series B Capital Securities.
"Capital Securities Guarantee" shall mean any guarantee that the
Company may enter into with Executive Risk Capital Trust or other Persons that
operates directly or indirectly for the benefit of holders of Capital Securities
of Executive Risk Capital Trust and shall include a Series A Capital Securities
Guarantee and a Series B Capital Securities Guarantee with respect to the Series
A Capital Securities and the Series B Capital Securities, respectively.
"Commission" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission, as
from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or if at any time
after the execution of this Indenture such Commission is not existing and
performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
then the body performing such duties at such time.
"Common Securities" shall mean undivided beneficial interests in the
assets of Executive Risk Capital Trust which rank pari passu with Capital
Securities issued by Executive Risk Capital Trust; provided, however, that if an
Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, no payments in respect of
Distributions on, or payments upon liquidation, prepayment or otherwise with
respect to, the
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Common Securities shall be made until the holders of the Capital Securities
shall be paid in full the Distributions and the liquidation, prepayment and
other payments to which they are entitled.
"Common Securities Guarantee" shall mean any guarantee that the
Company may enter into with any Person or Persons that operates directly or
indirectly for the benefit of holders of Common Securities of Executive Risk
Capital Trust.
"Common Stock" shall mean the Common Stock, par value $.01 per
share, of the Company or any other class of stock resulting from changes or
reclassifications of such Common Stock consisting solely of changes in par
value, or from par value to no par value, or from no par value to par value.
"Company" shall mean Executive Risk Inc., a Delaware corporation,
and, subject to the provisions of Article X, shall include its successors and
assigns.
"Company Request" or "Company Order" shall mean a written request or
order signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman, the Chief Executive
Officer, the President, a Vice Chairman, a Vice President, the Controller, the
Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the
Trustee.
"Comparable Treasury Issue" shall mean the United States Treasury
security selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the
remaining term to the Stated Maturity Date of the Securities that would be
utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial
practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable
maturity to the remaining term of the Securities.
"Comparable Treasury Price" shall mean, with respect to any
prepayment date pursuant to Section 14.01, (i) the rate per annum equal to the
yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately prior
week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated
"H.15 (519)" or any successor publication which is published weekly by the
Federal Reserve Board and which establishes yields on actively traded United
States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption
"Treasury Constant Maturities," for the maturity corresponding to the Initial
Optional Prepayment Date (or if no maturity is within three months before or
after the maturity corresponding to the Initial Optional Prepayment Date, yields
for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Initial
Optional Prepayment Date shall be interpolated, and the Adjusted Treasury Rate
shall be
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interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line basis, rounding
to the nearest month) or (ii) if such release (or any successor release) is not
published or does not contain such prices on such Business Day, (A) the average
of the three Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such prepayment date,
after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer
Quotations, or (B) if the Trustee obtains fewer than three such Reference
Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.
"Compounded Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
16.01.
"Conditional Tax Redemption Event" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 14.06.
"Contingent Obligation" means, with respect to the Company and its
Subsidiaries, without duplication, any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of
any such Person pursuant to which such Person has directly or indirectly
guaranteed any debt or other obligation of any other Person and, without
limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect,
contingent or otherwise, of any such Person (a) to purchase or pay (or advance
or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such debt or other obligation
(whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, by agreement to keep
well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take or pay, or to
maintain financial statement condition or otherwise) or (b) entered into for the
purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such debt or other
obligation of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in
respect thereof (in whole or in part); provided, that the term Contingent
Obligation shall not include (i) obligations under insurance or reinsurance
policies, or (ii) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course
of business.
"Custodian" shall mean any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator,
or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
"Declaration" shall mean the Amended and Restated Declaration of
Trust of Executive Risk Capital Trust, dated as of February 5, 1997.
"Default" shall mean any event, act or condition that with notice or
lapse of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
"Deferred Interest" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
16.01.
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"Definitive Securities" shall mean those securities issued in fully
registered certificated form not otherwise in global form.
"Depositary" shall mean, with respect to Securities of any series,
for which the Company shall determine that such Securities will be issued as a
Global Security, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, another
clearing agency, or any successor registered as a clearing agency under the
Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulation, which, in each case,
shall be designated by the Company pursuant to Section 2.05(d).
"Dissolution Event" shall mean the liquidation of Executive Risk
Capital Trust pursuant to the Declaration, and the distribution of the
Securities held by the Property Trustee to the holders of the Trust Securities
issued by the Executive Risk Capital Trust pro rata in accordance with the
Declaration.
"Event of Default" shall mean any event specified in Section 5.01,
continued for the period of time, if any, and after the giving of the notice, if
any, therein designated.
"Exchange Act" shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
"Exchange Offer" means the offer that may be made pursuant to the
Registration Rights Agreement (i) by the Company to exchange Series B Securities
for Series A Securities and to exchange a Series B Capital Securities Guarantee
for a Series A Capital Securities Guarantee and (ii) by Executive Risk Capital
Trust to exchange Series B Capital Securities for Series A Capital Securities.
"Executive Risk Capital Trust" shall mean Executive Risk Capital
Trust, a Delaware business trust created for the purpose of issuing its
undivided beneficial interests in connection with the issuance of Securities
under this Indenture.
"Extended Interest Payment Period" shall have the meaning set forth
in Section 16.01.
"GAAP" means generally accepted accounting principles, as recognized
by the American Institute of Certificated Public Accountants and the Financial
Accounting Standards Board, consistently applied and maintained on a consistent
basis for the Company and its Subsidiaries throughout the period indicated and
consistent with the prior financial practice of the Company and its
Subsidiaries.
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"Global Security" shall mean, with respect to the Securities, a
Security executed by the Company and delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary
or pursuant to the Depositary's instruction, all in accordance with this
Indenture, which shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its
nominee.
"Guarantees" shall mean, collectively, the Series A Capital
Securities Guarantee, the Series B Capital Securities Guarantee and the Common
Securities Guarantee.
"Hedging Agreement" means any agreement with respect to an interest
rate swap, collar, cap, floor or a forward rate agreement or other agreement
regarding the hedging of interest rate risk exposure executed in connection with
hedging the interest rate exposure of the Company under the Term Loan Agreement
and the Revolving Credit Agreement, each dated as of March 26, 1996, as amended,
entered into with The Chase Manhattan Bank and any confirming letter executed
pursuant to such hedging agreement, all as amended or modified from time to
time.
"Indebtedness for Money Borrowed" shall mean any obligation of, or
any obligation guaranteed by, the Company for the repayment of borrowed money,
whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other written
instruments.
"Indenture" shall mean this instrument as originally executed or, if
amended as herein provided, as so amended.
"Initial Optional Prepayment Date" shall mean February 1, 2007.
"Interest Payment Date" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2.06.
"Investment Company Event" shall mean that Executive Risk Capital
Trust and the Company shall have received an Opinion of Counsel, requested by
the Company, of counsel experienced in practice under the Investment Company Act
of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), to the effect that, as a result of the
occurrence of a change in law or regulation or a change in interpretation or
application of law or regulation by any legislative body, court, governmental
agency or regulatory authority (a "Change in 1940 Act Law"), there is more than
an insubstantial risk that Executive Risk Capital Trust is or will be considered
an "investment company" which is required to be registered under the 1940 Act,
which Change in 1940 Act Law becomes effective on or after January 31, 1997.
"Issue Date" shall mean February 5, 1997.
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"Lien" means, with respect to any asset, any Mortgage, lien, pledge,
charge, security interest or encumbrance of any kind with respect to such asset.
For the purposes of this Indenture, a Person shall be deemed to own subject to a
Lien any asset which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a
vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, Capital Lease or other
title retention agreement relating to such asset.
"Liquidated Damages" shall have the meaning set forth in the
Registration Rights Agreement.
"Maturity Date" shall mean February 1, 2027, or such other date to
which the maturity of the Securities is changed pursuant to the right of the
Company to advance the maturity date pursuant to the provisions of Section
14.06.
"Mortgage" shall mean and include any mortgage, pledge, lien,
security interest, conditional sale or other title retention agreement or other
similar encumbrance.
"Non Book-Entry Capital Securities" shall have the meaning set
forth in Section 2.05.
"Officers" shall mean any of the Chairman, a Vice Chairman, the
Chief Executive Officer, the President, a Vice President (whether or not
designated by a number or a word or words added before or after each title), the
Controller, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, the Treasurer or an
Assistant Treasurer of the Company.
"Officers' Certificate" shall mean a certificate signed by two
Officers and delivered to the Trustee.
"Opinion of Counsel" shall mean a written opinion of counsel, who
may be an employee of the Company.
"Optional Prepayment Price" shall have the meaning set forth in
Section 14.02.
"Other Debentures" shall mean all junior subordinated debentures
issued by the Company from time to time and sold to trusts to be established by
the Company (if any), in each case similar to Executive Risk Capital Trust.
"Other Guarantees" shall mean all guarantees to be issued by the
Company with respect to capital securities (if any) and issued to other trusts
to be established by the Company (if any), in each case similar to the Executive
Risk Capital Trust.
The term "outstanding," when used with reference to Securities,
shall, subject to the provisions of Section 7.04, mean, as of any particular
time, all Securities
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authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or an Authenticating Agent under
this Indenture, except
(a) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or an
Authenticating Agent or delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation;
(b) Securities, or portions thereof, for the payment or prepayment
of which moneys in the necessary amount shall have been
deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any paying agent
(other than the Company) or shall have been set aside and
segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act
as its own paying agent); provided that, if such Securities,
or portions thereof, are to be prepaid prior to maturity
thereof, notice of such prepayment shall have been given as in
Article XIV provided or provision satisfactory to the Trustee
shall have been made for giving such notice; and
(c) Securities in lieu of or in substitution for which other
Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered
pursuant to the terms of Section 2.08 unless proof
satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee is presented that
any such Securities are held by bona fide holders in due
course.
"Person" shall mean 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.
"Predecessor Security" of any particular Security shall mean every
previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced
by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any
Security authenticated and delivered under Section 2.08 in lieu of a lost,
destroyed or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the
lost, destroyed or stolen Security.
"Prepayment Price" shall have the meaning set forth in Section
14.02.
"Principal office of the Trustee", or other similar term, shall mean
the principal office of the Trustee, at which at any particular time its
corporate trust business shall be administered which at the time of
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execution of this Indenture is located at 450 West 33rd Street, 15th Floor, New
York, New York 10001.
"Property Trustee" shall have the same meaning as set forth in the
Declaration.
"Purchase Agreement" shall mean the Purchase Agreement, dated
January 31, 1997, among the Company, Executive Risk Capital Trust and the
Initial Purchasers named therein.
"Qualified Debt Obligations" means, without duplication, (a) debt
securities of the Company, provided that the terms of any such debt security (i)
permit the deferral of principal and interest payments for a period of up to
five years (but not beyond the maturity date), as elected by the Company, (ii)
have a maturity for payment of principal of not less than ten (10) years after
the date of issuance, and (iii) include provisions making the debt security
expressly subordinate to all other debt of the Company, (b) preferred securities
issued by a Subsidiary, the sole purpose of which is to issue such preferred
securities and invest the proceeds thereof in debt securities of the type
described in clause (a) above, and which preferred securities are payable solely
out of the proceeds of payments on account of such debt securities; and (c) the
obligations recorded on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its
Subsidiaries with respect to debt securities of the type described in clause (a)
above and preferred securities of the type described in clause (b) above.
"Quorum" shall mean a majority in principal amount of outstanding
Securities.
"Quotation Agent" shall mean the Reference Treasury Dealer appointed
by the Trustee after consultation with the Company.
"Reference Treasury Dealer" shall mean (i) J.P. Morgan Securities
Inc. and its successors; provided, however, that if the foregoing shall cease to
be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a "Primary
Treasury Dealer"), the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary
Treasury Dealer, and (ii) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the
Trustee after consultation with the Company.
"Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations" shall mean, with respect to
each Reference Treasury Dealer and any prepayment date pursuant to Section
14.01, the average, as determined by the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices
for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its
principal amount) at 5:00 p.m. New York
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City time on the third Business Day preceding such prepayment date, quoted in
writing to the Trustee by such Reference Treasury Dealer.
"Registration Rights Agreement" shall mean the Registration Rights
Agreement, dated as of February 5, 1997 by and among the Company, Executive Risk
Capital Trust and the Initial Purchasers named therein as such agreement may be
amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
"Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the Trustee, shall
mean any officer of the Trustee including any vice-president, any assistant
vice-president, any secretary, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any
assistant treasurer or any other officer within the Corporate Trust Office of
the Property Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed
by any of the above-designated officers and also means, with respect to a
particular matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of
his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Restricted Security" shall mean Securities that bear or are
required to bear the legends set forth in Exhibit A hereto, other than those
legends to be set forth only on a Global Security.
"Rule 144A" shall mean Rule 144A under the Securities Act, as such
Rule may be amended from time to time, or under any similar rule or regulation
hereafter adopted by the Commission.
"Securities" shall mean, collectively, the Series A Securities and
the Series B Securities.
"Securities Act" shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
"Securityholder", "holder of Securities", "Holder," or other similar
terms, shall mean any Person in whose name at the time a particular Security is
registered on the register kept by the Company or the Trustee for that purpose
in accordance with the terms hereof.
"Security Register" shall mean (i) prior to a Dissolution Event, the
list of holders provided to the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01, and (ii)
following a Dissolution Event, any security register maintained by a security
registrar for the securities appointed by the Company following the execution of
a supplemental indenture providing for transfer procedures as provided for in
Section 2.07(a).
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"Senior Indebtedness" shall mean with respect to the Company and its
Subsidiaries: (a) all liabilities, obligations and indebtedness for borrowed
money, whether or not evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar
instruments, (b) all obligations to pay the deferred purchase price of property
or services (other than trade payables due and arising in the ordinary course of
business), (c) all Capital Lease Obligations, (d) all debt of any other Person
secured by a Lien on any asset of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (e)
all Contingent Obligations, (f) all obligations, contingent or otherwise,
relating to the face amount of letters of credit, whether or not drawn, and
banker's acceptances, but excluding any obligation relating to an undrawn letter
of credit if the undrawn letter of credit is issued in connection with a
liability for which a reserve has been established by the Company or the
applicable Subsidiary in accordance with GAAP, and (g) all obligations incurred
pursuant to Hedging Agreements which are due and payable; provided, that Senior
Indebtedness shall not include the Securities, the Guarantees or other Qualified
Debt Obligations.
"Series A Securities" means the Company's 8.675% Series A Junior
Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due February 1, 2027, as
authenticated and issued under this Indenture.
"Series B Securities" means the Company's Series B 8.675% Junior
Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due February 1, 2027, as
authenticated and issued under this Indenture.
"Special Event" means either a Conditional Tax Redemption Event or
an Investment Company Event.
"Special Event Prepayment Price" shall mean, with respect to any
prepayment of the Securities pursuant to Section 14.01 hereof, an amount in cash
equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be
prepaid and (ii) the sum, as determined by a Quotation Agent, of the present
values of the principal amount and premium payable as part of the Optional
Prepayment Price with respect to an optional prepayment of such Securities
pursuant to Section 14.02 on the Initial Optional Prepayment Date together with
scheduled payments of interest on the Securities from the prepayment date to and
including the Initial Optional Prepayment Date discounted to the prepayment date
on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day
months) at the Adjusted Treasury Rate, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid
interest thereon, including Compounded Interest and Additional Sums, if any, to
the date of such prepayment.
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"Subsidiary" shall mean with respect to any Person, (i) any
corporation at least a majority of whose outstanding voting stock of which is
owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or by one or more of its
Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or more of its Subsidiaries, (ii) any
general partnership, joint venture or similar entity, at least a majority of
whose outstanding partnership or similar interests shall at the time be owned by
such Person, or by one or more of its Subsidiaries, or by such Person and one or
more of its Subsidiaries and (iii) any limited partnership of which such Person
or any of its Subsidiaries is a general partner. For the purposes of this
definition, "voting stock" means shares, interests, participations or other
equivalents in the equity interest (however designated) in such Person having
ordinary voting power for the election of a majority of the directors (or the
equivalent) of such Person, other than shares, interests, participations or
other equivalents having such power only by reason of the occurrence of a
contingency.
"Tax Event" shall mean the receipt by Executive Risk Capital Trust
and the Company of an Opinion of Counsel, requested by the Company, of tax
counsel experienced in such matters to the effect that, as a result of any
amendment to, or change (including any announced prospective change) in, the
laws or any regulations thereunder of the United States or any political
subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein or as a result of any
official administrative written decision or pronouncement or judicial decision
interpreting or applying such laws or regulations, which amendment or change is
effective or which pronouncement or decision is announced on or after January
31, 1997, there is more than an insubstantial risk that (i) Executive Risk
Capital Trust is, or will be within 90 days of the date of such opinion, subject
to United States Federal income tax with respect to income received or accrued
on the Securities, (ii) interest payable by the Company on the Securities is
not, or within 90 days of the date of such opinion, will not be, deductible by
the Company, in whole or in part, for United States Federal income tax purposes,
or (iii) Executive Risk Capital Trust is, or will be within 90 days of the date
of such opinion, subject to more than a de minimis amount of other taxes, duties
or other governmental charges (each of the circumstances referred to in clauses
(i), (ii) and (iii) being referred to herein as an "Adverse Tax Consequence").
"Tax Event Maturity Advancement" shall have the meaning specified in
Section 14.06.
"Trustee" shall mean the Person identified as "Trustee" in the first
paragraph hereof, and, subject to the provisions of Article VI hereof, shall
also include its successors and assigns as Trustee hereunder.
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"Trust Indenture Act of 1939" shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of
1939 as in force at the date of execution of this Indenture except as provided
in Section 9.03; provided, however, that, in the event the Trust Indenture Act
of 1939 is amended after such date, "Trust Indenture Act of 1939" shall mean, to
the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so
amended.
"Trust Securities" shall mean the Capital Securities and the Common
Securities, collectively.
"U.S. Government Obligations" shall mean securities that are (i)
direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its
full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or
supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of
America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and
credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case under
clauses (i) or (ii) are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer
thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust
company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a
specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government
Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository
receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not
authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such
depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the
U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal
of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.
ARTICLE II.
SECURITIES
SECTION 2.01. Forms Generally.
The Securities and the Trustee's certificate of authentication shall
be substantially in the form of Exhibit A, the terms of which are incorporated
in and made a part of this Indenture. The Securities may have notations, legends
or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule, agreements to which the
Company is subject or usage. Each Security shall be dated the date of its
authentication. The Securities shall be issued in denominations of $1,000 and
integral multiples thereof.
SECTION 2.02. Execution and Authentication.
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An Officer shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or
facsimile signature. If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer
holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall
nevertheless be valid.
A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual
signature of the Trustee. The signature of the Trustee shall be conclusive
evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture. The form
of Trustee's certificate of authentication to be borne by the Securities shall
be substantially as set forth in Exhibit A hereto.
The Trustee shall, upon a Company Order, authenticate for original
issue up to, and the aggregate principal amount of Securities outstanding at any
time may not exceed, $128,866,000 aggregate principal amount of the Securities;
except as provided in Sections 2.07, 2.08, 2.10 and 14.05.
SECTION 2.03. Form and Payment.
Except as provided in Section 2.05, the Securities shall be issued
in fully registered certificated form without interest coupons. Principal of and
premium, if any, and interest on the Securities issued in certificated form will
be payable, the transfer of such Securities will be registrable and such
Securities will be exchangeable for Securities bearing identical terms and
provisions at the office or agency of the Trustee; provided, however, that
payment of interest with respect to the Securities (other than Securities issued
in global form, the payment of interest on which shall be made in immediately
available funds) may be made at the option of the Company (i) by check mailed to
the holder at such address as shall appear in the Security Register or (ii) by
transfer to an account maintained by the Person entitled thereto, provided that
proper transfer instructions have been received in writing by the relevant
record date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the holder of any
Securities is the Property Trustee, the payment of the principal of and premium,
if any, and interest (including Compounded Interest and Additional Sums, if any)
on such Securities held by the Property Trustee will be made in immediately
available funds at such place and to such account as may be designated by the
Property Trustee.
SECTION 2.04. Legends.
(a) Except as permitted by subsection (b) of this Section 2.04 or as
otherwise determined by the Company in accordance with applicable law, each
Security shall bear the applicable legends relating to restrictions on transfer
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pursuant to the securities laws in substantially the form set forth on Exhibit A
hereto.
(b) The Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate
Series B Securities in exchange for Series A Securities accepted for exchange in
the Exchange Offer, which Series B Securities shall not bear the legends
required by subsection (a) above, in each case unless the Trustee is notified in
writing by the Company that the holder of such Series A Securities is either (A)
a broker-dealer who purchased such Series A Securities directly from the Company
for resale pursuant to Rule 144A or any other available exemption under the
Securities Act, (B) a Person participating in the distribution of the Series A
Securities or (C) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144 under the
Securities Act) of the Company.
SECTION 2.05. Global Security.
(a) In connection with a Dissolution Event,
(i) if any Capital Securities are held in book-entry form,
the related Definitive Securities shall be presented to the Trustee (if an
arrangement with the Depositary has been maintained) by the Property
Trustee in exchange for one or more Global Securities (as may be required
pursuant to Section 2.07) in an aggregate principal amount equal to the
aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Securities, to be registered
in the name of the Depositary, or a custodian therefor, or its nominee,
and delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary for crediting to the
accounts of its participants pursuant to the instructions of the
Administrative Trustees; the Company upon any such presentation shall
execute one or more Global Securities in such aggregate principal amount
and deliver the same to the Trustee for authentication and delivery in
accordance with this Indenture; and payments on the Securities issued as a
Global Security will be made to the Depositary; and
(ii) if any Capital Securities are held in certificated
form, the related Definitive Securities may be presented to the Trustee by
the Property Trustee and any Capital Security certificate which represents
Capital Securities other than Capital Securities in book-entry form ("Non
Book-Entry Capital Securities") will be deemed to represent beneficial
interests in Securities presented to the Trustee by the Property Trustee
having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation
amount of the Non Book-Entry Capital Securities until such Capital
Security certificates are presented to the Security Registrar for transfer
or reissuance, at which time such Capital
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Security certificates will be cancelled and a Security, registered in the
name of the holder of the Capital Security certificate or the transferee
of the holder of such Capital Security certificate, as the case may be,
with an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation
amount of the Capital Security certificate cancelled, will be executed by
the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication and delivery
in accordance with this Indenture. Upon the issuance of such Securities,
Securities with an equivalent aggregate principal amount that were
presented by the Property Trustee to the Trustee will be deemed to have
been cancelled.
(b) The Global Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of
outstanding Securities from time to time endorsed thereon; provided, that the
aggregate amount of outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to
time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and
prepayments. Any endorsement of a Global Security to reflect the amount of any
increase or decrease in the amount of outstanding Securities represented thereby
shall be made by the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the
Company as required by this Section 2.05.
(c) The Global Securities may be transferred, in whole but not in
part, only to the Depositary, another nominee of the Depositary, or to a
successor Depositary selected or approved by the Company or to a nominee of such
successor Depositary.
(d) If at any time the Depositary notifies the Company that it is
unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary or the Depositary has ceased to be
a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and a successor Depositary
is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such
notice or becomes aware of such condition, as the case may be, the Company will
execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order, will authenticate and
make available for delivery the Definitive Securities, in authorized
denominations, and in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal
amount of the Global Security in exchange for such Global Security. If there is
an Event of Default, the Depositary shall have the right to exchange the Global
Securities for Definitive Securities. In addition, the Company may at any time
determine that the Securities shall no longer be represented by a Global
Security. In the event of such an Event of Default or such a determination, the
Company shall execute, and subject to Section 2.07, the Trustee, upon receipt of
an Officers' Certificate evidencing such determination by the Company, will
authenticate and make available for delivery the Definitive Securities, in
authorized denominations, and
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in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global
Security in exchange for such Global Security. Upon the exchange of the Global
Security for such Definitive Securities, in authorized denominations, the Global
Security shall be cancelled by the Trustee. Such Definitive Securities issued in
exchange for the Global Security shall be registered in such names and in such
authorized denominations as the Depositary, pursuant to instructions from its
direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee. The
Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Securities to the Depositary for delivery
to the Persons in whose names such Definitive Securities are so registered.
SECTION 2.06. Interest.
(a) Each Security will bear interest at the rate of 8.675% per annum
(the "Coupon Rate") from the most recent date to which interest has been paid
or, if no interest has been paid, from February 5, 1997, until the principal
thereof becomes due and payable, and on any overdue principal (and premium, if
any) and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under
applicable law) on any overdue installment of interest at the Coupon Rate,
compounded semi-annually, payable (subject to the provisions of Article XVI)
semi-annually in arrears on August 1 and February 1 of each year (each, an
"Interest Payment Date") commencing on August 1, 1997 to the Person in whose
name such Security or any predecessor Security is registered, at the close of
business on the regular record date for such interest installment, which shall
be the date fifteen days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date.
(b) Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year
consisting of twelve 30-day months and, for any period of less than a full
calendar month, the number of days elapsed in such month. In the event that any
Interest Payment Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then payment of
interest payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day which is a
Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of any such
delay), with the same force and effect as if made on such date.
(c) During such time as the Property Trustee is the holder of any
Securities, the Company shall pay any additional amounts on the Securities as
may be necessary in order that the amount of Distributions then due and payable
by Executive Risk Capital Trust on the outstanding Trust Securities shall not be
reduced as a result of any additional taxes, duties and other governmental
charges to which Executive Risk Capital Trust has become subject as a result of
a Tax Event ("Additional Sums").
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SECTION 2.07. Transfer and Exchange.
(a) Transfer Restrictions. The Series A Securities, and those Series
B Securities with respect to which any Person described in Section 2.04(b)(A),
(B) or (C) is the beneficial owner, may not be transferred except in compliance
with any legend contained in Exhibit A unless otherwise determined by the
Company in accordance with applicable law. Until the Securities are registered
under the Securities Act, the Securities may be transferred only in blocks
having an aggregate principal amount of not less than $100,000. Any such
transfer of the Securities in a block having an aggregate principal amount of
less than $100,000 shall be deemed to be void and of no legal effect whatsoever.
Any such transferee shall be deemed not to be holder of such Securities for any
purpose, including but not limited to the receipt of payments on such
Securities, and such transferee shall be deemed to have no interest whatsoever
in such Securities. Upon any distribution of the Securities following a
Dissolution Event, the Company and the Trustee shall enter into a supplemental
indenture pursuant to Section 9.01 to provide for the transfer restrictions and
procedures with respect to the Securities substantially similar to those
contained in the Declaration to the extent applicable in the circumstances
existing at such time.
(b) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges. To
permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and
the Trustee shall authenticate Definitive Securities and Global Securities. All
Definitive Securities and Global Securities issued upon any registration of
transfer or exchange of Definitive Securities or Global Securities shall be the
valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the
same benefits under this Indenture, as the Definitive Securities or Global
Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
No service charge shall be made to a holder for any registration of
transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to
cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection
therewith.
The Company shall not be required to (i) issue, register the
transfer of or exchange Securities during a period beginning at the opening of
business 15 days before the day of mailing of a notice of prepayment or any
notice of selection of Securities for prepayment under Article XIV hereof and
ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing; or (ii) register the
transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for prepayment in whole or in
part,
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except the unprepaid portion of any Security being prepaid in part.
Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any
Security, the Trustee, any agent and the Company may deem and treat the Person
in whose name any Security is registered as the absolute owner of such Security
for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and premium, if any, and
interest on such Securities, and neither the Trustee, any agent nor the Company
shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
(c) Exchange of Series A Securities for Series B Securities. The
Series A Securities may be exchanged for Series B Securities pursuant to the
terms of the Exchange Offer. The Trustee shall make the exchange as follows:
The Company shall present the Trustee with an Officers' Certificate
certifying the following:
(A) the transactions contemplated by the Exchange Offer have been
consummated: and
(B) the principal amount of Series A Securities properly tendered
in the Exchange Offer that are represented by a Global
Security and the principal amount of Series A Securities
properly tendered in the Exchange Offer that are represented
by Definitive Securities, the name of each holder of such
Definitive Securities, the principal amount at maturity
properly tendered in the Exchange Offer by each such holder
and the name and address to which Definitive Securities for
Series B Securities shall be registered and sent for each such
holder.
The Trustee, upon receipt of (i) such Officers' Certificate, (ii) an
Opinion of Counsel (x) to the effect that the Series B Securities have been
registered under Section 5 of the Securities Act and this Indenture has been
qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and (y) with respect to the
matters set forth in Section 3(p) of the Registration Rights Agreement and (iii)
a Company Order, shall authenticate (A) a Global Security for Series B
Securities in aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount
of Series A Securities represented by a Global Security indicated in such
Officers' Certificate as having been properly tendered and (B) Definitive
Securities representing Series B Securities registered in the names of, and in
the principal amounts indicated in, such Officers' Certificate.
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If the principal amount at maturity of the Global Security for the
Series B Securities is less than the principal amount at maturity of the Global
Security for the Series A Securities, the Trustee shall make an endorsement on
such Global Security for the Series A Securities indicating a reduction in the
principal amount at maturity represented thereby.
The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Securities for Series B
Securities to the holders thereof as indicated in such Officers' Certificate.
SECTION 2.08. Replacement Securities.
If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, or the
Company and the Trustee receive evidence to their satisfaction of the
destruction, loss or theft of any Security, the Company shall issue and the
Trustee shall authenticate a replacement Security if the Trustee's requirements
for replacements of Securities are met. An indemnity bond must be supplied by
the holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Company to
protect the Company, the Trustee and any authenticating agent from any loss that
any of them may suffer if a Security is replaced. The Company or the Trustee may
charge for its expenses in replacing a Security.
Every replacement Security is an obligation of the Company and shall
be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately
with all other Securities duly issued hereunder.
SECTION 2.09. Treasury Securities.
In determining whether the holders of the required principal amount
of Securities have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Securities
owned by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company shall be considered as
though not outstanding, except that for purposes of determining whether the
Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent,
only Securities that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be
so owned shall be so considered.
SECTION 2.10. Temporary Securities.
Pending the preparation of Definitive Securities, the Company may
execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and make
available for delivery, temporary Securities that are printed, lithographed,
typewritten, lithographed, mimeographed or otherwise reproduced, in any
authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities
in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions,
omissions,
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substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may
determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
If temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause
Definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. The Definitive
Securities shall be printed, typewritten, lithographed or engraved, or provided
by any combination thereof, or in any other manner permitted by the rules and
regulations of any applicable securities exchange, all as determined by the
officers executing such Definitive Securities. After the preparation of
Definitive Securities, the temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for
Definitive Securities upon surrender of the temporary Securities at the office
or agency maintained by the Company for such purpose pursuant to Section 3.02
hereof, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one
or more temporary Securities, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall
authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange therefor the same
aggregate principal amount of Definitive Securities of authorized denominations.
Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities shall in all respects be entitled
to the same benefits under this Indenture as Definitive Securities.
SECTION 2.11. Cancellation.
The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for
cancellation. The Trustee and no one else shall cancel all Securities
surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or
cancellation and shall retain or destroy cancelled Securities in accordance with
its normal practices (subject to the record retention requirement of the
Exchange Act) unless the Company directs them to be returned to it. The Company
may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that have been prepaid or
paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. All cancelled
Securities not destroyed by the Trustee shall be delivered to the Company.
SECTION 2.12. Defaulted Interest.
Any interest on any Security that is payable, but is not punctually
paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called
"Defaulted Interest") shall forthwith cease to be payable to the holder on the
relevant regular record date by virtue of having been such holder; and such
Defaulted Interest shall be paid by the Company, at its election, as provided in
clause (a) or clause (b) below:
(a) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on
Securities to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their
respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business
on
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a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which
shall be fixed in the following manner: the Company shall notify the
Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid
on each such Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the
same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money
equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such
Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee
for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money
when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled
to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the
Trustee shall fix a special record date for the payment of such Defaulted
Interest which shall not be more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to
the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the
receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee
shall promptly notify the Company of such special record date and, in the
name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed
payment of such Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor to
be mailed, first class postage prepaid, to each Securityholder at his or
her address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days
prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment of such
Defaulted Interest and the special record date therefor having been mailed
as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in
whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities)
are registered on such special record date and shall be no longer payable
pursuant to the following clause (b).
(b) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on any
Securities in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of
any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such
notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the
Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such
manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
SECTION 2.13. CUSIP Numbers.
The Company in issuing the Securities may use "CUSIP" numbers (if
then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use "CUSIP" numbers in
notices of prepayment as a convenience to Securityholders; provided that any
such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of
such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice
of a prepayment and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification
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numbers printed on the Securities, and any such prepayment shall not be affected
by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify
the Trustee of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
ARTICLE III.
PARTICULAR COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY
SECTION 3.01. Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest.
The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the holders of
the Securities that it will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the
principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities at the place,
at the respective times and in the manner provided herein. The Company further
covenants to pay any and all amounts including, without limitation, Liquidated
Damages, if any, on the dates and in the manner required under the Registration
Rights Agreement.
SECTION 3.02. Offices for Notices and Payments, etc.
So long as any of the Securities remain outstanding, the Company
will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or
agency where the Securities may be presented for payment, an office or agency
where the Securities may be presented for registration of transfer and for
exchange as in this Indenture provided and an office or agency where notices and
demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities or this Indenture
may be served. The Company will give to the Trustee written notice of the
location of any such office or agency and of any change of location thereof.
Until otherwise designated from time to time by the Company in a notice to the
Trustee, any such office or agency for all of the above purposes shall be the
office or agency of the Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New
York. In case the Company shall fail to maintain any such office or agency in
the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or shall fail to give such
notice of the location or of any change in the location thereof, presentations
and demands may be made and notices may be served at the principal corporate
trust office of the Trustee.
In addition to any such office or agency, the Company may from time
to time designate one or more offices or agencies outside the Borough of
Manhattan, The City of New York, where the Securities may be presented for
payment, registration of transfer and for exchange in the manner provided in
this Indenture, and the Company may from time to time rescind such designation,
as the Company may deem
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desirable or expedient; provided, however, that no such designation or
rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain
any such office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, for
the purposes above mentioned. The Company will give to the Trustee prompt
written notice of any such designation or rescission thereof; provided, further,
that the Company shall at all times maintain a paying agent in each such office
or agency.
SECTION 3.03. Appointments to Fill Vacancies in Trustee's Office.
The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the
office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 6.10, a
Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder.
SECTION 3.04. Provision as to Paying Agent.
(a) If the Company shall appoint a paying agent other than the
Trustee with respect to the Securities, it will cause such
paying agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an
instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee,
subject to the provision of this Section 3.04,
(1) that it will hold all sums held by it as such agent for
the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, or
interest on the Securities (whether such sums have been
paid to it by the Company or by any other obligor on the
Securities) in trust for the benefit of the holders of
the Securities;
(2) that it will give the Trustee notice of any failure by
the Company (or by any other obligor on the Securities)
to make any payment of the principal of and premium or
interest on the Securities when the same shall be due
and payable; and
(3) that it will indemnify the Trustee and its officers,
directors, employees and agents against any loss, cost
or liability incurred by the Trustee or its officers,
directors employees or agents as a result of actions of
such paying agent.
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(b) If the Company shall act as its own paying agent, it will, on
or before each due date of the principal of and premium, if
any, or interest on the Securities, set aside, segregate and
hold in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Securities
a sum sufficient to pay such principal, premium or interest so
becoming due and will notify the Trustee of any failure to
take such action and of any failure by the Company (or by any
other obligor under the Securities) to make any payment of the
principal of and premium, if any, or interest on the
Securities when the same shall become due and payable.
(c) Anything in this Section 3.04 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company may, at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a
satisfaction and discharge with respect to the Securities
hereunder, or for any other reason, pay or cause to be paid to
the Trustee all sums held in trust for any Securities by the
Trustee or any paying agent hereunder, as required by this
Section 3.04, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the
trusts herein contained.
(d) Anything in this Section 3.04 to the contrary notwithstanding,
the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this
Section 3.04 is subject to Sections 11.03 and 11.04.
SECTION 3.05. Certificate to Trustee.
The Company will deliver to the Trustee on or before 120 days after
the end of each fiscal year in each year, commencing with the first fiscal year
ending after the date hereof, so long as Securities are outstanding hereunder,
an Officers' Certificate, one of the signers of which shall be the principal
executive, principal financial or principal accounting officer of the Company,
stating that in the course of the performance by the signers of their duties as
officers of the Company they would normally have knowledge of any default by the
Company in the performance of any covenants contained herein, stating whether or
not they have knowledge of any such default and, if so, specifying each such
default of which the signers have knowledge and the nature thereof.
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SECTION 3.06. Compliance with Consolidation Provisions.
The Company will not, while any of the Securities remain
outstanding, consolidate with, or merge or convert into, or merge or convert
into itself, or sell or convey all or substantially all of its property to, any
other Person unless the provisions of Article X hereof are complied with.
SECTION 3.07. Limitation on Dividends.
The Company will not (i) declare or pay any dividends or
distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a liquidation payment
with respect to, any of the Company's capital stock (which includes common and
preferred stock) or (ii) make any payment of principal, interest or premium, if
any, with respect to or repay or repurchase or redeem any debt securities of the
Company (including any Other Debentures) that rank pari passu with or junior in
right of payment to the Securities or (iii) make any guarantee payments with
respect to any guarantee by the Company of the debt securities of any Subsidiary
of the Company (including Other Guarantees) if such guarantee ranks pari passu
or junior in right of payment to the Securities (other than (a) dividends or
distributions in shares of, or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or
purchase shares of, Common Stock of the Company; (b) any declaration of a
dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholders' rights plan,
or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or
repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto; (c) payments under the Capital
Securities Guarantee; (d) as a result of a reclassification of the Company's
capital stock or the exchange or the conversion of one class or series of the
Company's capital stock for another class or series of the Company's capital
stock; (e) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Company's
capital stock pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital
stock or the security being converted or exchanged; (f) the issuance of Common
Stock upon exercise of the Aetna Option; and (g) purchases or issuances of
Common Stock in connection with any of the Company's stock option, stock
purchase, stock loan or other benefit plans for its directors, officers or
employees or any of the Company's dividend reinvestment plans, in each case as
now existing or hereafter established or amended) if at such time (i) there
shall have occurred any event of which the Company has actual knowledge that (a)
is or with the giving of notice or the lapse of time, or both, would constitute
an Event of Default and (b) in respect of which the Company shall not have taken
reasonable steps to cure, (ii) if such Securities are held by the Property
Trustee, the Company shall be in default with respect to its payment obligations
under the Capital Securities Guarantee or (iii) the Company shall have
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given notice of its election of the exercise of its right to extend the interest
payment period pursuant to Section 16.01 and any such extension shall be
continuing.
SECTION 3.08. Covenants as to Executive Risk Capital Trust.
In the event Securities are issued to Executive Risk Capital Trust
or a trustee of such trust in connection with the issuance of Trust Securities
by Executive Risk Capital Trust, for so long as such Trust Securities remain
outstanding, the Company will (i) directly or indirectly maintain 100% ownership
of the Common Securities of Executive Risk Capital Trust; provided, however,
that any successor of the Company, permitted pursuant to Article X, may succeed
to the Company's ownership of such Common Securities, (ii) use its reasonable
efforts to cause Executive Risk Capital Trust (a) to remain a business trust,
except in connection with a distribution of Securities, the prepayment of all
the Trust Securities in a liquidation of Executive Risk Capital Trust, the
redemption of all of the Trust Securities of Executive Risk Capital Trust or
certain mergers, consolidations or amalgamations, each as permitted by the
Declaration, and (b) to continue to be treated as a grantor trust and not as an
association taxable as a corporation or a partnership for United States federal
income tax purposes and (iii) to use its reasonable efforts to cause each holder
of Trust Securities to be treated as owning an undivided beneficial interest in
the Securities.
SECTION 3.09. Payment of Expenses.
In connection with the offering, sale and issuance of the Securities
to Executive Risk Capital Trust and in connection with the sale of the Trust
Securities by Executive Risk Capital Trust, the Company, in its capacity as
borrower with respect to the Securities, shall:
(a) pay all costs and expenses relating to the offering, sale and
issuance of the Securities, including commissions or other compensation to the
Initial Purchasers payable pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, fees and expenses
in connection with any exchange offer or other action to be taken pursuant to
the Registration Rights Agreement and compensation of the Trustee in accordance
with the provisions of Section 6.06;
(b) pay all costs and expenses of Executive Risk Capital Trust
(including, but not limited to, costs and expenses relating to the organization
of Executive Risk Capital Trust, the offering, sale and issuance of the Trust
Securities (including commissions to the Initial Purchasers payable pursuant to
the Purchase Agreement in connection therewith), the fees and expenses of the
Property Trustee
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and the Delaware Trustee, the costs and expenses relating to the operation of
the Trust, including without limitation, costs and expenses of accountants,
attorneys, statistical or bookkeeping services, expenses for printing and
engraving and computing or accounting equipment, paying agent(s), registrar(s),
transfer agent(s), duplicating, travel and telephone and other
telecommunications expenses and costs and expenses incurred in connection with
the acquisition, financing and disposition of the assets of Executive Risk
Capital Trust;
(c) be primarily and fully liable for any indemnification
obligations arising with respect to the Declaration;
(d) pay any and all taxes (other than United States withholding
taxes attributable to Executive Risk Capital Trust or its assets) and all
liabilities, costs and expenses with respect to such taxes of Executive Risk
Capital Trust; and
(e) pay all other fees, expenses, debts and obligations (other than
payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Trust Securities)
related to Executive Risk Capital Trust.
SECTION 3.10. Payment Upon Resignation or Removal.
Upon termination of this Indenture or the removal or resignation of
the Trustee, unless otherwise stated, the Company shall pay to the Trustee all
amounts accrued and owing to the date of such termination, removal or
resignation. Upon termination of the Declaration or the removal or resignation
of the Delaware Trustee or the Property Trustee, as the case may be, pursuant to
Section 5.7 of the Declaration, the Company shall pay to the Delaware Trustee or
the Property Trustee, as the case may be, all amounts accrued and owing to the
date of such termination, removal or resignation.
ARTICLE IV.
SECURITYHOLDERS' LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE
COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.01. Securityholders' Lists.
The Company covenants and agrees that it will furnish or cause to be
furnished to the Trustee:
(a) on a semi-annual basis on each regular record date for the
Securities, a list, in such form
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as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and
addresses of the Securityholders as of such record date; and
(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing,
within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such
request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not
more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;
except that, no such lists need be furnished so long as the Trustee is in
possession thereof by reason of its acting as Security registrar.
SECTION 4.02. Preservation and Disclosure of Lists.
(a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is
reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and
addresses of the holders of the Securities (1) contained in
the most recent list furnished to it as provided in Section
4.01 or (2) received by it in the capacity of Securities
registrar (if so acting) hereunder. The Trustee may destroy
any list furnished to it as provided in Section 4.01 upon
receipt of a new list so furnished.
(b) In case three or more holders of Securities (hereinafter
referred to as "applicants") apply in writing to the Trustee
and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such
applicant has owned a Security for a period of at least six
months preceding the date of such application, and such
application states that the applicants desire to communicate
with other holders of Securities or with holders of all
Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture
and is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other
communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then
the Trustee shall within 5 Business Days after the receipt of
such application, at its election, either:
(1) afford such applicants access to the information preserved at
the time by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of
subsection (a) of this Section 4.02; or
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(2) inform such applicants as to the approximate number of holders
of all Securities, whose names and addresses appear in the
information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance
with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 4.02,
and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such
Securityholders the form of proxy or other communication, if
any, specified in such application.
If the Trustee shall elect not to afford such applicants
access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the
written request of such applicants, mail to each
Securityholder whose name and address appear in the
information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance
with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section 4.02 a
copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is
specified in such request with reasonable promptness after a
tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of
payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable
expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such
tender, the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file
with the Commission, together with a copy of the material to
be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the
opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the
best interests of the holders of all Securities or would be in
violation of applicable law. Such written statement shall
specify the basis of such opinion. If the Commission, after
opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the
written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to
sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an
order sustaining one or more of such objections, the
Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for
hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met
and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail
copies of such material to all such Securityholders with
reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the
renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be
relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants
respecting their application.
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(c) Each and every holder of Securities, by receiving and holding
the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither
the Company nor the Trustee nor any paying agent shall be held
accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such
information as to the names and addresses of the holders of
Securities in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b)
of this Section 4.02, regardless of the source from which such
information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be
held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to
a request made under said subsection (b).
SECTION 4.03. Reports of the Company
(a) The Company covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee,
within 15 days after the date on which the Company is required
to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual
reports and of the information, documents and other reports
(or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the
Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations
prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the
Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not required to file
information, documents or reports pursuant to either of such
sections, then to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in
accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to
time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic
information, documents and reports which may be required
pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a
security listed and registered on a national securities
exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules
and regulations.
(b) The Company covenants and agrees to file with the Trustee and
the Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations
prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such
additional information, documents and reports with respect to
compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants
provided for in this Indenture as may be required from time to
time by such rules and regulations.
(c) The Company covenants and agrees to transmit by mail to all
holders of Securities, as the
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names and addresses of such holders appear upon the Security
Register, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the
Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents and
reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to
subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 4.03 as may be
required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time
by the Commission.
(d) Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the
Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee's
receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of
any information contained therein or determinable from
information contained therein, including the Company's
compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which
the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers'
Certificates).
(e) So long as is required for an offer or sale of the Securities
to qualify for an exemption under Rule 144A under the
Securities Act, the Company shall, upon request, provide the
information required by clause (d)(4) thereunder to each
holder of Restricted Securities and to each beneficial owner
and prospective purchaser of Securities identified by any
holder of Restricted Securities, unless such information is
furnished to the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Exchange Act.
SECTION 4.04. Reports by the Trustee.
(a) The Trustee shall transmit to Securityholders such reports
concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as
may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 at
the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If
required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939,
the Trustee shall, within sixty days after each May 15
following the date of this Indenture, commencing May 15, 1997,
deliver to Securityholders a brief report, dated as of such
May 15, which complies with the provisions of such Section
313(a).
(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such
transmission to Securityholders, be filed by the Trustee with
each stock exchange, if any, upon which the Securities
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are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The
Company will promptly notify the Trustee when and if the
Securities are listed on any stock exchange.
ARTICLE V.
REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS
ON EVENT OF DEFAULT
SECTION 5.01. Events of Default.
One or more of the following events of default shall constitute an
Event of Default hereunder (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and
whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law
or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or
regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
(a) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security or
any Other Debentures when it becomes due and payable, and
continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; provided,
however, that a valid extension of an interest payment period
by the Company in accordance with the terms hereof or, in the
case of any Other Debentures, the indenture related thereto,
shall not constitute a default in the payment of interest for
this purpose; or
(b) default in the payment of all or any part of the principal of
(or premium, if any, on) any Security or any Other Debentures
as and when the same shall become due and payable either at
maturity, upon prepayment, by declaration of acceleration of
maturity or otherwise; or
(c) default in any material respect in the performance, or breach,
of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture
(other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose
performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section
specifically dealt with), and continuance of such default or
breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by
registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or
to the Company and the Trustee by the holders of at least 25%
in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities a
written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring
it to be remedied and stating that
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such notice is a "Notice of Default" hereunder; or
(d) a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a
decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an
involuntary case under any applicable Bankruptcy Law, or
appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian,
trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or
for any substantial part of its property, or ordering the
winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or
order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90
consecutive days; or
(e) the Company shall commence a voluntary case under any
applicable Bankruptcy Law, shall consent to the entry of an
order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or
shall consent to the appointment of or taking possession by a
receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian,
sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or of
any substantial part of its property, or shall make any
general assignment for the benefit of creditors, or shall fail
generally to pay its debts as they become due.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities at the time
outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the
holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities
then outstanding may declare the principal amount of all Securities to be due
and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the
Trustee if given by the holders of the outstanding Securities), and upon any
such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable.
The foregoing provisions, however, are subject to the condition that
if, at any time after the principal of the Securities shall have been so
declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of
the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, (i)
the Company shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay
(A) all matured installments of interest upon all the Securities and the
principal of and premium, if any, on any and all Securities which shall have
become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest upon such principal and
premium, if any, and, to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable
under applicable law, on overdue installments of interest, at the same rate as
the rate of interest specified
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in the Securities to the date of such payment or deposit) and (B) such amount as
shall be sufficient to pay to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee all
amounts payable pursuant to Section 6.06, and (ii) any and all Events of Default
under the Indenture, other than the non-payment of the principal of the
Securities which shall have become due solely by such declaration of
acceleration, shall have been cured, waived or otherwise remedied as provided
herein, then, in every such case, the holders of a majority in aggregate
principal amount of the Securities then outstanding, by written notice to the
Company and to the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its
consequences, but no such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or
shall affect any subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent
thereon.
In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under
this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned
because of such rescission or annulment or for any other reason or shall have
been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the
Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Securities shall be restored
respectively to their several positions and rights hereunder, and all rights,
remedies and powers of the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the
Securities shall continue as though no such proceeding had been taken.
SECTION 5.02. Payment of Securities on Default; Suit Therefor.
The Company covenants that (a) in case default shall be made in the
payment of any installment of interest upon any of the Securities as and when
the same shall become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for
a period of 30 days, or (b) in case default shall be made in the payment of the
principal of or premium, if any, on any of the Securities as and when the same
shall have become due and payable, whether at maturity of the Securities or upon
prepayment or by declaration of acceleration of maturity or otherwise, then,
upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee, for the benefit
of the holders of the Securities, the whole amount that then shall have become
due and payable on all such Securities for principal and premium, if any, or
interest, or both, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal
and premium, if any, and (to the extent that payment of such interest is
enforceable under applicable law and, if the Securities are held by Executive
Risk Capital Trust or a trustee of such trust, without duplication of any other
amounts paid by Executive Risk Capital Trust or a trustee in respect thereof)
upon the overdue installments of interest at the rate borne by the Securities;
and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover
the costs and
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expenses of collection, including a reasonable compensation to the Trustee, its
agents, attorneys and counsel, and any expenses or liabilities incurred by the
Trustee hereunder other than through its negligence or bad faith.
In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon
such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust,
shall be entitled and empowered to institute any actions or proceedings at law
or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute
any such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any
such judgment or final decree against the Company or any other obligor on the
Securities and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the
Company or any other obligor on the Securities wherever situated the moneys
adjudged or decreed to be payable.
In case there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for
the reorganization of the Company or any other obligor on the Securities under
Title 11, United States Code, or any other applicable law, or in case a receiver
or trustee shall have been appointed for the property of the Company or such
other obligor, or in the case of any other similar judicial proceedings relative
to the Company or other obligor upon the Securities, or to the creditors or
property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of
whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein
expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee
shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 5.02,
shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or
otherwise, to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal
and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and, in case of any
judicial proceedings, to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents
as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee
(including any claim for all amounts payable pursuant to Section 6.06 to the
Trustee and each predecessor Trustee) and of the Securityholders allowed in such
judicial proceedings relative to the Company or any other obligor on the
Securities, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other
obligor, unless prohibited by applicable law and regulations, to vote on behalf
of the holders of the Securities in any election of a trustee or a standby
trustee in arrangement, reorganization, liquidation or other bankruptcy or
insolvency proceedings or Person performing similar functions in comparable
proceedings, and to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or
deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after the deduction
of its charges and expenses; and any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy
or reorganization is hereby authorized by each of the
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Securityholders to make such payments to the Trustee, and, in the event that the
Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the
Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee such amounts as shall be sufficient to
pay to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee all amounts payable pursuant to
Section 6.06.
Nothing herein contained shall be construed to authorize the Trustee
to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder
any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the
Securities or the rights of any holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to
vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceeding.
All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture,
or under any of the Securities, may be enforced by the Trustee without the
possession of any of the Securities, or the production thereof in any trial or
other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted by
the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and
any recovery of judgment shall be for the ratable benefit of the holders of the
Securities.
In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also any proceedings
involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the
Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee shall be held to represent all the holders
of the Securities, and it shall not be necessary to make any holders of the
Securities parties to any such proceedings.
SECTION 5.03. Application of Moneys Collected by Trustee.
Any moneys collected by the Trustee shall be applied in the order
following, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee for the distribution of
such moneys, upon presentation of the Securities in respect of which moneys have
been collected, and stamping thereon the payment, if only partially paid, and
upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section
6.06, including the costs and expenses of collection applicable to the
Securities and reasonable compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and
counsel, and of all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances
made, by the Trustee except as a result of its negligence or bad faith;
Second: To the payment of all Senior Indebtedness of the Company if
and to the extent required by Article XV;
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Third: In case the principal of the outstanding Securities in
respect of which moneys have been collected shall not have become due and be
unpaid, to the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon Securities for
principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities, in respect of
which or for the benefit of which money has been collected, ratably, without
preference of priority of any kind, according to the amounts due on such
Securities for principal (and premium, if any) and interest, respectively; and
Fourth: To the Company.
SECTION 5.04. Proceedings by Securityholders.
Except as contemplated by this Section 5.04, no holder of any
Security shall have any right by virtue of or by availing of any provision of
this Indenture to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law
upon or under or with respect to this Indenture or for the appointment of a
receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless such holder
previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default
and of the continuance thereof with respect to the Securities specifying such
Event of Default, as hereinbefore provided, and unless also the holders of not
less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then outstanding
shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit
or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the
Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses
and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby, and the Trustee for 60 days
after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have
failed to institute any such action, suit or proceeding, it being understood and
intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and holder of every
Security with every other taker and holder and the Trustee, that no one or more
holders of Securities shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of
or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or
prejudice the rights of any other holder of Securities, or to obtain or seek to
obtain priority over or preference to any other such holder, or to enforce any
right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the
equal, ratable and common benefit of all holders of Securities.
Notwithstanding any other provisions in this Indenture, however, the
right of any holder of any Security to receive payment of the principal of
(premium, if any) and interest on such Security, on or after the same shall have
become due and payable, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such
payment, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such holder
and by accepting
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a Security hereunder it is expressly understood, intended and covenanted by the
taker and holder of every Security with every other such taker and holder and
the Trustee, that no one or more holders of Securities shall have any right in
any manner whatsoever by virtue or by availing of any provision of this
Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of the holders of any other
Securities, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any
other such holder, or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the
manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all
holders of Securities. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of
this Section , each and every Securityholder and the Trustee shall be entitled
to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.
The Company and the Trustee acknowledge that pursuant to the
Declaration, the holders of Capital Securities are entitled, in the
circumstances and subject to the limitations set forth therein, to commence a
Direct Action with respect to any Event of Default under this Indenture and the
Securities.
SECTION 5.05. Proceedings by Trustee.
In case an Event of Default occurs with respect to Securities and is
continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the
rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings
as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any of such
rights, either by suit in equity or by action at law or by proceeding in
bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or
agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power
granted in this Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right
vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law.
SECTION 5.06. Remedies Cumulative and Continuing.
All powers and remedies given by this Article V to the Trustee or to
the Securityholders shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative
and not exclusive of any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or
the holders of the Securities, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce
the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this
Indenture or otherwise established with respect to the Securities, and no delay
or omission of the Trustee or of any holder of any of the Securities to exercise
any right or power accruing upon any Event of Default occurring and continuing
as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or shall be construed to be a
waiver of any such default or an acquiescence therein; and, subject to the
provisions of Section 5.04,
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every power and remedy given by this Article V or by law to the Trustee or to
the Securityholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be
deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Securityholders.
SECTION 5.07. Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by
Majority of Securityholders.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Securities at the time outstanding shall have the right to direct the time,
method, and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee; provided,
however, that (subject to the provisions of Section 6.01) the Trustee shall have
the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee shall determine
that the action so directed would be unjustly prejudicial to the holders not
taking part in such direction or if the Trustee being advised by counsel
determines that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken
or if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or trustees, executive
committee, or a trust committee of directors or trustees and/or Responsible
Officers shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would
involve the Trustee in personal liability. Prior to any declaration accelerating
the maturity of the Securities, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities at the time outstanding may on behalf of the holders of
all of the Securities waive any past default or Event of Default and its
consequences except a default (a) in the payment of principal of or premium, if
any, or interest on any of the Securities or (b) in respect of covenants or
provisions hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the
holder of each Security affected; provided, however, that if the Securities are
held by the Property Trustee, such waiver or modification to such waiver shall
not be effective until the holders of a majority in aggregate liquidation amount
of Trust Securities shall have consented to such waiver or modification to such
waiver; provided further, that if the consent of the holder of each outstanding
Security is required, such waiver shall not be effective until each holder of
the Trust Securities shall have consented to such waiver. Upon any such waiver,
the default covered thereby shall be deemed to be cured for all purposes of this
Indenture and the Company, the Trustee and the holders of the Securities shall
be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no
such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right
consequent thereon. Whenever any default or Event of Default hereunder shall
have been waived as permitted by this Section 5.07, said default or Event of
Default shall for all purposes of the Securities and this
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Indenture be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing.
SECTION 5.08. Notice of Defaults.
The Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default
with respect to the Securities known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee,
mail to all Securityholders, as the names and addresses of such holders appear
upon the Security register, notice of all defaults known to a Responsible
Officer of the Trustee, unless such defaults shall have been cured before the
giving of such notice (the term "defaults" for the purpose of this Section 5.08
being hereby defined to be the events specified in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d)
and (e) of Section 5.01, not including periods of grace, if any, provided for
therein, and irrespective of the giving of written notice specified in clause
(c) of Section 5.01); and provided that, except in the case of default in the
payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any of the
Securities, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so
long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of
directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines
that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Securityholders;
and provided further, that in the case of any default of the character specified
in Section 5.01(c) no such notice to Securityholders shall be given until at
least 60 days after the occurrence thereof but shall be given within 90 days
after such occurrence.
SECTION 5.09. Undertaking to Pay Costs.
All parties to this Indenture agree, and each holder of any Security
by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in
its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy
under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or
omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an
undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its
discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys' fees and
expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the
merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but
the provisions of this Section 5.09 shall not apply to any suit instituted by
the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Securityholder, or group of
Securityholders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities outstanding, or to any suit instituted by any
Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or
premium, if any) or interest on any Security against the Company on
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or after the date the same shall have become due and payable.
ARTICLE VI.
CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE
SECTION 6.01. Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee.
With respect to the holders of the Securities issued hereunder, the
Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the curing or
waiving of all Events of Default which may have occurred, undertakes to perform
such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this
Indenture. In case an Event of Default has occurred (which has not been cured or
waived) the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by
this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as
a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of
his own affairs.
No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the
Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure
to act or its own willful misconduct, except that
(a) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default and after the
curing or waiving of all Events of Default which may have
occurred
(1) the duties and obligations of the Trustee shall be
determined solely by the express provisions of this
Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable except
for the performance of such duties and obligations as
are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no
implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this
Indenture against the Trustee; and
(2) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee,
the 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 Trustee and conforming to the
requirements of this Indenture; but, in the case of any
such certificates or opinions that by any provision
hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the
Trustee, the Trustee
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shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine
whether or not they conform to the requirements of this
Indenture;
(b) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made
in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Officers of the
Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was
negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(c) the 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 Securityholders pursuant
to Section 5.07, relating to the time, method and place of
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Trustee, under this Indenture.
None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the
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 there is reasonable ground for believing that the
repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the
terms of this Indenture and that adequate indemnity against such risk is not
reasonably assured to it.
SECTION 6.02. Reliance on Documents, Opinions, etc.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.01:
(a) the Trustee may rely, in the absence of bad faith,
conclusively and shall be protected in acting or refraining
from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order,
bond, note, debenture or other paper or document believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the
proper party or parties;
(b) any request, direction, order or demand of the Company
mentioned herein may be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers'
Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be
herein specifically prescribed); and any Board Resolution may
be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by
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the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company;
(c) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and any
advice or Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken or
omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with
such advice or Opinion of Counsel;
(d) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of
the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the
request, order or direction of any of the Securityholders,
pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such
Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable
security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and
liabilities which may be incurred therein or thereby;
(e) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or
omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be
authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers
conferred upon it by this Indenture; nothing contained herein
shall, however, relieve the Trustee of the obligation, upon
the occurrence of an Event of Default (that has not been cured
or waived), to exercise such of the rights and powers vested
in it by this Indenture, and to use the same degree of care
and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise
or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own
affairs;
(f) the 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,
consent, order, approval, bond, debenture, coupon or other
paper or document, unless requested in writing to do so by the
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
outstanding Securities; provided, however, that if the payment
within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses
or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of
such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not
reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to
it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may
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require reasonable indemnity against such expense or liability
as a condition to so proceeding; and
(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder
or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or
through agents (including any Authenticating Agent) or
attorneys, and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any
misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent or
attorney appointed by it with due care.
SECTION 6.03. No Responsibility for Recitals, etc.
The recitals contained herein and in the Securities (except in the
certificate of authentication of the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent) shall
be taken as the statements of the Company and the Trustee and the Authenticating
Agent assume no responsibility for the correctness of the same. The Trustee and
the Authenticating Agent make no representations as to the validity or
sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee and the
Authenticating Agent shall not be accountable for the use or application by the
Company of any Securities or the proceeds of any Securities authenticated and
delivered by the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent in conformity with the
provisions of this Indenture.
SECTION 6.04. Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agents, Transfer
Agents or Registrar May Own Securities.
The Trustee or any Authenticating Agent or any paying agent or any
transfer agent or any Security registrar, in its individual or any other
capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities with the same rights it
would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, paying agent, transfer
agent or Security registrar.
SECTION 6.05. Moneys to be Held in Trust.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 11.03 and 11.04, all moneys
received by the Trustee or any paying agent shall, until used or applied as
herein provided, be held in trust for the purpose for which they were received,
but need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by
law. The Trustee and any paying agent shall be under no liability for interest
on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with
the Company. So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing, all interest allowed on any such moneys shall be paid from time to
time upon the
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written order of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board of Directors,
the President or a Vice President or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer of
the Company.
SECTION 6.06. Compensation and Expenses of Trustee.
The Company, as issuer of the Securities, covenants and agrees to
pay to the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such
compensation as shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the
Trustee (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the
compensation of a trustee of an express trust), and the Company will pay or
reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses,
disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with
any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation
and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all Persons not
regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may
arise from its negligence or bad faith. The Company also covenants to indemnify
each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (and its officers, agents,
directors and employees) for, and to hold each of them harmless against, any and
all loss, damage, claim, liability or expense including taxes (other than taxes
based on the income of the Trustee) incurred without negligence or bad faith on
the part of the Trustee and arising out of or in connection with the acceptance
or administration of this trust, including the costs and expenses of defending
itself against any claim of liability in the premises. The obligations of the
Company under this Section 6.06 shall constitute additional indebtedness
hereunder. Such additional indebtedness shall be secured by a lien prior to that
of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee
as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the holders of particular
Securities.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection
with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(d) or Section 5.01(e), the
expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the
compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of
administration under any applicable federal or state Bankruptcy Law.
The provisions of this Section shall survive the resignation or
removal of the Trustee and the defeasance or other termination of this
Indenture.
SECTION 6.07. Officers' Certificate as Evidence.
Except as otherwise provided in Sections 6.01 and 6.02, whenever in
the administration of the provisions of
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this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be
proved or established prior to taking or omitting any action hereunder, such
matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the
Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officers'
Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such certificate, in the absence of
negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the
Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it under the provisions of this
Indenture upon the faith thereof.
SECTION 6.08. Conflicting Interest of Trustee.
If the Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting interest"
within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee and
the Company shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b)
of the Trust Indenture Act.
The Declaration and the Guarantees shall be deemed to be
specifically described in the Indenture.
SECTION 6.09. Eligibility of Trustee.
The Trustee hereunder shall at all times 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 other
Person permitted to act as trustee by the Commission 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 aforesaid supervising or examining
authority, then for the purposes of this Section 6.09 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.
The Company may not, nor may any Person directly or indirectly
controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Company, serve as
Trustee.
In case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in
accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.09, the Trustee shall resign
immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section 6.10.
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SECTION 6.10. Resignation or Removal of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee, or any trustee or trustees hereafter appointed,
may at any time resign by giving written notice of such
resignation to the Company and by mailing notice thereof to
the holders of the Securities at their addresses as they shall
appear on the Security register. Upon receiving such notice of
resignation, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor
trustee or trustees by written instrument, in duplicate, one
copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning
Trustee and one copy to the successor trustee. If no successor
trustee shall have been so appointed and have accepted
appointment within 60 days after the mailing of such notice of
resignation to the affected Securityholders, the resigning
Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for
the appointment of a successor trustee, or any Securityholder
who has been a bona fide holder of a Security for at least six
months may, subject to the provisions of Section 5.09, on
behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition
any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee.
Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may
deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.
(b) In case at any time any of the following shall occur:
(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of
Section 6.08 after written request therefor by the
Company or by any Securityholder who has been a bona
fide holder of a Security or Securities for at least six
months, or
(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance
with the provisions of Section 6.09 and shall fail to
resign after written request therefor by the Company or
by any such Securityholder, or
(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting, or shall
be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver of
the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed, or
any public officer shall
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take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property
or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation,
conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case, the Company may remove the Trustee and
appoint a successor trustee by written instrument, in
duplicate, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to
the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee,
or, subject to the provisions of Section 5.09, any
Securityholder who has been a bona fide holder of a Security
for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all
others similarly situated, petition any court of competent
jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the
appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon,
after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and
prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.
(c) The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the
Securities at the time outstanding may at any time remove the
Trustee and nominate a successor trustee, which shall be
deemed appointed as successor trustee unless within 10 days
after such nomination the Company objects thereto or if no
successor trustee shall have been so appointed and shall have
accepted appointment within 30 days after such removal, in
which case the Trustee so removed or any Securityholder, upon
the terms and conditions and otherwise as in subsection (a) of
this Section 6.10 provided, may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for an appointment of a successor
trustee.
(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a
successor trustee pursuant to any of the provisions of this
Section 6.10 shall become effective upon acceptance of
appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section
6.11.
SECTION 6.11. Acceptance by Successor Trustee.
Any successor trustee appointed as provided in Section 6.10 shall
execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to its predecessor trustee
an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon the
resignation or removal of the retiring trustee shall become
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effective and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or
conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, duties and
obligations of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally
named as trustee herein; but, nevertheless, on the written request of the
Company or of the successor trustee, the trustee ceasing to act shall, upon
payment of any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.06,
execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all the
rights and powers of the trustee so ceasing to act and shall duly assign,
transfer and deliver to such successor trustee all property and money held by
such retiring trustee thereunder. Upon request of any such successor trustee,
the Company shall execute any and all instruments in writing for more fully and
certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor trustee all such rights
and powers. Any trustee ceasing to act shall, nevertheless, retain a lien upon
all property or funds held or collected by such trustee to secure any amounts
then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.06.
No successor trustee shall accept appointment as provided in this
Section 6.11 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall
be qualified under the provisions of Section 6.08 and eligible under the
provisions of Section 6.09.
Upon acceptance of appointment by a successor trustee as provided in
this Section 6.11, the Company shall mail notice of the succession of such
trustee hereunder to the holders of Securities at their addresses as they shall
appear on the Security register. If the Company fails to mail such notice within
10 days after the acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the
successor trustee shall cause such notice to be mailed at the expense of the
Company.
SECTION 6.12. Succession by Merger, etc.
Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or
with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger,
conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any
corporation succeeding to all or substantially all of the corporate trust
business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder without
the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of
the parties hereto.
In case at the time such successor to the Trustee shall succeed to
the trusts created by this Indenture any Securities shall have been
authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the
certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver
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such Securities so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Securities
shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate
such Securities either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name
of the successor trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the
full force which the Securities or this Indenture elsewhere provides that the
certificate of the Trustee shall have; provided, however, that the right to
adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor Trustee or
authenticate Securities in the name of any predecessor Trustee shall apply only
to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.
SECTION 6.13. Limitation on Rights of Trustee as a Creditor.
The Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture
Act, excluding any creditor relationship described in Section 311(b) of the
Trust Indenture Act. A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject
to Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act to the extent included therein.
SECTION 6.14. Authenticating Agents.
There may be one or more Authenticating Agents appointed by the
Trustee upon the request of the Company with power to act on its behalf and
subject to its direction in the authentication and delivery of Securities issued
upon exchange or registration of transfer thereof as fully to all intents and
purposes as though any such Authenticating Agent had been expressly authorized
to authenticate and deliver Securities; provided, that the Trustee shall have no
liability to the Company for any acts or omissions of the Authenticating Agent
with respect to the authentication and delivery of Securities. Any such
Authenticating Agent shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing
business under the laws of the United States or of any state or territory
thereof or of the District of Columbia authorized under such laws to act as
Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of at least
$50,000,000 and being 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 the requirements of
such authority, then for the purposes of this Section 6.14 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. If at
any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with
the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and
with the effect herein specified in this Section.
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Any corporation into which any Authenticating Agent may be merged or
converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting
from any merger, consolidation or conversion to which any Authenticating Agent
shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business
of any Authenticating Agent, shall be the successor of such Authenticating Agent
hereunder, if such successor corporation is otherwise eligible under this
Section 6.14 without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on
the part of the parties hereto or such Authenticating Agent.
Any Authenticating Agent may at any time resign by giving written
notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any
time terminate the agency of any Authenticating Agent by giving written notice
of termination to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving
such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time
any Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible under this Section 6.14, the
Trustee may, and upon the request of the Company shall, promptly appoint a
successor Authenticating Agent eligible under this Section 6.14, shall give
written notice of such appointment to the Company and shall mail notice of such
appointment to all Securityholders as the names and addresses of such holders
appear on the Security Register. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon
acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all rights,
powers, duties and responsibilities of its predecessor hereunder, with like
effect as if originally named as Authenticating Agent herein.
The Company, as borrower, agrees to pay to any Authenticating Agent
from time to time reasonable compensation for its services. Any Authenticating
Agent shall have no responsibility or liability for any action taken by it as
such in accordance with the directions of the Trustee.
ARTICLE VII.
CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS
SECTION 7.01. Action by Securityholders.
Whenever in this Indenture it is provided that the holders of a
specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities may take
any action (including the making of any demand or request, the giving of any
notice, consent or waiver or the taking of any other action) the fact that at
the time of taking any such action the holders of such specified percentage have
joined therein may be evidenced (a) by any instrument or any number of
instruments of similar tenor executed by such Securityholders in person or by
agent or proxy appointed in writing, or (b) by the
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record of such holders of Securities voting in favor thereof at any meeting of
such Securityholders duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of
Article VIII, or (c) by a combination of such instrument or instruments and any
such record of such a meeting of such Securityholders.
If the Company shall solicit from the Securityholders any request,
demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, the
Company may, at its option, as evidenced by an Officers' Certificate, fix in
advance a record date for the determination of Securityholders entitled to give
such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other
action, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. If such a record date
is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent,
waiver or other action may be given before or after the record date, but only
the Securityholders of record at the close of business on the record date shall
be deemed to be Securityholders for the purposes of determining whether
Securityholders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have
authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization,
direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, and for that purpose the
Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of the record date; provided,
however, that no such authorization, agreement or consent by such
Securityholders on the record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall
become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six
months after the record date.
SECTION 7.02. Proof of Execution by Securityholders.
Subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 8.05, proof of
the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or his agent or proxy shall
be sufficient if made in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations
as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as shall be satisfactory
to the Trustee. The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security
Register or by a certificate of the Security registrar. The Trustee may require
such additional proof of any matter referred to in this Section as it shall deem
necessary.
The record of any Securityholders' meeting shall be proved in the
manner provided in Section 8.06.
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SECTION 7.03. Who Are Deemed Absolute Owners.
Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of any
Security, the Company, the Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any paying agent,
any transfer agent and any Security registrar may deem the Person in whose name
such Security shall be registered upon the Security Register to be, and may
treat him as, the absolute owner of such Security (whether or not such Security
shall be overdue) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the
principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Security and for all
other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Authenticating
Agent nor any paying agent nor any transfer agent nor any Security registrar
shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to
any holder for the time being or upon his order shall be valid, and, to the
extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the
liability for moneys payable upon any such Security.
SECTION 7.04. Securities Owned by Company Deemed Not Outstanding.
In determining whether the holders of the requisite aggregate
principal amount of Securities have concurred in any direction, consent or
waiver under this Indenture, Securities which are owned by the Company or any
other obligor on the Securities or by any Person directly or indirectly
controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the
Company, except for the Securities owned by or on behalf of Executive Risk
Capital Trust, or any other obligor on the Securities shall be disregarded and
deemed not to be outstanding for the purpose of any such determination; provided
that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in
relying on any such direction, consent or waiver, only Securities which a
Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so
disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be
regarded as outstanding for the purposes of this Section 7.04 if the pledgee
shall establish to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee's right to vote
such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any such other
obligor or Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under
direct or indirect common control with the Company or any such other obligor. In
the case of a dispute as to such right, any decision by the Trustee taken upon
the advice of counsel shall be full protection to the Trustee.
SECTION 7.05. Revocation of Consents; Future Holders Bound.
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At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee,
as provided in Section 7.01, of the taking of any action by the holders of the
percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities specified in this
Indenture in connection with such action, any holder of a Security (or any
Security issued in whole or in part in exchange or substitution therefor) the
serial number of which is shown by the evidence to be included in the Securities
the holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice
with the Trustee at its principal office and upon proof of holding as provided
in Section 7.02, revoke such action so far as concerns such Security (or so far
as concerns the principal amount represented by any exchanged or substituted
Security). Except as aforesaid, any such action taken by the holder of any
Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such holder and upon all future
holders and owners of such Security, and of any Security issued in exchange or
substitution therefor, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard
thereto is made upon such Security or any Security issued in exchange or
substitution therefor.
ARTICLE VIII.
SECURITYHOLDERS' MEETINGS
SECTION 8.01. Purposes of Meetings
A meeting of Securityholders may be called at any time and from time
to time pursuant to the provisions of this Article VIII for any of the following
purposes:
(a) to give any notice to the Company or to the Trustee, or to
give any directions to the Trustee, or to consent to the
waiving of any Default hereunder and its consequences, or to
take any other action authorized to be taken by
Securityholders pursuant to any of the provisions of Article
V;
(b) to remove the Trustee and nominate a successor trustee
pursuant to the provisions of Article VI;
(c) to consent to the execution of an indenture or indentures
supplemental hereto pursuant to the provisions of Section
9.02; or
(d) to take any other action authorized to be taken by or on
behalf of the holders of any specified aggregate principal
amount of such Securities under any other provision of this
Indenture or under applicable law.
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SECTION 8.02. Call of Meetings by Trustee.
The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Securityholders to
take any action specified in Section 8.01, to be held at such time and at such
place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, as the Trustee shall
determine. Notice of every meeting of the Securityholders, setting forth the
time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to
be taken at such meeting, shall be mailed to holders of Securities at their
addresses as they shall appear on the Securities Register. Such notice shall be
mailed not less than 20 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the
meeting.
SECTION 8.03. Call of Meetings by Company or Securityholders.
In case at any time the Company pursuant to a resolution of the
Board of Directors, or the holders of at least 10% in aggregate principal amount
of the Securities then outstanding, shall have requested the Trustee to call a
meeting of Securityholders, by written request setting forth in reasonable
detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not
have mailed the notice of such meeting within 20 days after receipt of such
request, then the Company or such Securityholders may determine the time and the
place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, for such meeting and
may call such meeting to take any action authorized in Section 8.01, by mailing
notice thereof as provided in Section 8.02.
SECTION 8.04. Qualifications for Voting.
To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Securityholders a Person
shall be (a) a holder of one or more Securities or (b) a Person appointed by an
instrument in writing as proxy by a holder of one or more Securities. The only
Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of
Securityholders shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their
counsel and any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any
representatives of the Company and its counsel.
SECTION 8.05. Regulations.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee
may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of
Securityholders, in regard to proof of the holding of Securities and of the
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appointment of proxies, and in regard to the appointment and duties of
inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and
other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the
conduct of the meeting as it shall think fit.
The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary
chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the
Company or by Securityholders as provided in Section 8.03, in which case the
Company or the Securityholders calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in
like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent
secretary of the meeting shall be elected by majority vote of the meeting.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.04, at any meeting each
holder of Securities or proxy therefor shall be entitled to one vote for each
$1,000 principal amount of Securities held or represented by him; provided,
however, that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any
Security challenged as not outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting
to be not outstanding. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote
other than by virtue of Securities held by him or instruments in writing as
aforesaid duly designating him as the person to vote on behalf of other
Securityholders. Any meeting of Securityholders duly called pursuant to the
provisions of Section 8.02 or 8.03 may be adjourned from time to time by a
majority of those present, whether or not constituting a Quorum, and the meeting
may be held as so adjourned without further notice.
SECTION 8.06. Voting.
The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of holders of
Securities shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the
signatures of such holders or of their representatives by proxy and the serial
number or numbers of the Securities held or represented by them. The permanent
chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count
all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make
and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in
triplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record in duplicate of the
proceedings of each meeting of Securityholders shall be prepared by the
secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original
reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and
affidavits by one or
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more persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of
the meeting and showing that said notice was mailed as provided in Section 8.02.
The record shall show the serial numbers of the Securities voting in favor of or
against any resolution. The record shall be signed and verified by the
affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one of the
duplicates shall be delivered to the Company and the other to the Trustee to be
preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted
at the meeting. The holders of the Series A Securities and the Series B
Securities shall vote for all purposes as a single class.
Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of
the matters therein stated.
ARTICLE IX.
AMENDMENTS
SECTION 9.01. Without Consent of Securityholders.
The Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee
may from time to time and at any time amend this Indenture, without the consent
of the Securityholders, for one or more of the following purposes:
(a) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the
Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by the
successor corporation of the covenants, agreements and
obligations of the Company pursuant to Article X hereof;
(b) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants,
restrictions or conditions for the protection of the
Securityholders as the Board of Directors and the Trustee
shall consider to be for the protection of the
Securityholders, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence
and continuance, of a default in any of such additional
covenants, restrictions or conditions a Default or an Event of
Default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the
remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth;
provided, however, that in respect of any such additional
covenant, restriction or condition such amendment may provide
for a particular period of grace after default (which period
may be shorter or longer than that allowed in
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the case of other Defaults) or may provide for an immediate
enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies
available to the Trustee upon such default;
(c) to provide for the issuance under this Indenture of Securities
in coupon form (including Securities registrable as to
principal only) and to provide for exchangeability of such
Securities with the Securities issued hereunder in fully
registered form and to make all appropriate changes for such
purpose;
(d) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any
provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture
which may be defective or inconsistent with any other
provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture,
or to make such other provisions in regard to matters or
questions arising under this Indenture; provided that any such
action shall not materially adversely affect the interests of
the holders of the Securities;
(e) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment
hereunder by a successor trustee with respect to the
Securities;
(f) to make provision for transfer procedures, certification,
book-entry provisions, the form of restricted securities
legends, if any, to be placed on Securities, and all other
matters required pursuant to Section 2.07 or otherwise
necessary, desirable or appropriate in connection with the
issuance of Securities to holders of Capital Securities in the
event of a distribution of Securities by Executive Risk
Capital Trust following a Dissolution Event;
(g) to qualify or maintain qualification of this Indenture under
the Trust Indenture Act of 1939; or
(h) to make any change that does not adversely affect the rights
of any Securityholder in any material respect.
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The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the
execution of any supplemental indenture to effect such amendment, to make any
further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained
and to accept the conveyance, transfer and assignment of any property
thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to, but may in its
discretion, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the
Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Any amendment to this Indenture authorized by the provisions of this
Section 9.01 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent
of the holders of any of the Securities at the time outstanding, notwithstanding
any of the provisions of Section 9.02.
SECTION 9.02. With Consent of Securityholders.
With the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 7.01) of the
holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the
time outstanding, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the
Trustee may from time to time and at any time amend this Indenture for the
purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any
of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of
the holders of the Securities; provided, however, that no such amendment shall
without the consent of the holders of each Security then outstanding and
affected thereby (i) extend the Maturity Date of any Security, or reduce the
rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon (except as contemplated
by Article XVI), or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce any amount
payable on prepayment thereof, or make the principal thereof or any interest or
premium thereon payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the
Securities, or impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute
suit for payment thereof, or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities
the holders of which are required to consent to any such amendment to this
Indenture, provided, however, that if the Securities are held by Executive Risk
Capital Trust, such amendment shall not be effective until the holders of a
majority in liquidation amount of Trust Securities shall have consented to such
amendment; provided, further, that if the consent of the holder of each
outstanding Security is required, such amendment shall not be effective until
each holder of the Trust Securities shall have consented to such amendment.
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Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a copy of a
resolution of the Board of Directors certified by its Secretary or Assistant
Secretary authorizing the execution of any supplemental indenture affecting such
amendment, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of
Securityholders as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the
execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture
affects the Trustee's own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or
otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be
obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture.
Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any
supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section , the Trustee
shall transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, a notice, prepared by the
Company, setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental
indenture, to the Securityholders as their names and addresses appear upon the
Security Register. Any failure of the Trustee to mail such notice, or any defect
therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any
such supplemental indenture.
It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Securityholders
under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed
supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve
the substance thereof.
SECTION 9.03. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act; Effect of
Supplemental Indentures.
Any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to the provisions of
this Article IX shall comply with the Trust Indenture Act. Upon the execution of
any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article IX, this
Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance
therewith and the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties
and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Company and the holders
of Securities shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder
subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments and all the terms
and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be
part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.
SECTION 9.04. Notation on Securities.
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Securities authenticated and delivered after the execution of any
supplemental indenture affecting such series pursuant to the provisions of this
Article IX may bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter
provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company or the Trustee shall
so determine, new Securities so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the
Trustee and the Board of Directors, to any modification of this Indenture
contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the
Company, authenticated by the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent and delivered
in exchange for the Securities then outstanding.
SECTION 9.05. Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to be
Furnished Trustee.
The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.02,
may receive an Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive
evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article is
authorized or permitted by, and conforms to, the terms of this Article and that
it is proper for the Trustee under the provisions of this Article to join in the
execution thereof.
ARTICLE X.
CONSOLIDATION, CONVERSION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND
LEASE
SECTION 10.01. Company May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms.
Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Securities
shall prevent any consolidation, conversion or merger of the Company with or
into any other Person (whether or not affiliated with the Company, as the case
may be), or successive consolidations, conversions or mergers in which the
Company or its successor or successors, as the case may be, shall be a party or
parties, or shall prevent any sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of the
property of the Company or its successor or successors, as the case may be, as
an entirety, or substantially as an entirety, to any other Person (whether or
not affiliated with the Company or its successor or successors, as the case may
be) authorized to acquire and operate the same; provided, that (a) the Company
is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving any such
consolidation, conversion or merger (if other than the Company) or to which such
sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of property is made is a Person organized
and existing under the laws of the United States or any
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State thereof or the District of Columbia, and (b) upon any such consolidation,
conversion, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease, the due and punctual
payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities
according to their tenor and the due and punctual performance and observance of
all the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be kept or performed by
the Company shall be expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture (which shall
conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as then in effect)
satisfactory in form to the Trustee, and executed and delivered to the Trustee
by the Person formed by such consolidation, conversion or into which the
Company, as the case may be, shall have been merged, converted or by the Person
which shall have acquired such property, as the case may be and (c) after giving
effect to such consolidation, conversion merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or
lease, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.
SECTION 10.02. Successor Corporation to be Substituted for Company.
In case of any such consolidation, conversion, merger, conveyance or
transfer and upon the assumption by the successor corporation, by supplemental
indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and satisfactory in form to the
Trustee, of the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if
any, and interest on all of the Securities and the due and punctual performance
and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be
performed or observed by the Company, such successor Person shall succeed to and
be substituted for the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named
herein as the party of the first part, and the Company thereupon shall be
relieved of any further liability or obligation hereunder or upon the
Securities. Such successor Person thereupon may cause to be signed, and may
issue either in its own name or in the name of Executive Risk Inc., any or all
of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been
signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent;
and, upon the order of such successor Person instead of the Company and subject
to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the
Trustee or the Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and deliver any
Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers
of the Company to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent for authentication,
and any Securities which such successor Person thereafter shall cause to be
signed and delivered to the Trustee or the Authenticating Agent for
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that purpose. All the Securities so issued shall in all respects have the same
legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or
thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all
of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.
SECTION 10.03. Opinion of Counsel to be Given Trustee.
The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.02,
may receive an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any consolidation,
merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease, and any assumption, permitted or
required by the terms of this Article X complies with the provisions of this
Article X.
ARTICLE XI.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
SECTION 11.01. Discharge of Indenture.
When (a) the Company shall deliver to the Trustee for cancellation
all Securities theretofore authenticated (other than any Securities which shall
have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been prepaid, paid or
replaced as provided in Section 2.08) and not theretofore cancelled, or (b) all
the Securities not theretofore cancelled or delivered to the Trustee for
cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become
due and payable within one year or are to be called for prepayment within one
year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of
prepayment, and the Company shall deposit or cause to be deposited with the
Trustee, in trust, funds sufficient to pay on the Maturity Date or upon
prepayment all of the Securities (other than any Securities which shall have
been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been prepaid, replaced or
paid as provided in Section 2.08) not theretofore cancelled or delivered to the
Trustee for cancellation, including principal (and premium, if any) and interest
due or to become due to the Maturity Date or prepayment date, as the case may
be, but excluding, however, the amount of any moneys for the payment of
principal of or premium, if any or interest on the Securities (1) theretofore
repaid to the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.04, or (2)
paid to any State or to the District of Columbia pursuant to its unclaimed
property or similar laws, and if in either case the Company shall also pay or
cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company, then
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this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect except for the provisions of
Sections 2.02, 2.07, 2.08, 3.01, 3.02, 3.04, 6.06, 6.10 and 11.04 hereof, which
shall survive until such Securities shall mature and be paid. Thereafter,
Sections 6.06, 6.10 and 11.04 shall survive, and the Trustee, on demand of the
Company accompanied by any Officers' Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to
the effect that all conditions to the satisfaction and discharge of this
Indenture have been satisfied and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall
execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction of and discharging this
Indenture, the Company, however, hereby agreeing to reimburse the Trustee for
any costs or expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred by the Trustee
in connection with this Indenture or the Securities.
SECTION 11.02. Deposited Moneys and U.S. Government Obligations to
be Held in Trust by Trustee.
Subject to the provisions of Section 11.04, all moneys and U.S.
Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Sections 11.01 or
11.05 shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either directly
or through any paying agent (including the Company if acting as its own paying
agent), to the holders of the particular Securities for the payment of which
such moneys or U.S. Government Obligations have been deposited with the Trustee,
of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal, premium, if any, and
interest.
The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee
or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations
deposited pursuant to Section 11.05 or the principal and interest received in
respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for
the account of the holders of outstanding Securities.
The indemnity provided for in this Section 11.02 shall survive the
satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or
removal of the Trustee.
SECTION 11.03. Paying Agent to Repay Moneys Held.
Upon the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture all moneys
then held by any paying agent of the Securities (other than the Trustee) shall,
upon written demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the
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Trustee, and thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further
liability with respect to such moneys.
SECTION 11.04. Return of Unclaimed Moneys.
Any moneys deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any paying agent
for payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on Securities
and not applied but remaining unclaimed by the holders of Securities for two
years after the date upon which the principal of or premium, if any, or interest
on such Securities, as the case may be, shall have become due and payable, shall
be repaid to the Company by the Trustee or such paying agent on written demand;
and the holder of any of the Securities shall thereafter look only to the
Company for any payment which such holder may be entitled to collect and all
liability of the Trustee or such paying agent with respect to such moneys shall
thereupon cease.
SECTION 11.05. Defeasance Upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government
Obligations.
The Company shall be deemed to have been Discharged (as defined
below) from its obligations with respect to the Securities on the 91st day after
the applicable conditions set forth below have been satisfied with respect to
the Securities at any time after the applicable conditions set forth below have
been satisfied:
(1) the Company shall have deposited or caused to be deposited
irrevocably with the Trustee or the Defeasance Agent (as
defined below) as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged
as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the
holders of the Securities (i) money in an amount, or (ii) U.S.
Government Obligations which through the payment of interest
and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their
terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date
of any payment, money in an amount, or (iii) a combination of
(i) and (ii), sufficient, in the opinion (with respect to (ii)
and (iii)) of a nationally recognized firm of independent
public accountants expressed in a written certification
thereof delivered to the Trustee and the Defeasance Agent, if
any, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and
interest and premium, if any, on the outstanding Securities on
the
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dates such installments of principal, premium or interest are
due;
(2) if the Securities are then listed on any national
securities exchange, the Company shall have delivered to the
Trustee and the Defeasance Agent, if any, an Opinion of
Counsel to the effect that the exercise of the option under
this Section 11.05 would not cause such Securities to be
delisted from such exchange;
(3) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the
Securities shall have occurred and be continuing on the date
of such deposit; and
(4) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee and the
Defeasance Agent, if any, an Opinion of Counsel to the effect
that holders of the Securities will not recognize income, gain
or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a
result of the exercise of the option under this Section 11.05
and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the
same amount and in the same manner and at the same times as
would have been the case if such option had not been
exercised, and such opinion shall be accompanied by a private
letter ruling to that effect received from the United States
Internal Revenue Service or a revenue ruling pertaining to a
comparable form of transaction to that effect published by the
United States Internal Revenue Service; and
(5) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee and the
Defeasance Agent, if any, an Officers' Certificate and an
Opinion of Counsel each stating that all conditions precedent
herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge
of this Indenture have been complied with.
"Discharged" means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and
discharged the entire indebtedness represented by, and obligations under, the
Securities and to have satisfied all the obligations under this Indenture
relating to the Securities (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company,
shall execute proper instruments
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acknowledging the same), except (A) the rights of holders of Securities to
receive, from the trust fund described in clause (1) above, payment of the
principal of and the interest and premium, if any, on the Securities when such
payments are due; (B) the Company's obligations with respect to the Securities
under Sections 2.07, 2.08, 5.02 and 11.04; and (C) the rights, powers, trusts,
duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder.
"Defeasance Agent" means another financial institution which is
eligible to act as Trustee hereunder and which assumes all of the obligations of
the Trustee necessary to enable the Trustee to act hereunder. In the event such
a Defeasance Agent is appointed pursuant to this Section, the following
conditions shall apply:
(1) The Trustee shall have approval rights over the document
appointing such Defeasance Agent and the document setting
forth such Defeasance Agent's rights and responsibilities; and
(2) The Defeasance Agent shall provide verification to the Trustee
acknowledging receipt of sufficient money and/or U.S.
Government Obligations to meet the applicable conditions set
forth in this Section 11.05.
SECTION 11.06. Reinstatement.
If the Trustee or any Defeasance Agent is unable to apply any money
in accordance with Section 11.05 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason
of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining,
restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company's obligations
under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and reinstated as
though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 11.05 until such time as the
Trustee or any Defeasance Agent is permitted to apply all such money in
accordance with Section 11.05.
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ARTICLE XII
IMMUNITY OF INCORPORATORS, STOCKHOLDERS,
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
SECTION 12.01. Indenture and Securities Solely Corporate
Obligations.
No recourse for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any,
or interest on any Security, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in
respect thereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or
agreement of the Company in this Indenture, or in any Security, or because of
the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any
incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or
future, of the Company or of any successor Person to the Company, either
directly or through the Company or any successor Person to the Company, whether
by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of
any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all
such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as
a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issue of the
Securities.
ARTICLE XIII.
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
SECTION 13.01. Successors.
All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this
Indenture contained by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns whether
so expressed or not.
SECTION 13.02. Official Acts by Successor Corporation.
Any act or proceeding by any provision of this Indenture authorized
or required to be done or performed by any board, committee or officer of the
Company shall and may be done and performed with like force and effect by the
like board, committee or officer of any corporation that shall at the time be
the lawful sole successor of the Company.
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SECTION 13.03. Surrender of Company Powers.
The Company by instrument in writing executed by authority of 2/3
(two-thirds) of its Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee may
surrender any of the powers reserved to the Company, and thereupon such power so
surrendered shall terminate both as to the Company, as the case may be, and as
to any successor Person.
SECTION 13.04. Addresses for Notices, etc.
Any notice or demand which by any provision of this Indenture is
required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the holders of
Securities on the Company may be given or served by being deposited postage
prepaid by registered or certified mail in a post office letter box addressed
(until another address is filed by the Company with the Trustee for the purpose)
to the Company, 82 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 06070-7683, Attention: Chief
Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer with a copy to James A.
FitzPatrick, Dewey Ballantine, 1301 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York
10019. Any notice, direction request or demand by any Securityholder to or upon
the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all
purposes, if given or made in writing at the office of the Trustee, 450 West
33rd Street, 15th Floor, New York, New York 10001, Attention: Global Trust
Services (unless another address is provided by the Trustee to the Company for
the purpose). All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received
in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, and 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.
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SECTION 13.05. Governing Law.
This Indenture and each Security shall be deemed to be a contract
made under the laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of said State, without
regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.
SECTION 13.06. Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.
Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take
any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall
furnish to the Trustee an Officers' Certificate stating that in the opinion of
the signers all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture
relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of
Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions
precedent have been complied with.
Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and
delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Indenture shall include (1) a statement that the person
making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition; (2) a
brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation
upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion
are based; (3) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such
examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an
informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been
complied with; and (4) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such
person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
SECTION 13.07. Business Days.
In any case where the date of payment of principal of or premium, if
any, or interest on the Securities will not be a Business Day, the payment of
such principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities need not be
made on such date but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day (and
without any interest or other payment in respect of any such delay), with the
same force and effect as if made on the date of payment and no interest shall
accrue for the period from and after such date.
SECTION 13.08. Trust Indenture Act to Control.
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If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits,
qualifies or conflicts with another provision included in this Indenture which
is required to be included in this Indenture by any of Sections 310 to 317,
inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, such required provision shall
control.
SECTION 13.09. Table of Contents, Headings, etc.
The table of contents and the titles and headings of the articles
and sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference
only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or
restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
SECTION 13.10. Execution in Counterparts.
This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each
of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute
but one and the same instrument.
SECTION 13.11. Separability.
In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this
Indenture or in the Securities shall for any reason be held to be invalid,
illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions of this Indenture or of
the Securities, but this Indenture and the Securities shall be construed as if
such invalid or illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained
herein or therein.
SECTION 13.12. Assignment.
The Company will have the right at all times to assign any of its
respective rights or obligations under this Indenture to a direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of the Company, provided that, in the event of any such
assignment, the Company, as the case may be, will remain liable for all such
obligations. Subject to the foregoing, the Indenture is binding upon and inures
to the benefit of the parties thereto and their respective successors and
assigns. This Indenture may not otherwise be assigned by the parties hereto.
SECTION 13.13. Acknowledgement of Rights.
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The Company acknowledges that, with respect to any Securities held
by Executive Risk Capital Trust or a trustee of such trust, if the Property
Trustee of such Trust fails to enforce its rights under this Indenture as the
holder of the Securities held as the assets of Executive Risk Capital Trust any
holder of Capital Securities may institute legal proceedings directly against
the Company to enforce such Property Trustee's rights under this Indenture
without first instituting any legal proceedings against such Property Trustee or
any other Person or entity. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Event of
Default has occurred and is continuing and such event is attributable to the
failure of the Company to pay principal of or premium, if any, or interest on
the Securities when due, the Company acknowledges that a holder of Capital
Securities may directly institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment to
such holder of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the
Securities having a principal amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount
of the Capital Securities of such holder on or after the respective due date
specified in the Securities.
ARTICLE XIV.
PREPAYMENT OF SECURITIES
SECTION 14.01. Special Event Prepayment.
If a Special Event has occurred and is continuing, then the Company
shall have the right at any time prior to the Initial Optional Prepayment Date,
notwithstanding Section 14.02(a) but subject to Section 14.02(b), and upon not
(i) less than 45 days written notice to the Trustee and (ii) less than 30 days
nor more than 60 days written notice to the Securityholders, to prepay the
Securities, in whole (but not in part), at any time prior to the Initial
Optional Prepayment Date and within 90 days following the occurrence of such
Special Event, at the Special Event Prepayment Price. Following a Special Event,
the Company shall take such action as is necessary to promptly determine the
Special Event Prepayment Price, including without limitation the appointment by
the Company of a Quotation Agent. The Special Event Prepayment Price shall be
paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of such prepayment or
such earlier time as the Company determines, provided that the Company shall
deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay the Special Event
Prepayment Price by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date such Special
Event Prepayment Price is to be paid.
SECTION 14.02. Optional Prepayment by Company.
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(a) Subject to the provisions of this Article XIV, the Company shall
have the right to prepay the Securities, in whole or in part, from time to time,
on or after the Initial Optional Prepayment Date, at the optional prepayment
prices set forth below (expressed as percentages of principal), plus, in each
case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including Additional Sums and
Compounded Interest, if any) to the applicable date of prepayment (the "Optional
Prepayment Price" and, collectively with the Special Event Prepayment Price, the
"Prepayment Price") if prepaid during the 12-month period beginning February 1
of the years indicated below.
Year Percentage
---- ----------
2007..........................................104.338%
2008..........................................103.904%
2009..........................................103.470%
2010..........................................103.036%
2011..........................................102.603%
2012..........................................102.169%
2013..........................................101.735%
2014..........................................101.301%
2015..........................................100.868%
2016..........................................100.434%
2017 and thereafter...........................100.000%
If the Securities are only partially prepaid pursuant to this
Section 14.02, the Securities will be prepaid pro rata or by lot or by any other
method utilized by the Trustee; provided that if at the time of prepayment, the
Securities are registered as a Global Security, the Depositary shall determine
in accordance with its procedures the principal amount of Securities held by
each holder of a Security to be prepaid. The Optional Prepayment Price shall be
paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the date of such prepayment or
at such earlier time as the Company determines, provided that the Company shall
deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient to pay the Optional Prepayment
Price by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date such Optional Prepayment
Price is to be paid.
(b) Notwithstanding the first sentence of Section 14.02, upon the
entry of an order for dissolution of Executive Risk Capital Trust by a court of
competent jurisdiction, the Securities thereafter will be subject to optional
prepayment, in whole only, but not in part, on or after the Initial Optional
Prepayment Date, at the optional prepayment prices set forth in Section 14.02
and otherwise in accordance with this Article XIV.
SECTION 14.03. No Sinking Fund.
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The Securities are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.
SECTION 14.04. Notice of Prepayment; Selection of Securities.
In case the Company shall desire to exercise the right to prepay
all, or, as the case may be, any part of the Securities in accordance with their
terms, it shall fix a date for prepayment and shall mail a notice of such
prepayment at least 30 and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for
prepayment to the holders of Securities so to be prepaid as a whole or in part
at their last addresses as the same appear on the Security Register. Such
mailing shall be by first class mail. The notice if mailed in the manner herein
provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not
the holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by
mail or any defect in the notice to the holder of any Security designated for
prepayment as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the
proceedings for the prepayment of any other Security.
Each such notice of prepayment shall specify the CUSIP number of the
Securities to be prepaid, the date fixed for prepayment, the prepayment price at
which the Securities are to be prepaid (or the method by which such prepayment
price is to be calculated), the place or places of payment, that payment will be
made upon presentation and surrender of the Securities, that interest accrued to
the date fixed for prepayment will be paid as specified in said notice, and that
on and after said date interest thereon or on the portions thereof to be prepaid
will cease to accrue. If less than all the Securities are to be prepaid the
notice of prepayment shall specify the numbers of the Securities to be prepaid.
In case any Security is to be prepaid in part only, the notice of prepayment
shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be prepaid and shall
state that on and after the date fixed for prepayment, upon surrender of such
Security, a new Security or Securities in principal amount equal to the
unprepaid portion thereof will be issued.
Prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the prepayment date
specified in the notice of prepayment given as provided in this Section , the
Company will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more paying agents an
amount of money sufficient to prepay on the prepayment date all the Securities
so called for prepayment at the appropriate Prepayment Price, together with
accrued interest to the date fixed for prepayment.
The Company will give the Trustee notice not less than 45 days prior
to the prepayment date as to the aggregate
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principal amount of Securities to be prepaid and the Trustee shall select, in
such manner as in its sole discretion it shall deem appropriate and fair, the
Securities or portions thereof (in integral multiples of $1,000, except as
otherwise set forth in the applicable form of Security) to be prepaid.
SECTION 14.05. Payment of Securities Called for Prepayment.
If notice of prepayment has been given as provided in Section 14.04,
the Securities or portions of Securities with respect to which such notice has
been given shall become due and payable on the date and at the place or places
stated in such notice at the applicable Prepayment Price, together with interest
accrued to the date fixed for prepayment (subject to the rights of holders of
Securities on the close of business on a regular record date in respect of an
Interest Payment Date occurring on or prior to the prepayment date), and on and
after said date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such
Securities at the Prepayment Price, together with interest accrued to said date)
interest on the Securities or portions of Securities so called for prepayment
shall cease to accrue. On presentation and surrender of such Securities at a
place of payment specified in said notice, the said Securities or the specified
portions thereof shall be paid and prepaid by the Company at the applicable
Prepayment Price, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for
prepayment (subject to the rights of holders of Securities on the close of
business on a regular record date in respect of an Interest Payment Date
occurring on or prior to the prepayment date).
Upon presentation of any Security prepaid in part only, the Company
shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery
to the holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Security or
Securities of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the
unprepaid portion of the Security so presented.
SECTION 14.06. Conditional Right to Advance Maturity.
If a Tax Event occurs, then the Company will have the right (i) prior to
the termination of Executive Risk Capital Trust, to advance the Maturity Date of
the Securities to the minimum extent required in order to allow for the payments
of interest in respect of the Securities to continue to be tax deductible, but
not to a date earlier than twenty years from January 31, 1997, or (ii) to
terminate Executive Risk Capital Trust (if not previously terminated) and
advance the Maturity Date of the Securities to the minimum extent required in
order to allow for the payments of interest in respect of the Securities to
continue to be tax
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deductible. In either case, such Maturity Date shall be advanced only if, in the
written Opinion of Counsel experienced in such matters delivered to the Company,
after advancing the Maturity Date, interest paid on the Securities shall be
deductible for federal income tax purposes (the action referred to in either
clause (i) of (ii) above being referred to herein as a "Tax Event Maturity
Advancement").
If a Tax Event occurs and in the written Opinion of Counsel to the Company
experienced in such matters there would in all cases, after effecting a Tax
Event Maturity Advancement, be more than an insubstantial risk that an Adverse
Tax Consequence would continue to exist, a Special Event shall be deemed to have
occurred and the Securities shall then be subject to prepayment in accordance
with the provisions of Section 14.01. The circumstances under which the Company
has the right to prepay the Securities in connection with a Tax Event is
referred to herein as a "Conditional Tax Redemption Event".
ARTICLE XV.
SUBORDINATION OF SECURITIES
SECTION 15.01. Agreement to Subordinate.
The Company covenants and agrees, and each holder of Securities
issued hereunder likewise covenants and agrees, that the Securities shall be
issued subject to the provisions of this Article XV; and each holder of a
Security, whether upon original issue or upon transfer or assignment thereof,
accepts and agrees to be bound by such provisions.
The payment by the Company of the principal of and premium, if any,
and interest on all Securities issued hereunder shall, to the extent and in the
manner hereinafter set forth, be subordinated and junior in right of payment to
the prior payment in full of all amounts with respect to Senior Indebtedness,
whether outstanding at the date of this Indenture or thereafter incurred.
No provision of this Article XV shall prevent the occurrence of any
Default or Event of Default hereunder.
SECTION 15.02. Default on Senior Indebtedness.
In the event and during the continuation of any default by the
Company in the payment of principal, premium, interest or any other payment due
on any Senior Indebtedness, or in the event that the maturity of any Senior
Indebtedness has been accelerated
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because of a default, then, in either case, no payment shall be made by the
Company with respect to the principal (including prepayments) of or premium, if
any, or interest on the Securities.
In the event of the acceleration of the maturity of the Securities,
then no payment shall be made by the Company with respect to the principal
(including prepayments) of or premium, if any, or interest on the Securities
until the holders of all Senior Indebtedness outstanding at the time of such
acceleration shall receive payment in full of all amounts due in respect of such
Senior Indebtedness (including any amounts due upon acceleration).
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment shall
be received by the Trustee when such payment is prohibited by the preceding
paragraphs of this Section 15.02, such payment shall be held in trust for the
benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of Senior
Indebtedness or their respective representatives, or to the trustee or trustees
under any indenture pursuant to which any of such Senior Indebtedness may have
been issued, as their respective interests may appear, but only to the extent of
the amounts due in respect of such Senior Indebtedness and only to the extent
that the holders of the Senior Indebtedness (or their representative or
representatives or a trustee) notify the Trustee in writing, within 90 days of
such payment, of the amounts then due and owing on such Senior Indebtedness and
only the amounts specified in such notice to the Trustee shall be paid to the
holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
SECTION 15.03. Liquidation; Dissolution; Bankruptcy.
Upon any payment by the Company or distribution of assets of the
Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
creditors upon any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of
the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy, insolvency,
receivership or other proceedings, all amounts due upon all Senior Indebtedness
of the Company shall first be paid in full, or payment thereof provided for in
money in accordance with its terms, before any payment is made by the Company on
account of the principal (and premium, if any) or interest with respect to the
Securities; and upon any such dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or
reorganization, any payment by the Company, or distribution of assets of the
Company of any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities, to
which the Securityholders or the Trustee would be entitled to receive from the
Company, except for the provisions of this Article XV, shall be paid by the
Company or by any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy,
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liquidating trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution,
or by the Securityholders or by the Trustee under this Indenture if received by
them or it, directly to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company (pro
rata to such holders on the basis of the respective amounts of Senior
Indebtedness held by such holders, as calculated by the Company) or their
representative or representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any
indenture pursuant to which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness
may have been issued, as their respective interests may appear, to the extent
necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full, in money or money's worth,
after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to or for the
holders of such Senior Indebtedness, before any payment or distribution is made
to the Securityholders or to the Trustee.
In the event that, notwithstanding the foregoing, any payment or
distribution of assets of the Company of any kind or character, whether in cash,
property or securities, prohibited by the foregoing, shall be received by the
Trustee before all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, or provision is made for
such payment in money in accordance with its terms, such payment or distribution
shall be held in trust for the benefit of and shall be paid over or delivered to
the holders of such Senior Indebtedness or their representative or
representatives, or to the trustee or trustees under any indenture pursuant to
which any instruments evidencing such Senior Indebtedness may have been issued,
and their respective interests may appear, as calculated by the Company, for
application to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness remaining unpaid to the
extent necessary to pay such Senior Indebtedness in full in money in accordance
with its terms, after giving effect to any concurrent payment or distribution to
or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness.
For purposes of this Article XV, the words "cash, property or
securities" shall not be deemed to include shares of stock of the Company as
reorganized or readjusted, or securities of the Company or any other corporation
provided for by a plan of reorganization or readjustment, the payment of which
is subordinated at least to the extent provided in this Article XV with respect
to the Securities to the payment of Senior Indebtedness that may at the time be
outstanding, provided that (i) such Senior Indebtedness is assumed by the new
corporation, if any, resulting from any such reorganization or readjustment, and
(ii) the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness are not, without the
consent of such holders, altered by such reorganization or readjustment. The
consolidation of the Company with, or the merger of the Company into, another
Person or the liquidation or dissolution of the Company following the sale,
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conveyance, transfer or lease of its property as an entirety, or substantially
as an entirety, to another Person upon the terms and conditions provided for in
Article X of this Indenture shall not be deemed a dissolution, winding-up,
liquidation or reorganization for the purposes of this Section 15.03 if such
other Person shall, as a part of such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance,
transfer or lease, comply with the conditions stated in Article X of this
Indenture. Nothing in Section 15.02 or in this Section 15.03 shall apply to
claims of, or payments to, the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06 of this
Indenture.
SECTION 15.04. Subrogation.
Subject to the payment in full of all amounts due in respect of
Senior Indebtedness, the rights of the Securityholders shall be subrogated to
the rights of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness to receive payments or
distributions of cash, property or securities of the Company, as the case may
be, applicable to such Senior Indebtedness until the principal of (and premium,
if any) and interest on the Securities shall be paid in full; and, for the
purposes of such subrogation, no payments or distributions to the holders of
such Senior Indebtedness of any cash, property or securities to which the
Securityholders or the Trustee would be entitled except for the provisions of
this Article XV, and no payment over pursuant to the provisions of this Article
XV to or for the benefit of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness by
Securityholders or the Trustee, shall, as between the Company, its creditors
other than holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company, and the holders of the
Securities, be deemed to be a payment by the Company to or on account of such
Senior Indebtedness. It is understood that the provisions of this Article XV are
and are intended solely for the purposes of defining the relative rights of the
holders of the Securities, on the one hand, and the holders of such Senior
Indebtedness, on the other hand.
Nothing contained in this Article XV or elsewhere in this Indenture
or in the Securities is intended to or shall impair, as between the Company, its
creditors other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company, and the
holders of the Securities, the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and
unconditional, to pay to the holders of the Securities the principal of (and
premium, if any) and interest on the Securities as and when the same shall
become due and payable in accordance with their terms, or is intended to or
shall affect the relative rights of the holders of the Securities and creditors
of the Company, as the case may be, other than the holders of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, nor shall anything herein or
therein prevent the Trustee or the holder of
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any Security from exercising all remedies otherwise permitted by applicable law
upon default under this Indenture, subject to the rights, if any, under this
Article XV of the holders of such Senior Indebtedness in respect of cash,
property or securities of the Company, as the case may be, received upon the
exercise of any such remedy.
Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred
to in this Article XV, the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article VI of
this Indenture, and the Securityholders shall be entitled to conclusively rely
upon any order or decree made by any court of competent jurisdiction in which
such dissolution, winding-up, liquidation or reorganization proceedings are
pending, or a certificate of the receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, liquidation
trustee, agent or other Person making such payment or distribution, delivered to
the Trustee or to the Securityholders, for the purposes of ascertaining the
Persons entitled to participate in such distribution, the holders of Senior
Indebtedness and other indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be, the
amount thereof or payable thereon, the amount or amounts paid or distributed
thereon and all other facts pertinent thereto or to this Article XV.
SECTION 15.05. Trustee to Effectuate Subordination.
Each Securityholder by such Securityholder's acceptance thereof
authorizes and directs the Trustee on such Securityholder's behalf to take such
action as may be necessary or appropriate to effectuate the subordination
provided in this Article XV and appoints the Trustee such Securityholder's
attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes.
SECTION 15.06. Notice by the Company.
The Company shall give prompt written notice to a Responsible
Officer of the Trustee of any fact known to the Company that would prohibit the
making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in respect of the
Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article XV. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Article XV or any other provision of this Indenture, the
Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of the existence of any facts that
would prohibit the making of any payment of monies to or by the Trustee in
respect of the Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Article XV, unless
and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have received written
notice thereof from the Company or a holder or holders of Senior Indebtedness or
from any trustee therefor; and before the receipt of any such written notice,
the Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article VI of this Indenture, shall be
entitled in all respects to assume that no such facts exist; provided, however,
that if the Trustee
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shall not have received the notice provided for in this Section 15.06 at least
two Business Days prior to the date upon which by the terms hereof any money may
become payable for any purpose (including, without limitation, the payment of
the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security), then,
anything herein contained to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall
have full power and authority to receive such money and to apply the same to the
purposes for which they were received, and shall not be affected by any notice
to the contrary that may be received by it within two Business Days prior to
such date.
The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Article VI of this
Indenture, shall be entitled to conclusively rely on the delivery to it of a
written notice by a Person representing himself to be a holder of Senior
Indebtedness of the Company, as the case may be (or a trustee on behalf of such
holder), to establish that such notice has been given by a holder of such Senior
Indebtedness or a trustee on behalf of any such holder or holders. In the event
that the Trustee determines in good faith that further evidence is required with
respect to the right of any Person as a holder of such Senior Indebtedness to
participate in any payment or distribution pursuant to this Article XV, the
Trustee may request such Person to furnish evidence to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Trustee as to the amount of such Senior Indebtedness held by
such Person, the extent to which such Person is entitled to participate in such
payment or distribution and any other facts pertinent to the rights of such
Person under this Article XV, and, if such evidence is not furnished, the
Trustee may defer any payment to such Person pending judicial determination as
to the right of such Person to receive such payment.
Upon any payment or distribution of assets of the Company referred
to in this Article XV, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall be entitled to
rely upon any order or decree entered by any court of competent jurisdiction in
which such insolvency, bankruptcy, receivership, liquidation, reorganization,
dissolution, winding up or similar case or proceeding is pending, or a
certificate of the trustee in bankruptcy, liquidating trustee, custodian,
receiver, assignee for the benefit of creditors, agent or other Person making
such payment or distribution, delivered to the Trustee or to the
Securityholders, for the purpose of ascertaining the Persons entitled to
participate in such payment or distribution, the holders of Senior Indebtedness
and other indebtedness of the Company, the amount thereof or payable thereon,
the amount or amounts paid or distributed thereon and all other facts pertinent
thereto or to this Article XV.
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SECTION 15.07. Rights of the Trustee; Holders of Senior
Indebtedness.
The Trustee in its individual capacity shall be entitled to all the
rights set forth in this Article XV in respect of any Senior Indebtedness at any
time held by it, to the same extent as any other holder of Senior Indebtedness,
and nothing in this Indenture shall deprive the Trustee of any of its rights as
such holder.
With respect to the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company,
the Trustee undertakes to perform or to observe only such of its covenants and
obligations as are specifically set forth in this Article XV, and no implied
covenants or obligations with respect to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness
shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee. The Trustee shall not be
deemed to owe any fiduciary duty to the holders of such Senior Indebtedness and,
subject to the provisions of Article VI of this Indenture, the Trustee shall not
be liable to any holder of such Senior Indebtedness if it shall pay over or
deliver to Securityholders, the Company or any other Person money or assets to
which any holder of such Senior Indebtedness shall be entitled by virtue of this
Article XV or otherwise.
Nothing in this Article XV shall apply to claims of, or payments to,
the Trustee under or pursuant to Section 6.06.
SECTION 15.08. Subordination May Not Be Impaired.
No right of any present or future holder of any Senior Indebtedness
of the Company to enforce subordination as herein provided shall at any time in
any way be prejudiced or impaired by any act or failure to act on the part of
the Company or by any act or failure to act, in good faith, by any such holder,
or by any noncompliance by the Company with the terms, provisions and covenants
of this Indenture, regardless of any knowledge thereof that any such holder may
have or otherwise be charged with.
Without in any way limiting the generality of the foregoing
paragraph, the holders of Senior Indebtedness of the Company may, at any time
and from time to time, without the consent of or notice to the Trustee or the
Securityholders, without incurring responsibility to the Securityholders and
without impairing or releasing the subordination provided in this Article XV or
the obligations hereunder of the holders of the Securities to the holders of
such Senior Indebtedness, do any one or more of the following: (i) change the
manner, place or terms of payment or extend the time of payment of, or renew or
alter, such Senior Indebtedness, or otherwise amend or supplement in any manner
such Senior Indebtedness or any instrument evidencing the
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same or any agreement under which such Senior Indebtedness is outstanding; (ii)
sell, exchange, release or otherwise deal with any property pledged, mortgaged
or otherwise securing such Senior Indebtedness; (iii) release any Person liable
in any manner for the collection of such Senior Indebtedness; and (iv) exercise
or refrain from exercising any rights against the Company and any other Person.
ARTICLE XVI.
EXTENSION OF INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD
SECTION 16.01. Extension of Interest Payment Period.
(a) So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing,
the Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time during the
term of the Securities, to defer payments of interest by extending the interest
payment period of such Securities for a period not exceeding 10 consecutive
semi-annual periods, including the first such semi-annual period during such
extension period (the "Extended Interest Payment Period"), during which Extended
Interest Payment Period no interest shall be due and payable; provided that no
Extended Interest Payment Period shall end on a date other than an Interest
Payment Date or extend beyond the Maturity Date. To the extent permitted by
applicable law, interest, the payment of which has been deferred because of the
extension of the interest payment period pursuant to this Section 16.01, will
bear interest thereon at the Coupon Rate compounded semi-annually for each
semi-annual period of the Extended Interest Payment Period ("Compounded
Interest"). At the end of the Extended Interest Payment Period, the Company
shall pay all interest accrued and unpaid on the Securities and Compounded
Interest (together, "Deferred Interest"), but not including any Additional Sums,
that shall be payable to the holders of the Securities in whose names the
Securities are registered in the Security Register on the record date for the
Interest Payment Date on which such Extended Interest Payment Period ends.
(b) Before the termination of any Extended Interest Payment Period, the
Company may further defer payments of interest by further extending such period,
provided that such period, together with all such previous and further
extensions within such Extended Interest Payment Period, shall not exceed 10
consecutive semi-annual periods, including the first such semi-annual period
during such Extended Interest Payment Period, or extend beyond the Maturity
Date. Upon the termination of any Extended Interest Payment Period and the
payment of all Deferred Interest then due, the Company may elect to commence a
new Extended Interest Payment Period, subject to the foregoing requirements. No
interest shall be due and payable during an
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Extended Interest Payment Period, except at the end thereof, but the Company may
prepay at any time all or any portion of the interest accrued during an Extended
Interest Payment Period.
SECTION 16.02. Notice of Extension.
(a) If the Property Trustee is the only registered holder of the
Securities at the time the Company selects an Extended Interest Payment Period,
the Company shall give written notice to the Administrative Trustees, the
Property Trustee and the Trustee of its selection of such Extended Interest
Payment Period at least five Business Days before the earlier of (i) the next
succeeding date on which Distributions on the Trust Securities issued by
Executive Risk Capital Trust are payable, or (ii) the date the Administrative
Trustees are required to give notice of the record date, or the date such
Distributions are payable, to any national securities exchange or to holders of
the Capital Securities issued by Executive Risk Capital Trust, but in any event
at least five Business Days before such record date.
(b) If the Property Trustee is not the only holder of the Securities
at the time the Company selects an Extended Interest Payment Period, the Company
shall give the holders of the Securities and the Trustee written notice of its
selection of such Extended Interest Payment Period at least 10 Business Days
before the earlier of (i) the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, or (ii) the
date the Company is required to give notice of the record or payment date of
such interest payment to any national securities exchange.
(c) The semi-annual period in which any notice is given pursuant to
paragraphs (a) or (b) of this Section 16.02 shall be counted as one of the 10
semi-annual periods permitted in the maximum Extended Interest Payment Period
permitted under Section 16.01. There is no limitation on the number of times
that the Company may elect to begin an Extended Interest Payment Period.
The Chase Manhattan Bank hereby accepts the trusts in this Indenture
declared and provided, upon the terms and conditions hereinabove set forth.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to
be duly executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of
the day and year first above written.
EXECUTIVE RISK INC.
By/s/ LeRoy A. Vander Putten
---------------------------------
Name: LeRoy A. Vander Putten
Title: Chairman and CEO
The Chase Manhattan Bank,
as Trustee
By/s/ Kathleen Perry
---------------------------------
Name: Kathleen Perry
Title: Second Vice President
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EXHIBIT A
(FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY)
[IF THE SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY, INSERT: - THIS SECURITY IS A
GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND
IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY. THIS
SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER
THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED
IN THE INDENTURE, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY (OTHER THAN A TRANSFER OF
THIS SECURITY AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY
A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE
DEPOSITARY) MAY BE REGISTERED EXCEPT IN LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES.
UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF
THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC") TO THE ISSUER OR
ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY SECURITY
ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS
REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREON IS
MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR
OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF,
CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF
1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS OR ANY
OTHER APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAW. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR
PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED,
ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR
UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, REGISTRATION.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF AGREES TO
OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER THIS SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE "RESALE
RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE") WHICH IS THREE YEARS AFTER THE LATER OF THE
ORIGINAL ISSUANCE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE COMPANY OR ANY
AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF
THIS SECURITY) ONLY (A) TO THE COMPANY, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT
WHICH HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) SO LONG AS THIS
SECURITY IS ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
("RULE 144A"), TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A "QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL
BUYER" (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A) THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE
ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL
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BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON
RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS THAT OCCUR
OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION S UNDER THE
SECURITIES ACT, (E) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL "ACCREDITED INVESTOR" WITHIN THE MEANING
OF SUBPARAGRAPH (A)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) OF RULE 501 UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
THAT IS ACQUIRING THIS SECURITY FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF SUCH
AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR, FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES AND NOT WITH A
VIEW TO, OR FOR OFFER OR SALE IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY DISTRIBUTION IN VIOLATION
OF THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANY OTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF THE
COMPANY PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER (i) PURSUANT TO CLAUSE (D),
(E) OR (F) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATIONS
AND/OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY, AND (ii) PURSUANT TO
CLAUSE (E), TO REQUIRE THAT A CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER IN THE FORM APPEARING ON
THE REVERSE OF THIS SECURITY IS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED BY THE TRANSFEREE TO THE
COMPANY. SUCH HOLDER FURTHER AGREES THAT IT WILL DELIVER TO EACH PERSON TO WHOM
THIS SECURITY IS TRANSFERRED A NOTICE SUBSTANTIALLY TO THE EFFECT OF THIS
LEGEND.
THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF REPRESENTS AND
ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT EITHER (A) IS NOT A PLAN SUBJECT TO THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT
INCOME SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED, OR SECTION 4975 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE
CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED, AND IS NOT PURCHASING SUCH SECURITIES (OR ANY INTEREST
THEREIN) ON BEHALF OF OR WITH "PLAN ASSETS" OF ANY SUCH PLAN OR (B) IS ELIGIBLE
FOR THE EXEMPTIVE RELIEF AVAILABLE UNDER PTCE 96-23, 95-60, 91-38, 90-1 OR
84-14.
THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT AND
MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO, OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OR
BENEFIT OF, U.S. PERSONS UNLESS REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR AN
EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT IS AVAILABLE.
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No. CUSIP No._____________
EXECUTIVE RISK INC.
8.675% SERIES A JUNIOR SUBORDINATED DEFERRABLE INTEREST DEBENTURE
DUE February 1, 2027
Executive Risk Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company", which
term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to),
for value received, hereby promises to pay to __________, or registered assigns,
the principal sum of $128,866,000 Dollars on February 1, 2027, or on such
earlier date as the Company shall determine pursuant to Section 14.06 of the
Indenture (the "Maturity Date"), unless previously prepaid, and to pay interest
on the outstanding principal amount hereof from February 5, 1997, or from the
most recent interest payment date (each such date, an "Interest Payment Date")
to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually (subject to
deferral as set forth herein) in arrears on August 1 and February 1 of each
year, commencing August 1, 1997, at the rate of 8.675% per annum until the
principal hereof shall have become due and payable, and on any overdue principal
and premium, if any, and (without duplication and to the extent that payment of
such interest is enforceable under applicable law) on any overdue installment of
interest at the same rate per annum compounded semi-annually. The amount of
interest payable on any Interest Payment Date shall be computed on the basis of
a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months and, for any period less than a full
calendar month, the number of days elapsed in such month. In the event that any
date on which the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on this Security
is payable is not a Business Day, then payment payable on such date will be made
on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or
other payment in respect of any such delay), with the same force and effect as
if made on such date.
The interest installment so payable, and punctually paid or duly
provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture,
be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor
Securities, as defined in said Indenture) is registered at the close of business
on the regular record date for such interest installment, which shall be the
date fifteen days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date. Any such interest
installment not punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be
payable to the holders on such regular record date and may be paid to the Person
in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is
registered at the close of business on a special record date to be fixed by the
Trustee for the payment of such defaulted interest, notice whereof shall be
given to the holders of
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Securities not less than 10 days prior to such special record date, or may be
paid at any time in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the
requirements of any securities exchange on which the Securities may be listed,
and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully
provided in the Indenture.
The principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on this Security
shall be payable at the office or agency of the Trustee in New York, New York
maintained for that purpose in any coin or currency of the United States of
America that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; provided, however, that, payment of interest may be made at the
option of the Company by (i) check mailed to the holder at such address as shall
appear in the Security Register or (ii) by transfer to an account maintained by
the Person entitled thereto, provided that proper written transfer instructions
have been received by the relevant record date; provided that if this Security
is in global form, the interest hereon shall be made in immediately available
funds. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the Holder of this Security is
the Property Trustee, the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and
interest on this Security will be made at such place and to such account as may
be designated by the Property Trustee.
The indebtedness evidenced by this Security is, to the extent
provided in the Indenture, subordinate and junior in right of payment to the
prior payment in full of Senior Indebtedness, and this Security is issued
subject to the provisions of the Indenture with respect thereto. Each holder of
this Security, by accepting the same, (a) agrees to and shall be bound by such
provisions, (b) authorizes and directs the Trustee on his or her behalf to take
such action as may be necessary or appropriate to acknowledge or effectuate the
subordination so provided and (c) appoints the Trustee his or her
attorney-in-fact for any and all such purposes. Each holder hereof, by his or
her acceptance hereof, hereby waives all notice of the acceptance of the
subordination provisions contained herein and in the Indenture by each holder of
Senior Indebtedness, whether now outstanding or hereafter incurred.
This Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the
Indenture hereinafter referred to, be valid or become obligatory for any purpose
until the Certificate of Authentication hereon shall have been signed by or on
behalf of the Trustee.
The provisions of this Security are continued on the reverse side
hereof and such provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though
fully set forth at this place.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be
executed.
Dated: February 5, 1997
EXECUTIVE RISK INC.
By:_________________________
Name: LeRoy A. Vander Putten
Title: Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer
Attest:
By:_______________________
Name:
Title:
CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Securities referred to in the within-mentioned
Indenture.
The Chase Manhattan Bank,
as Trustee
By:_________________________
Authorized Officer
102
(FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY)
This Security is one of the Securities of the Company (herein
sometimes referred to as the "Securities"), specified in the Indenture, all
issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of February
5, 1997 (the "Indenture"), duly executed and delivered between the Company and
The Chase Manhattan Bank, as Trustee (the "Trustee"), to which Indenture
reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights,
obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company and
the holders of the Securities.
Upon the occurrence and continuation of a Special Event, the Company
shall have the right at any time prior to February 1, 2007 (the "Initial
Optional Prepayment Date"), to prepay this Security in whole (but not in part)
at the Special Event Prepayment Price. "Special Event Prepayment Price" shall
mean with respect to any prepayment of the Securities following a Special Event,
an amount in cash equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of
the Securities to be prepaid and (ii) the sum, as determined by a Quotation
Agent, of the present values of the principal amount and premium payable with
respect to an optional prepayment of Securities plus the scheduled payments of
interest thereon on the Securities from the prepayment date to and including the
Initial Optional Prepayment Date discounted to the prepayment date on a
semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months)
at the Adjusted Treasury Rate, plus any accrued and unpaid interest thereon,
including Compounded Interest but excluding Additional Sums, if any, to the date
of such prepayment.
In addition, the Company shall have the right to prepay this
Security, in whole or in part, at any time on or after the Initial Optional
Prepayment Date (an "Optional Prepayment"), at the Optional Prepayment Prices
set forth below (expressed as percentages of the principal amount to be prepaid)
plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon (including Additional
Interest and Compounded Interest, if any) to the applicable date of prepayment
(the "Optional Prepayment Price") if prepaid during the 12-month period
beginning February 1 of the years indicated below.
Year Percentage
2007..........................................104.338%
2008..........................................103.904%
2009..........................................103.470%
2010..........................................103.036%
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2011..........................................102.603%
2012..........................................102.169%
2013..........................................101.735%
2014..........................................101.301%
2015..........................................100.868%
2016..........................................100.434%
2017 and thereafter...........................100.000%
The Optional Prepayment Price or the Special Event Prepayment Price,
as the case requires, shall be paid prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on
the date of such prepayment or such earlier time as the Company determines,
provided, that the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount sufficient
to pay the applicable Prepayment Price by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the
date such Prepayment Price is to be paid. Any prepayment pursuant to this
paragraph will be made upon not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days notice.
If the Securities are only partially prepaid by the Company pursuant to an
Optional Prepayment, the Securities will be prepaid pro rata or by lot or by any
other method utilized by the Trustee provided that if, at the time of
prepayment, the Securities are registered as a Global Security, the Depositary
shall determine the particular Security to be prepaid in accordance with its
procedures.
In the event of prepayment of this Security in part only, a new
Security or Securities for the unprepaid portion hereof will be issued in the
name of the holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.
If a Tax Event occurs, then the Company will have the right (i)
prior to the termination of Executive Risk Capital Trust, to advance the
Maturity Date of this Security to the minimum extent required in order to allow
for the payments of interest in respect of the Securities to continue to be tax
deductible, but not to a date earlier than twenty years from January 31, 1997,
or (ii) to terminate Executive Risk Capital Trust (if not previously terminated)
and advance the Maturity Date of this Security to the minimum extent required in
order to allow for the payments of interest in respect of the Securities to
continue to be tax deductible. In either case, such Maturity Date shall be
advanced only if, in the written Opinion of Counsel experienced in such matters
delivered to the Company, after advancing the Maturity Date, interest paid on
the Securities shall be deductible for federal income tax purposes.
In case an Event of Default, as defined in the Indenture, shall have
occurred and be continuing, the principal of all of the Securities may be
declared, and upon such
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declaration shall become, due and payable, in the manner, with the effect and
subject to the conditions provided in the Indenture.
The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the
Trustee, with the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities at the time outstanding, as defined in the Indenture,
to execute supplemental indentures for the purpose of adding any provisions to
or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of the Indenture
or of modifying in any manner the rights of the holders of the Securities;
provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the
consent of each holder of Securities then outstanding and affected thereby, (i)
extend the Maturity Date of any Securities, or reduce the principal amount
thereof, or reduce any amount payable on prepayment thereof, or reduce the rate
or extend the time of payment of interest thereon (subject to Article XVI of the
Indenture), or make the principal of, or interest or premium on, the Securities
payable in any coin or currency other than U.S. dollars, or impair or affect the
right of any holder of Securities to institute suit for the payment thereof, or
(ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities, the holders of which are
required to consent to any such supplemental indenture. The Indenture also
contains provisions permitting the holders of a majority in aggregate principal
amount of the Securities at the time outstanding affected thereby, on behalf of
all of the holders of the Securities, to waive any past default in the
performance of any of the covenants contained in the Indenture, or established
pursuant to the Indenture, and its consequences, except a default in the payment
of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities or
a default in respect of any covenant or provision under which the Indenture
cannot be modified or amended without the consent of each holder of Securities
then outstanding. Any such consent or waiver by the holder of this Security
(unless revoked as provided in the Indenture) shall be conclusive and binding
upon such holder and upon all future holders and owners of this Security and of
any Security issued in exchange herefor or in place hereof (whether by
registration of transfer or otherwise), irrespective of whether or not any
notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this
Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the
Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and
premium, if any, and interest on this Security at the time and place and at the
rate and in the money herein prescribed.
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The Company shall have the right, at any time and from time to time
during the term of the Securities, to defer payments of interest by extending
the interest payment period of such Securities for a period not exceeding 10
consecutive semi-annual periods, including the first such semi-annual period
during such extension period, and not to extend beyond the Maturity Date of the
Securities (an "Extended Interest Payment Period"), at the end of which period
the Company shall pay all interest then accrued and unpaid together with
interest thereon at the rate specified for the Securities (to the extent that
payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law). Before the
termination of any such Extended Interest Payment Period, the Company may
further defer payments of interest by further extending such Extended Interest
Payment Period, provided that such Extended Interest Payment Period, together
with all such previous and further extensions within such Extended Interest
Payment Period, (i) shall not exceed 10 consecutive semi-annual periods,
including the first semi-annual period during such Extended Interest Payment
Period, (ii) shall not end on any date other than an Interest Payment Date and
(iii) shall not extend beyond the Maturity Date of the Securities. Upon the
termination of any such Extended Interest Payment Period and the payment of all
accrued and unpaid interest and any additional amounts then due, the Company may
commence a new Extended Interest Payment Period, subject to the foregoing
requirements.
The Company has agreed that it will not (i) declare or pay any
dividends or distributions on, or redeem, purchase, acquire, or make a
liquidation payment with respect to, any of the Company's capital stock (which
includes common and preferred stock) or (ii) make any payment of principal,
interest or premium, if any, with respect to or repay or repurchase or redeem
any debt securities of the Company that rank pari passu with or junior in right
of payment to the Securities or (iii) make any guarantee payments with respect
to any guarantee by the Company of the debt securities or any Subsidiary of the
Company (including any Other Guarantees) if such guarantee ranks pari passu or
junior in right of payment to the Securities (other than (a) dividends or
distributions in shares of, or options, warrants or rights to subscribe for or
purchase shares of, Common Stock of the Company; (b) any declaration of a
dividend in connection with the implementation of a stockholders' rights plan,
or the issuance of stock under any such plan in the future, or the redemption or
repurchase of any such rights pursuant thereto, (c) payments under the Capital
Securities Guarantee, (d) as a result of a reclassification of the Company's
capital stock or the exchange or the conversion of one class or series of the
Company's capital stock for another class or series of the Company's capital
stock, (e) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Company's
capital stock pursuant to the exchange
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or conversion of such capital stock or the security being exchanged or
converted, (f) issuances of Common Stock upon exercise of the Aetna Option, and
(g) purchases of Common Stock related to the issuance of Common Stock or rights
under any of the Company's benefit plans for its directors, officers or
employees or any of the Company's dividend reinvestment plans, in each case as
now existing or hereinafter established or amended) if at such time (i) there
shall have occurred any event of which the Company has actual knowledge that (a)
is, or with the giving of notice or the lapse of time, or both, would be, an
Event of Default and (b) in respect of which the Company shall not have taken
reasonable steps to cure, (ii) if the Securities are held by Executive Risk
Capital Trust, the Company shall be in default with respect to its payment
obligations under the Capital Securities Guarantee or (iii) the Company shall
have given notice of its election of the exercise of its right to extend the
interest payment period and any such extension shall be continuing.
The Company will have the right at any time to liquidate Executive
Risk Capital Trust and cause the Securities to be distributed to the holders of
the Trust Securities in liquidation of Executive Risk Capital Trust.
The Securities are issuable only in registered form without coupons
in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As provided in the
Indenture and subject to the transfer restrictions limitations as may be
contained herein and therein from time to time, this Security is transferable by
the holder hereof on the Security Register of the Company, upon surrender of
this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the
Company in the City and State of New York accompanied by a written instrument or
instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company or the Trustee duly
executed by the holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and
thereupon one or more new Securities of authorized denominations and for the
same aggregate principal amount and series will be issued to the designated
transferee or transferees. No service charge will be made for any such
registration of transfer, but the Company may require payment of a sum
sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in relation
thereto.
Prior to due presentment for registration of transfer of this
Security, the Company, the Trustee, any authenticating agent, any paying agent,
any transfer agent and the registrar may deem and treat the registered holder
hereof as the absolute owner hereof (whether or not this Security shall be
overdue and notwithstanding any notice of ownership or writing hereon made by
anyone other than the Security Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment
of or on account of the principal hereof and
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premium, if any, and (subject to the Indenture) interest due hereon and for all
other purposes, and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any authenticating
agent nor any paying agent nor any transfer agent nor any registrar shall be
affected by any notice to the contrary.
No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of or
premium, if any, or interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon, or
otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Indenture, against
any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, past, present or future, as
such, of the Company or of any predecessor or successor Person, whether by
virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any
assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance
hereof and as part of the consideration for the issuance hereof, expressly
waived and released.
All terms used in this Security that are defined in the Indenture
shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
THE INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO CONFLICT
OF LAW PROVISIONS THEREOF.
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