Form: 8-K

Current report filing

May 21, 2015

Exhibit 10.2

GUARANTY AGREEMENT

THIS GUARANTY AGREEMENT, dated as of May 15, 2015 (this “Guaranty”), is made by each of the undersigned Subsidiaries of RENAISSANCERE HOLDINGS LTD., a Bermuda company (the “Borrower”), and each other Subsidiary of the Borrower that, after the date hereof, executes an instrument of accession hereto substantially in the form of Exhibit A (a “Guarantor Accession”; the undersigned and such other Subsidiaries of the Borrower, collectively, the “Guarantors”), in favor of the Guaranteed Parties (as hereinafter defined). Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement referred to below.

RECITALS

A. The Borrower, certain Lenders, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent for the Lenders (in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), are parties to an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of May 15, 2015 (as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), pursuant to which the Lenders have made available to the Borrower a revolving credit facility upon the terms and conditions set forth therein.

B. It is a condition to the extension of credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement that each Guarantor shall have agreed, by executing and delivering this Guaranty, to guarantee to the Guaranteed Parties the payment in full of the Guaranteed Obligations (as hereinafter defined). The Guaranteed Parties are relying on this Guaranty in their decision to extend credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, and would not enter into the Credit Agreement without this Guaranty.

C. The Borrower and the Guarantors are engaged in related businesses and undertake certain activities and operations on an integrated basis. As part of such integrated operations, the Borrower, among other things, may advance to the Guarantors from time to time certain proceeds of the Loans made to the Borrower by the Lenders under the Credit Agreement. Each Guarantor will therefore obtain benefits as a result of the extension of credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, which benefits are hereby acknowledged, and, accordingly, desires to execute and deliver this Guaranty.

STATEMENT OF AGREEMENT

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, to induce the Guaranteed Parties to enter into the Credit Agreement and to induce the Lenders to extend credit to the Borrower thereunder, each Guarantor hereby agrees as follows:


  1. Guaranty.

(a) Each Guarantor hereby irrevocably, absolutely and unconditionally, and jointly and severally:

(i) guarantees (A) to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent (collectively, the “Guaranteed Parties”) the full and prompt payment, at any time and from time to time as and when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), of all Obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including, without limitation, all principal of and interest on the Loans, all fees, expenses, indemnities and other amounts payable by the Borrower under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, and all Obligations that, but for the operation of the automatic stay under Section 362(a) of the Bankruptcy Code, would become due, whether now existing or hereafter created or arising and whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, due or to become due (all liabilities and obligations described in this clause (i), collectively, the “Guaranteed Obligations”); and

(ii) agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to, and reimburse upon demand all reasonable costs and expenses incurred or paid by, (y) any Guaranteed Party in connection with any suit, action or proceeding to enforce or protect any rights of the Guaranteed Parties hereunder and (z) the Administrative Agent in connection with any amendment, modification or waiver hereof or consent pursuant hereto, and to indemnify and hold each Guaranteed Party and its directors, officers, employees, agents and Affiliates harmless from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, obligations, liabilities, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether direct, indirect or consequential, that may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such indemnified party as a result of, arising from or in any way relating to this Guaranty or the collection or enforcement of the Guaranteed Obligations; provided, however, that no indemnified party shall have the right to be indemnified hereunder for any such claims, losses, costs and expenses (x) to the extent determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment to have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such indemnified party or (y) that result from a claim by any Loan Party against an indemnified party for breach in bad faith of such indemnified party’s obligations hereunder or under any other Loan Document if such Loan Party has obtained a final and nonappealable judgment in its favor on such claim as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) above and notwithstanding any other provisions contained herein or in any other Loan Document:

(i) no provision of this Guaranty shall require or permit the collection from any Guarantor of interest in excess of the maximum rate or amount that such Guarantor may be required or permitted to pay pursuant to applicable law; and

 

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(ii) the liability of each Guarantor under this Guaranty as of any date shall be limited to a maximum aggregate amount (the “Maximum Guaranteed Amount”) equal to the greatest amount that would not render such Guarantor’s obligations under this Guaranty subject to avoidance, discharge or reduction as of such date as a fraudulent transfer or conveyance under applicable Debtor Relief Laws, in each instance after giving effect to all other liabilities of such Guarantor, contingent or otherwise, that are relevant under applicable Debtor Relief Laws (specifically excluding, however, any liabilities of such Guarantor in respect of intercompany indebtedness to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates to the extent that such indebtedness would be discharged in an amount equal to the amount paid by such Guarantor hereunder, and after giving effect as assets to the value (as determined under applicable Debtor Relief Laws) of any rights to subrogation, contribution, reimbursement, indemnity or similar rights of such Guarantor pursuant to (y) applicable law or (z) any agreement (including this Guaranty) providing for an equitable allocation among such Guarantor and other Affiliates of the Borrower of obligations arising under guaranties by such parties).

(c) The Guarantors desire to allocate among themselves, in a fair and equitable manner, their obligations arising under this Guaranty. Accordingly, in the event any payment or distribution is made hereunder on any date by a Guarantor (a “Funding Guarantor”) that exceeds its Fair Share (as hereinafter defined) as of such date, that Funding Guarantor shall be entitled to a contribution from each of the other Guarantors in the amount of such other Guarantor’s Fair Share Shortfall (as hereinafter defined) as of such date, with the result that all such contributions will cause each Guarantor’s Aggregate Payments (as hereinafter defined) to equal its Fair Share as of such date. “Fair Share” means, with respect to a Guarantor as of any date of determination, an amount equal to (i) the ratio of (x) the Adjusted Maximum Guaranteed Amount (as hereinafter defined) with respect to such Guarantor to (y) the aggregate of the Adjusted Maximum Guaranteed Amounts with respect to all Guarantors, multiplied by (ii) the aggregate amount paid or distributed on or before such date by all Funding Guarantors hereunder in respect of the obligations guarantied. “Fair Share Shortfall” means, with respect to a Guarantor as of any date of determination, the excess, if any, of the Fair Share of such Guarantor over the Aggregate Payments of such Guarantor. “Adjusted Maximum Guaranteed Amount” means, with respect to a Guarantor as of any date of determination, the Maximum Guaranteed Amount of such Guarantor, determined in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) above; provided that, solely for purposes of calculating the “Adjusted Maximum Guaranteed Amount” with respect to any Guarantor for purposes of this subsection (c), any assets or liabilities arising by virtue of any rights to subrogation, reimbursement or indemnity or any rights to or obligations of contribution hereunder shall not be considered as assets or liabilities of such Guarantor. “Aggregate Payments” means, with respect to a Guarantor as of any date of determination, the aggregate amount of all payments and distributions made on or before such date by such Guarantor in respect of this Guaranty (including, without limitation, in respect of this subsection (c)). The amounts payable as contributions hereunder shall be determined as of the date on which the related payment or distribution is made by the applicable Funding Guarantor. Each Funding Guarantor’s right of contribution under this subsection (c) shall be subject to the provisions of Section 4. The allocation among Guarantors of their obligations as set forth in this subsection (c) shall not be construed in any way to limit the liability of any Guarantor hereunder to the Guaranteed Parties.

 

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(d) The guaranty of each Guarantor set forth in this Section is a guaranty of payment as a primary obligor, and not a guaranty of collection. Each Guarantor hereby acknowledges and agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations, at any time and from time to time, may exceed the Maximum Guaranteed Amount of such Guarantor and may exceed the aggregate of the Maximum Guaranteed Amounts of all Guarantors, in each case without discharging, limiting or otherwise affecting the obligations of any Guarantor hereunder or the rights, powers and remedies of any Guaranteed Party hereunder or under any other Loan Document.

2. Guaranty Unconditional. The obligations of each Guarantor under this Guaranty shall, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, be unconditional, absolute and irrevocable and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, not be released, discharged or otherwise affected by:

(i) any extension, renewal, settlement, compromise, waiver or release (including with respect to any collateral) in respect of any obligation of any other obligor under any of the Loan Documents, by operation of law or otherwise;

(ii) any modification or amendment of, or supplement to, any of the Loan Documents;

(iii) any release, non-perfection or invalidity of any direct or indirect security (including any collateral) for any obligation of any other obligor under any of the Loan Documents;

(iv) any change in the corporate existence, structure or ownership of any obligor, or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law affecting any other obligor or its assets or any resulting release or discharge of any obligation of any other obligor contained in any of the Loan Documents;

(v) the existence of any claim, setoff or other rights which any obligor may have at any time against any other obligor, the Administrative Agent, any Lender or any other corporation or person, whether in connection with any of the Loan Documents or any unrelated transactions; provided that nothing herein shall prevent the assertion of any such claim by separate suit or compulsory counterclaim;

(vi) any invalidity or unenforceability relating to or against any other obligor for any reason of any of the Loan Documents, or any provision of applicable law or regulation purporting to prohibit the payment by any other obligor of principal, interest or any other amount payable under any of the Loan Documents;

(vii) any law, regulation or order of any jurisdiction, or any other event, affecting any term of any obligation or the Lenders’ rights with respect thereto; or

(viii) any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge of, or a defense, set-off or counterclaim available to, any Loan Party, Guarantor or a surety or guarantor generally, other than the occurrence of all of the following: (1) the payment in full in cash of the Guaranteed Obligations (other than contingent and indemnification obligations not then due and payable) and (2) the termination of the Commitments under the Credit Agreement (the events in clauses (1) and (2) above, collectively, the “Termination Requirements”).

 

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3. Certain Waivers. Each Guarantor irrevocably waives acceptance hereof, presentment, demand, protest and any notice not provided for herein, as well as any requirement that at any time any action be taken by any corporation or person against any other obligor or guarantor, any other corporation or person or any collateral. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no Guarantor shall assert, and each Guarantor hereby waives, any claim against any Indemnitee, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Guaranty, any other Loan Document or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby or the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. Each Guarantor warrants and agrees that each waiver set forth in this Section 3 is made with full knowledge of its significance and consequences, and such waivers shall be effective to the maximum extent permitted by law.

4. No Subrogation. Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees not to exercise any rights that it may now have or hereafter acquire against any Loan Party, or any other guarantor that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such Guarantor’s obligations under or in respect of this Guaranty, including any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification and any right to participate in any claim or remedy of any Lender against any Loan Party or any other guarantor or any collateral, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under contract, statute or common law, including the right to take or receive from any Loan Party or any other guarantor, directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by setoff or in any other manner, payment or security on account of such claim, remedy or right, unless and until the Termination Requirements have been satisfied. If any amount shall be paid to such Guarantor in violation of the immediately preceding sentence at any time prior to the satisfaction of the Termination Requirements, such amount shall be received and held in trust for the benefit of the Lenders, shall be segregated from other property and funds of such Guarantor and shall forthwith be paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement or assignment) to be credited and applied to all amounts payable under this Guaranty, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, or to be held as collateral for any amounts payable under this Guaranty thereafter arising. If (i) such Guarantor shall make payment to any Lender of all or any amounts payable under this Guaranty, and (ii) the Termination Requirements shall have been satisfied, the Lenders will, at such Guarantor’s request and expense, execute and deliver to such Guarantor appropriate documents, without recourse and without representation or warranty, necessary to evidence the transfer by subrogation to such Guarantor of an interest in the obligations resulting from such payment made by such Guarantor pursuant to this Guaranty.

5. Representations and Warranties. Each Guarantor hereby represents and warrants to the Guaranteed Parties that, as to itself, all of the representations and warranties relating to it contained in the Credit Agreement are true and correct.

6. Financial Condition of Borrower. Each Guarantor represents that it has knowledge of the Borrower’s financial condition and affairs and that it has adequate means to obtain from the Borrower on an ongoing basis information relating thereto and to the Borrower’s ability to pay and perform the Guaranteed Obligations. Each Guarantor agrees that the Guaranteed Parties shall have no obligation to investigate the financial condition or affairs of the Borrower for the benefit of any Guarantor nor to advise any Guarantor of any fact respecting, or

 

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any change in, the financial condition or affairs of the Borrower that might become known to any Guaranteed Party at any time, whether or not such Guaranteed Party knows or believes or has reason to know or believe that any such fact or change is unknown to any Guarantor, or might (or does) materially increase the risk of any Guarantor as guarantor, or might (or would) affect the willingness of any Guarantor to continue as a guarantor of the Guaranteed Obligations.

7. Payments; Application; Set-Off.

(a) Each Guarantor agrees that, upon the failure of the Borrower to pay any Guaranteed Obligations when and as the same shall become due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), and without limitation of any other right or remedy that any Guaranteed Party may have at law, in equity or otherwise against such Guarantor, such Guarantor will, subject to the provisions of Section 1(b), forthwith pay or cause to be paid to the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Guaranteed Parties, an amount equal to the amount of the Guaranteed Obligations then due and owing as aforesaid.

(b) All payments made by each Guarantor hereunder will be made in Dollars to the Administrative Agent, without set-off, counterclaim or other defense and, in accordance with the Credit Agreement, free and clear of and without deduction for any Taxes in the same manner and to the same extent required under Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement, each Guarantor hereby agreeing to comply with and be bound by the provisions of Section 3.1 of the Credit Agreement in respect of all payments made by it hereunder.

(c) All payments made hereunder shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.3 of the Credit Agreement.

(d) In the event that the proceeds of any such sale, disposition or realization are insufficient to pay all amounts to which the Guaranteed Parties are legally entitled, the Guarantors shall be jointly and severally liable for the deficiency, together with interest thereon at the highest rate specified in any applicable Loan Document for interest on overdue principal or such other rate as shall be fixed by applicable law, together with the costs of collection and all other fees, costs and expenses payable hereunder.

(e) Upon and at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, each Guaranteed Party and each of their respective Affiliates is hereby authorized at any time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, in whatever currency) at any time held and other obligations (in whatever currency) at any time owing by such Guaranteed Party or any such Affiliate to or for the credit or the account of any Guarantor against any and all of the obligations of such Guarantor now or hereafter existing under this Guaranty or any other Loan Document to such Guaranteed Party, irrespective of whether or not such Guaranteed Party shall have made any demand under this Guaranty or any other Loan Document and although such obligations of such Guarantor may be contingent or unmatured or are owed to a branch or office of such Guaranteed Party different from the branch or office holding such deposit or obligated on such indebtedness. The rights of each Guaranteed Party and their respective Affiliates under this subsection are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that such Guaranteed Parties or their respective Affiliates may have. Each Guaranteed Party agrees to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent promptly after any such setoff and application; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application.

 

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8. No Waiver. The rights and remedies of the Guaranteed Parties expressly set forth in this Guaranty and the other Loan Documents are cumulative and in addition to, and not exclusive of, all other rights and remedies available at law, in equity or otherwise. No failure or delay on the part of any Guaranteed Party in exercising any right, power or privilege shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege or be construed to be a waiver of any Default or Event of Default. No course of dealing between any of the Guarantors and the Guaranteed Parties or their agents or employees shall be effective to amend, modify or discharge any provision of this Guaranty or any other Loan Document or to constitute a waiver of any Default or Event of Default. No notice to or demand upon any Guarantor in any case shall entitle such Guarantor or any other Guarantor to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the right of any Guaranteed Party to exercise any right or remedy or take any other or further action in any circumstances without notice or demand.

9. Enforcement. The Guaranteed Parties agree that, except as provided in Section 7(e), this Guaranty may be enforced only by the Administrative Agent, acting upon the instructions or with the consent of the Required Lenders as provided for in the Credit Agreement, and that no Guaranteed Party shall have any right individually to enforce or seek to enforce this Guaranty or to realize upon any collateral or other security given to secure the payment and performance of the Guarantors’ obligations hereunder. The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder are independent of the Guaranteed Obligations, and a separate action or actions may be brought against each Guarantor whether or not action is brought against the Borrower or any other Guarantor and whether or not the Borrower or any other Guarantor is joined in any such action. If acceleration of the time for payment of any amount payable by the Borrower under any of the Loan Documents is stayed upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Borrower, all such amounts otherwise subject to acceleration under the terms of the Credit Agreement shall nonetheless be payable by the Guarantors under this Guaranty forthwith on demand by the Administrative Agent made at the request of the Required Lenders. Each Guarantor agrees that to the extent all or part of any payment of the Guaranteed Obligations made by any Person is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid by or on behalf of any Guaranteed Party to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any Debtor Relief Laws (the amount of any such payment, a “Reclaimed Amount”), then, to the extent of such Reclaimed Amount, this Guaranty shall continue in full force and effect or be revived and reinstated, as the case may be, as to the Guaranteed Obligations intended to be satisfied as if such payment had not been received; and each Guarantor acknowledges that the term “Guaranteed Obligations” includes all Reclaimed Amounts that may arise from time to time.

10. Amendments, Waivers, etc. No amendment, modification, waiver, discharge or termination of, or consent to any departure by any Guarantor from, any provision of this Guaranty, shall be effective unless in a writing signed by the Administrative Agent and such of the Lenders as may be required under the provisions of the Credit Agreement to concur in the action then being taken, and then the same shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.

 

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11. Automatic Release of a Guarantor in Certain Circumstances. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, a Guarantor shall be automatically released from this Guaranty in accordance with Section 5.11(b) of the Credit Agreement.

12. Addition, Release of Guarantors. Each Guarantor recognizes that the provisions of the Credit Agreement require any Subsidiary of the Borrower that issues or incurs any Debt (other than Excluded Debt) held by a non-affiliated party to become a Guarantor hereunder by executing a Guarantor Accession, and agrees that its obligations hereunder shall not be discharged, limited or otherwise affected by reason of the same, or by reason of the Administrative Agent’s actions in effecting the same or in releasing any Guarantor hereunder, in each case without the necessity of giving notice to or obtaining the consent of any other Guarantor.

13. Continuing Guaranty; Term; Successors and Assigns; Assignment; Survival. This Guaranty is a continuing guaranty and covers all of the Guaranteed Obligations as the same may arise and be outstanding at any time and from time to time from and after the date hereof, and shall (i) remain in full force and effect until satisfaction of all of the Termination Requirements (provided that the provisions of Section 1(a)(ii) and Section 4 shall survive any termination of this Guaranty), (ii) be binding upon and enforceable against each Guarantor and its successors and assigns (provided, however, that no Guarantor may sell, assign or transfer any of its rights, interests, duties or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the Lenders) and (iii) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by each Guaranteed Party and its successors and assigns. Without limiting the generality of clause (iii) above, any Guaranteed Party may, in accordance with the provisions of the Credit Agreement, assign all or a portion of the Guaranteed Obligations held by it (including by the sale of participations), whereupon each Person that becomes the holder of any such Guaranteed Obligations shall (except as may be otherwise agreed between such Guaranteed Party and such Person) have and may exercise all of the rights and benefits in respect thereof granted to such Guaranteed Party under this Guaranty or otherwise. Each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives notice of and consents in advance to the assignment as provided above from time to time by any Guaranteed Party of all or any portion of the Guaranteed Obligations held by it and of the corresponding rights and interests of such Guaranteed Party hereunder in connection therewith. All representations, warranties, covenants and agreements herein shall survive the execution and delivery of this Guaranty and any Guarantor Accession.

14. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

(a) THIS GUARANTY AND ANY CLAIMS, CONTROVERSY, DISPUTE OR CAUSE OF ACTION (WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE) BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTY AND THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

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(b) EACH GUARANTOR IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY SUBMITS, FOR ITSELF AND ITS PROPERTY, TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND OF THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK, AND ANY APPELLATE COURT FROM ANY THEREOF, IN ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTY, OR FOR RECOGNITION OR ENFORCEMENT OF ANY JUDGMENT, AND EACH GUARANTOR IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY AGREES THAT ALL CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING MAY BE HEARD AND DETERMINED IN SUCH NEW YORK STATE COURT OR, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN SUCH FEDERAL COURT. EACH GUARANTOR AGREES THAT A FINAL JUDGMENT IN ANY SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING SHALL BE CONCLUSIVE AND MAY BE ENFORCED IN OTHER JURISDICTIONS BY SUIT ON THE JUDGMENT OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER PROVIDED BY LAW. NOTHING IN THIS GUARANTY OR IN ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL AFFECT ANY RIGHT THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT OR ANY LENDER MAY OTHERWISE HAVE TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO THIS GUARANTY AGAINST ANY GUARANTOR OR ITS PROPERTIES IN THE COURTS OF ANY JURISDICTION.

(c) EACH GUARANTOR IRREVOCABLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTY IN ANY COURT REFERRED TO IN PARAGRAPH (B) OF THIS SECTION. EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE DEFENSE OF AN INCONVENIENT FORUM TO THE MAINTENANCE OF SUCH ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN ANY SUCH COURT.

(d) EACH GUARANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS GUARANTY OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED HEREBY (WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT OR ANY OTHER THEORY). EACH GUARANTOR (A) CERTIFIES THAT NO REPRESENTATIVE, AGENT OR ATTORNEY OF ANY OTHER PERSON HAS REPRESENTED, EXPRESSLY OR OTHERWISE, THAT SUCH OTHER PERSON WOULD NOT, IN THE EVENT OF LITIGATION, SEEK TO ENFORCE THE FOREGOING WAIVER AND (B) ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND THE LENDERS HAVE BEEN INDUCED TO ENTER INTO THE LOAN DOCUMENTS BY, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE WAIVERS AND CERTIFICATIONS IN THIS SECTION.

(e) Each Guarantor hereby irrevocably consents to service of process in any action or proceeding in the same manner required for delivery of notices under Section 15. Nothing in this Section shall affect the right of any party to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by law or affect the right of any Guaranteed Party to bring any action or proceeding against any Guarantor in the courts of any other jurisdiction.

 

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15. Notices. All notices and other communications provided for herein shall be delivered in the same manner set forth in Section 10.2 of the Credit Agreement: (a) if to any Guarantor, in care of the Borrower and at the Borrower’s address for notices set forth in the Credit Agreement, and (b) if to any Guaranteed Party, at its address for notices set forth in the Credit Agreement; in each case, as such addresses may be changed from time to time pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and with copies to such other Persons as may be specified under the provisions of the Credit Agreement.

16. Severability. To the extent any provision of this Guaranty is prohibited by or invalid under the applicable law of any jurisdiction, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity and only in such jurisdiction, without prohibiting or invalidating such provision in any other jurisdiction or the remaining provisions of this Guaranty in any jurisdiction.

17. Construction. The headings of the various sections and subsections of this Guaranty have been inserted for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof. Unless the context otherwise requires, words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular.

18. Counterparts; Effectiveness. This Guaranty may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be an original, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This Guaranty shall become effective, as to any Guarantor, upon the execution and delivery by such Guarantor of a counterpart hereof or a Guarantor Accession. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Guaranty or any Guarantor Accession by facsimile or other electronic imaging (e.g., “pdf” or “tif”) means shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Guaranty.

19. Judgment Currency. If for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert a sum due from any Guarantor hereunder in the currency expressed to be payable herein (the “specified currency”) into another currency, the parties hereto agree, to the fullest extent that they may effectively do so, that the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the specified currency with such other currency at the Administrative Agent’s main Charlotte, North Carolina office on the Business Day preceding that on which final, non-appealable judgment is given. The obligations of each Guarantor in respect of any sum due to any Lender or the Administrative Agent hereunder shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency other than the specified currency, be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) of any sum adjudged to be so due in such other currency such Lender or the Administrative Agent (as the case may be) may in accordance with normal, reasonable banking procedures purchase the specified currency with such other currency. If the amount of the specified currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency, each Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, against such loss, and if the amount of the specified currency so purchased exceeds (a) the sum originally due to any Lender or the Administrative

 

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Agent, as the case may be, in the specified currency and (b) any amounts shared with other Lenders as a result of allocations of such excess as a disproportionate payment to such Lender under Section 2.10 of the Credit Agreement, such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as the case may be, agrees to remit such excess to such Guarantor.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Guaranty to be executed by their duly authorized officers as of the date first above written.

 

GUARANTORS:
RENRE NORTH AMERICA HOLDINGS INC.
By:

/s/ Mark A. Wilcox

Title: Chief Financial Officer
PLATINUM UNDERWRITERS FINANCE INC.
By:

/s/ Jeffrey D. Kelly

Title: Chief Financial Officer
PLATINUM UNDERWRITERS HOLDINGS, LTD.
By:

/s/ Jeffrey D. Kelly

Title: Chief Financial Officer
RENAISSANCERE FINANCE INC.
By:

/s/ Jeffrey D. Kelly

Title: Chief Financial Officer

(Signatures continue on the following page)

Signature Page to Guaranty Agreement


Accepted and agreed to:

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

as Administrative Agent

By:

/s/ Karen Hanke

Title: Managing Director

Signature Page to Guaranty Agreement


EXHIBIT A

GUARANTOR ACCESSION

THIS GUARANTOR ACCESSION (this “Accession”), dated as of             ,             , is executed and delivered by [NAME OF NEW GUARANTOR], a             corporation (the “New Guarantor”), pursuant to the Guaranty Agreement referred to hereinbelow.

Reference is made to the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of May 15, 2015, among RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (the “Borrower”), the Lenders party thereto, and the Administrative Agent (as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”). In connection with and as a condition to the initial and continued extensions of credit under the Credit Agreement, certain of the Borrower’s Subsidiaries have executed and delivered a Guaranty Agreement, dated as of May 15, 2015 (as amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time, the “Guaranty Agreement”), pursuant to which such Subsidiaries have guaranteed the payment in full of the obligations of the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents (as defined in the Credit Agreement). Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings given to them in the Guaranty Agreement.

The Borrower has agreed under the Credit Agreement to cause each of its Subsidiaries that issues or incurs any Debt (other than Excluded Debt) held by a non-affiliated party to become a party to the Guaranty Agreement as a guarantor thereunder. The New Guarantor is such a Subsidiary. The New Guarantor will obtain benefits as a result of the continued extension of credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, which benefits are hereby acknowledged, and, accordingly, desires to execute and deliver this Accession. Therefore, in consideration of the foregoing and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and to induce the Lenders to continue to extend credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement, the New Guarantor hereby agrees as follows:

1. The New Guarantor hereby joins in and agrees to be bound by each and all of the provisions of the Guaranty Agreement as a Guarantor thereunder. In furtherance (and without limitation) of the foregoing, pursuant to Section 1 of the Guaranty Agreement, the New Guarantor hereby irrevocably, absolutely and unconditionally, and jointly and severally with each other Guarantor, guarantees to the Guaranteed Parties the full and prompt payment, at any time and from time to time as and when due (whether at the stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise), of all of the Guaranteed Obligations, and agrees to pay or reimburse upon demand all other obligations of the Guarantors under the Guaranty Agreement, all on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Guaranty Agreement.

2. The New Guarantor hereby represents and warrants that after giving effect to this Accession, each representation and warranty related to it contained in the Credit Agreement is true and correct with respect to the New Guarantor as of the date hereof.

 

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3. This Accession shall be a Loan Document (within the meaning of such term under the Credit Agreement), shall be binding upon and enforceable against the New Guarantor and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by each Guaranteed Party and its successors and assigns. This Accession and its attachments are hereby incorporated into the Guaranty Agreement and made a part thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the New Guarantor has caused this Accession to be executed by its duly authorized officer as of the date first above written.

 

[NAME OF NEW GUARANTOR]
By:

 

Title:

 

 

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