Document:

<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.53

                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

     THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made and entered
into as of November 6, 2002 by and between Knology, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), and SCANA Communications Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Investor").

     The Investor is receiving the 12% Senior Notes due 2009 of the Company (the
"Notes") pursuant to the exchange of the 11 7/8% Senior Discount Notes due 2007
of the Company's subsidiary Knology Broadband, Inc. (the "Old Notes") for Notes
and shares of Series E Preferred Stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company
("New Preferred Stock") under a prepackaged plan of reorganization in bankruptcy
of the Company's subsidiary, Knology Broadband, Inc. (the "Prepackaged Plan"),
as described in greater detail in the Offering Circular and Solicitation
Statement dated July 25, 2002 (including any amendments or supplements thereto,
the "Offering Circular"). The Notes will be issued pursuant to an Indenture (the
"Indenture") between the Company and Wilmington Trust Company, as trustee (the
"Trustee"). In consideration of the Investor's voting in favor of acceptance of
the Prepackaged Plan, the Company agrees with the Investor, for the benefit of
the Investor and each other holder of the Notes (the Investor and such other
holders, collectively the "Holders"), as follows:

     1. Shelf Registration. If any Holder is an affiliate (within the meaning of
Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or
any successor rule thereof ("Rule 144")) of the Company (an "Affiliated Holder")
and such Affiliated Holder requests that the Company register a transfer by such
Affiliated Holder of any Notes, the Company shall take the following actions
(the date on which the Company receives such request being a "Trigger Date"):

          (a) The Company shall promptly (but in no event more than 40 days
     after the Trigger Date) file with the Securities and Exchange Commission
     (the "Commission") and thereafter use its reasonable best efforts to cause
     to be declared effective no later than 105 days after the Trigger Date a
     registration statement (the "Shelf Registration Statement") on an
     appropriate form under the Securities Act registering (a "Shelf
     Registration") the offer and sale, from time to time in accordance with the
     methods of distribution set forth in the Shelf Registration Statement and
     Rule 415 under the Securities Act, of those Notes the sale of which is
     subject to the volume limitations of section (e) of Rule 144 (the
     "Securities") by those Affiliated Holders who request that Securities held
     by them be covered by the Shelf Registration Statement (the "Requesting
     Holders"); provided, that no Requesting Holder (other than the Investor)
     shall be entitled to have the Securities held by it covered by such Shelf
     Registration Statement unless such Requesting Holder agrees in writing to
     be bound by all the provisions of this Agreement applicable to such Holder.

<PAGE>

          (b) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the
     Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective in order to permit the
     prospectus included therein to be lawfully delivered by the Requesting
     Holders for a period of two years (or for such longer period, if extended
     pursuant to Section 2(i) below) from the date of its effectiveness or such
     shorter period that will terminate when all the Securities covered by the
     Shelf Registration Statement (i) have been sold pursuant thereto or (ii)
     are no longer subject to the volume limitations of section (e) of Rule 144
     in the hands of the Requesting Holders. Subject to the provisions of
     Section 5(b) hereof, the Company shall be deemed not to have used its
     reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement effective
     during the requisite period if it voluntarily takes any action that would
     result in Holders of Securities covered thereby not being able to offer and
     sell such Securities during that period, unless such action is required by
     applicable law.

          (c) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement to the
     contrary, the Company shall (i) cause the Shelf Registration Statement and
     the related prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, as of the
     effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement, amendment or
     supplement, to comply in all material respects with the applicable
     requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the
     Commission, (ii) ensure that the Shelf Registration Statement and any
     amendments thereto do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
     or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
     in order to make the statements therein not misleading, and (iii) ensure
     that any prospectus forming part of any Shelf Registration Statement, and
     any supplement to such prospectus, does not include any untrue statement of
     a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated
     therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
     the circumstances in which they were made, not misleading.

     2. Registration Procedures. In connection with any Shelf Registration
contemplated by Section 1 hereof, the following provisions shall apply:

          (a) the Company shall prepare and file with the Commission such
     amendments and post-effective amendments to the Shelf Registration
     Statement as may be necessary under applicable law to keep the Shelf
     Registration Statement effective for the applicable period; and cause each
     prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement, and as
     so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 (or similar provision then
     in force) under the Securities Act and comply with the provisions of the
     Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
     "Exchange Act"), and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to
     them with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by the Shelf
     Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the
     intended method or methods of distribution by the selling Holders thereof;

          (b) The Company shall use its best efforts to register or qualify the
     Securities under all applicable state securities or "blue sky" laws of such
     jurisdiction as any Holder of Securities covered by the Shelf Registration
     Statement and each underwriter of an underwritten offering of Securities
     shall reasonably request by the time the applicable

                                      - 2 -

<PAGE>

     Shelf Registration Statement is declared effective by the Commission, and
     do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or
     advisable to enable each such Holder and underwriter to consummate the
     disposition in each such jurisdiction of such Securities owned by such
     Holder; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to (i)
     qualify as a foreign corporation or as a dealer in securities in any
     jurisdiction where they would not otherwise be required to qualify but for
     this Section 2(b), or (ii) take any action which would submit it to general
     service of process or taxation in any such jurisdiction where it is not
     then so subject;

          (c) The Company shall include the names of the Requesting Holders who
     propose to sell Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement as
     selling securityholders.

          (d) The Company shall give written notice to the Investor and the
     Holders of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement: (i)
     when the Shelf Registration Statement or any amendment thereto has been
     filed with the Commission and when the Shelf Registration Statement or any
     post-effective amendment thereto has become effective; (ii) of any request
     by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Shelf Registration
     Statement or the prospectus included therein or for additional information;
     (iii) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the
     effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement or the initiation of any
     proceedings for that purpose; (iv) of the receipt by the Company or its
     legal counsel of any notification with respect to the suspension of the
     qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the
     initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and (v) of
     the happening of any event that requires the Company to make changes in the
     Shelf Registration Statement or the prospectus in order that the Shelf
     Registration Statement or the prospectus do not contain an untrue statement
     of a material fact nor omit to state a material fact required to be stated
     therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of the
     prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not
     misleading.

          (e) The Company shall make every reasonable effort to obtain the
     withdrawal, at the earliest possible time, of any order suspending the
     effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement.

          (f) The Company shall deliver to each Holder of Securities included
     within the coverage of the Shelf Registration Statement, without charge, as
     many copies of the prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus)
     included in the Shelf Registration Statement and any amendment or
     supplement thereto as such person may reasonably request. The Company
     consents, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to the use of the
     prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling
     Holders of the Securities in connection with the offering and sale of the
     Securities covered by the prospectus, or any amendment or supplement
     thereto, included in the Shelf Registration Statement.

                                      - 3 -

<PAGE>

          (g) Prior to any public offering of the Securities pursuant to any
     Shelf Registration Statement the Company shall register or qualify or
     cooperate with the Holders of the Securities included therein and their
     respective counsel in connection with the registration or qualification of
     the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or "blue sky" laws
     of such states of the United States as any Holder of the Securities covered
     by the Shelf Registration Statement reasonably requests in writing and do
     any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the offer
     and sale in such jurisdictions of the Securities covered by the Shelf
     Registration Statement; provided, however, that the Company shall not be
     required to (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where
     it is not then so qualified or (ii) take any action which would subject it
     to general service of process or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it
     is not then so subject.

          (h) The Company shall cooperate with the Holders of the Securities
     covered by the Shelf Registration Statement to facilitate the timely
     preparation and delivery of certificates representing the Securities to be
     sold pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement free of any restrictive
     legends and in such denominations and registered in such names as such
     Holders may request a reasonable period of time prior to sales of the
     Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

          (i) Upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by paragraphs (ii)
     through (v) of Section 2(d) above during the period for which the Company
     is required to maintain an effective Shelf Registration Statement, the
     Company shall promptly prepare and file a post-effective amendment to the
     Shelf Registration Statement or a supplement to the related prospectus and
     any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to Holders of
     the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement or purchasers of
     such Securities, the prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a
     material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated
     therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the
     circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. If the Company
     notifies the Investor and the Holders of the Securities covered by the
     Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with paragraphs (ii) through (v)
     of Section 2(d) above to suspend the use of the prospectus until the
     requisite changes to the prospectus have been made, then the Investor and
     such Holders of the Securities shall suspend use of such prospectus, and
     the period of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement provided
     for in Section 1(b) above shall each be extended by the number of days from
     and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the
     date when the Investor and such Holders of the Securities shall have
     received such amended or supplemented prospectus pursuant to this Section
     2(i).

          (j) Not later than the effective date of the applicable Shelf
     Registration Statement, to the extent not previously done, the Company will
     provide CUSIP numbers for the Notes and provide the applicable trustee with
     printed certificates for the Notes in a form eligible for deposit with The
     Depository Trust Company.

          (k) The Company will comply with all rules and regulations of the
     Commission to the extent and so long as they are applicable to the Shelf
     Registration and

                                      - 4 -

<PAGE>

     will make generally available to its security holders (or otherwise provide
     in accordance with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act) an earnings
     statement satisfying the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act,
     no later than 45 days after the end of a 12-month period (or 90 days, if
     such period is a fiscal year) beginning with the first month of the
     Company's first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the
     Shelf Registration Statement, which statement shall cover such 12-month
     period.

          (l) The Company shall cause the Indenture to be qualified under the
     Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, in a timely manner and containing
     such changes, if any, as shall be necessary for such qualification. In the
     event that such qualification would require the appointment of a new
     trustee under the Indenture, the Company shall appoint a new trustee
     thereunder pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture.

          (m) The Company may require each Holder of Securities to be sold
     pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement to furnish to the Company such
     information regarding such Holder and the distribution of the Securities as
     the Company may from time to time reasonably require for inclusion in the
     Shelf Registration Statement, and the Company may (i) exclude from such
     registration the Securities of any Holder that unreasonably fails to
     furnish such information within a reasonable time after receiving such
     request and (ii) shall not be obligated to pay Additional Interest on such
     Securities to such Holder from the date of such failure until such time
     that such Holder provides the required information.

          (n) The Company shall enter into such customary agreements (including,
     if requested, subject to the terms of Section 7 below, an underwriting
     agreement in customary form) and take all such other action, if any, as any
     Holder of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement shall
     reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Securities
     pursuant to any Shelf Registration; provided, that the Company shall not be
     required to affect more than one underwritten offering in any 12-month
     period.

          (o) In the case of any Shelf Registration, the Company shall (i) make
     reasonably available for inspection by the Holders of the Securities
     covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, any underwriter participating
     in any disposition pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement and any
     attorney, accountant or other agent retained by such Holders of the
     Securities or any such underwriter all relevant financial and other
     records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and
     (ii) cause the Company's officers, directors, employees, accountants and
     auditors to supply all relevant information reasonably requested by the
     Holders of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement or
     any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the
     Shelf Registration Statement, in each case, as shall be reasonably
     necessary to enable such persons, to conduct a reasonable investigation
     within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act; provided, that the
     foregoing inspection and information gathering shall be coordinated on
     behalf of the Holders by one counsel designated by and on behalf of such
     Holders as described in Section 3 hereof and only after execution of a
     Confidentiality Agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Company.

                                      - 5 -

<PAGE>

          (p) In the case of any underwritten offering conducted pursuant to the
     Shelf Registration, the Company, if requested by any Holder of Securities
     covered thereby, shall cause (i) its counsel to deliver an opinion and
     updates thereof relating to the Securities in customary form addressed to
     such Holders and the managing underwriters thereof and dated, in the case
     of the initial opinion, the later of the effective date of such Shelf
     Registration Statement or the date such underwriting agreement is executed
     by the Company (it being agreed that the matters to be covered by such
     opinion shall include the due incorporation and good standing of the
     Company and its subsidiaries, if applicable; the qualification of the
     Company and its subsidiaries, if applicable, to transact business as
     foreign corporations; the due authorization, execution and delivery of the
     relevant agreements of the type referred to in Section 2(n) hereof; the due
     authorization, execution, authentication and issuance, and the validity and
     enforceability, of the applicable Securities; the absence of material legal
     or governmental proceedings involving the Company and its subsidiaries, if
     applicable; the absence of governmental approvals required to be obtained
     in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, the offering and sale
     of the applicable Securities, or any agreement of the type referred to in
     Section 2(n) hereof; the compliance as to form of such Shelf Registration
     Statement and any documents incorporated by reference therein and of the
     Indenture with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust
     Indenture Act, respectively; and, as of the date of the opinion and as of
     the effective date of the Shelf Registration Statement or most recent
     post-effective amendment thereto, as the case may be, the absence from such
     Shelf Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein, as then
     amended or supplemented, and from any documents incorporated by reference
     therein of an untrue statement of a material fact or the omission to state
     therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make
     the statements therein not misleading (in the case of any such documents,
     in the light of the circumstances existing at the time that such documents
     were filed with the Commission under the Exchange Act)); (ii) its officers
     to execute and deliver all customary documents and certificates and updates
     thereof requested by any underwriters of the applicable Securities; and
     (iii) to the extent reasonably available, its independent public
     accountants and the independent public accountants with respect to any
     other entity for which financial information is provided in the Shelf
     Registration Statement to provide to the selling Holders of the applicable
     Securities and any underwriter therefor a comfort letter in customary form
     and covering matters of the type customarily covered in comfort letters in
     connection with primary underwritten offerings, subject to receipt of
     appropriate documentation as contemplated, and only if permitted, by
     Statement of Auditing Standards No. 72.

          (q) In the event that any broker-dealer registered under the Exchange
     Act shall underwrite any Securities or participate as a member of an
     underwriting syndicate or selling group or "assist in the distribution"
     (within the meaning of the Conduct Rules (the "Rules") of the National
     Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. ("NASD")) thereof, whether as a
     Holder of such Securities or as an underwriter, a placement or sales agent
     or a broker or dealer in respect thereof, or otherwise, the Company will
     assist such broker-dealer in complying with the requirements of such Rules,
     including, without limitation, by (i) if such Rules, including Rule 2720,
     shall so require, engaging a "qualified

                                      - 6 -

<PAGE>

     independent underwriter"(as defined in Rule 2720) to participate in the
     preparation of the Shelf Registration Statement relating to such
     Securities, to exercise usual standards of due diligence in respect thereto
     and, if any portion of the offering contemplated by such Shelf Registration
     Statement is an underwritten offering or is made through a placement or
     sales agent, to recommend the yield of such Securities, (ii) indemnifying
     any such qualified independent underwriter to the extent of the
     indemnification of underwriters provided in Section 4 hereof and (iii)
     providing such information to such broker-dealer as may be required in
     order for such broker-dealer to comply with the requirements of the Rules.

          (r) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to take all
     other steps necessary to effect the registration of the Securities covered
     by a Shelf Registration Statement contemplated hereby.

     3. Registration Expenses.

          (a) All expenses incident to the Company's performance of and
     compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Company, regardless of
     whether a Shelf Registration Statement is ever filed or becomes effective,
     including without limitation:

               (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses;

               (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities
          and state "blue sky" or securities laws;

               (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing of
          Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone;

               (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company; and

               (v) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public
          accountants of the Company (including the expenses of any special
          audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such
          performance).

     The Company will bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation,
     all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or
     accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and
     expenses of any person, including special experts, retained by the Company.

          (b) In connection with any Shelf Registration Statement required by
     this Agreement, the Company will reimburse the Investors and the Holders of
     Securities who are selling or reselling Securities covered by such Shelf
     Registration Statement for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not
     more than one counsel, who shall be chosen by the Holders of a majority in
     principal amount of the Securities for whose benefit such Shelf
     Registration Statement is being prepared.

                                      - 7 -

<PAGE>

     4. Indemnification.

          (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Holder of
     the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement and each person,
     if any, who controls such Holder within the meaning of the Securities Act
     or the Exchange Act (each such Holder and such controlling persons are
     referred to collectively as the "Indemnified Parties") from and against any
     losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, or any actions in
     respect thereof (including, but not limited to, any losses, claims,
     damages, liabilities or actions relating to purchases and sales of the
     Securities) to which each Indemnified Party may become subject under the
     Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
     claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out of or are based upon any
     untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained
     in a Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus or in any amendment or
     supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus relating to a Shelf
     Registration, or arise out of, or are based upon, the omission or alleged
     omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or
     necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and shall
     reimburse, as incurred, the Indemnified Parties for any legal or other
     expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or
     defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect
     thereof; provided, that (i) the Company shall not be liable in any such
     case to the extent that such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of
     or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or
     omission or alleged omission made in a Shelf Registration Statement or
     prospectus or in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary
     prospectus relating to a Shelf Registration in reliance upon and in
     conformity with written information pertaining to such Holder and furnished
     to the Company by or on behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion
     therein and (ii) with respect to any untrue statement or omission or
     alleged untrue statement or omission made in any preliminary prospectus
     relating to a Shelf Registration Statement, the indemnity agreement
     contained in this Section 4(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Holder
     from whom the person asserting any such losses, claims, damages or
     liabilities purchased the Securities concerned, to the extent that a
     prospectus relating to such Securities was required to be delivered by such
     Holder under the Securities Act in connection with such purchase and any
     such loss, claim, damage or liability of such Holder results from the fact
     that there was not sent or given to such person, at or prior to the written
     confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person, a copy of the
     final prospectus if the Company had previously furnished copies thereof to
     such Holder; provided further, that this indemnity agreement will be in
     addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have to such
     Indemnified Party. The Company shall also indemnify underwriters, their
     officers and directors and each person who controls such underwriters
     within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act to the same
     extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders
     of the Securities if requested by such Holders.

          (b) Each Holder of the Securities covered by the Shelf Registration
     Statement, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the
     Company and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the
     meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act from and against any
     losses, claims, damages or liabilities or any actions in

                                      - 8 -

<PAGE>

     respect thereof, to which the Company or any such controlling person may
     become subject under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise,
     insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or actions arise out
     of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a
     material fact contained in a Shelf Registration Statement or prospectus or
     in any amendment or supplement thereto or in any preliminary prospectus
     relating to a Shelf Registration, or arise out of or are based upon the
     omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary to
     make the statements therein not misleading, but in each case only to the
     extent that the untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or
     omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written
     information pertaining to such Holder and furnished to the Company by or on
     behalf of such Holder specifically for inclusion therein; and, subject to
     the limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, shall
     reimburse, as incurred, the Company for any legal or other expenses
     reasonably incurred by the Company or any such controlling person in
     connection with investigating or defending any loss, claim, damage,
     liability or action in respect thereof; provided, however, that no such
     Holder shall be liable for any claims hereunder in excess of the amount of
     net proceeds received by such Holder from the sale of the Securities
     pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement. This indemnity agreement
     will be in addition to any liability which such Holder may otherwise have
     to the Company or any of its controlling persons.

          (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section
     4 of notice of the commencement of any action or proceeding (including a
     governmental investigation), such indemnified party will, if a claim in
     respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
     Section 4, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but
     the omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not, in any event,
     relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified
     party to the extent not materially prejudiced as a result thereof and in
     any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have other
     than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above.
     In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and it
     notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the
     indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the
     extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party
     similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably
     satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the
     consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party),
     and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of
     its election so to assume the defense thereof the indemnifying party will
     not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 4 for any legal
     or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
     subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the
     defense thereof. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written
     consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or
     threatened action in respect of which any indemnified party is or could
     have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such
     indemnified party unless such settlement includes an unconditional release
     of such indemnified party from all liability on any claims that are the
     subject matter of such action, and does not include a statement as to or an
     admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any
     indemnified party.

                                      - 9 -

<PAGE>

          (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 4 is
     unavailable or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
     Section 4(a) or Section 4(b) above, then each indemnifying party shall
     contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a
     result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
     thereof) referred to in Section 4(a) or Section 4(b) above (i) in such
     proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by
     the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party
     on the other from the offering of the Securities, or (ii) if the allocation
     provided by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in
     such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits
     referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the
     indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on
     the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in
     such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
     as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault
     of the parties shall be determined by reference to, among other things,
     whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the
     omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
     information supplied by the Company on the one hand or such Holder or such
     other indemnified party, as the case may be, on the other, and the parties'
     relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to
     correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid by an
     indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities
     referred to in the first sentence of this Section 4(d) shall be deemed to
     include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
     party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim
     which is the subject of this Section 4(d). Notwithstanding any other
     provision of this Section 4(d), the Holders of the Securities shall not be
     required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net
     proceeds received by such Holders from the sale of the Securities pursuant
     to a Shelf Registration Statement exceeds the amount of damages which such
     Holders have otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or
     alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty
     of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the
     Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
     not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this
     Section 4(d), each person, if any, who controls such indemnified party
     within the meaning of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act shall have the
     same rights to contribution as such indemnified party and each person, if
     any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or
     the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

          (e) The agreements contained in this Section 4 shall survive the sale
     of the Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement and shall
     remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or
     cancellation of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of
     any indemnified party.

     5. Additional Interest Under Certain Circumstances.

                                     - 10 -

<PAGE>

          (a) Additional interest (the "Additional Interest") with respect to
     the Securities shall be assessed if any Shelf Registration Statement
     required by this Agreement has been declared effective by the Commission
     but (A) such Shelf Registration Statement thereafter ceases to be effective
     or (B) such Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus ceases
     to be usable (except as set forth in Section 5(b) hereof) in connection
     with resales of Securities during the periods specified herein because
     either (1) any event occurs as a result of which the related prospectus
     forming part of such Shelf Registration Statement would include any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
     to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under
     which they were made not misleading, or (2) it shall be necessary to amend
     such Shelf Registration Statement or supplement the related prospectus, to
     comply with the Securities Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules
     thereunder (a "Registration Default"). The foregoing will constitute a
     Registration Default whatever the reason for any such event and whether it
     is voluntary or involuntary or is beyond the control of the Company or
     pursuant to operation of law or as a result of any action or inaction by
     the Commission. Additional Interest shall accrue on the Securities over and
     above the interest set forth in the title of the Securities from and
     including the date on which any such Registration Default shall occur to
     but excluding the date on which all such Registration Defaults have been
     cured, at a rate of 0.25% per annum (the "Additional Interest Rate") for
     each 60-day period immediately following the occurrence of such
     Registration Default. The Additional Interest Rate shall increase by an
     additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 60-day period
     until all Registration Defaults have been cured, up to a maximum Additional
     Interest Rate of 2.50% per annum.

          (b) A Registration Default referred to in Section 5(a) hereof shall be
     deemed not to have occurred and be continuing in relation to a Shelf
     Registration Statement or the related prospectus if (i) such Registration
     Default has occurred solely as a result of (x) the filing of a
     post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement to
     incorporate annual audited financial information with respect to the
     Company where such post-effective amendment is not yet effective and needs
     to be declared effective to permit Holders to use the related prospectus or
     (y) other material events, with respect to the Company that would need to
     be described in such Shelf Registration Statement or the related prospectus
     and (ii) in the case of clause (y), the Company is proceeding promptly and
     in good faith to amend or supplement such Shelf Registration Statement and
     related prospectus to describe such events; provided, however, that in any
     case if such Registration Default occurs for a continuous period in excess
     of 40 days, Additional Interest shall be payable in accordance with the
     above paragraph from the day such Registration Default occurs until such
     Registration Default is cured.

          (c) Any amounts of Additional Interest due pursuant to Section 5(a)
     will be payable in cash on the regular interest payment dates, but only
     with respect to the Securities to which such Registration Default applies.
     The amount of Additional Interest will be determined by multiplying the
     applicable Additional Interest Rate by the principal amount of the
     Securities to which such Registration Default applies and further
     multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days such
     Additional

                                     - 11 -

<PAGE>

     Interest Rate was applicable during such period (determined on the basis of
     a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months), and the denominator of
     which is 360.

     6. Rules 144 and 144A. The Company shall file the reports required to be
filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act in a timely manner
and, if at any time the Company is not required to file such reports, it will,
upon the request of any Affiliated Holder, make publicly available other
information so long as necessary to permit sales of their securities pursuant to
Rules 144 and 144A. The Company covenants that it will take such further action
as any Affiliated Holder may reasonably request, all to the extent required from
time to time to enable such Holder to sell Securities without registration under
the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rules 144
and 144A (including the requirements of Rule 144A(d)(4)). The Company will
provide a copy of this Agreement to prospective purchasers of Securities
identified to the Company by the Affiliated Holders upon request. Upon the
request of any Affiliated Holder, the Company shall deliver to such Holder a
written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Section 6 shall be deemed to
require the Company to register any of its securities pursuant to the Exchange
Act.

     7. Underwritten Registrations. If any of the Securities covered by any
Shelf Registration Statement are to be sold in an underwritten offering, the
investment banker or investment bankers and manager or managers that will
administer the offering ("Managing Underwriters") will be selected by the
Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of such Securities to be
included in such offering; provided, that such Managing Underwriters shall be
reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Holders of any Securities offered
pursuant to any underwritten offering shall bear the expense of any
underwriters' or brokers' discounts or commissions with respect to such
Securities. No person may participate in any underwritten registration hereunder
unless such person (i) agrees to sell such person's Securities on the basis
reasonably provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the persons
entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes
all questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements and
other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting
arrangements.

     8. Miscellaneous.

          (a) Remedies. The Company acknowledges and agrees that any failure by
     the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 1 hereof may
     result in material irreparable injury to the Investor or the Holders for
     which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to
     measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any
     such failure, the Investor or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be
     required to specifically enforce the Company's obligations under Section 1
     hereof. The Company further agrees to waive the defense in any action for
     specific performance in which a remedy at law would be adequate.

          (b) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company will not, on or after the
     date of this Agreement, enter into any agreement with respect to its
     securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in
     this Agreement or otherwise

                                     - 12 -

<PAGE>

     conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders
     hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the
     rights granted to the holders of the Company's securities under any
     agreement in effect on the date hereof.

          (c) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement may not
     be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures
     from the provisions hereof may not be given, except by the Company and the
     written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the
     Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or
     consents.

          (d) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or
     permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand delivery, first-class
     mail, facsimile transmission, or air courier which guarantees overnight
     delivery:

               (1) if to the Investor or to a Holder of the Securities, at the
          most current address given by such Investor or Holder to the Company.

               (2) if to the Company, at its address as follows:

                   Knology, Inc.
                   1241 O.G. Skinner Drive
                   West Point, GA 31833
                   Fax No.:  (706) 645-0148
                   Attention:  General Counsel

                   with a copy to:

                   Alston & Bird LLP
                   601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
                   North Building, 10th Floor
                   Washington, DC  20004
                   Fax No:  (202) 756-3333
                   Attention:  David E. Brown, Jr.

     All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly
     given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; three
     business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if
     mailed; when receipt is acknowledged by recipient's facsimile machine
     operator, if sent by facsimile transmission; and on the day delivered, if
     sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.

          (e) Third Party Beneficiaries. The Holders shall be third party
     beneficiaries to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the
     one hand, and the Investor, on the other hand, and shall have the right to
     enforce such agreements directly to the extent it may deem such enforcement
     necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of Holders
     hereunder.

                                     - 13 -

<PAGE>

          (f) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
     Company and its successors and assigns.

          (g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of
     counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of
     which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which
     taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

          (h) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of
     reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

          (i) Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED
     IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO
     PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.

          (j) Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained
     herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid,
     illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any
     such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions
     contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.

          (k) Securities Held by the Company. Whenever the consent or approval
     of Holders of a specified percentage of principal amount of Securities is
     required hereunder, Securities held by the Company or its subsidiaries
     shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was
     given by the Holders of such required percentage.

                                     - 14 -

<PAGE>

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed and delivered this
Agreement as of the date first written above.

                                  KNOLOGY, INC.

                                  By: /s/ Chad S. Wachter
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Name:  Chad S. Wachter
                                      Title: General Counsel, Vice President and
                                             Secretary

                                  SCANA COMMUNICATIONS HOLDINGS, INC.

                                  By: /s/ Peter J. Winnington
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      Name:  Peter J. Winnington
                                      Title: Asst. Secretary

                                     - 15 -Credit Agreement

Table of Contents

 Exhibit 10.3
 

 CREDIT AGREEMENT
 by and among
 As Borrowers:
 VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
 As Lender and Secured Party:
 FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK
 $30,000,000 Revolving Credit Facility
 Dated as of February 1, 2003
 

 
 

Table of Contents

 

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
  

	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE I
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
DEFINITIONS
 	 -1-
 
	  
 	  
 	 1.1
 	  
 	 
Defined Terms.
 	 -1-
 
	  
 	  
 	 1.2
 	  
 	 
Accounting Terms.
 	 -11-
 
	  
 	  
 	 1.3
 	  
 	 
Other Terms; Construction.
 	 -11-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE II
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE LOANS 
 	 -12-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.1
 	  
 	 
Commitment; Loans.
 	 -12-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.2
 	  
 	 
Borrowings.
 	 -12-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.3
 	  
 	 
Note.
 	 -13-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.4
 	  
 	 
Security.
 	 -13-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.5
 	  
 	 
Termination and Reduction of Commitment.
 	 -13-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.6
 	  
 	 
Mandatory and Voluntary Payments and Prepayments.
 	 -14-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.7
 	  
 	 
Interest.
 	 -14-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.8
 	  
 	 
Method of Payments; Computations.
 	 -15-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.9
 	  
 	 
Recovery of Payments.
 	 -15-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.10
 	  
 	 
Use of Proceeds.
 	 -16-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.11
 	  
 	 
Increased Costs; Change in Circumstances; Illegality; etc.
 	 -16-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.12
 	  
 	 
Taxes.
 	 -17-
 
	  
 	  
 	 2.13
 	  
 	 
Non-Usage Fee.
 	 -17-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE III
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
CONDITIONS OF BORROWING
 	 -18-
 
	  
 	  
 	 3.1
 	  
 	 
Conditions to Effectiveness of this Agreement.
 	 -18-
 
	  
 	  
 	 3.2
 	  
 	 
Conditions to All Loans.
 	 -20-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE IV
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
 	 -21-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.1
 	  
 	 
Corporate Organization and Power.
 	 -21-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.2
 	  
 	 
Authorization; Enforceability.
 	 -21-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.3
 	  
 	 
No Violation.
 	 -21-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.4
 	  
 	 
Governmental Authorization; Permits.
 	 -22-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.5
 	  
 	 
Litigation.
 	 -22-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.6
 	  
 	 
Taxes.
 	 -22-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.7
 	  
 	 
Subsidiaries.
 	 -23-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.8
 	  
 	 
Full Disclosure.
 	 -23-
 

 
  
 
(i)

Table of Contents

	  
 	  
 	 4.9
 	  
 	 
Margin Regulations.
 	 -23-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.10
 	  
 	 
No Material Adverse Change.
 	 -23-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.11
 	  
 	 
Financial Matters.
 	 -24-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.12
 	  
 	 
Ownership of Properties.
 	 -25-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.13
 	  
 	 
ERISA.
 	 -25-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.14
 	  
 	 
Environmental Matters.
 	 -25-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.15
 	  
 	 
Compliance With Laws.
 	 -26-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.16
 	  
 	 
Regulated Industries.
 	 -26-
 
	  
 	  
 	 4.17
 	  
 	 
Insurance
 	 26-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE V
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS
 	 -26-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.1
 	  
 	 
GAAP Financial Statements.
 	 -26-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.2
 	  
 	 
Statutory Financial Statements.
 	 -27-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.3
 	  
 	 
Other Business and Financial Information.
 	 -28-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.4
 	  
 	 
Corporate Existence; Franchises; Maintenance of Properties.
 	 -31-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.5
 	  
 	 
Compliance with Laws.
 	 -31-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.6
 	  
 	 
Payment of Obligations.
 	 -31-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.7
 	  
 	 
Insurance.
 	 -31-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.8
 	  
 	 
Maintenance of Books and Records; Inspection.
 	 -32-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.9
 	  
 	 
Subsidiary Dividends.
 	 -32-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.10
 	  
 	 
Further Assurances.
 	 -32-
 
	  
 	  
 	 5.11
 	  
 	 
2002 Financial Statements
 	 -32-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE V
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
FINANCIAL COVENANTS
 	 -32-
 
	  
 	  
 	 6.1
 	  
 	 
Consolidated Net Income.
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 6.2
 	  
 	 
Debt to Capital Ratio.
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 6.3
 	  
 	 
Credit Rating.
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 6.4
 	  
 	 
Minimum GAAP Net Worth.
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 6.5
 	  
 	 
Interest Coverage Ratio
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 6.6
 	  
 	 
Risk-Based Capital
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE VII
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
NEGATIVE COVENANTS
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.1
 	  
 	 
Merger; Consolidation.
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.2
 	  
 	 
Indebtedness.
 	 -33-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.3
 	  
 	 
Liens.
 	 -34-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.4
 	  
 	 
Disposition of Assets.
 	 -36-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.5
 	  
 	 
Transactions with Affiliates.
 	 -37-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.6
 	  
 	 
Lines of Business.
 	 -37-
 

 
  
 
(ii)

Table of Contents

	  
 	  
 	 7.7
 	  
 	 
Fiscal Year.
 	 -38-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.8
 	  
 	 
Accounting Changes.
 	 -38-
 
	  
 	  
 	 7.9
 	  
 	 
Dividends.
 	 -38-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE VIII
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT
 	 -38-
 
	  
 	  
 	 8.1
 	  
 	 
Events of Default.
 	 -38-
 
	  
 	  
 	 8.2
 	  
 	 
Remedies; Termination of Commitment, Acceleration, etc.
 	 -40-
 
	  
 	  
 	 8.3
 	  
 	 
Remedies; Set-Off.
 	 -41-
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 ARTICLE IX
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 
MISCELLANEOUS
 	 -41-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.1
 	  
 	 
Fees and Expenses.
 	 -41-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.2
 	  
 	 
Indemnification.
 	 -42-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.3
 	  
 	 
Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction.
 	 -42-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.4
 	  
 	 
Arbitration; Preservation and Limitation of Remedies.
 	 -43-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.5
 	  
 	 
Notices.
 	 -43-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.6
 	  
 	 
Amendments, Waivers, etc.
 	 -44-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.7
 	  
 	 
Participations.
 	 -44-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.8
 	  
 	 
No Waiver.
 	 -45-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.9
 	  
 	 
Successors and Assigns.
 	 -45-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.10
 	  
 	 
Survival.
 	 -45-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.11
 	  
 	 
Severability.
 	 -46-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.12
 	  
 	 
Construction.
 	 -46-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.13
 	  
 	 
Confidentiality.
 	 -46-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.14
 	  
 	 
Reliance by Lender.
 	 -46-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.15
 	  
 	 
Counterparts.
 	 -46-
 
	  
 	  
 	 9.16
 	  
 	 
Entire Agreement.
 	 -46-
 

 
  
 
 

Table of Contents

 EXHIBITS
  

	 Exhibit A
 	  
 	 Form of Note
 
	 Exhibit B
 	  
 	 Form of Stock Pledge Agreement
 
	 Exhibit C
 	  
 	 Form of Notice of Borrowing
 
	 Exhibit D-1
 	  
 	 Form of Compliance Certificate (for Section 5.1)
 
	 Exhibit D-2
 	  
 	 Form of Compliance Certificate (for Section 5.2)
 

 
 SCHEDULES
  

	 Schedule 4.3 
 	  
 	 Subsidiaries Subject to Restrictions or Encumbrance
 
	 Schedule 4.4(a)
 	  
 	 Approval or Consent for Credit Agreement
 
	 Schedule 4.4(b)
 	  
 	 Governmental Approvals, Etc.
 
	 Schedule 4.5
 	  
 	 Litigation Against Borrower
 
	 Schedule 4.6 
 	  
 	 Taxes
 
	 Schedule 4.7 
 	  
 	 Subsidiaries
 
	 Schedule 4.11 (a)
 	  
 	 Financial Statements Exceptions
 
	 Schedule 4.11 (b)
 	  
 	 Exceptions Regarding Historical Statutory Statements
 
	 Section 4.15
 	  
 	 Compliance with Law Exceptions
 
	 Schedule 7.3
 	  
 	 Existing Liens
 
	 [others]
 	  
 	  
 

 
  
 
 

Table of Contents

 CREDIT AGREEMENT
 THIS CREDIT
AGREEMENT, dated as of the 1st day of February, 2003 (this “Agreement”), is made by and between VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation with its principal
offices in Birmingham, Alabama (the “Borrower”) and FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK, an Alabama banking corporation (the “Lender”).
 R E C I T A L S:
 The Borrower has requested that the Lender make available to the Borrower a revolving credit facility
of up to $30,000,000, the proceeds of which are to be used for general corporate purposes, including ongoing working capital for the Borrower, all on the terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.
 Lender is willing to make the credit facility available to Borrower on the security of the Collateral (as hereafter defined) for said purposes upon the terms and subject to the
conditions hereinafter set forth.      
 AGREEMENT
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual provisions, covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties DO HEREBY AGREE as follows:
 ARTICLE I
 
DEFINITIONS 
 1.1      
Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, in addition to the terms defined elsewhere herein, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below (such meanings to be equally applicable
to the singular and plural forms thereof):
 “Account Designation Letter” shall mean a letter from Borrower to the Lender,
duly completed and signed by an Authorized Officer of Borrower and in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender, listing any one or more accounts to which Borrower may from time to time request the Lender to forward the proceeds of any Loans
made hereunder.
 “Actual/360 Basis” shall mean a method of computing interest or other charges hereunder on the basis of
an assumed year of 360 days for the actual number of days elapsed, meaning that interest or other charges accrued for each day will be computed by multiplying the rate applicable
 
- 1
-

Table of Contents

 on that day by the unpaid principal balance (or other relevant sum) on that day and dividing the result by 360.
 “Affiliate” shall mean, as to any Person, each other Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, owns or controls, is controlled by or
under common control with, such Person or is a director or officer of such Person. For purposes of this definition, with respect to any Person “control” shall mean (i) the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise, or (ii) the beneficial ownership of securities or other ownership interests of such Person having 25% or more of
the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities or other ownership interests of such Person ordinarily (and apart from rights accruing under special circumstances) having the right to vote in the election of directors or other governing
body of such Person.
 “Agreement” shall mean this Credit Agreement, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to
time.
 “Annual Statement” shall mean, with respect to any Insurance Subsidiary for any fiscal year, the annual financial
statements of such Insurance Subsidiary as required to be filed with the Insurance Regulatory Authority of its jurisdiction of domicile and in accordance with the laws of such jurisdiction, together with all exhibits, schedules, certificates and
actuarial opinions required to be filed or delivered therewith.
 “Applicable Percentage” shall mean one-quarter of one
percent (.25%).
 “Authorized Officer” shall mean any officer of the Borrower authorized by resolution of the board of
directors of the Borrower to take the action specified herein with respect to such officer and whose signature and incumbency shall have been certified to the Lender by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Borrower.
 “Bankruptcy Code” shall mean 11 U.S.C. §§ 101 et seq., as amended from time to time,
and any successor statute.
 “Base Rate” shall mean the rate announced from time to time by Lender as its prime or base
rate (which may not necessarily be its best lending rate).
 “Borrowing” shall mean the incurrence of a Loan by the
Borrower on a single date.
 “Borrowing Date” shall mean, with respect to any Borrowing, the date upon which such Borrowing
is made.
 “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday or Sunday, a legal holiday or a day on which commercial
banks in Birmingham, Alabama, are required by law to be closed.
 
- 2
-

Table of Contents

 “Collateral” shall mean the 358,375 shares of Holdings pledged by Borrower to Lender pursuant to the
Pledge Agreement.
 “Commitment” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 2.1.
 “Compliance Certificate” shall mean a fully completed and duly executed certificate in the form of Exhibit
D-l or D-2 in such form and detail as will demonstrate compliance with the provisions of Article VI.
 “Consolidated Debt to Capital Ratio” shall mean a percentage in which the numerator is the Indebtedness of Borrower and its Subsidiaries and the denominator of which is the sum of
the total capital of Borrower and its Subsidiaries plus the Indebtedness of Borrower and its Subsidiaries; provided, however, for purposes of “Consolidated Debt to Capital Ratio”, Indebtedness shall not include indebtedness of Borrower or
Subsidiaries to the Federal Home Loan Bank. 
 “Consolidated Group” shall mean the Borrower and all Subsidiaries whose
financial results are consolidated in Borrower’s consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance with GAAP.
 “Consolidated Net
Income” shall mean, for any period, net income (or loss) for Borrower and its Subsidiaries for such period, determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
 “Consolidated Tax Allocation Agreement” shall mean that certain Consolidated Tax Allocation Agreement dated June 28, 1995, among
Borrower and the Subsidiaries listed on Exhibit A thereto, without giving effect to any amendments thereto after the date thereof.
 “Contingent Obligation” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any direct or indirect liability of such Person with respect to any Indebtedness, liability or other obligation (the
“primary obligation”) of another Person (the “primary obligor”), whether or not contingent, (i) to purchase, repurchase or otherwise acquire such primary obligation or any property constituting direct or indirect security
therefor, (ii) to advance or provide funds (A) for the payment or discharge of any such primary obligation or (B) to maintain working capital or equity capital of the primary obligor or otherwise to maintain the net worth or solvency or any balance
sheet item, level of income or financial condition of the primary obligor, (iii) to purchase property, securities or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of any such primary obligation of the ability of the primary obligor in
respect thereof to make payment of such primary obligation or (iv) otherwise to assure or hold harmless the owner of any such primary obligation against loss or failure or inability to perform in respect thereof, provided, however, that, with
respect to Borrower and its Subsidiaries, the term Contingent Obligation shall not include (y) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or (z) obligations entered into by an Insurance Subsidiary in the ordinary
course of its business under insurance policies or contracts issued by it or to which it is a party, including reinsurance agreements (and security posted by any such Insurance Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business to secure obligations
thereunder).
 
- 3
-

Table of Contents

 “Covenant Compliance Worksheet” shall mean a fully completed worksheet in the form of Attachment A
to Exhibit D-l or Exhibit D-2, as applicable, in such form and detail as will demonstrate compliance with the provisions of Article VI.
 “Credit Documents” shall mean this Agreement, the Note, the Pledge Agreement and all other agreements, instruments, documents and
certificates now or hereafter executed and delivered to the Lender by or on behalf of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby, in each case as amended, modified, supplemented or
restated from time to time. 
 “Default” shall mean any event or condition that, with the passage
of time or giving of notice, or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
 “Dollars” or “$” shall mean dollars
of the United States of America.
 “EBIT” shall mean, for any applicable period, the sum determined on a consolidated
basis, of (a) net income (or net loss), plus (b) interest expense, plus (c) income tax expense determined in accordance with GAAP.
 “Effective Date” shall mean the date and year first above written.
 “ERISA” shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and all rules and regulations from time to time
promulgated thereunder.
 “ERlSA Affiliate” shall mean any Person (including any trade or business, whether or not
incorporated) that would be deemed to be under “common control” with, or a member of the same “controlled group” as, Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, within the meaning of Sections 414(b), (c), (m) or (o) of the Internal
Revenue Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.
 “ERlSA Event” shall mean any of the following with respect to a Plan or
Multiemployer Plan, as applicable: (i) a Reportable Event with respect to a Plan or a Multiemployer Plan, (ii) a complete or partial withdrawal by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan that results in liability under Section 4201
or 4204 of ERISA, or the receipt by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of notice from a Multiemployer Plan that it is in reorganization or insolvency pursuant to Section 4241 or 4245 of ERISA or that it intends to terminate or has terminated under
Section 4041A of ERISA, (iii) the distribution by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate under Section 4041 or 4041A of ERISA of a notice of intent to terminate any Plan or the taking of any action to terminate any Plan, (iv) the commencement of
proceedings by the PBGC under Section 4042 of ERISA for the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Plan, or the receipt by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of a notice from any Multiemployer Plan that such action has been
taken by the PBGC with respect to such Multiemployer Plan, (v) the institution of a proceeding by any fiduciary of any Multiemployer Plan against Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate to enforce
 
- 4
-

Table of Contents

 Section 515 of ERISA, which is not dismissed within thirty (30) days, (vi) the imposition upon Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate of any liability under Title
IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums due but not delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, or the imposition or threatened imposition of any Lien upon any assets of Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate as a result of any alleged failure to comply with
the Internal Revenue Code or ERISA in respect of any Plan, (vii) the engaging in or otherwise becoming liable for a nonexempt Prohibited Transaction by Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate, (viii) a violation of the applicable requirements of Section 404
or 405 of ERISA or the exclusive benefit rule under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code by any fiduciary of any Plan for which Borrower or any of its ERISA Affiliates may be directly or indirectly liable or (ix) the adoption of an amendment
to any Plan that, pursuant to Section 401(a)(29) of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 307 of ERISA, would result in the loss of tax-exempt status of the trust of which such Plan is a part if Borrower or an ERISA Affiliate fails to timely provide
security to such Plan in accordance with the provisions of such sections.
 “Environmental Claims” shall mean any and all
administrative, regulatory or judicial actions, suits, demands, demand letters, claims, liens, notices of noncompliance or violation, investigations (other than internal reports prepared by any Person in the ordinary course of its business and not
in response to any third party action or request of any kind) or proceedings relating in any way to any Environmental Law or any permit issued, or any approval given, under any such Environmental Law (collectively, “Claims”), including,
without limitation, (i) any and all Claims by Governmental Authorities for enforcement, cleanup, removal, response, remedial or other actions or damages pursuant to any applicable Environmental Law and (ii) any and all Claims by any third party
seeking damages, contribution, indemnification, cost recovery, compensation or injunctive relief resulting from Hazardous Substances or arising from alleged injury or threat of injury to human health or the environment:
 “Environmental Laws” shall mean any and all federal, state and local laws, statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, permits, licenses,
approvals, interpretations, rules of common law and orders of courts or Governmental Authorities, relating to the protection of human health or occupational safety or the environment, now or hereafter in effect and in each case as amended from time
to time, including, without limitation, requirements pertaining to the manufacture, processing, distribution, use, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, handling, reporting, licensing, permitting, investigation or remediation of Hazardous
Substances.
 “Event of Default” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 8.1.
 “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and all rules and
regulations from time to time promulgated thereunder.
 “Federal Reserve Board” shall mean the Board of Governors of the
Federal Reserve System or any successor thereto.
 
- 5
-

Table of Contents

  “Generally Accepted Accounting Principles” or “GAAP” shall mean generally accepted
accounting principles, as set forth in the statements, opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (or, to the extent not so set
forth in such statements, opinions and pronouncements, as generally followed by entities similar in size to Borrower and engaged in generally similar lines of business), consistently applied and maintained and in conformity with those used in the
preparation of the most recent financial statements of the Borrower referred to in Section 4.11(a).
 “Governmental Authority” shall mean any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof and any central bank thereof, any municipal, local, city or county government, and any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or
administrative functions of or pertaining to government, and any corporation or other entity owned or controlled, through stock or capital ownership or otherwise, by any of the foregoing.
 “Hazardous Substances” shall mean any substances or materials (i) that are or become defined as hazardous wastes, hazardous substances, pollutants, contaminants or toxic substances
under any Environmental Law, (ii) that are defined by any Environmental Law as toxic, explosive, corrosive, ignitable, infectious, radioactive, mutagenic or otherwise hazardous, (iii) the presence of which require investigation or response under any
Environmental Law, (iv) that constitute a nuisance, trespass or health or safety hazard to Persons or neighboring properties, (v) that consist of underground or aboveground storage tanks, whether empty, filled or partially filled with any hazardous
substance or (vi) that contain, without limitation, asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyls, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, petroleum hydrocarbons, petroleum derived substances or wastes, crude oil, nuclear fuel, natural gas or synthetic
gas.
 “Historical Statutory Statements” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.11(b).
 “Holdings” means Instant Insurance Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in Dallas County,
Texas.
 “Income Tax Benefits” shall mean an amount equal to 100% of the portion of the federal or state income tax
benefits received on a quarterly basis by Borrower that, pursuant to the Consolidated Tax Allocation Agreement, may be retained by Borrower and not paid over to any other member of the Consolidated Group.
 “Indebtedness” shall mean, with respect to any Person (without duplication), (i) all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money or in respect of loans or
advances, (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments, (iii) all reimbursement obligations of such Person with respect to surety bonds, letters of credit and bankers’ acceptances (in each
case, whether or not drawn or matured and in the stated amount thereof) which are required to be reported as a liability under GAAP or Statutory Accounting Principals, (iv) all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of
property or services which are
 
- 6
-

Table of Contents

 required to be reported as a liability under GAAP or Statutory Accounting Principals, (v) all indebtedness created or arising under any conditional sale or
other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person, (vi) all obligations of such Person as lessee under leases that are or should be, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, recorded as capital
leases, to the extent such obligations are required to be so recorded, (vii) all obligations of such Person to purchase, redeem, retire, defease or otherwise make any payment in respect of any capital stock or other equity securities that, by their
stated terms (or by the terms of any equity securities issuable upon conversion thereof or in exchange therefor), or upon the occurrence of any event, mature or are mandatorily redeemable, or are redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in
whole or in part, at any time prior to the Maturity Date, (viii) all Contingent Obligations of such Person and (ix) all indebtedness referred to in clauses (i) through (viii) above secured by any Lien on any property or asset owned or held by such
Person regardless of whether the indebtedness secured thereby shall have been assumed by such Person or is nonrecourse to the credit of such Person, and with respect to Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall include, without limitation (but without
duplication), the Junior Subordinated Debentures, the beneficial interests of the Trust in the Junior Subordinated Debentures, and Borrower’s guarantee to the holders of the Trust Securities of all of the Trust’s obligations under the
Trust Securities.
 “Insurance Regulatory Authority” shall mean, with respect to any Insurance Subsidiary, the insurance
department or similar Governmental Authority charged with regulating insurance companies or insurance holding companies, in its state of domicile and, to the extent that it has regulatory authority over such Insurance Subsidiary, in each other
jurisdiction in which such Insurance Subsidiary conducts business or is licensed to conduct business.
 “Insurance Subsidiary” shall mean any Subsidiary of Borrower the ability of which to pay dividends is regulated by an Insurance Regulatory Authority or that is otherwise required to be regulated thereby in accordance with the applicable Requirements of Law of its
state of domicile.
 “Interest Coverage Ratio” shall mean for Borrower and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, the
ratio of (a) EBIT to (b) net cash interest payable on all Indebtedness (not including interest payments to Borrower or Affiliates of Borrower).
 “Internal Revenue Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any successor statute, and all rules and regulations from time to time promulgated thereunder

“Junior Subordinated Debentures” shall mean Borrower’s 8.525% Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures due January
15, 2027, issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of January 31, 1997, between Borrower and The National Bank of North Carolina, as Debenture Trustee, as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
 “Lender” shall mean First Commercial Bank and its successors and assigns.
 “Licenses” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.4(c).
 
- 7
-

Table of Contents

 “Lien” shall mean any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, security interest, lien
(statutory or otherwise), preference, priority, charge or other encumbrance of any nature, whether voluntary or involuntary, including, without limitation, the interest of any vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, title retention
agreement, capital lease or any other lease or arrangement having substantially the same effect as any of the foregoing.
 “Loans” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 2.1.
 “Margin Stock” shall have the meaning given to such
term in Regulation U.
 “Material Adverse Change” shall mean a material adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), operations, business, properties or financial prospects of Borrower or Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.
 “Material Adverse
Effect” shall mean a material adverse effect upon (i) the condition (financial or otherwise), operations, business, properties or financial prospects of Borrower or Borrower and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii)
the ability of the Borrower to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents or (iii) the legality, validity or enforceability of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents or the rights and remedies of
the Lender hereunder and thereunder.
 “Maturity Date” shall mean, June 30, 2005. The Maturity Date shall automatically
extend for additional, consecutive one-year periods unless on or before the date that is one year prior to the then applicable Maturity Date Lender shall have given Borrower written notice of its intention not to extend the Maturity Date. For
example, if Lender does not give Borrower written notice of Lender’s election to not extend the Maturity Date on or before June 30, 2004, the Maturity Date shall be extended until June 30, 2006.
 “Moody’s” shall mean Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., its successors and assigns.
 “Multiemployer Plan” shall mean any “multiemployer plan” within the meaning of Section 4001(a)(3) of ERlSA to which the Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate makes, is making or
is obligated to make contributions or has made or been obligated to make contributions.
 “NAIC” shall mean the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners and any successor thereto.
 “Non-Usage Fee” shall have the meaning given to such
term in Section 2.13.
 “Note” shall mean the promissory note of the Borrower in substantially the form of Exhibit A, together with any amendments, modifications and supplements thereto, substitutions therefor and restatements thereof.
 “Notice of Borrowing” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 2.2(a).
 
- 8
-

Table of Contents

 “Obligations” shall mean all principal of and interest (including, to the greatest extent permitted
by law, post-petition interest) on the Loans and all fees, expenses, indemnities and other obligations owing, due or payable at any time by the Borrower to the Lender or any other Person entitled thereto, under this Agreement or any of the other
Credit Documents.
 “PBGC” shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any successor thereto.
 “Participant” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 9.7(a).
 “Permitted Liens” shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 7.3.
 “Person” shall mean any corporation, association, joint venture, partnership, limited liability company, organization, business, individual, trust, government or agency or political subdivision thereof or any
other legal entity.
 “Plan” shall mean any “employee pension benefit plan” within the meaning of Section 3(2) of
ERISA that is subject to the provisions of Title IV of ERISA (other than a Multiemployer Plan) and to which Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate may have any liability.
 “Pledge Agreement” means that certain Stock Pledge Agreement from Borrower in favor of Lender of even date herewith, in substantially the form of Exhibit
B, together with any amendments, modifications and supplements thereto, substitutions therefor and restatements thereof.
 “Prohibited Transaction” shall mean any transaction described in (i) Section 406 of ERISA that is not exempt by reason of Section 408 of ERISA or by reason of a Department of Labor prohibited transaction
individual or class exemption or (ii) Section 4975(c) of the Internal Revenue Code that is not exempt by reason of Section 4975(c)(2) or 4975(d) of the Internal Revenue Code.
 “Quarterly Statement” shall mean, with respect to any Insurance Subsidiary for any fiscal quarter, the quarterly financial statements of such Insurance Subsidiary as required to be
filed with the Insurance Regulatory Authority of its jurisdiction of domicile, together with all exhibits, schedules, certificates and actuarial opinions required to be filed or delivered therewith.
 “Readily Marketable” shall mean cash or cash equivalent instruments or other collateral having a readily available market value for which there is a ready sale in
the open market.
 “Regulations D, G, T, U and X” shall mean Regulations D, G, T, U and X, respectively, of the Federal
Reserve Board, and any successor regulations.
 “Reportable Event” shall mean (i) any “reportable event” within
the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA for which the 30-day notice under Section 4043(a) of ERISA has not been waived by the PBGC (including any failure to meet the minimum funding standard of, or timely
 
- 9
-

Table of Contents

 make any required installment under, Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code or Section 302 of ERISA, regardless of the issuance of any waivers in
accordance with Section 412(d) of the Internal Revenue Code), (ii) any such “reportable event” subject to advance notice to the PBGC under Section 4043(b)(3) of ERISA, (iii) any application for a funding waiver or an extension of any
amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Internal Revenue Code, and (iv) a cessation of operations described in Section 4062(e) of ERISA.
 “Requirement of Law” shall mean, with respect to any Person, the charter, articles or certificate of organization or incorporation and bylaws or other organizational or governing documents of such Person, and
any statute, law, treaty, rule, regulation, order, decree, writ, injunction or determination of any arbitrator or court or other Governmental Authority, in each case applicable to or binding upon such Person or any of its property or to which such
Person or any of its property is subject or otherwise pertaining to any or all of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.
 “Significant Subsidiary” shall mean, at the relevant time of determination, any Subsidiary of Borrower having (after the elimination of intercompany accounts) (i) assets constituting at least 10% of the total
assets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, (ii) revenues constituting at least 10% of the total revenues of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, or (iii) net earnings constituting at least 10% of the total net
earnings of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, in each case as determined as of the date of the financial statements of Borrower and its Subsidiaries most recently delivered under Section 5.1 prior to such time (or, with regard
to determinations at any time prior to the initial delivery of financial statements under Section 5.1, as of the date of the most recent financial statements referred to in Section 4.11(a)).
 “Standard & Poor’s” shall mean Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, its successors and
assigns.
 “Statutory Accounting Principles” shall mean, with respect to any Insurance Subsidiary, the statutory accounting
practices prescribed or permitted by the relevant Insurance Regulatory Authority of its state of domicile, consistently applied and maintained and in conformity with those used in the preparation of the most recent Historical Financial
Statements.
 “Subsidiary” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any corporation or other Person of which more than fifty
percent (50%) of the outstanding capital stock having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors, in the case of a corporation, or of the ownership or beneficial interests, in the case of a Person not a corporation, is at
the time, directly or indirectly, owned or controlled by such Person and one or more of its other Subsidiaries or a combination thereof (irrespective of whether, at the time, securities of any other class or classes of any such corporation or other
Person shall or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency). When used without reference to a parent entity, the term “Subsidiary” shall be deemed to refer to a Subsidiary of Borrower.
 
- 10
-

Table of Contents

 “Termination Date” shall mean the Maturity Date or such earlier date of termination of the
Commitment pursuant to Section 2.5 or Section 8.2.
 “Transaction Expenses” shall mean all costs and expenses of, and fees
payable to, the Lender that are required to be reimbursed or paid by the Borrower pursuant to Section 9.1 of the Credit Agreement.
 “Trust” shall mean Vesta Capital Trust I, a Delaware statutory business trust.
 “Trust
Securities” shall mean the 8.525% Capital Securities issued by the Trust and representing preferred beneficial interests in the Trust
 “Unfunded Pension Liability” shall mean, with respect to any Plan or Multiemployer Plan, the excess of its benefit liabilities under Section 4001(a)(16) of ERISA over the current value of its assets,
determined in accordance with the applicable assumptions used for funding under Section 412 of the Code for the applicable plan year.           
 “Unutilized Commitment” shall mean, at any time, (i) the Commitment at such time less (ii) the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding
at such time.
 “VFIC” shall mean Vesta Fire Insurance Corporation, an Illinois insurance corporation.
 “Vesta Margin Stock” shall mean shares of capital stock of Borrower that are held by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries and that
constitute Margin Stock.
 “Wholly Owned” shall mean, with respect to any Subsidiary of any Person, that 100% of the
outstanding capital stock or other ownership interests of such Subsidiary is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.
 1.2      
Accounting Terms. Except as specifically provided otherwise in this Agreement, all accounting terms used herein that are not specifically defined shall have the meanings customarily given them, and
all financial computations hereunder shall be made, in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (or, to the extent that such terms apply solely to any Insurance Subsidiary or if otherwise expressly required, Statutory Accounting
Principles). Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any changes in Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or Statutory Accounting Principles after the date hereof are required to be applied to the transactions described herein and would
affect the computation of the financial covenants contained in Sections 6.1 through 6.4, as applicable, such changes shall be followed only from and after the date this Agreement shall have been amended to take into account any such changes.
References to amounts on particular exhibits, schedules, lines, pages and columns of an Annual Statement or Quarterly Statement are based on the format promulgated by the NAIC for the 2001 Annual Statements and Quarterly Statements. In the event
such format is changed in future years so that different information is contained in such items or they no longer exist, or if the Annual Statement or Quarterly Statement is replaced by the NAIC or by any Insurance Regulatory Authority after
the
 
- 11
-

Table of Contents

 date hereof such that different forms of financial statements are required to be furnished by the Insurance Subsidiaries in lieu thereof, such references
shall be to information consistent with that reported in the referenced item in the 2001 Annual Statements or Quarterly Statements, as the case may be.
 1.3      
Other Terms; Construction. Unless otherwise specified or unless the context otherwise requires, all references herein to sections, annexes, schedules and exhibits are references to sections, annexes,
schedules and exhibits in and to this Agreement, and all terms defined in this Agreement shall have the defined meanings when used in any other Credit Document or any certificate or other document made or delivered pursuant hereto.
 ARTICLE II
 
AMOUNT AND TERMS OF THE LOANS 
 2.1      
Commitment; Loans. The Lender agrees, subject to and on the terms and conditions of this Agreement, to make loans (each, a “Loan,” and collectively, the “Loans”) to the Borrower,
from time to time on any Business Day during the period from and including the Effective Date to but not including the Termination Date, in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not exceeding $30,000,000 (as such amount may be
permanently reduced in accordance with Section 2.5(b) the “Commitment”), provided that no Borrowing of Loans shall be made if, immediately after giving effect thereto, the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding at such time would
exceed the Commitment. Subject to and on the terms and conditions of this Agreement, the Borrower may borrow, repay and reborrow Loans.
 2.2      
Borrowings.
 (a)       In order to make a Borrowing,
Borrower will give the Lender written notice not later than 10:00 a.m., Birmingham time, one (1) Business Day prior to each Borrowing; provided, however, that a request for a Borrowing to be made on the Effective Date may, at the discretion of the
Lender, be given later than the time specified therefor as set forth hereinabove. Each such notice (each, a “Notice of Borrowing”) shall be irrevocable, shall be given in the form of Exhibit C and shall specify (i) the aggregate principal
amount of the Loans to be made pursuant to such Borrowing, and (ii) the requested Borrowing Date, which shall be a Business Day. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the aggregate principal amount of each Borrowing shall not be
less than $1,000,000 or, if greater, an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof (or in any event, if less than or greater than $1,000,000, in the amount of the Unutilized Commitment).
 (b)       Not later than noon, Birmingham time, on the requested Borrowing Date, the Lender will make the requested amount
available to the Borrower subject to the provisions of subsection (a) hereof and Section 2.1.
 
- 12
-

Table of Contents

 (c)       The Borrower hereby authorizes the Lender to
disburse the proceeds of each Borrowing in accordance with the terms of any written instructions from any of the Authorized Officers of Borrower, provided that the Lender shall not be obligated under any circumstances to forward amounts to any
account not listed in an Account Designation Letter. Borrower may at any time deliver to the Lender an Account Designation Letter listing any additional accounts or deleting any accounts listed in a previous Account Designation Letter.
 2.3      
Note.
 (a)       The Loan shall be evidenced by a Note
appropriately completed in substantially the form of Exhibit A.
 (b)       The Note shall (i) be executed by the Borrower, (ii) be payable to the order of the Lender, (iii) be dated as of the Effective Date, (iv) be in a stated principal amount equal to
the Commitment, (v) bear interest in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.7, as the same may be applicable to the Loans made by the Lender from time to time, and (vi) be entitled to all of the benefits of this Agreement and the other Credit
Documents and subject to the provisions hereof and thereof.
 (c)       The Lender
will record on its internal records the amount of each Loan made by it and each payment received by it in respect thereof and will, in the event of any transfer of the Note, either endorse on the reverse side thereof or on a schedule attached
thereto (or any continuation thereof) the outstanding principal amount of the Loans evidenced thereby as of the date of transfer or provide such information on a schedule to the documents relating to such transfer; provided, however, that the
failure of the Lender to make any such recordation or provide any such information, or any error therein, shall not affect the Borrower’s obligations under this Agreement or the Notes.
 2.4      
Security. The Loans shall be secured by a pledge by Borrower of all 358,375 shares of stock in Holdings owned by Borrower, pursuant to the Pledge Agreement. At Lender’s request, Borrower will
from time to time authorize any and all financing statements, continuation statements and execute other instruments and documents necessary to perfect Lender’s first priority security interest in the Collateral.
 2.5      
Termination and Reduction of Commitment. 
 (a)       The Commitment shall be automatically and permanently terminated on the Maturity Date unless sooner terminated pursuant to subsection (b) below or Section 8.2.
 (b)       At any time and from time to time after the date hereof, upon not less than five (5)
Business Days’ prior written notice to the Lender, the Borrower, without premium or penalty, may terminate in whole or reduce in part the Unutilized Commitment, provided that any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount of not
less than $1,000,000 or, if greater, an
 
- 13
-

Table of Contents

 integral multiple thereof. The amount of any termination or reduction made under this subsection (b) may not thereafter be reinstated.
 (c)       If at any time the market value of the Collateral declines or the Collateral is determined to
be insufficient by a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over the Lender, the Commitment shall be reduced, or at the Borrower’s option, the Borrower may provide additional collateral, so that at all times the Loans are secured to the
extent required by Ala. Code § 5-5A-22 and regulations promulgated thereunder and 12 U.S.C. § 84 and regulations promulgated thereunder as the same relate to lending restrictions on loans to one borrower.
 2.6      
Mandatory and Voluntary Payments and Prepayments. 
 (a)       Except to the extent due or made sooner pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, the Borrower will repay the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Loans in full on the
Maturity Date.
 (b)       In the event that, at any time, the aggregate principal
amount of Loans outstanding at such time shall exceed the Commitment at such time (after giving effect to any concurrent termination or reduction thereof), the Borrower will immediately prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Loans in the
amount of such excess.
 (c)       At any time and from time to time, the Borrower
shall have the right to prepay the Loans, in whole or in part, without premium or penalty (except for the Non-Usage Fee), upon written notice to the Lender given not later than noon, Birmingham time, one (1) Business Day prior to each intended
prepayment of Loans, provided that each partial prepayment shall be in an aggregate principal amount of not less than $1,000,000 or, if greater, an integral multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof. Each such notice shall specify the proposed date of
such prepayment and the aggregate principal amount of the Loan to be prepaid and shall be irrevocable and shall bind the Borrower to make such prepayment on the terms specified therein. Amounts prepaid pursuant to this subsection (c) may be
reborrowed, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
 2.7      
Interest.
 (a)       The Borrower will pay interest
in respect of the unpaid principal amount of each Loan, from the date of Borrowing thereof until such principal amount shall be paid in full, at the Base Rate.
 (b)       Any principal amounts of the Loans not paid when due and, to the greatest extent permitted by law, all interest accrued on the Loans and all other fees and
amounts hereunder not paid within ten (10) days of its due date (whether at maturity, pursuant to acceleration or otherwise), shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus 3% per annum and such default interest shall be payable
on demand. In addition, if payment of principal or interest (other than payments due upon maturity) on the Loans is not paid within five (5) days of when due, Borrower shall pay on demand a late charge equal to five percent (5%) of the amount of
the
 
- 14
-

Table of Contents

 payment which is late, subject to a minimum late charge of $25.00 and a maximum late charge of $999.00. To the greatest extent permitted by law, interest
shall continue to accrue after the filing by or against the Borrower of any petition seeking any relief in bankruptcy or under any law pertaining to insolvency or debtor relief.
 (c)       Accrued (and theretofore unpaid) interest shall be payable as follows:
 (i)       in arrears on the fifth calendar day of each month commencing on March 5, 2003; provided, that in the event the
Loan is repaid or prepaid in full and the Commitment has been terminated, then accrued interest in respect of the Loan shall be payable together with such repayment or prepayment on the date thereof; and
 (ii)      at maturity (whether pursuant to acceleration or otherwise) and, after maturity, on
demand.
 (d)       Nothing contained in this Agreement or in any other Credit
Document shall be deemed to establish or require the payment of interest to the Lender at a rate in excess of the maximum rate permitted by applicable law. If the amount of interest payable on any interest payment date would exceed the maximum
amount permitted by applicable law to be charged by the Lender, the amount of interest payable on such interest payment date shall be automatically reduced to such maximum permissible amount. In the event of any such reduction affecting the Lender,
if from time to time thereafter the amount of interest payable for the account of the Lender on any interest payment date would be less than the maximum amount permitted by applicable law to be charged by the Lender, then the amount of interest
payable for its account on such subsequent interest payment date shall be automatically increased to such maximum permissible amount, provided that at no time shall the aggregate amount by which interest paid for the account of the Lender has been
increased pursuant to this sentence exceed the aggregate amount by which interest paid for its account has theretofore been reduced pursuant to the previous sentence.
 2.8      
Method of Payments; Computations.
 (a)       All
payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made without setoff, counterclaim or other defense, in Dollars and in immediately available funds to the Lender at its office referred to in Section 9.5, prior to 11:00 a.m., Birmingham time, on the date
payment is due. Any payment made as required hereinabove, but after 11:00 a.m., Birmingham time, shall be deemed to have been made on the next succeeding Business Day. If any payment falls due on a day that is not a Business Day, then such due date
shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day, and such extension of time shall then be included in the computation of payment of interest, fees or other applicable amounts.
 (b)       The Lender may, but shall not be obligated to, debit the amount of any such payment not made as and when required hereunder to any
ordinary deposit account of the Borrower
 
- 15
-

Table of Contents

 with the Lender (with prompt notice to the Lender and the Borrower); provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of
such debit by the Lender.
 (c)       All computations of interest and fees hereunder
shall be made on an Actual/360 Basis.
 2.9      
Recovery of Payments. The Borrower agrees that to the extent the Borrower makes a payment or payments to or for the account of the Lender, which payment or payments or any part thereof are
subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar state or federal law, common law or equitable cause, then,
to the extent of such payment or repayment, the Obligation intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been received.
 2.10    
Use of Proceeds. The proceeds of the Loans shall be used to provide a source of capital for the Borrower’s or its Subsidiaries’ general corporate purposes.
 2.11    
Increased Costs; Change in Circumstances; Illegality; etc. (a) If, at any time after the date hereof and from time to time, the introduction of or any change in any applicable law, rule or
regulation or in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by the Lender with any guideline or request from any such Governmental Authority
(whether or not having the force of law), shall (i) subject the Lender to any tax or other charge, or change the basis of taxation of payments to the Lender, (ii) impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit or similar requirement
against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended by, the Lender, or (iii) impose on the Lender any other condition affecting its Loans, and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to the Lender of
making or maintaining any Loans or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by the Lender hereunder, the Borrower will, promptly upon demand therefor by the Lender, pay to the Lender such additional amounts, excluding amounts in
respect of income, franchise and excise taxes as shall compensate the Lender for such increase in costs or reduction in return.
 (b)       If, at any time after the date hereof and from time to time, the Lender shall have reasonably determined that the introduction of or any change in any applicable law, rule or
regulation regarding capital adequacy or in the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the interpretation or administration thereof, or compliance by the Lender with any guideline or request from any such
Governmental Authority (whether or not having the force of law), has or would have the effect, as a consequence of the Lender’s Commitment or Loans hereunder, of reducing the rate of return on the capital of the Lender or any Person controlling
the Lender to a level below that which the Lender or controlling Person could have achieved but for such introduction, change or compliance (taking into account the Lender’s or controlling Person’s policies with respect to capital
adequacy), the Borrower will, promptly upon demand therefor by the Lender therefor, pay to the Lender such additional amounts, excluding
 
- 16
-

Table of Contents

 amounts in respect of income, franchise and excise taxes, as will compensate the Lender or controlling Person for such reduction in return.
 (c)       Determinations by the Lender for purposes of this Section 2.11 of any increased costs,
reduction in return, market contingencies, illegality or any other matter shall, absent manifest error, be conclusive, provided that such determinations are made in good faith. No failure by the Lender at any time to demand payment of any amounts
payable under this Section 2.11 shall constitute a waiver of its right to demand payment of any additional amounts arising at any subsequent time. Nothing in this Section 2.11 shall require or be construed to require the Borrower to pay any
interest, fees, costs or other amounts in excess of that permitted by applicable law.
 2.12    
Taxes.
 (a)       Any and all payments by the
Borrower hereunder or under any Note shall be made, in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof, free and clear of and without deduction for any and all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges or withholdings, and all
liabilities with respect thereto, other than net income, excise and franchise taxes imposed on the Lender by the United States or by the jurisdiction under the laws of which the Lender, as the case may be, is organized or in which its principal
office is located, or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof (all such non-excluded taxes, levies, imposts, deductions, charges, withholdings and liabilities being hereinafter referred to as “Taxes”). If the Borrower shall
be required by law to deduct any Taxes from or in respect of any sum payable hereunder or under any Note to the Lender, (i) the sum payable shall be increased as may be necessary so that after making all required deductions (including deductions
applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 2.12), the Lender, as the case may be, receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such deductions been made, (ii) the Borrower will make such deductions, (iii) the
Borrower will pay the full amount deducted to the relevant taxation authority or other authority in accordance with applicable law and (iv) the Borrower will deliver to the Lender evidence of such payment.
 (b)       The Borrower will indemnify the Lender for the full amount of Taxes (including, without limitation, any Taxes
imposed by any jurisdiction on amounts payable under this Section 2.12) paid by the Lender and any liability (including penalties, interest and expenses) arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally
asserted. This indemnification shall be made within 30 days from the date the Lender, makes written demand therefor.
 (c)       The Lender agrees that if it subsequently recovers, or receives a permanent net tax benefit with respect to, any amount of Taxes (i) previously paid by it and as to which it has
been indemnified by or on behalf of the Borrower or (ii) previously deducted by the Borrower (including, without limitation, any Taxes deducted from any additional sums payable under clause (i) of subsection (a) above), the Lender shall reimburse
the Borrower to the extent of the amount of any such recovery or permanent net tax benefit (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by or on behalf of the Borrower under this Section 2.12 with respect to the
Taxes giving rise to such recovery or tax benefit); provided, however, that the
 
- 17
-

Table of Contents

 Borrower, upon the request of the Lender, agrees to repay to the Lender the amount paid over to the Borrower (together with any penalties, interest or other
charges), in the event the Lender is required to repay such amount to the relevant taxing authority or other Governmental Authority. The determination by the Lender of the amount of any such recovery or permanent net tax benefit shall, in the
absence of manifest error, be conclusive and binding.
 2.13    
Non-Usage Fee. From and after the Effective Date until the Termination Date (or such later date that the Loans are repaid), the Borrower agrees to pay Lender a non-usage fee for each calendar
quarter, prorated for partial quarters, in an amount equal to the Applicable Percentage multiplied by the average daily Unutilized Commitment (the “Non-Usage Fee”) multiplied by the number of days in such quarter or portion thereof and
divided by 360. The Non-Usage Fee shall be payable quarterly in arrears on the last day of each calendar quarter commencing with the period ending March 31, 2003, and shall be prorated for partial calendar quarters.
 ARTICLE III
 
CONDITIONS OF BORROWING
 3.1      
Conditions to Effectiveness of this Agreement. The effectiveness of this Agreement is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:
 (a)       The Lender shall have received the following, each dated the Effective Date (unless otherwise
specified):
 (i)       the Note in the amount of the Commitment
and duly completed and executed by the Borrower;
 (ii)      the
Pledge Agreement executed by Borrower;
 (iii)     payment of a one-time
fee of one-quarter of one percent (.25%) of the Commitment;
 (iv)     a
certificate, signed by the chief executive officer, vice president–finance or treasurer of the Borrower, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender, certifying that (A) all representations and warranties of the Borrower contained in this
Agreement and the other Credit Documents are true and correct as of the Effective Date, both immediately before and after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the making of any Loans hereunder on the
Effective Date and the application of the proceeds thereof, (B) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, both immediately before and after giving effect to
 
- 18
-

Table of Contents

 the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the making of any Loans hereunder on the Effective Date and the
application of the proceeds thereof, (C) there are no insurance regulatory proceedings pending or, to such individual’s knowledge, threatened against any of the Insurance Subsidiaries in any jurisdiction that, if adversely determined, would be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (D) except as disclosed in such certificate, both immediately before and after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, no Material Adverse Change
has occurred since December 31, 2001, and there exists no event, condition or state of facts that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change;
 (v)      a certificate of the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Borrower, in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender, certifying (A)
to the effect that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the Borrower’s certificate of incorporation, certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State of Delaware, and that the same has not been amended since the date of such
certification, and attaching such copy, (B) to the effect that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the Borrower’s bylaws, as then in effect and as in effect at all times from the date on which the resolutions referred to in clause
(C) below were adopted to and including the date of such certificate, and attaching such copy), and (D) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions adopted by the Borrower’s board of directors or a committee of such board
authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents to which it is a party, and attaching such copy; and
 (vi)     a favorable opinion of an attorney or firm of attorneys duly licensed to practice law in the jurisdiction the laws of which are applicable to the
legal matters in question and who is not an employee of the Borrower or an Affiliate of the Borrower and addressed to the Lender, and addressing such other matters as the Lender may reasonably request.
 (b)       The Lender shall have received (i) a certificate as of a recent date of the good standing of the Borrower under
the laws of the State of Delaware, from the Secretary of State of Delaware, (ii) a certificate as of a recent date of the qualification of the Borrower to conduct business as a foreign corporation, from the Secretary of State of Alabama, and (iii) a
certificate as of a recent date of the good standing of the Borrower, from the Department of Revenue of the State of Alabama.
 
- 19
-

Table of Contents

 (c)       All legal matters, documentation and corporate or
other proceedings incident to the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably acceptable to the Lender; all approvals, permits and consents of any Governmental Authorities (including, without limitation, all relevant Insurance Regulatory
Authorities) or other Persons required in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been obtained (without the imposition of conditions that are not
reasonably acceptable to the Lender), and all related filings, if any, shall have been made, and all such approvals, permits, consents and filings shall be in full force and effect and the Lender shall have received such copies thereof as it shall
have reasonably requested; all applicable waiting periods shall have expired without any adverse action being taken by any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction; and no action, proceeding, investigation, regulation or legislation shall have
been instituted, threatened or proposed before, and no order, injunction or decree shall have been entered by, any court or other Governmental Authority, in each case to enjoin, restrain or prohibit, to obtain substantial damages in respect of, or
that is otherwise related to or arises out of, this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, or that, in the reasonable opinion of the Lender, would otherwise be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse
Effect.
 (d)       Since December 31, 2001, both immediately before and after giving
effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any Material Adverse Change or any event, condition or state of facts that could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse
Change, except as disclosed in the certificate referenced in subsection (a) above.
 (e)       The Borrower shall have paid all fees and expenses of the Lender required hereunder or under any other Credit Document to be paid on or prior to the Effective Date (including
reasonable fees and expenses of the Lender’s counsel) in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby.
 (f)       Each of the representations and warranties contained in Article IV and in the other Credit Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the Effective Date with the same effect
as if made on and as of such date (except to the extent any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such
date).
 (g)       No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing.
 (h)       To the extent required under Ala. Code § 5-5A-22 (1996)
and regulations promulgated thereunder and 12 U.S.C. § 84 and regulations promulgated thereunder as such relate to lending restrictions on loans to one borrower, the Lender shall have received such appraisals or other documentation as it shall
deem necessary to (i) establish the Collateral as “Readily Marketable” and (ii) establish a readily established market value in the Collateral sufficient to satisfy the foregoing regulations.
 
- 20
-

Table of Contents

 (i)        The Lender shall have received such other
documents, certificates, opinions and instruments as it shall have reasonably requested.
 3.2      
Conditions to All Loans. The obligation of the Lender to make any Loans hereunder is subject to the satisfaction of the following conditions precedent on the relevant Borrowing Date:
 (a)       The Lender shall have received a Notice of Borrowing in accordance with Section
2.2;
 (b)       Each of the representations and warranties contained in Article IV
and in the other Credit Documents shall be true and correct on and as of the relevant Borrowing Date with the same effect as if made on and as of such date, both immediately before and after giving effect to the Loans to be made on such date (except
to the extent any such representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such date); and
 (c)       No Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on such date, both immediately before and
after giving effect to the Loans to be made on such date.
 Each giving of a Notice of Borrowing, and the consummation of each Borrowing, shall be deemed to
constitute a representation by the Borrower that the statements contained in subsections (b) and (c) above are true, both as of the date of such notice or request and as of the relevant Borrowing Date.
 ARTICLE IV
 
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES 
 To induce the Lender to enter into this Agreement and to induce the Lender to extend the credit
contemplated hereby, the Borrower represents and warrants to the Lender as follows:
 4.1      
Corporate Organization and Power. Each of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (i) is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its
incorporation, (ii) has the full corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform the Credit Documents to which it is or will be a party, to own and hold its property and to engage in its business as presently conducted, and (iii) is
duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the nature of its business or the ownership of its properties requires it to be so qualified.
 4.2      
Authorization; Enforceability. The Borrower has taken all necessary corporate action to execute, deliver and perform each of the Credit Documents to which it is or will be a party,
 
- 21
-

Table of Contents

 and has, or on the Effective Date (or any later date of execution and delivery) will have, validly executed and delivered each of the Credit Documents to
which it is or will be a party. This Agreement constitutes, and each of the other Credit Documents upon execution and delivery by the Borrower will constitute, the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Borrower, enforceable against it in
accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by general equitable principles.
 4.3      
No Violation. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.3 attached hereto, the execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this Agreement and each of the other Credit Documents, and compliance by
it with the terms hereof and thereof, do not and will not (i) violate any provision of its certificate of incorporation or bylaws or contravene any other Requirement of Law applicable to it, (ii) conflict with, result in a breach of or constitute
(with notice, lapse of time or both) a default under any material indenture, agreement or other instrument to which it is a party, by which it or any of its properties is bound or to which it is subject, or (iii) result in or require the creation or
imposition of any Lien upon any of its properties or assets. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.3 attached hereto, no Subsidiary is subject to any restriction or encumbrance on its ability to make dividend payments or other distributions in respect
of its capital stock, to make loans or advances to Borrower or any other Subsidiary, or to transfer any of its assets or properties to Borrower or any other Subsidiary, in each case other than such restrictions or encumbrances existing under or by
reason of the Credit Documents or applicable Requirements of Law.
 4.4      
Governmental Authorization; Permits. 
 (a)       Except as set forth on Schedule 4.4(a) attached hereto, no consent, approval, authorization or other action by, notice to, or registration or filing with, any Governmental Authority or other Person is or will be required as a condition to or
otherwise in connection with the due execution, delivery and performance by Borrower of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents or the legality, validity or enforceability hereof or thereof.
 (b)       Except as set forth in Schedule 4.4(b) attached hereto, each of Borrower and its Subsidiaries has, and is in good
standing with respect to, all governmental approvals, licenses, permits and authorizations necessary to conduct its business as presently conducted (collectively, the “Licenses”) and to own or lease and operate its properties, except for
those the failure to obtain which would not be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. To the knowledge of the Borrower, except as set forth on Schedule 4.4(b), (i) no License is the subject of a
proceeding for suspension, revocation or limitation or any similar proceedings, (ii) there is no sustainable basis for such a suspension, revocation or limitation, and (iii) no such suspension, revocation or limitation is threatened by any relevant
Insurance Regulatory Authority, that, in each instance under (i), (ii) and (iii) above, would be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect.
 (c)       Upon written request, Borrower will provide with respect to each Insurance Subsidiary a list of all of the jurisdictions in which such
Insurance Subsidiary holds licenses
 
- 22
-

Table of Contents

 (including, without limitation, licenses or certificates of authority from relevant Insurance Regulatory Authorities), permits or authorizations to transact
insurance and reinsurance business (collectively, the “Licenses”), indicating the line or lines of insurance in which each such Insurance Subsidiary is permitted to be engaged with respect to each License therein listed, and attaching
copies of all Licenses in the States of Florida, Hawaii, Illinois and Texas.
 4.5      
Litigation. Except as set forth on Schedule 4.5, there are no actions, investigations, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, threatened, at law, in equity or in
arbitration, before any court, other Governmental Authority or other Person, (i) against or affecting Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties that would, if adversely determined, be reasonably likely to have a
Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) with respect to this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents.
 4.6      
Taxes. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.6 attached hereto, each of Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed all federal, state and local tax returns and reports required to be filed by it and
has paid all taxes, assessments, fees and other charges levied upon it or upon its properties that are shown thereon as due and payable, other than those that are being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and for which adequate
reserves have been established in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Such returns accurately reflect in all material respects all liability for taxes of Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the periods covered thereby. Except as
set forth in Schedule 4.6 attached hereto, there is no ongoing material audit or examination or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, other investigation by any Governmental Authority of the tax liability of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, and
there is no unresolved claim by any Governmental Authority concerning or any material tax liability of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for any period for which tax returns have been or were required to have been filed, other than claims for
which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.6 attached hereto, neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries has waived or extended or has been requested
to waive or extend the statute of limitations relating to the payment of any material taxes.
 4.7      
Subsidiaries. Schedule 4.7 sets forth a list, as of the Effective Date, of all of the Subsidiaries of Borrower and, as to each such Subsidiary, the percentage ownership (direct and indirect) of
Borrower in each class of its capital stock and each direct owner thereof. All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of VFIC are directly owned and held by Borrower.
 4.8      
Full Disclosure. All factual information heretofore or contemporaneously furnished to the Lender in writing by or on behalf of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries for purposes of or in connection
with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby is, and all other such factual information hereafter furnished to the Lender in writing by or on behalf of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries will be, true and accurate in all material
respects on the date as of which such information is dated or certified (or, if such information has been amended or supplemented, on the date as of which any such amendment or supplement is dated or certified) and not made materially incomplete by
omitting to state a material fact necessary to make the statements contained therein, in light of the circumstances under which such information was provided, not materially misleading.
 
- 23
-

Table of Contents

 4.9      
Margin Regulations. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is engaged principally, or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of purchasing or
carrying Margin Stock. No proceeds of the Loans will be used, directly or indirectly, to purchase or carry any Margin Stock (except for purchases by Borrower of outstanding shares of its capital stock made in compliance with the applicable
provisions of Regulations G, T, U and X), to extend credit for such purpose or for any other purpose that would violate or be inconsistent with Regulations G, T, U or X or any provision of the Exchange Act.
 4.10    
No Material Adverse Change. Except as set forth in Borrower’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission prior to the Effective Date, there has been no Material Adverse Change since
December 31, 2001, and except as disclosed to Lender in connection with, and reflected in, the draft pro-forma Financial Statements for the Borrower’s fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, there exists no event, condition or state of facts that
could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Change.
 4.11    
Financial Matters. 
 (a)       Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lender copies of (i) the audited consolidated balance sheets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2001, 2000, 1999, and 1998, and the related statements of income, stockholders’
equity and cash flows for the fiscal years then ended, together with the opinion thereon or PricewaterhouseCoopers. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.11(a) attached hereto, such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles and present fairly the financial condition of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the respective dates thereof and the consolidated results of operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the
respective periods then ended. Except as fully reflected in the most recent financial statements referred to above and the notes thereto, there are no material liabilities or obligations with respect to Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries of any
nature whatsoever (whether absolute, contingent or otherwise and whether or not due).
 (b)       Borrower has heretofore furnished to the Lender copies of the Annual Statements of each of the Insurance Subsidiaries as of December 31, 2001, 2000, and 1999, and for the fiscal
years then ended, each as filed with the relevant Insurance Regulatory Authority (collectively, the “Historical Statutory Statements”). Except as set forth in Schedule 4.11(b) attached hereto, the Historical Statutory Statements
(including, without limitation, the provisions made therein for investments and the valuation thereof, reserves, policy and contract claims and statutory liabilities) have been prepared in accordance with Statutory Accounting Principles (except as
may be reflected in the notes thereto and subject, with respect to the Quarterly Statements, to the absence of notes required by Statutory Accounting Principles and to normal year-end adjustments), were in compliance with applicable Requirements of
Law when filed and present fairly the financial condition of the respective Insurance Subsidiaries covered thereby as of the respective dates thereof and the results of operations, changes in capital and surplus and cash flow of the respective
Insurance Subsidiaries covered thereby for the respective periods then ended. Except for liabilities and obligations disclosed or provided for in the Historical Statutory Statements (including, without
 
- 24
-

Table of Contents

 limitation, reserves, policy and contract claims and statutory liabilities), no Insurance Subsidiary had, as of the date of its respective Historical
Statutory Statements, any material liabilities or obligations of any nature whatsoever (whether absolute, contingent or otherwise and whether or not due) that, in accordance with Statutory Accounting Principles, would have been required to have been
disclosed or provided for in such Historical Statutory Statements. All books of account of each Insurance Subsidiary fully and fairly disclose all of its material transactions, properties, assets, investments, liabilities and obligations, are in its
possession and are true, correct and complete in all material respects.
 (c)       Each of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, (i) will have capital sufficient to carry on its businesses as conducted and as proposed to be conducted, (ii) will have
assets with a fair saleable value, determined on a going concern basis, (A) not less than the amount required to pay the probable liability on its existing debts as they become absolute and matured and (B) greater than the total amount of its
liabilities (including identified contingent liabilities, valued at the amount that can reasonably be expected to become absolute and matured), and (iii) will not intend to, and will not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond its
ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature.
 4.12    
Ownership of Properties. Each of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (i) has good and marketable title to all real property owned by it, (ii) holds interests as lessee under valid leases in full force and
effect with respect to all material leased real and personal property used in connection with its business, and (iii) has good title to all of its other material properties and assets reflected in the most recent financial statements referred to in
Section 4.11(a) (except as sold or otherwise disposed of since the date thereof in the ordinary course of business), in each case under (i), (ii) and (iii) above free and clear of all Liens other than Permitted Liens.
 4.13    
ERISA. Each Plan is and has been administered in compliance in all material respects with all applicable Requirements of Law, including, without limitation, the applicable provisions of ERISA and
the Internal Revenue Code. No ERISA Event has occurred and is continuing or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, is reasonably expected to occur with respect to any Plan, in either case that would be reasonably likely, individually or in the
aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. No Plan has any Unfunded Pension Liability, and neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Section 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA, in either instance where
the same would be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither Borrower nor any ERISA Affiliate is required to contribute to or has, or has at any time had, any liability to a Multiemployer
Plan.
 4.14    
Environmental Matters. 
 (a)       No Hazardous
Substances are or have been generated, used, located, released, treated, disposed of or stored by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, by any other Person or otherwise, in, on or under any portion of any real
property, leased or owned, of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, except in material compliance with all applicable
 
- 25
-

Table of Contents

 Environmental Laws, and no portion of any such real property or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, any other real property at any time leased, owned or
operated by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, has been contaminated by any Hazardous Substance; and no portion of any real property, leased or owned, of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has been or, to the knowledge of the Borrower, is
presently the subject of an environmental audit, assessment or remedial action.
 (b)       To the knowledge of the Borrower, (i) no portion of any real property, leased or owned, of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries has been used as or for a mine, a landfill, a dump or other disposal facility, a gasoline service station, or
(other than for petroleum substances stored in the ordinary course of business) a petroleum products storage facility, (ii) no portion of such real property or any other real property at any time leased, owned or operated by Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries has, pursuant to any Environmental Law, been placed on the “National Priorities List” or “CERCLIS List” (or any similar federal, state or local list) of sites subject to possible environmental problems, and (iii)
there are not and have never been any underground storage tanks situated on any real property, leased or owned, by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.
 
(c)      All activities and operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with the requirements of all applicable Environmental Laws, except to the extent the
failure so to comply, individually or in the aggregate, would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is involved in any suit, action or proceeding, or has received any notice,
complaint or other request for information from any Governmental Authority or other Person, with respect to any actual or alleged Environmental Claims that, if adversely determined, would be reasonably likely, individually or in the aggregate, to
have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the knowledge of the Borrower, there are no threatened actions, suits, proceedings or investigations with respect to any such Environmental Claims, nor any basis therefor.
 4.15    
Compliance With Laws. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.15 attached hereto, each of Borrower and its Subsidiaries has timely filed all material reports, documents and other materials required to be
filed by it under all applicable Requirements of Law with any Governmental Authority, has retained all material records and documents required to be retained by it under all applicable Requirements of Law, and is otherwise in compliance with all
applicable Requirements of Law in respect of the conduct of its business and the ownership and operation of its properties, except for such Requirements of Law the failure to comply with which, individually or in the aggregate, would not be
reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.
 4.16    
Regulated Industries. Neither Borrower nor any of its Subsidiaries is (i) an “investment company,” a company “controlled” by an “investment company, “ or an
“investment advisor,” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, or (ii) a “holding company,” a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” or an “affiliate” of a
“holding company” or of a “subsidiary company” of a “holding company,” within the meaning of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended.
 
- 26
-

Table of Contents

 4.17    
Insurance. The assets, properties and business of Borrower and its Subsidiaries are insured against such hazards and liabilities, under such coverages and in such amounts, as are customarily
maintained by prudent companies similarly situated and under policies issued by insurers of recognized responsibility. No notice of any pending or threatened cancellation or material premium increase has been received by the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries with respect to any such policies, and the Borrower and each of its Subsidiaries are in substantial compliance with all conditions contained therein.
 ARTICLE V
 
AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS 
 The Borrower covenants and agrees that, until the termination of the Commitment and the payment in full
of all principal and interest with respect to the Loans together with all other amounts then due and owing hereunder:
 5.1      
GAAP Financial Statements. The Borrower will deliver to the Lender:
 (a)       As soon as available and in any event within sixty (60) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal quarter ended
March 31, 2003, unaudited consolidated and consolidating balance sheets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal quarter and unaudited consolidated and consolidating statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows
for Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter then ended and for that portion of the fiscal year then ended, in each case setting forth comparative consolidated figures as of the end of and for the corresponding period in the preceding
fiscal year, all prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (subject to the absence of notes required by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and subject to normal year-end audit adjustments) applied on a basis
consistent with that of the preceding quarter or containing disclosure of the effect on the financial condition or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during such quarter; and
 (b)       As soon as available and in any event within 120 days after the end of each fiscal
year, beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2002, (i) an audited consolidated balance sheet of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and audited consolidated statements of income, stockholders’ equity and
cash flows for Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, including the applicable notes, in each case setting forth comparative figures as of the end of and for the preceding fiscal year, certified by the independent certified
public accounting firm regularly retained by Borrower or another independent certified public accounting firm of recognized national standing reasonably acceptable to the Lender, together with (y) a report thereon by such accountants that is not
qualified as to going concern or scope of audit and to the effect that such financial statements present fairly the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the dates and for the periods
indicated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applied on a basis
 
- 27
-

Table of Contents

 consistent with that of the preceding year or containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operations of any change in the
application of accounting principles and practices during such year, and (z) a report by such accountants to the effect that, based on and in connection with their examination of the financial statements of Borrower and its Subsidiaries, they
obtained no knowledge of the occurrence or existence of any Default or Event of Default relating to accounting or financial reporting matters, or a statement specifying the nature and period of existence of any such Default or Event of Default
disclosed by their audit; provided, however, that such accountants shall not be liable by reason of the failure to obtain knowledge of any Default or Event of Default that would not be disclosed or revealed in the course of their audit examination,
and (ii) an unaudited consolidating balance sheet of Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and unaudited consolidating statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for Borrower and its Subsidiaries for the
fiscal year then ended, all in reasonable detail.
 5.2      
Statutory Financial Statements. Borrower will deliver to the Lender:
 (a)       As soon as available and in any event within fifty (50) days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal quarter ending
March 31, 2003, a Quarterly Statement of each Insurance Subsidiary as of the end of such fiscal quarter and for that portion of the fiscal year then ended, in the form filed with the relevant Insurance Regulatory Authority, prepared in accordance
with Statutory Accounting Principles applied on a basis consistent with that of the preceding quarter or containing disclosure of the effect on the financial condition or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting
principles and practices during such quarter; and
 (b)       As soon as available
and in any event within sixty-five (65) days after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2003, an Annual Statement of each Insurance Subsidiary as of the end of such fiscal year and for the fiscal year then
ended, in the form filed with the relevant Insurance Regulatory Authority, prepared in accordance with Statutory Accounting Principles applied on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year or containing disclosure of the effect on the
financial condition or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during such year;
 (c)       As soon as available and in any event within 135 days after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, an unaudited consolidated balance
sheet of VFIC and its Insurance Subsidiaries as of the end of such fiscal year and unaudited consolidated statements of income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for Borrower and its Insurance Subsidiaries for the fiscal year then ended, in
each case setting forth comparative consolidated figures as of the end of and for the preceding fiscal year, all prepared in accordance with Statutory Accounting Principles applied on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year or containing
disclosure of the effect on the financial condition or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting principles and practices during such year; and
 (d)       As soon as available and in any event within 155 days after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal year ended December
31, 2003 (but only if and to the extent
 
- 28
-

Table of Contents

 required by the applicable Insurance Regulatory Authority with regard to any Insurance Subsidiary), a certification by the independent certified public
accounting firm referred to in Section 5. l(b) as to the Annual Statement of each such Insurance Subsidiary as of the end of such fiscal year and for the fiscal year then ended, together with a report thereon by such accountants that is not
qualified as to going concern or scope of audit and to the effect that such financial statements present fairly the consolidated financial condition and results of operations of such Insurance Subsidiary as of the date and for the period indicated
in accordance with statutory accounting principles applied on a basis consistent with that of the preceding year or containing disclosure of the effect on the financial position or results of operations of any change in the application of accounting
principles and practices during such year.
 5.3      
Other Business and Financial Information. Borrower will deliver to the Lender: 
 (a)       Concurrently with each delivery of the financial statements described in Sections 5.1 and 5.2, a Compliance Certificate in the form of Exhibit
D-1 (in the case of the financial statements described in Section 5.1) or Exhibit D-2 (in the case of the financial statements described in Section 5.2) with respect to the
period covered by the financial statements then being delivered, executed by the chief financial officer, vice president–finance or treasurer of Borrower, together, in the case of the financial statements described in Section 5.1, with a
Covenant Compliance Worksheet reflecting the computation of the financial covenants set forth in Sections 6.1 (on an annual basis), 6.2, 6.4 and 6.5 as of the last day of the period covered by such financial statements, and in the case of the
financial statements described in Section 5.2, with a Covenant Compliance Worksheet reflecting the computation of the financial covenants set forth in Section 6.6 as of the last day of the period covered by such financial statements;
 (b)       Promptly upon filing with the relevant Insurance Regulatory Authority and in any event
within ninety (90) days after the end of each fiscal year, beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003, a copy of each Insurance Subsidiary’s “Statement of Actuarial Opinion” (or equivalent information should the relevant
Insurance Regulatory Authority not require such a statement) as to the adequacy of such Insurance Subsidiary’s loss reserves for such fiscal year, together with a copy of its management discussion and analysis in connection therewith, each in
the format prescribed by the applicable insurance laws of such Insurance Subsidiary’s jurisdiction of domicile;
 (c)       Promptly upon the sending, filing or receipt thereof, copies of (i) all financial statements, reports, notices and proxy statements that Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall
send or make available generally to its shareholders, (ii) all reports (other than earnings press releases) on Form 10-Q, Form 10-K or Form 8-K (or their successor forms) or registration statements and prospectuses (other than on Form S-8 or its
successor form) that Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall render to or file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any national securities exchange, (iii) all reports on Form A or
Form B (or their successor forms) that any Insurance Subsidiary shall file with any Insurance Regulatory Authority, (iv) all significant reports on examination or similar significant reports, financial examination reports or market conduct
examination reports by the NAIC or any Insurance
 
- 29
-

Table of Contents

 Regulatory Authority or other Governmental Authority with respect to any Insurance Subsidiary’s insurance business, and (v) all significant filings made
under applicable state insurance holding company acts by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, filings seeking approval of transactions with Affiliates;
 (d)       Promptly upon (and in any event within five (5) Business Days after) obtaining knowledge thereof, written notice of any of the
following:
 (i)       the occurrence of any Default or Event of
Default, together with a written statement of the chief executive officer, chief financial officer or vice president–finance of Borrower specifying the nature of such Default or Event of Default, the period of existence thereof and the action
that Borrower has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto,
 (ii)      the institution or written threatened institution of any action, suit, investigation or proceeding against or affecting Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, including any such
investigation or proceeding by any Insurance Regulatory Authority or other Governmental Authority (other than routine periodic inquiries, investigations or reviews), that would, if adversely determined, be reasonably likely, individually or in the
aggregate, to have a Material Adverse Effect, and any material development in any litigation or other proceeding previously reported pursuant to Section 4.5 or this Section 5.3(d)(ii);
 (iii)     the receipt by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries from any Insurance Regulatory Authority or other Governmental Authority
of (i) any written notice asserting any failure by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to be in compliance with applicable Requirements of Law or that threatens the taking of any action against Borrower or such Subsidiary or sets forth circumstances
that, if taken or adversely determined, would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) any notice of any actual or threatened suspension, limitation or revocation of, failure to renew, or imposition of any restraining order,
escrow or impoundment of funds in connection with, any license, permit, accreditation or authorization of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, where such action would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; (iv) the occurrence of any
ERISA Event, together with (i) a written statement of the chief executive officer, chief financial officer or vice president–finance of Borrower specifying the details of such ERISA Event and the action that Borrower has taken and proposes to
take with respect thereto, (ii) a copy of any notice with respect to such ERISA Event that may be
 
- 30
-

Table of Contents

 required to be filed with the PBGC and (iii) a copy of any notice delivered by the PBGC to Borrower or such ERISA Affiliate with respect
to such ERISA Event:
 (v)      the occurrence of any decrease in (y)
the rating given by either Standard & Poor’s or Moody’s with respect to Borrower’s senior publicly traded Indebtedness or (z) the rating given to any Insurance Subsidiary by A.M. Best & Company; and
 (vi)     any other matter or event that has, or would be reasonably likely to have, a Material
Adverse Effect, together with a written statement of the chief executive officer, chief financial officer or vice president–finance of Borrower setting forth the nature and period of existence thereof and the action that Borrower has taken and
proposes to take with respect thereto,
 (e)       Within five (5) Business Days
after request therefor by the Lender, if theretofore prepared and delivered to Borrower, or within ninety (90) days after request therefor by the Lender from time to time (but not more than once per year), if not theretofore prepared and delivered
to Borrower, in either case at Borrower’s expense, an actuarial review and valuation statement of, and opinion as to the adequacy of, each Insurance Subsidiary’s loss and loss adjustment expense reserve positions as of the end of such year
with respect to the insurance business then in force, and covering such other subjects as are customary in actuarial reviews, prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers or another independent actuarial firm reasonably acceptable to the Lender, together with
a favorable review letter thereon by Borrower’s regularly retained independent certified public accountants, all in form and substance satisfactory to the Lender; and
 (f)       As promptly as reasonably possible, such other information about the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations or
properties of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries as the Lender may from time to time reasonably request.
 5.4      
Corporate Existence; Franchises; Maintenance of Properties. Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) maintain and preserve in full force and effect its corporate existence,
except as expressly permitted otherwise by Section 7.1, (ii) obtain, maintain and preserve in full force and effect all other rights, franchises, licenses, permits, certifications, approvals and authorizations required by Governmental Authorities
and necessary to the ownership, occupation or use of its properties or the conduct of its business, except to the extent the failure to do so would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (iii) keep all material properties in
good working order and condition (normal wear and tear excepted) and from time to time make all necessary repairs to and renewals and replacements of such properties, except to the extent that any of such properties are obsolete or are being
replaced.
 5.5      
Compliance with Laws. Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, comply in all respects with all Requirements of Law applicable in respect of the conduct of its
 
- 31
-

Table of Contents

 business and the ownership and operation of its properties, except to the extent the failure so to comply would not be reasonably likely to have a Material
Adverse Effect.
 5.6      
Payment of Obligations. Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) pay all liabilities and obligations as and when due (subject to any applicable subordination provisions),
except to the extent failure to do so would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (ii) pay and discharge all taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon it, upon its income or profits or upon any of
its properties, prior to the date on which penalties would attach thereto, and all lawful claims that, if unpaid, might become a Lien upon any of the properties of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that neither Borrower nor any
of its Subsidiaries shall be required to pay any such tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim that is being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings and as to which Borrower or such Subsidiary is maintaining adequate reserves with respect
thereto in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles.
 5.7      
Insurance. Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies insurance with respect to its assets, properties and business,
against such hazards and liabilities, of such types and in such amounts, as is customarily maintained by companies in the same or similar businesses similarly situated; provided that Borrower and its Subsidiaries may self-insure against risks
consistent with customary industry practices for companies in the same or similar businesses, of similar size and with similar risk parameters. 
 5.8      
Maintenance of Books and Records; Inspection. Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, (i) maintain adequate books, accounts and
records, in which full, true and correct entries shall be made of all financial transactions in relation to its business and properties, and prepare all financial statements required under this Agreement, in each case in accordance with Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles or Statutory Accounting Principles, as applicable, and in compliance with the requirements of any Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over it, and (ii) permit employees or agents of the Lender to inspect its
properties and examine or audit its books, records, working papers and accounts and make copies and memoranda of them, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its officers and employees and, upon notice to Borrower, the independent
public accountants of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (and by this provision Borrower authorizes such accountants to discuss the finances and affairs of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries), all at such times and from time to time, upon reasonable
notice and during business hours, as may be reasonably requested.
 5.9      
Subsidiary Dividends. Borrower will take all action necessary to cause its Subsidiaries to make such dividends, distributions or other payments to the Borrower as shall be necessary for Borrower to
make payments of the principal of and interest on the Loans in accordance with the terms of this Agreement. In the event the approval of any Governmental Authority or other Person is required in order for any such Subsidiary to make any such
dividends, distributions or other payments to Borrower, or for Borrower to make any such principal or interest
 
- 32
-

Table of Contents

 payments, Borrower will forthwith exercise its best efforts and take all reasonable actions permitted by law and necessary to obtain such
approval.
 5.10    
Further Assurances. Borrower will, and will cause each of its Subsidiaries to, make, execute, endorse, acknowledge and deliver any amendments, modifications or supplements hereto and restatements
hereof and any other agreements, instruments or documents, and take any and all such other actions, as may from time to time be reasonably requested by the Lender to effect, confirm or further assure or protect and preserve the interests, rights and
remedies of the Lender under this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.
 5.11    
2002 Financial Statements. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Lender shall have the right to review the 2002 audited financial statements of Borrower and Subsidiaries
delivered pursuant to Section 5.1(b) and, prior to April 15, 2003, terminate this Commitment if such statements reflect a failure by Borrower to comply with any of the financial covenants set forth in Sections 6.2, 6.4 or 6.6 (measured as of
December 31, 2002).
 ARTICLE VI
 
FINANCIAL COVENANTS 
 The Borrower covenants and agrees that, until the termination of the commitment and the payment in full of
all principal and interest with respect to the Loans together with all other amounts then due and owing hereunder:
 6.1      
Consolidated Net Income. Borrower will not permit Consolidated Net Income (excluding realized gains and losses) for any calendar year to be less than $15,000,000.
 6.2      
Consolidated Debt to Capital Ratio. Beginning with the quarter ending March 31, 2003, Borrower and its Subsidiaries shall achieve and within thirty (30) days of the end of each quarter provide
evidence to Lender of the achievement of a Consolidated Debt to Capital Ratio of not more than thirty-nine percent (39%). 
 6.3      
Credit Rating. VFIC will at all times maintain a credit rating of “B” or higher, as measured by A. M. Best & Company.
 6.4      
Minimum GAAP Net Worth. Borrower will not permit its consolidated net worth, as calculated in accordance with GAAP, to be less than $208 million. 
 6.5      
Interest Coverage Ratio. Beginning with the calendar year ending December 31, 2003, Borrower shall achieve and within ninety (90) days of the end of each year provide evidence to the Lender of the
achievement of an Interest Coverage Ratio of not less than 1.5 to 1.0.
 
- 33
-

Table of Contents

 6.6      
Risk-Based Capital. Borrower will not permit “total adjusted capital” (within the meaning of the Risk-Based Capital for Insurers Model Act as promulgated by the NAIC as of the date hereof
(the “Model Act”)) of VFIC at any time from and after the Effective Date to be less than 150% of the applicable “Authorized Control Level” (within the meaning of the Model Act) for VFIC at such time.
 ARTICLE VII
 
NEGATIVE COVENANTS 
 The Borrower covenants and agrees that, until the termination of the Commitment and the payment in full of
all principal and interest with respect to the Loans together with all other amounts then due and owing hereunder:
 7.1      
Merger; Consolidation. Borrower will not, and will not permit or cause any of its Significant Subsidiaries to, liquidate, wind up or dissolve, or enter into any consolidation, merger or other
combination, or agree to do any of the foregoing; provided, however, that Borrower or any Significant Subsidiary may merge into or consolidate with any other Person so long as (i) the surviving corporation is Borrower or a Wholly Owned Subsidiary
(and in any event, if Borrower is a party to such merger or consolidation, the surviving corporation shall be Borrower) and (ii) immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist.
 7.2      
Indebtedness. Borrower will not create, incur, assume or suffer to exist, and will not permit or cause any of its Subsidiaries to create, incur, or knowingly assume or suffer to exist, any
Indebtedness that ranks senior or pari passu (with respect to the Collateral) in any respect to the Indebtedness under this Agreement (or any portion thereof) as to payment or performance or as to
dividends or distributions upon bankruptcy, insolvency, liquidation or winding-up.
 7.3      
Liens. Borrower will not, and will not permit or cause any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, make, create, incur, assume or suffer to exist, or enter into or suffer to exist any
agreement or restriction that prohibits or conditions the creation, incurrence or assumption of, any Lien upon or with respect to any part of its property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, or agree to do any of the foregoing, other
than the following (collectively, “Permitted Liens”):
 (i)       Liens in
favor of the Lender:
 (ii)      Liens in existence on the Effective
Date and set forth on Schedule 7.3 and all renewals and replacements thereof;
 (iii)     Liens imposed by law, such as Liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen and landlords, and other similar Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not

 
- 34
-

Table of Contents

 constituting borrowed money that are not overdue for a period of more than thirty (30) days or that are being contested in good faith by
appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles; 
 (iv)     Liens (other than any Lien imposed by ERISA, the creation or incurrence of which would result in an Event of Default under Section 8.1(i)) incurred in the ordinary
course of business in connection with worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance or other forms of governmental insurance or benefits, or to secure the performance of letters of credit, bids, tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal
bonds, leases, government contracts and other similar obligations (other than obligations for borrowed money) entered into in the ordinary course of business; 
 (v)      Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges or statutory obligations that are not delinquent or remain payable without any
penalty or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles;
 (vi)     Liens in connection with pledges and deposits made pursuant to statutory and regulatory requirements of
Insurance Regulatory Authorities by an Insurance Subsidiary in the ordinary course of its business, for the purpose of securing regulatory capital or satisfying other financial responsibility requirements;
 (vii)    Liens upon cash, United States government and agency securities and other investments of Borrower and its
Subsidiaries, securing obligations incurred in connection with reverse repurchase transactions, Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings and other similar investment management transactions;
 (viii)   Purchase money Liens upon real or personal property used by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of its business,
securing Indebtedness incurred solely to pay all or a portion of the purchase price thereof (including in connection with capital leases, and including mortgages or deeds of trust upon real property and improvements thereon), provided that the
aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding of all Indebtedness secured by such Liens does not exceed an amount equal to 5% of the value of the total assets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries at such time, 
 
- 35
-

Table of Contents

 determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles as of the date of the financial statements
of Borrower and its Subsidiaries most recently delivered under Section 5.1 prior to such time (or, with regard to determinations at any time prior to the initial delivery of financial statements under Section 5.1, as of the date of the most recent
financial statements referred to in Section 4.11(a)), and provided further that any such Lien (i) shall attach to such property concurrently with or within ten (10) days after the acquisition thereof by Borrower or such Subsidiary, (ii) shall not
exceed the lesser of (y) the fair market value of such property or (z) the cost thereof to Borrower or such Subsidiary and (iii) shall not encumber any other property of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries;
 (ix)     Liens on Vesta Margin Stock, to the extent the fair market value thereof exceeds 25% of the fair market
value of the assets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including Vesta Margin Stock);
 (x)      Any attachment or judgment Lien not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.1(h) that is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves
have been established in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles;
 (xi)     With respect to any real property occupied by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries, all easements, rights of way, licenses and similar encumbrances on title that do not materially impair the
use of such property for its intended purposes; and
 (xii)    Liens in favor of
the trustee or agent under any agreement or indenture relating to Indebtedness of Borrower and its Subsidiaries permitted under this Agreement, covering sums required to be deposited with such trustee or agent thereunder.
 7.4      
Disposition of Assets. Without obtaining the prior written consent of the Lender, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, Borrower will not, and will not permit or cause any of its
Subsidiaries to, sell, assign, lease, convey, transfer or otherwise dispose of (whether in one or a series of transactions) all or any portion of its assets, business or properties, or enter into any arrangement with any Person providing for the
lease by Borrower or any Subsidiary as lessee of any asset that has been sold or transferred by Borrower or such Subsidiary to such Person, or agree to do any of the foregoing, except for:
 
- 36
-

Table of Contents

 (i)       sales or pledges of investments
by the Insurance Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, including in connection with Federal Home Loan Bank borrowings;
 (ii)      the sale or exchange of used or obsolete equipment to the extent (A) the proceeds of such sale are applied towards, or such equipment is exchanged for, similar
replacement equipment or (B) such equipment is no longer necessary for the operations of Borrower or its applicable Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business;
 (iii)     the sale, lease or other disposition of assets by a Subsidiary of Borrower to Borrower or to another Wholly Owned Subsidiary, to the extent
permitted by applicable Requirements of Law and each relevant Insurance Regulatory Authority, provided that (A) immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist, (B) in no event shall Borrower contribute, sell or
otherwise transfer, or permit VFIC to issue or sell, any of the capital stock of VFIC to any other Subsidiary, and (C) such sale or disposition would not adversely affect the ability of any Insurance Subsidiary party thereto to pay dividends or
otherwise make distributions to its parent;
 (iv)     the sale or other
disposition of any Vesta Margin Stock to the extent the fair market value thereof is less than 25% of the fair market value of the assets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries (including Vesta Margin Stock), provided that fair value is received in
exchange therefor; and
 (v)      the sale or disposition of assets
outside the ordinary course of business, provided that (A) the net proceeds from any such sale or disposition do not exceed an amount equal to the least of the following: (1) 10% of the total assets of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated
basis, (2) 10% of the total revenues of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, and (3) 10% of the total net earnings of Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, in each case as determined as of the date of the financial
statements of Borrower and its Subsidiaries most recently delivered under Section 5.1 prior to such time (or, with regard to determinations at any time prior to the initial delivery of financial statements under Section 5.1, as of the date of the
most recent financial statements referred to in Section 4.11(a)), (B) immediately after giving effect thereto, Borrower would be in compliance with the provisions of Section 6.2, such compliance determined on a pro forma basis in accordance with
Generally Accepted Accounting
 
- 37
-

Table of Contents

 Principles as if such sale or disposition had been consummated on the last day of the then most recently ended fiscal quarter, (C)
immediately after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default would exist, and (D) in no event shall Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries sell or otherwise dispose of any of the capital stock or other ownership interests of VFIC or any
other Significant Subsidiary.
 7.5      
Transactions with Affiliates. Borrower will not, and will not permit or cause any of its Subsidiaries to, enter into any transaction with any officer, director, stockholder or other Affiliate of
Borrower or any Subsidiary, except in the ordinary course of its business and upon fair and reasonable terms that are no less favorable to it than would obtain in a comparable arm’s length transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate of
Borrower or such Subsidiary; provided, however, that nothing contained in this Section shall prohibit:
 (i)       transactions between and among Borrower and its Wholly Owned Subsidiaries;
 (ii)      transactions under incentive compensation plans, stock option plans and other employee benefit plans, and loans and advances from Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries to its officers, in each case that have been approved by the board of directors of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries; and
 (iii)     the payment by Borrower of reasonable and customary fees to members of its board of directors.
 7.6      
Lines of Business. Borrower will not, and will not permit or cause any of its Subsidiaries to, engage to any substantial degree in any business other than the lines of property and casualty
insurance business and other businesses engaged in by Borrower and its Subsidiaries on the date hereof or a business reasonably related thereto.
 7.7      
Fiscal Year. Borrower will not, and will not permit or cause any of its Subsidiaries to, change the ending date of its fiscal year to a date other than December 31 unless (i) Borrower shall have
given the Lender written notice of its intention to change such ending date at least sixty (60) days prior to the effective date thereof and (ii) prior to such effective date this Agreement shall have been amended to make any changes in the
financial covenants and other terms and conditions to the extent necessary, in the reasonable determination of the Lender, to reflect the new fiscal year ending date.
 7.8      
Accounting Changes. Borrower will not, and will not permit or cause any of its Subsidiaries to, make or permit any material change in its accounting policies or reporting practices, except as may be
required or permitted by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or Statutory Accounting Principles, as applicable.
 
- 38
-

Table of Contents

 7.9      
Dividends. Borrower will not pay any dividends on account of its equity securities while a Default or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing both immediately before and after giving
effect to the payment of such dividends.
 ARTICLE VIII
 
EVENTS OF DEFAULT 
 8.1      
Events of Default. The occurrence of any one or more of the following events shall constitute an “Event of Default”:
 (a)       The Borrower shall fail to pay (i) any principal payable under the terms of the Note, or (ii) not later than five Business Days of the
date when due any interest or any fee or any other Obligation due under the Note or this Agreement;
 (b)       The Borrower shall fail to observe, perform or comply with any condition, covenant or agreement contained in any of Sections 2.11, 5.3(d)(i) or 5.4(i), Article VI, or Sections 7.1
through 7.4, inclusive, or Section 7.9;
 (c)       Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries shall fail to observe, perform or comply with any condition, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents other than those enumerated in subsections (a) and (b) above, and such failure shall
continue unremedied for any grace period specifically applicable thereto or, if no such grace period is applicable, for a period of thirty (30) days after Borrower acquires knowledge thereof;
 (d)       Any material representation or warranty made or deemed made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its
Subsidiaries in this Agreement, any of the other Credit Documents or in any certificate, instrument, report or other document furnished in connection herewith or therewith or in connection with the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall
prove to have been false or misleading in any material respect as of the time made, deemed made or furnished;
 (e)       Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall (i) fail to pay when due (whether by scheduled maturity, acceleration or otherwise and after giving effect to any applicable grace period)
any principal of or interest on any Indebtedness (other than the Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this Agreement) having an aggregate principal amount of at least $500,000; or (ii) fail to observe, perform or comply with any condition, covenant or
agreement contained in any agreement or instrument evidencing or relating to any such Indebtedness, or any other event shall occur or condition exist in respect thereof, and the effect of such failure, event or condition is to cause, or permit the
holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on its or their behalf) to cause (with the giving of notice, lapse of time, or both), such Indebtedness to become due, or to be prepaid, redeemed, purchased or defeased, prior to its
stated maturity;
 
- 39
-

Table of Contents

 (f)       Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries
shall (i) file a voluntary petition or commence a voluntary case seeking liquidation, winding-up, reorganization, dissolution, arrangement, readjustment of debts or any other relief under the Bankruptcy Code or under any other applicable bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar law now or hereafter in effect, (ii) consent to the institution of, or fail to controvert in a timely and appropriate manner, any petition or case of the type described in subsection (g) below, (iii) apply for or consent to the
appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, trustee, receiver or similar official for or of itself or all or a substantial part of its properties or assets, (iv) fail generally, or admit in writing its inability, to pay its debts generally
as they become due, (v) make a general assignment for the benefit of creditors or (vi) take any corporate action to authorize or approve any of the foregoing;
 (g)       Any involuntary petition or case shall be filed or commenced against Borrower or any of its Significant Subsidiaries seeking liquidation, winding-up,
reorganization, dissolution, arrangement, readjustment of debts, the appointment of a custodian, trustee, receiver or similar official for it or all or a substantial part of its properties or any other relief under the Bankruptcy Code or under any
other applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law now or hereafter in effect, and such petition or case shall continue undismissed and unstayed for a period of sixty (60) days; or an order, judgment or decree approving or ordering any of the
foregoing shall be entered in any such proceeding;
 (h)       Any one or more money
judgments, writs or warrants of attachment, executions or similar processes involving an aggregate amount (exclusive of amounts fully bonded or covered by insurance as to which the surety or insurer, as the case may be, has acknowledged its
liability in writing) in excess of $1,000,000 that would cause a Material Adverse Change shall be entered or filed against Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, and (i) the same is not dismissed, stayed or
discharged within sixty (60) days or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith and in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Lender, or (ii) the same is not dismissed, stayed or discharged within five (5) days prior to any
proposed sale of assets of Borrower or any Subsidiary pursuant thereto, or (iii) any action shall be legally taken by a judgment creditor to levy upon assets of Borrower or any Subsidiary to enforce the same;
 (i)        Any ERISA Event shall occur or exist with respect to any Plan or Multiemployer Plan and, as a result
thereof, together with all other ERISA Events then existing, there shall exist a reasonable likelihood of liability to any one or more Plans or Multiemployer Plans or to the PBGC (or to any combination thereof) in excess of $500,000 with respect to
Borrower or any ERISA Affiliate;
 (j)        Any Insurance Regulatory Authority
or other Governmental Authority having jurisdiction shall issue any order of conservation, supervision, rehabilitation or liquidation or any other order of similar effect in respect of any Insurance Subsidiary, and such action, individually or in
the aggregate, would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect;
 (k)       Any one or more licenses, permits, accreditations or authorizations of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries shall be suspended, limited or terminated or shall not be
 
-
40
-

Table of Contents

 renewed, or any other action shall be taken, by any Governmental Authority in response to any alleged failure by Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries to be in
compliance with applicable Requirements of Law, and such action, individually or in the aggregate, would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; or
 (l)        Any of the following shall occur: (i) any Person or group of Persons acting in concert as a partnership or other group shall, as a result of a tender
or exchange offer, open market purchases, privately negotiated purchases or otherwise, have become, after the date hereof, the ‘‘beneficial owner” (within the meaning of such term under Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities
of Borrower representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of Borrower ordinarily (and apart from rights accruing under special circumstances) having the right to vote on matters, other than the election of
directors, submitted to holders of Borrower’s common stock; (ii) the Board of Directors of Borrower shall cease to consist of a majority of the individuals who constituted the Board of Directors of Borrower as of the date hereof or who shall
have become a member thereof subsequent to the date hereof after having been nominated, or otherwise approved in writing, by at least a majority of individuals who constituted the Board of Directors of Borrower as of the date hereof (or their
replacements approved as herein required); or (iii) Borrower shall cease to own directly 100% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of VFIC or its successor by merger or consolidation as permitted hereunder (including, without limitation, as a
result of the contribution, sale or transfer by Borrower, or the issuance or sale by VFIC, of any capital stock of VFIC to any one or more other Subsidiaries of Borrower).
 8.2      
Remedies; Termination of Commitment, Acceleration, etc. Upon and at any time after the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Lender may take any or all of the following
actions at the same or different times:
 (a)       Declare the Commitment to be
terminated, whereupon the same shall terminate provided that, upon the occurrence of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8.1(a), 8.1(b), 8.1 (c), 8.1 (g) or Section 8.1(h), the Commitment shall automatically be terminated);
 (b)       Declare all or any part of the outstanding principal amount of the Loans to be immediately due
and payable, whereupon the principal amount so declared to be immediately due and payable, together with all interest accrued thereon and all other amounts payable under this Agreement, the Note and the other Credit Documents, shall become
immediately due and payable without presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate or other notice or legal process of any kind, all of which are hereby knowingly and expressly waived by the Borrower provided that, upon the occurrence
of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 8.1(c), 8.1(g) or Section 8.1(h), all of the outstanding principal amount of the Loans and all other amounts described in this subsection (b) shall automatically become immediately due and payable without
presentment, demand, protest, notice of intent to accelerate or other notice or legal process of any kind, all of which are hereby knowingly and expressly waived by the Borrower); and
 
- 41
-

Table of Contents

 (c)       Exercise all rights and remedies available to it
under this Agreement, the other Credit Documents and applicable law.
 8.3      
Remedies; Set-Off. In addition to all other rights and remedies available under the Credit Documents or applicable law or otherwise, upon and at any time after the occurrence and during the
continuance of any Event of Default, the Lender may, and is hereby authorized by the Borrower, at any such time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any
kind, all of which are hereby knowingly and expressly waived by the Borrower, to set off and to apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final) and any other property at any time held (including at any branches
or agencies, wherever located), and any other indebtedness at any time owing, by the Lender to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower against any or all of the Obligations to the Lender now or hereafter existing, whether or not such
Obligations may be contingent or unmatured, the Borrower hereby granting to each Lender a continuing security interest in and Lien upon all such deposits and other property as security for such Obligations. The Lender agrees to notify the Borrower
promptly after any such set-off and application; provided, however, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application.
 ARTICLE IX
 
MISCELLANEOUS 
 9.1      
Fees and Expenses. In addition to the fee set forth in Section 3.1(a)(iii), the Borrower agrees (i) whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be consummated, to pay upon
demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Lender (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Lender) in connection with the preparation, negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement
and the other Credit Documents, and any amendment, modification or waiver hereof or thereof or consent with respect hereto or thereto, (ii) to pay upon demand all reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses of the Lender (including, without
limitation, the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Lender) in connection with (A) any refinancing or restructuring of the credit arrangement provided under this Agreement, whether in the nature of a “work-out,” in any
insolvency or bankruptcy proceeding or otherwise and whether or not consummated, and (B) the enforcement, attempted enforcement or preservation of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents, whether in any
action, suit or proceeding (including any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding) or otherwise, and (iii) to pay and hold harmless the Lender from and against all liability for any intangibles, documentary, stamp or other similar taxes, fees and
excises, if any, including any interest and penalties, and any finder’s or brokerage fees, commissions and expenses (other than any fees, commissions or expenses of finders or brokers engaged by the Lender), that may be payable in connection
with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Credit Documents.
 
- 42
-

Table of Contents

 9.2      
Indemnification. The Borrower agrees, whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall be consummated, to indemnify and hold harmless the Lender and each of their respective
directors, officers, employees, agents and Affiliates (each, an “Indemnified Person”) from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, obligations, liabilities, penalties, costs and expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable
attorneys’ fees and expenses) of any kind or nature whatsoever, whether direct, indirect or consequential (collectively, ‘‘Indemnified Costs”), that may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such
Indemnified Person as a result of, arising from or in any way relating to the preparation, execution, performance or enforcement of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents, any of the transactions contemplated herein or therein or any
transaction financed or to be financed in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, with the proceeds of any Loans, or any action, suit or proceeding (including any inquiry or investigation) by any Person, whether threatened or initiated, related to
any of the foregoing, and in any case whether or not such Indemnified Person is a party to any such action, proceeding or suit or a subject of any such inquiry or investigation; provided, however, that no Indemnified Person shall have the right to
be indemnified hereunder for any Indemnified Costs to the extent resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Person. All of the foregoing Indemnified Costs of any Indemnified Person shall be paid or reimbursed by
the Borrower, as and when incurred and upon demand.
 9.3      
Governing Law; Consent to Jurisdiction. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN EXECUTED, DELIVERED AND ACCEPTED IN, AND SHALL BE DEEMED TO HAVE BEEN MADE IN, ALABAMA AND SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED AND ENFORCED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA (WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW PROVISIONS THEREOF). THE BORROWER HEREBY CONSENTS TO THE NONEXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF ANY STATE COURT WITHIN JEFFERSON
COUNTY, ALABAMA OR ANY FEDERAL COURT LOCATED WITHIN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF ALABAMA FOR ANY PROCEEDING INSTITUTED HEREUNDER OR UNDER ANY OF THE OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENTS, OR ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OF
THE OTHER CREDIT DOCUMENTS, OR ANY PROCEEDING TO WHICH THE LENDER OR THE BORROWER IS A PARTY, INCLUDING ANY ACTIONS BASED UPON, ARISING OUT OF, OR IN CONNECTION WITH, ANY COURSE OF CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, STATEMENT (WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN) OR
ACTIONS OF THE LENDER OR THE BORROWER. THE BORROWER IRREVOCABLY AGREES TO BE BOUND (SUBJECT TO ANY AVAILABLE RIGHT OF APPEAL) BY ANY JUDGMENT RENDERED OR RELIEF GRANTED THEREBY AND FURTHER WAIVES ANY OBJECTION THAT IT MAY HAVE BASED ON LACK OF
JURISDICTION OR IMPROPER VENUE OR FORUM NON CONVENIENS TO THE CONDUCT OF ANY SUCH PROCEEDING. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL AFFECT THE RIGHT OF ANY PARTY TO BRING ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING AGAINST ANY OTHER PARTY IN THE COURTS OF ANY OTHER
JURISDICTION.
 
- 43 -

  

Table of Contents

 9.4      
Arbitration; Preservation and Limitation of Remedies.
 (a)       Upon demand of any party hereto, whether made before or after institution of any judicial proceeding, any dispute, claim or controversy arising out of, connected with or relating
to this Agreement or any other Credit Document (“Disputes”) between the Borrower and the Lender, shall be resolved by binding arbitration as provided herein. Institution of a judicial proceeding by a party does not waive the right of that
party to demand arbitration hereunder. Disputes may include, without limitation, tort claims, counterclaims, claims brought as class actions, claims arising from documents executed in the future, or claims arising out of or connected with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the other Credit Documents. Arbitration shall be conducted under and governed by the Commercial Financial Disputes Arbitration Rules (the “Arbitration Rules”) of the American Arbitration
Association (the “AAA”), as in effect from time to time, and Title 9 of the U.S. Code, as amended. All arbitration hearings shall be conducted in Birmingham, Alabama. The expedited procedures set forth in Rule 51 et
seq. of the Arbitration Rules shall be applicable to claims of less than $1,000,000. All applicable statutes of limitation shall apply to any Dispute. A judgment upon the award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction.
The panel from which all arbitrators are selected shall include only licensed attorneys. The single arbitrator selected for expedited procedure shall be a retired judge from the highest court of general jurisdiction, state or federal, of the state
where the hearing will be conducted.
 (b)       Notwithstanding the preceding
binding arbitration provisions, the parties hereto agree to preserve, without diminution, certain remedies that any party hereto may employ or exercise freely, either alone, in conjunction with or during a Dispute. Any party hereto shall have the
right to proceed in any court of proper jurisdiction or by self-help to exercise or prosecute the following remedies, as applicable: (i) all rights of self-help, including peaceful occupation of real property and collection of rents, set-off, and
peaceful possession of personal property; (ii) obtaining provisional or ancillary remedies, including injunctive relief, sequestration, garnishment, attachment, appointment of a receiver and filing an involuntary bankruptcy proceeding; and (iii)
when applicable, a judgment by confession of judgment. Preservation of these remedies does not limit the power of an arbitrator to grant similar remedies that may be requested by a party in a Dispute. The parties hereto agree that no party shall
have a remedy of punitive or exemplary damages against any other party in any Dispute, and each party hereby waives any right or claim to punitive or exemplary damages that it has now or that may arise in the future in connection with any Dispute,
whether such Dispute is resolved by arbitration or judicially.
 9.5      
Notices. All notices and other communications provided for hereunder shall be in writing (including telegraphic, telex, facsimile transmission or cable communication) and mailed, telegraphed,
telexed, telecopied, cabled or delivered to the party to be notified at the following addresses:
 (a)       if to either Borrower, to Vesta Insurance Group, Inc., 3760 River Run Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35243, Attention: Norman W. Gayle, III, Telecopy No. (205) 970-7007, with a copy to
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc., 3760 River Run Drive, Birmingham, Alabama 35243, Attention: Donald W. Thornton, Telecopy No. (205) 970-7007;
 
- 44
-

Table of Contents

 (b)       if to First Commercial Bank, 800 Shades Creek
Parkway, P. O. Box 11746, Birmingham, Alabama 35202-1746, Attention: James W. Brunstad, Telecopy No. (205) 868-4898; and
 or in each case, to such other address as any party may
designate for itself by like notice to all other parties hereto. All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been given (i) if mailed as provided above by any method other than overnight delivery service, on the third Business Day
after deposit in the mails, (ii) if mailed by overnight delivery service, telegraphed, telexed, telecopied or cabled, when delivered for overnight delivery, delivered to the telegraph company, confirmed by telex answer back transmitted by telecopier
or delivered to the cable company, respectively, or (iii) if delivered by hand, upon delivery; provided that notices and communications to the Lender shall not be effective until received by the Lender.
 9.6      
Amendments, Waivers, etc. No amendment, modification, waiver or discharge of termination of, or consent to any departure by the Borrower from, any provision of this Agreement or any other Credit
Document, shall be effective unless in a writing signed by the Lender and then the same shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given.
 9.7      
Participations.
 (a)       The Lender may, without
the consent of the Borrower, sell to one or more other Persons with its principal place of business in the United States (each, a “Participant”) participations in any portion comprising less than all of its rights and obligations under
this Agreement (including, without limitation, a portion of its Commitment, the outstanding Loans made by it and the Note or Notes held by it); provided, however, that (i) the Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged and
the Lender shall remain solely responsible for the performance of such obligations, (ii) any such participation shall be in an amount of not less than $1,000,000, but the Lender shall not sell any participation that, when taken together with all
other participations, if any, sold by the Lender, covers all of the Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, (iii) the Borrower shall continue to deal solely and directly with the Lender in connection with the Lender’s rights
and obligations under this Agreement, and the Lender shall not permit any Participant to have any voting rights or any right to control the vote of the Lender with respect to any amendment, modification, waiver, consent or other action hereunder or
under any other Credit Document (except as to actions that would (A) reduce or forgive the principal amount of, or rate of interest on, any Loan, or reduce or forgive any fees or other Obligations, (B) extend any date (including the Maturity Date)
fixed for the payment of any principal of or interest on any Loan, any fees or any other Obligations, or (C) increase any Commitment of the Lender), and (iv) no Participant shall have any rights under this Agreement or any of the other Credit
Documents, each Participant’s rights against the granting Lender in respect of any participation to be those set forth in the participation agreement, and all amounts payable by the Borrower hereunder shall be determined as if the Lender had
not granted such participation.
 (b)       Nothing in this Agreement shall be
construed to prohibit the Lender from pledging or assigning all or any portion of its rights and interest hereunder or under any Note to any
 
- 45
-

Table of Contents

 Federal Reserve Bank as security for borrowings therefrom; provided, however, that no such pledge or assignment shall release the Lender from any of its
obligations hereunder.
 (c)       The Lender may, in connection with any assignment
or participation or proposed assignment or participation pursuant to this Section, disclose to the Participant or proposed Participant any information relating to Borrower and its Subsidiaries furnished to it by or on behalf of any other party
hereto, provided that such Participant or proposed Participant agrees in writing to keep such information confidential to the same extent required of the Lender under Section 9.13.
 9.8      
No Waiver. The rights and remedies of the Lender expressly set forth in this Agreement and the other Credit Documents are cumulative and in addition to, and not exclusive of, all other rights and
remedies available at law, in equity or otherwise. No failure or delay on the part of the Lender in exercising any right, power or privilege shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or
privilege preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege or be construed to be a waiver of any Default or Event of Default. No course of dealing between any of the Borrower and the Lender or its
agents or employees shall be effective to amend, modify or discharge any provision of this Agreement or any other Credit Document or to constitute a waiver of any Default or Event of Default. No notice to or demand upon the Borrower in any case
shall entitle the Borrower to any other or further notice or demand in similar or other circumstances or constitute a waiver of the right of the Lender to exercise any right or remedy or take any other or further action in any circumstances without
notice or demand.
 9.9      
Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the respective successors and assigns of the parties hereto, and all references herein to
any party shall be deemed to include its successors and assigns; provided, however, that the Borrower shall not sell, assign or transfer any of its rights, interests, duties or obligations under this Agreement or any other Credit Document without
the prior written consent of the Lender.
 9.10    
Survival. All representations, warranties and agreements made by or on behalf of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in this Agreement and in the other Credit Documents shall survive the
execution and delivery hereof or thereof and the making and repayment of the Loans. In addition, notwithstanding anything herein or under applicable law to the contrary, the provisions of this Agreement and the other Credit Documents relating to
indemnification or payment of fees, costs and expenses shall survive the payment in full of the Loans, the termination of the Commitment and any termination of this Agreement or any of the other Credit Documents.
 9.11    
Severability. To the extent any provision of this Agreement is prohibited by or invalid under the applicable law of any jurisdiction, such provision shall be ineffective only to the extent of such
prohibition or invalidity and only in such jurisdiction, without prohibiting or invalidating such provision in any other jurisdiction or the remaining provisions of this Agreement in any jurisdiction.
 
- 46
-

Table of Contents

 9.12    
Construction. The headings of the various articles, sections and subsections of this Agreement have been inserted for convenience only and shall not in any way affect the meaning or construction of
any of the provisions hereof. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein and in the other Credit Documents, in the event of any inconsistency or conflict between any provision of this Agreement and any provision of any of the other Credit
Documents, the provision of this Agreement shall control.
 9.13    
Confidentiality. The Lender agrees to keep confidential, pursuant to its customary procedures for handling confidential information of a similar nature and in accordance with safe and sound banking
practices all nonpublic information provided to it by or on behalf of Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement or any other Credit Document; provided, however, that the Lender may disclose such information (i) to its
directors, employees and agents and to its auditors, counsel and other professional advisors, (ii) at the demand or request of any bank regulatory authority, court or other Governmental Authority having or asserting jurisdiction over the Lender, as
may be required pursuant to subpoena or other legal process, or otherwise in order to comply with any applicable Requirement of Law, (iii) in connection with any proceeding to enforce its rights hereunder or under any other Credit Document or any
other litigation or proceeding related hereto or to which it is a party, (v) to the extent the same has become publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Agreement and (vi) pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of
Section 9.7.
 9.14    
Reliance by Lender. The Lender shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any notice, statement, consent or other communication (including, without limitation, any
thereof by telephone, telecopy, telex, telegram or cable) believed by it in good faith to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons.
 9.15    
Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties hereto on separate counterparts, each of which when so executed and delivered shall be
andoriginal, but all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become effective upon the execution of a counterpart hereof by each of the parties hereto and receipt by the Lender and the Borrower of written
or telephonic notification of such execution and authorization of delivery thereof.
 9.16    
Entire Agreement. THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER DOCUMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS EXECUTED AND DELIVERED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH (A) EMBODY THE ENTIRE AGREEMENT AND UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE PARTIES HERETO
AND THERETO RELATING TO THE SUBJECT MATTER HEREOF AND THEREOF, AND (B) MAY NOT BE AMENDED, SUPPLEMENTED, CONTRADICTED OR OTHERWISE MODIFIED BY EVIDENCE OF PRIOR, CONTEMPORANEOUS OR SUBSEQUENT ORAL AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES.
 [SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
 
- 47
-

Table of Contents

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

	  
 	  
 	 BORROWER:
 
 VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.,
 a Delaware corporation
 
	  
 	  
 	 By: 
 	 
 /s/ JOHN W. MCCULLOUGH
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 Its: 
 	 VP– Associate General Counsel
 

  

	  
 	  
 	 LENDER:
 
 FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK,
 an Alabama banking
corporation
 
	  
 	  
 	 By: 
 	 
 /s/ JAMES BRUNSTAD
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 Its: 
 	 Vice President
 

  
 
- 48
-

Table of Contents

  

	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	 EXHIBIT A
 Credit Agreement
 First Commercial
Bank
 Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
 February 1, 2003 / $30,000,000
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 NOTE
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 $30,000,000
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	 February 1, 2003
 Birmingham, Alabama
 

 
 FOR VALUE RECEIVED, VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to
the order of FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK, an Alabama banking corporation (the “Lender”), at the offices of First Commercial Bank located at 800 Shades Creek Parkway, P. O. Box 11746, Birmingham,
Alabama 35202-1746 (or at such other place or places as the Lender may designate), at the times and in the manner provided in the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 1, 2003 (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the
“Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower and the Lender, the principal sum of up to THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS ($30,000,000), or such lesser amount as may constitute the unpaid principal amount of the Loans made by the Lender, under the terms
and conditions of this promissory note (this “Note”) and the Credit Agreement. The defined terms in the Credit Agreement are used herein with the same meaning. The Borrower also unconditionally promises to pay interest on the aggregate
unpaid principal amount of this Note at the rates applicable thereto from time to time as provided in the Credit Agreement.
 All of the terms, conditions and
covenants of the Credit Agreement are expressly made a part of this Note by reference in the same manner and with the same effect as if set forth herein at length, and any holder of this Note is entitled to the benefits of and remedies provided in
the Credit Agreement and the other Credit Documents. Reference is made to the Credit Agreement for provisions relating to the interest rate, maturity, payment, prepayment and acceleration of this Note. The Note may be accelerated upon the occurrence
of an Event of Default.
 In the event of an acceleration of the maturity of this Note, this Note, and all other indebtedness of the Borrower to the Lender
under the Credit Agreement, shall become immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind, all of which are hereby waived by the Borrower.
 In the event this Note is not paid when due at any stated or accelerated maturity, the Borrower agrees to pay, in addition to the principal and interest, all costs of collection, including reasonable attorneys’
fees.
 
- 49
-

Table of Contents

 All Persons bound on this obligation, whether primarily or secondarily liable as principals, sureties, guarantors, endorsers or
otherwise, hereby waive to the full extent permitted by law the benefits of all provisions of law for stay or delay of execution or sale of property or other satisfaction of judgment against any of them on account of liability hereon until judgment
is obtained and execution issues against any other of them and returned satisfied or until it can be shown that the maker or any other party hereto had no property available for the satisfaction of the debt evidenced by this instrument, or until any
other proceedings can be had against any of them, also their right, if any, to require the holder hereof, to hold as security for this Note any collateral deposited by any of said Persons as security. Protest, notice of protest, notice of dishonor,
diligence or any other formality are hereby waived by all parties bound hereon.
 This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal
laws and judicial decisions of the State of Alabama. The Borrower hereby submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction and venue of the federal and state courts located in Jefferson County, Alabama, although the Lender shall not be limited to bringing an
action in such courts.
 [SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
 
- 50
-

Table of Contents

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has caused this Note to be executed under seal by its duly authorized
corporate officer as of the day and year first above written.
   

	  
 	  
 	 VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
 
	 
 
 
 	  
 	 By: 
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 Its:
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 

  
 
- 51
-

Table of Contents

 EXHIBIT B
Credit Agreement
First Commercial Bank
Vesta Insurance Group,
Inc.
February 1, 2003 / $30,000,000
 STOCK PLEDGE AGREEMENT
 STOCK PLEDGE AGREEMENT (“Pledge Agreement”) made as of this 1st day of February, 2003, by VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC., a Delaware
corporation (“Pledgor”), in favor of FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK, an Alabama state banking corporation (the “Bank”).
 R E C I T A L
S:
 The Pledgor has requested that Bank make available to it a $30,000,000 revolving credit
facility (“Loan”) in accordance with a Credit Agreement of even date herewith between Pledgor and Bank (“Credit Agreement”; all capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meanings as set forth in the
Credit Agreement). Pledgor is the legal and beneficial owner of 358,375 shares of the common stock, $.01, par value, of Instant Insurance Holdings, Inc. (“Holdings”) (together with all certificates, options, rights or other distributions
issued as an addition to, in substitution or in exchange for, or on account of, any such shares, and all proceeds of all of the foregoing, now or hereafter owned by the Pledgor, the “Pledged Stock”). As one of the conditions of making the
Loan, Bank requires that Pledgor pledge the Pledged Stock to Bank and grant Bank a security interest in the Pledged Stock, and Pledgor has agreed to do so.
 As
an inducement to Bank to make the Loan, the Pledgor agreed to execute this Pledge Agreement and, pursuant hereto, to pledge the Pledged Stock, as defined in this Pledge Agreement, as additional security for the prompt satisfaction of all
Obligations.
 AGREEMENT
 NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises, the mutual promises hereinafter contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Pledgor, intending to be legally bound hereby,
agrees as follows:
 ARTICLE I
 SECURITY; DIVIDENDS,
REGISTRATION; DISPOSITION AND PROCEEDS
 Section 1.1. Grant of Security. As security for the prompt payment and performance of
the Obligations, the Pledgor hereby pledges to Bank the Pledged Stock and grants to Bank a lien on and security interest therein.
 
- 52
-

Table of Contents

 Section 1.2. Realization Upon Default. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, Bank may, without demand of
performance or other demand, advertisement, or notice of any kind (except the notice specified below of time and place of public or private sale) to or upon the Pledgor or any other person (all of which are, to the extent permitted by law, hereby
expressly waived), forthwith realize upon the Pledged Stock or any part thereof, and may forthwith sell or otherwise dispose of and deliver the Pledged Stock, or any part thereof or interest therein, in one or more parcels at public or private sale
or sales, at any exchange, broker’s board or at any of Bank’s offices or elsewhere, at such prices and on such terms (including, but without limitation, a requirement that any purchaser of all or any part of the Pledged Stock purchase the
shares constituting the Pledged Stock for investment and without any intention to make a distribution thereof) as it may deem best, for cash or on credit, or for future delivery without assumption of any credit risk, with the right to Bank or any
purchaser to purchase upon any such sale the whole or any part of the Pledged Stock free of any right or equity of redemption in the Pledgor, which right or equity is hereby expressly waived and released. 
 Section 1.3. Registration. Upon the sale or transfer of the Pledged Stock described in Section 1.2, the Pledged Stock shall be registered in the name of the transferee and
Pledgor hereby covenants and agrees that, upon Bank’s request, the Pledgor will effect such registration. Immediately and without further notice, upon registration in accordance with this Section, the transferee shall have, with respect to the
Pledged Stock, the right to exercise all voting rights (if any) as to all of the Pledged Stock, all other corporate rights and all conversion, exchange, subscription or other rights, privileges or options pertaining thereto as if it were the
absolute owner thereof, including, without limitation, the right to exchange any or all of the Pledged Stock upon the merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization or other readjustment of the issuer thereof, or upon the exercise by such
issuer of any right, privilege, or option pertaining to any of the Pledged Stock, and, in connection therewith, to deliver any of the Pledged Stock to any committee, depository, transfer agent, registrar or other designated agency upon such terms
and conditions as it may determine, all without liability except to account for property actually received by it; but Bank shall have no duty to exercise any of the aforesaid rights, privileges or options and shall not be responsible for any failure
to do so or delay in so doing.
 Section 1.4. Voting Rights. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, and provided
that no Event of Default exists and Pledgor has received no notice from Bank of the occurrence of an event which, with the expiration of any applicable cure period, would constitute an Event of Default (other than events that have been cured),
Pledgor shall retain the right to receive normal cash dividend distributions, all voting rights, and all other rights incident to ownership with respect to its Pledged Stock.
 Section 1.5. Additional Security. In the event of a stock split, stock dividend, or other issuance of shares by Holdings made on the basis of the then-current ownership of Holdings stock,
there shall be an appropriate adjustment in the number of the Pledged Shares subject to this agreement.
 
- 53
-

Table of Contents

 Section 1.6 Application of Proceeds Upon Default. The proceeds of any such disposition or other action by Bank
shall be applied as follows:
 (a)       First, to the costs and
expenses incurred in connection therewith or incidental thereto or to the care or safekeeping of any of the Pledged Stock or in any way relating to the rights of Bank hereunder, including broker’s fees and reasonable attorneys’ fees and
legal expenses;
 (b)       Second, to the payment and
performance of the Obligations, all in such priority as Bank shall elect; and
 (c)       Third, to the Pledgor, to the extent of any surplus proceeds.
 Section 1.7. Notice of
Sale. Bank need not give more than ten (10) days’ notice of the time and place of any public sale or of the time after which a private sale may take place, which notice the Pledgor hereby agrees shall be
reasonable.
 Section 1.8. Delivery of Stock. The Pledgor agrees to deliver to Bank, simultaneously with the execution hereof, duly
executed Stock Assignments and Powers of Attorney (“Assignments”) for all shares of the Pledged Stock owned by the Pledgor, together with such additional Assignments executed in blank as may be requested from time to time by
Bank.
 ARTICLE II
 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF
PLEDGOR
 Section 2.1 Representations and Warranties of Pledgor. The Pledgor represents and warrants that:
 (a)       The Pledgor is a corporation duly incorporated, validly existing, and in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction of the incorporation; has the corporate power and authority to own its assets and to transact its business, and is duly qualified and in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in which qualification is
required.
 (b)      Pledgor is the legal and beneficial owner of all of the Pledged
Stock;
 (c)       All of the shares of the Pledged Stock have been duly and validly
issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, and are owned by the Pledgor free of any pledge, mortgage, hypothecation, lien, charge, encumbrance or security interest in such shares or the proceeds thereof, except for the lien granted
hereunder;
 
- 54
-

Table of Contents

 (d)      The Pledged Stock constitutes the Pledgor’s entire
equity interest in Holdings, and Exhibit “A” represents a true and correct list of the owners of the only other issued and outstanding shares and their respective interests;
 (e)       The Pledged Stock is not subject to any shareholder agreements, voting agreements,
buy-sell agreements, warrants, or options;
 (f)       The execution and delivery of
this Pledge Agreement, and the performance of its terms, will not result in any violation of any provision of, or violate or constitute a default under the terms of, any agreement, indenture or other instrument, license, judgment, decree, order,
law, statute, ordinance or other governmental rule or regulation, applicable to Pledgor or any property of Pledgor; and
 (g)      Upon delivery of the Pledged Stock to Bank or its agent, this Pledge Agreement shall create a valid lien upon and perfected security interest in the Pledged Stock and the proceeds
thereof, subject to no prior security interest, lien, charge or encumbrance, or agreement purporting to grant to any third party a security interest in the property or assets of the Pledgor which would include the Pledged Stock.
 (h)      No consent of any other person or entity and no authorization, approval, or other action by,
and no notice to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body is required; (a) for the perfection or maintenance of the pledge, assignment, and security interest created hereby (including the first priority nature of such pledge,
assignment, and security interest); or (b) for the exercise by the Bank of the voting or other rights provided for in this Agreement or the remedies in respect of the Pledged Stock pursuant to this Agreement.
 (i)       There are no conditions precedent to the effectiveness of this Agreement that have not been satisfied or
waived.
 ARTICLE III
 COVENANTS OF PLEDGOR
 Section 3.1. Covenants of Pledgor. The Pledgor hereby covenants that, until all of the Obligations have been paid and performed in full, it will
not sell, convey, or otherwise dispose of any of the Pledged Stock or any interest therein or create, incur, or permit to exist any pledge, mortgage, lien, charge, encumbrance or any security interest whatsoever in or with respect to any of the
Pledged Stock or the proceeds thereof, other than that created hereby. In addition, Pledgor hereby covenants that, until all of the Obligations have been paid and performed in full, it will not, without the Bank’s prior written consent,
exercise its voting rights under the Pledged Stock to vote to amend the Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of Holdings in any manner which would materially and adversely affect the rights associated with the Pledged Stock, to issue any additional
shares of stock in Holdings if such issuance (a) would not be in exchange for fair value received by Holdings or (b) would result 
 
- 55
-

Table of Contents

 in the Pledged Stock representing less than 67% of the total outstanding shares of Holdings, or to approve any merger or consolidation, or other corporate
reorganization of Holdings.
 Section 3.2. Defense of Claims. The Pledgor warrants, and will at the Pledgor’s own expense,
defend Bank’s right, title, special property and security interest in and to the Pledged Stock against the claims of any person, firm, corporation or other entity.    
 ARTICLE IV
 MISCELLANEOUS
 Section 4.1. Notices Respecting Stock. The Pledgor will promptly deliver to Bank all written notices, and will promptly give Bank written notice of any other notices,
received by it with respect to Pledged Stock, and Bank will promptly give like notice to the Pledgor of any such notices received by Bank or its nominee.
 Section 4.2. Further Assurances. The Pledgor shall at any time, and from time to time, upon the written request of Bank, execute and deliver such further documents and do such further acts and things as Bank may
reasonably request to effect the purposes of this Pledge Agreement, including, without limitation, delivering to Bank upon the occurrence of an Event of Default irrevocable proxies with respect to the Pledged Stock in a form satisfactory to Bank.
Until receipt of such separate proxies, this Pledge Agreement shall constitute the Pledgor’s proxy to Bank or its nominee to vote all shares of Pledged Stock then registered in the Pledgor’s name.
 Section 4.3. Termination. Upon the payment and performance in full of all Obligations and the payment and performance of all additional costs and expenses of Bank as
provided herein, this Pledge Agreement shall terminate and Bank shall deliver to the Pledgor, at the Pledgor’s expense, such of the Pledged Stock in possession of Bank as shall not have been sold or otherwise applied pursuant to this Pledge
Agreement.
 Section 4.4. No Duty of Bank. Beyond the exercise of reasonable care to assure the safe custody of the Pledged Stock
while held hereunder, Bank shall have no duty or liability to preserve rights pertaining thereto and shall be relieved of all responsibility for the Pledged Stock upon surrendering it or tendering surrender of it to the Pledgor.
 Section 4.5. No Waivers. No course of dealing between the Pledgor and Bank, nor any failure to exercise, nor any delay in exercising, any right,
power or privilege of Bank hereunder or otherwise shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege hereunder or thereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of
any other right, power or privilege.
 Section 4.6. Cumulative Remedies. The rights and remedies provided herein and in all other
agreements, instruments, and documents delivered pursuant hereto, are cumulative and are in 
 
- 56
-

Table of Contents

 addition to the and not exclusive of any rights or remedies provided by law, including, but without limitation, the rights and remedies of a secured party
under the Uniform Commercial Code.
 Section 4.7. Severability. The provisions of this Pledge Agreement are severable, and if any
clause or provision shall be held invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part in any jurisdiction, then such invalidity or unenforceability shall affect only such clause or provision or part thereof in such jurisdiction and shall not in any manner
affect such clause or provision in any other jurisdiction or any other clause or provision in this Pledge Agreement in any jurisdiction.
 Section 4.8.
Notices Under Agreement. Any notice, demand or correspondence required or permitted to be sent or delivered hereunder shall be sent by hand delivery or registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, and shall be
deemed given (1) on the date of receipt, if hand-delivered, or (2) 2 days after being mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the parties at the following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be
specified by a like notice):
  

	 If to Pledgor:
 	  
 	 Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
 3670 River Run Drive
 Birmingham, Alabama
35243
 ATTENTION: Norman W. Gayle, III
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 
	 If to Bank:
 	  
 	 First Commercial Bank
 800 Shades Creek Parkway
 Birmingham, Alabama
35209
 ATTENTION: James W. Brunstad
 

 
 Section 4.9. Successors and Assigns. This
Pledge Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns.
 Section 4.10. Governing Law. This Pledge Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the substantive law of the United States and the State of Alabama without regard to principles of
conflicts of law, except to the extent that the application of the law of another jurisdiction is required to give effect to or to make enforceable any of the provisions hereof.
 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Pledgor has caused this Pledge Agreement to be executed by its duly authorized officer as of the date first above written.
   

	  
 	  
 	 VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.,
 a Delaware corporation
 
	 
 
 
 	  
 	 By: 
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 

 
- 57
-

Table of Contents

   

	  
 	  
 	 Its
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 

  
 
- 58
-

Table of Contents

 EXHIBIT “A”
 Attached to and
forming a part of that certain Stock Pledge Agreement dated as of February 1, 2003, by Vesta Insurance Group, Inc., as Grantor, to First Commercial Bank.
  

	 Class
 	  
 	 Cert. Nos.
 	  
 	 No. of Shares
 	  
 	                             Issued To
 	  
 	 Percentage of
 Outstanding
 	  
 
	 Common
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 38
 	  
 	 92,958
 	  
 	 Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 47
 	  
 	 98,817
 	  
 	 Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 49
 	  
 	 80,000
 	  
 	 Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 50
 	  
 	 86,600
 	  
 	 Vesta Insurance Group, Inc.
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	 358,375
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	 71.26%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 39
 	  
 	 88,940
 	  
 	 Vesta Fire Insurance Corp.
 	  
 	 17.68%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 40
 	  
 	 25,000
 	  
 	 The Shelby Insurance Co.
 	  
 	 4.97%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 41
 	  
 	 20,000
 	  
 	 Shelby Casualty Insurance Co.
 	  
 	 3.97%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 42
 	  
 	 5,000
 	  
 	 The Hawaiian Insurance and Guaranty Company, Ltd.
 	  
 	 0.99%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 43
 	  
 	 3,588
 	  
 	 E. B. Lyon, III
 	  
 	 0.71%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	 44
 	  
 	 2,000
 	  
 	 Tom Mangold
 	  
 	 0.39%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	 502,903
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	 100.00%
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 	  
 

 
 
- 59
-

Table of Contents

 EXHIBIT C
Credit Agreement
First Commercial Bank
Vesta Insurance Group,
Inc.
February 1, 2003 / $30,000,000
 NOTICE OF BORROWING
 First Commercial Bank
800 Shades Creek Parkway
P. O. Box 11746
Birmingham, Alabama 35202-1746
 Ladies
and Gentlemen:
 The undersigned, Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. (the “Borrower”), refers to the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 1, 2003, between
the Borrower and you (the “Lender”) (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”, the terms defined there in being used herein as therein defined), and, pursuant to Section 2.2(a) of the Credit
Agreement, hereby gives you irrevocable notice that the Borrower requests under the Credit Agreement, and to that end sets forth below the information relating to such Borrowing (the “Proposed Borrowing”) as required by Section 2.2(a) of
the Credit Agreement:
 The aggregate principal amount of the Proposed Borrowing is $_______________.
 The Proposed Borrowing is requested to be made on ________________ (the “Borrowing Date”).
 The
Borrower hereby certifies that the following statements are true on and as of the date hereof and will be true on and as of the Borrowing Date:
 (A)      Each of the representations and warranties contained in Article IV of the Credit Agreement and in the other Credit Documents is and will be true and correct on and
as of each such date, with the same effect as if made on and as of each such date, both immediately before and after giving effect to the Proposed Borrowing and to the application of the proceeds therefrom (except to the extent any such
representation or warranty is expressly stated to have been made as of a specific date, in which case such representation or warranty shall be true and correct as of such date);
 
- 60
-

Table of Contents

 (B)      No Default or Event of Default has
occurred and is continuing or would result from the Proposed Borrowing or from the application of the proceeds therefrom; and 
 (C)      After giving effect to the Proposed Borrowing, the aggregate principal amount of Loans outstanding will not exceed the Commitment.
  

	  
 	  
 	 Very truly yours,
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	 VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
 
	 
 
 
 	  
 	 By: 
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 
 Title:
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 

  
 
- 61
-

Table of Contents

 EXHIBIT D-1
Credit Agreement
First Commercial Bank
Vesta Insurance
Group, Inc.
February 1, 2003 / $30,000,000
 FORM OF
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
 (GAAP Financial Statements)
 THIS CERTIFICATE is given pursuant
to Section 5.3(a) of the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 1, 2003 (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”, (the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), between Vesta
Insurance Group, Inc. (the “Borrower”) and First Commercial Bank.
 The undersigned hereby certifies that:
 1.     He is the duly elected [Chief Financial Officer] [Vice President-Finance] [Treasurer] of the Borrower1
 2.     Enclosed with this Certificate are copies of the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of _______________, and for the [_____-month period]
[year] then ended, required to be delivered under Section [5.1(a)] [5.1(b)] of the Credit Agreement. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles [subject to the absence of notes required
by Generally Accepted Accounting principles and subject to normal year-end audit adjustments]1 and fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the date indicated and the
results of operation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the period covered thereby.
 3.     The
undersigned has reviewed the terms of the Credit Agreement and has made, or caused to be made under the supervision of the undersigned, a review in reasonable detail of the transactions and condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries during the
accounting period covered by such financial statements.
 4.     The examination described in paragraph 3 above did not disclose, and
the undersigned has no knowledge of the existence of, any Default or Event of Default during or at the end of the 
 ______________
        1    Insert applicable bracketed language
throughout the certificate.
        2    Insert in the case of quaterly financial statements.
 
- 62
-

Table of Contents

 accounting period covered by such financial statements or as of the date of this Certificate. [, except as set forth below.
 Describe here or in a separate attachment any exceptions to paragraph 4 above by listing, in reasonable detail, the nature of the Default or Event of Default, the period during
which it existed and the action that the Borrower has taken or proposes to take with respect thereto.]
 5.     Attached to this
Certificate as Attachment A is a covenant compliance worksheet reflecting the computation of the financial statements set forth in Sections 6.1, 6.2, 6.4 and 6.5 of the Credit Agreement as of the last day of the period covered by the financial
statements enclosed herewith.
 [SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]
 
- 63
-

Table of Contents

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Certificate as of the _______ day of
_______________, _______.
  

	  
 	  
 	 VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
 
	 
 
 
 	  
 	 By: 
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 
 Name:
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 
 Title:
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 

  
 
- 64
-

Table of Contents

 EXHIBIT D-2
Credit Agreement
First Commercial Bank
Vesta Insurance
Group, Inc.
February 1, 2003 / $30,000,000
 FORM OF
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE
 (Statutory Financial Statements)
 THIS CERTIFICATE is given
pursuant to Section 5.3(a) of the Credit Agreement, dated as of February 1, 2003 (as amended, modified or supplemented from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”, the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), between
Vesta Insurance Group, Inc. (the “Borrower”) and First Commercial Bank.
 The undersigned hereby certifies that:
 1.     He is the duly elected [Chief Financial Officer] [Vice President-Finance] [Treasurer] of the Borrower1
 2.     Enclosed with this Certificate are copies of the financial statements of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries as of _______________, and for the
[_____-month period] [year] then ended, required to be delivered under Section [5.2(a)] [5.2(b)] of the Credit Agreement. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance with Statutory Accounting Principles and fairly present the
financial condition of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis as of the date indicated and the results of operation of the Borrower and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis for the period covered thereby.
 3.     Attached to this Certificate as Attachment A is a covenant compliance worksheet reflecting the computation of the financial statements set forth in
Section 6.6 of the Credit Agreement as of the last day of the period covered by the financial statements enclosed herewith.
 [SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING
PAGE]
 ______________
        3    Insert applicable bracketed language throughout the Certificate.
  
 
- 65
-

Table of Contents

 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Certificate as of the _______ day of
_______________, _______.
  

	  
 	  
 	 VESTA INSURANCE GROUP, INC.
 
	 
 
 
 	  
 	 By: 
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 
 Name:
 	 
 
 
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 
	  
 	  
 	 
 Title:
 	  
 
	  
 	  
 	  
 	 
 

  
 
- 66
-

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00049-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00049-of-00352.parquet"}]]