Excess Per Risk Reinsurance Contract Effective: January 1, 2008 issued to

EX-10.15 17 dex1015.htm EXCESS PER RISK REINSURANCE CONTRACT Excess Per Risk Reinsurance Contract

Exhibit 10.15

Excess Per Risk

Reinsurance Contract

Effective: January 1, 2008

issued to

Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Port St. Lucie, Florida


08\H3O1006

Excess Per Risk

Reinsurance Contract

Effective: January 1, 2008

issued to

Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Port St. Lucie, Florida


Reinsurers	Participations
Catlin Insurance Company Ltd.	55.0	%
Hannover Rueckversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft	30.0
QBE Reinsurance Corporation	15.0

Total	100.0	%


08IL\H3O1006

Table of Contents


Article		Page
I	Classes of Business Reinsured	1

II	Commencement and Termination	1

III	Territory (BRMA 51A)	2

IV	Exclusions	2

V	Retention and Limit	4

VI	Definitions	4

VII	Other Reinsurance	6

VIII	Loss Occurrence	6

IX	Loss Notices and Settlements	7

X	Salvage and Subrogation	7

XI	Reinsurance Premium	8

XII	Late Payments	8

XIII	Offset (BRMA 36C)	9

XIV	Access to Records (BRMA 1D)	9

XV	Liability of the Reinsurer	9

XVI	Net Retained Lines (BRMA 32E)	10

XVII	Errors and Omissions (BRMA 14F)	10

XVIII	Currency (BRMA 12A)	10

XIX	Taxes (BRMA 50B)	10

XX	Federal Excise Tax (BRMA 17D)	10

XXI	Reserves	11

XXII	Insolvency	12

XXIII	Arbitration (BRMA 6J)	13

XXIV	Service of Suit (BRMA 49C)	13

XXV	Governing Law (BRMA 71B)	14

XXVI	Confidentiality	14

XXVII	Entire Agreement	14

XXVIII	Severability (BRMA 72E)	14

XXIX	Notices and Contract Execution	15

XXX	Intermediary (BRMA 23A)	15


08\H3O1006

Excess Per Risk

Reinsurance Contract

Effective: January 1, 2008

issued to

Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Port St. Lucie, Florida

(hereinafter referred to as the “Company”)

The Subscribing Reinsurer(s) Executing the

Interests and Liabilities Agreement(s)

Attached Hereto

(hereinafter referred to as the “Reinsurer”)

Article I - Classes of Business Reinsured

By this Contract the Reinsurer agrees to reinsure the excess liability which may accrue to the Company under its policies, contracts and binders of insurance or reinsurance (hereinafter called “policies”) in force at the effective date hereof or issued or renewed on or after that date, and classified by the Company as Homeowners Multiple Peril (property sections only) and Dwelling Fire (property sections only), subject to the terms, conditions and limitations hereinafter set forth.

Article II - Commencement and Termination

A.	This Contract shall become effective on January 1, 2008, with respect to losses occurring on or after that date, and shall remain in force until May 31, 2008, both days inclusive, Local Standard Time at the location where the loss occurs.

Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph A above, the Company may terminate a Subscribing Reinsurer’s percentage share in this Contract in the event any of the following circumstances occur, as clarified by public announcement for subparagraphs 1 through 6 below, or upon discovery for subparagraphs 7 and 8 below. The Company has 120 days from the date of applicable public announcement or discovery to exercise the option to terminate a Subscribing Reinsurer’s percentage share in this Contract. To terminate a Subscribing Reinsurer’s percentage share in this Contract, the Company must give the Subscribing Reinsurer prior written notice by either certified or registered mail for which a return receipt is requested. The effective date of termination will be as selected by the Company, subject to the condition that such selected date must be the last day of a calendar month:

The Subscribing Reinsurer’s policyholders’ surplus (or its equivalent under the Subscribing Reinsurer’s accounting system) at the inception of this Contract has been reduced by more than 20,0% of the amount of surplus (or the applicable equivalent) 12 months prior to that date; or

08\H3O1006

Page 1

The Subscribing Reinsurer’s policyholders’ surplus (or its equivalent under the Subscribing Reinsurer’s accounting system) at any time during the term of this Contract has been reduced by more than 20.0% of the amount of surplus (or the applicable equivalent) at the date of the Subscribing Reinsurer’s most recent financial statement filed with regulatory authorities and available to the public as of the inception of this Contract; or

The Subscribing Reinsurer’s A.M. Best’s rating has been assigned or downgraded below A- and/or Standard & Poor’s rating has been assigned or downgraded below BBB+; or

The Subscribing Reinsurer has become merged with, acquired by or controlled by any other entity or individual(s) not controlling the Subscribing Reinsurer’s operations previously; or

A State Insurance Department or other legal authority has ordered the Subscribing Reinsurer to cease writing business; or

The Subscribing Reinsurer has become insolvent or has been placed into liquidation or receivership (whether voluntary or involuntary) or proceedings have been instituted against the Subscribing Reinsurer for the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, rehabilitator, conservator or trustee in bankruptcy, or other agent known by whatever name, to take possession of its assets or control of its operations; or

The Subscribing Reinsurer has reinsured its entire liability under this Contract without the Company’s prior written consent; or

The Subscribing Reinsurer has ceased assuming new or renewal property or casualty treaty reinsurance business.

Unless the Company elects that the Reinsurer have no liability for losses occurring after the effective date of termination or expiration, and so notifies the Reinsurer prior to or as promptly as possible after the effective date of termination or expiration, reinsurance hereunder on business in force on the effective date of termination or expiration shall remain in full force and effect until expiration, cancellation or next premium anniversary of such business, whichever first occurs, but in no event beyond 12 months following the effective date of termination or expiration.

Article III - Territory (BRMA 51A)

The territorial limits of this Contract shall be identical with those of the Company’s policies.

Article IV - Exclusions

A.	This Contract does not apply to and specifically excludes the following:

All excess of loss reinsurance assumed by the Company.

08\H3O1006

Page 2

Reinsurance assumed by the Company under obligatory reinsurance agreements, except agency reinsurance where the policies involved are to be reunderwritten in accordance with the underwriting standards of the Company and reissued as Company policies at the next anniversary or expiration date.

Financial guarantee and insolvency.

All Accident and Health, Fidelity and Surety, Boiler and Machinery, Workers’ Compensation and Credit business.

Nuclear risks as defined in the “Nuclear Incident Exclusion Clause - Physical Damage - Reinsurance (U.S.A.)” attached to and forming part of this Contract.

Loss or damage caused by or resulting from war, invasion, hostilities, acts of foreign enemies, civil war, rebellion, insurrection, military or usurped power, or martial law or confiscation by order of any government or public authority, but this exclusion shall not apply to loss or damage covered under a standard policy with a standard War Exclusion Clause.

Loss or liability from any Pool, Association or Syndicate and any assessment or similar demand for payment related to the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund or Citizens Property Insurance Corporation.

All liability of the Company arising by contract, operation of law, or otherwise, from its participation or membership, whether voluntary or involuntary, in any insolvency fund. “Insolvency fund” includes any guaranty fund, insolvency fund, plan, pool, association, fund or other arrangement, however denominated, established or governed, which provides for any assessment of or payment or assumption by the Company of part or all of any claim, debt, charge, fee or other obligation of an insurer, or its successors or assigns, which has been declared by any competent authority to be insolvent, or which is otherwise deemed unable to meet any claim, debt, charge, fee or other obligation in whole or in part.

Pollution and seepage coverages excluded under the provisions of the “Pollution and Seepage Exclusion Clause (BRMA 39A)” attached to and forming part of this Contract.

10.

Loss or liability excluded under the “Terrorism Exclusion” attached to and forming part of this Contract.

11.

Losses from mold-related claims, unless arising out of an otherwise covered peril.

12.

Losses directly arising from any storm once named by the United States National Hurricane Weather Service and/or the National Hurricane Center, Miami, Florida, both while it is still a hurricane and throughout any subsequent downgrades in storm status by the National Hurricane Center.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may request a special acceptance of reinsurance falling within the scope of the exclusions set forth in paragraph A. Within five days of receipt of such a request, each Subscribing Reinsurer shall accept such request, ask for additional information, or reject the request. Any reinsurance that is specially accepted by the Reinsurer shall be covered under this Contract and shall be subject to the

08\H3O1006

Page 3

terms hereof, except as such terms shall be modified by the special acceptance. If a Subscribing Reinsurer fails to respond to a special acceptance request within five days, the Subscribing Reinsurer will be deemed to have agreed to the special acceptance.

If Subscribing Reinsurers with total percentage shares in the interests and liabiiities of the Reinsurer of 50.0% or greater agree to a special acceptance, such special acceptance shall be binding on all Subscribing Reinsurers with respect to their respective shares. If such percentage agreement is not achieved, such special acceptance shall be made to this Contract only with respect to the interests and liabilities of each Subscribing Reinsurer that agrees to the special acceptance.

In the event a reinsurer becomes a party to this Contract subsequent to one or more special acceptances hereunder, the new reinsurer shall automatically accept such special acceptance(s) as being covered hereunder. Further, if one or more Subscribing Reinsurers under this Contract agreed to special acceptance(s) under the contract being replaced by this Contract, such special acceptance(s) shall be automatically covered hereunder with respect to the interests and liabilities of such Subscribing Reinsurer(s).

C.	Any exclusion (other than exclusions 3, 5, 6 and 10) set forth in paragraph A shall be waived automatically when, in the opinion of the Company, the exposure excluded therein is incidental to the principal exposure on the risk in question.

If the Company is bound, without the knowledge and contrary to the instructions of the Company’s supervisory underwriting personnel, on any business falling within the scope of one or more of the exclusions set forth in paragraph A (other than exclusions 3, 5, 6 and 10), the exclusion shall be suspended with respect to such business until 30 days after an underwriting supervisor of the Company acquires knowledge thereof.

Article V - Retention and Limit

The Company shall retain and be liable for the first $500,000 of ultimate net loss as respects any one risk, each loss. The Reinsurer shall then be liable for the amount by which such ultimate net loss exceeds the Company’s retention, but the liability of the Reinsurer shall not exceed $1,500,000 as respects any one risk, each loss, nor shall it exceed $3,000,000 in all during the term of this Contract.

Article VI - Definitions

“Ultimate net loss” as used herein shall be defined as the sum or sums (including loss in excess of policy limits, extra contractual obligations and loss adjustment expense, as hereinafter defined) paid or payable by the Company in settlement of claims and in satisfaction of judgments rendered on account of such claims, after deduction of all salvage, all recoveries and all claims on inuring insurance or reinsurance, whether collectible or not. Nothing herein shall be construed to mean that losses under this Contract are not recoverable until the Company’s ultimate net loss has been ascertained.

08\H3O1006

Page 4

B.	“Loss in excess of policy limits” and “extra contractual obligations” as used herein shall be defined as:

“Loss in excess of policy limits” shall mean 90.0% of any amount paid or payable by the Company in excess of its policy limits, but otherwise within the terms of its policy, such loss in excess of the Company’s policy limits having been incurred because of, but not limited to, failure by the Company to settle within the policy limits or by reason of the Company’s alleged or actual negligence, fraud or bad faith in rejecting an offer of settlement or in the preparation of the defense or in the trial of an action against its insured or reinsured or in the preparation or prosecution of an appeal consequent upon such an action.

“Extra contractual obligations” shall mean 90.0% of any punitive, exemplary, compensatory or consequential damages paid or payable by the Company, not covered by any other provision of this Contract and which arise from the handling of any claim on business subject to this Contract, such liabilities arising because of, but not limited to, failure by the Company to settle within the policy limits or by reason of the Company’s alleged or actual negligence, fraud or bad faith in rejecting an offer of settlement or in the preparation of the defense or in the trial of an action against its insured or reinsured or in the preparation or prosecution of an appeal consequent upon such an action. An extra contractual obligation shall be deemed, in all circumstances, to have occurred on the same date as the loss covered or alleged to be covered under the policy.

Notwithstanding anything stated herein, this Contract shall not apply to any loss in excess of policy limits or any extra contractual obligation incurred by the Company as a result of any fraudulent and/or criminal act by any officer or director of the Company acting individually or collectively or in collusion with any individual or corporation or any other organization or party involved in the presentation, defense or settlement of any claim covered hereunder.

C.	The Company shall be the sole judge of what constitutes “one risk,” except that in no event shall a building and its contents be considered more than one risk.

“Loss adjustment expense” as used herein shall be defined as expenses assignable to the investigation, appraisal, adjustment, settlement, litigation, defense and/or appeal of claims, regardless of how such expenses are classified for statutory reporting purposes. Loss adjustment expense shall include, but not be limited to, interest on judgments, expenses of outside adjusters, expenses and a pro rata share of salaries of the Company’s field employees and expenses of other employees of the Company who have been temporarily diverted from their normal and customary duties and assigned to the adjustment of losses covered by this Contract, expenses of the Company’s officials incurred in connection with losses covered by this Contract, and declaratory judgment expenses or other legal expenses and costs incurred in connection with coverage questions and legal actions connected thereto. Loss adjustment expense shall not include normal office expenses or salaries of the Company’s officials.

“Term of this Contract” as used herein shall be defined as the period from January 1, 2008 until May 31, 2008, both days inclusive, Local Standard Time at the location where the loss occurs. However, if this Contract is terminated, “term of this Contract” as used herein shall mean the period from January 1, 2008 through the effective date of termination if this Contract is terminated on a “cutoff” basis, or through the end of the runoff period if this Contract is terminated on a “runoff” basis.

08\H3O1006

Page 5

Article VII - Other Reinsurance

The Company shall be permitted to carry underlying reinsurance, recoveries under which shall inure solely to the benefit of the Company and be entirely disregarded in applying all of the provisions of this Contract.

Article VIII - Loss Occurrence

The term “loss occurrence” shall mean the sum of all individual losses directly occasioned by any one disaster, accident or loss or series of disasters, accidents or losses arising out of one event which occurs within the area of one state of the United States or province of Canada and states or provinces contiguous thereto and to one another. However, the duration and extent of any one “loss occurrence” shall be limited to all individual losses sustained by the Company occurring during any period of 168 consecutive hours arising out of and directly occasioned by the same event except that the term “loss occurrence” shall be further defined as follows:

As regards windstorm, hail, tornado, hurricane, cyclone, including ensuing collapse and water damage, all individual losses sustained by the Company occurring during any period of 72 consecutive hours arising out of and directly occasioned by the same event. However, the event need not be limited to one state or province or states or provinces contiguous thereto.

As regards riot, riot attending a strike, civil commotion, vandalism and malicious mischief, all individual losses sustained by the Company occurring during any period of 72 consecutive hours within the area of one municipality or county and the municipalities or counties contiguous thereto arising out of and directly occasioned by the same event. The maximum duration of 72 consecutive hours may be extended in respect of individual losses which occur beyond such 72 consecutive hours during the continued occupation of an assured’s premises by strikers, provided such occupation commenced during the aforesaid period.

As regards earthquake (the epicenter of which need not necessarily be within the territorial confines referred to in the introductory portion of this paragraph A) and fire following directly occasioned by the earthquake, only those individual fire losses which commence during the period of 168 consecutive hours may be included in the Company’s “loss occurrence.”

As regards “freeze,” only individual losses directly occasioned by collapse, breakage of glass and water damage (caused by bursting frozen pipes and tanks) may be included in the Company’s “loss occurrence.”

As regards firestorms, brush fires and any other fires or series of fires, irrespective of origin (except as provided in subparagraphs 2 and 3 above), which spread through trees, grassland or other vegetation, all individual losses sustained by the Company which occur during any period of 168 consecutive hours within the area of one state of the United States or province of Canada and states or provinces contiguous thereto and to one another may be included in the Company’s “loss occurrence.”

08\H3O1006

Page 6

Except for those “loss occurrences” referred to in subparagraph 2 of paragraph A above, the Company may choose the date and time when any such period of consecutive hours commences, provided that it is not earlier than the date and time of the occurrence of the first recorded individual loss sustained by the Company arising out of that disaster, accident or loss, and provided that only one such period of 168 consecutive hours shall apply with respect to one event, except for any “loss occurrence” referred to in subparagraph 1 of paragraph A above where only one such period of 72 consecutive hours shall apply with respect to one event, regardless of the duration of the event.

However, as respects those “loss occurrences” referred to in subparagraph 2 of paragraph A above, if the disaster, accident or loss occasioned by the event is of greater duration than 72 consecutive hours, then the Company may divide that disaster, accident or loss into two or more “loss occurrences,” provided that no two periods overlap and no individual loss is included in more than one such period, and provided that no period commences earlier than the date and time of the occurrence of the first recorded individual loss sustained by the Company arising out of that disaster, accident or loss.

D.	No individual losses occasioned by an event that would be covered by a 72 hours clause may be included in any “loss occurrence” claimed under a 168 hours provision.

Article IX - Loss Notices and Settlements

A.	Whenever a loss sustained by the Company appears likely to result in a claim hereunder, the Company shall notify the Reinsurer, and the Reinsurer shall have the right to participate in the adjustment of the loss at its own expense.

All loss settlements made by the Company, provided they are within the terms of this Contract and the terms of the Company’s policies (except as respects loss in excess of policy limits and extra contractual obligations), shall be binding upon the Reinsurer, and the Reinsurer agrees to pay all amounts for which it may be liable upon receipt of reasonable evidence of the amount paid (or scheduled to be paid within 14 days) by the Company.

Article X - Salvage and Subrogation

The Reinsurer shall be credited with salvage (i.e., reimbursement obtained or recovery made by the Company, less the actual cost, excluding salaries of officials and employees of the Company and sums paid to attorneys as retainer, of obtaining such reimbursement or making such recovery) on account of claims and settlements involving reinsurance hereunder. Salvage thereon shall always be used to reimburse the excess carriers in the reverse order of their priority according to their participation before being used in any way to reimburse the Company for its primary loss. The Company hereby agrees to enforce its rights to salvage or subrogation relating to any loss, a part of which loss was sustained by the Reinsurer, and to prosecute all claims arising out of such rights if, in the Company’s opinion, it is economically reasonable to do so.

08\H3O1006

Page 7

Article XI - Reinsurance Premium

As premium for the reinsurance provided hereunder, the Company shall pay the Reinsurer $180,000 in two equal installments of $90,000 on January 1 and April 1 of 2008, However, in the event this Contract is terminated, there shall be no premium installments due after the effective date of termination, and the Reinsurer shall return to the Company a pro rata portion of the premium installments previously due and paid by the Company applicable to the unexpired portion of the term of this Contract as of the effective date of termination.

Article XII - Late Payments

A.	The provisions of this Article shall not be implemented unless specifically invoked, in writing, by one of the parties to this Contract.

In the event any premium, loss or other payment due either party is not received by the intermediary named in the Intermediary Article (BRMA 23A) (hereinafter referred to as the “Intermediary”) by the payment due date, the party to whom payment is due may, by notifying the Intermediary in writing, require the debtor party to pay, and the debtor party agrees to pay, an interest penalty on the amount past due calculated for each such payment on the last business day of each month as follows:

The number of full days which have expired since the due date or the last monthly calculation, whichever the lesser; times

1/365ths of the six-month United States Treasury Bill rate as quoted in The Wall Street Journal on the first business day of the month for which the calculation is made; times

The amount past due, including accrued interest.

It is agreed that interest shall accumulate until payment of the original amount due plus interest penalties have been received by the Intermediary.

C.	The establishment of the due date shall, for purposes of this Article, be determined as follows:

As respects the payment of routine deposits and premiums due the Reinsurer, the due date shall be as provided for in the applicable section of this Contract. In the event a due date is not specifically stated for a given payment, it shall be deemed due 45 days after the date of transmittal by the intermediary of the initial billing for each such payment.

Any claim or loss payment due the Company hereunder shall be deemed due 10 days after the proof of loss or demand for payment is transmitted to the Reinsurer. If such loss or claim payment is not received within the 10 days, interest will accrue on the payment or amount overdue in accordance with paragraph B above, from the date the proof of loss or demand for payment was transmitted to the Reinsurer.

As respects any payment, adjustment or return due either party not otherwise provided for in subparagraphs 1 and 2 of this paragraph C, the due date shall be as provided for in the applicable section of this Contract. In the event a due date is not specifically stated for a given payment, it shall be deemed due 45 days following transmittal of written notification that the provisions of this Article have been invoked.

08\H3O1006

Page 8

For purposes of interest calculations only, amounts due hereunder shall be deemed paid upon receipt by the Intermediary.

Nothing herein shall be construed as limiting or prohibiting a Subscribing Reinsurer from contesting the validity of any claim, or from participating in the defense of any claim or suit, or prohibiting either party from contesting the validity of any payment or from initiating any arbitration or other proceeding in accordance with the provisions of this Contract. If the debtor party prevails in an arbitration or other proceeding, then any interest penalties due hereunder on the amount in dispute shall be null and void. If the debtor party loses in such proceeding, then the interest penalty on the amount determined to be due hereunder shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions set forth above unless otherwise determined by such proceedings. If a debtor party advances payment of any amount it is contesting, and proves to be correct in its contestation, either in whole or in part, the other party shall reimburse the debtor party for any such excess payment made plus interest on the excess amount calculated in accordance with this Article.

E.	Interest penalties arising out of the application of this Article that are $100 or less from any party shall be waived unless there is a pattern of late payments consisting of three or more items over the course of any 12-month period.

Article XIII - Offset (BRMA 36C)

The Company and the Reinsurer shall have the right to offset any balance or amounts due from one party to the other under the terms of this Contract. The party asserting the right of offset may exercise such right any time whether the balances due are on account of premiums or losses or otherwise.

Article XIV - Access to Records (BRMA 1D)

The Reinsurer or its designated representatives shall have access at any reasonable time to all records of the Company which pertain in any way to this reinsurance.

Article XV - Liability of the Reinsurer

The liability of the Reinsurer shall follow that of the Company in every case and be subject in all respects to all the general and specific stipulations, clauses, waivers and modifications of the Company’s policies and any endorsements thereon. However, in no event shall this be construed in any way to provide coverage outside the terms and conditions set forth in this Contract.

B.	Nothing herein shall in any manner create any obligations or establish any rights against the Reinsurer in favor of any third party or any persons not parties to this Contract.

08\H3O1006

Page 9

Article XVI - Net Retained Lines (BRMA 32E)

This Contract applies only to that portion of any policy which the Company retains net for its own account (prior to deduction of any underlying reinsurance specifically permitted in this Contract), and in calculating the amount of any loss hereunder and also in computing the amount or amounts in excess of which this Contract attaches, only loss or losses in respect of that portion of any policy which the Company retains net for its own account shall be included.

The amount of the Reinsurer’s liability hereunder in respect of any loss or losses shall not be increased by reason of the inability of the Company to collect from any other reinsurer(s), whether specific or general, any amounts which may have become due from such reinsurer(s), whether such inability arises from the insolvency of such other reinsurer(s) or otherwise.

Article XVIl - Errors and Omissions (BRMA 14F)

Inadvertent delays, errors or omissions made in connection with this Contract or any transaction hereunder shall not relieve either party from any liability which would have attached had such delay, error or omission not occurred, provided always that such error or omission is rectified as soon as possible after discovery.

Article XVIII - Currency (BRMA 12A)

A.	Whenever the word “Dollars” or the “$” sign appears in this Contract, they shall be construed to mean United States Dollars and all transactions under this Contract shall be in United States Dollars.

B.	Amounts paid or received by the Company in any other currency shall be converted to United States Dollars at the rate of exchange at the date such transaction is entered on the books of the Company.

Article XIX - Taxes (BRMA SOB)

In consideration of the terms under which this Contract is issued, the Company will not claim a deduction in respect of the premium hereon when making tax returns, other than income or profits tax returns, to any state or territory of the United States of America or the District of Columbia.

Article XX - Federal Excise Tax (BRMA 17D)

A.	The Reinsurer has agreed to allow for the purpose of paying the Federal Excise Tax the applicable percentage of the premium payable hereon (as imposed under Section 4371 of the Internal Revenue Code) to the extent such premium is subject to the Federal Excise Tax.

08\H3O1006

Page 10

B.	In the event of any return of premium becoming due hereunder the Reinsurer will deduct the applicable percentage from the return premium payable hereon and the Company or its agent should take steps to recover the tax from the United States Government.

Article XXI - Reserves

A.	The Reinsurer agrees to fund its share of the Company’s ceded outstanding loss and loss adjustment expense reserves (including incurred but not reported loss reserves) by:

Clean, irrevocable and unconditional letters of credit issued and confirmed, if confirmation is required by the insurance regulatory authorities involved, by a bank or banks meeting the NAIC Securities Valuation Office credit standards for issuers of letters of credit and acceptable to said insurance regulatory authorities; and/or

Escrow accounts for the benefit of the Company; and/or

Cash advances;

if the Reinsurer:

Is unauthorized in any state of the United States of America or the District of Columbia having jurisdiction over the Company and if, without such funding, a penalty would accrue to the Company on any financial statement it is required to file with the insurance regulatory authorities involved; or

Has experienced any of the circumstances described in paragraph B of the Commencement and Termination Article. However, if such circumstance is rectified, then no special funding requirements shall apply and any such current funding in accordance with the provisions above shall be released to the Reinsurer.

For purposes of this Contract, the Lloyd’s United States Credit for Reinsurance Trust Fund shall be considered an acceptable funding instrument. The Reinsurer, at its sole option, may fund in other than cash if its method and form of funding are acceptable to the insurance regulatory authorities involved.

With regard to funding in whole or in part by letters of credit, it is agreed that each letter of credit will be in a form acceptable to insurance regulatory authorities involved, will be issued for a term of at least one year and will include an “evergreen clause,” which automatically extends the term for at least one additional year at each expiration date unless written notice of non-renewal is given to the Company not less than 30 days prior to said expiration date. The Company and the Reinsurer further agree, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Contract, that said letters of credit may be drawn upon by the Company or its successors in interest at any time, without diminution because of the insolvency of the Company or the Reinsurer, but only for one or more of the following purposes:

To reimburse itself for the Reinsurer’s share of losses and/or loss adjustment expense paid under the terms of policies reinsured hereunder, unless paid in cash by the Reinsurer;

08\H3O1006

Page 11

To reimburse itself for the Reinsurer’s snare of any other amounts claimed to be due hereunder, unless paid in cash by the Reinsurer;

To fund a cash account in an amount equal to the Reinsurer’s share of any ceded outstanding loss and loss adjustment expense reserves (including incurred but not reported loss reserves) funded by means of a letter of credit which is under non-renewal notice, if said letter of credit has not been renewed or replaced by the Reinsurer 10 days prior to its expiration date;

To refund to the Reinsurer any sum in excess of the actual amount required to fund the Reinsurer’s share of the Company’s ceded outstanding loss and loss adjustment expense reserves (including incurred but not reported loss reserves), if so requested by the Reinsurer.

In the event the amount drawn by the Company on any letter of credit is in excess of the actual amount required for B(1) or B(3), or in the case of B(2), the actual amount determined to be due, the Company shall promptly return to the Reinsurer the excess amount so drawn.

Article XXII - Insolvency

In the event of the insolvency of the Company, this reinsurance shall be payable directly to the Company or to its liquidator, receiver, conservator or statutory successor on the basis of the liability of the Company without diminution because of the insolvency of the Company or because the liquidator, receiver, conservator or statutory successor of the Company has failed to pay all or a portion of any claim. It is agreed, however, that the liquidator, receiver, conservator or statutory successor of the Company shall give written notice to the Reinsurer of the pendency of a claim against the Company indicating the policy or bond reinsured which claim would involve a possible liability on the part of the Reinsurer within a reasonable time after such claim is filed in the conservation or liquidation proceeding or in the receivership, and that during the pendency of such claim, the Reinsurer may investigate such claim and interpose, at its own expense, in the proceeding where such claim is to be adjudicated, any defense or defenses that it may deem available to the Company or its liquidator, receiver, conservator or statutory successor. The expense thus incurred by the Reinsurer shall be chargeable, subject to the approval of the Court, against the Company as part of the expense of conservation or liquidation to the extent of a pro rata share of the benefit which may accrue to the Company solely as a result of the defense undertaken by the Reinsurer.

B.	Where two or more reinsurers are involved in the same claim and a majority in interest elect to interpose defense to such claim, the expense shall be apportioned in accordance with the terms of this Contract as though such expense had been incurred by the Company.

It is further understood and agreed that, in the event of the insolvency of the Company, the reinsurance under this Contract shall be payable directly by the Reinsurer to the Company or to its liquidator, receiver or statutory successor, except as provided by Section 4118(a) of the New York Insurance Law or except (1) where this Contract specifically provides another payee of such reinsurance in the event of the insolvency of the Company or (2) where the Reinsurer with the consent of the direct insured or insureds has assumed such policy obligations of the Company as direct obligations of the Reinsurer to the payees under such policies and in substitution for the obligations of the Company to such payees.

08\H3O1006

Page 12

Article XXIII - Arbitration (BRMA 6J)

As a condition precedent to any right of action hereunder, in the event of any dispute or difference of opinion hereafter arising with respect to this Contract, it is hereby mutually agreed that such dispute or difference of opinion shall be submitted to arbitration. One Arbiter shall be chosen by the Company, the other by the Reinsurer, and an Umpire shall be chosen by the two Arbiters before they enter upon arbitration, all of whom shall be active or retired disinterested executive officers of insurance or reinsurance companies or Lloyd’s London Underwriters. In the event that either party should fail to choose an Arbiter within 30 days following a written request by the other party to do so, the requesting party may choose two Arbiters who shall in turn choose an Umpire before entering upon arbitration, if the two Arbiters fail to agree upon the selection of an Umpire within 30 days following their appointment, each Arbiter shall nominate three candidates within 10 days thereafter, two of whom the other shall decline, and the decision shall be made by drawing lots.

Each party shall present its case to the Arbiters within 30 days following the date of appointment of the Umpire. The Arbiters shall consider this Contract as an honorable engagement rather than merely as a legal obligation and they are relieved of all judicial formalities and may abstain from following the strict rules of law. The decision of the Arbiters shall be final and binding on both parties; but failing to agree, they shall call in the Umpire and the decision of the majority shall be final and binding upon both parties. Judgment upon the final decision of the Arbiters may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

If more than one reinsurer is involved in the same dispute, all such reinsurers shall constitute and act as one party for purposes of this Article and communications shall be made by the Company to each of the reinsurers constituting one party, provided, however, that nothing herein shall impair the rights of such reinsurers to assert several, rather than joint, defenses or claims, nor be construed as changing the liability of the reinsurers participating under the terms of this Contract from several to joint.

Each party shall bear the expense of its own Arbiter, and shall jointly and equally bear with the other the expense of the Umpire and of the arbitration. In the event that the two Arbiters are chosen by one party, as above provided, the expense of the Arbiters, the Umpire and the arbitration shall be equally divided between the two parties.

E.	Any arbitration proceedings shall take place at a location mutually agreed upon by the parties to this Contract, but notwithstanding the location of the arbitration, all proceedings pursuant hereto shall be governed by the law of the state in which the Company has its principal office.

Article XXIV - Service of Suit (BRMA 49C)

(Applicable if the Reinsurer is not domiciled in the United States of America, and/or is not authorized in any State, Territory or District of the United States where authorization is required by insurance regulatory authorities)

08\H3O1006

Page 13

It is agreed that in the event the Reinsurer fails to pay any amount claimed to be due hereunder, the Reinsurer, at the request of the Company, will submit to the jurisdiction of a court of competent jurisdiction within the United States. Nothing in this Article constitutes or should be understood to constitute a waiver of the Reinsurer’s rights to commence an action in any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States, to remove an action to a United States District Court, or to seek a transfer of a case to another court as permitted by the laws of the United States or of any state in the United States.

Further, pursuant to any statute of any state, territory or district of the United States which makes provision therefor, the Reinsurer hereby designates the party named in its Interests and Liabilities Agreement, or if no party is named therein, the Superintendent, Commissioner or Director of Insurance or other officer specified for that purpose in the statute, or his successor or successors in office, as its true and lawful attorney upon whom may be served any lawful process in any action, suit or proceeding instituted by or on behalf of the Company or any beneficiary hereunder arising out of this Contract.

Article XXV - Governing Law (BRMA 71 B)

This Contract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida.

Article XXVI - Confidentiality

The Reinsurer shall maintain the confidentiality of all information reviewed during any inspection as well as the results of such inspection and shall not disclose such materials to third parties other than the Reinsurer’s outside auditors, legal counsel, or as required in any action brought to enforce the Reinsurer’s rights under this Contract, or as required by a London market lead, regulatory agency, court order or subpoena, provided that the other party is given prior notice of such regulatory requirement, court order or subpoena.

Article XXVII - Entire Agreement

This written Contract constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the business being reinsured hereunder, and there are no understandings between the parties hereto other than as expressed in this Contract. Any change or modification to this Contract will be made by amendment to this Contract and signed by the parties.

Article XXVIII - Severability (BRMA 72E)

If any provision of this Contract shall be rendered illegal or unenforceable by the laws, regulations or public policy of any state, such provision shall be considered void in such state, but this shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Contract or the enforceability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

08\H3O1006

Page 14

Article XXIX - Notices and Contract Execution

Whenever a notice, statement, report or any other written communication is required by this Contract, unless otherwise specified, such notice, statement, report or other written communication may be transmitted by certified or registered mail, nationally or internationally recognized express delivery service, personal delivery, electronic mail, or facsimile. With the exception of notices of termination, first class mail is also acceptable.

B.	The use of any of the following shall constitute a valid execution of this Contract or any amendments thereto:

Paper documents with an original ink signature;

Facsimile or electronic copies of paper documents showing an original ink signature; and/or

Electronic records with an electronic signature made via an electronic agent. For the purposes of this Contract, the terms “electronic record,” “electronic signature” and “electronic agent” shall have the meanings set forth in the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000 or any amendments thereto.

C.	This Contract may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which, when duly executed, shall be deemed an original.

Article XXX - Intermediary (BRMA 23A)

Benfield Inc. is hereby recognized as the Intermediary negotiating this Contract for all business hereunder. All communications (including but not limited to notices, statements, premium, return premium, commissions, taxes, losses, loss adjustment expense, salvages and loss settlements) relating thereto shall be transmitted to the Company or the Reinsurer through Benfield Inc. Payments by the Company to the Intermediary shall be deemed to constitute payment to the Reinsurer. Payments by the Reinsurer to the intermediary shall be deemed to constitute payment to the Company only to the extent that such payments are actually received by the Company.

In Witness Whereof, the Company by its duly authorized representative has executed this Contract as of the date undermentioned at:

Port St. Lucie, Florida, this 21^st day of January in the year 2008.



		Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company

08\H3O1006

Page 15

Nuclear Incident Exclusion Clause - Physical Damage - Reinsurance (U.S.A.)

1.	This Reinsurance does not cover any loss or liability accruing to the Reassured, directly or indirectly and whether as Insurer or Reinsurer, from any Pool of Insurers or Reinsurers formed for the purpose of covering Atomic or Nuclear Energy risks.

Without in any way restricting the operation of paragraph (1) of this Clause, this Reinsurance does not cover any loss or liability accruing to the Reassured, directly or indirectly and whether as Insurer or Reinsurer, from any insurance against Physical Damage (including business interruption or consequential loss arising out of such Physical Damage) to:

Nuclear reactor power plants including all auxiliary property on the site, or

II.

Any other nuclear reactor installation, including laboratories handling radioactive materials in connection with reactor installations, and “critical facilities” as such, or

III.

Installations for fabricating complete fuel elements or for processing substantial quantities of “special nuclear material,” and for reprocessing, salvaging, chemically separating, storing or disposing of “spent” nuclear fuel or waste materials, or

IV.

Installations other than those listed in paragraph (2) III above using substantial quantities of radioactive isotopes or other products of nuclear fission.

Without in any way restricting the operations of paragraphs (1) and (2) hereof, this Reinsurance does not cover any loss or liability by radioactive contamination accruing to the Reassured, directly or indirectly, and whether as Insurer or Reinsurer, from any insurance on property which is on the same site as a nuclear reactor power plant or other nuclear installation and which normally would be insured therewith except that this paragraph (3) shall not operate

(a)

where Reassured does not have knowledge of such nuclear reactor power plant or nuclear installation, or

(b)

where said insurance contains a provision excluding coverage for damage to property caused by or resulting from radioactive contamination, however caused. However on and after 1st January 1960 this sub-paragraph (b) shall only apply provided the said radioactive contamination exclusion provision has been approved by the Governmental Authority having jurisdiction thereof.

Without in any way restricting the operations of paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) hereof, this Reinsurance does not cover any loss or liability by radioactive contamination accruing to the Reassured, directly or indirectly, and whether as Insurer or Reinsurer, when such radioactive contamination is a named hazard specifically insured against.

5.	It is understood and agreed that this Clause shall not extend to risks using radioactive isotopes in any form where the nuclear exposure is not considered by the Reassured to be the primary hazard.

6.	The term “special nuclear material” shall have the meaning given it in the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 or by any law amendatory thereof.

7.	Reassured to be sole judge of what constitutes:

(a)

substantial quantities, and

(b)

the extent of installation, plant or site.

Note.-Without in any way restricting the operation of paragraph (1) hereof, it is understood and agreed that

(a)

all policies issued by the Reassured on or before 31st December 1957 shall be free from the application of the other provisions of this Clause until expiry date or 31st December 1960 whichever first occurs whereupon all the provisions of this Clause shall apply.

(b)

with respect to any risk located in Canada policies issued by the Reassured on or before 31st December 1958 shall be free from the application of the other provisions of this Clause until expiry date or 31st December 1960 whichever first occurs whereupon all the provisions of this Clause shall apply.

12/12/57

N.M.A. 1119

BRMA 35B

08\H3O1006

Pollution and Seepage Exclusion Clause

This Contract excludes loss and/or damage and/or costs and/or expenses arising from seepage and/or pollution and/or contamination, other than contamination from smoke. Nevertheless, this exclusion does not preclude payment of the cost of removing debris of property damaged by a loss otherwise covered hereunder, subject always to a limit of 25% of the Company’s property loss under the applicable original policy.

BRMA 39A

08\H3O1006

Terrorism Exclusion

(Treaty Reinsurance)

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary within this Contract or any amendment thereto, it is agreed that this Contract excludes loss, damage, cost or expense directly or indirectly caused by, contributed to by, resulting from, or arising out of or in connection with any act of terrorism, as defined herein, regardless of any other cause or event contributing concurrently or in any other sequence to the loss.

An act of terrorism includes any act, or preparation in respect of action, or threat of action designed to influence the government de jure or de facto of any nation or any political division thereof, or in pursuit of political, religious, ideological or similar purposes to intimidate the public or a section of the public of any nation by any person or group(s) of persons whether acting alone or on behalf of or in connection with any organization(s) or government(s) de jure or de facto, and which:

Involves violence against one or more persons; or

Involves damage to property; or

Endangers life other than the person committing the action; or

Creates a risk to health or safety of the public or a section of the public; or

Is designed to interfere with or disrupt an electronic system.

This Contract also excludes loss, damage, cost or expense directly or indirectly caused by, contributed to by, resulting from, or arising out of or in connection with any action in controlling, preventing, suppressing, retaliating against or responding to any act of terrorism.

Notwithstanding the above and subject otherwise to the terms, conditions and limitations of this Contract, in respect only of personal lines, this Contract will pay actual loss or damage (but not related cost and expense) caused by any act of terrorism provided such act is not directly or indirectly caused by, contributed to by, resulting from, or arising out of or in connection with biological, chemical, radioactive or nuclear pollution, contamination or explosion.

08\H3O1006

Interests and Liabilities Agreement

Catlin Insurance Company Ltd.

Hamilton, Bermuda

(hereinafter referred to as the “Subscribing Reinsurer”)

with respect to the

Excess Per Risk

Reinsurance Contract

Effective: January 1,2008

issued to and duly executed by

Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Port St. Lucie, Florida

The Subscribing Reinsurer hereby accepts a 55.0% share in the interests and liabilities of the “Reinsurer” as set forth in the attached Contract captioned above. GA3000164028

This Agreement shall become effective on January 1, 2008, and shall remain in force until May 31,2008, both days inclusive, Local Standard Time at the location where the loss occurs, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the provisions of the attached Contract.

The Subscribing Reinsurer’s share in the attached Contract shall be separate and apart from the shares of the other reinsurers, and shall not be joint with the shares of the other reinsurers, it being understood that the Subscribing Reinsurer shall in no event participate in the interests and liabilities of the other reinsurers.

In Witness Whereof, the Subscribing Reinsurer by its duly authorized representative has executed this Agreement as of the date undermentioned at:

Hamilton, Bermuda, this 30^th day of January in the year 2008.



		Catlin Insurance Company Ltd.


08IL\H3O1006

Interests and Liabilities Agreement

Hannover Rueckversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft

Hannover, Germany

(hereinafter referred to as the “Subscribing Reinsure”)

with respect to the

Excess Per Risk

Reinsurance Contract

Effective: January 1, 2008

issued to and duly executed by

Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Port St. Lucie, Florida

The Subscribing Reinsurer hereby accepts a 30.0% share in the interests and liabilities of the “Reinsurer” as set forth in the attached Contract captioned above.

This Agreement shall become effective on January 1, 2008, and shall remain in force until May 31, 2008, both days inclusive, Local Standard Time at the location where the loss occurs, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the provisions of the attached Contract.

In any action, suit or proceeding to enforce the Subscribing Reinsurer’s obligations under the attached Contract, service of process may be made upon Mendes & Mount, 750 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019.

In Witness Whereof, the Subscribing Reinsurer by its duly authorized representative has executed this Agreement as of the date undermentioned at;

Hannover, Germany, this 30^th day of January in the year 2008.



		Hannover-Rueckversicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft


08IL\H3O1006

Interests and Liabilities Agreement

QBE Reinsurance Corporation

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

(hereinafter referred to as the “Subscribing Reinsurer”)

with respect to the

Excess Per Risk

Reinsurance Contract

Effective: January 1, 2008

issued to and duly executed by

Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company

Port St. Lucie, Florida

The Subscribing Reinsurer hereby accepts a 15.0% share in the interests and liabilities of the “Reinsurer” as set forth in the attached Contract captioned above.

This Agreement shall become effective on January 1, 2008, and shall remain in force until May 31, 2008, both days inclusive, Local Standard Time at the location where the loss occurs, unless earlier terminated in accordance with the provisions of the attached Contract.

In Witness Whereof, the Subscribing Reinsurer by its duly authorized representative has executed this Agreement as of the date undermentioned at:

New York, New York, this 31^st day of January in the year 2008.



		QBE Reinsurance Corporation


08IL\H3O1006