5 March 2014
Helios Underwriting plc
("HUW" or the "Company")
Members' Agent's Agreements
In recent years, the Company has acquired a number of limited liability underwriting vehicles ("LLVs") and consequently its underwriting capacity has grown to approximately £20 million. As a result of these acquisitions, the Company inherited a number of individual members' agency agreements with Hampden Agencies Ltd ("HAL"). Under these arrangements, separate fees were charged to each individual vehicle, together with a profit commission on a sliding scale from 1% of net profit (where the net profit was 1%) up to a maximum of 10% of net profit (where the net profit was 10% or more). Having consolidated the ownership of the LLV's, the Company has been able to benefit from the common ownership provisions set out in HAL's fee structure. With effect from 1 January 2014, the Company has agreed with HAL an annual fee based purely on underwriting capacity and calculated as £50,000 plus 0.2% of underwriting capacity in excess of £10 million; based on the Company's current 2014 underwriting capacity, this would amount to a total HAL fee for 2014 of approximately £70,000. Under the previous fee arrangements, the fee payable in relation to the Company's current 2014 capacity would have been approximately £95,000, excluding the profit commission which for each of the 2011 and 2012 underwriting years is estimated to be in the order of £50,000 (an estimate for 2013 is not yet available).
HAL is deemed to be a related party of the Company as its parent company, Hampden Capital plc (which owns 100% of HAL's ordinary shares), holds approximately 12% of the Company's ordinary shares. The Company's directors (with the exception of Jeremy Evans who is a director of, and has an interest in a small shareholding (under 1%) in, Hampden Capital plc and Nigel Hanbury who is a small shareholder (under 1%) in Hampden Capital plc) consider, having consulted with its nominated adviser, that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable insofar as its shareholders are concerned.
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For further information please contact:
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HUW
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Nigel Hanbury |
nigel.hanbury@huwplc.com |
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Smith & Williamson Corporate Finance
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David Jones |
020 7131 4000 |
About Helios Underwriting
HUW provides a limited liability direct investment into the Lloyd's insurance market and is quoted on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market (ticker: HUW). For further information please visit www.huwplc.com.