Form of Underwriting Agreement

EX-1.2 3 c82126a3exv1w2.txt FORM OF UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT EXHIBIT 1.2 CONSECO, INC. /-/% CLASS B MANDATORILY CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED STOCK --------------------- UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT , 2004 Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated As representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co 85 Broad Street New York, New York 10004 c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated 1585 Broadway New York, New York 10036 Ladies and Gentlemen: Conseco, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "UNDERWRITERS") an aggregate of /-/ shares of the /-/% Mandatorily Convertible Preferred Stock, Class B of the Company, convertible into common stock, $0.01 par value per share ("STOCK"), of the Company (the "FIRM SHARES") and, at the election of the Underwriters, up to /-/ additional shares (the "OPTIONAL SHARES") (the Firm Shares and the Optional Shares that the Underwriters elect to purchase pursuant to Section 2 hereof being collectively called the "SECURITIES"). 1. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the Underwriters that: (a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-112312) (the "INITIAL REGISTRATION STATEMENT") in respect of the Securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "COMMISSION"); the Initial Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto, each in the form heretofore delivered to you for each of the other Underwriters, and excluding exhibits thereto, have been declared effective by the Commission in such form; other than a registration statement, if any, increasing the size of the offering (a "RULE 462(b) REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "ACT"), which became or will become effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Initial Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Initial Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment thereto or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission (any preliminary prospectus included in the Initial Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Act is hereinafter called a "Preliminary Prospectus"); the various parts of the Initial Registration Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, including all exhibits thereto and including (i) the information contained in the form of final prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof and deemed by virtue of Rule 430A under the Act to be part of the Initial Registration Statement at the time it was declared effective, each as amended at the time such part of the Initial Registration Statement became effective or such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, became or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter collectively called the "Registration Statement"; such final prospectus, in the form first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, is hereinafter called the "PROSPECTUS"; (b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; (c) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K most recently filed with the Commission and all subsequent reports (collectivley, the "EXCHANGE ACT REPORTS") which have been filed by the Company with the Commission or sent to stockholders pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "EXCHANGE Act"), when they were filed with the Commission, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and any further documents so filed, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; (d) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus when filed with the Commission will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any 2 statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; (e) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, except to the extent that any such loss or interference would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the current or future business, consolidated financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT"), or otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries in excess of $50.0 million or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, in each case otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus; (f) The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described in the Prospectus or such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (g) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority (corporate and other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or in good standing in any such jurisdiction would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and each subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, except to the extent that the failure to be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (h) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of Capital Stock", and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and conform in all material respects to the description of the capital stock contained in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of the Capital Stock"; the shares of Stock initially issuable upon conversion of the Securities have been duly and validly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued upon conversion of the Securities in accordance with their terms, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for liens, encumbrances, equities or claims that exist pursuant to that certain Credit 3 Agreement dated as of September 10, 2003 among the Company, Bank of America, N.A., as agent and the other financial institutions party thereto (the "Credit Agreement"); (i) The Securities have been duly and validly authorized and, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and fully paid and non-assessable and will conform in all material respects to the description of the Securities contained in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of the Mandatorily Convertible Preferred Stock"; (j) The issue and sale of the Securities by the Company and compliance with the terms and provisions thereof, the issue and sale of the Stock by the Company pursuant to an underwriting agreement of even date herewith, the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated will not (i) result in any violation of any provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company; (ii) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) result in any violation of the provisions of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except, with respect to clauses (ii) and (iii), for such conflicts, breaches, violations, or defaults which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect ; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities and the Stock of the Company or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except the registration under the Act of the Securities and the Stock and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities and the Stock by the Underwriters and except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations, or qualifications the absence of which would not have a Material Adverse Effect or would not materially impede the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated herein or perform its obligations hereunder; (k) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or (ii) in default in the performance or observance of any obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, with respect to clause (ii), for such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (l) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of the Mandatorily Convertible Preferred Stock" and "Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities and the Stock, under the captions "Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations" and "Business - Government Regulation" and under the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the federal laws of the United States and documents referred to therein, are accurate and complete in all material respects; (m) Other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of its directors, officers or employees is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse 4 Effect; and, to the Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others; (n) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the concurrent offering and sale of the Stock pursuant to an underwriting agreement of even date herewith, will not be an "investment company", as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act"); (o) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have audited certain financial statements of the Company (including its predecessor, Conseco, Inc., an Indiana corporation) and its subsidiaries, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder; (p) The financial statements included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company (including its predecessor, Conseco, Inc., an Indiana corporation) and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with the generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis; and any schedules included in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein. (q) The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants ("ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS"), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. (r) There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. (s) No labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any subsidiary exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. (t) The Company and its subsidiaries own, possess or can acquire on reasonable terms, adequate trademarks, trade names and other rights to inventions, know-how, patents, copyrights, confidential information and other intellectual property (collectively, "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS") necessary to conduct the business now operated by them, or presently employed by them, and have not received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any intellectual property rights that, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, would individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect. 5 (u) The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; and (iii) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences. The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-14 under the Exchange Act) that are effective in ensuring that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms of the Commission, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company's management, including its principal executive officer or officers and its principal financial officer or officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. (v) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries that is required to be organized or licensed as an insurance company in its jurisdiction of incorporation (each an "INSURANCE SUBSIDIARY") has all necessary consents, licenses, authorizations, approvals, exemptions, orders, certificates and permits (collectively, the "CONSENTS") of and from, and has made all filings and declarations (collectively, the "FILINGS") with, all insurance regulatory authorities, all Federal, state, local and other governmental authorities (including, without limitation, the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Texas pursuant to the Company's amended and restated letter agreement dated November 18, 2003), all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, necessary to own, lease, license and use its properties and assets and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Prospectus, except where the failure to have such Consents or to make such Filings would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all such Consents and Filings are in full force and effect, the Company and its Insurance Subsidiaries are in compliance with such Consents and neither the Company nor any of its Insurance Subsidiaries has received any notice of any inquiry, investigation or proceeding that would reasonably be expected to result in the suspension, revocation or limitation of any such Consent or otherwise impose any limitation on the conduct of the business of the Company or any of its respective Insurance Subsidiaries, except as set forth in the Prospectus or except as any such failure to be in full force and effect, failure to be in compliance with, suspension, revocation or limitation would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; each of the Company and its Insurance Subsidiaries is in compliance with, and conducts its businesses in conformity with, all applicable insurance laws and regulations, except where the failure to so comply or conform would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. (w) The 2003 statutory annual statements of each Insurance Subsidiary and the statutory balance sheets and income statements included in such statutory annual statements together with related schedules and notes, have been prepared, in all material respects, in conformity with statutory accounting principles and practices required or permitted by the appropriate insurance regulator of the jurisdiction of domicile of each such Insurance Subsidiary, and such statutory accounting principles and practices have been applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved, except as may otherwise be indicated therein or in the notes thereto, and present fairly, in all material respects, the statutory financial position of such Insurance Subsidiaries as of the dates thereof, and 6 the statutory basis results of operations of such Insurance Subsidiaries for the periods covered thereby. (x) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company and any person granting such person the right to require the Company to file a registration statement under the Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to require the Company to include such securities with the Securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, except for (i) the Registration Rights Agreement entered into as of September 10, 2003 by and between Conseco, Inc. and the holders of Conseco, Inc.'s common stock listed therein (the "COMMON STOCK REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT") and (ii) the Registration Rights Agreement entered into as of September 10, 2003 by and between Conseco, Inc. and the holders of Conseco, Inc.'s Class A convertible exchangeable preferred stock (the "CLASS A PREFERRED STOCK") listed therein (the "CLASS A PREFERRED STOCK REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT"). No beneficiary of the foregoing rights has exercised its right to include any securities on the Registration Statement. (y) The Sixth Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization Pursuant to Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (the "PLAN OF REORGANIZATION") of Conseco, Inc., CIHC, Incorporated, CTIHC, Inc. and Partners Health Group, Inc. (collectively, the "REORGANIZING DEBTORS") was confirmed on September 9, 2003 and no party has appealed such confirmation order. Except as provided in the Plan of Reorganization, all Filed Claims (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) against, and Equity Interests (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) in, the Reorganizing Debtors have been discharged in full. 2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, (a) the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price per share of $/-/, the number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and (b) in the event and to the extent that the Underwriters shall exercise the election to purchase Optional Shares as provided below, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price per share set forth in clause (a) of this Section 2, that portion of the number of Optional Shares as to which such election shall have been exercised (to be adjusted by you so as to eliminate fractional shares) determined by multiplying such number of Optional Shares by a fraction, the numerator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares which such Underwriter is entitled to purchase as set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto and the denominator of which is the maximum number of Optional Shares that all of the Underwriters are entitled to purchase hereunder. The Company hereby grants to the Underwriters the right to purchase at their election up to /-/ Optional Shares, at the purchase price per share set forth in the paragraph above, for the sole purpose of covering sales of shares in excess of the number of Firm Shares, provided that the purchase price per Optional Share shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any dividends or distributions declared by the Company and payable on the Firm Shares but not payable on the Optional Shares. Any such election to purchase Optional Shares may be exercised only by written notice from you to the Company, given within a period of 30 calendar days after the date of this Agreement, setting forth the aggregate number of Optional Shares to be purchased and the date on which such Optional Shares are to be delivered, as determined by you but in no event earlier than the 7 First Time of Delivery (as defined in Section 4 hereof) or, unless you and the Company otherwise agree in writing, earlier than two or later than ten business days after the date of such notice. 3. Upon the authorization by you of the release of the Firm Shares, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Firm Shares for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus. 4. (a) The Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder, in definitive form, and in such authorized denominations and registered in such names as the Representatives may request upon at least forty-eight hours' prior notice to the Company shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives, through the facilities of the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), for the account of such Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least forty-eight hours in advance. The Company will cause the certificates representing the Securities to be made available for checking and packaging at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the "DESIGNATED OFFICE"). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Firm Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on March /-/, 2004 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing, and, with respect to the Optional Shares, 9:30 a.m., New York time, on the date specified by the Representatives in the written notice given by the Representatives of the Underwriters' election to purchase such Optional Shares, or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Firm Shares is herein called the "FIRST TIME OF DELIVERY", such time and date for delivery of the Optional Shares, if not the First Time of Delivery, is herein called the "SECOND TIME OF DELIVERY", and each such time and date for delivery is herein called a "TIME OF DELIVERY". (b) The documents to be delivered at each Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 7 hereof, including the cross receipt for the Securities and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 7 hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP, 825 Eighth Avenue, New York, New York, 10019 (the "CLOSING LOCATION"), and the Securities will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at such Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 5 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding such Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto. For the purposes of this Section 4, "New York Business Day" shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close. 5. The Company agrees with each of the Underwriters: (a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by you and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commission's close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement, or, if applicable, such earlier time as may be required by Rule 430A(a)(3) under the Act; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus prior to the last Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by you promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed and to furnish you with copies thereof; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or 8 information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; to advise you, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities or the shares of Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or prospectus or suspending any such qualification, promptly to use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order; (b) Promptly from time to time to take such action as you may reasonably request to qualify the Securities and the shares of Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as you may request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction; (c) Prior to 12:00 noon, New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as you may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities or the shares of Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act, to notify you and upon your request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as you may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus in connection with sales of any of the Securities or the shares of Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon your request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as you may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act; (d) To make generally available to its securityholders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158); 9 (e) During the period beginning from the date hereof and continuing to and including the date 180 days after the date of the Prospectus, not to offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of, except as provided hereunder any securities of the Company that are substantially similar to the Securities or the Stock, including but not limited to any securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for, or that represent the right to receive, Stock or any such substantially similar securities (other than pursuant to employee stock option plans existing on, or upon the conversion or exchange of convertible or exchangeable securities outstanding as of, the date of this Agreement, and other than the offer and sale of the Stock made concurrently with the offering of the Securities pursuant to an underwriting agreement of even date herewith and any additional shares of Stock that may be sold pursuant to such underwriting agreement), without your prior written consent; (f) To furnish or otherwise make available through electronic means to holders of the Securities as soon as practicable after the end of each fiscal year an annual report (including a balance sheet and statements of income, stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries certified by independent public accountants) and, as soon as practicable after the end of each of the first three quarters of each fiscal year (beginning with the fiscal quarter ending after the effective date of the Registration Statement), to make available to its stockholders consolidated summary financial information of the Company and its subsidiaries for such quarter in reasonable detail; (g) During a period of five years from the effective date of the Registration Statement, to furnish to you copies of all reports or other communications (financial or other) furnished to stockholders, and to deliver to you (i) as soon as they are available, copies of any reports and financial statements furnished to or filed with the Commission or any national securities exchange on which any class of securities of the Company is listed, provided that the Company shall not be required to furnish or deliver to you any communications, reports or financial statements that are available through electronic means; and (ii) such non-confidential additional information concerning the business and financial condition of the Company as you may from time to time reasonably request (such financial statements to be on a consolidated basis to the extent the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries are consolidated in reports furnished to its stockholders generally or to the Commission); (h) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement, from the sale of the Stock pursuant to an underwriting agreement of even date herewith and from any additional shares of Stock that may be sold pursuant to such underwriting agreements in the manner specified in the Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds", including, without limitation, at the Time of Delivery, (i) to give notice to each holder of its Class A Preferred Stock pursuant to paragraph e(ii)(A) of the Certificate of Designations governing the Class A Preferred Stock and (ii) to deposit in trust for the benefit of the holders of the Class A Preferred Stock (with such funds not being revocable until two years after the proposed date of redemption) the funds necessary for redemption of all the shares of the Class A Preferred Stock. (i) To reserve and keep available at all times, free of preemptive rights, shares of Stock for the purpose of enabling the Company to satisfy any obligations to issue shares of its Stock upon conversion of the Securities; (i) To use its best efforts to list, subject to notice of issuance, the Securities and the Stock issuable upon the conversion of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE"); (j) If the Company elects to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Company shall file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) by 10:00 P.M., 10 Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement, and the Company shall at the time of filing either pay to the Commission the filing fee for the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or give irrevocable instructions for the payment of such fee pursuant to Rule 111(b) under the Act; and (k) Upon request of any Underwriter, to furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of the Company's trademarks, servicemarks and corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Securities (the "LICENSE"); provided, however, that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred. 6. The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities and the shares of Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities under the Act and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including any compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities and the shares of Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky survey (such fees and disbursements not to exceed $5,000) (iv) all fees and expenses in connection with listing the Securities and the shares of Stock issuable upon conversion of the Securities on the NYSE; (v) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, securing any required review by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. of the terms of the sale of the Securities; (vi) the cost of preparing stock certificates; (vii) the cost and charges of any transfer agent or registrar; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section, and Sections 8 and 11 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, stock transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make. 7. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Securities to be delivered at each Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company herein are, at and as of such Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions: (a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; if the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement shall have become effective by 10:00 P.M., Washington, D.C. time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to your reasonable satisfaction; 11 (b) Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to you such written opinion or opinions (a draft of each such opinion is attached as Annex II(a) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, with respect to the matters covered in paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii), (viii) and (x) of subsection (c) below as well as such other related matters as you may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters; (c) Kirkland & Ellis LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to you their written opinion (a draft of such opinion is attached as Annex II(b) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect that: (i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with corporate power to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; (ii) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of Capital Stock", and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the issuance of the Securities to be sold by the Company has been duly authorized and, when appropriate certificates representing such Securities are duly countersigned by the Company's transfer agent and registrar and delivered against payment of the agreed upon consideration therefor in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable; and the Securities conform as to legal matters to the "Description of the Mandatorily Convertible Preferred Stock" contained in the Prospectus; (iii) The shares of Stock initially issuable upon conversion of the Securities have been duly and validly authorized and reserved for issuance and, when issued upon conversion of the Securities in accordance with their terms, will be duly and validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable and will conform to the description of the Stock contained in the Prospectus under the caption "Description of Capital Stock"; (iv) To such counsel's knowledge, no legal or governmental investigations or proceedings are pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject (i) that would be required under Item 103 of Regulation S-K under the Act to be disclosed in a registration statement or prospectus delivered at the time of confirmation of the sale of any offering of securities registered under the Act that are not described in the Prospectus or (ii) that seeks to restrain, enjoin or prevent the consummation of or otherwise challenge the issuance or sale of the Securities or the consummation of the other transactions contemplated this Agreement; (v) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company; (vi) The issue and sale of the Securities to be sold by the Company in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the consummation by the Company of the transactions herein contemplated will not (i) violate the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (ii) constitute a violation by the Company or any of its subsidiaries of any applicable provisions of 12 any law, statute, order, rule or regulation (except with respect to compliance with any disclosure requirement or any prohibition against fraud or misrepresentation, as to which such counsel need not express any opinion) or (iii) conflict with, breach, or result in a default under, any existing obligation of the Company and its subsidiaries under any of its Other Specified Agreements (a list of which shall be attached to such counsel's opinion); (vii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Securities or consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except for the registration under the Act of the Securities, and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications (i) as may be required under state or foreign securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Shares by the Underwriters or (ii) the failure of which to obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect or materially impede the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated herein or perform its obligations hereunder; (viii)The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the captions "Description of the Mandatorily Convertible Preferred Stock" and "Description of Capital Stock", insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities and the Stock, under the caption "Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations", and under the caption "Underwriting", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the federal laws of the United States and documents referred to therein, are true and correct in all material respects; (ix) The Company is not an "investment company", as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act; (x) Based upon such counsel's participation in conferences and its review of documents relating to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, such counsel's understanding of applicable law and the experience such counsel has gained in practice thereunder, and, to the extent such counsel has considered reasonable and necessary, relying as to factual matters upon the statements of officers and other representatives of the Company, such counsel can advise that nothing has come to its attention that has caused it to conclude that (i) the Registration Statement or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than financial statements and related notes and other financial and accounting data included in the Registration Statement, as to which such counsel need not express any advice or opinion) at its effective date and at the date of such opinion contained an untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or (ii) the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to the date of such opinion (other than financial statements and related notes and other financial and accounting data included in the Registration Statement, as to which such counsel need not express any advice or opinion) at the date it bears and at the date of such opinion contained an untrue statement of material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statement therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Subject to the foregoing, such counsel also advises you that each of the Registration Statement, as 13 of the effective date and the date of such opinion, and the Prospectus (other than financial statements and related notes and other financial and accounting data included in the Registration Statement, as to which such counsel need not express any advice or opinion), as of the date it bears and the date of such opinion, appeared or appears on its face to be responsive in all material respect to the requirements of Form S-1; and (xi) The Plan of Reorganization of the Reorganizing Debtors was confirmed on September 9, 2003 and no party has appealed such confirmation order. Except as provided in the Plan of Reorganization, all Filed Claims (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) against, and Equity Interests (as defined in the Plan of Reorganization) in the Reorganizing Debtors have been discharged in full. (d) Karl W. Kindig, Assistant Secretary of the Company, shall have furnished to you his written opinion (a draft of such opinion is attached as Annex II(c) hereto), dated such Time of Delivery, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect that: (i) The Company has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except to the extent that such failure to qualify would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect of matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company, provided that such counsel shall state that they have no reason to believe such reliance is unwarranted); (ii) Each material subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated or organized, as the case may be, and is validly existing as a corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization, as the case may be; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each such subsidiary have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable, and (except for directors' qualifying shares) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company and, to such counsel's knowledge, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims, except for liens, encumbrances, equities or claims that exist pursuant to that certain Credit Agreement dated as of September 10, 2003 among the Company, Bank of America, N.A., as agent and the other financial institutions party thereto (the "Credit Agreement") (such counsel being entitled to rely in respect of the opinion in this clause upon opinions of local counsel and in respect to matters of fact upon certificates of officers of the Company or its subsidiaries, provided that such counsel shall state that they have no reason to believe such reliance is unwarranted); (iii) To such counsel's knowledge and other than as set forth in the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of its directors, officers or employees is a party or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject which could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect; and, to such counsel's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others; 14 (iv) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (A) in violation of its Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws or (B) in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except, with respect to clause (B), for such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; (v) The statements set forth in the Prospectus under the caption "Business - Government Regulation", insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are true and correct in all material respects; (vi) Each of the Company and its subsidiaries has all necessary Consents of and from, and has made all Filings with, all insurance regulatory authorities, all Federal, state, local and other governmental authorities, all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, necessary to own, lease, license and use its properties and assets and to conduct its business in the manner described in the Prospectus, except where the failure to have such Consents or to make such Filings would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; all such Consents and Filings are in full force and effect, the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with such Consents and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of any inquiry, investigation or proceeding that would reasonably be expected to result in the suspension, revocation or limitation of any such Consent or otherwise impose any limitation on the conduct of the business of the Company or any of its respective subsidiaries, except as set forth in the Prospectus or any such failure to be in full force and effect, failure to be in compliance with, suspension, revocation or limitation which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company and each of it subsidiaries are in compliance with, and conducts its businesses in conformity with, all applicable insurance laws and regulations, except where the failure to so comply or conform would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and (vii) The Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any further amendments and supplements thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder; although such counsel does not assume any responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements contained in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, except for those referred to in the opinion in subsection (iii) of this section 7(d), such counsel has no reason to believe that, as of its effective date, the Registration Statement or any further amendment thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or that, as of its date, the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) 15 contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or that, as of such Time of Delivery, either the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto made by the Company prior to such Time of Delivery (other than the financial statements and related schedules therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and such counsel does not know of any amendment to the Registration Statement required to be filed or of any contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not filed or described as required; (e) On the date of the Prospectus at a time prior to the execution of this Agreement, at 9:30 a.m., New York City time, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement and also at each Time of Delivery, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to you a letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance satisfactory to you, to the effect set forth in Annex I hereto; (f) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders' equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Representatives so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus; (g) On or after the date hereof (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Company's debt securities or preferred stock or the Company's financial strength or claims paying ability by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization", as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's debt securities or preferred stock or the Company's financial strength or claims paying ability; (h) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NYSE; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company's securities on the NYSE; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving 16 the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at such Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus; (i) The Securities to be sold at such Time of Delivery shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the NYSE; (j) The shares of Stock to be issuable upon conversion of the Securities shall have been duly listed, subject to notice of issuance, on the NYSE; (k) The Company has obtained and delivered to the Underwriters executed copies of an agreement from each officer and director of the Company, substantially to the effect set forth in Subsection 5(e) hereof in form and substance satisfactory to you; (l) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(c) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement; (m) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to you at such Time of Delivery certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to you as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at and as of such Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company of all of its obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a) and (e) of this Section and as to such other matters as you may reasonably request; and (o) The Company shall have consummated the offering of Stock in accordance with that certain underwriting agreement dated the date herewith by and between the Company and the Representatives, prior to or concurrently with the sale of the Securities on the First Time of Delivery. 8. (a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein. (b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are 17 based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred. (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party. (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the 18 Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint. (e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and each affiliate of any Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Act. (f) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any failure or alleged failure by the Company to comply with the terms of the Common Stock Registration Rights Agreement or the Class A Preferred Stock Registration Rights Agreement in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any advice given by the Representatives or action taken by the Company or Representatives pursuant to Section 2.4 of the Common Stock Registration Rights Agreement or the Class A Preferred Stock Registration Rights Agreement in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. 9. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Securities which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at a Time of Delivery, you may in your discretion arrange for you or another party or other parties to purchase such Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter you do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to 19 procure another party or other parties satisfactory to you to purchase such Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, you notify the Company that you have so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, or the Company notifies you that it has so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, you or the Company shall have the right to postpone such Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company agrees to file promptly any amendments to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in your opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities. (b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Securities to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the number of shares which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at such Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the number of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default. (c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by you and the Company as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate number of such Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate number of all the Securities to be purchased at such Time of Delivery, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement (or, with respect to the Second Time of Delivery, the obligations of the Underwriters to purchase and of the Company to sell the Optional Shares) shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 6 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 8 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default. 10. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, or the Company, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. 11. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof, the Company shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters through you for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities not so 20 delivered, but the Company shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 6 and 8 hereof. 12. In all dealings hereunder, you shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by you jointly or by the Representatives. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to you as the representatives at in care of Goldman, Sachs & Co., 85 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, Attention: Registration Department and in care of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Corporate Finance Execution; and if to the Company shall be delivered or sent by mail to the address of the Company set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided, however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters' Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company by you upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof. 13. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Sections 8 and 10 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and each person who controls the Company or any Underwriter or is an affiliate of any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase. 14. Time shall be of the essence of this Agreement. As used herein, the term "business day" shall mean any day when the Commission's office in Washington, D.C. is open for business. 15. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. 16. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. 21 If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us one for the Company and each of the Representatives plus one for each counsel counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement between each of the Underwriters and the Company. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof. Very truly yours, Conseco, Inc. By: ................................. Name: Title: Accepted as of the date hereof: Goldman, Sachs & Co. Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated ........................................ (Goldman, Sachs & Co.) By: Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated By:............................... Name: Title: As Representatives on behalf of each of the Underwriters 22 SCHEDULE I

23 ANNEX I FORM OF COMFORT LETTER Pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Underwriting Agreement, the accountants shall furnish letters to the Underwriters to the effect that: (i) They are independent certified public accountants with respect to the Company, including its predecessor, Conseco, Inc., an Indiana corporation, and its subsidiaries within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder; (ii) In their opinion, the financial statements and any supplementary financial information and schedules (and, if applicable, financial forecasts and/or pro forma financial information) examined by them and included in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the related published rules and regulations thereunder; and, if applicable, they have made a review in accordance with standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants of the consolidated interim financial statements, selected financial data, pro forma financial information, financial forecasts and/or condensed financial statements derived from audited financial statements of the Company for the periods specified in such letter, as indicated in their reports thereon, copies of which have been furnished to the Representatives; (iii)The unaudited selected financial information with respect to the consolidated results of operations and financial position of the Company for the five most recent fiscal years included in the Prospectus and included in Item 6 of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year agrees with the corresponding amounts (after restatement where applicable) in the audited consolidated financial statements for such five fiscal years which were included in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for such fiscal years; (iv) They have compared the information in the Prospectus under selected captions with the disclosure requirements of Regulation S-K and on the basis of limited procedures specified in such letter nothing came to their attention as a result of the foregoing procedures that caused them to believe that this information does not conform in all material respects with the disclosure requirements of Items 301, 302, 402 and 503(d), respectively, of Regulation S-K; (v) On the basis of limited procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, consisting of a reading of the unaudited financial statements and other information referred to below, a reading of the latest available interim financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, inspection of the minute books of the Company and its subsidiaries since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Prospectus, inquiries of officials of the Company and its subsidiaries responsible for financial and accounting matters and such other inquiries and procedures as may be specified in such letter, nothing came to their attention that caused them to believe that: (A) any unaudited pro forma consolidated condensed financial statements, if any, included in the Prospectus do not comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder or the pro forma adjustments have not been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements; (B) as of a specified date not more than five days prior to the date of such letter, there have been any changes in the consolidated capital stock (other than issuances of capital stock upon exercise of options and stock appreciation rights, upon earn-outs of performance shares and upon conversions of convertible securities, in each case which were outstanding on the date of the latest balance sheet included in the Prospectus) or any increase in the consolidated long-term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, or any decreases in consolidated net current assets or stockholders' equity or other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with amounts shown in the latest balance sheet included in the Prospectus, except in each case for changes, increases or decreases which are described in such letter; and (C) for the period from the date of the latest financial statements included in the Prospectus to the specified date referred to in clause (B) there were any decreases in consolidated net revenues or operating profit or the total or per share amounts of consolidated net income or other items specified by the Representatives, or any increases in any items specified by the Representatives, in each case as compared with the comparable period of the preceding year and with any other period of corresponding length specified by the Representatives, except in each case for increases or decreases which the Prospectus discloses have occurred or may occur or which are described in such letter; and (vi) In addition to the examination referred to in their report(s) included in the Prospectus and the limited procedures, inspection of minute books, inquiries and other procedures referred to in paragraphs (iii) and (vi) above, they have carried out certain specified procedures, not constituting an examination in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and financial information specified by the Representatives which are derived from the general accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries, which appear in the Prospectus or in Part II of, or in exhibits and schedules to, the Registration Statement specified by the Representatives or in documents incorporated by reference in the Prospectus specified by the Representatives, and have compared certain of such amounts, percentages and financial information with the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and have found them to be in agreement. 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