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                                                                    Exhibit 4.12

                                 TRUST AGREEMENT

                                       OF

                            PARTNERRE CAPITAL TRUST I


     THIS TRUST AGREEMENT is made as of October 2, 2001 (this "Trust
                                                               -----
Agreement"), by and among PartnerRe Ltd., a Bermuda company, as Depositor (the
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"Depositor"), The Chase Manhattan Bank, a New York banking corporation, as
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property trustee (the "Property Trustee"), Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National
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Association, a national banking association, as trustee (the "Delaware
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Trustee"), Albert Benchimol, an individual, as trustee, and Christine Patton, an
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individual, as trustee (together with Albert Benchimol, the "Administrative
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Trustees") (the Property Trustee, the Delaware Trustee and the Administrative
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Trustees are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Trustees"). The
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Depositor and the Trustees hereby agree as follows:

     1.   The trust created hereby shall be known as "PartnerRe Capital Trust I"
(the "Trust"), in which name the Trustees or the Depositor, to the extent
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provided herein, may conduct the business of the Trust, make and execute
contracts, and sue and be sued.

     2.   The Depositor hereby assigns, transfers, conveys and sets over to the
Trust the sum of $10. Such amount shall constitute the initial trust estate. It
is the intention of the parties hereto that the Trust created hereby constitute
a business trust under Chapter 38 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code, 12 Del. C.
(S) 3801, et seq. (the "Business Trust Act"), and that this document constitute
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the governing instrument of the Trust. The Trustees are hereby authorized and
directed to execute and file a certificate of trust with the Delaware Secretary
of State in such form as the Trustees may approve.

     3.   The Depositor and the Trustees expect to enter into an amended and
restated Trust Agreement satisfactory to each such party to provide for the
contemplated operation of the Trust created hereby and the issuance of the
Preferred Securities and Common Securities referred to therein. Prior to the
execution and delivery of such amended and restated Trust Agreement, the
Trustees shall not have any duty or obligation hereunder or with respect of the
trust estate, except as otherwise required by applicable law or as may be
necessary to obtain prior to such execution and delivery any licenses, consents
or approvals required by applicable law or otherwise. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Trustees may take all actions deemed proper as are necessary to
effect the transactions contemplated herein.

     4.   The Depositor, as depositor of the Trust, is hereby authorized, in its
discretion, (i) to prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission") and to execute, in the case of the 1933 Act Registration
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Statement and 1934 Act Registration Statement (each as herein defined), on
behalf of the Trust, (a) a Registration Statement (the "1933 Act Registration
                                                        ---------------------
Statement"), including all pre-effective and post-effective amendments thereto,
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relating to the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"1933 Act"), of the Preferred Securities of the Trust, (b) any preliminary
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prospectus or prospectus or supplement thereto relating to the Preferred
Securities of the Trust required to be filed pursuant to the 1933

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Act, and (c) a Registration Statement on Form 8-A or other appropriate form (the
"1934 Act Registration Statement"), including all pre-effective and
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post-effective amendments thereto, relating to the registration of the Preferred
Securities of the Trust under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended;
(ii) if and at such time as determined by the Depositor, to file with the New
York Stock Exchange or other exchange, or the National Association of Securities
Dealers ("NASD"), and execute on behalf of the Trust a listing application and
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all other applications, statements, certificates, agreements and other
instruments as shall be necessary or desirable to cause the Preferred Securities
of the Trust to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange or such other exchange,
or the NASD's Nasdaq National Market; (iii) to file and execute on behalf of the
Trust, such applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents,
appointments of attorney for service of process and other papers and documents
that shall be necessary or desirable to register the Preferred Securities of the
Trust under the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of such jurisdictions as the
Depositor, on behalf of the Trust, may deem necessary or desirable; (iv) to
execute and deliver letters or documents to, or instruments for filing with, a
depository relating to the Preferred Securities of the Trust; (v) to execute,
deliver and perform on behalf of the Trust an underwriting agreement with one or
more underwriters relating to the offering of the Preferred Securities of the
Trust; and (vi) to execute on behalf of the Trust such purchase agreements with
one or more purchasers or agents relating to an offering of securities of the
Trust as the Depositor, in its sole discretion on behalf of the Trust, may deem
necessary or desirable.

     In the event that any filing referred to in this Section 4 is required by
the rules and regulations of the Commission, the New York Stock Exchange or
other exchange, NASD, or state securities or "Blue Sky" laws to be executed on
behalf of the Trust by the Trustees, the Trustees, in their capacity as trustees
of the Trust, are hereby authorized to join in any such filing and to execute on
behalf of the Trust any and all of the foregoing, it being understood that the
Trustees, in their capacity as trustees of the Trust, shall not be required to
join in any such filing or execute on behalf of the Trust any such document
unless required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, the New York
Stock Exchange or other exchange, NASD, or state securities or "Blue Sky" laws.

     5.   This Trust Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts.

     6.   The number of trustees of the Trust initially shall be four and
thereafter the number of trustees of the Trust shall be such number as shall be
fixed from time to time by a written instrument signed by the Depositor which
may increase or decrease the number of trustees of the Trust; provided, however,
that to the extent required by the Business Trust Act, one trustee of the Trust
shall either be a natural person who is a resident of the State of Delaware or,
if not a natural person, an entity which has its principal place of business in
the State of Delaware and otherwise meets the requirements of applicable
Delaware law. Subject to the foregoing, the Depositor is entitled to appoint or
remove without cause any trustee of the Trust at any time. Any trustee of the
Trust may resign upon thirty days' prior notice to the Depositor.

     7.   Chase Manhattan Bank USA, National Association, in its capacity as
Delaware Trustee, shall not have the powers or duties of the Trustees set forth
herein (except as may be required under the Business Trust Act) and shall be a
trustee hereunder for the sole and limited purpose of fulfilling the
requirements of Section 3807(a) of the Business Trust Act.

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     8.   The Trust may be dissolved and terminated before the issuance of the
Preferred Securities at the election of the Depositor.

     9.   (a)  The Trustees and their officers, directors, agents and servants
(collectively, the "Fiduciary Indemnified Persons") shall not be liable,
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responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise to the Trust, the Depositor,
the Trustees or any holder of the Preferred Securities (the Trust, the
Depositor, the Trustees and any holder of the Trust Securities being a "Covered
                                                                        -------
Person") for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission
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performed or omitted by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons in good faith on
behalf of the Trust and in a manner the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably
believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on the Fiduciary
Indemnified Persons by this Trust Agreement or by law, except that the Fiduciary
Indemnified Persons shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim incurred
by reason of the Fiduciary Indemnified Person's negligence, bad faith or willful
misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.

          (b)  The Fiduciary Indemnified Persons shall be fully protected in
relying in good faith upon the records of the Trust and upon such information,
opinions, reports or statements presented to the Trust by any person as to
matters the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons reasonably believes are within such
other person's professional or expert competence and who has been selected with
reasonable care by or on behalf of the Trust, including information, opinions,
reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities,
profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of
assets from which distributions to holders of Preferred Securities might
properly be paid.

          (c)  The Depositor agrees, to the fullest extent permitted by
applicable law, (i) to indemnify and hold harmless each Fiduciary Indemnified
Person, or any of its respective officers, directors, shareholders, employees,
representatives or agents, from and against any loss, damage, liability, tax,
penalty, expense or claim of any kind or nature whatsoever incurred by the
Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by reason of the creation, operation or
termination of the Trust in a manner the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons
reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on the
Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by this Trust Agreement, except that no Fiduciary
Indemnified Persons shall be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss,
damage or claim incurred by the Fiduciary Indemnified Persons by reason of
negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or
omissions, and (ii) to advance expenses (including reasonable legal fees)
incurred by a Fiduciary Indemnified Person in defending any claim, demand,
action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, prior to the final
disposition of such claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding, upon receipt by
the Trust of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Fiduciary Indemnified
Persons to repay such amount if it shall be determined that such Fiduciary
Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in the
preceding subsection.

          (d)  The provisions of Section 9 shall survive the termination of this
Trust Agreement or the earlier resignation or removal of the Fiduciary
Indemnified Persons.

     10.  This Trust Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance
with, the laws of the State of Delaware (without regard to conflict of laws
principles).

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     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Trust Agreement to
be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

                              PARTNERRE LTD., as Depositor


                              By: /s/ Christine Patton
                                 -----------------------------------------
                                 Name: Christine Patton
                                 Title: General Counsel


                              THE CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, as Property
                              Trustee


                              By:  /s/ W.B. Dodge
                                 -----------------------------------------
                                 Name: W.B. Dodge
                                 Title: Vice President


                              CHASE MANHATTAN BANK USA,
                              NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Delaware
                              Trustee


                              By:  /s/ Denis Kelly
                                 -----------------------------------------
                                 Name:  Denis Kelly
                                 Title: Assistant Vice President


                             Administrative Trustee


                                /s/ Albert Benchimol
                             ---------------------------------------------
                             Albert Benchimol, not in his individual
                             capacity but solely as trustee of the Trust


                             Administrative Trustee


                               /s/ Christine Patton
                             ---------------------------------------------
                             Christine Patton, not in her individual
                             capacity but solely as trustee of the Trust

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