EX-4.31






Exhibit 4.31



 




PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT




TRAVELERS CAPITAL TRUST [II] [III] [IV] [V]




DATED AS OF                     , 200_



 















 








Table of Contents




	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Page
	ARTICLE I

	DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation

	 	 	1	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE II

	TRUST INDENTURE ACT

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application

	 	 	4	 
	SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities

	 	 	4	 
	SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee

	 	 	5	 
	SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee

	 	 	5	 
	SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent

	 	 	5	 
	SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver

	 	 	5	 
	SECTION 2.7 Events of Default; Notice

	 	 	5	 
	SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests

	 	 	6	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE III

	POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee

	 	 	6	 
	SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee

	 	 	7	 
	SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee

	 	 	9	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE IV

	PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility

	 	 	10	 
	SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred Guarantee Trustees

	 	 	10	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE V

	GUARANTEE

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 5.1 Guarantee

	 	 	11	 
	SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand

	 	 	11	 
	SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected

	 	 	11	 
	SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders

	 	 	12	 
	SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment

	 	 	13	 
	SECTION
5.6 Subrogation

	 	 	13	 
	SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations

	 	 	13	 






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	 	 	Page
	ARTICLE VI

	LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions

	 	 	13	 
	SECTION 6.2 Ranking

	 	 	14	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE VII

	TERMINATION

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 7.1 Termination 
	 	 	14	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE VIII

	INDEMNIFICATION

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 8.1 Exculpation

	 	 	15	 
	SECTION 8.2 Indemnification

	 	 	15	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE IX 

	MISCELLANEOUS

	 
	 	 	 	 
	SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns

	 	 	16	 
	SECTION 9.2 Amendments

	 	 	16	 
	SECTION 9.3 Notices

	 	 	16	 
	SECTION 9.4 Benefit

	 	 	17	 
	SECTION 9.5 Governing Law

	 	 	17	 






ii









 






CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*




	 	 	 	 	 
	Section of	 	Section of
	Trust Indenture Act	 	Guarantee of
	1939, as amended	 	Agreement
	310(a)
	 	 	4.1	(a)
	310(b
	 	 	4.1(c), 2.8	 
	310(c)
	 	Inapplicable
	311(a)
	 	 	2.2	(b)
	311(b)
	 	 	2.2	(b)
	311(c)
	 	Inapplicable
	312(a)
	 	 	2.2	(a)
	312(b)
	 	 	2.2	(b)
	313
	 	 	2.3	 
	314(a)
	 	 	2.4	 
	314(b)
	 	Inapplicable
	314(c)
	 	 	2.5	 
	314(d)
	 	Inapplicable
	314(e)
	 	 	1.1, 2.5, 3.2	 
	314(f)
	 	 	2.1, 3.2	 
	315(a)
	 	 	3.1	(d)
	315(b)
	 	 	2.7	 
	315(c)
	 	 	3.1	 
	315(d)
	 	 	3.1	(d)
	316(a)
	 	 	1.1, 2.6, 5.4	 
	316(b)
	 	 	5.3	 
	316(c)
	 	 	8.2	 
	317(a)
	 	Inapplicable
	317(b)
	 	Inapplicable
	318(a)
	 	 	2.1	(b)
	318(b)
	 	 	2.1	 
	318(c)
	 	 	2.1	(a)








 




			
	*	 	This Cross-Reference Table does not constitute part of this Guarantee Agreement and shall not
affect the interpretation of any of its terms or provisions.






iii









 








PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT




     This GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this “Preferred Securities Guarantee”), dated as of [                     
, 200 ], is executed and delivered by The Travelers Companies, Inc., a Minnesota
corporation (the “Guarantor”), and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the
“Preferred Guarantee Trustee”), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from time to
time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of Travelers Capital Trust [II] [III] [IV]
[V], a Delaware statutory trust (the “Issuer”).



     WHEREAS, pursuant to a Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”),
dated as of
[                    ,
200  ], among the trustees of the Issuer named therein, the
Guarantor, as sponsor, and the holders from time to time of undivided beneficial interests in the
assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is issuing on the date hereof $[                    ] aggregate
liquidation preference of its [ ]% Preferred Securities (stated liquidation amount [$ ] per
preferred security) (the “Preferred Securities”) representing preferred undivided beneficial
interests in the assets of the Issuer and having the terms set forth in the Declaration;



     WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred Securities, the Guarantor
desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, to the extent set forth in this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, to pay to the Holders the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to make
certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein.



     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of Preferred Securities, which
purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and
delivers this Preferred Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders.



ARTICLE I


DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION




     SECTION 1.1 Definitions and Interpretation.



     In this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless the context otherwise requires:




     (a) Capitalized terms used in this Preferred Securities Guarantee but not defined in
the preamble above have the respective meanings assigned to them in this Section 1.1;




     (b) a term defined anywhere in this Preferred Securities Guarantee has the same meaning
throughout;




     (c) all references to “the Preferred Securities Guarantee” or “this Preferred
Securities Guarantee” are to this Preferred Securities Guarantee as modified, supplemented
or amended from time to time;













 






     (d) all references in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to Articles and Sections are
to Articles and Sections of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise specified;




     (e) a term defined in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, unless otherwise defined in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee or unless the context otherwise requires; and




     (f) a reference to the singular includes the plural and vice versa.



     “Authorized Officer” of a Person means any Person that is authorized to bind such Person.



     “Affiliate” has the same meaning as given to that term in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, or any successor rule thereunder.



     “Covered Person” means any Holder or beneficial owner of Preferred Securities.



     “Debentures” means the series of [senior debt securities of the Guarantor designated the [ ]%
Senior Notes due [ ]][subordinated debt securities of the Guarantor designated the [ ]%
Subordinated Debentures, due [ ]][junior subordinated debt securities of the Guarantor designated
the [ ]% Junior Subordinated Debentures, due [ ]] held by the Institutional Trustee (as defined in
the Declaration) of the Issuer.



     “Event of Default” means a default by the Guarantor on any of its payment or other obligations
under this Preferred Securities Guarantee; provided, however, that, except with respect to a
default in payment of any Guarantee Payments, the Guarantor shall have received notice of default
and shall not have cured such default within 90 days after receipt of such notice.



     “Guarantee Payments” means the following payments or distributions, without duplication, with
respect to the Preferred Securities, to the extent not paid or made by the Issuer: (i) any accrued
and unpaid Distributions (as defined in Annex I to the Declaration) that are required to be paid on
the Preferred Securities, to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, (ii) the
redemption price of [$ ] per Preferred Security, plus all accrued and unpaid Distributions to the
date of redemption (the “Redemption Price”), to the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor,
with respect to any Preferred Securities called for redemption by the Issuer and (iii) upon a
voluntary or involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than in
connection with the distribution of Debentures to the Holders in exchange for Preferred Securities
as provided in the Declaration or the redemption of all of the Preferred Securities upon the
maturity or redemption of all of the Debentures as provided in the Declaration) the lesser of (a)
the aggregate of the liquidation amount of [$ ] per Preferred Security and all accrued and unpaid
Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment, or (b) the amount of assets of
the Issuer remaining for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either case, the
“Liquidation Distribution”).



     “Holder” shall mean any holder, as registered on the books and records of the Issuer, of any
Preferred Securities; provided, however, that, in determining whether the holders of the



2









 







requisite percentage of Preferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver
hereunder, “Holder” shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the Guarantor.



     “Indemnified Person” means the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any Affiliate of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders, members, partners, employees,
representatives, nominees, custodians or agents of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     “Indenture” means the Subordinated Debt Indenture dated as of [                    , 200
], among the Guarantor and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust
Company, N.A., as trustee, and any indenture
supplemental thereto pursuant to which the Debentures are to be issued to the Institutional Trustee
of the Issuer.



     “Institutional Trustee” has the meaning specified in the Declaration.



     “Issuer” has the meaning provided in the preamble.



     “Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities” means, except as provided by the
Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s), voting separately as a class, holding Preferred
Securities representing more than 50% of the aggregate liquidation amount (including the stated
amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid
Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are determined) of all Preferred
Securities.



     “Officers’ Certificate” means, with respect to any Person, a certificate signed by two
Authorized Officers of such Person. Any Officers’ Certificate delivered with respect to compliance
with a condition or covenant provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall include:




     (i) a statement that each officer signing the Officers’ Certificate has read the
covenant or condition and the definitions relating thereto;




     (ii) a brief statement of the nature and scope of the examination or investigation
undertaken by each officer in rendering the Officers’ Certificate;




     (iii) a statement that each such officer has made such examination or investigation as,
in such officer’s opinion, is necessary to enable such officer to express an informed
opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and




     (iv) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such officer, such condition or
covenant has been complied with.



     “Person” means a legal person, including any individual, corporation, estate, partnership,
joint venture, association, joint stock company, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated
association, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or any other entity of
whatever nature.



     “Preferred Guarantee Trustee” means The Bank of New York Mellon Trust
Company, N.A., until a Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment pursuant to



3









 







the terms of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and thereafter means each such Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     “Responsible Officer” means, with respect to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, any officer of
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee with direct responsibility for the administration of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other
officer to whom such matter is referred because of that officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with
the particular subject.



     “Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee” means a successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee
possessing the qualifications to act as Preferred Guarantee Trustee under Section 4.1.



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



ARTICLE II


TRUST INDENTURE ACT




     SECTION 2.1 Trust Indenture Act; Application.



     (a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture
Act that are required to be part of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and shall, to the extent
applicable, be governed by such provisions; and



     (b) if and to the extent that any provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee limits,
qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust
Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall control.



     SECTION 2.2 Lists of Holders of Securities.



     (a) The Guarantor shall, or shall cause the Institutional Trustee to, provide the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee with a list of the names and addresses of the Holders (i) on a date not later
than the record date for any payment or other distribution to the Holders hereunder or under the
Declaration, and (ii) at such other times as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may request in
writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Guarantor of any such request, as of a date no
more than 14 days before such list of Holders is given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee; provided
that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such a list of holders at any time that such
list would not differ from the last such list provided by the Guarantor to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee under this Section 2.2(a).



     The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may destroy any list of Holders previously given to it on
receipt of a new list of Holders. Unless supplemented, amended or restated pursuant to this Section
2.2(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be entitled to rely exclusively on the last list of
Holders provided to it by the Guarantor or any Institutional Trustee.



     (b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under Sections 311(a),
311(b) and 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.



4









 





     SECTION 2.3 Reports by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     Within 60 days after May 15 of each year, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the
Holders such reports as are required by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form
and in the manner provided by Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act. The Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall also comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.



     SECTION 2.4 Periodic Reports to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the Securities and Exchange
Commission and the Holders such documents, reports and information as required by Section 314 of
the Trust Indenture Act (if any) and the compliance certificate required by Section 314 of the
Trust Indenture Act in the form, in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the
Trust Indenture Act.



     SECTION 2.5 Evidence of Compliance with Conditions Precedent.



     The Guarantor shall provide to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee such evidence of compliance
with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee that
relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act. Any
certificate or opinion required to be given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be
given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate.



     SECTION 2.6 Events of Default; Waiver.



     The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may, by vote, on
behalf of the Holders of all of the Preferred Securities, waive any past Event of Default and its
consequences. Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of
Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event
of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.



     SECTION 2.7 Events of Default; Notice.



     (a) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of an Event of
Default, transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders, notices of all Events of
Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless such
Events of Default have been cured before the giving of such notice; provided, that, the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a Responsible
Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such
notice is in the interests of the Holders.



     (b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Event of
Default unless the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have received written notice, or of which a
Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee charged with the administration of the
Declaration shall have obtained actual knowledge.



5









 





     SECTION 2.8 Conflicting Interests.



     The Declaration shall be deemed to be specifically described in this Preferred Securities
Guarantee for the purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of the
Trust Indenture Act.



ARTICLE III


POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE




     SECTION 3.1 Powers and Duties of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     (a) This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be held by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee for
the benefit of the Holders, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer its right, title
and interest in this Preferred Securities Guarantee to any Person except a Holder exercising his or
her rights pursuant to Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee on acceptance
by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Preferred
Guarantee Trustee. The right, title and interest of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall
automatically vest in any Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting and cessation of
title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered
pursuant to the appointment of such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     (b) If an Event of Default actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee has occurred and is continuing, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this
Preferred Securities Guarantee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities.



     (c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of Default and after
the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred, shall undertake to perform only such
duties as are specifically set forth in this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied
covenants shall be read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee. In case an Event of Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to
Section 2.6) and is actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, and use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise thereof,
as a prudent Person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own
affairs.



     (d) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be construed to relieve the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure
to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:




     (i) prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and after the curing or waiving of
all such Events of Default that may have occurred:




     (A) the duties and obligations of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be
determined solely by the express provisions of this Preferred Securities Guarantee,
and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable except for the



6









 






performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in
this Preferred Securities Guarantee, and no implied covenants or obligations shall
be read into this Preferred Securities Guarantee against the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee; and




     (B) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee,
the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the
statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any
certificates or opinions furnished to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and
substantially conforming to the requirements of this Preferred Securities Guarantee;
but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that by any provision hereof
are specifically required to be furnished to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine
whether or not they substantially conform to the requirements of this Preferred
Securities Guarantee;




     (ii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made
in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall
be proved that the Preferred Guarantee Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent
facts upon which such judgment was made;




     (iii) the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action
taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the
Holders of not less than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities
relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available
to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities Guarantee; and




     (iv) no provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall require the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial
liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or
powers, if the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have reasonable grounds for believing that
the repayment of such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the terms of
this Preferred Securities Guarantee or indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee, against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.



     SECTION 3.2 Certain Rights of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:




     (i) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may conclusively rely, and shall be fully protected
in acting or refraining from acting upon, any resolution, certificate, statement,
instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture,
note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine
and to have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.



7









 






     (ii) Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by this Preferred Securities
Guarantee shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officers’ Certificate.




     (iii) Whenever, in the administration of this Preferred Securities Guarantee, the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established
before taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
(unless other evidence is herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith
on its part, request and conclusively rely upon an Officers’ Certificate which, upon receipt
of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guarantor.




     (iv) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to any recording, filing
or registration of any instrument (or any rerecording, refilling or re-registration
thereof).




     (v) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel, and the written advice or
opinion of such counsel with respect to legal matters shall be full and complete
authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it
hereunder in good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion. Such counsel may be
counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may include any of its employees. The
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have the right at any time to seek instructions concerning
the administration of this Preferred Securities Guarantee from any court of competent
jurisdiction.




     (vi) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of
the rights or powers vested in it by this Preferred Securities Guarantee at the request or
direction of any Holder, unless such Holder shall have provided to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee such security and indemnity, reasonably satisfactory to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee, against the costs, expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses and the
expenses of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee’s agents, nominees or custodians) and
liabilities that might be incurred by it in complying with such request or direction,
including such reasonable advances as may be requested by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee;
provided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall be taken to relieve the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, of its obligation
to exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Preferred Securities Guarantee.




     (vii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into
the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion,
report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of
indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, in its
discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it
may see fit.




     (viii) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers
hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents, nominees,
custodians or attorneys, and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be



8









 






responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney
appointed with due care by it hereunder.




     (ix) Any action taken by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or its agents hereunder shall
bind the Holders of the Preferred Securities, and the signature of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee or its agents alone shall be sufficient and effective to perform any such action. No
third party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the terms and provisions of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee, both of which shall be conclusively evidenced by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee’s or its agent’s taking such action.




     (x) Whenever in the administration of this Preferred Securities Guarantee the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive instructions with respect to enforcing
any remedy or right or taking any other action hereunder, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee
(i) may request instructions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the
Preferred Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy or right or taking such
other action until such instructions are received, and (iii) shall be protected in
conclusively relying on or acting in accordance with such instructions.



     (b) No provision of this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be deemed to impose any duty or
obligation on the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or acts or exercise any right,
power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be
illegal, or in which the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be unqualified or incompetent in
accordance with applicable law, to perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right,
power, duty or obligation. No permissive power or authority available to the Preferred Guarantee
Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.



     (c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Event of
Default with respect to the Preferred Securities unless (1) a Responsible Officer of the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee shall have actual knowledge of such Event of Default or (2) written notice of
such Event of Default shall have been given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor or
by any Holder.



     SECTION 3.3 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Guarantee.



     The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the statements of the Guarantor,
and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The
Preferred Guarantee Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee.



9









 





ARTICLE IV


PREFERRED GUARANTEE TRUSTEE




     SECTION 4.1 Preferred Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility.



     (a) There shall at all times be a Preferred Guarantee Trustee which shall:




     (i) not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and




     (ii) be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States
of America or any State or Territory thereof or of the District of Columbia, or a
corporation or Person permitted by the Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an
institutional trustee under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise
corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least 50 million U.S.
dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or examination by Federal, State,
Territorial or District of Columbia authority. If such corporation publishes reports of
condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or
examining authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this Section 4.1(a)(ii),
the combined capital and surplus of such corporation shall be deemed to be its combined
capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.



     (b) If at any time the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be eligible to so act under
Section 4.1(a), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall immediately resign in the manner and with the
effect set out in Section 4.2(c).



     (c) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any “conflicting interest” within
the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee and
Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture
Act.



     SECTION 4.2 Appointment, Removal and Resignation of Preferred Guarantee Trustees.



     (a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may be appointed or removed
without cause at any time by the Guarantor.



     (b) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with Section 4.2(a)
until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
by written instrument executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the
Guarantor.



     (c) The Preferred Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office until a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its removal or resignation. The
Preferred Guarantee Trustee may resign from office by an instrument in writing executed by the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which resignation shall not take effect
until a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment
by instrument in writing executed by such Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee and delivered to
the Guarantor and the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee,



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whereupon the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be released and discharged of the
trusts and other duties imposed on such trustee in connection herewith.



     (d) If no Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed and accepted
appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60 days after delivery to the Guarantor of an
instrument of resignation, the resigning Preferred Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of
competent jurisdiction for appointment of a Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee. Such court may
thereupon, after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a Successor
Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     (e) No Preferred Guarantee Trustee shall be liable for the acts or omissions to act of any
Successor Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



     (f) Upon termination of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or removal or resignation of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.2, the Guarantor shall pay to the Preferred
Guarantee Trustee all amounts accrued and owing to such Preferred Guarantee Trustee to the date of
such termination, removal or resignation.



ARTICLE V


GUARANTEE




     SECTION 5.1 Guarantee.



     The Guarantor irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the
Guarantee Payments (without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by or on behalf of the Issuer
pursuant to the Declaration or by the Guarantor pursuant to the Indenture), as and when due,
regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that the Issuer may have or assert. The
Guarantor’s obligation to make a Guarantee Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the
required amounts by the Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to
the Holders.



     SECTION 5.2 Waiver of Notice and Demand.



     The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of this Preferred Securities Guarantee and of
any liability to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right to
require a proceeding first against the Issuer or any other Person before proceeding against the
Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of dishonor, notice of redemption and all other
notices and demands.



     SECTION 5.3 Obligations Not Affected.



     The obligations, covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time
to time of any of the following:



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     (a) the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the performance or observance
by the Issuer of any express or implied agreement, covenant, term or condition relating to the
Preferred Securities to be performed or observed by the Issuer;



     (b) the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or any portion of the
Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or any other sums payable under the terms
of the Preferred Securities or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation
under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Preferred Securities (other than an extension of
time for payment of Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribution or other sum payable
that results from the extension of any interest payment period on the Debentures as permitted by
the Indenture);



     (c) any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of the Holders to enforce,
assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the
terms of the Preferred Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or
extension of any kind;



     (d) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of any collateral,
receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization,
arrangement, composition or readjustment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the
Issuer or any of the assets of the Issuer;



     (e) any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred Securities;



     (f) the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby or hereby incurred; or



     (g) to the extent permitted by law, any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it being the intent of this
Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional
under any and all circumstances.



     There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain consent of, the
Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the foregoing.



     SECTION 5.4 Rights of Holders.



     (a) The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities have the right
to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee in respect of this Preferred Securities Guarantee or exercising any
trust or power conferred upon the Preferred Guarantee Trustee under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee.



     (b) If the Preferred Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce its rights under this Preferred
Securities Guarantee, any Holder may directly institute a legal proceeding against the Guarantor to
enforce the Preferred Guarantee Trustee’s rights under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, without
first instituting a legal proceeding against the Issuer, the Preferred Guarantee Trustee or any
other Person or entity.



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     (c) A Holder may also directly institute a legal proceeding against the Guarantor to enforce
such Holder’s right to receive payment under this Preferred Securities Guarantee without first (i)
directing the Preferred Guarantee Trustee to enforce the terms of this Preferred Securities
Guarantee or (ii) instituting a legal proceeding directly against the Issuer or any other Person or
entity.



     SECTION 5.5 Guarantee of Payment.



     This Preferred Securities Guarantee creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection
(i.e., a Covered Person may institute a legal proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce
its rights under this Preferred Securities Guarantee without first instituting a legal proceeding
against any other Person or entity). This Preferred Securities Guarantee will not be discharged
except by payment of the Guarantee Payments in full to the extent not previously paid or upon
Distribution to the Holders of the corresponding series of Debentures as provided in the
Declaration.



     SECTION 5.6 Subrogation.



     The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all (if any) rights of the Holders against the Issuer in
respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this Preferred Securities
Guarantee; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except to the extent required by
mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce or exercise any right that it may acquire by
way of subrogation or any indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of
payment under this Preferred Securities Guarantee, if, at the time of any such payment, any amounts
are due and unpaid under this Preferred Securities Guarantee. If any amount shall be paid to the
Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust
for the Holders and to pay over such amount to the Holders.



     SECTION 5.7 Independent Obligations.



     The Guarantor acknowledges that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations
of the Issuer with respect to the Preferred Securities, and that the Guarantor shall be liable as
principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments pursuant to the terms of this
Preferred Securities Guarantee notwithstanding the occurrence of any event referred to in
subsections (a) through (g), inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.



ARTICLE VI


LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION




     SECTION 6.1 Limitation of Transactions.



     So long as any Preferred Securities remain outstanding, if there shall have occurred any event
that would constitute an Event of Default hereunder or an Event of Default under the Declaration,
then (a) the Guarantor shall not declare or pay any dividend on, make any distributions with
respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a liquidation payment with respect to, any of its
capital stock or make any guarantee payment with respect thereto (other than (i) repurchases,
redemptions or other acquisitions of shares of capital stock of the Guarantor



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in connection with any employment contract, benefit plan or other similar arrangement with or
for the benefit of employees, officers, directors or consultants, (ii) as a result of a
reclassification of the Guarantor’s capital stock, or the exchange or conversion of any class or
series of the Guarantor’s capital stock for any other class or series of the Guarantor’s capital
stock, (iii) the purchase of fractional interests in shares of the Guarantor’s capital stock
pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such capital stock or the security being
converted or exchanged or (iv) distribution of rights under any shareholders’ rights plan adopted
by the Company) and (b) the Guarantor shall not make any payment of interest on, or principal of
(or premium, if any, on), or repay, repurchase or redeem, any debt securities issued by the
Guarantor which rank pari passu with or junior to the Debentures and the Guarantor shall not make
any guarantee payments with respect thereto (other than pursuant to this Preferred Security
Guarantee); provided, however, the Guarantor may declare and pay a stock dividend where the
dividend stock is the same stock as that on which the dividend is being paid.



     SECTION 6.2 Ranking.



     This Preferred Securities Guarantee will constitute an unsecured obligation of the Guarantor
and will rank [(i) subordinate and junior in right of payment to all Senior Indebtedness (as
defined in the Indenture) of the Guarantor, (ii) pari passu with (A) the most senior preferred or
preference stock now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor, (B) any guarantee now or hereafter
entered into by the Guarantor in respect of any preferred or preference stock or preferred trust
security of any Affiliate of the Guarantor [and (C) those debt securities previously issued and
from time to time issued and outstanding as described in clause (D) of the proviso to the
definition of Senior Indebtedness set forth in the Indenture] and (iii) senior to the Guarantor’s
common stock][equal to the Guarantor’s other senior and unsecured obligations].



ARTICLE VII




TERMINATION




     SECTION 7.1 Termination.



     This Preferred Securities Guarantee shall terminate upon (i) full payment of the Redemption
Price of all Preferred Securities, (ii) the distribution of the Debentures to the Holders of all of
the Preferred Securities or (iii) full payment of the amounts payable in accordance with the
Declaration upon liquidation of the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Preferred
Securities Guarantee will continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at
any time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred Securities or under
this Preferred Securities Guarantee.



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ARTICLE VIII




INDEMNIFICATION




     SECTION 8.1 Exculpation.



     (a) No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or accountable in damages or otherwise
to the Guarantor or any Covered Person for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act
or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance with this
Preferred Securities Guarantee and in a manner that such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to
be within the scope of the authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Preferred
Securities Guarantee or by law, except that an Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such
loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person’s negligence or willful
misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.



     (b) An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records
of the Guarantor and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the
Guarantor by any Person as to matters the Indemnified Person 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 Guarantor, 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 might properly be paid.



     SECTION 8.2 Indemnification.



     (a) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Guarantor shall indemnify and hold
harmless each Indemnified Person from and against any loss, damage or claim incurred by such
Indemnified Person by reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person
in good faith in accordance with this Preferred Securities Guarantee and in a manner such
Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of authority conferred on such
Indemnified Person by this Preferred Securities Guarantee, except that no Indemnified Person shall
be entitled to be indemnified in respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified
Person by reason of such Indemnified Person’s negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such
acts or omissions.



     (b) To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, reasonable expenses (including legal
fees) incurred by an Indemnified Person in defending any claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding
shall, from time to time, be advanced by the Guarantor prior to the final disposition of such
claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the Guarantor of an undertaking by or on
behalf of the Indemnified Person to repay such amount if it shall be determined that the
Indemnified Person is not entitled to be indemnified as authorized in Section 8.2(a).



     (c) The obligation to indemnify as set forth in this Section 8.2 shall survive the termination
of this Preferred Securities Guarantee.



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     (d) The Guarantor agrees to pay to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee compensation for its
services as shall be mutually agreed upon by the Guarantor and the Preferred Guarantee Trustee. The
Guarantor shall reimburse the Preferred Guarantee Trustee upon request for all reasonable
out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it, including the reasonable compensation and expenses of the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee’s agents and counsel, except any expense as may be attributable to the
negligence of the Preferred Guarantee Trustee.



ARTICLE IX




MISCELLANEOUS




     SECTION 9.1 Successors and Assigns.



     All guarantees and agreements contained in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall bind the
successors, assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall inure to
the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then outstanding.



     SECTION 9.2 Amendments.



     Except with respect to any changes that do not adversely affect the rights of Holders (in
which case no consent of Holders will be required), this Preferred Securities Guarantee may be
amended only with the prior approval of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate
liquidation amount (including the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or
otherwise, plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting percentages are
determined) of all the outstanding Preferred Securities. The provisions of Section 12.2 of the
Declaration with respect to meetings of Holders apply to the giving of such approval. This
Preferred Securities Guarantee may not be amended, and no amendment hereof that affects the
Preferred Guarantee Trustee’s rights, duties or immunities hereunder or otherwise shall be
effective, unless such amendment is executed by the Preferred Guarantee Trustee (which shall have
no obligation to execute any such amendment, but may do so in its sole discretion).



     SECTION 9.3 Notices.



     All notices provided for in this Preferred Securities Guarantee shall be in writing, duly
signed by the party giving such notice, and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by registered
or certified mail, as follows:



     (a) If given to the Preferred Guarantee Trustee, at the Preferred Guarantee Trustee’s mailing
address set forth below (or such other address as the Preferred Guarantee Trustee may give notice
of to the Holders): The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A.,
ZZZ Berkeley Street, 2nd Floor, Boston, Massachusetts, 02116-3748.



     (b) If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor’s mailing address set forth below (or such
other address as the Guarantor may give notice of to the Holders) The Travelers Companies, Inc.,
385 Washington Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102, Attention: Matthew S. Furman, with a copy to the
attention of the Treasurer at such address.



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     (c) If given to any Holder, at the address set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.



     All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, telecopied with
receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid except that if a notice or other
document is refused delivery or cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice
was given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date of such
refusal or inability to deliver.



     SECTION 9.4 Benefit.



     This Preferred Securities Guarantee is solely for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred
Securities and, subject to Section 3.1(a), is not separately transferable from the Preferred
Securities.



     SECTION 9.5 Governing Law.



     THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.



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     THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE is executed as of the day and year first above written.



	 	 	 	 	 
	 	THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC.,

as Guarantor

 	 
	 	By:  	 	 
	 	 	Name:  	Matthew S. Furman 	 
	 	 	Title:  	Senior Vice President 	 
	 
	 	THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as
Preferred Guarantee Trustee

 	 
	 	By:  	 	 
	 	 	Name:  	 	 
	 	 	Title:  	Authorized Officer 	 
	 




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