Rights Issue - Part 2

Amlin PLC 20 December 2001 PART TWO Principal terms of the Rights Issue Subject to the fulfilment of the conditions set out below and in the Prospectus expected to be posted to shareholders later today, Qualifying Shareholders (other than certain Overseas Shareholders) will be offered, by way of rights, New Amlin Shares at a price of 77 pence per New Amlin Share on the following basis: 2 New Amlin Shares for every 7 existing Amlin Shares held by Qualifying Shareholders at the Record Date. Fractions of New Amlin Shares will not be allotted, each Qualifying Shareholder's entitlement being rounded down to the nearest whole number. The fractional entitlements will be aggregated and sold for the benefit of the Company. Accordingly Qualifying Shareholders with fewer than 4 existing Amlin Shares will not be entitled to any New Amlin Shares. The Rights Issue Price of 77 pence per New Amlin Share represents a 17.6 per cent. discount to the closing middle market price of 93.5 pence per Amlin Share on 19 December 2001, the last business day before the announcement of the Rights Issue. The Rights Issue is conditional, inter alia, upon: (i) the passing of the Resolutions to be proposed at the Extraordinary General Meeting; (ii) Admission becoming effective by not later than 8.00 a.m. on 15 January 2002 (or such later time and/or date as Hoare Govett and the Company may agree, not being later than 17 January 2002); and (iii) the Underwriting Agreement becoming unconditional in all respects. The Rights Issue will result in the issue of 59,582,887 New Amlin Shares (representing approximately 22.2 per cent. of the issued ordinary share capital of Amlin, as enlarged by the Rights Issue). The New Amlin Shares, when issued and fully paid, will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing Amlin Shares and will rank for all dividends or other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of issue of the New Amlin Shares. Application for Admission has been made to the UK Listing Authority in respect of the New Amlin Shares. It is expected that Provisional Allotment Letters will, subject to the Resolutions being passed, be despatched on 14 January 2002, immediately following the Extraordinary General Meeting, and that dealings will commence in the Nil Paid Rights on the London Stock Exchange at 8.00 a.m. on 15 January 2002. If, for any reason, the Provisional Allotment Letters are posted otherwise than on the day of the Extraordinary General Meeting, the times and dates referred to in this announcement may be revised and the times and dates so revised will be contained in the Provisional Allotment Letters. The latest time and date for acceptance and payment in full in respect of entitlements under the Rights Issue is 3.00 p.m. on 4 February 2002. The full terms and conditions of the Rights Issue, including the procedure for acceptance and payment and the procedure in respect of Rights not taken up, are contained in the Prospectus expected to be posted to shareholders later today and will be included in the Provisional Allotment Letter. Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting A notice convening the Extraordinary General Meeting to be held at 12 noon on Monday 14 January 2002 at Amlin's offices at St. Helen's, 1 Undershaft, London EC3A 8ND, for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, passing the Resolutions, is set out in the Prospectus expected to be sent to shareholders today. The Resolutions propose to: (i) increase the authorised share capital of the Company from £75,000,000 to £91,250,000 by the creation of 65,000,000 additional Amlin Shares. This represents an increase of approximately 21.7 per cent. over the current authorised share capital of the Company. If this resolution is passed there will be 96,877,007 authorised but unissued Amlin Shares following the Rights Issue; (ii) subject to the resolution described in paragraph (i) above being passed and becoming effective, authorise the Directors under section 80 of the Companies Act to allot relevant securities up to an aggregate nominal amount of £14,895,721.75 for the purposes of the Rights Issue and, in addition, up to an aggregate nominal amount of £22,343,582 other than for the purposes of the Rights Issue. If passed, these authorities will expire on the earlier of 15 months after the passing of this resolution and the conclusion of the next annual general meeting of the Company and will give the Directors authority to allot relevant securities up to an aggregate nominal amount of £37,239,303.75, representing approximately 71.4 per cent. of the existing issued share capital. After accounting for the New Amlin Shares to be issued in connection with the Rights Issue, the Directors would have unutilised authority under section 80 of the Companies Act to allot relevant securities up to an aggregate nominal amount of £22,343,582, representing just under one-third of the issued share capital as enlarged pursuant to the Rights Issue. Save in respect of the issue of New Amlin Shares pursuant to the Rights Issue and any issues of Amlin Shares which may be required to be made pursuant to the Amlin Share Option Schemes or as deferred consideration under the contract referred to in paragraph 8(e) of Part 5 of the Prospectus expected to be posted to shareholders later today, the Directors currently have no plans to allot relevant securities but the Directors believe it to be in the best interests of the Company for the Board to be granted these authorities to enable the Board to take advantage of appropriate opportunities; and (iii) subject to the resolution described in paragraph (ii) above being passed and becoming effective, disapply the pre-emption rights provisions of section 89 of the Companies Act in respect of the allotment of equity securities pursuant to the Rights Issue, pursuant to any other pre-emptive issues and, in respect of other issues of equity securities for cash, up to an aggregate nominal value of £3,351,537, being just under five per cent. of the issued share capital as enlarged pursuant to the Rights Issue. If given, this authority will expire at the same time as the authorities referred to in paragraph (ii) expire. Other than in relation to the issue of New Amlin Shares pursuant to the Rights Issue and the issues of Amlin Shares which will be required to be made as deferred consideration under the contract referred to in paragraph 8(e) of Part 5 of the Prospectus expected to be posted to shareholders later today, the Directors have no present intention of issuing any equity securities pursuant to the disapplication. The resolutions described in paragraphs (i) and (ii) will be proposed as ordinary resolutions and the resolution described in paragraph (iii) will be proposed as a special resolution. Intentions of Directors and of State Farm Messrs Hextall, Kennedy, Mylvaganam, Sanders, Taylor and Lord Stewartby, who in aggregate hold 144,418 Amlin Shares (representing approximately 0.07 per cent. of Amlin's issued share capital), have irrevocably undertaken to take up in full their entitlements to New Amlin Shares under the Rights Issue. Mr Philipps, who holds 77,962 Amlin Shares (representing approximately 0.04 per cent. of Amlin's issued share capital), has stated his intention to apply for 12,500 New Amlin Shares out of his entitlement to 22,274 New Amlin Shares. Messrs Carpenter and Holt, who in aggregate hold 2,341,434 Amlin Shares (representing approximately 1.12 per cent. of Amlin's issued share capital), intend to sell a maximum of such number of their entitlements to New Amlin Shares under the Rights Issue as will allow them to take up the balance of their Rights, after providing for estimated costs and taxation. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, which holds 27,706,278 Amlin Shares (representing approximately 13.3 per cent. of Amlin's issued share capital), has irrevocably undertaken to take up in full its entitlement to New Amlin Shares under the Rights Issue. Timetable: Record Date for the Rights Issue close of business on 9 January 2002 Latest time and date for receipt of Forms of Proxy 12 noon on 12 January 2002 Extraordinary General Meeting 12 noon on 14 January 2002 Despatch of Provisional Allotment Letters 14 January 2002 Dealings in the Nil Paid Rights commence 8.00 a.m. on 15 January 2002 Latest time and date for splitting Provisional Allotment Letters, nil paid 3.00 p.m. on 31 January 2002 Latest time and date for acceptance and payment in full and registration of renunciation 3.00 p.m. on 4 February 2002 Dealings in the New Amlin Shares commence, fully paid 8.00 a.m. on 5 February 2002 Expected date for crediting of CREST member accounts and despatch of definitive share certificates in respect of New Amlin Shares 5 February 2002 Further information Full details of the Rights Issue, together with the notice of EGM are contained in the Prospectus which is expected to be posted to shareholders today. Certain statements made in this announcement are forward looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and performance to differ materially from any expected further results or performances, express or implied, by the forward looking statements. Factors that might cause forward looking statements to differ materially from actual results include, among other things, regulatory and economic factors. The Company assumes no responsibility to update any of the forward looking statements contained herein. Further, any indication in this announcement of the price at which Amlin Shares have been bought or sold in the past cannot be relied upon as a guide to future performance. Neither the New Amlin Shares nor the Provisional Allotment letters have been or will be registered under the US Securities Act or under the relevant laws of any State of the United States or any state, province or territory of Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland or South Africa. Subject to certain exceptions, neither the New Amlin Shares nor the Provisional Allotment Letter may be directly or indirectly offered, sold, taken up delivered renounced or transferred in or into the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland or South Africa or to, or for the account or benefit of, US persons. Hoare Govett is acting for Amlin and for no one else in connection with the Rights Issues and will not be responsible to anyone other than Amlin for providing the protection afforded to clients of Hoare Govett or for providing advice in relation to the Rights Issue or any other matter referred to herein. Appendix I - Assumptions and methodology underlying Amlin's estimate of losses resulting from the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 The terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 have resulted in material losses for Amlin through its participation on the Managed Syndicates. A number of claim notifications have been received or probable exposures have been identified through a review of business underwritten and enquiries to insureds, reinsureds and brokers. Due to the nature and size of the loss events in New York, Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh, the estimation of likely loss is highly complex and involves assessments of many classes of business underwritten in the years ended 31 December 1999, 2000 and 2001. Therefore there is a greater degree of uncertainty relating to these loss estimates than would normally be the case. Estimates of loss The current projected net loss estimate to Amlin, in respect of the Group's own share of its Managed Syndicates' capacity on the relevant Lloyd's years of account, is £60 million, which is equivalent to 21 pence per existing Amlin Share after tax. The gross estimate of loss emanating from the Managed Syndicates, on a 100 per cent. basis, is approximately US$690 million (approximately £463 million). The Board considers that the Managed Syndicates can be expected to recover approximately US$560 million (approximately £375 million) from their own reinsurance arrangements, net of reinstatement premiums payable to reinsurers to reinstate cover for future losses. The net loss of approximately US$130 million to the Managed Syndicates equates to approximately £88 million. The conversion of amounts from US$ to £ in this paragraph assumes an exchange rate of £1:US$1.49, being the exchange rate adopted by Lloyd's as at 31 December 2000. The Directors anticipate that the Group's share of the gross loss exposure is in the following categories of business and will be as follows: Class of business Amlin's share of gross exposure US$m Direct and facultative property 61.5 Property reinsurance and risk excess of loss 189.3 Direct airline operators and airport contractors 155.1 Reinsurance of airline, airport operators' and airline contractors' risks 19.1 Other 18.3 443.3 After reinsurance recoveries, net of reinstatement costs of US$355.4 million, Amlin's share of the net exposure is US$87.9 million. Method of estimation and assumptions The gross loss estimate emanates mainly from the following sources: Direct and facultative property contracts: Amlin has reviewed all direct and facultative property contracts underwritten in 2000 and 2001 to determine which contracts have property exposure in the vicinity of Lower Manhattan. Policy limits of relevant contracts have been assumed in the gross loss estimate unless sufficient information has been received to indicate that an amount other than the policy limit should be assumed. It is possible that Syndicate 2001 could receive contingent business interruption claims from direct and facultative property contracts in respect of properties which are outside the Lower Manhattan or Pentagon vicinities but where the policyholder has suffered business interruption as a result of the events of 11 September. The Directors believe that the cost of such claims will not be material. Property reinsurance contracts: The main property reinsurance contracts underwritten have been reviewed and assessed for likelihood of loss. The coverage granted under relevant contracts provides reinsurance cover for insurance companies' direct and facultative property portfolios of risks. Coverage granted is typically primary reinsurance and not retrocessional. The estimates of losses arising from such contracts are based on information obtained from the brokers who placed the contracts on behalf of the insurance companies, or directly from the relevant insurance companies. Accordingly, the estimates are reliant on the completeness and accuracy of information provided by third parties. Where notified loss information is considered to be poor or unreliable, Amlin has added a margin for prudential purposes. Airline, airport operators' and airport contractors' contracts: A number of clients may have claims under their liability insurance contracts, if, and to the extent that, they are deemed to be liable for negligence which has contributed to the loss. Such clients include airlines and airport operators and security contractors. In some cases the liability of such parties appears remote. Where the potential for a claim has been identified, albeit speculative or unlikely, an estimate has been incorporated into the overall loss estimate. In the case of exposures related to the World Trade Center anticipated losses are based on policy limits. In the case of the Washington D.C. and Pittsburgh losses, anticipated losses are based on the management's estimates of the damage caused and the number of lives lost. The remaining loss is spread over a number of other classes, including war, specie and personal accident. The net loss is arrived at by deducting from the gross loss the estimated reinsurance recoveries, net of reinstatement premiums, for each of the Managed Syndicates. Reinsurance recoveries have been estimated by mapping the estimated losses against the reinsurance cover available. The recovery estimate is based on the amount of recovery that can be made against the relevant policies. The cost of reinsurance premiums to reinstate reinsurance cover has been calculated under the terms of applicable policies and is included within the net estimate. Recoveries under a number of reinsurance contracts are triggered by the overall market property insured loss reaching certain levels. The property market loss assumed is US$30 billion or greater. Should the overall insured property loss be between US$25 billion and US$30 billion, then the Group's share of the net loss will increase by approximately £4 million. The credit-worthiness of underlying security has been reviewed by the Directors. Approximately 98 per cent. of Amlin's estimated reinsurance recoveries is due from counterparties which are rated A or better by Standard & Poor's. Included in the estimated reinsurance recoveries is an amount of US$99 million due from companies which authorised Fortress Re, Inc., a North Carolina, USA based managing general agent, to bind reinsurance in their names. The authority given to Fortress Re has been cancelled following the events of 11 September 2001 and the Directors believe that there may be disputes between Fortress Re and the insuring companies, namely the Nissan Fire and Marine Insurance Company, the Taisei Fire and Marine Insurance Company and Aioi Insurance Company. Syndicate 2001 did not accept security (other than an exposure limited to £200,000) from the Taisei Fire and Marine Insurance Company in its 2001 year of account reinsurance programme and the Directors believe that the security of the other two companies remains sufficiently strong. Other key assumptions include: (*) the terrorist attacks leading to the collapse of the World Trade Center towers in New York were one occurrence; (*) the Washington and Pittsburgh losses were two further distinct occurrences; (*) there will be no material failures of reinsurance security; (*) all reinsurers will reinstate reinsurance cover in accordance with the relevant contract provision; (*) there will be no material contractual disputes with any reinsurers; (*) there will be no subrogation recoveries or financial support from third parties, including the US government or associated agencies; and (*) war exclusions on policies do not apply and all of the occurrences were caused by terrorist action. DEFINITIONS The following definitions apply throughout this announcement, unless the context requires otherwise: the 'Act' or the 'Companies Act' the Companies Act 1985, as amended 'Admission' the admission of the Nil Paid Rights (i) to the official list of the UK Listing Authority and (ii) to trading on the London Stock Exchange's market for listed securities becoming effective in accordance with the Listing Rules 'Amlin Share Option Schemes' The Murray Lawrence Discretionary Share Option Scheme 1997, the Murray Lawrence Discretionary Share Option Scheme 1998, the Amlin Executive Share Option Schemes 1997, and the Amlin Savings-Related Share Option Scheme 1998 and the Amlin Share Bonus Plan. The Amlin Executive Share Option Schemes 1997 comprise the Amlin Inland Revenue Approved Share Option Scheme 1997 and the Amlin Unapproved Share Option Scheme 1997 'Amlin Shares' ordinary shares of 25 pence each in the capital of the Company 'Articles of Association' or 'Articles' the articles of association of the Company 'Board' the board of Directors of the Company 'Certificated' or 'Certificated Form' not in Uncertificated Form 'Company' or 'Amlin' Amlin plc 'Computershare' Computershare Investor Services PLC 'CREST' the relevant system for the paperless settlement of trades and the holding of uncertificated securities operated by CRESTCo Limited in accordance with the Regulations 'CRESTCo' CRESTCo Limited the operator of CREST 'Directors' the directors of the Company at the date of this announcement whose names are set out in paragraph 5(a) of Part 5 of the Prospectus expected to be posted to shareholders today. 'Extraordinary General Meeting' the extraordinary general meeting of the Company convened for 14 January 2002, notice of which is set out at the end of this document 'FSA' the Financial Services Authority 'Form of Proxy' the form of proxy sent to Shareholders with this document 'Group' the Company and its subsidiary undertakings 'Hoare Govett' Hoare Govett Limited whose office in the United Kingdom is at 250 Bishopsgate, London EC2M 4AA 'Listing Rules' the rules and regulations made by the UK Listing Authority under Part VI of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended from time to time) 'London Stock Exchange' London Stock Exchange plc 'Managed Syndicates' Syndicate 902, Syndicate 1141 and Syndicate 2001, all of which are managed by Amlin Underwriting Limited 'New Amlin Shares' 59,582,887 new Amlin Shares to be issued pursuant to the Rights Issue 'Nil Paid Rights' rights to acquire the New Amlin Shares, nil paid 'Official List' the Official List of the UK Listing Authority 'Overseas Shareholders' Shareholders who are resident in, or who are citizens of, or who have registered addresses in, territories other than the United Kingdom and Shareholders who are US persons 'Provisional Allotment Letters' the renounceable provisional allotment letters to be despatched to Qualifying Shareholders (other than, subject to certain exceptions, Overseas Shareholders with registered addresses in the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Ireland or South Africa) in respect of the New Amlin Shares to be provisionally allotted to them pursuant to the Rights Issue 'Qualifying Shareholders' holders of Amlin Shares on the Company's register of Shareholders at the Record Date 'Record Date' close of business on 9 January 2002 'Regulations' the Uncertificated Securities Regulations 1995 (SI 1995/3272), as amended 'Resolutions' the resolutions set out in the notice of Extraordinary General Meeting at the end of the Prospectus expected to be posted to shareholders today 'Rights' rights to acquire New Amlin Shares in the Rights Issue 'Rights Issue' the proposed issue to Qualifying Shareholders of New Amlin Shares by way of rights on the basis of 2 New Amlin Shares for every 7 existing Amlin Shares held on the Record Date on the terms and subject to the conditions contained or referred to in this document and in the Provisional Allotment Letters 'Rights Issue Price' 77 pence per New Amlin Share 'Shareholders' holders of Amlin Shares 'UK Listing Authority' the Financial Services Authority in its capacity as competent authority under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 'Uncertificated' or 'Uncertificated Form' Amlin Shares recorded on the Company's register of Shareholders as being held in uncertificated form, title to which by virtue of the Regulations may be transferred by means of an instruction issued in accordance with the rules of CREST 'Underwriting Agreement' the agreement dated 20 December 2001 between the Company and Hoare Govett, details of which are set out in paragraph 8(g) of Part 5 of the Prospectus expected to be posted to shareholders today. 'United Kingdom' or 'UK' the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 'United States' or 'US' the United States of America, its territories and possessions and any state of the United States and the District of Columbia 'US person' has the meaning provided in section 902(k) of Regulation S under the US Securities Act 'US Securities Act' the United States Securities Act of 1933 GLOSSARY This glossary sets out some of the commonly used terms and expressions relating to Lloyd's and London Insurance markets: 'capacity' underwriting capacity or stamp capacity, as the context requires 'capital loading' adjustments to the theoretical risk based capital, made to arrive at the actual risk based capital, having regard for the specific syndicate's history and record 'cash call' a demand for further cash funding by a syndicate in order to provide capital to support continued underwriting after a large loss or losses have eroded the original capital in place to support that syndicate's underwriting 'combined ratio' the ratio of the total of incurred claims and costs (including acquisition costs), net of all reinsurance effects, to gross premiums 'corporate member' a member of Lloyd's which is a body corporate or a Scottish limited partnership 'Council' the Council of Lloyd's and any person or delegate acting under its authority, including the Lloyd's Market Board and the Lloyd's Regulatory Board 'Equitas' Equitas Reinsurance Limited, the company into which all non-life liabilities in relation to 1992 and Prior Business have been reinsured 'Funds at Lloyd's' funds held in trust at Lloyd's to support a member's underwriting activities 'LATFs' Lloyd's American Trust Funds 'Lloyd's' the Society and Corporation of Lloyd's created and governed by the Lloyd's Act 1871 - 1982 'managing agent' an underwriting agent which is listed as a managing agent on the register of underwriting agents maintained under the Underwriting Agents Byelaw (No. 4 of 1984) and which is responsible for managing a syndicate and, among other things, employing the active underwriter 'member' or 'member of Lloyd's' except where the context otherwise requires, an underwriting member at Lloyd's 'members' agent' an underwriting agent which is listed as members' agent on the register of underwriting agents maintained under the Underwriting Agents Byelaw (No. 4 of 1984) and which is appointed by a member to administer his underwriting affairs at Lloyd's, especially to place him on syndicates 'Name' or 'individual member' an individual carrying on underwriting business as a member of Lloyd's with unlimited liability 'naturally open year of account' a year of account that has not reached the date of its normal closure by reinsurance to close 'New Central Fund' a fund established pursuant to the Central Fund Byelaw (No. 23 of 1996) by Lloyd's primarily as a policyholders' protection fund in the event of a member being unable to meet his/its underwriting liabilities. The New Central Fund may also be used, with certain exceptions, for any purpose which may appear to the Council to further any of the objects of Lloyds's 'Premiums Trust Fund' the trust fund into which all premiums received by or on behalf of the members must be placed and which is available for payment of claims, reinsurance premiums, syndicate expenses and, when the relevant year of account has been closed, profits '1992 and Prior Business' all liabilities under contracts of insurance(whether direct or otherwise) or reinsurance underwritten at Lloyds (other than long term business as defined in the Insurance Companies Act 1982) and originally allocated to the 1992 year of account or any earlier year of account including, without limitation, any such liabilities reinsured to close into the 1993 or any later year of account, but excluding any liabilities re-signed, or reallocated pursuant to a premium transfer, into the 1993 or later year of account 'open year' a year of account of a syndicate prior to its usual date for closure by reinsurance to close 'Reconstruction and Renewal Plan' the plan for the reconstruction and renewal of Lloyd's described in the document entitled 'Lloyd's: reconstruction and renewal' sent by Lloyd's to Names in May 1995, as developed and finally incorporated into the Settlement Offer which was sent to Names on 30 July 1996 'reinsurance' the insurance of contractual liabilities incurred under contracts of insurance or reinsurance 'reinsurance to close' or 'RITC' a reinsurance agreement under which underwriting members who are members of a syndicate for a year of account to be closed are reinsured, by underwriting members who comprise that or another syndicate for a later year of account or by an insurance company designated by the Council, against all liabilities arising out of insurance business underwritten by the reinsured syndicate 'retrocessional' reinsurance of a reinsurer 'Settlement Offer' the document sent to Names on 30 July 1996 incorporating the Reconstruction and Renewal Plan in its final form 'solvency ratio' the ratio of net premiums to regulatory capital for an insurer 'stamp capacity' the maximum amount of premium income which the members of a syndicate together may accept in a given year of account 'subrogation' the process through which an insurer can reduce the financial impact of claims made against it by seeking and agreeing recoveries from other parties, including other insurers, if the loss which has given rise to the claim was caused by a third party 'syndicate' a group of members of a single corporate member underwriting insurance business at Lloyd's through the agency of a managing agent to which a particular syndicate number is assigned by or with the authority of the Council 'underwriting capacity' the premium limit which determines the maximum amount of business which a member may underwrite, based on the level of his funds at Lloyd's, in any year of account 'year of account' an accounting year at Lloyd's, corresponding with the calendar year, by reference to which policies are allocated and accounts drawn up
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