-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, RnNAs954drx3cdG5OzyTmQv3gWywiAX1v6o0NYlaNTxEJZpvw2dE6fNYffqBV9hz +BiUc7a67rPb2pTKg051gA== 0001104659-06-032731.txt : 20060509 0001104659-06-032731.hdr.sgml : 20060509 20060509172040 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001104659-06-032731 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 4 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20060503 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20060509 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20060509 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: RLI CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000084246 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331] IRS NUMBER: 370889946 STATE OF INCORPORATION: IL FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-09463 FILM NUMBER: 06822332 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 9025 N LINDBERGH DR CITY: PEORIA STATE: IL ZIP: 61615 BUSINESS PHONE: 3096921000 8-K 1 a06-11533_18k.htm CURRENT REPORT OF MATERIAL EVENTS OR CORPORATE CHANGES

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): May 3, 2006

 

RLI Corp.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Illinois

0-6612

37-0889946

(State or other jurisdiction

(Commission

(IRS Employer

of incorporation)

File Number)

Identification No.)

 

9025 North Lindberg Drive, Peoria, IL

61615

(Address of principal executive offices)

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (309) 692-1000

 

Not applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

o Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

o Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

o Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 



 

Item 1.01  Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

 

A.  On May 4, 2006, the shareholders of RLI Corp. (“RLI” or the “Company”) approved the RLI Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), which was adopted by the Board of Directors on February 9, 2006 subject to shareholder approval.  Based on the shareholder approval, the Plan became effective as of January 1, 2006.  This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete Plan, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Establishment and Purpose.  The Plan was established for the purpose of promoting the interests of the Company and its shareholders by providing employees with a form of incentive compensation that is based on the Company’s achievement of certain financial performance goals and other annual objectives. The Plan restates, amends and consolidates prior incentive plans, including the Company’s Market Value Potential Executive Incentive Plan.  The Company may adopt various incentive programs under the Plan, so long as such programs meet with the Plan’s requirements.  Payments under the Plan are intended to be deductible according to Section 162(m) of the Internal

 

Administration.  The Executive Resources Committee of the Board of Directors, containing at least two outside directors ineligible for the Plan, will be the Committee for purposes of Plan administration.  The Committee generally may delegate its powers to a Plan Administrative Committee, which may then delegate any powers to other officers or employees.  The Committee has the sole and exclusive authority to establish Performance Goals (as described below) and certify the achievement of such goals for the CEO and any of the four highest compensated officers of the Company (other than the CEO) during the relevant period (each, an “Executive Employee”), decrease award amounts to all Executive Employees and modify, suspend, reinstate or terminate the Plan.

 

Eligibility.  All Executive Employees are eligible for participation in the Plan.  In addition, the Plan Administrative Committee or its delegate shall determine other employees who may be eligible to participate in the Plan before or within a reasonable time following the beginning of a Performance Period.  The Committee reserves final authority to approve or disapprove of such additional participating employees.

 

Performance Period and Performance Goals.  The Committee shall establish performance goals and the applicable performance period for each of the participating employees.  Performance goals may be based on any one or more of several criteria, in the discretion of the Committee.

 

B.  On May 4, 2006, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a new form of RLI Corp. Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement (“Indemnification Agreement”).  The Indemnification Agreement will replace the existing form of indemnification agreements, and will be entered into with each of the Company’s directors and executive officers.  The form of the Indemnification Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

2



 

C.  The Executive Resources Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors approved a form of Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement (the “Agreement”) on May 3, 2006.  The Agreement is to be utilized in connection with option grants pursuant to the Company’s Omnibus Stock Plan.  The form of the Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

 

 

10.1

 

RLI Incentive Compensation Plan

 

 

 

10.2

 

Form of Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement

 

 

 

10.3

 

Form of Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement

 



 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

 

 

RLI CORP.

 

 

Date:  May 9, 2006

By:

/s/ Daniel O. Kennedy

 

 

Daniel O. Kennedy

 

Vice President and General Counsel

 

3



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Exhibit

 

 

 

10.1

 

RLI Incentive Compensation Plan

 

 

 

10.2

 

Form of Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement

 

 

 

10.3

 

Form of Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement

 

4


 

EX-10.1 2 a06-11533_1ex10d1.htm EX-10

Exhibit 10.1

 

RLI INCENTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2006

 

I. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE

 

RLI Corp. (the “Company”) hereby establishes the RLI Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), effective January 1, 2006 (the “Effective Date”), for the benefit of its employees and employees of its Affiliates. The Plan is intended to amend, consolidate and restate prior incentive compensation plans established by the Company, including the Market Value Potential Executive Incentive Plan. The terms of the Plan, as set forth herein, shall apply to Awards granted under the Plan on and after the Effective Date. Awards granted under the Company’s incentive compensation plans in effect prior to the Effective Date shall be governed by the terms of such plans.

 

The Plan is intended to align incentive compensation with achieving the financial performance factors on which the Company’s market value is driven. The Plan is also designed to promote the accomplishment of management’s primary annual objectives as reflected in the Company’s annual operating plan and in the objectives established by management for employees, and to recognize the achievement of management’s objectives through the payment of incentive compensation.

 

The Plan provides for incentive payments to employees based upon the achievement of pre-established performance goals. The performance goals may be annual or multi-year goals. Incentive compensation payable under the Plan is intended to be deductible by the Company in accordance with Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). The Company may adopt a variety of bonus and incentive programs under the Plan provided such programs are based on the performance goals described herein.

 

II. DEFINITIONS

 

For purposes of the Plan, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below.

 



 

2.1           Affiliate” means any corporation that is part of a controlled group within the meaning of Code Section 414(b) or (c).

 

2.2           Award” means an award of incentive compensation under the Plan to a Participant in accordance with the terms set forth herein.

 

2.3           Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company as constituted at the relevant time.

 

2.4           Board Approval Limit” means a predetermined Award level at which the independent directors of the Board approve Awards in accordance with Section 5.3(c).

 

2.5           Bonus Bank” means a deferred payment arrangement established under Section 6.2.

 

2.6           Bonus Pool” means an amount available for distribution to Participants who have been assigned an interest in the Bonus Pool (e.g. Market Value Potential bonus pool arrangement in effect as of the Effective Date). The amount of the Bonus Pool will be determined by the Committee based on the Performance Goals.

 

2.7           Cause” means termination for reasons described in Section 6.3.

 

2.8           Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

2.9           Committee” means the Executive Resources Committee of the Board, as constituted at the relevant time, which shall consist of two or more “outside directors” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code who are not eligible for participation in the Plan.

 

2.10         Company” means RLI Corp., an Illinois corporation.

 

2.11         Disability or Disabled,” with respect to a Participant, means that the Participant satisfies the requirements to receive long-term disability benefits under the Company-sponsored group long-term disability plan in which the Participant participates without regard to any waiting periods, or that the Participant has been determined by the Social Security Administration to be

 



 

eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits. A Participant shall not be considered to be “Disabled” unless the Participant furnishes proof of the Disability to the Company in such form and manner as the Company may require.

 

2.12         Eligible Employee,” for any Performance Period, means a 162(m) Employee and such other employees of the Company and its Affiliates as may be designated to participate in the Plan for such Performance Period. An employee who is designated as eligible to participate in the Plan for a particular Performance Period is not necessarily eligible to participate in the Plan for any other Performance Period.

 

2.13         Effective Date” means January 1, 2006.

 

2.14         Fiscal Year” means the calendar year.

 

2.15         Normal Retirement Date,” of a Participant, means the date on which the Participant has attained both (i) combined age and years of service with the Company of seventy-five and (ii)  and at least 10 years of service. For this purpose, Company service will be based only on Participant’s actual service with the Company (and not any other employer that may be acquired by the Company with respect to service prior to the acquisition) and shall be calculated based on the number of whole employment years the Participant has completed from the date of Participant’s initial employment with the Company. No credit shall be given for fractional years of service.

 

2.16         162(m) Employee,” for any Fiscal Year, means an employee of the Company who, as of the close of the Fiscal Year, is:  (a) the CEO (or an individual acting in such capacity); or (b) among the four highest compensated officers of the Company (other than the CEO). Whether an employee is the CEO or one of the four highest compensated officers of the Company is determined pursuant to the executive compensation rules of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and regulations under Code Section 162(m).

 

2.17         Participant,” for any Performance Period, means an Eligible Employee who has commenced participating in the Plan for such Performance Period.

 

2.18         Performance Goals,” of a Participant for a Performance Period, are the goals established for the

 



 

Performance Period, the achievement of which is a condition for receiving an Award under the Plan.

 

In the case of a Participant who is a 162(m) Employee, all Performance Goals must be pre-established by the Committee, must be objective, and must state, in terms of an objective formula or standard, the method for computing the amount of compensation payable if the goal is attained. A Performance Goal is considered “pre-established” for purposes of this paragraph if it is established in writing by the Committee no later than 90 days after the commencement of a Performance Period, provided that the outcome is substantially uncertain at the time the Committee actually establishes the goal. However, in no event will a Performance Goal be considered to be pre-established if it is established after 25 percent of a Performance Period has elapsed. A Performance Goal is considered “objective” if a third party having knowledge of the relevant facts could determine whether the goal is met. A formula or standard is considered “objective” if a third party having knowledge of the relevant performance results could calculate the amount to be paid to the Participant. A Performance Goal may be adjusted in accordance with Code Section 162(m) during a Performance Period to prevent dilution or enlargement of an Award as a result of extraordinary events or circumstances as determined by the Committee or to exclude the effects of extraordinary, unusual or nonrecurring events, changes in accounting principles, discontinued operations, acquisitions, divestitures and material restructuring charges.

 

Performance Goals may be based on one or more of the following criteria and may be based on attainment of a particular level of, or on a positive change in, a factor:  revenue, revenue per employee, earnings before income tax (profit before taxes), earnings before interest and income tax, net earnings (profit after taxes), earnings per employee, earnings per share, operating income, total shareholder return, market share, return on equity, before-tax return on net assets, after-tax return on net assets, economic value added (economic profit), market value potential, and underwriting profit. Such criteria may relate to one or any combination of two or more of Company, Affiliate, division or individual performance.

 



 

2.19         Performance Period” means, generally, the Fiscal Year. However, the Committee may, at its discretion, designate a shorter or longer Performance Period.

 

2.20         Plan Administrative Committee” means the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and Vice President, Human Resources of the Company or such other officers as the Committee may designate from time to time.

 

2.21         Retirement,” of a Participant, means the Participant’s termination of employment with the Company and all Affiliates on or after his Normal Retirement Date.

 

2.22         Salary,” of a Participant for a Performance Period, means the annualized base compensation payable to a Participant determined by the salary rate in effect on the last day of the Performance Period. The salary rate shall be determined without regard to reductions or deferrals of compensation under qualified and nonqualified plan or welfare benefit plan. The salary rate shall be determined without regard to fringe benefits, bonuses or other payments in addition to Participant’s base compensation.

 

2.23         Target Performance Award” means a dollar amount (which may be expressed as a percentage of Salary) established for a Participant if the Performance Goal for the Participant is achieved. The Target Performance Award may also state the maximum amount that may actually be paid to the Participant under Section 5.3 (which may be expressed as a percentage of Salary.)

 

III.           ADMINISTRATION

 

3.1           Duties of Committee. The Committee will administer the Plan. Any actions taken by the Committee shall be by a majority vote of all Committee members. The Committee may establish such rules and regulations as it deems necessary for the Plan and its interpretation. In addition, the Committee may make such determinations and take such actions in connection with the Plan as it deems necessary. Each determination made by the Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Plan will be final, binding and conclusive. The Committee may rely on the financial statements certified by the Company’s independent public accountants.

 



 

3.2           Duties of Plan Administrative Committee. Except as provided in Section 3.3, the Committee may delegate some or all of its administrative powers and responsibilities under the Plan to the Plan Administrative Committee. Unless the Committee determines otherwise, the Committee shall be treated as delegating its authority to the Plan Administrative Committee to the full extent permitted hereunder. The Plan Administrative Committee may make such determinations and take such actions within the scope of such delegation and as otherwise provided in the Plan, as it deems necessary. The Plan Administrative Committee may further delegate any duties delegated to it pursuant to this Section 3.2 to other officers or employees of the Company and any such delegation may allow for further delegation to other officers or employees. Each determination made by the Plan Administrative Committee, or its delegate, will be final, binding and conclusive. The Plan Administrative Committee and its delegates may rely on the financial statements certified by the Company’s independent public accountants. Notwithstanding any such delegation, the Committee may review and change any decision made by the Plan Administrative Committee or its delegate.

 

3.3           Committee’s Duties with Respect to 162(m) Employees and to Amend or Terminate Plan. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary:  (a) the Committee shall have sole and exclusive authority to (i) establish the Performance Goals for all 162(m) Employees, (ii) determine and certify the achievement of the Performance Goals for all 162(m) Employees, (iii) decrease the amount of Awards payable to all 162(m) Employees pursuant to Section 5.2 and 5.3, and (iv) to modify, suspend, terminate or reinstate the Plan.

 

IV. ELIGIBILITY TO PARTICIPATE

 

Participation in the Plan is limited to Eligible Employees. An employee who is a 162(m) Employee for a Performance Period shall be eligible to participate in the Plan for the Performance Period. Prior to or within an administratively reasonable period of time following the beginning of a Performance Period, the Plan Administrative Committee or its delegate shall determine which other employees are Eligible Employees for the Performance Period. The Committee has final authority to approve or disapprove the selection of any Eligible Employee. An Eligible Employee (other than a 162(m) Employee) shall become a

 



 

Participant only upon his or her approval by the Plan Administrative Committee or its delegate and his or her compliance with such terms and conditions as the Committee or Plan Administrative Committee may from time to time establish for the implementation of the Plan.

 

V. CALCULATION OF AWARDS

 

A Participant’s Award for a Performance Period is determined as follows:

 

5.1           Establishing Performance Goals and Target Performance Awards and Board Approval Limits. Prior to the beginning of a Performance Period or as soon thereafter as administratively reasonable, but no later than the time permitted under Code Section 162(m), the Committee (in the case of Participants who are 162(m) Employees) and the Plan Administrative Committee, or its delegate, (in the case of all other Participants), shall establish the Performance Goal or Goals and each Participant’s Target Performance Award. Alternatively the Committee (in the case of Participants who are 162(m) Employees) and the Plan Administrative Committee, or its delegate (in the case of all other Participants), may establish a Bonus Pool for one or more Participants and assign Participants an interest in the Bonus Pool. In addition, the Committee shall establish a Board Approval Limit for each Award made to a 162(m) Employee.

 

5.2           Calculation of Awards. Following the close of a Performance Period, the Committee (in the case of the 162(m) Employees) and the Plan Administrative Committee (in the case of all other Participants) shall determine the actual Award payable to a Participant by (i) multiplying the percentage achievement of the Performance Goal against the Target Performance Award to determine the Participant’s Award for the Performance period or (ii) multiplying the Participant’s interest in any Bonus Pool by the final amount of the Bonus Pool. No Award will be paid to a Participant if the percentage achievement of a Performance Goal is below any minimum level of performance established for such Performance Goal. In no event shall the aggregate of all Award payments (including the amount of any Award credited to a Bonus Bank) with respect to a Participant in any Fiscal Year exceed $7,500,000.

 



 

5.3           Adjustments and Certifications of Awards. Once the determination in Section 5.2 is made, the Committee, in the case of a Participant who is a 162(m) Employee, and the Plan Administrative Committee or its delegate in all other cases, shall:

 

(a)           Review the amount of each Award and make any adjustments it, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate to the amount of the Award. In general, each Participant’s Award will be the amount pre-established (when the Performance Goals were established) for achievement of the Performance Goals at the achievement levels described in Section 5.1. However, at the discretion of the Plan Administrative Committee, this amount may be increased (except in the case of a Participant who is a 162(m) Employee) or decreased based upon such objective or subjective criteria as it deems appropriate. The Committee, in its discretion, may decrease (but not increase) the amount in the case of a 162(m) Employee based upon such objective or subjective criteria as it deems appropriate; and

 

(b)           In the case of a Participant who is a 162(m) Employee, the Committee shall certify the extent to which the Participant has satisfied each of his or her Performance Goals and all other material terms of an Award.

 

(c)           In the case of any Award subject to a Board Approval Limit, the independent directors serving on the Board may reduce the actual Award, but not below the Board Approval Limit established by the Committee.

 

VI. PAYMENT OF AWARDS

 

6.1           Timing of Award Payment. Except as provided in Section 6.2, a Participant’s Award for a Performance Period shall be paid in a cash lump sum to him or her no later than March 15 following the end of the Fiscal Year in which the Performance Period ends. A Participant who is also eligible to participate in the RLI Corp. Executive Deferred Compensation Plan may elect to defer some or all of any amount otherwise payable to him or her under this Section 6.1 to the extent permitted by such plan.

 



 

6.2           Bonus Bank. Immediately prior to the beginning of a Performance Period, the Committee may specify that a portion of an Award will be credited to a Bonus Bank. Any such Award will be in writing and shall specify a fixed schedule of payments and such other terms and conditions as the Committee or Plan Administrative Committee may choose. The terms of the Award may provide that amounts credited to the Bonus Bank may be reduced if Performance Goals in a subsequent Performance Period are not met. Amounts deposited to the Bonus Bank will be credited with interest equivalent to the interest rate on three-year U.S. Government Treasury Bills in effect at the beginning of the fiscal year.

 

6.3           Change in Employment Status During Performance Period. In general, in order to receive a payment a Participant must be employed by the Company or Affiliate on (i) the date of actual payment with respect to an Award that is not held under a Bonus Bank and (ii) the date of actual payouts from a Bonus Bank arrangement. If the Participant’s employment is terminated during a Performance Period due to his or her death, Retirement, or Disability, the Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary in the case of the Participant’s death) will be entitled to receive a pro rata portion of the Award only if the Award expressly provides for such payment. If the Participant’s employment is terminated at a time when a Participant has a balance in a Bonus Bank due to his or her death or Disability, the Participant (or the Participant’s beneficiary in the case of the Participant’s death) will be entitled to receive a payment equal to the balance of the Bonus Bank adjusted for interest through the end of the preceding quarter within 30 days of termination. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6.3 to the contrary, a Participant shall not be entitled to any Award for a Performance period if the Participant’s employment is terminated by the Company or Affiliate for “Cause” during the Performance Period. For these purposes, “Cause” shall mean the Participant’s:  (a) failure to comply with any material policies and procedures of the Company or Affiliate; (b) conduct reflecting dishonesty or disloyalty to the Company or Affiliate, or which may have a negative impact on the reputation of the Company or Affiliate; (c) commission of a felony, theft or fraud, or violations of law involving moral turpitude; (d) failure to perform the material duties of his or her employment; (e) excessive absenteeism; (f) unethical behavior; or (g) violation of a material policy of the

 



 

Company. If a Participant’s employment is terminated for “Cause,” the date on which the Participant’s employment is considered to be terminated, for purposes of this Section 6.3, shall be the time at which such Participant is instructed or notified to cease performing his or her job responsibilities for the Company or any Affiliate, whether or not for other reasons, such as payroll, benefits or compliance with legal procedures or requirements, he or she may still have other attributes of an employee.

 

6.4           Beneficiary. In the event that any amount becomes payable under the Plan by reason of the Participant’s death, such amount shall be paid to the same beneficiary or beneficiaries (and in the same proportions) as last designated by the Participant to receive benefits under the Company basic life insurance plan upon the Participant’s death. Such amount shall be paid to the beneficiary or beneficiaries at the same time such amount would have been paid to the Participant had he or she survived. In order for such designation to be valid for purposes of the Plan, it must be completed and filed with the Company according to the rules established by the Company for the Company basic life insurance plan. If the Participant has not completed a beneficiary designation for the Company basic life insurance plan, or all such beneficiaries have predeceased the Participant, then any amount that becomes payable under the Plan by reason of the Participant’s death shall be paid to the personal representative of the Participant’s estate. If there is any question as to the legal right of any person to receive a distribution under the Plan by reason of the Participant’s death, the amount in question may, at the discretion of the Committee, be paid to the personal representative of the Participant’s estate, in which event the Company shall have no further liability to anyone with respect to such amount.

 

6.5           Forfeiture. All Awards paid to the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company under this Plan are subject to forfeiture as provided in Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the implementing rules and regulations.

 

VII. MISCELLANEOUS

 

7.1           No Guaranty of Employment. Neither the adoption nor maintenance of the Plan, the designation of an employee as an Eligible Employee, the setting of Performance Goals,

 



 

nor the provision of any Award under the Plan shall be deemed to be a contract of employment between the Company or an Affiliate and any employee. Nothing contained in the Plan shall give any employee the right to be retained in the employ of the Company or an Affiliate or to interfere with the right of the Company or an Affiliate to discharge any employee at any time, nor shall it give the Company or an Affiliate the right to require any employee to remain in its employ or to interfere with the employee’s right to terminate his or her employment at any time.

 

7.2           Release. Any payment of an Award to or for the benefit of a Participant or beneficiary that is made in good faith by the Company in accordance with the Company’s interpretation of its obligations hereunder shall be in full satisfaction of all claims against the Company for payments under the Plan to the extent of such payment.

 

7.3           Notices. Any notice provided by the Company under the Plan may be posted to a Company-designated website.

 

7.4           Nonalienation. No benefit payable at any time under the Plan shall be subject in any manner to alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, levy, attachment, or encumbrance of any kind by any Participant or beneficiary.

 

7.5           Plan is Unfunded. All Awards under the Plan shall be paid from the general assets of the Company. No Participant shall be deemed to have, by virtue of being a Participant in the Plan, any claim on any specific assets of the Company such that the Participant would be subject to income taxation on any Award prior to distribution to him or her, and the rights of a Participant or beneficiary to any payment to which he or she is otherwise entitled under the Plan shall be those of an unsecured general creditor of the Company.

 

7.6           Tax Liability. The Company may withhold from any payment of Awards or other compensation payable to or on behalf of a Participant or beneficiary such amounts as the Company determines are reasonably necessary to pay any taxes required to be withheld under applicable law.

 

7.7           Captions. Article and section headings and captions are provided for purposes of reference and

 



 

convenience only and shall not be relied upon in any way to construe, define, modify, limit, or extend the scope of any provision of the Plan.

 

7.8           Invalidity of Certain Plan Provisions. If any provision of the Plan is held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of the Plan and the Plan shall be construed and enforced as if such provision had not been included.

 

7.9           Venue. As a substantial portion of the duties and obligations of the parties created by the Plan will be performed in Peoria, Illinois, it shall be the sole and exclusive venue for any arbitration, litigation, special proceedings, or other proceedings between the parties in connection with the Plan.

 

7.10         Hold Harmless. A Participant shall hold the Company harmless from and pay any cost, expense or fee (not to exceed the bank balance) incurred by the Company with respect to any claim, due or demand asserted by any person, except the Company against any amounts due Participant under the Plan.

 

7.11         No Other Agreements. The terms and conditions set forth herein constitute the entire understanding of the Company and the Participants with respect to the matters addressed herein.

 

7.12         Incapacity. In the event that any Participant is unable to care for his or her affairs because of illness or accident, any payment due may be paid to the Participant’s duly qualified guardian or other appointed legal representative.

 

7.13         Applicable Law. The Plan and all rights under it shall be governed by and construed according to the laws of the State of Illinois.

 

 

Date: February 9, 2006

 

 

 

RLI CORP.

 

 

 

By

  /s/ Jonathan E. Michael

 

 

 

President & CEO

 


EX-10.2 3 a06-11533_1ex10d2.htm EX-10

Exhibit 10.2

 

RLI CORP. DIRECTOR AND OFFICER

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the              day of                 , 2006, by and between RLI Corp., an Illinois corporation (the “Company”), and                                      (“Indemnitee”).

 

RECITALS

 

A.            The Company is aware that competent and experienced persons are increasingly reluctant to serve or continue serving as directors or officers of companies unless they are protected by comprehensive liability insurance and adequate indemnification due to the increased exposure to litigation costs and risks resulting from service to such companies that often bear no relationship to the compensation of such directors or officers.

 

B.            The statutes and judicial decisions regarding the duties of directors and officers often fail to provide directors and officers with adequate, reliable knowledge of the legal risks to which they are exposed or the manner in which they are expected to execute their fiduciary duties and responsibilities.

 

C.            The Company and the Indemnitee recognize that plaintiffs often seek damages in such large amounts, and the costs of litigation may be so great (whether or not the case is meritorious), that the defense and/or settlement of such litigation can create an extraordinary burden on the personal resources of directors and officers.

 

D.            The board of directors of the Company has concluded that, to attract and retain competent and experienced persons to serve as directors and officers of the Company, it is not only reasonable and prudent but necessary to promote the best interests of the Company and its stockholders for the Company to contractually indemnify its directors and certain of its officers in the manner set forth herein, and to assume for itself liability for expenses and damages in connection with claims against such directors and officers in connection with their service to the Company as provided herein.

 

E.             The Company desires and has requested the Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company, and the Indemnitee is willing to serve, or to continue to serve, as a director and/or officer of the Company if the Indemnitee is furnished the indemnity provided for herein by the Company.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual covenants and agreements set forth below, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.             Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms shall have the corresponding meanings set forth below.

 



 

“Claim” means a claim or action asserted by a Person in a Proceeding or any other written demand for relief in connection with or arising from an Indemnification Event.

 

“Company Action” means a Proceeding in which a Claim has been brought by or in the name of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor.

 

“Covered Entity” means (i) the Company, (ii) any subsidiary of the Company or (iii) any other Person for which Indemnitee is or was or may be deemed to be serving, at the request of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, as a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary.

 

“Disinterested Director” means, with respect to any determination contemplated by this Agreement, any Person who, as of the time of such determination, is a member of the Company’s board of directors but is not a party to any Proceeding then pending with respect to any Indemnification Event.

 

“ERISA” means Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or any similar Federal statute then in effect.

 

“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any similar Federal statute then in effect.

 

“Expenses” means any and all direct and indirect fees and costs, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage and delivery service fees and all other disbursements or expenses of any type or nature whatsoever reasonably incurred by Indemnitee (including, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3(c) below, reasonable attorneys’ fees) in connection with or arising from an Indemnification Event, including, without limitation: (i) the investigation or defense of a Claim; (ii) being, or preparing to be, a witness or otherwise participating, or preparing to participate, in any Proceeding; (iii) furnishing, or preparing to furnish, documents in response to a subpoena or otherwise in connection with any Proceeding; (iv) any appeal of any judgment, outcome or determination in any Proceeding (including, without limitation, any premium, security for and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond or any other appeal bond or its equivalent); (v) establishing or enforcing any right to indemnification under this Agreement (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 2(c) below), Illinois law or otherwise, regardless of whether Indemnitee is ultimately successful in such action, unless as a part of such action, a court of competent jurisdiction over such action determines that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for such action was not made in good faith or was frivolous; (vi) Indemnitee’s defense of any Proceeding instituted by or in the name of the Company under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement (including, without limitation, costs and expenses incurred with respect to Indemnitee’s counterclaims and cross-claims made in such action); and (vii) any Federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement, including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable with respect to such payments. For purposes of clarification, Expenses shall not include Losses.

 



 

An “Indemnification Event” shall be deemed to have occurred if Indemnitee was or is or becomes, or is threatened to be made, a party to or witness or other participant in, or was or is or becomes obligated to furnish or furnishes documents in response to a subpoena or otherwise in connection with, any Proceeding by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was or may be deemed a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of any Covered Entity, or by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while serving in any such capacity (including, without limitation, rendering any written statement that is a Required Statement or is made to another officer or employee of the Covered Entity to support a Required Statement).

 

“Independent Legal Counsel” means an attorney or firm of attorneys designated by the Disinterested Directors (or, if there are no Disinterested Directors, the Company’s board of directors) that is experienced in matters of corporate law and neither presently is, nor in the thirty-six (36) months prior to such designation has been, retained to represent:  (i) the Company or Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.

 

“Losses” means any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, penalties, settlement payments, awards and amounts of any type whatsoever incurred by Indemnitee in connection with or arising from an Indemnification Event. For purposes of clarification, Losses shall not include Expenses.

 

“Organizational Documents” means any and all organizational documents, charters or similar agreements or governing documents, including, without limitation, (i) with respect to a corporation, its articles of incorporation and bylaws, (ii) with respect to a limited liability company, its operating agreement, and (iii) with respect to a limited partnership, its partnership agreement.

 

“Proceeding” means any threatened, pending or completed claim, action, suit, proceeding, arbitration or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or appeal or any other actual, threatened or completed proceeding, whether brought in the right of a Covered Entity or otherwise and whether of a civil (including intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative nature.

 

“Person” means an individual, a partnership, a corporation, a limited liability company, an association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated organization or other enterprise or government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

“Required Statement” means a written statement of a Person that is required to be, and is, filed with the SEC regarding the design, adequacy or evaluation of a Covered Entity’s internal controls or disclosure controls and procedures or the accuracy, sufficiency or completeness of reports or statements filed by a Covered Entity with the SEC pursuant to federal law and/or administrative regulations, including without limitation, the certifications contemplated by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto.

 



 

“Reviewing Party” means, with respect to any determination contemplated by this Agreement, any one of the following:  (i) a majority of the Disinterested Directors, even if such Persons would not constitute a quorum of the Company’s board of directors; (ii) a committee consisting solely of Disinterested Directors, even if such Persons would not constitute a quorum of the Company’s board of directors, so long as such committee was designated by a majority of the Disinterested Directors; (iii) Independent Legal Counsel (in which case, any determination shall be evidenced by the rendering of a written opinion); or (iv) in the absence of any Disinterested Directors, the Company’s stockholders.

 

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any similar Federal statute then in effect.

 

2.             Indemnification.

 

(a)           Indemnification of Losses and Expenses. If an Indemnification Event has occurred, then, subject to Section 9 below, the Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by law, against any and all Losses and Expenses, but only if the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful. The termination of any Proceeding by judgment, order, settlement or conviction or on plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that Indemnitee (i) did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company, or (ii) with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

 

(b)           Limitation with Respect to Company Actions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee with respect to any Losses or Expenses in connection with or arising from any Company Action as to which the Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged to be liable to the Company by a court of competent jurisdiction due to Indemnitee’s negligence or misconduct in the performance of the Indemnitee’s duties to the Company, unless, and then only to extent that, any court in which such Company Action was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all the circumstances of the case, the Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to Expenses for such indemnification as such court shall deem proper.

 

(c)           Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance Expenses to or on behalf of Indemnitee as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 30 days after written request therefor by Indemnitee, which request shall be accompanied by vouchers, invoices or similar evidence documenting in reasonable detail the Expenses incurred or to be incurred by Indemnitee. The Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized by this Agreement.

 



 

(d)           Contribution. If, and to the extent, the indemnification of Indemnitee provided for in Section 2(a) above for any reason is held by a court of competent jurisdiction not to be permissible for liabilities arising under Federal securities laws or ERISA, then the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee under this Agreement, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by Indemnitee as a result of such Losses or Expenses (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Covered Entities and all officers, directors or employees of the Covered Entities other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above 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 Covered Entities and all officers, directors or employees of the Covered Entities other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and the Indemnitee, on the other hand, in connection with the action or inaction that resulted in such Losses or Expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Covered Entities and all officers, directors or employees of the Covered Entities other than Indemnitee who are jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding), on the one hand, and Indemnitee, on the other hand, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, the degree to which their actions were motivated by intent to gain personal profit or advantage, the degree to which their liability is primary or secondary, and the degree to which their conduct is active or passive. No Person found 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 found guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

 

3.             Indemnification Procedures.

 

(a)           Notice of Indemnification Event. Indemnitee shall give the Company notice as soon as practicable of any Indemnification Event of which Indemnitee becomes aware and of any request for indemnification hereunder, provided that any failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of any of its obligations under this Agreement, except if, and then only to the extent that, such failure increases the liability of the Company under this Agreement.

 

(b)           Notice to Insurers. If, at the time the Company receives notice of an Indemnification Event pursuant to Section 3(a) above, the Company has liability insurance in effect which may cover such Indemnification Event, the Company shall give prompt written notice of such Indemnification Event to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in each of the applicable policies of insurance. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Indemnification Event in accordance with the terms of such policies; provided that nothing in this Section 3(b) shall affect the Company’s obligations under this Agreement or the Company’s obligations to comply with the provisions of this Agreement in a timely manner as provided.

 

(c)           Selection of Counsel. If the Company shall be obligated hereunder to pay or advance Expenses or indemnify Indemnitee with respect to any Losses, the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of any related Claims, with counsel selected by the Company. After the retention of such counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to

 



 

Indemnitee under this Agreement for any fees of counsel subsequently incurred by Indemnitee with respect to the defense of such Claims; provided that:  (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to employ counsel in connection with any such Claim at Indemnitee’s expense; and (ii) if (A) the employment of counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B) counsel for Indemnitee shall have provided the Company with written advice that there is a conflict of interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense, or (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such Claim, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee’s counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.

 

4.             Determination of Right to Indemnification.

 

(a)           Successful Proceeding. To the extent Indemnitee has been successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of any Proceeding referred to in Section 2(a) or 2(b), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against Losses and Expenses incurred by him in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding, but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all Claims in such Proceeding, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Losses and Expenses actually or reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in connection with each successfully resolved Claim.

 

(b)           Other Proceedings. In the event that Section 4(a) is inapplicable, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee, unless, but then only to the extent that, a Reviewing Party chosen pursuant to Section 4(c) determines that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 2(a) or 2(b), as applicable, as a condition to such indemnification.

 

(c)           Reviewing Party Determination. If, and to the extent, any applicable law requires the determination that Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in Section 2(a) or 2(b), as applicable, as a condition to any such indemnification, a Reviewing Party chosen by the Company’s board of directors shall make such determination, subject to the following:

 

(i)            A Reviewing Party so chosen shall act in the utmost good faith to assure Indemnitee a complete opportunity to present to such Reviewing Party Indemnitee’s case that Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

(ii)           Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of a Covered Entity, including, without limitation, its financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the officers or employees of a Covered Entity in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for a Covered Entity or on information or records given, or reports made, to a Covered Entity by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by a Covered Entity. In addition, the knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any director, officer, agent or employee of a Covered Entity shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement. Whether or not the foregoing provisions of this Section 4(c)(ii) are satisfied, it shall in any event be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Any

 



 

Person seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion, by clear and convincing evidence.

 

(iii)          If a Reviewing Party chosen pursuant to this Section 4(c) shall not have made a determination whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (A) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (B) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law; provided, however, that such 30 day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional fifteen (15) days, if the Reviewing Party in good faith requires such additional time for obtaining or evaluating documentation and/or information relating thereto; and provided, further, that the foregoing provisions of this Section 4(c)(iii) shall not apply if (I) the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by the stockholders of the Company, (II) a special meeting of stockholders is called by the board of directors of the Company for such purpose within thirty (30) days after the stockholders are chosen as the Reviewing Party, (III) such meeting is held for such purpose within sixty (60) days after having been so called, and (IV) such determination is made thereat.

 

(d)           Appeal to Court. Notwithstanding a determination by a Reviewing Party chosen pursuant to Section 4(c) that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification with respect to a specific Claim or Proceeding (an “Adverse Determination”), Indemnitee shall have the right to apply to the court in which that Claim or Proceeding is or was pending or any other court of competent jurisdiction for the purpose of enforcing Indemnitee’s right to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement, provided that Indemnitee shall commence any such Proceeding seeking to enforce Indemnitee’s right to indemnification within one (1) year following the date upon which Indemnitee is notified in writing by the Company of the Adverse Determination. In the event of any dispute between the parties concerning their respective rights and obligations hereunder, the Company shall have the burden of proving that the Company is not obligated to make the payment or advance claimed by Indemnitee.

 

(e)           Presumption of Success. The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment shall be deemed a successful resolution for purposes of Section 4(a) if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption or uncertainty. In the event that any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such Proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration), it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such Proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion, by clear and convincing evidence.

 

5.             Additional Indemnification Rights; Non-exclusivity.

 

(a)           Scope. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law, even if such indemnification is not specifically authorized by the

 



 

other provisions of this Agreement or any other agreement, the Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity or by applicable law. In the event of any change after the date of this Agreement in any applicable law, statute or rule which expands the right of an Illinois corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of any change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of an Illinois corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the extent not otherwise required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall have no effect on this Agreement or the parties rights and obligations hereunder except as set forth in Section 9(a) hereof.

 

(b)           Non-exclusivity. The rights to indemnification, contribution and advancement of Expenses provided in this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of, but shall be in addition to, any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under the Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or Disinterested Directors, the laws of the State of Illinois or otherwise. Furthermore, no right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion of any right or remedy hereunder or otherwise shall not prevent the concurrent assertion of any other right or remedy. The rights to indemnification, contribution and advancement of Expenses provided in this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action Indemnitee took or did not take while serving in an indemnified capacity even though Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity.

 

6.             No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of any amount otherwise indemnifiable hereunder, or for which advancement is provided hereunder, if and to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment, whether pursuant to any insurance policy, the Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity or otherwise.

 

7.             Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that, in certain instances, Federal law or public policy may override applicable state law and prohibit the Company from indemnifying its directors and officers under this Agreement or otherwise. For example, the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that the SEC has taken the position that indemnification is not permissible for liabilities arising under certain Federal securities laws, and Federal legislation prohibits indemnification for certain ERISA violations. Indemnitee understands and acknowledges that the Company has undertaken, or may be required in the future to undertake, with the SEC to submit the question of indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the Company’s right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee, and any right to indemnification hereunder shall be subject to, and conditioned upon, any such required court determination.

 

8.             Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains liability insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, controlling persons, agents or fiduciaries of any Covered Entity, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in such a manner as to provide Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of

 



 

the Covered Entity’s directors, if Indemnitee is a director of such Covered Entity, or of the Covered Entity’s officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of such Covered Entity but is an officer of such Covered Entity, or of the Covered Entity’s key employees, controlling persons, agents or fiduciaries, if Indemnitee is not an officer or director but is a key employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of such Covered Entity, as the case may be. The Company shall advise Indemnitee as to the general terms of, and the amounts of coverage provide by, any liability insurance policy described in this Section 8 and shall promptly notify Indemnitee if, at any time, any such insurance policy will no longer be maintained or the amount of coverage under any such insurance policy will be decreased.

 

9.             Exceptions. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to indemnify Indemnitee:

 

(a)           against any Losses or Expenses, or advance Expenses to Indemnitee, with respect to Claims initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee, and not by way of defense (including, without limitation, affirmative defenses and counter-claims), except (i) Claims to establish or enforce a right to indemnification, contribution or advancement with respect to an Indemnification Event, whether under this Agreement, any other agreement or insurance policy, the Company’s Organizational Documents of any Covered Entity, the laws of the State of Illinois or otherwise, or (ii) if the Company’s board of directors has approved specifically the initiation or bringing of such Claim;
 
(b)           against any Losses or Expenses, or advance Expenses to Indemnitee, with respect to Claims arising (i) with respect to an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act or (ii) pursuant to Section 304 or 306 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto; or
 
(c)           if, and to the extent, that a court of competent jurisdiction renders a final, unappealable decision that such indemnification is not lawful.
 

10.          Miscellaneous.

 

(a)           Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.

 

(b)           Binding Effect; Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns (including with respect to the Company, any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company) and with respect to Indemnitee, his or her spouse, heirs, and personal and legal representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor or assign (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession or assignment had taken place. This Agreement shall continue

 



 

in effect with respect to Claims relating to Indemnification Events regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as a director, officer, employee, controlling person, agent or fiduciary of any Covered Entity.

 

(c)           Notice. All notices and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing, shall be effective when given, and shall in any event be deemed to be given (a) five (5) days after deposit with the U.S. Postal Service or other applicable postal service, if delivered by first class mail, postage prepaid, (b) upon delivery, if delivered by hand, (c) one (1) business day after the business day of deposit with Federal Express or similar, nationally recognized overnight courier, freight prepaid, or (d) one (1) business day after the business day of delivery by confirmed facsimile transmission, if deliverable by facsimile transmission, with copy by other means permitted hereunder, and addressed, if to Indemnitee, to the Indemnitee’s address or facsimile number (as applicable) as set forth beneath the Indemnitee’s signature to this Agreement, or, if to the Company, at the address or facsimile number (as applicable) of its principal corporate offices (attention:  Secretary), or at such other address or facsimile number (as applicable) as such party may designate to the other parties hereto.

 

(d)           Enforceability. This Agreement is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

(e)           Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Illinois for all purposes in connection with any Proceeding which arises out of or relates to this Agreement and agree that any Proceeding instituted under this Agreement shall be commenced, prosecuted and continued only in the courts of the State of Illinois.

 

(f)            Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law. Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of this Agreement containing any provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable that is not itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the extent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or unenforceable.

 

(g)           Choice of Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions shall be construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to the conflict of laws principles thereof.

 

(h)           Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee who shall execute all documents required and shall do all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

(i)            Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in a writing signed by the parties

 



 

to be bound thereby. Notice of same shall be provided to all parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

(j)            No Construction as Employment Agreement. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained or continue in the employ or service of any Covered Entity.

 

[remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows]

 



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on and as of the day and year first above written.

 

 

COMPANY:

 

 

 

RLI Corp.

 

an Illinois corporation

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INDEMNITEE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


EX-10.3 4 a06-11533_1ex10d3.htm EX-10

Exhibit 10.3

 

RLI CORP.

Omnibus Stock Plan

 

Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement

 

Name of Optionee:

 

 

 

 

 

Number of Shares Covered:

 

Date of Grant:

 

 

 

Exercise Price Per Share:

 

Expiration Date:

 

 

 

Exercise Schedule (Cumulative):

 

 

 

Date(s) of
Exercisability

 

Number of Shares as to Which
Option Becomes Exercisable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a Non-Statutory Stock Option Agreement (the “Agreement”) between RLI Corp., an Illinois corporation (the “Company”), and the optionee identified above (the “Optionee”) effective as of the date of grant specified above.

 

Background

 

A.            The Company maintains the RLI Corp. Omnibus Stock Plan (the “Plan”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan.

 

B.            Under the Plan, the Executive Resources Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Committee”) administers the Plan and has the authority to determine the awards to be granted under the Plan.

 

C.            The Committee has determined that the Optionee is eligible to receive an award under the Plan in the form of a non-statutory stock option (the “Option”).

 

D.            The Company hereby grants the Option to the Optionee under the terms and conditions as follows.

 



 

Terms and Conditions

 

1.                                      Grant. The Optionee is granted the Option to purchase the number of shares of common stock of the Company (the “Shares”) specified at the beginning of this Agreement.

 

2.                                      Exercise Price. The price to the Optionee of each Share subject to the Option will be the exercise price specified at the beginning of this Agreement (which price shall not be less than the Fair Market Value as of the date of grant).

 

3.                                      Non-Statutory Stock Option. The Option is not intended to be an “incentive stock option” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

 

4.                                      Exercise Schedule. The Option will vest and become exercisable as to the number of Shares and on the dates specified in the exercise schedule at the beginning of this Agreement. The exercise schedule will be cumulative; thus, to the extent the Option has not already been exercised and has not expired, terminated or been cancelled, the Optionee or the person otherwise entitled to exercise the Option as provided herein may at any time, and from time to time, purchase all or any portion of the Shares then purchasable under the exercise schedule.

 

The Option may also be exercised in full (notwithstanding the exercise schedule) under the circumstances described in Section 8 of this Agreement if it has not expired prior thereto.

 

5.                                      Expiration. The Option shall expire at 5:00 p.m. Central Time on the expiration date specified at the beginning of this Agreement. In no event may anyone exercise the Option, in whole or in part, after it has expired, notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement.

 

6.                                      Procedure to Exercise Option.

 

Notice of Exercise. The Option may be exercised by delivering written notice of exercise to the Company at the principal executive office of the Company, to the attention of the Company’s Secretary. The notice shall state the number of Shares to be purchased, and shall be signed by the person exercising the Option. If the person exercising the Option is not the Optionee, he/she also must submit appropriate proof of his/her right to exercise the Option. The Company may designate a third party to administer the option program in which case the third part may receive any required notice.

 

Tender of Payment. Upon giving notice of any exercise hereunder, the Optionee shall provide for payment of the purchase price of the Shares being purchased through one or a combination of the following methods:

 

(a)           Cash (including check, bank draft or money order);

 

(b)           By delivery or tender to the Company of unencumbered Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the purchase price of the Shares acquired upon exercise; or

 

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(c)           By directing a broker designated by the Company to effect a broker assisted cashless exercise program to sell Shares issued on exercise of the Option having an aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the purchase price of the Shares acquired upon exercise and to remit the proceeds of the such sale to the Company.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Optionee shall not be permitted to pay any portion of the purchase price with Shares if the Committee, in its sole discretion, determines that payment in such manner could have adverse financial accounting consequences for the Company.

 

Delivery of Certificates. As soon as practicable after the Company receives the notice and purchase price provided for above, it shall deliver to the person exercising the Option, in the name of such person, a certificate or certificates representing the Shares being purchased; provided, however, that the Company may deliver the Shares electronically in book-entry form. The Company shall pay any original issue or transfer taxes with respect to the issue or transfer of the Shares and all fees and expenses incurred by it in connection therewith. All Shares so issued shall be fully paid and nonassessable. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no certificate for Shares distributable under the Plan shall be issued and delivered unless the issuance of such certificate complies with all applicable legal requirements including, without limitation, compliance with the provisions of applicable state securities laws, the Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

 

Withholding Taxes. Optionee is responsible for payment of any federal, state, local or other taxes which must be withheld upon the exercise of the Option, and Optionee must promptly pay to the Company any such taxes. The Company and its subsidiaries are authorized to deduct from any payment owed to Optionee any taxes required to be withheld with respect to the Shares, including social security and Medicare (FICA) taxes and federal, state and local income tax with respect to income arising from the exercise of the Option. The Company shall have the right to require the payment of any such taxes before issuing any Shares pursuant to an exercise of the Option. In lieu of all or any part of a cash payment, Optionee may elect to have a portion of the Shares otherwise issuable upon exercise of the Option withheld by the Company to satisfy withholding tax requirements (based on the minimum supplemental wage withholding rates) relating to the Option exercise with such Shares valued in the same manner as used in computing such withholding taxes. Any fractional share amount due relating to such tax withholding will be rounded up to the nearest whole share and the additional amount will be added to Optionee’s federal withholding.

 

7.                                      Termination of Employment. The Option may be exercised only while the Optionee remains employed with the Company or a parent or subsidiary thereof, and only if the Optionee has been continuously so employed since the date the Option was granted; provided that:

 

(a)           Except as otherwise provided below, the Option may be exercised for three months after termination of the Optionee’s employment, but only to the extent that it was exercisable immediately prior to termination of employment;

 

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(b)           The Option may be exercised for one year after termination of the Optionee’s employment if such termination is because of death of the Optionee;

 

(c)           The Option may be exercised for three years after termination of the Optionee’s employment if such termination of employment is because of disability (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code) of the Optionee; and

 

(d)           The Option may be exercised for three years after termination of the Optionee’s employment if such termination is because of the Optionee’s Retirement (as defined in the Plan and interpreted to count only full years, such that any fractional year of age or service shall be disregarded).

 

Notwithstanding the above, the Option may not be exercised after it has expired. In addition, the Option shall terminate immediately if Optionee is notified that Optionee’s employment is being terminated for cause. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “cause” shall mean the Optionee’s gross mismanagement or gross neglect of his or her duties which materially and adversely affects the business or affairs of the Company; the Optionee’s willful conduct which is (or which will be if continued) demonstrably and materially injurious to the Company, monetarily or otherwise; the Optionee’s fraud, misappropriation or embezzlement in connection with the Company; the Optionee’s conviction of a felony crime; or the Optionee’s willful committing of unethical acts in the course of his or her employment with the Company.

 

8.                                      Acceleration of Vesting. In the event of the death, disability or Retirement of the Optionee, any portion of the Option that was not previously exercisable shall become immediately exercisable in full if the Optionee shall have been continuously employed by the Company or a parent or subsidiary thereof between the date the Option was granted and the date of such death, disability or Retirement.

 

9.                                      Limitation on Transfer. During the lifetime of the Optionee, only the Optionee or his/her guardian or legal representative may exercise the Option. The Option may not be assigned or transferred by the Optionee otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and distribution or pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Optionee may transfer the Option, without payment or consideration from the transferee, to any one or more of the Optionee’s spouse or issue, to one or more trusts established solely for the benefit of the Optionee’s spouse or issue or to one or more partnerships in which the only partners are the Optionee’s spouse or issue. For purpose of this provision, the term “spouse” shall include a former spouse who receives a transfer pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order, and the term issue shall include a stepchild or step-grandchild. No such transfer shall be effective unless reasonable prior notice thereof is delivered to the Company. Any such permitted transferee shall be subject to all of the terms and conditions applicable to the person transferring the Option including the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan and this Agreement.

 

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10.                               No Shareholder Rights Before Exercise. No person shall have any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect to any Share subject to the Option until the Share actually is issued to him/her upon exercise of the Option.

 

11.                               Discretionary Adjustment. In the event of any reorganization, merger, consolidation, recapitalization, liquidation, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares, rights offering, or extraordinary dividend or divestiture (including a spin-off), or any other change in the corporate structure or Shares of the Company, the Committee (or if the Company does not survive any such transaction, a comparable committee of the board of directors of the surviving corporation) may, without the consent of the Optionee, make such adjustment as it determines in its discretion to be appropriate as to the number and kind of securities subject to and reserved under the Plan and, in order to prevent inappropriate dilution or enlargement of rights of the Optionee, the number and kind of securities issuable upon exercise of the Option and the exercise price hereof.

 

12.                               Interpretation of this Agreement. All decisions and interpretations made by the Committee with regard to any question arising hereunder or under the Plan shall be binding and conclusive upon the Company and the Optionee. If there is any inconsistency between the provisions of this Agreement and the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall govern.

 

13.                               Discontinuance of Employment. This Agreement shall not give the Optionee a right to continued employment with the Company or any parent or subsidiary of the Company, and the Company or any such parent or subsidiary employing the Optionee may terminate his/her employment at any time and otherwise deal with the Optionee without regard to the effect it may have upon him/her under this Agreement.

 

14.                               Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding in all respects on the heirs, representatives, successors and assigns of the Optionee.

 

15.                               Choice of Law. This Agreement is entered into under the laws of the State of Illinois and shall be construed and interpreted thereunder (without regard to its conflict of law principles).

 

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The Optionee and the Company have executed this Agreement as of the       day of

 

 

OPTIONEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RLI Corp.

 

 

 

 

 

By

 

 

Its

 

 

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