8-K

Exhibit 99.1

THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC.

$500,000,000 5.800% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2018

Underwriting Agreement

May 8, 2008

Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

     As Representatives of the
     several Underwriters listed
     in Schedule 1 hereto

c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.

85 Broad Street
New York, New York 10014

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

4 World Financial Center
250 Vesey Street
New York, New York 10080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Travelers Companies, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.800% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Securities”), having the terms set forth in Schedule 3 hereto. The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 12, 2002 (the “Indenture”) between the Company (formerly known as The St. Paul Companies, Inc.) and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank), as trustee (the “Trustee”).

1. Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) on Form S-3 (File No. 333-130323), as amended by the Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the specified meanings:

“Applicable Time” means 2:00 pm (New York City time) on the date of this Agreement;

“Base Prospectus” means the base prospectus filed as part of the Registration Statement, in the form in which it has most recently been amended on or prior to the date hereof, relating to the Securities;

“Disclosure Package” means, as of the Applicable Time, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, together with each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus filed or used by the Company on or before the Applicable Time and identified on Schedule 2 hereto, other than a road show that is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus under Rule 433 of the Securities Act;

“Effective Date” means any date as of which any part of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto relating to the Securities became, or is deemed to have become, effective under the Securities Act (including pursuant to Rule 430B of the Securities Act);

“Final Term Sheet” means the term sheet prepared pursuant to Section 4(a) of the Agreement and substantially in the form attached in Schedule 3 hereto;

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means each “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the offering of the Securities, including the Final Term Sheet;

“Preliminary Prospectus” means any preliminary prospectus relating to the Securities, including the Base Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus supplement thereto, included in the Registration Statement or as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act and provided to the Representatives for use by the Underwriters;

“Prospectus” means the final prospectus relating to the Securities, including the Base Prospectus and the final prospectus supplement thereto relating to the Securities, as filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act and provided to the Representatives for use by the Underwriters; and

“Registration Statement” means, collectively, the various parts of the above-referenced registration statement, each as amended as of the Effective Date for such part, including any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus and all exhibits to such registration statement.

Any reference to the “most recent Preliminary Prospectus” will be deemed to refer to the latest Preliminary Prospectus included in the Registration Statement or filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act prior to or on the date hereof (including, for purposes of this Agreement, any documents incorporated by reference therein prior to or on the date of this Agreement). Any reference to any

Registration Statement, Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus will be deemed to refer to and include any documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Form S-3 under the Securities Act as of the date when such Registration Statement became effective or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be. Any reference to any amendment or supplement to any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus will be deemed to refer to and include any document filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), after the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be, and incorporated by reference in such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement will be deemed to include any annual report of the Company on Form 10-K filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the Effective Date that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.

2. Purchase of the Securities by the Underwriters. (a) The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amounts of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.409% of the principal amount thereof for the Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from May 13, 2008 to the Closing Date (as defined below). The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

(b) The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

(c) Payment for and delivery of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Davis Polk & Wardwell at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on May 13, 2008 (the “Closing Date”), or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing.

(d) Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company, for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (each a “Global Security”), with any

transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company.

3. Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company represents, warrants and agrees (i) on and as of the date hereof, and (ii) on the Closing Date, that:

(a) An “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 of under the Securities Act) on Form S-3 in respect of the Securities (File No. 333-130323) (i) has been prepared by the Company in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, (ii) has been filed with the Commission under the Securities Act not earlier than the date that is three years prior to the Closing Date and (iii) upon its filing with the Commission, automatically became and is effective under the Securities Act. Copies of such registration statement and any amendment thereto (excluding exhibits to such registration statement but including all documents incorporated by reference in each prospectus contained therein) have been made available by the Company to the Representatives.

(b) The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus; and no proceeding for any such purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission. The Commission has not notified the Company of any objection to the use of the form of the Registration Statement.

(c) The Company has been since the time of the initial filing of the Registration Statement, and continues to be, a “well-known seasoned issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) and has not been, and continues not to be, an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), in each case at all times relevant under the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

(d) The Registration Statement conformed on the Effective Date and conforms, and any amendment to the Registration Statement filed after the date hereof and prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities, will, when it becomes effective, conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act. The most recent Preliminary Prospectus conforms on the date hereof, and the Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto filed after the date hereof and prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities, will, when they become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act. The documents incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all

material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and no such documents have been filed with the Commission since the close of business of the Commission on the business day immediately prior to the date hereof except for such documents which the Company has shared with the Representatives and to which the Representatives have not reasonably objected.

(e) The Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Date, contain any 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 not misleading; provided, however, that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein.

(f) The Disclosure Package did not, as of the Applicable Time, contain any 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Disclosure Package in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein.

(g) The Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, will not, as of its date and on the Closing Date, contain any 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that no representation or warranty is made as to information contained in or omitted from the Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company through the Representatives by or on behalf of any Underwriter specifically for inclusion therein.

(h) The documents incorporated by reference in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus did not, and any further documents incorporated by reference therein will not, when filed with the Commission, contain any 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(i) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries (as such term is defined under Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X) has sustained since the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, which is material to the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than issuances of common stock upon the exercise of stock options outstanding on the date hereof or pursuant to existing employee compensation plans or other than repurchases or redemptions of shares of capital stock of the Company pursuant to the Company’s existing share repurchase program) or long-term debt of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, business, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

(j) Each of the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries has good and marketable title in fee simple to all material real property and good and marketable title to all material personal property owned by it, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects, except such as are described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or such as would not materially interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries; and any material real property and material buildings held under lease by the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made and currently proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its Significant Subsidiaries;

(k) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Minnesota, with full corporate power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would

not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business (a “Material Adverse Effect”); and each Significant Subsidiary of the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction which requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified or be in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; none of the Company’s subsidiaries other than those listed on Annex I hereto are Significant Subsidiaries;

(l) The Company has an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non assessable; and all of the issued shares of capital stock of each Significant Subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non assessable and (except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus) are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims;

(m) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and this Agreement conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

(n) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; and the Indenture conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

(o) The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company for issuance and sale to the Underwriters and, when issued pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, and authenticated by the Trustee and delivered by the Company against payment therefor, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating or

affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles, and entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Securities conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; the holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company are not entitled to preemptive or other rights to subscribe for the Securities;

(p) The issuance and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in (i) a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, (ii) any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or By-laws of the Company or (iii) any violation of any law, statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iii), as would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect, or materially and adversely affect the Company’s ability to perform its obligations under the Securities, the Indenture or this Agreement; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been obtained under the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;

(q) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in violation of its organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties is or may be bound, which violation or default might reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect;

(r) The statements set forth in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus as supplemented by the Final Term Sheet, and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of the Senior Notes” and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer”, insofar as they purport to constitute a

summary of the terms of the Securities, and under the captions “Underwriting” (other than the last seven paragraphs thereunder) and “Plan of Distribution”, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein, are accurate and complete in all material respects; the statements set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 incorporated by reference into the Prospectus under the captions “Item 1. Business – Regulation”, “Item 3. Legal Proceedings” (as updated in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2008) and in the Registration Statement under Item 15, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws and documents referred to therein and the Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation and By-laws, are accurate and complete in all material respects;

(s) Other than as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party, or of which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is the subject or which could reasonably be expected to individually or in the aggregate have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

(t) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated or as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company”, as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”);

(u) KPMG LLP, which has certified certain financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, and has reviewed the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, is an independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act;

(v) The financial statements of the Company, together with the related schedules, notes and supplemental information set forth or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and interpretations thereof and present fairly in all material respects the financial position, the results of operations and the changes in cash flows of such entities in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) at the respective dates or for the respective periods to which they apply; such statements and related schedules, notes and supplemental information have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP consistently applied throughout the periods involved except for any

normal year-end adjustments and except as described therein; the pro forma financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, if any, and the related notes thereto incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly in all material respects the information contained therein, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Securities Act and the published rules and regulations thereunder and are based on assumptions that the Company believes are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein;

(w) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that complies with the requirements of the Exchange Act and has been designed by the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer, or under their supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. GAAP; the Company’s internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Company is not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;

(x) Since the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, there has been no change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting;

(y) The Company maintains disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act; such disclosure controls and procedures have been designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company and its subsidiaries is made known to the Company’s principal executive officer and principal financial officer by others within those entities; such disclosure controls and procedures are effective;

(z) There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement which are not described or filed as required by the Securities Act; and

(aa) The Company possesses such permits, licenses, approvals, consents and other authorizations (collectively, “Governmental Licenses”) issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign regulatory agencies or bodies necessary to conduct in all material respects the

business now operated by it, except where the failure to possess such Governmental Licenses would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; the Company is in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Governmental Licenses, except where the failure so to comply would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; all of the Governmental Licenses are valid and in full force and effect, except where the failure to have such Governmental Licenses in full force and effect would not, individually or in the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect; and the Company has not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such Governmental Licenses which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect.

4. Further Agreements of the Company. The Company agrees with the Underwriters:

(a) to prepare the Final Term Sheet, substantially in the form of Schedule 3 hereto and approved by the Representatives and file the Final Term Sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act within the time period prescribed by such Rule; to prepare the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in relation to the Securities in a form approved by the Underwriters and to file or cause to be filed with the Commission such Prospectus, pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, within the time period prescribed by such Rule; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement or Prospectus as amended or supplemented after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date which shall be disapproved by the Underwriters promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise the Underwriters promptly of any such amendment or supplement after such Closing Date and furnish the Underwriters with copies thereof and to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of such Securities, and during such same period to advise the Underwriters, promptly after it receives notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or any supplement to the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus or any amended Prospectus has been filed with the Commission, of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, of the suspension of the qualification of such Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or for

additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any such stop order or of any such order preventing or suspending the use of any prospectus relating to the Securities or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

(b) promptly from time to time to take such action as the Underwriters may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the issuance and sale of the Securities, provided that in connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation, to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or to become subject to taxation in any jurisdiction in which it is not otherwise subject;

(c) to furnish to the Underwriters such number of conformed copies of the Registration Statement, as originally filed and each amendment thereto (excluding exhibits other than this Agreement), any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Term Sheet and any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Prospectus and all amendments and supplements to any of such documents (including any document filed under the Exchange Act and deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus), in each case as soon as available and in such quantities as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request;

(d) during the period in which the Prospectus relating to the Securities (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) of the Securities Act) is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, to comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act, as from time to time in force, so far as is necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or dealings in the Securities as contemplated by the provisions of this Agreement and by the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus. If during such period any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then existing, not misleading, or if during such period it is necessary to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or file any document to comply with the Securities Act, to promptly notify the Representatives and, subject to Section 4(a) hereof, amend the Registration Statement, amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, or file any document (in each case, at the expense of the Company) so as to correct such statement or omission or to effect such compliance, and to furnish without charge to each Underwriter as many written and

electronic copies of any such amendment or supplement as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request;

(e) to make generally available to security-holders of the Company as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than eighteen months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Securities Act), an earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Securities Act (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158 thereunder);

(f) for a period of 30 days after the date of this Agreement, neither the Company, nor any of its subsidiaries or other affiliates over which it exercises management or voting control, nor any person acting on their behalf will, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any securities that are substantially similar to the Securities.

(g) to pay the required Commission filing fees related to the Securities within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Securities Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act;

(h) to apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”; and

(i) not to take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

5. Free Writing Prospectuses.

(a) The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter that (i) the Company has not made, and will not, make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus without the prior consent of the Representatives (which consent being deemed to have been given with respect to (A) the Final Term Sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 4(a) hereof and (B) any other Issuer Free Writing Prospectus identified on Schedule 2 hereto); (ii) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conformed or will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act on the date of first use, and the Company has complied with any filing requirements applicable to such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act; (iii) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus will not, as of its issue date and through the time the Securities are delivered pursuant to Section 2 hereof, include any information that

conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus; and (iv) each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, when considered together with the information contained in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, did not, as of the Applicable Time, does not, as of the date hereof, and will not, as of the Closing Date, contain any 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 the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, provided, however, that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company by an Underwriter through the Representatives for use therein.

(b) Each Underwriter represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Company and each other Underwriter that it has not made, and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) required to be filed with the Commission, other than the information contained in the Final Term Sheet, without the prior consent of the Company and the Representatives.

(c) The Company agrees that if, at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities, any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, the Company will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission.

6. Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations. The respective obligations of the Underwriters hereunder shall be subject, in the discretion of the Underwriters, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements by the Company herein are, and as of the Closing Date will be, true and correct, and to the condition that the Company shall have performed all of its obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in a timely fashion in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; all filings (including, without limitation, the filing of the Final Term Sheet) required

by Rule 424(b) or Rule 433 of the Securities Act shall have been made within the time periods prescribed by such rule; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement thereto or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Underwriters’ reasonable satisfaction;

(b) No Underwriter shall have been advised by the Company, or shall have discovered and disclosed to the Company, that the Registration Statement, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of fact which, in the opinion of the Representatives or of counsel to the Underwriters, is material, or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of the Representatives or of counsel to the Underwriters, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

(c) Davis Polk & Wardwell, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Underwriters a written opinion and a letter, dated the Closing Date, with respect to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and such other related matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;

(d) Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, outside counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Underwriters a written opinion to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-1 hereto, and the letter related to certain matters to the effect set forth in Exhibit A-2 hereto, each dated the Closing Date.

(e) Bruce A. Backberg, Esq., Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the Company, shall have furnished to the Underwriters his written opinion to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, dated as of the Closing Date.

(f) On the date hereof and on the Closing Date, KPMG LLP shall have furnished to the Underwriters letters, dated such respective dates, in form and substance satisfactory to the Underwriters, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants “comfort letters” to Underwriters with respect to the financial statements and schedules and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure

Package or the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date, as the case may be, shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to such Closing Date;

(g) (i) Neither the Company nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the most recent Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than issuances of common stock upon the exercise of stock options outstanding on the date hereof or pursuant to existing employee compensation plans or other than repurchases or redemptions of shares of capital stock of the Company pursuant to the Company’s existing share repurchase program) or long term debt of the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries taken as a whole, or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, business, management, financial position, shareholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the judgment of the Underwriters so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;

(h) On or after the Applicable Time, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded any debt security of the Company or the financial strength or claims paying ability of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced or otherwise given notice to the Company that it has under surveillance, review or watch, with possible negative implications, its rating of any debt security or the financial strength or the claims paying ability of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, or of any review for a possible change therein that does not indicate the direction of the possible change;

(i) On or after the date hereof there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Company’s securities on the

New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either Federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States or the declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war or (v) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v) in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus and this Agreement;

(j) The Company shall have complied with the provisions of Section 4(a) hereof with respect to the filing of the Prospectus and the Final Term Sheet;

(k) No injunction, judgment, order, decree or other legal or governmental action prohibiting the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby shall have been issued and remain in effect or shall have been publicly announced by any court or announced, or threatened in writing, by a regulatory agency or other governmental body; and

(l) The Company shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Underwriters on the Closing Date certificates of officers of the Company satisfactory to the Underwriters as to the accuracy of the representations and warranties of the Company herein at such Closing Date, as to the performance by the Company of all of its respective obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to such Closing Date, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a), (g) and (h) of this Section and as to such other matters as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

7. Agreement of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter agrees to the selling restrictions set forth in Schedule 4 hereto.

8. Indemnification and Contribution.

(a) The Company will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon the failure to have an effective Registration Statement relating to the Securities or the failure to satisfy the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act because the Company failed to provide the Underwriters with a Prospectus for delivery, or arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any

Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) of the Securities Act, 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, or arise out of or are based upon the engagement of the Underwriters pursuant to, or the performance of the Underwriters of their respective services (including any such services performed on or prior to the date hereof) contemplated by, this Agreement, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Disclosure Package, the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter expressly for use therein. The Underwriters shall incur no liability to and shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company for, or in respect of, any actions taken, omitted to be taken or suffered to be taken in the absence of bad faith, gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Underwriters in reasonable reliance upon the advice of counsel satisfactory to it or instructions from the Trustee (pursuant to the Indenture) or the Company.

(b) Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, 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, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by such Underwriter expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company for any legal or other expenses reasonably

incurred by the Company in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel 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 shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (i) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party (or such other release of the indemnified party as shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party) from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (ii) 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.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party

shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters with respect to the offering of the Securities, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities. The relative fault 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 the Underwriters on the other and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has 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. The Underwriters’ obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several and not joint.

(e) The obligations of the Company under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each director and officer of each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall be binding upon and inure to

the benefit of any successors, assigns, heirs and personal representatives of the Underwriters; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 8 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and to each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.

9. Termination. This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

10. Defaulting Underwriter. (a) If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement. If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms. If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that effects any such changes. As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement, unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in this Agreement that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-

defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters. Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 8 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

(d) Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

11. Payment of Expenses. (a) The Company covenants and agrees with the Underwriters that, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated, the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters; (ii) the cost of printing or producing this Agreement, any Blue Sky Memorandum, closing documents (including compilations thereof) and any other documents in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities, including the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters preparing such Blue Sky Memorandum; (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws and insurance securities laws as provided in Section 4(b) hereof; (iv) the filing fees in connection with securing any required review by the NASD of the terms of the issuance and sale of the Securities; (v) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vi) fees, expenses and disbursements of the Trustee, any transfer agent or registrar, any agent of or counsel to any of the foregoing, in connection

with the Securities or this Agreement; (vii) any travel expenses of the Company’s officers and employees and any other expenses of the Company in connection with attending or hosting meetings with prospective purchasers of the Securities; and (viii) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section and Section 8 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees, disbursements and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters other than fees and expenses to be borne by the Company as specified in subsection (ii) above.

(b) If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

12. Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 8 hereof. Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein. No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

13. Survival. The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

14. Certain Defined Terms. For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

15. No Fiduciary Duty. The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters are acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual

counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person. Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making their own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto. Any review by the Underwriters of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and shall not be on behalf of the Company.

16. Miscellaneous. (a) Authority of the Representatives. Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

(b) Notices. All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication. Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives at the addresses set forth in this Agreement. Notices to the Company shall be given to it at 385 Washington Street, St. Paul, Minnesota 55102, (fax: (651) 310-5853); Attention: General Counsel.

(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

(d) Amendments or Waivers. No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

(e) Headings. The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

Schedule 3

$500,000,000 5.800% Senior Notes due 2018

TERM SHEET
May 8, 2008


Issuer:		The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Securities:		5.800% Senior Notes due 2018
Principal Amount:		$500,000,000
CUSIP:		89417E AE9
Maturity Date:		May 15, 2018
Public Offering Price:		99.909% Per Note
Gross Proceeds:		$499,545,000
Coupon:		5.800%
Benchmark Treasury:		3.500% UST due February, 2018
Benchmark Treasury Yield:		3.812%
Spread to Treasury:		+ 200 bps
Concession Not in Excess of:		5.812%
Interest Payment Dates:		Semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and
		November 15, commencing November 15, 2008

Make Whole Call:		T+30 bps


Ratings¹
• Moody’s		A3/positive
• S&P		A-/stable
• Fitch		A/stable
• A.M. Best		a-/stable
Day Count Convention:		30/360
Security Type:		Senior Unsecured Notes
Legal Format:		SEC Registered
Specified Currency:		U.S. Dollars
Trade Date:		May 8, 2008
Settlement Date (T+3):		May 13, 2008


Authorized Denominations:		$2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in
		excess thereof


Book-Running Managers:		Goldman, Sachs & Co.
		Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
		Incorporated
Co-managers:		BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott &
		Stringfellow, Inc.
		HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.
		Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.
		Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc.
		UBS Securities LLC
		Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

1. Agency ratings are not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold any security, and they may be revised or withdrawn at any time by the rating organization. Each agency’s rating should be evaluated independently of any other agency’s rating. The system and the number of rating categories can vary widely from rating agency to rating agency.

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Goldman, Sachs & Co. toll-free at 1-866-471-2526 or by calling Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll-free at 1-866-500-5408.

Schedule 4

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), each Underwriter has represented and agreed that, with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”), it has not made and will not make an offer of the Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State prior to the publication of a prospectus in relation to the Securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Relevant Member State or, where appropriate, approved in another Relevant Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Relevant Member State, all in accordance with the Prospectus Directive, except that it may, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, make an offer of the Securities to the public in that Relevant Member State at any time: (a) to legal entities which are authorized or regulated to operate in the financial markets or, if not so authorized or regulated, whose corporate purpose is solely to invest in securities; (b) to any legal entity which has two or more of (1) an average of at least 250 employees during the last financial year, (2) a total balance sheet of more than €43,000,000 and (3) an annual net turnover of more than €50,000,000, as shown in its last annual or consolidated accounts; (c) to investors with the minimum total consideration per investor of €50,000; (d) to fewer than 100 natural or legal persons (other than qualified investors as defined in the Prospectus Directive) subject to obtaining the prior consent of the representatives for any such offer; or (e) in any other circumstances which do not require the publication by the issuer of a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of the Securities to the public” in relation to any Securities in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the Securities to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the Securities, as the same may be varied in that Relevant Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Relevant Member State, and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC and includes any relevant implementing measure in each Relevant Member State.

Each Underwriter has represented and agreed that: (a) it has only communicated or caused to be communicated and will only communicate or cause to be communicated an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act (the “FSMA”)) received by it in connection with the issue or sale of the Securities in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to the issuer; and (b) it has complied and will comply with all applicable provisions of the FSMA with respect to anything done by it in relation to the Securities in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

The Securities may not be offered or sold by means of any document other than (i) in circumstances which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), or (ii) to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap.571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (iii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being

a “prospectus” within the meaning of the Companies Ordinance (Cap.32, Laws of Hong Kong), and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the Securities may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere), which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to Securities which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” within the meaning of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571, Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder.

The Securities have not been and will not be registered under the Securities and Exchange Law of Japan (the Securities and Exchange Law) and each Underwriter has agreed that it will not offer or sell any securities, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to, or for the benefit of, any resident of Japan (which term as used herein means any person resident in Japan, including any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan), or to others for re-offering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to a resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of, and otherwise in compliance with, the Securities and Exchange Law and any other applicable laws, regulations and ministerial guidelines of Japan.

Neither the Preliminary Prospectus nor the Prospectus has been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the Securities may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the Securities be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”), (ii) to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA.

Where the Securities are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 by a relevant person which is: (a) a corporation (which is not an accredited investor) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor; or (b) a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary is an accredited investor, shares, debentures and units of shares and debentures of that corporation or the beneficiaries’ rights and interest in that trust shall not be transferable for 6 months after that corporation or that trust has acquired the notes under Section 275 except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A), and in accordance with the conditions, specified in Section 275 of the SFA; (2) where no consideration is given for the transfer; or (3) by operation of law.

EXHIBIT A-1

Form of Simpson Thacher corporate opinion

May 13, 2008

Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule 1
to the Underwriting Agreement
referred to below

c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
1 New York Plaza
New York, NY 10004

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

250 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to The Travelers Companies, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the purchase by you of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.800% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”) issued by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement dated May 8, 2008 between the Company and you (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

We have examined the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-130323) (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), as it became effective under the Securities Act; Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement filed by the Company under the Securities Act, as it became effective under the Securities Act (“Post-Effective Amendment No. 1”); the Company’s prospectus dated March 5, 2007 (the “Base Prospectus”), as supplemented by the

prospectus supplement dated May 8, 2008 (the “Prospectus Supplement” and, together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”), filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act, which pursuant to Form S-3 incorporates by reference or is deemed to incorporate by reference the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2008 (collectively, the “Exchange Act Documents”), each as filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”); the Company’s preliminary prospectus supplement dated May 8, 2008 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement” and, together with the Base Prospectus, the “Preliminary Prospectus”), filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act, which pursuant to Form S-3 incorporates by reference or is deemed to incorporate by reference the Exchange Act Documents; the final term sheet dated May 8, 2008 and filed on May 8, 2008, by the Company pursuant to Rule 433 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (the “Final Term Sheet”, and, together with the Preliminary Prospectus, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”); the Indenture dated as of March 12, 2002 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank), as trustee (the “Trustee”), relating to the Notes; copies of the global notes representing the Notes; and the Underwriting Agreement. In addition, we have examined, and have relied as to matters of fact upon, the documents delivered to you at the closing and upon originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such corporate records, agreements, documents and other instruments and such certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company and have made such other investigations, as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinions hereinafter set forth.

In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that:

1. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

2. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and, assuming that the Indenture is the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee, the Indenture constitutes a valid and legally binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

3. The Notes have been duly authorized, executed and issued by the Company and, assuming due authentication thereof by the Trustee and upon payment and delivery in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

4. The statements made in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus in each case under the captions “Description of the Senior Notes”, “Underwriting” and “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer”, insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of certain terms of documents referred to therein, constitute accurate summaries of the terms of such documents in all material respects.

5. Subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations set forth therein, the statements made in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and in the Prospectus Supplement in each case under the caption “Certain U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal tax law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the matters described therein in all material respects.

6. Subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations set forth therein, the statements made in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and in the Prospectus Supplement in each case under the caption “Certain ERISA Considerations,” insofar as they purport to constitute summaries of matters of United States federal law and regulations or legal conclusions with respect thereto, constitute accurate summaries of the matters described therein in all material respects.

7. The issue and sale of the Notes by the Company and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement will not breach or result in a default under any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Exchange Act Documents, nor will such action violate any federal or New York State statute or any rule or regulation that has been issued pursuant to any federal or New York State statute or any order known to us issued pursuant to any federal or New York State statute by any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Significant Subsidiaries listed in the schedule attached hereto or any of their properties.

8. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any federal or New York governmental agency or body or, to our knowledge, any federal or New York court is required for the issue and sale of the Notes by the Company, and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, except for the registration under the Securities Act of the Notes, and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Notes by you.

9. Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 has become effective under the Securities Act, the Final Term Sheet was filed on May 8, 2008 pursuant to Rule 433 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act and the Prospectus was filed on May 8, 2008 pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act and, to our knowledge, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 has been issued or proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.

10. The Company is not and, after the application of the proceeds of the offering as described under “Use of Proceeds” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be, an “investment company” within the meaning of and subject to regulation under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

Our opinions set forth in paragraphs 2 and 3 above are subject to (i) the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. In addition, we express no opinion with respect to any matters subject to any insurance laws of the State of New York or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; or the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of Section 110 of the Indenture relating to the separability of provisions of the Indenture.

Insofar as the opinions expressed herein relate to or are dependent upon matters governed by the law of the State of Minnesota, we have relied upon the opinion letter, dated the date hereof, of Bruce A. Backberg, Esq., Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the Company, rendered to you.

We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York, the federal law of the United States and, to the extent set forth herein, the law of the State of Minnesota.

EXHIBIT A-2

Form of Simpson Thacher 10b-5 letter

May 13, 2008

Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule 1
to the Underwriting Agreement
referred to below

c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
1 New York Plaza
New York, NY 10004

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

250 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have not independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements made or included in the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-130323) (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement (“Post-Effective Amendment No. 1”) filed by the Company under the Securities Act, the

Company’s prospectus dated March 5, 2007 (the “Base Prospectus”), as supplemented by the prospectus supplement dated May 8, 2008 (the “Final Prospectus Supplement” and, together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”), filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act, the Company’s preliminary prospectus supplement dated May 8, 2008 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement” and, together with the Base Prospectus, the “Preliminary Prospectus”), filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act, the final term sheet dated May 8, 2008 and filed on May 8, 2008, by the Company pursuant to Rule 433 of the rules and regulations of the Commission under the Securities Act (such final term sheet, together with the Preliminary Prospectus, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”), or in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 or the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2008 (collectively, the “Exchange Act Documents”), each as filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and we take no responsibility therefor, except as and to the extent set forth in numbered paragraphs 4, 5 and 6 of our opinion letter to you dated the date hereof.

In connection with, and under the circumstances applicable to, the offering of the Notes, we participated in conferences with certain officers and employees of the Company, representatives of KPMG LLP, your representatives and your counsel in the course of the preparation by the Company of the Registration Statement, Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, the Prospectus and the documents comprising the Pricing Disclosure Package and also reviewed certain corporate and other records and documents furnished to us by the Company, as well as

the documents delivered to you at the closing. We also reviewed the Exchange Act Documents prior to their filing with the Commission. Based upon our review of the Registration Statement, Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Exchange Act Documents, our participation in the conferences referred to above, our review of the corporate and other records and documents as described above, as well as our understanding of the U.S. federal securities laws and the experience we have gained in our practice thereunder:

	(i)		we advise you that each of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, as of the date it first became effective under the Securities Act, and the Prospectus, as of May 8, 2008, appeared, on its face, to be appropriately responsive, in all material respects, to the requirements of the Securities Act and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, except that in each case we express no view with respect to the financial statements or other financial data contained in, incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in, or omitted from Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, the Prospectus or the Exchange Act Documents; and

	(ii)		nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe that (a) Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 (including the Exchange Act Documents and the Prospectus deemed to be a part thereof), as of May 8, 2008, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, (b) the Pricing Disclosure Package (including the Exchange Act Documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein), as of the Applicable Time (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement), contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the

statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (c) the Prospectus (including the Exchange Act Documents incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference therein), as of May 8, 2008 or as of the date hereof, contained or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that we express no belief in any of clauses (a), (b) or (c) above with respect to the financial statements or other financial data contained in, incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference in, or omitted from Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the Exchange Act Documents.

This letter is delivered to you in connection with the above-described transaction. This letter may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose, or relied upon by, or furnished to, any other person, firm or corporation.

Very truly yours,

SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP

EXHIBIT B

Form of Bruce Backberg’s corporate opinion

May 13, 2008

Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule 1
to the Underwriting Agreement
referred to below

c/o Goldman, Sachs & Co.
1 New York Plaza
New York, NY 10004

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated

250 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I have acted as counsel to The Travelers Companies, Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the purchase by you of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.800% Senior Notes due 2018 (the “Notes”) issued by the Company pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement dated May 8, 2008 between the Company and you (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

The Company has filed a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-130323) (the “Registration Statement”) and Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (“Post-Effective Amendment No. 1”), including a prospectus dated March 5, 2007 (the “Base Prospectus”), as supplemented by the preliminary prospectus supplement dated May 8, 2008 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Preliminary Prospectus”) and the final prospectus supplement dated May 8, 2008 (together with the Base Prospectus, the “Prospectus”). The Notes are being issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 12, 2002 (the “Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. (as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank), as trustee.

In connection with this opinion, I, or lawyers on the Company’s legal staff working under my supervision, have (i) investigated such questions of law, (ii) examined such corporate documents and records of the Company, certificates of public officials and other documents, and (iii) received such information from officers and representatives of the Company as I have deemed necessary for the purpose of this opinion. I have made no independent investigation as to the information contained in such documents, records and certificates. In rendering my opinion, I have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals and the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as copies.

In such examination, I have assumed but have not verified (a) the genuineness of the signatures of persons signing all documents and instruments in connection with which this opinion is rendered other than on behalf of the Company; (b) the legal capacity of natural persons; (c) the authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals; (d) the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to me as duplicates or certified or conformed copies; (e) the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents; (f) the authority of such persons signing all documents on behalf of the parties thereto other than the Company; and (g) the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by the parties thereto other than the Company.

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, it is my opinion that:

11. The Company has been duly incorporated and is a validly existing corporation in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Minnesota and has full corporate power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

2. The Underwriting Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

3. The issue and sale of the Notes and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement will not violate the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any Minnesota statute or any rule or regulation known to me that has been issued pursuant to any Minnesota statute or any order known to me issued pursuant to any Minnesota statute by any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of the

Significant Subsidiaries of the Company, listed in a schedule attached hereto, or any of their properties.

4. The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

5. The Notes have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

6. No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any Minnesota governmental agency or body or, to my knowledge, any Minnesota court is required for the issue and sale of the Notes by the Company, and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, except for such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Notes by you.

I am a member of the Bar of the State of Minnesota, and do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of Minnesota and the federal law of the United States.

This opinion is being rendered to you pursuant to Section 6(e) of the Underwriting Agreement and may not be relied upon by you for any other purpose, or relied upon by, or furnished to, any other person, firm or corporation without my prior written consent, except that Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP may rely on this opinion for purposes of its opinion furnished to you pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations relating thereto.

Very truly yours,

Bruce A. Backberg
Senior Vice President
and Corporate Secretary


Minnesota (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)	001-10898 (Commission File Number)	41-0518860 (IRS Employer Identification Number)

385 Washington Street Saint Paul, Minnesota (Address of principal executive offices)		55102 (Zip Code)


Exhibit No.				Description

5.1				Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

99.1				Underwriting Agreement, dated as of May 8, 2008


Date: May 13, 2008	THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC.
	By:	/s/ Bruce A. Backberg
		Name:	Bruce A. Backberg
		Title:	Senior Vice President


Exhibit No.				Description

5.1				Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP

99.1				Underwriting Agreement, dated as of May 8, 2008


THE TRAVELERS COMPANIES, INC.

By:	/s/ Jay S. Benet
	Name:	Jay S. Benet
	Title:	Vice Chairman and Chief Financial Officer


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))


GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.

By:		/s/ Goldman Sachs & Co.
		(Goldman, Sachs & Co.)


MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

By:		/s/ Merrill Lynch
		(Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated)


	Principal
	Amount of 2018
Underwriters	Notes
Goldman, Sachs & Co.	$	200,000,000
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated		200,000,000
BB&T Capital Markets, a division of Scott & Stringfellow, Inc.		16,666,667
Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.		16,666,667
HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.		16,666,667
Muriel Siebert & Co., Inc.		16,666,667
UBS Securities LLC		16,666,666
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC		16,666,666

Total	$	500,000,000


Item 8.01.		Other Events.


Item 9.01.		Financial Statements and Exhibits