SEC Company Response from PLATINUM UNDERWRITERS FINANCE INC (CIK 0001183236) — Oct 20, 2005
PLATINUM UNDERWRITERS FINANCE INC (CIK 0001183236)
Date: Oct. 20, 2005 · CIK: 0001183236 · Accession: 0000950123-05-012336
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File numbers found in text: 333-128967
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CORRESP
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LETTER TO THE S.E.C.
PLATINUM UNDERWRITERS HOLDINGS, LTD.
The Belvedere Building
69 Pitts Bay Road
Pembroke, Bermuda HM 08
October 20, 2005
Jeffrey P. Riedler
Assistant Director
Securities and Exchange Commission
Division of Corporation Finance
Mail Stop 6010
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re:
Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-128967) (the “Registration
Statement”), relating to the exchange (the “Exchange Offer”) of Series B 6.371% Senior
Guaranteed Notes due 2007 (the “New Notes”) for a like principal amount of issued and
outstanding 6.371% Senior Guaranteed Notes due 2007 (the “Old Notes”)
Dear Mr. Riedler:
As indicated in the Registration Statement, Platinum Underwriters Finance, Inc. (“Platinum
Finance”) and Platinum Underwriters Holdings, Ltd. (“Platinum Holdings”) are filing the
Registration Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in reliance on the
position of the staff (the “Staff”) of the SEC in its previous no-action letters to Exxon Capital
Holdings Corporation (dated May 13, 1988) (the “Exxon Capital Letter”), Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated (dated June 5, 1991) (the “Morgan Stanley Letter”), Shearman & Sterling (dated July 2,
1993) (the “Shearman Letter”) and later equivalent letters.
Platinum Finance and Platinum Holdings each represents to the Staff that it has not entered
into any arrangement or understanding with any person to distribute the New Notes to be received in
the Exchange Offer and, to the best of its information and belief, each person participating in the
Exchange Offer is acquiring the New Notes in its ordinary course of business and has no arrangement
or understanding with any person to participate in the distribution of the New Notes to be received
in the Exchange Offer.
Each exchange offeree, in the letter of transmittal to be used in connection with the Exchange
Offer, will represent to Platinum Finance and Platinum Holdings that, among other things, (i) any
New Notes that it receives will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business; (ii) it has no
arrangement or understanding with any person or entity to participate in a distribution of the New
Notes; (iii) if it is not a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage
in, the distribution of the New Notes; (iv) if it is a broker-dealer that will receive New Notes
for its own account in exchange for Old Notes that were acquired as a result of market-making
activities or other trading activities, that it will deliver a prospectus, as required by law, in
connection with any resale of such New Notes; (v) it is not an “affiliate,” as defined in Rule 405
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of Platinum Finance or
Platinum Holdings or, if it is an affiliate, it will comply with any applicable registration and
prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act; and (vi) it is not acting on behalf of any
person who could not truthfully make the foregoing representations.
The Exchange Offer prospectus also provides that any Holder of Old Notes that (a) is an
“affiliate” of Platinum Finance or Platinum Holdings within the meaning of Rule 405 under the
Securities Act, (b) does not acquire the New Notes in the ordinary course of its business, or (c)
tenders in the Exchange Offer with the intention to participate, or for the purpose of
participating, in a distribution of New Notes will not be able to rely on the Staff position
enunciated in the Exxon Capital Letter, the Morgan Stanley Letter, the Shearman Letter or later
equivalent letters and must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of
the Securities Act in connection with any sale or transfer of New Notes, unless that sale or
transfer qualifies for an exemption from these requirements. Platinum Finance and Platinum
Holdings each acknowledges that any such sale or transfer should be covered by an effective
registration statement containing the selling securityholder information required by Item 507 of
Regulation S-K.
Platinum Finance and Platinum Holdings will commence the Exchange Offer for the New Notes when
the Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC. The Exchange Offer will remain in
effect for a limited time and will not require Platinum Finance or Platinum Holdings to maintain an
“evergreen” registration statement. The Exchange Offer will be conducted by Platinum Finance and
Platinum Holdings in compliance in all material respects with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, and any applicable rules and regulations thereunder.
Platinum Underwriters Finance, Inc.
By:
/s/ Joseph F. Fisher
Name:
Joseph F. Fisher
Title:
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Platinum Underwriters Holdings, Ltd.
By:
/s/ Michael E. Lombardozzi
Name:
Michael E. Lombardozzi
Title:
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Administrative Officer
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