EX-10 13 exh103stdadmsvcagr.txt 10.3 AMENDED ADMIN SERVICES AGREEMENT EXHIBIT 10.3 =============================================================================== STANDARD ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AGREEMENT TERMS with respect to ALLSTATE LIFE GLOBAL FUNDING TRUSTS ===============================================================================
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS; OTHER DEFINITIONAL PROVISIONS SECTION 1.1 Definitions....................................................................1 SECTION 1.2 Other Definitional Provisions..................................................4 ARTICLE 2 APPOINTMENT; ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SECTION 2.1 Appointment....................................................................5 SECTION 2.2 Administrative Services........................................................5 ARTICLE 3 ACTIVITIES OF THE TRUST; EMPLOYEES; OFFICES. SECTION 3.1 Activities of the Trust........................................................8 SECTION 3.2 Employees......................................................................8 SECTION 3.3 Offices........................................................................9 ARTICLE 4 COMPENSATION; INDEMNITIES SECTION 4.1 Compensation...................................................................9 SECTION 4.2 Indemnities....................................................................9 ARTICLE 5 TERM SECTION 5.1 Term...........................................................................9 ARTICLE 6 OBLIGATION TO SUPPLY INFORMATION; RELIANCE ON INFORMATION; COVENANTS SECTION 6.1 Obligation to Supply Information..............................................10 SECTION 6.2 Reliance on Information.......................................................10 SECTION 6.3 Covenants.....................................................................10 ARTICLE 7 LIABILITY OF ADMINISTRATOR; STANDARD OF CARE SECTION 7.1 Liability of Administrator....................................................10 SECTION 7.2 No Implied Obligations........................................................11 i SECTION 7.3 Standard of Care..............................................................11 ARTICLE 8 LIMITED RECOURSE SECTION 8.1 Limited Recourse to Trust.....................................................11 SECTION 8.2 No Recourse Against Certain Persons...........................................11 ARTICLE 9 TAX MATTERS SECTION 9.1 Income Tax Treatment..........................................................11 ARTICLE 10 MISCELLANEOUS SECTION 10.1 Amendments....................................................................12 SECTION 10.2 No Joint Venture..............................................................12 SECTION 10.3 Assignment....................................................................12 SECTION 10.4 Governing Law, Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial..................12 SECTION 10.5 Counterparts..................................................................13 SECTION 10.6 Limitation of Delaware Trustee Liability......................................13 SECTION 10.7 No Petition...................................................................14 SECTION 10.8 Severability..................................................................14 SECTION 10.9 Entire Agreement..............................................................14 SECTION 10.10 Administrator to Provide Access to Books and Records..........................14 SECTION 10.11 No Waiver.....................................................................14 SECTION 10.12 Remedies Cumulative...........................................................15 SECTION 10.13 Notices.......................................................................15
ii This document constitutes the Standard Administrative Services Agreement Terms, which will be incorporated by reference in, and form a part of, the Administrative Services Agreement (as defined below). These Standard Administrative Services Agreement Terms shall be of no force and effect unless and until incorporated by reference in, and then only to the extent not modified by, the Administrative Services Agreement. These Standard Administrative Services Agreement Terms shall govern the administration of the activities of the Trust, subject to contrary terms and provisions expressly adopted in the Administrative Services Agreement, which contrary terms shall be controlling. ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS; OTHER DEFINITIONAL PROVISIONS SECTION 1.1 Definitions. "Administration Fee" has the meaning ascribed in Section 4.1. "Administrative Services Agreement" means that certain Administrative Services Agreement included in Part B of the Series Instrument, and which incorporates by reference these Standard Administrative Services Agreement Terms, by and between the Trust and the Administrator, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, restated or replaced from time to time. "Administrator" means AMACAR Pacific Corp., a Delaware corporation, in its capacity as the sole administrator of the Trust pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement, or another entity specified as the Administrator in the Administrative Services Agreement, and, in each case, its successors. "Affiliate" means, as applied to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, that Person and, in the case of an individual, any spouse or other member of that individual's immediate family. For the purposes of this definition, "control" (including with correlative meanings, the terms "controlling", "controlled by" and "under common control with"), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by contract or otherwise. "Agents" has the meaning set forth in the Distribution Agreement. "Allstate Life" means Allstate Life Insurance Company, a stock life insurance company organized and licensed under the laws of the State of Illinois, and any successor. 1 "Calculation Agent" has the meaning ascribed in the Indenture. "Closing Instrument" means the Closing Instrument of the Trust, pursuant to which certain documents are executed in connection with the issuance of the Notes by the Trust. "Commission" has the meaning ascribed in Section 2.2(d). "Coordination Agreement" means that certain Coordination Agreement included in Part F of the Series Instrument, among the Trust and the other parties specified therein, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, restated or replaced from time to time. "Delaware Trustee" means Wilmington Trust Company, a Delaware banking corporation, in its capacity as the sole Delaware trustee of the Trust, or another entity specified as the Delaware Trustee in the Trust Agreement, and, in each case, its successors. "Distribution Agreement" means that certain Distribution Agreement dated as of -, 2006, by and among Global Funding and the other parties specified therein, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, restated or replaced from time to time. "Exchange Rate Agent" has the meaning ascribed in the Indenture. "Funding Agreement" means each funding agreement issued by Allstate Life to Global Funding, which is immediately pledged and collaterally assigned by Global Funding to the Funding Note Indenture Trustee, and immediately thereafter assigned absolutely to and deposited into the Trust by Global Funding, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, restated or replaced from time to time. "Funding Note Indenture" means that certain Funding Note Indenture included in Part H of the Series Instrument, among the Trust and the other parties specified therein, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to time. "Global Funding" means Allstate Life Global Funding, a statutory trust formed under the laws of the State of Delaware. "Indenture" means that certain Indenture included in Part G of the Series Instrument, among the Trust and the other parties specified therein, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to time. "Indenture Trustee" means The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., in its capacity as the Indenture Trustee, or another entity specified as the Indenture Trustee in the Indenture, and, in each case, its successors. 2 "Loss and Expense" has the meaning ascribed in Section 4.2. "Moody's" means Moody's Investors Service, Inc. "Name Licensing Agreement" means that certain Name Licensing Agreement included in Part D of the Series Instrument, between Allstate Insurance Company and the Trust, as the same may be amended, supplemented, modified, restated or replaced from time to time. "Notes" has the meaning set forth in the Indenture. "Paying Agent" has the meaning set forth in the Indenture. "Person" means any natural person, corporation, limited partnership, general partnership, joint stock company, joint venture, association, company, limited liability company, trust (including any beneficiary thereof), bank, trust company, land trust, business trust or other organization, whether or not a legal entity, and any government or any agency or political subdivision thereof. "Pricing Supplement" means the pricing supplement included as Annex A to the Series Instrument. "Program" means the program for the issuance, from time to time, of secured medium term notes of the Allstate Life Global Funding Trusts. "Program Documents" means the Notes, the Series Instrument, the Closing Instrument, the Indenture, the Trust Agreement, the Administrative Services Agreement, the Support Agreement, the Name Licensing Agreement, the Distribution Agreement, the Terms Agreement, each Funding Agreement and any other documents or instruments entered into by, or with respect to, or on behalf of, the Trust. "Rating Agency" means each of Moody's, S&P, and any other rating agency which provides a rating of the Notes. "Registrar" has the meaning set forth in the Indenture. "Responsible Officer" when used with respect to any Person means the chairman of the board of directors or any vice chairman of the board of directors or the president or any vice president (whether or not designated by a number or numbers or a word or words added before or after the title "vice president") of such Person. With respect to the Trust, Responsible Officer means any Responsible Officer (as defined in the preceding sentence) plus any assistant secretary and any financial services officer of the Delaware Trustee, and with respect to the Delaware Trustee, Responsible Officer means any Responsible Officer (as defined in the first sentence of this definition) plus the chairman of the trust committee, the chairman of the executive committee, any vice chairman of the executive committee, the cashier, the secretary, the 3 treasurer, any trust officer, any assistant trust officer, any assistant vice president, any assistant cashier, any assistant secretary, any assistant treasurer, or any other authorized officer of the Delaware Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject. "S&P" means Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. "Series Instrument" means the Series Instrument of the Trust, pursuant to which the Administrative Services Agreement, the Coordination Agreement, the Funding Note Indenture, the Indenture, the Name Licensing Agreement, the Support Agreement, the Terms Agreement and the Trust Agreement are entered into, and certain other documents are executed, in connection with the issuance of the Notes by the Trust. "Service Provider" has the meaning set forth in the Support Agreement. "Support Agreement" means that certain Support and Expenses Agreement included in Part C of the Series Instrument, by and between Allstate Life and the Trust, as the same may be amended, restated, modified, supplemented or replaced from time to time. "Support Obligation" has the meaning ascribed in the Support Agreement. "Survivor's Option" means the provision, if any, in the Notes permitting optional repayment of such Notes prior to maturity, if requested, following the death of the beneficial owner of such Notes, in accordance with the terms of the Notes. "Terms Agreement" means that certain Terms Agreement related to the offering of the Notes, included in Part E of the Series Instrument, by and among Global Funding, the Trust and each Agent specified therein, which will incorporate by reference the terms of the Distribution Agreement. "Trust" means the Allstate Life Global Funding Trust specified in the Series Instrument, together with its permitted successors and assigns. "Trust Agreement" means that certain Trust Agreement, included in Part A of the Series Instrument, pursuant to which the Trust is created. SECTION 1.2 Other Definitional Provisions. For all purposes of the Administrative Services Agreement, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires: 4 (a) the terms defined in this Article shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this Article and shall include the plural as well as the singular; provided, that all capitalized terms used in and not otherwise defined in the Administrative Services Agreement will have the meanings set forth in the Indenture; (b) the words "include", "includes" and "including" shall be construed to be followed by the words "without limitation"; (c) Article and Section headings are for the convenience of the reader and shall not be considered in interpreting the Administrative Services Agreement or the intent of the parties to the Administrative Services Agreement; and (d) capitalized terms not otherwise defined in the Administrative Services Agreement will have the respective meanings set forth in the Indenture. ARTICLE 2 APPOINTMENT; ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SECTION 2.1 Appointment. Pursuant to Section 3806(b)(7) of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, the Administrator is hereby appointed, as an agent of the Trust with full power and authority, and agrees to carry out all of the duties and responsibilities: (a) of the Trust under the Program Documents and any other document to which the Trust is a party; and (b) of the Administrator under the Administrative Services Agreement. SECTION 2.2 Administrative Services. Without limiting the generality of Section 2.1, the Trust authorizes and empowers the Administrator, as its agent, to perform, and the Administrator agrees to perform, the following services: (a) subject to the timely receipt of all necessary information, providing, or causing to be provided, all clerical, and bookkeeping services necessary and appropriate for the administration of the Trust, including, without limitation, the following services as well as those other services specified in the following subsections: (i) maintenance of all books and records of the Trust relating to the fees, costs and expenses of the Trust which books and records shall be maintained separately from those of the Administrator; (ii) maintenance of records of cash payments and disbursements (excluding principal and interest on any Funding Agreement) of the Trust in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and preparation for audit of such periodic financial statements as may be necessary or appropriate; 5 (iii) upon request, preparing for, and causing, execution by the Trust, through a Responsible Officer, of the Program Documents, any amendments to and waivers under the Program Documents and any other documents or instruments deliverable by the Trust thereunder or in connection therewith; (iv) holding, maintaining, and preserving executed copies of the Program Documents and other documents or instruments executed by the Trust thereunder or in connection therewith, which shall be maintained separately from those of the Administrator; (v) upon receipt of notice, taking such action as may be reasonably necessary to enforce the performance by the other parties to agreements to which the Trust is a party, and enforce the obligations of those parties to the Trust under such agreements; (vi) upon request, preparing for execution by a Responsible Officer such notices, consents, instructions and other communications that the Trust may from time to time be required or permitted to give under the Program Documents or any other document executed by the Trust; (vii) obtaining services of outside counsel, accountants and other Service Providers on behalf of the Trust; (viii) preparing for execution by a Responsible Officer any instruction for payment of any amounts due and owing by the Trust under the Program Documents to which the Trust is a party or any other document to which the Trust is a party; provided that the foregoing shall not obligate the Administrator to advance any of its own monies for such purpose, it being understood that such amounts shall be payable only to the extent assets held in the Trust are available therefor and at such times and in such amounts as shall be permitted by the Program Documents; (ix) preparing for execution by a Responsible Officer any instruction for payment of any amounts due and owing by the Trust to the Indenture Trustee, any Paying Agent, the Registrar, the Exchange Agent, the Calculation Agent, other Service Providers and any other Person on request for all expenses, disbursements and advances to the extent not paid pursuant to the Support Agreement; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not obligate the Administrator to advance any of its own monies for such purpose, it being understood that such amounts shall be 6 payable only to the extent assets held in the Trust are available therefor and at such times and in such amounts as shall be permitted by the Program Documents; and (x) taking such other actions as may be incidental or reasonably necessary: (A) to the accomplishment of the actions of the Administrator authorized in this subsection (a); or (B) upon receipt of notice from a Responsible Officer directing specifically the Administrator to do so, to the accomplishment of the duties and responsibilities, and compliance with the obligations, of the Trust, under the Program Documents and under any other document to which the Trust is or may be a party to the extent not otherwise performed by the Indenture Trustee, a Paying Agent, the Registrar, the Exchange Rate Agent, the Calculation Agent or the Delaware Trustee; provided that no such duties or responsibilities shall materially enlarge the duties and responsibilities of the Administrator which are set forth specifically in the Administrative Services Agreement; (b) upon the issuance of the Notes, directing the Indenture Trustee to pay the expenses of the Trust relating to the Notes to the extent not paid under the Support Agreement; (c) performing the administrative services to ensure compliance with all of the obligations, representations, covenants and agreements of the Trust set forth in the Program Documents; (d) subject to the timely receipt of all necessary information or notices from the Delaware Trustee, and based on the advice of counsel, on behalf of the Trust, (i) the preparation and filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") and, if necessary, executing, in each case solely on behalf of the Trust and not in the Administrator's individual capacity such documents, forms, certifications and filings as may be required by the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or other securities laws, in each case relating to the Program and/or the Notes; (ii) the preparation and filing of any documents or forms required to be filed by any rules or regulations of any securities exchange, including without limitation, the New York Stock Exchange, or market quotation dealer system or the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. in connection with the listing of the Notes thereon; (iii) preparing, filing and executing solely on behalf of the Trust and not in the Administrator's individual capacity, such filings, applications, reports, surety bonds, irrevocable consents, appointments of attorney for service of process and other papers and documents as may be 7 necessary or desirable to register, or establish the exemption from registration of, the Notes under the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of any relevant jurisdictions; and (iv) executing and delivering, solely on behalf of the Trust and not in the Administrator's individual capacity, letters or documents to, or instruments for filing with, a depositary relating to the Notes; (e) if the Pricing Supplement relating to the Notes provides for a Survivor's Option, taking such actions as may be incidental or reasonably necessary to administer the Survivor's Option; and (f) undertaking such other administrative services as may be reasonably requested by the Trust or the Delaware Trustee, including: (i) causing the preparation by the Trust of any prospectus, prospectus supplement, pricing supplement, registration statement, amendments, including any exhibits and schedules thereto, any reports or other filings or documents, or supplement thereto; or (ii) securing and maintaining the listing of the Notes on any securities exchange or complying with the securities or "Blue Sky" laws of any relevant jurisdictions, in connection with the performance by the Trust of its obligations under the Program Documents or any other document to which the Trust is a party or other documents executed thereunder or in connection therewith. Any of the above services (other than those described in Sections 2.2(c), 2.2(d) and 2.2(e)) may, if the Administrator or the Trust deems it necessary or desirable, be subcontracted by the Administrator; provided that notice is given to the Trust of such subcontract and, notwithstanding such subcontract, the Administrator shall remain responsible for performance of the services set forth above unless such services are subcontracted to accountants or legal counsel selected with due care by the Administrator and reasonably satisfactory to the Trust and in which case the Administrator shall not remain responsible for the performance of such services and the Administrator shall not, in any event, be responsible for the costs, fees or expenses in connection therewith. ARTICLE 3 ACTIVITIES OF THE TRUST; EMPLOYEES; OFFICES. SECTION 3.1 Activities of the Trust. The Administrator agrees to carry out and perform the administrative activities of the Trust set forth in Article 2 in the name and on behalf of the Trust as its agent. SECTION 3.2 Employees. All services to be furnished by the Administrator under the Administrative Services Agreement may be furnished by an officer or employee of the Administrator, an officer or employee of any Affiliate of the Administrator, or, subject to Article 2, any other person or agent designated or retained 8 by it; provided that the Administrator shall remain ultimately responsible for the provision of such services by an officer or employee of the Administrator or any of its Affiliates or any other person or agent designated or retained by it, unless selected with due care and reasonably satisfactory to the Trust in accordance with the last paragraph of Article 2. No director, officer or employee of the Administrator or any Affiliate of the Administrator shall receive from the Trust a salary or other compensation. SECTION 3.3 Offices. The Administrator agrees to provide its own office space, together with appropriate materials and any necessary support personnel, for the day to day activities of the Trust set forth in Article 2 to be carried out and performed by the Administrator, all for the compensation specified in Article 4. Unless otherwise specified in the Administrative Services Agreement, all services to be furnished by the Administrator under the Administrative Services Agreement shall be performed from the Administrator's office in North Carolina. ARTICLE 4 COMPENSATION; INDEMNITIES SECTION 4.1 Compensation. The Trust agrees to pay the Administrator the fees set forth in or pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement (the "Administration Fee"). SECTION 4.2 Indemnities. To the fullest extent permitted under applicable law and subject to limitations imposed by public policy, the Trust agrees to indemnify the Administrator, and hold the Administrator harmless, from and against any and all losses, liabilities (including liabilities for penalties), actions, suits, judgments, demands, damages, out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including, without limitation, interest and reasonable attorneys fees, but excluding costs and expenses attributable solely to administrative overhead) arising out of, in connection with, or resulting from the exercise of the Administrator's rights and/or the performance of the Administrator's duties, by the Administrator or its agents and employees, under the Administrative Services Agreement (collectively, "Loss and Expense"); provided, however, that the Trust shall not be liable to indemnify the Administrator, or hold the Administrator harmless, from and against any and all Loss and Expense resulting from or attributable to the negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct of the Administrator. ARTICLE 5 TERM SECTION 5.1 Term. The Administrator may terminate the Administrative Services Agreement upon at least 30 days' written notice to the Trust and Allstate Life and the Trust may terminate the Administrative Services Agreement upon at least 30 days' notice to the Administrator (copies of any notice of termination shall also be sent to the Indenture Trustee). Such termination will not become effective until (a) the Trust appoints a successor Administrator; (b) the successor Administrator accepts such appointment; (c) the Administrator has 9 obtained the prior written confirmation of each Rating Agency that such action will not result in a reduction or withdrawal of its then current ratings, if any, of the Program and/or the Notes, as applicable; and (d) the Trust has paid all accrued and unpaid amounts owed to the Administrator under the Administrative Services Agreement. ARTICLE 6 OBLIGATION TO SUPPLY INFORMATION; RELIANCE ON INFORMATION; COVENANTS SECTION 6.1 Obligation to Supply Information. The Delaware Trustee shall forward to the Administrator such information (which is in the possession of the Trust) in connection with the Program Documents and the Administrative Services Agreement as the Administrator may from time to time reasonably request in connection with the performance of its obligations under the Administrative Services Agreement. The Administrator will: (a) hold and safely maintain all records, files, Program Documents and other material of the Trust; and (b) permit the Trust, the Delaware Trustee, and each of their respective officers, directors, agents and consultants on reasonable notice at any time and from time to time during normal business hours to inspect, audit, check and make abstracts from the accounts, records, correspondence, documents and other materials of the Trust, or relating to the provision of services and facilities under the Administrative Services Agreement. SECTION 6.2 Reliance on Information. The Trust recognizes that the accuracy and completeness of the records maintained and the information supplied by the Administrator under the Administrative Services Agreement is dependent upon the accuracy and completeness of the information obtained by the Administrator from the parties to the Program Documents and other sources and the Administrator shall not be responsible for any inaccurate or incomplete information so obtained or for any inaccurate or incomplete records maintained by the Administrator under the Administrative Services Agreement that may result therefrom. The Administrator shall have no duty to investigate the accuracy or completeness of any information provided to it and shall be entitled to fully rely on all such information provided to it. SECTION 6.3 Covenants. The Trust repeats and reaffirms to the Administrator the covenants of the Trust set forth in Article 4 of the Indenture. ARTICLE 7 LIABILITY OF ADMINISTRATOR; STANDARD OF CARE SECTION 7.1 Liability of Administrator. The Administrator assumes no liability for anything other than the services rendered by it pursuant to Articles 2, 3, 6 and 9, and neither the Administrator nor any of its directors, officers, employees or Affiliates shall be responsible for any action of the Trust, the Delaware Trustee or the officers or employees thereof taken outside the scope of Articles 2, 3, 6 and 9 and without direction from the Administrator. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is agreed 10 that the Administrator assumes no liability with respect to any of the Trust's obligations under the Program Documents. SECTION 7.2 No Implied Obligations. The Administrator shall not perform, endeavor to perform or agree to perform any act on behalf of the Trust not specifically required or permitted under the Program Documents. SECTION 7.3 Standard of Care. The Administrator shall perform its duties under the Administrative Services Agreement diligently, in conformity with the Trust's obligations under the Program Documents and applicable laws and regulations and in accordance with the same standard of care exercised by a prudent person in connection with the performance of the same or similar duties and, in no event with less care than the Administrator exercises or would exercise in connection with the same or similar obligations if those obligations were the direct obligations of the Administrator. ARTICLE 8 LIMITED RECOURSE SECTION 8.1 Limited Recourse to Trust. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Administrative Services Agreement, all obligations of the Trust under the Administrative Services Agreement shall be payable: (i) to the extent any such obligation constitutes a Support Obligation, by Allstate Life pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of the Support Agreement; and (ii) to the extent any such obligation does not constitute a Support Obligation, by Global Funding, only to the extent of funds available therefor under and in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and, to the extent such funds are not available or are insufficient for the payment thereof, such unavailability or insufficiency of funds shall not constitute a claim against the Trust to the extent of such unavailability or insufficiency. This Section 8.1 shall survive the termination of the Administrative Services Agreement. SECTION 8.2 No Recourse Against Certain Persons. The obligations of the Trust under the Administrative Services Agreement are solely the obligations of the Trust and no recourse shall be had with respect to the Administrative Services Agreement or any of the obligations of the Trust under the Administrative Services Agreement or for the payment of any fee or other amount payable under the Administrative Services Agreement or for any claim based on, arising out of or relating to any provision of the Administrative Services Agreement against any trustee, employee, settlor, Affiliate, agent or servant of the Trust. This Section 8.2 shall survive the termination of the Administrative Services Agreement. ARTICLE 9 TAX MATTERS SECTION 9.1 Income Tax Treatment. The Administrator agrees that for all United States Federal, state and local income and franchise tax purposes: (i) 11 the Notes will be treated as indebtedness of Allstate Life; and (ii) Global Funding and the Trust will be ignored and will not be treated as an association or a publicly traded partnership taxable as a corporation. The Administrator will not take any action inconsistent with the treatment described in the immediately preceding sentence unless otherwise required by applicable law. ARTICLE 10 MISCELLANEOUS SECTION 10.1 Amendments. No waiver, alteration, modification, amendment or supplement of the terms of the Administrative Services Agreement shall be effective unless: (a) accomplished by written instrument signed by the parties to the Administrative Services Agreement; and (b) for so long as any Notes remain outstanding, each of Moody's and S&P has confirmed in writing that such action will not result in reduction or withdrawal of its then current ratings, if any, of the Program and/or the Trust's Notes, as applicable. The Trust shall provide each of Moody's and S&P with a copy of each such waiver, alteration, modification, amendment or supplement. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 10.1 to the contrary, no waiver, alteration, modification, amendment or supplement to the terms of the Administrative Services Agreement shall be effective without the prior written consent of Allstate Life. SECTION 10.2 No Joint Venture. Nothing contained in the Administrative Services Agreement shall constitute the Trust and the Administrator as members of any partnership, joint venture, association, syndicate or unincorporated business. SECTION 10.3 Assignment. Except as set forth in this Section 10.3, and subject to the rights of the Administrator to subcontract its services under the Administrative Services Agreement pursuant to Article 2, the Administrative Services Agreement may not be assigned by either party without: (i) the prior written consent of the other party and Allstate Life; and (ii) the prior written confirmation of each of Moody's and S&P that such action will not result in a reduction or withdrawal of its then current ratings, if any, of the Program and/or the Notes, as applicable. Subject to the foregoing, the Administrative Services Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties to the Administrative Services Agreement and their respective successors and assigns. Any party's transfer or assignment of the Administrative Services Agreement in violation of this Section 10.3 shall be void as to the other party. SECTION 10.4 Governing Law, Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. (a) Pursuant to Section 5-1401 of the General Obligations Law of the State of New York, the Administrative Services Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. Each party to the Administrative Services Agreement submits to the 12 nonexclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and of any New York State Court sitting in New York City for purposes of all legal proceeding arising out of or relating to the Administrative Services Agreement or the transactions contemplated by the Administrative Services Agreement. Each party to the Administrative Services Agreement irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may have to the laying of the venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each party to the Administrative Services Agreement consents to process being served in any suit, action or proceeding with respect to the Administrative Services Agreement, or any document delivered pursuant to the Administrative Services Agreement by the mailing of a copy thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, to its respective address specified at the time for notices under the Administrative Services Agreement or to any other address of which it shall have given written notice to the other party. The foregoing shall not limit the ability of any party to the Administrative Services Agreement to bring suit in the courts of any other jurisdiction. (b) Each of the parties irrevocably waives any and all right to a trial by jury with respect to any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to the Administrative Services Agreement or any transaction. Each of the parties to the Administrative Services Agreement acknowledges that such waiver is made with full understanding and knowledge of the nature of the rights and benefits waived. SECTION 10.5 Counterparts. The Administrative Services Agreement and any amendments, supplements, modifications, restatements or replacements of the Administrative Services Agreement, or waivers or consents to the Administrative Services Agreement, may be executed in any number of counterparts, and by different parties to the Administrative Services Agreement in separate counterparts, each of which, when so executed and delivered, shall be deemed to be an original and all of which counterparts, when taken together, shall constitute one and the same instrument. The Administrative Services Agreement shall become effective upon the execution of a counterpart by each of the parties. SECTION 10.6 Limitation of Delaware Trustee Liability. Notwithstanding any provision of the Administrative Services Agreement to the contrary, it is expressly understood and agreed by the parties that: (a) the Administrative Services Agreement is executed and delivered by the Delaware Trustee, not individually or personally, but solely as trustee, as applicable, in the exercise of the powers and authority conferred and vested in it, pursuant to the Trust Agreement; (b) each of the representations, undertakings and agreements in the Administrative Services Agreement made on the part 13 of the Trust is made and intended not as personal representations, undertakings and agreements by the Delaware Trustee but is made and intended for the purpose of binding only the Trust; (c) nothing contained in the Administrative Services Agreement shall be construed as creating any liability on the Delaware Trustee, individually or personally, to perform any covenant either expressed or implied contained in the Administrative Services Agreement, all such liability, if any, being expressly waived by the parties to the Administrative Services Agreement and by any person claiming by, through or under the parties to the Administrative Services Agreement; and (d) under no circumstances shall the Delaware Trustee be personally liable for the payment of any indebtedness or expenses of the Trust or be liable for the breach or failure of any obligation, representation, warranty or covenant made or undertaken by the Trust under the Administrative Services Agreement or any other related documents. SECTION 10.7 No Petition. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Administrator covenants and agrees that it will not institute against, or join with any other Person in instituting against, the Trust any bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, insolvency or liquidation proceedings, or other proceedings under any applicable bankruptcy or similar law. This Section 10.7 shall survive termination of the Administrative Services Agreement. SECTION 10.8 Severability. If any provision in the Administrative Services Agreement shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, such provisions shall be deemed severable from the remaining provisions of the Administrative Services Agreement and shall in no way affect the validity or enforceability of such other provisions of the Administrative Services Agreement. SECTION 10.9 Entire Agreement. The Administrative Services Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to matters covered by the Administrative Services Agreement and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings with respect to such matters between the parties whether written or oral. SECTION 10.10 Administrator to Provide Access to Books and Records. The Administrator shall provide the Indenture Trustee with access to the books and records of the Trust, without charge, but only: (a) upon the reasonable request of the Indenture Trustee (for which purpose one Business Day shall be deemed reasonable); (b) during normal business hours; (c) subject to the Administrator's normal security and confidentiality procedures; and (d) at offices designated by the Administrator. SECTION 10.11 No Waiver. No failure on the part of the parties to the Administrative Services Agreement to exercise, and no delay in exercising, and no course of dealing with respect to, any right, power or privilege under the Administrative Services Agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or privilege operate as such a waiver. 14 SECTION 10.12 Remedies Cumulative. No right, power or remedy of the parties under the Administrative Services Agreement shall be exclusive of any other right, power or remedy, but shall be cumulative and in addition to any other right, power or remedy thereunder or existing by law or in equity. SECTION 10.13 Notices. All notices, demands, instructions and other communications required or permitted to be given to or made upon either party to the Administrative Services Agreement shall be in writing (including by facsimile transmission) and shall be personally delivered or sent by guaranteed overnight delivery or by facsimile transmission (to be followed by personal or guaranteed overnight delivery) and shall be deemed to be given for purposes of the Administrative Services Agreement on the day that such writing is received by the intended recipient thereof in accordance with the provisions of this Section 10.13. Unless otherwise specified in a notice sent or delivered in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this Section 10.13, notices, demands, instructions and other communications in writing shall be given to or made upon the respective parties thereto at their respective addresses (or their respective telecopy numbers) indicated below: If to the Trust: c/o Wilmington Trust Company Rodney Square North 1100 North Market Street Wilmington, DE 19890 Attention: Corporate Trust Administration Facsimile: (302) 636-4140 If to the Administrator: AMACAR Pacific Corp. 6525 Morrison Blvd., Suite 318 Charlotte, North Carolina 28211 Attention: Douglas K. Johnson Facsimile: (704) 365-1632 or at such other address as shall be designated by any party in a written notice to the other party. 15