HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.

Exhibit 1.1

HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.

$300,000,000

6.300% Senior Notes due 2019

Underwriting Agreement

New York, New York
November 10, 2009

To the Representatives named in Schedule I hereto
of the Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc., a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, the principal amount of its securities identified in Schedule I hereto (the “Securities”), to be issued under an Indenture, dated as of August 23, 2001, as amended (the “Indenture”), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association (as successor to Wachovia Bank, National Association and First Union National Bank), as trustee (the “Trustee”). Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 17 hereof.

     The Company has filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3ASR (No. 333-158164) for the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act, and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415, and the Company has filed such post-effective amendments thereto as may be required prior to the execution of this Agreement. Such registration statement (as so amended, if applicable) is currently effective and the Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act. Such registration statement (as so amended, if applicable), including the Rule 430 Information, if any, is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and the final prospectus and the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of the Securities, in the form first furnished to the Underwriters by the Company for use in connection with the offering of the Securities (or in the form made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173), are collectively referred to herein as the “Prospectus”; provided, further, that if the Company files a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, then, after such filing, all references to “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement. A “preliminary prospectus” shall be deemed to refer to any prospectus used before the registration statement became effective and any prospectus that omitted, as applicable, the Rule 430 Information or other information to be included upon pricing in a form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the 1933 Act Regulations, that was used after such effectiveness and prior to the execution and delivery of this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents

incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. For purposes of this Agreement, all references to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus or to any amendment or supplement to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include the copy filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR or any successor thereof.

     At or prior to the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated November 9, 2009, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405) listed on Annex C hereto as constituting part of the Time of Sale Information.

     All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, as the case may be; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include the filing of any document under the 1934 Act which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, Prospectus or preliminary prospectus, as the case may be.

     The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

     1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter, as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date (as defined below) (in each case, a “Representation Date”) as set forth below in this Section 1.

     (a) Compliance with Registration Requirements. The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the 1933 Act. The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement has been issued under the 1933 Act and no proceedings for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with. In addition, the Indenture has been duly qualified under the 1939 Act. At the respective times the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendment thereto became effective and at each Representation Date, the Registration Statement, any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement and any amendments and supplements thereto

complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations and the 1939 Act and the 1939 Act Regulations and did not and will not contain any 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. At the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and at the Closing Date, the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto did not and will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or the Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus. Each preliminary prospectus and prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424, complied when so filed in all material respects with the 1933 Act Regulations and, if applicable, each preliminary prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of Securities will, at the time of such delivery, be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T. 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, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any preliminary prospectus.

     (b) Time of Sale Information. The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in such Time of Sale Information. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

     (c) Issuer Free Writing Prospectus. The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use,

authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i) (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the 1933 Act or Rule 134, (ii) any preliminary prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex C hereto as constituting the Time of Sale Information and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complied in all material respects with the 1933 Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the 1933 Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the preliminary prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation and warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

     (d) Incorporated Documents. The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, at the time they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations and none of such documents contained any 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, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, 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 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations or the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations, as applicable, and will not contain any 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.

     (e) Financial Statements. The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (the “Included Financials”), except the financial statements and the related notes in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2008 which have been superseded by the financial statements and the related notes therein included in the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 9, 2009, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act

and the 1933 Act Regulations or the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; the Included Financials have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“generally accepted accounting principles”) applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except as noted therein, and the supporting schedules included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement present fairly the information required to be stated therein; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby; and the pro forma financial information and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations, as applicable, and the assumptions underlying such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

     (f) No Material Adverse Change. Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than any exercise of options previously granted to directors or employees of the Company or conversion of the Company’s 1.30% Convertible Notes due 2023 in accordance with their terms) or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, set aside for payment, paid or made by the Company on any class of capital stock (other than the declaration by the company of a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.135 per share), or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or incurred any liability or obligation, direct or contingent, that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and (iii) neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has sustained any material loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor disturbance or dispute or any action, order or decree of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, provided that such material loss or interference shall not include losses or interference suffered by third parties insured, and not directly suffered, by the Insurance Subsidiaries (as defined below) that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below); except in each case as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

     (g) Organization and Good Standing. The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified, in good standing or have such power or authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, management, financial position, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Securities (a “Material Adverse Effect”). The subsidiaries listed in Schedule III to this Agreement are the only Significant Subsidiaries of the Company.

     (h) Capitalization. The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization” and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable (except, in the case of any foreign subsidiary, for directors’ qualifying shares, and except as and to the extent described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus) and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any lien, charge, encumbrance, security interest, restriction on voting or transfer or any other claim of any third party.

     (i) Due Authorization. The Company has full right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.

     (j) Authorization of this Agreement. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

     (k) Authorization of Securities. The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company for issuance and sale pursuant to this Agreement. Such Securities, when issued and authenticated in the manner provided for in the Indenture and delivered against payment of the consideration therefor specified in this Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles. Such Securities will be in the form contemplated by, and each registered holder thereof is entitled to the benefits of, the Indenture.

     (l) Authorization of the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles.

     (m) Descriptions of the Transaction Documents. Each Transaction Document conforms or will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, and is or will be in substantially the form filed or incorporated by reference, as the case may be, as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.

     (n) No Violation or Default. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in 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) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (o) No Conflicts. The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not (i) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries pursuant to, 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, (ii) result in any violation of the provisions of the charter or by-laws or similar organizational documents of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (iii) result in the violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii) above, for any such conflict, breach, violation or default that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (p) No Consents Required. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority is required for the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by

the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for the registration of the Securities under the 1933 Act, the qualification of the Indenture under the 1939 Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters.

     (q) Legal Proceedings. Except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there are no legal, governmental or regulatory investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be the subject that, individually or in the aggregate, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; to the knowledge of the Company, no such investigations, actions, suits or proceedings are threatened or contemplated by any governmental or regulatory authority or threatened by others; and (i) there are no current or pending legal, governmental or regulatory actions, suits or proceedings that are required under the 1933 Act to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not so described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and (ii) there are no statutes, regulations or contracts or other documents that are required under the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that are not so filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

     (r) Independent Accountants. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the 1933 Act and the 1933 Act Regulations.

     (s) Title to Real and Personal Property. The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to, or have valid rights to lease or otherwise use, all items of real and personal property that are material to the respective businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, claims and defects and imperfections of title except those that (i) do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries or (ii) could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (t) Title to Intellectual Property. The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess adequate rights to use all material patents, patent applications, trademarks, service marks, trade names, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, copyrights, licenses and know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or

unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures) necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses; and the conduct of their respective businesses will not conflict in any material respect with any such rights of others, and the Company and its subsidiaries have not received any notice of any claim of infringement or conflict with any such rights of others.

     (u) No Undisclosed Relationships. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders, customers or suppliers of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the other, that is required by the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations to be described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and that is not so described in such documents and in the Time of Sale Information.

     (v) Investment Company Act. The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, “Investment Company Act”).

     (w) Taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries have paid all federal, state, local and foreign taxes and filed all tax returns required to be paid or filed through the date hereof except in any case in which the failure so to file would not have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency that has been, or could reasonably be expected to be, asserted against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or assets, except for any such deficiency that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

     (x) Licenses and Permits. The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, certificates, permits and other authorizations issued by, and have made all declarations and filings with, the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory authorities that are necessary for the ownership or lease of their respective properties or the conduct of their respective businesses as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except where the failure to possess or make the same would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of any revocation or modification of any such license, certificate, permit or authorization or has any reason to believe that any such license, certificate, permit or authorization will not be renewed in the ordinary course.

     (y) Compliance With Environmental Laws. (i) The Company and its subsidiaries (A) are, and at all prior times were, in compliance with any and all applicable federal, state, local and foreign laws, rules, regulations, requirements,

decisions and orders relating to the protection of human health or safety, the environment, natural resources, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (B) have received and are in compliance with all permits, licenses, certificates or other authorizations or approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses; and (C) have not received notice of any actual or potential liability under or relating to any Environmental Laws, including for the investigation or remediation of any disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in any such notice, and (ii) there are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws of or relating to the Company or its subsidiaries, except in the case of each of (i) and (ii) above, for any such failure to comply, or failure to receive required permits, licenses or approvals, or cost or liability, as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and (iii) except as described in each of the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (A) there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $100,000 or more will be imposed, (B) the Company and its subsidiaries are not aware of any issues regarding compliance with Environmental Laws, or liabilities or other obligations under Environmental Laws or concerning hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants, that could reasonably be expected to have a material effect on the capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position of the Company and its subsidiaries, and (C) none of the Company and its subsidiaries anticipates material capital expenditures relating to any Environmental Laws.

     (z) Compliance With ERISA. (i) Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), for which the Company or any member of its “Controlled Group” (defined as any organization which is a member of a controlled group of corporations within the meaning of Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”)) would have any liability (each, a “Plan”) has been maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Code; (ii) no prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to any Plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption; (iii) for each Plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no “accumulated funding deficiency” as defined in Section 412 of the Code, whether or not waived, has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; (iv) the fair market value of the assets of each Plan exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such Plan (determined based on those assumptions used to fund such Plan); (v) no “reportable event” (within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA) has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur; and (vi) neither the Company nor any member of the Controlled Group has incurred, nor reasonably expects to incur, any liability under Title IV of ERISA (other than

contributions to the Plan or premiums to the PBGC, in the ordinary course and without default) in respect of a Plan (including a “multiemployer plan”, within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

     (aa) Disclosure Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the 1934 Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the 1934 Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure. The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 under the 1934 Act.

     (bb) Accounting Controls. The Company and its subsidiaries maintain systems of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the 1934 Act) that comply with the requirements of the 1934 Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, including, but not limited to those policies and procedures that: (i) pertain to the maintenance of the Company’s records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect its transactions and dispositions of its assets, (ii) provide reasonable assurance that the Company has recorded transactions as necessary to permit it to prepare consolidated financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with authorizations of its management and Board of Directors and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of its assets that could have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements. There are no material weaknesses in the Company’s internal controls.

     (cc) Insurance. The Company and its subsidiaries have insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses, including business interruption insurance, which insurance is in amounts and insures against such losses and risks as, in the Company’s reasonable judgment, are adequate to protect the Company and its subsidiaries and their respective businesses; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has (i) received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that capital improvements or other expenditures are required or necessary to be made in order to continue such insurance or (ii) any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage at reasonable cost from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business.

     (dd) No Unlawful Payments. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment to any foreign or domestic government official or employee from corporate funds; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977; or (iv) made any bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment.

     (ee) Compliance with Money Laundering Laws. The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

     (ff) Compliance with OFAC. None of the Company, any of its subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, agent, employee or Affiliate of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.

     (gg) No Restrictions on Subsidiaries. Except as otherwise described in the Prospectus, Registration Statement or Time of Sale Materials or, with respect to the Company’s Insurance Subsidiaries (as defined below), for insurance regulatory laws and regulations of general application in their respective states of domicile, no subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company.

     (hh) No Broker’s Fees. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

     (ii) No Registration Rights. No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the 1933 Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.

     (jj) No Stabilization. The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

     (kk) Margin Rules. Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

     (ll) Forward-Looking Statements. No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the 1933 Act and Section 21E of the 1934 Act) contained in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

     (mm) Sarbanes-Oxley Act. There is and, since December 31, 2007, there has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

     (nn) Status Under the 1933 Act. The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” and is a “well-known seasoned issuer”, in each case as defined under the 1933 Act, in each case at the times specified in the 1933 Act in connection with the offering of the Securities. The Company has paid the registration fee for this offering pursuant to Rule 457.

     (oo) Insurance Subsidiaries. Each of the Company and its subsidiaries that is required to be organized or licensed as an insurance company, Llyod’s corporate member or Lloyd’s managing agent in its jurisdiction of incorporation (including jurisdictions outside of the United States) (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, reports, registrations, statements and declarations, together with any amendment thereto (collectively, the “Filings”), with, all insurance regulatory authorities (including, without limitation, the Bermuda Monetary Authority, the California Department of Insurance, the Colorado Division of Insurance, the Delaware Department of Insurance, the Indiana Department of Insurance, the Maryland Insurance Administration, the Oklahoma Insurance Department, the Spanish General Directorate of Insurance and Pension Funds of the Ministry of the

Economy and Treasury, the Texas Department of Insurance and the U.K. Financial Services Authority), 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, 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 Filings complied in all material respects as of their respective dates with the applicable insurance laws and regulations, the Company and its Insurance Subsidiaries are in compliance with such Consents, no event or events have occurred 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 do so comply or conform would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Without limiting the foregoing, each of the Insurance Subsidiaries has made all Filings pursuant to, and has obtained all Consents required of all applicable insurance laws and regulations in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities.

     (pp) Statutory Annual Statements. The 2008 statutory annual and, for periods ending prior to the date hereof, quarterly statements of each Insurance Subsidiary (collectively, the “Statutory Statements”) and the statutory balance sheets and income statements included in such Statutory 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 regulatory authority 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 the statutory basis results of operations of such Insurance Subsidiaries for the periods covered thereby. The exhibits and schedules included in each Statutory Statement fairly present the data purported to be shown thereby.

     (qq) Reinsurance. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, all reinsurance treaties, contracts, agreements and arrangements to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party and as to which any of them reported recoverables, premiums due or other amounts in its most recent Statutory Statement are valid and binding obligations of the Company or such subsidiary and, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party thereto and are in full force and effect and none of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is in default, and no event that, with notice

or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default in the due performance or observance of any term, obligation, covenant or condition contained therein has occurred.

     (rr) Loss Experience. To the Company’s knowledge, no event giving rise to a loss has occurred since September 30, 2008 which would require or make it necessary or appropriate for the Company to change, modify or amend its standard methodology or assumptions relating to assessing and providing for such losses.

     (ss) Financial Strength Ratings. Neither A.M. Best Company, Standard & Poor’s Corporation nor Fitch Ratings Ltd. has (i) taken any action to, or to the Company’s knowledge, threatened to downgrade any financial strength or claims paying ability ratings of the Company or its subsidiaries or (ii) publicly announced or otherwise indicated to the Company or any of its subsidiaries that such ratings are under review.

     Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or any subsidiary and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter on the date of such certificate and, unless subsequently amended or supplemented, at each Representation Date subsequent thereto.

     2. Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations, warranties and agreements herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of 98.838% of the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule II hereto.

     3. Delivery and Payment.

     (a) Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made on the date and at the time specified in Schedule I hereto or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives shall designate, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company, shall be made to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

     (b) The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s-length contractual counterparty to the Company with

respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, none of the Representatives or any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

     4. Offering by Underwriters. It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

     5. Agreements. The Company agrees with each of the several Underwriters that:

     (a) Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests. The Company, subject to Section 5(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430A, Rule 430B and/or Rule 430C, if and as applicable, and will notify the Representatives immediately, and confirm such advice in writing, of (i) the filing or effectiveness of any amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of any supplement or amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for additional information, (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes or pursuant to Section 8A of the 1933 Act, (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the 1933 Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or

threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424 and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file the Prospectus. The Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to prevent the issuance of any order referenced in clause (iv) or (vii) above and, if any such order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

     (b) Filing of Amendments. The Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention (i) to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b)) or any amendment, supplement or revision to either the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time it became effective or to the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act or otherwise, or (ii) to make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall object.

     (c) Required Filings. The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the 1933 Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Term Sheet in the form of Annex D hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the 1933 Act; and will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or 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 1934 Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and during the Prospectus Delivery Period.

     (d) Delivery of Registration Statements. The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (including exhibits filed therewith or incorporated by reference therein and documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein) and signed copies of all consents and certificates of experts, and will also deliver to the Representatives, without charge, a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits) for each of the Underwriters. If applicable, the copies of the Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

     (e) Delivery of Prospectuses and Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses. The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of each preliminary prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the 1933 Act. The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing

Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer. If applicable, the Prospectus, each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to the electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

     (f) Continued Compliance with Securities Laws. The Company will comply with the 1933 Act, the 1933 Act Regulations, the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Securities as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of external counsel for the Underwriters, upon concurrence by the Company and its external counsel, such concurrence not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed, or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement 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 or to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order that the Prospectus will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the circumstances existing at the time it is delivered to a purchaser, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of the 1933 Act or the 1933 Act Regulations, the Company will promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 5(b), such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the Registration Statement or the Prospectus comply with such requirements, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

     (g) Time of Sale Information. If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would include any 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, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to Section 5(b), file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information as may be necessary so that the statements in the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented will not, in the light of the circumstances, be misleading or so that the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

     (h) Blue Sky Qualifications. The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Underwriters, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the applicable securities laws of such states and the jurisdictions (domestic or foreign) as the Representatives may reasonably designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date of this Agreement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to file any general consent to service of process or to qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any jurisdiction in which it is not so qualified or to subject itself to taxation in respect of doing business in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise so subject. In each jurisdiction in which the Securities have been so qualified, the Company will file such statements and reports as may be required by the laws of such jurisdiction to continue such qualification in effect for a period of not less than one year from the date of this Agreement.

     (i) Earnings Statement. The Company will timely file such reports pursuant to the 1934 Act as are necessary in order to make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earnings statement for the purposes of, and to provide the benefits contemplated by, the last paragraph of Section 11(a) of the 1933 Act and Rule 158, covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

     (j) Use of Proceeds. The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities in the manner specified in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds.”

     (k) No Stabilization. The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

     (l) Business With Cuba. The Company has complied with all provisions of Section 517.075, Florida Statutes (Chapter 92-198, Laws of Florida) relating to doing business with the Government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba.

     (m) Restriction on Sale of Securities. Between the date of this Agreement and the date that is one (1) day after the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer to sell, grant any option for the sale of or otherwise dispose of, the securities as specified in Schedule I hereto.

     (n) Reporting Requirements. The Company, during the period when the Prospectus is required to be delivered under the 1933 Act or the 1934 Act, will file all documents required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to the 1934 Act within the time periods required by the 1934 Act and the 1934 Act Regulations.

     (o) Record Retention. The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the 1933 Act.

     5A. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

     (a) It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the 1933 Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex C or prepared pursuant to Section 3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use a term sheet substantially in the form of Annex D hereto without the consent of the Company.

     (b) It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the 1933 Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

     6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters. The obligations of each Underwriter to purchase the Securities as provided herein shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder, and to the following additional conditions:

     (a) Effectiveness of Registration Statement. The Registration Statement, including any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, has become effective under the 1933 Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the 1933 Act or proceedings therefor pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or Section 8A under the 1933 Act initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters. A prospectus containing information relating to the description of the Securities, the specific method of distribution and similar matters shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b)(1), (2), (3), (4) or (5), as applicable (or any required post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A, Rule 430B or Rule 430C). Each Issuer Free Writing

Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the 1933 Act to the extent required by Rule 433 and in accordance herewith.

     (b) Opinion of Counsel for Company. At the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received (i) the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, of Haynes and Boone, LLP, counsel for the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Annex A hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request, and (ii) the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, of the General Counsel of the Company, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, to the effect set forth in Annex B hereto and to such further effect as counsel to the Underwriters may reasonably request.

     (c) Opinion of Counsel for Underwriters. At the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the favorable opinion, dated as of the Closing Date, of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require. In giving such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the law of the State of New York, the federal law of the United States and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, upon the opinions of counsel satisfactory to the Representatives. Such counsel may state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

     (d) Officers’ Certificate. At the Closing Date, there shall not have been, since the Execution Time or since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Prospectus, any material adverse change in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the ordinary course of business, and the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the President or a Vice President of the Company and of the chief financial officer or chief accounting officer of the Company, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect (i) that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (ii) there has been no such material adverse change, (iii) that the representations and warranties in Section 1 are true and correct with the same force and effect as though expressly made at and as of the Closing Date, (iv) that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date, (v) that no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been initiated or to the Company’s knowledge threatened by the Commission and (vi) as set forth in Sections 6(a), (g) and (k).

     (e) Accountant’s Comfort Letter. At the Execution Time, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter dated such date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives to the effect set forth in Annex E, together with signed or reproduced copies of such letter for each of the other Underwriters.

     (f) Bring-down Comfort Letter. At the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP a letter, dated as of the Closing Date, to the effect that they reaffirm the statements made in the letter furnished pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 6, except that the specified date referred to shall be a date not more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

     (g) Ratings. At the Closing Date, the Securities shall have the ratings accorded by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2), as specified in Schedule I hereto, and the Company shall have delivered to the Representatives a letter, dated as of such date, from each such rating organization, or other evidence satisfactory to the Representatives, confirming that the Securities have such ratings. Since the Execution Time, there shall not have occurred a downgrading in the rating assigned to the Securities or any of the Company’s other securities by any such rating organization, and no such rating organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of the Securities or any of the Company’s other securities.

     (h) No Legal Impediment to Issuance. No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

     (i) Good Standing. The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

     (j) Additional Documents. At the Closing Date, counsel for the Underwriters shall have been furnished with such documents and opinions as they may reasonably require for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained; and all proceedings taken by the Company in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated shall be satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters.

     (k) No Material Adverse Change. No event or condition of a type described in Section 1(f) shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

     If any condition specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required to be fulfilled, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be in all material respects reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by the Representatives by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing Date and such termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 7 and except that Sections 1 and 8 shall survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect. Notice of such termination shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

     The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, on the Closing Date.

     7. Payment of Expenses.

     (a) The Company will pay all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, including (i) the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits) as originally filed and of each amendment thereto, (ii) the preparation, printing (if applicable) and delivery to the Underwriters of the Transaction Documents, any Agreement among Underwriters and such other documents as may be required in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities, (iii) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection, (iv) the fees and disbursements of the Company’s counsel, accountants and other advisors or agents, as well as the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and any paying agent and their respective counsel, (v) the qualification of the Securities under state securities laws in accordance with the provisions of Section 5(h), including filing fees and the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection therewith and in connection with the preparation, printing and delivery of the Blue Sky Survey and any Legal Investment Survey, and any amendment thereto, (vi) the printing and delivery to the Underwriters of copies of each preliminary prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, (vii) the fees charged by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations for the rating of the Securities if applicable, (viii) the fees and expenses incurred with respect to the listing of the Securities if applicable, (ix) the filing fees incident to, and the reasonable

fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters in connection with, the review, if any, by the FINRA of the terms of the sale of the Securities, and (x) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors.

     (b) If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through the Representatives on demand for all out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

     8. Indemnification and Contribution.

     (a) Indemnification of the Underwriters. The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, (ii) or any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

     (b) Indemnification of the Company. Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the 1933 Act or Section 20 of the 1934 Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration

Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information.

     (c) Notice and Procedures. If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to Section 7 that the Indemnifying Party may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of counsel related to such proceeding as incurred within 30 days following the receipt of an invoice for such expenses. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interest between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed, as they are incurred within 30 days following the receipt of an invoice for such expenses. Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors, its officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person

shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request, and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement for all such fees and expenses as are not subject to dispute in good faith by the Indemnifying Party, and in case of such dispute both parties shall negotiate in good faith to resolve the dispute. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

     (d) Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) 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 or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) 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 that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other 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 or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

     (e) Limitation on Liability. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 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 that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in

paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that 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 1933 Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

     (f) Non-Exclusive Remedies. The remedies provided for in this Section are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies which may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

     9. Default by an Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule II hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

     (b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder)

of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

     (c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

     (d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

     10. Termination. This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such time (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the New York Stock Exchange or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto).

     11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive. The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities, rights of contribution and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

     12. Notices. All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Banc of America Securities LLC, 1 Bryant Park, 24th Floor, New York, New York 10036 (fax:

(704)  ###-###-####); Attention: High Grade DCM Transaction Management/Legal; J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (fax: 212 ###-###-####); Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk — 8th Floor; or Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 301 S. College Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288; Attention: Transaction Management Department (fax: 704 ###-###-####), as applicable; or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc., 13403 Northwest Freeway, Houston TX 77040-6095, (fax: (713)  ###-###-####); Attention: Randy D. Rinicella.

     13. Successors. This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

     14. Applicable Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

     15. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

     16. Headings. The section and subsection headings used herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

     17. Definitions. The terms which follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

     “1933 Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

     “1933 Act Regulations” shall mean the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1933 Act.

     “1934 Act” shall mean the Securities 1934 Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

     “1934 Act Regulations” shall mean the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1934 Act.

     “1939 Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

     “1939 Act Regulations” shall mean the rules and regulations of the Commission under the 1939 Act.

     “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405.

     “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

     “Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

     “EDGAR” shall mean the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system of the Commission.

     “Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement, any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto and any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement became or become effective.

     “Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

     “FINRA” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

     “Regulation S-T” and “Regulation S-K” refer to such regulation under the 1933 Act Regulations.

     “Rule 134”, “Rule 158”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 173”, “Rule 401”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430A”, “Rule 430B”, “Rule 430C”, “Rule 433”, “Rule 436”, “Rule 457” and “Rule 462” refer to such rules under the 1933 Act.

     “Rule 430 Information” shall mean information with respect to the Securities and the offering thereof permitted to be omitted from the Registration Statement when it becomes effective pursuant to Rule 430A, Rule 430B or Rule 430C.

     “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement” shall mean a registration statement and any amendments thereto filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) relating to the offering covered by the registration statement referred to in the second paragraph of this Agreement.

     “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405.

     “Significant Subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X under the 1934 Act.

     18. Effectiveness of Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

     19. Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

     20. Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

     If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.

Accepted: November 10, 2009

For themselves and on behalf of the
several Underwriters listed
in Schedule II hereto.

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC