EXHIBIT 10.15
CONSULTING AND NONCOMPETITION AGREEMENT
This Consulting and Noncompetition Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of
May 23, 2001 by and between Symons International Group, Inc., an Indiana
corporation, ("SIG") and Acceptance Insurance Companies Inc., a Delaware
corporation, for itself and on behalf of all of its affiliates and assignees
(collectively, "Purchaser"). Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not
otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Asset
Purchase Agreement (the "Asset Purchase Agreement") dated as of May 23, 2001 by
and among Goran Capital, Inc., Symons International Group, Inc., an Indiana
corporation ("SIG"), IGF Holdings, Inc., an Indiana corporation ("IGFH"), IGF
Insurance Company, an Indiana insurance corporation ("IGF"), Acceptance and
others.
WHEREAS, pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement the Sellers sold and
Purchaser purchased certain assets associated with the Business;
WHEREAS, SIG is highly knowledgeable regarding the Business, has been
involved in the direction and conduct of the Business for more than five years
and is also highly knowledgeable regarding the Business of Sellers as generally
conducted by them throughout the 2001 MPCI Crop Year and the 2001 Crop Hail Year
(the "Sellers Business");
WHEREAS, Purchaser desires to induce SIG to provide Purchaser certain
consulting services between the Closing and the third anniversary date of the
Closing;
WHEREAS, Purchaser desires to induce SIG not to engage in the Business in
any form prior to the third anniversary date of the Closing; and
WHEREAS, SIG and Purchaser jointly desire that SIG receive reasonable
compensation (i) for its provision of consulting services to Purchaser and (ii)
for agreeing not to engage in the Business in any form prior to the third
anniversary date of the Closing.
NOW, THEREFORE, SIG and Purchaser hereby agree as follows:
1. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
(a) SIG acknowledges that:
(i) The Business is a specialized form of insurance in a
national market not capable of geographic description or limitation;
and
(ii) Because of the nature of SIG's knowledge, experience and
relationships with respect to the Business, SIG has and will
continue to receive, conceive, originate, discover or develop,
information and data not generally known in the insurance industry
and not freely available to persons who are not providing services
to Sellers, regarding Sellers' agents, reinsurers, underwriting
practices and experience, business operations, legal and regulatory
affairs, business opportunities, procedures, policies, products,
services, customer lists,
financial data, pricing, trade secrets, management, market research
and forecasts, product development, marketing strategy and
activities and other operations, plans and perspectives of Sellers
(collectively, "Confidential Information"). All such Confidential
Information pertaining to the Business which is received, conceived,
originated, discovered or developed at and before Closing shall be
deemed "Proprietary Confidential Information" for purposes of this
Agreement. All such Confidential Information other than Proprietary
Confidential Information regardless of when received, conceived,
originated, discovered or developed shall be deemed "Nonproprietary
Confidential Information" for purposes of this Agreement.
(b) SIG agrees that it will not use or disclose Proprietary
Confidential Information at any time during or after termination of this
Agreement and that it shall not use or disclose Nonproprietary
Confidential Information at any time during the term of this Agreement.
2. NONCOMPETITION.
(a) From the Closing until the third anniversary date of the
Closing, SIG will not directly or indirectly:
(i) solicit, divert or interfere with any business, financial,
insurance or other relationships which Sellers had, with respect to
the Business, prior to Closing with any customer, agent, employee,
vendor or reinsurer of Sellers prior to Closing, and which
relationship Purchaser has not terminated; or
(ii) induce or attempt to induce any customer, agent,
employee, vendor or reinsurer of Sellers, with respect to the
Business immediately prior to Closing, to terminate, reduce or alter
their relationship with Purchaser in any way detrimental to
Purchaser; or
(iii) compete with Purchaser as an employer, agent, owner,
resource, consultant or advisor to any entity providing products,
services or advice directly related to any agricultural production
risk or otherwise conducting Business.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement or any
other contract, agreement or understanding of any kind whatsoever, SIG
shall automatically and immediately forfeit all consideration paid or to
be paid to it by Purchaser under this Agreement if it enters into any
business, employment or other arrangement or activity that is
detrimentally competitive the Business purchased by Purchaser pursuant to
the Asset Purchase Agreement, or injurious to the financial interests of
the Business purchased by Purchaser pursuant to the Asset Purchase
Agreement, at any time prior to the third anniversary date of the Closing.
3. CONSULTING SERVICES. SIG hereby agrees to be available to Purchaser as
reasonably requested by Purchaser, but in no event for more than 20 hours in any
given calendar month, for the provision of consulting services related to the
operation of the Business
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commencing on the date of the Closing and continuing until the third anniversary
date of the Closing (the "Consulting Term").
4. ADDITIONAL PAYMENT. For and in consideration of SIG's execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and subject to Paragraph 2 of this
Agreement, Purchaser (i) will pay SIG Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars
($4,500,000) at Closing and (ii) enter into the Asset Purchase Agreement.
5. ASSIGNMENT AND BINDING EFFECT. SIG may not transfer in any manner any
right to receive any portion of the consideration stated in Paragraph 4 of this
Agreement ("Consideration"). SIG hereby consents to Purchaser's assignment of
all of Purchaser's rights and obligations under this Agreement to any of
Purchaser's affiliates or successors. This Agreement shall be and remain binding
upon SIG and shall inure to the benefit of any successors in interest and
assigns of Purchaser.
6. REMEDIES. SIG and Purchaser agree the restrictions contained in
paragraphs 1 and 2 under this Agreement are necessary for the protection of the
legitimate business interests and goodwill of the Business purchased by
Purchaser pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, and SIG considers such
restrictions to be reasonable for such purposes. SIG agrees that any breach of
paragraph 1 or 2 will cause Purchaser substantial and irrevocable damage. In the
event of any such breach, in addition to such other remedies as may be
available, including the recovery of damages, Purchaser shall have the right to
injunctive relief to restrain or enjoin any actual or threatened breach of the
provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2. If Purchaser shall prevail in a legal
proceeding to remedy a breach or threatened breach of this Agreement, Purchaser
shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorneys' fees and costs incurred in
connection with such proceeding, in addition to any other relief it may be
granted. No remedy conferred upon any party by this Agreement is intended to be
exclusive of any other remedy, and each and every such remedy shall be
cumulative and in addition to any other remedy given hereunder. The failure to
enforce any of the provisions of this Agreement shall not be construed as a
waiver of such provisions. A waiver or failure to enforce by Purchaser on any
one occasion is effective only in that instance, and will not be construed as a
bar to, or waiver of, any right on any other occasion.
7. APPLICABLE LAW. This Agreement, or any portion thereof, shall be
interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Iowa.
8. SEVERABILITY. If any provision(s) of this Agreement shall be held
invalid or unenforceable, the validity and enforceability of all other
provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby.
9. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between SIG and Purchaser concerning the subject matter hereof.
When this Agreement becomes effective it shall contain the entire agreement of
Purchaser and SIG relating to the subject matter hereof, and Purchaser and SIG
will have made no agreements, representations or warranties relating to the
subject matter of this Agreement that are not set forth herein.
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10. EFFECTIVENESS AND TERMINATION. This Agreement is conditioned upon and
effective at Closing. If the Asset Purchase Agreement is terminated pursuant to
its terms and conditions, this Agreement shall terminate concurrently with the
Asset Purchase Agreement.
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Dated this 23rd day of May, 2001.
SYMONS INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ Alan G. Symons
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Name: Alan G. Symons
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Title: Vice Chairman
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ACCEPTANCE INSURANCE COMPANIES INC.
By: /s/ John E. Martin
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Name: John E. Martin
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Title: President and Chief Executive
Officer
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