Exhibit 10.18
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PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
Frontier Insurance Group, Inc.
Dated as of October 16, 1996
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation................................. 2
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application............................... 5
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities................................. 6
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee..................... 6
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee................ 6
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent............... 6
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver...................................... 7
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice....................................... 7
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests........................................... 7
ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee........... 8
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee.................. 9
SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee.......... 12
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility....................... 12
SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred
Guarantee Trustees............................................. 13
ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee...................................................... 13
SECTION 5.2 Subordination.................................................. 14
SECTION 5.3 Waiver of Notice and Demand.................................... 14
SECTION 5.4 Obligations Not Affected....................................... 14
SECTION 5.5 Rights of Holders.............................................. 15
SECTION 5.6 Guarantee of Payment........................................... 16
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SECTION 5.7 Subrogation.................................................... 16
SECTION 5.8 Independent Obligations........................................ 16
SECTION 5.9 Conversion..................................................... 16
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions..................................... 16
SECTION 6.2 Ranking........................................................ 17
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination.................................................... 18
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation.................................................... 18
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification................................................ 19
ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns......................................... 19
SECTION 9.2 Amendments..................................................... 19
SECTION 9.3 Notices........................................................ 19
SECTION 9.4 Benefit........................................................ 20
SECTION 9.5 Governing Law.................................................. 21
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CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
Section of Section of
Trust Indenture Act Guarantee Agreement
of 1939, as amended -------------------
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Agreement
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310(a)....................................................................4.1(a)
310(b)...............................................................4.1(c), 2.8
310(c)..............................................................Inapplicable
311(a)....................................................................2.2(b)
311(b)....................................................................2.2(b)
311(c)..............................................................Inapplicable
312(a)....................................................................2.2(a)
312(b)....................................................................2.2(b)
313..........................................................................2.3
314(a).......................................................................2.4
314(b)..............................................................Inapplicable
314(c).......................................................................2.5
314(d)..............................................................Inapplicable
314(e).............................................................1.1, 2.5, 3.2
314(f)..................................................................2.1, 3.2
315(a)....................................................................3.1(d)
315(b).......................................................................2.7
315(c).......................................................................3.1
315(d)....................................................................3.1(d)
316(a)...............................................................5.5(a), 2.6
316(b).......................................................................5.4
316(c).......................................................................2.2
317(a)..............................................................Inapplicable
317(b)..............................................................Inapplicable
318(a)....................................................................2.1(b)
318(b).......................................................................2.1
318(c)....................................................................2.1(a)
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*This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of the Preferred Securities
Guarantee Agreement and shall not affect the interpretation of any of its terms
or provisions.
PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT
This PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (the "Preferred
Securities Guarantee"), dated as of October 16, 1996, is executed and delivered
by FRONTIER INSURANCE GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation (the "Guarantor"), and
The Bank of New York, as trustee (the "Preferred Guarantee Trustee"), for the
benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to time of the Preferred
Securities (as defined herein) of Frontier Financing Trust, a Delaware statutory
business trust (the "Trust").
WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust
dated as of October 16, 1996 (the "Declaration"), among the trustees of the
Trust named therein, the Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to
time of undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust, the Trust is
issuing on the date hereof 3,000,000 preferred securities, having an aggregate
liquidation amount of $150,000,000 (plus up to an additional 450,000 preferred
securities, having an aggregate liquidation amount of $22,500,000, to cover
over-allotments), designated the 6 1/4% Convertible Trust Originated Preferred
Securities'SM' (the "Preferred Securities");
WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to
the extent set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, to guarantee the
obligations of the Trust to the Holders of Preferred Securities on the terms and
conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Guarantor is also executing and delivering a
guarantee agreement (the "Common Securities Guarantee") in substantially
identical terms to this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the
holders of the Common Securities (as defined herein), except that if an
Indenture Event of Default (as defined herein) has occurred and is continuing,
the rights of holders of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments (as
defined in the Common Securities Guarantee) under the Common Securities
Guarantee shall be subordinated to the rights of Holders of Preferred Securities
to receive Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder
of Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall
benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Preferred
Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION
SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation
In this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless the context
otherwise requires:
(a) capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee but not defined in the preamble above have
the respective meanings assigned to them in this
Section 1.1;
(b) terms defined in the Declaration as at the date
hereof have the same meaning when used in this
Preferred Securities Guarantee unless otherwise
defined in the Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(c) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee has the same meaning throughout;
(d) all references to "the Preferred Securities
Guarantee" or "this Preferred Securities Guarantee"
are to this Preferred Securities Guarantee as
modified, supplemented or amended from time to time;
(e) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee
to Articles and Sections are to Articles and Sections
of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless
otherwise specified;
(f) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the
same meaning when used in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee or unless the context otherwise
requires;
(g) a reference to the singular includes the plural and
vice versa;
(h) a reference to any Person shall include its
successors and assigns;
(i) a reference to any agreement or instrument shall mean
such agreement or instrument, as supplemented,
modified, amended, or amended and restated, and in
effect from time to time; and
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(j) a reference to any statute, law, rule or regulation,
shall include any amendments thereto applicable to
the relevant Person, and any successor statute, law,
rule or regulation.
"Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule
405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.
"Business Day" means any day other than a day on which banking
institutions in New York, New York or in Wilmington, Delaware are authorized or
required by any applicable law or executive order to close.
"Common Securities" means the securities representing common
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Trust.
"Common Stock" means the common stock, par value $.01 per share,
of the Guarantor.
"Corporate Trust Office" means the office of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall, at any particular time, be principally administered,
which office at the date of execution of this Agreement is located at ▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, Attention: Corporate Trust
Trustee Administration.
"Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of
Preferred Securities.
"Debentures" means the 6 1/4% Convertible Subordinated Debentures
due October 16, 2026 of the Guarantor held by the Property Trustee (as defined
in the Declaration).
"Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any of its
payment or other obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
"Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or
distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, to
the extent not paid or made by the Trust: (i) any accrued and unpaid
Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) that are required to be paid on
such Preferred Securities to the extent the Trust shall have funds available
therefor, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price"), with respect
to any Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Trust to the extent the
Trust has funds available therefor, and (iii) upon a voluntary or involuntary
dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Trust (other than in connection
with a distribution of the Debentures to the Holders in exchange for Preferred
Securities or the redemption of all of the Preferred Securities as provided in
the Declaration), the lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and
all accrued and unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of
payment, to the extent the Trust shall have funds available therefor, and (b)
the amount of assets of the Trust remaining available for distribution to
Holders upon
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liquidation of the Trust (in either case, the "Liquidation Distribution"). If an
Indenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the rights of holders
of the Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under the Common
Securities Guarantee are subordinate to the rights of Holders of Preferred
Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under the Preferred Securities
Guarantee.
"Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and
records of the Trust, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, that in
determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Preferred
Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, "Holder"
shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.
"Indemnified Person" means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any
Affiliate of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors,
shareholders, members, partners, employees, representatives, nominees,
custodians or agents of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of October 16, 1996,
among the Guarantor and The Bank of New York, a New York banking corporation, as
trustee, pursuant to which the Debentures are to be issued to the Property
Trustee of the Trust.
"Indenture Event of Default" means an "Indenture Event of
Default" as defined in the Indenture.
"Indenture Trustee" means the Person acting as trustee under the
Indenture, initially The Bank of New York.
"Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities"
means, except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s) of
Preferred Securities, voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the
liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on
redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to
the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all Preferred
Securities.
"Officers' Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, a
certificate signed by two Authorized Officers of such Person. Any Officers'
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant
provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:
(a) a statement that each officer signing the
Officers' Certificate has read the covenant or condition and
the definition relating thereto;
(b) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
examination or investigation undertaken by each officer in
rendering the Officers' Certificate;
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(c) a statement that each such officer has made such
examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion,
is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed
opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has
been complied with; and
(d) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each
such officer, such condition or covenant has been complied
with.
"Person" means a legal person, including any individual,
corporation, estate, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock
company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated association, or
government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity
of whatever nature.
"Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means The Bank of New York, until a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such
appointment pursuant to the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and
thereafter means each such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
"Responsible Officer" means, with respect to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, any officer within the Corporate Trust Office of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, including any vice president, any assistant vice
president, any assistant secretary, the treasurer, any assistant treasurer or
other officer of the Corporate Trust Office of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above
designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust
matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of that
officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
"Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee" means a successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred
Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.
"Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as
amended.
ARTICLE II
TRUST INDENTURE ACT
SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee is subject to the
provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed
by such provisions; and
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(b) if and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by
Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties
shall control.
SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities
(a) The Guarantor shall provide the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
with a list, in such form as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may reasonably
require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Preferred Securities
("List of Holders") as of such date, (i) within one Business Day after May 15
and November 15, of each year, and (ii) at any other time within 30 days of
receipt by the Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders as of a date
no more than 15 days before such List of Holders is given to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, provided that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide
such List of Holders at any time the List of Holders does not differ from the
most recent List of Holders given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the
Guarantor or the Preferred Securities are represented by one or more Global
Securities (as defined in the Indenture). The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may
destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on receipt of a new List of
Holders.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its
obligations under Section 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
Within 60 days after November 15 of each year, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders of the Preferred Securities such
reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in
the form and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act.
The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of
Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to Preferred Guarantee Trustee
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 (if any) and
the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in
the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust
Indenture Act.
SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent
The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
such evidence of compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for
in this Preferred Securities
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Guarantee that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the
Trust Indenture Act. Any certificate or opinion required to be given by an
officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of an Officers'
Certificate.
SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver
The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Preferred
Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Preferred
Securities, waive any past Event of Default and its consequences. Upon such
waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default
arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend to any
subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent
thereon.
SECTION 2.7 Event of Default; Notice
(a) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after
the occurrence of an Event of Default, transmit by mail, first class postage
prepaid, to the Holders of the Preferred Securities, notices of all Events of
Default of which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee is deemed to have knowledge (as
defined in Section 2.7(b)), unless such defaults have been cured before the
giving of such notice; provided that the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be
protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible Officer of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of
such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be deemed to have
knowledge of an Event of Default if (i) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
have received written notice of such Event of Default or (ii) a Responsible
Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of
the Declaration shall have obtained actual knowledge of such Event of Default.
SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests
The Declaration shall be deemed to be specifically described in
this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the purposes of clause (i) of the first
proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
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ARTICLE III
POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this
Preferred Securities Guarantee to any Person except a Holder of Preferred
Securities exercising his or her rights pursuant to Section 5.5(b) or to a
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
automatically vest in any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and such
vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing
documents have been executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(b) If an Event of Default of which the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee is deemed to have knowledge (as defined in Section 2.7(b)) has occurred
and is continuing, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Preferred
Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any
Event of Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have
occurred, shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set
forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants shall be
read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or
waived pursuant to Section 2.6) and of which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee is
deemed to have knowledge (as defined in Section 2.7(b)), the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, and use the same degree of care and skill in its
exercise thereof, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances
in the conduct of his own affairs.
(d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be
construed to relieve the Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own
negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful
misconduct, except that:
(i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the
curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may have occurred:
(A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of
this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall not be liable except for the
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performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically
set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied
covenants or obligations shall be read into this Preferred
Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may
conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the
correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee; but in the case of any such certificates or
opinions that by any provision hereof are specifically required
to be furnished to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to
determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee;
(ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any
error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent
facts upon which such judgment was made;
(iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with
respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith
in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less than a
Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities relating to
the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or
power conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee; and
(iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall
require the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds
or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of
any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for
believing that the repayment of such funds or liability is not
reasonably assured to it under the terms of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably
assured to it.
SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of Preferred Guarantee Trustee
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:
(i) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely,
and shall be fully protected in acting or refraining from acting
upon, any resolution,
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certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice,
request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other
evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by
it to be genuine and to have been signed, sent or presented by
the proper party or parties.
(ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be sufficiently
evidenced by an Officers' Certificate.
(iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem
it desirable that a matter be proved or established before
taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is herein specifically
prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, request
and conclusively rely upon an Officers' Certificate which, upon
receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the
Guarantor.
(iv) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to
see to any recording, filing or registration of any instrument
(or any rerecording, refiling or registration thereof).
(v) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with
counsel of its selection, and the written advice or opinion of
such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and
complete authorization and protection in respect of any action
taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in
accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be
counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include
any of its employees. The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have
the right at any time to seek instructions concerning the
administration of this Preferred Securities Guarantee from any
court of competent jurisdiction.
(vi) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no
obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it
by this Preferred Securities Guarantee at the request or
direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such security and indemnity,
reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
against the costs, expenses (including attorneys' fees and
expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred by it in
complying with such request or direction, including such
reasonable advances as may be requested by the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee; provided that nothing contained in this
Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of
its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by
this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
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(vii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound
to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any
resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report,
notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture,
note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document,
but the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make
such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters
as it may see fit.
(viii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may execute any of
the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder
either directly or by or through agents, nominees, custodians or
attorneys, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be
responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any
agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.
(ix) Any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
or its agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred
Securities, and the signature of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform
any such action. No third party shall be required to inquire as
to the authority of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to so act or
as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, both of which shall be
conclusively evidenced by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee's or
its agent's taking such action.
(x) Whenever in the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem
it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing
any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee (i) may request instructions from the
Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred
Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right
or taking such other action until such instructions are received,
and (iii) shall be protected in conclusively relying on or acting
in accordance with such instructions.
(xi) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable
for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in
good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or
within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by
this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be
deemed to impose any duty or obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to
perform any act or acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation
conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or
in which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in
accordance with applicable law to perform any such act or acts or to exercise
any such right, power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority
available to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.
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SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee
The recitals contained in this Preferred Securities Guarantee
shall be taken as the statements of the Guarantor, and the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Preferred
Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of
this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
ARTICLE IV
PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE
SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility
(a) There shall at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee
which shall:
(i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and
(ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under
the laws of the United States of America or any State or
Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a
corporation or Person permitted by the Securities and Exchange
Commission to act as an institutional trustee under the Trust
Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate
trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least
50 million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision
or examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District of
Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of
condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the
requirements of the supervising or examining authority referred
to above, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.1(a)(ii), the
combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed
to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most
recent report of condition so published.
(b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to
be eligible to so act under Section 4.1(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
shall immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section
4.2(c).
(c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any
"conflicting interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust
Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all
respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.
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SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation
of Preferred Guarantee Trustees
(a) Subject to Section 4.2(c), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may be appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.
(b) Subject to Section 4.2(c), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
may resign from office (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an
instrument in writing executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered
to the Guarantor.
(c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall hold office and shall
not be removed in accordance with Section 4.2(a) or resign in accordance with
Section 4.2(b) unless and until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been
appointed and has accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by
such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor and,
in the case of a resignation in accordance with Section 4.2(b), the resigning
Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been
appointed and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60
days after delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of removal or resignation,
the resigning or removed Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Preferred Guarantee
Trustee. Such court may thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it
may deem proper, appoint a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts
or omissions to act of any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.
(f) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or
removal or resignation of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this
Section 4.2, the Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee all
amounts accrued to the date of such termination, removal or resignation.
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ARTICLE V
GUARANTEE
SECTION 5.1 Guarantee
The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in
full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts
theretofore paid by the Trust), as and when due, regardless of any defense,
right of set-off or counterclaim that the Trust may have or assert. The
Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct
payment of the required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing
the Trust to pay such amounts to the Holders.
SECTION 5.2 Subordination
If an Indenture Event of Default has occurred and is continuing,
the rights of holders of Common Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under
the Common Securities Guarantee are subordinate to the rights of Holders of
Preferred Securities to receive Guarantee Payments under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee.
SECTION 5.3 Waiver of Notice and Demand
The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee and of any liability to which it applies or may
apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to require a proceeding first
against the Trust or any other Person before proceeding against the Guarantor,
protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all
other notices and demands.
SECTION 5.4 Obligations Not Affected
The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the
Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall in no way be affected
or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the
following:
(a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of
the performance or observance by the Trust of any express or implied agreement,
covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to be performed
or observed by the Trust;
(b) the extension of time for the payment by the Trust of all or
any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or
any other sums payable
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under the terms of the Preferred Securities or the extension of time for the
performance of any other obligation under, arising out of, or in connection
with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of time for payment of
Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum payable
that results from the extension of any interest payment period on the Debentures
or any extension of the maturity date of the Debentures permitted by the
Indenture);
(c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part
of the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or
remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred
Securities, or any action on the part of the Trust granting indulgence or
extension of any kind;
(d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale
of any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the
benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment
of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Trust or any of the
assets of the Trust;
(e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
Securities;
(f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed
hereby or hereby incurred; or
(g) any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being
the intent of this Section 5.4 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder
shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circumstances.
There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or
obtain consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the
foregoing.
SECTION 5.5 Rights of Holders
(a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of the
conducting of any proceeding for any remedy available to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee in respect of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or exercising any
trust or power conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this
Preferred Securities Guarantee.
(b) Any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal
proceeding against the Guarantor to enforce the obligations of the Guarantor
under this Preferred Securities Guarantee without first instituting a legal
proceeding against the Trust, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any other
Person.
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(c) If an Indenture Event of Default constituting the failure to
pay interest, principal or premium, if any, on the Debentures on the date such
interest, principal or premium, if any, is otherwise payable has occurred and is
continuing, then a Holder of Preferred Securities may directly, at any time on
or after the respective due date specified in the Debentures for such payment,
institute a proceeding for enforcement of payment to such Holder of the
interest, principal or premium, if any, on the Debentures having a principal
amount equal to the aggregate liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities of
such Holder. The Holders of Preferred Securities will not be able to exercise
directly any other remedy available to the holders of the Debentures unless the
Property Trustee (as defined in the Indenture) fails to do so.
SECTION 5.6 Guarantee of Payment
This Preferred Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of
payment and not of collection.
SECTION 5.7 Subrogation
The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the
Holders of Preferred Securities against the Trust in respect of any amounts paid
to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required
by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right
that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or
other agreement, in all cases as a result of payment under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts are due
and unpaid under this Preferred Securities Guarantee. If any amount shall be
paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor
agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over such amount
to the Holders.
SECTION 5.8 Independent Obligations
The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are
independent of the obligations of the Trust with respect to the Preferred
Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as principal and as debtor
hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in
subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.4 hereof.
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SECTION 5.9 Conversion
The Guarantor acknowledges its obligation to issue and deliver
common stock of the Guarantor upon the conversion of the Preferred Securities.
ARTICLE VI
LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION
SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions
So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if (i)
the Guarantor has exercised its option to defer interest payments on the
Debentures by extending the interest payment period and such extension shall be
continuing, (ii) there shall have occurred any Event of Default or (iii) there
shall have occurred and be continuing any event that, with the giving of notice
or the lapse of time or both, would constitute an Indenture Event of Default,
then the Guarantor (a) shall not declare or pay dividends on, make distributions
with respect to, redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with
respect to, any of its capital stock (except for (i) dividends or distributions
in shares of Common Stock on Common Stock, (ii) purchases or acquisitions of
shares of Common Stock made in connection with any employee benefit plan of the
Guarantor or its subsidiaries, purchases made from employees or officers
pursuant to employment agreements, or purchases made under option agreements (or
upon the exercise of options granted thereunder), provided the plan or agreement
was in existence on October 9, 1996 with officers or employees of the Guarantor
or its subsidiaries, and provided further that such repurchases by the Guarantor
made from officers or employees of the Guarantor or its subsidiaries pursuant to
employment or option agreements shall be made at a price not to exceed market
value on the date of any such repurchase and shall not exceed $5 million in the
aggregate for all such employees and officers, (iii) conversions or exchanges of
any class of common stock into another class of common stock or (iv) purchases
of fractional interests in shares of the Company's capital stock pursuant to the
conversion or exchange provisions of any of the Company's securities being
converted or exchanged), (b) shall not make any payment of interest, principal
or premium, if any, or repay, repurchase or redeem any debt securities issued by
the Guarantor that rank junior to or pari passu with the Convertible Debentures
(except by conversion into or exchange of shares of Common Stock), and (c) shall
not make any guarantee payments with respect to the foregoing (other than such
payments made pursuant to the Common Securities Guarantee or this Preferred
Securities Guarantee).
17
SECTION 6.2 Ranking
(a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee will constitute an
unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i) senior to the
Guarantor's common stock, (ii) pari passu with the most senior preferred or
preference securities now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor and with any
guarantee now or hereafter entered into by the Guarantor with respect to any
preferred or preference securities of the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the
Guarantor, and (iii) junior and subordinate in right of payment to all other
liabilities of the Guarantor except any liabilities that may be pari passu
expressly by their terms.
(b) The holders of any obligations of the Guarantor that are
senior in priority to the obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee
will be entitled to all of the rights inuring to the holders of "Senior
Indebtedness" under Article 12 of the Indenture, and the Holders of the
Preferred Securities will be subject to all of the terms and conditions of such
Article 12 with respect to any claims or rights hereunder with the same effect
as though fully set forth herein.
ARTICLE VII
TERMINATION
SECTION 7.1 Termination
This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall terminate as to each
Holder of Preferred Securities upon (i) full payment of the applicable
Redemption Price (as defined in the Declaration) with respect to all Preferred
Securities, (ii) the distribution of the Debentures held by the Trust to the
Holders of all of the Preferred Securities of the Trust, (iii) liquidation of
the Trust, or (iv) the distribution of Guarantor's common stock to such Holder
in respect of the conversion of such Holder's Preferred Securities into common
stock of the Guarantor and will terminate completely upon full payment of the
amounts payable in accordance with the Declaration of the Trust. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, this Preferred Securities Guarantee will continue to be effective
or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any Holder of
Preferred Securities must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred
Securities or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
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ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNIFICATION
SECTION 8.1 Exculpation
(a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for
any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission performed or
omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this
Preferred Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person
reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such
Indemnified Person by this Preferred Securities Guarantee or by law, except that
an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim
incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or willful misconduct
with respect to such acts or omissions.
(b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in
good faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information,
opinions, reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as to
matters the Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such other
Person's professional or expert competence and who has been selected with
reasonable care by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information,
opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets,
liabilities, profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and
amount of assets from which Distributions to Holders of Preferred Securities
might properly be paid.
SECTION 8.2 Indemnification
The Guarantor agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person for,
and to hold each Indemnified Person harmless against, any loss, liability or
expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or
in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts
hereunder, including the costs and expenses (including reasonable legal fees and
expenses) of defending itself against, or investigating, any claim or liability
in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties
hereunder. The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall
survive the termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee.
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ARTICLE IX
MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns
All guarantees and agreements contained in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee shall bind the successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and
representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to the benefit of the Holders
of the Preferred Securities then outstanding. Except in connection with any
merger or consolidation of the Guarantor with or into another entity or any
sale, transfer or lease of the Guarantor's assets to another entity, each as
permitted by the Indenture, the Guarantor may not assign its rights or delegate
its obligations under this Preferred Securities Guarantee without the prior
approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Preferred Securities.
SECTION 9.2 Amendments
Except with respect to any changes that do not materially
adversely affect the rights of Holders (in which case no consent of Holders will
be required), this Preferred Securities Guarantee may be amended only with the
prior approval of the Holders of at least a Majority in liquidation amount of
the Preferred Securities. The provisions of Section 12.2 of the Declaration with
respect to meetings of Holders of the Preferred Securities apply to the giving
of such approval.
SECTION 9.3 Notices
All notices provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee
shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be
delivered, sent by facsimile or mailed by registered or certified mail, as
follows:
(a) if given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee's mailing address set forth below (or such other address as
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the
Preferred Securities):
The Bank of New York
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: Corporate Trust Trustee Administration
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(b) if given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address
set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to
the Holders of the Preferred Securities):
Frontier Insurance Group, Inc.
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
Attention: ▇▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
(c) If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the
address set forth on the books and records of the Trust.
All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received
in person, telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail,
postage prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was given,
such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date
of such refusal or inability to deliver.
SECTION 9.4 Benefit
This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit of
the Holders of the Preferred Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not
separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.
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SECTION 9.5 Governing Law
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND
CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK
AND ALL RIGHTS AND REMEDIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY SUCH LAWS WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS
PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.
THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and
year first above written.
FRONTIER INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
President and Chief Executive Officer
THE BANK OF NEW YORK,
as Preferred Guarantee Trustee
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Assistant Vice President
22