SCOTTISH ANNUITY & LIFE HOLDINGS LTD
S-1/A, 1998-11-18
LIFE INSURANCE
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<PAGE>
 
   AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON NOVEMBER 17, 1998
                                           REGISTRATION STATEMENT NO. 333-57227
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                      SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
                                ---------------
                                
                             AMENDMENT NO. 6     
                                      TO
                                   FORM S-1
                            REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                          THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
 
                                ---------------
 
                    SCOTTISH ANNUITY & LIFE HOLDINGS, LTD.
            (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)
 
                                ---------------
 
<TABLE>
 <S>                             <C>                                 <C>
          CAYMAN ISLANDS                         6311                          NOT APPLICABLE
  (STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION              (PRIMARY STANDARD                (I.R.S. EMPLOYER
OF INCORPORATION OR ORGANIZATION)  INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION CODE NUMBER   IDENTIFICATION NUMBER)
 
            UGLAND HOUSE                                               CT CORPORATION SYSTEM
          P.O. BOX 10657APO                                                  1633 BROADWAY
      GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN                                       NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10019
CAYMAN ISLANDS, BRITISH WEST INDIES                                       (212) 664-1666 
            (345) 949-2800                                     (Name, address, including zip code, and
   (Address, including zip code, and                          telephone number, including area code, of
telephone number, including area code, of                               agent for service)
Registrant's principal executive offices)
 
                                             COPIES TO:
   ROBERT L. ESTEP, ESQ.                  HENRY SMITH, ESQ.                  CRAIG B. BROD, ESQ.
JONES, DAY, REAVIS & POGUE                MAPLES AND CALDER         CLEARY, GOTTLIEB, STEEN & HAMILTON
2300 TRAMMELL CROW CENTER             P.O. BOX 309, UGLAND HOUSE            ONE LIBERTY PLAZA
     2001 ROSS AVENUE                 GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN          NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10006
    DALLAS, TEXAS 75201                  CAYMAN ISLANDS, BWI                   (212) 225-2000
       (214) 220-3939                      (345) 949-8066

</TABLE> 
 
                                --------------

 
  APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: As soon as
practicable after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
 
  If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, check the following box. [_]
 
  If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and
list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective
registration statement for the same offering. [_]
 
  If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [_]
 
  If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering. [_]
 
  If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
check the following box. [_]
 
                                ---------------
 
  THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT
SHALL FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS
REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SECTION 8(A) OF THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE COMMISSION, ACTING
PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(A), MAY DETERMINE.
 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
 
                                
                             EXPLANATORY NOTE     
   
  This Amendment No. 6 is being filed solely for the purpose of filing of
Exhibits 1.1 and 3.1 to the Registration Statement (File No. 333-57227). This
Amendment No. 6 does not contain a copy of the Prospectus included in the
Registration Statement, which is unchanged from Amendment No. 5 filed on
November 17, 1998.     
<PAGE>
 
                                    PART II
 
                    INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
 
ITEM 13. OTHER EXPENSES OF ISSUANCE AND DISTRIBUTION.
 
  The following table sets forth the expenses payable by the Company in
connection with the issuance and distribution of the Ordinary Shares being
registered hereby. All of such expenses are estimates, other than the filing
fees payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National
Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. and the Nasdaq National Market.
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                                                  <C>
Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee................. $   85,237
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. filing fee.........     29,394
Nasdaq National Market quotation fee................................     95,000
Advisory fee........................................................    800,000
Printing costs......................................................    650,000
Accounting fees and expenses........................................    175,000
Legal fees and expenses (not including Blue Sky)....................    750,000
Blue Sky fees and expenses..........................................      2,000
Miscellaneous expenses..............................................    113,369
                                                                     ----------
  Total............................................................. $2,700,000
                                                                     ==========
</TABLE>
 
ITEM 14. INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.
 
  Cayman Islands law permits a company's articles of association to provide
for the indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent that
such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to
public policy (for instance, for purporting to provide indemnification against
the consequences of committing a crime). In addition, an officer or director
may not be indemnified for his own dishonesty, wilful neglect or default.
 
  The Articles contain provisions providing for the indemnification by the
Company of an officer, director, employee or agent of the Company, or any
person serving at the request of the Company as an officer, director, employee
or agent of any other company, for threatened, pending or contemplated
actions, suits or proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, brought against such indemnified person by reason of the fact
that such person was an officer, director, employee or agent of the Company or
serving in such capacity. In addition, the Board of Directors may authorize
the Company to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any such person
against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such
capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Company
would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the
provisions of the Articles. The Company plans to purchase directors and
officers liability insurance from third parties for its directors and
executive officers. The Company also plans to enter into indemnity agreements
with each of its executive officers and directors.
 
  The Articles provide that directors of the Company shall have no personal
liability to the Company or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach
of fiduciary or other duties as a director, except (i) for any breach of a
director's duty of loyalty to the Company or its shareholders; (ii) for acts
or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a
knowing violation of law; (iii) a payment of a dividend on stock of the
Company or a purchase or redemption of stock of the Company in violation of
law; or (iv) for any transaction from which a director derived an improper
personal benefit.
 
  Reference is made to the form of Underwriting Agreement to be filed as
Exhibit 1.1 hereto for provisions providing that the Underwriters are
obligated, under certain circumstances, to indemnify the directors, certain
officers and controlling persons of the Company against liabilities under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act").
 
                                     II-1
<PAGE>
 
ITEM 15. RECENT SALES OF UNREGISTERED SECURITIES.
 
  Since its formation, the Company issued the following securities that were
not registered under the Securities Act:
 
    (a) On June 9, 1998, the Company sold 1,500,000 Ordinary Shares to
  Scottish Holdings, Ltd., for an aggregate purchase price of $500,000.
 
    (b) On June 9, 1998, the Company sold Class A Warrants to purchase an
  aggregate of 1,550,000 Ordinary Shares to Michael C. French, Michelle L.
  Boucher, Audubon Asset, Limited and Soulieana Limited for an aggregate
  purchase price of $100,000.
 
    (c) On June 18, 1998, the Company sold Class B Warrants to purchase an
  aggregate of 200,000 Ordinary Shares to The Roman Arch Fund L.P. and The
  Roman Arch Fund II L.P. for an aggregate purchase price of $302,000.
 
    (d) On October 22, 1998, the Company issued Class A Warrants to purchase
  an aggregate of 900,000 Ordinary Shares to Audubon Asset, Limited,
  Soulieana Limited and South Madison Trust in exchange for 1,045,000
  Ordinary Shares.
 
    (e) On October 27, 1998, the Company entered into securities purchase
  agreements with Audubon Asset Limited, Soulieana Limited, Maverick Fund
  USA, Ltd., Maverick Fund, L.D.C. and Maverick Fund II, Ltd. (the "Direct
  Investors"), pursuant to which the Company will sell to the Direct
  Investors an aggregate of 1,418,440 Ordinary Shares and Class A Warrants to
  purchase an aggregate of 400,000 Ordinary Shares.
 
  No underwriters were or will be involved in the foregoing sales of
securities. Such sales were or will be made in reliance upon an exemption from
the registration provisions of the Securities Act set forth in Section 4(2)
thereof relative to sales by an issuer not involving a public offering. All of
the foregoing securities are or will be deemed restricted securities for
purposes of the Securities Act.
 
ITEM 16. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES.
 
 (a) Exhibits. Except as otherwise indicated, the following Exhibits are filed
herewith and made a part hereof:
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
 NUMBER                          DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
 -------                         -----------------------
 <C>     <S>
 1.1*    Form of Underwriting Agreement between the Company and the
          Underwriters.
 3.1*    Memorandum of Association of the Company.
 3.2**   Articles of Association of the Company.
 4.1**   Specimen Ordinary Share Certificate.
 4.2**   Form of Amended and Restated Class A Warrant.
 4.3**   Form of Amended and Restated Class B Warrant.
 4.4**   Form of Securities Purchase Agreement for the Class A Warrants.
 4.5**   Form of Warrant Purchase Agreement for the Class B Warrants.
 4.6**   Form of Registration Rights Agreement for the Class A Warrants.
 4.7**   Form of Registration Rights Agreement for the Class B Warrants.
 4.10**  Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between the Company and the
          Shareholder Investors
 4.11**  Form of Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the
          Shareholder Investors
 4.12**  Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between the Company and the Non-
          Shareholder Investors
 4.13**  Form of Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the Non-
          Shareholder Investors
 5.1**   Opinion of Maples and Calder as to the validity of the securities
          being offered.
 8.1**   Opinion of Maples and Calder.
</TABLE>    
 
 
                                     II-2
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
 NUMBER                         DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
 -------                        -----------------------
 <C>     <S>
  8.2**  Opinion of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue.
 10.1**  Employment Agreement dated June 18, 1998 between the Company and
          Michael C. French.
 10.2**  Employment Agreement dated June 18, 1998 between the Company and
          Michelle L. Boucher.
 10.3**  Second Amended and Restated 1998 Stock Option Plan effective October
          22, 1998.
 10.4**  Form of Stock Option Agreement in connection with 1998 Stock Option
          Plan.
 10.8**  Agreement dated June 30, 1998 between the Company and International
          Risk Management (Cayman) Ltd.
 10.9**  Amended and Restated Insurance Administration, Services and Referral
          Agreement dated as of October 1, 1998 between the Company and The
          Scottish Annuity Company (Cayman) Ltd.
 10.10** Employment Agreement dated July 20, 1998 between the Company and
          Henryk Sulikowski.
 10.12** Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and each of its
          directors and officers.
 10.13** Investment Management Agreement dated October 22, 1998 between the
          Company and Pacific Investment Management Company.
 10.14** Investment Management Agreement dated October 22, 1998 between the
          Company and General Re--New England Asset Management, Inc.
 10.15** Agreement dated October 23, 1998 between the Company and Westport
          Partners (Bermuda), Ltd.
 10.16** Investment Management Agreement dated October 22, 1998 between the
          Company and The Prudential Investment Corporation.
 10.17** Form of Omnibus Registration Rights Agreement.
 21.1**  Subsidiaries of Registrant.
 23.1**  Consent of Maples and Calder (contained in Exhibit 5.1).
 23.2**  Consent of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue (contained in Exhibit 8.2).
 23.3**  Consent of Ernst & Young.
 23.4**  Consent of The Bernstein Law Firm (contained in Exhibit 99.10).
 24.1**  Powers of Attorney.
 99.1**  Consent of Michael Austin.
 99.3**  Consent of Howard Shapiro.
 99.4**  Form F-N.
 99.5**  Consent of Sam Wyly.
 99.6**  Consent of Charles J. Wyly, Jr.
 99.7**  Consent of David Matthews.
 99.8**  Consent of R. Duke Buchan III.
 99.9**  Consent of Robert M. Chmely.
 99.10** Opinion of The Bernstein Law Firm with respect to certain state
          insurance regulatory matters.
</TABLE>    
- --------
 * Filed herewith.
 
** Previously filed.
       
  (b) Financial Statement Schedules
 
  All financial statement schedules are omitted because they are either not
applicable or the required information is included in the balance sheet or
notes thereto appearing elsewhere in this Registration Statement.
 
ITEM 17. UNDERTAKINGS.
 
  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to provide to the underwriters
at the closing specified in the underwriting agreement, certificates in such
denominations and registered in such names as required by the underwriters to
permit prompt delivery to each purchaser.
 
                                     II-3
<PAGE>
 
  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Company has
been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission,
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in said Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the
final adjudication of such issue.
 
  The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:
 
    (1) For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of
  1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as a part
  of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
  the form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1)
  or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of
  this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective.
 
    (2) For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act
  of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus
  shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
  securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that
  time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
 
                                     II-4
<PAGE>
 
                                  SIGNATURES
   
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company has
duly caused this Amendment No. 6 to Registration Statement No. 333-57227 to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Dallas,
Texas, on November 17, 1998.     
 
                                       SCOTTISH ANNUITY & LIFE HOLDINGS, LTD.
 
                                       By: /s/ Michael C. French
                                          -------------------------------------
                                          Michael C. French
                                          Chief Executive Officer and
                                           President
   
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Amendment
No. 6 to Registration Statement No. 333-57227 has been signed by the following
persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.     
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
             SIGNATURE                           TITLE                    DATE
             ---------                           -----                    ----
<S>                                  <C>                           <C>
       /s/ Michael C. French         Chief Executive Officer,      November 17, 1998
____________________________________  President and Director
         Michael C. French            (Principal Executive
                                      Officer)

                 *                   Senior Vice President, Chief  November 17, 1998
____________________________________  Financial Officer and
        Michelle L. Boucher           Secretary (Principal
                                      Financial Officer and
                                      Principal Accounting
                                      Officer)

                 *                   Director                      November 17, 1998
____________________________________
              Sam Wyly

                 *                   Director                      November 17, 1998
____________________________________
           Michael Austin

                 *                   Director                      November 17, 1998
____________________________________
         R. Duke Buchan III

                 *                   Director                      November 17, 1998
____________________________________
          Robert M. Chmely

                 *                   Director                      November 17, 1998
____________________________________
           David Matthews

                 *                   Director                      November 17, 1998
____________________________________
           Howard Shapiro

                 *                   Director                      November 17, 1998
____________________________________
        Charles J. Wyly, Jr.

       /s/ Donald J. Puglisi         Authorized Representative     November 17, 1998
____________________________________  in the United States
         Donald J. Puglisi
</TABLE>    
   
* The undersigned, by signing his name hereto, does sign and execute this
 Amendment No. 6 to Registration Statement No. 333-57227 pursuant to the
 Powers of Attorney executed on behalf of the above-named officers and
 directors and filed herewith.     
 
                                           /s/ Michael C. French
                                           ------------------------------------
                                              Michael C. French
                                              Attorney-in-Fact
 
                                     II-5
<PAGE>
 
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>   
<CAPTION>
  EXHIBIT
 SEQUENTIAL
   NUMBER
  PAGE NO.                        DESCRIPTION OF DOCUMENT
 ----------                       -----------------------
 <C>        <S>
  1.1*      Form of Underwriting Agreement between the Company and the
             Underwriters.
  3.1*      Memorandum of Association of the Company.
  3.2**     Articles of Association of the Company.
  4.1**     Specimen Ordinary Share Certificate.
  4.2**     Form of Amended and Restated Class A Warrant.
  4.3**     Form of Amended and Restated Class B Warrant.
  4.4**     Form of Securities Purchase Agreement for the Class A Warrants.
  4.5**     Form of Warrant Purchase Agreement for the Class B Warrants.
  4.6**     Form of Registration Rights Agreement for the Class A Warrants.
  4.7**     Form of Registration Rights Agreement for the Class B Warrants.
  4.10**    Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between the Company and the
             Shareholder Investors.
  4.11**    Form of Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the
             Shareholder Investors.
  4.12**    Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between the Company and the
             Non-Shareholder Investors.
  4.13**    Form of Registration Rights Agreement between the Company and the
             Non-Shareholder Investors.
  5.1**     Opinion of Maples and Calder as to the validity of the securities
             being offered.
  8.1**     Opinion of Maples and Calder.
  8.2**     Opinion of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue.
 10.1**     Employment Agreement dated June 18, 1998 between the Company and
             Michael C. French.
 10.2**     Employment Agreement dated June 18, 1998 between the Company and
             Michelle L. Boucher.
 10.3**     Second Amended and Restated 1998 Stock Option Plan effective
             October 22, 1998.
 10.4**     Form of Stock Option Agreement in connection with 1998 Stock Option
             Plan.
 10.8**     Agreement dated June 30, 1998 between the Company and International
             Risk Management (Cayman) Ltd.
 10.9**     Amended and Restated Insurance Administration, Services and
             Referral Agreement dated as of October 1, 1998 between the Company
             and The Scottish Annuity Company (Cayman) Ltd.
 10.10**    Employment Agreement dated July 20, 1998 between the Company and
             Henryk Sulikowski.
 10.12**    Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Company and each of
             its directors and officers.
 10.13**    Investment Management Agreement dated October 22, 1998 between the
             Company and Pacific Investment Management Company.
 10.14**    Investment Management Agreement dated October 22, 1998 between the
             Company and General Re--New England Asset Management, Inc.
 10.15**    Agreement dated October 23, 1998 between the Company and Westport
             Partners (Bermuda), Ltd.
 10.16**    Investment Management Agreement dated October 22, 1998 between the
             Company and Prudential Investment Corporation.
 10.17**    Form of Omnibus Registration Rights Agreement.
 21.1**     Subsidiaries of Registrant.
 23.1**     Consent of Maples and Calder (contained in Exhibit 5.1).
 23.2**     Consent of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue (contained in Exhibit 8.2).
 23.3**     Consent of Ernst & Young.
 23.4**     Consent of The Bernstein Law Firm (contained in Exhibit 99.10).
 24.1**     Powers of Attorney.
 99.1**     Consent of Michael Austin.
 99.3**     Consent of Howard Shapiro.
 99.4**     Form F-N.
 99.5**     Consent of Sam Wyly.
 99.6**     Consent of Charles J. Wyly, Jr.
 99.7**     Consent of David Matthews.
 99.8**     Consent of R. Duke Buchan III.
 99.9**     Consent of Robert M. Chmely.
 99.10**    *Opinion of The Bernstein Law Firm with respect to certain state
             insurance regulatory matters.
</TABLE>    
- --------
 *Filed herewith.
 
 **Previously filed.
       

<PAGE>
 
                                                                     EXHIBIT 1.1

                     SCOTTISH ANNUITY & LIFE HOLDINGS, LTD.


                          16,750,000 Ordinary Shares/1/


                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                             ----------------------

                                                               November __, 1998

Prudential Securities Incorporated
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.
ING Baring Furman Selz LLC
Warburg Dillon Read LLC
 As Representatives of the several Underwriters
c/o Prudential Securities Incorporated
One New York Plaza
New York, New York  10292

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

          Scottish Annuity & Life Holdings, Ltd., a Cayman Islands, British West
Indies corporation (the "Company"), hereby confirms its agreement with the
several underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto (the "Underwriters"), for whom
you have been duly authorized to act as representatives (in such capacities, the
"Representatives"), as set forth below.  If you are the only Underwriters, all
references herein to the Representatives shall be deemed to be to the
Underwriters.  The Company's Ordinary Shares, par value $0.01 per share, are
referred to herein as the "Ordinary Shares."

          1.  Securities.  Subject to the terms and conditions herein contained,
the Company proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters an aggregate
of 16,750,000 Ordinary Shares (the "Firm Securities"). The Company also proposes
to issue and sell to the several Underwriters not more than an aggregate of
2,512,500 additional Ordinary Shares if requested by the Representatives as
provided in Section 3 of this Agreement. Any and all Ordinary Shares to be
purchased by the Underwriters pursuant to such option are referred to herein as
the "Option Securities", and the Firm Securities and any Option Securities are

- -----------------
/1/   Plus an option to purchase from Scottish Annuity & Life Holdings, Ltd. up
      to 2,512,500 additional Ordinary Shares to cover over-allotments.
<PAGE>
 
collectively referred to herein as the "Securities".  It is understood that the
Company has agreed, concurrently with the issuance, offering and sale of the
Securities to the Underwriters by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, to
issue and sell directly to Audubon Asset, Limited, Soulieana Limited, Maverick
Fund USA, Ltd., Maverick Fund, L.D.C. and Maverick Fund II, Ltd. (collectively,
the "Direct Investors") an aggregate of 1,418,440 Ordinary Shares (the "Direct
Shares") and Class A Warrants to purchase an aggregate of 400,000 Ordinary
Shares (the "Direct Warrants", and collectively with the Direct Shares, the
"Direct Securities") as set forth in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not
in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus under the caption "Direct
Sales".

          2.  Representations and Warranties of the Company. The Company
represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each of the several Underwriters
that:

          (a) A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-57227) with
respect to the Securities, including a prospectus subject to completion, has
been filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), and one
or more amendments to such registration statement may have been so filed. After
the execution of this Agreement, the Company will file with the Commission
either (i) if such registration statement, as it may have been amended, has been
declared by the Commission to be effective under the Act, either (A) if the
Company relies on Rule 434 under the Act, a Term Sheet (as hereinafter defined)
relating to the Securities, that shall identify the Preliminary Prospectus (as
hereinafter defined) that it supplements containing such information as is
required or permitted by Rules 434, 430A and 424(b) under the Act or (B) if the
Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act, a prospectus in the form most
recently included in an amendment to such registration statement (or, if no such
amendment shall have been filed, in such registration statement), with such
changes or insertions as are required by Rule 430A under the Act or permitted by
Rule 424(b) under the Act, and in the case of either clause (i)(A) or (i)(B) of
this sentence as have been provided to and approved by the Representatives prior
to the execution of this Agreement, or (ii) if such registration statement, as
it may have been amended, has not been declared by the Commission to be
effective under the Act, an amendment to such registration statement, including
a form of prospectus, a copy of which amendment has been furnished to and
approved by the Representatives prior to the execution of this Agreement. The
Company may also file a related registration statement with the Commission
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act for the purpose of registering certain
additional Securities, which registration shall be effective upon filing with
the Commission. As used in this Agreement, the term "Original Registration
Statement" means the registration statement initially filed relating to the
Securities, as amended at the time when it was or is declared effective,
including all financial schedules and exhibits thereto and including any
information omitted therefrom pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act and included
in the Prospectus (as hereinafter defined); the term "Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement" means any registration statement filed with the Commission pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Act (including the Registration Statement and any
Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus incorporated therein at the time such
Registration Statement becomes effective); the term "Registration Statement"
includes both the Original Registration Statement and any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement; the term "Preliminary Prospectus" means each prospectus
subject to completion filed

                                       2
<PAGE>
 
with such registration statement or any amendment thereto (including the
prospectus subject to completion, if any, included in the Registration Statement
or any amendment thereto at the time it was or is declared effective); the term
"Prospectus" means:

          (A)  if the Company relies on Rule 434 under the Act, the Term Sheet
          relating to the Securities that is first filed pursuant to Rule
          424(b)(7) under the Act, together with the Preliminary Prospectus
          identified therein that such Term Sheet supplements;

          (B)  if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act, the
          prospectus first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)
          under the Act; or
          
          (C)  if the Company does not rely on Rule 434 under the Act and if no
          prospectus is required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the
          Act, the prospectus included in the Registration Statement;

and the term "Term Sheet" means any term sheet that satisfies the requirements
of Rule 434 under the Act.  Any reference herein to the "date" of a Prospectus
that includes a Term Sheet shall mean the date of such Term Sheet.

          (b)  The Commission has not issued any order preventing or suspending
the use of any Preliminary Prospectus. When any Preliminary Prospectus was filed
with the Commission it (i) contained all statements required to be stated
therein in accordance with, and complied in all material respects with the
requirements of, the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder and (ii) did not 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 under which they were made, not
misleading. When the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto was or is
declared effective, it (i) contained or will contain all statements required to
be stated therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply in all
material respects with the requirements of, the Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) did not or will not include
any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading. When the Prospectus or
any Term Sheet that is a part thereof or any amendment or supplement to the
Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) (or, if the
Prospectus or any Term Sheet that is a part thereof or such amendment or
supplement is not required to be so filed, when the Registration Statement or
the amendment thereto containing such amendment or supplement to the Prospectus
was or is declared effective) and on the Firm Closing Date and any Option
Closing Date (both as hereinafter defined), the Prospectus, as amended or
supplemented at any such time, (i) contained or will contain all statements
required to be stated therein in accordance with, and complied or will comply in
all material respects with the requirements of, the Act and the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder and (ii) did not or will not 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 under which they were made, not misleading. The foregoing
provisions of this paragraph (b) do not apply to statements or omissions made in
any Preliminary Prospectus, the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto
or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in

                                       3
<PAGE>
 
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein.

          (c)  If the Company has elected to rely on Rule 462(b) and the Rule
462(b) Registration Statement has not been declared effective (i) the Company
has filed a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement in compliance with and that is
effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) and has received confirmation of
its receipt and (ii) the Company has given irrevocable instructions for
transmission of the applicable filing fee in connection with the filing of the
Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, in compliance with Rule 111 promulgated
under the Act or the Commission has received payment of such filing fee.

          (d)  No registration was, is or will be required under the Act or any
applicable securities, blue sky or insurance laws of any applicable jurisdiction
for the issuance, offering and sale of the Direct Securities to the Direct
Investors, of the 1,500,000 Ordinary Shares (the "SHL Securities") to Scottish
Holdings, Ltd. ("SHL") and of the Company's outstanding Class A Warrants (the
"Class A Warrants"), Class B Warrants (the "Class B Warrants") and Class C
Warrants, if any are issued (the "Class C Warrants") to the holders thereof (the
"Class A Warrant Holders," the "Class B Warrant Holders" and the "Class C
Warrant Holders", respectively). Neither the Company nor any "affiliate" of the
Company within the meaning of Rule 501(b) under the Act or any person acting on
behalf of the Company or any such affiliate, directly or indirectly, (i) has
made or will make offers or sales of, or solicitations of offers to buy, the
Direct Securities, the SHL Securities, the Class A Warrants, the Class B
Warrants or the Class C Warrants (or any securities of the same or similar
respective classes) to any prospective purchaser under circumstances that would
require registration of the Direct Securities, the SHL Securities, the Class A
Warrants, the Class B Warrants or the Class C Warrants or (ii) has engaged in
any form of "general solicitation" or "general advertising" within the meaning
of Rule 502(c) under the Act with respect to the Direct Securities, the SHL
Securities, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants and the Class C Warrants.

          (e)  Each of the Company and Scottish Annuity & Life Insurance Company
(Cayman) Ltd., a Cayman Islands, British West Indies corporation (the
"Subsidiary"), has been duly organized and is validly existing as a company in
good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, British West Indies and is
duly qualified to transact business as a foreign corporation and is in good
standing under the laws of all other jurisdictions where the ownership or
leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such
qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified does not amount to a
material liability or disability to the Company and its Subsidiary, taken as a
whole.

          (f)  The Company has no subsidiary other than the Subsidiary.

          (g)  Each of the Company and its Subsidiary has full power (corporate
and other) to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business as
described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus
is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus; and the Company has
full power (corporate and other) to enter into (i) this Agreement, (ii) the
separate securities purchase agreements entered into by the Company with

                                       4
<PAGE>
 
each of the Direct Investors (such securities purchase agreements, the "Direct
Agreements"), (iii) the subscription agreement entered into by the Company with
SHL (such subscription agreement, the "SHL Agreement"), (iv) the separate
warrant purchase agreements entered into by the Company with each of the Class A
Warrant Holders (such warrant purchase agreements, the "Class A Warrant Purchase
Agreements"), the Class B Warrant Holders (such warrant purchase agreements, the
"Class B Warrant Purchase Agreements") and the Class C Warrant Holders (such
warrant purchase agreements, the "Class C Warrant Purchase Agreements", and
collectively with the Class A Warrant Purchase Agreements and the Class B
Warrant Purchase Agreements, the "Warrant Purchase Agreements"), (v) the omnibus
registration rights agreement entered into by the Company with each of the
Direct Investors, the Class A Warrant Holders and the Class B Warrant Holders
(such omnibus registration rights agreement, the "Registration Rights
Agreement"), and (vi) the Direct Warrants, the Class A Warrants, the Class B
Warrants and the Class C Warrants and to carry out all the terms and provisions
hereof and thereof to be carried out by it.

          (h)  The issued shares in the capital of the Subsidiary have been duly
authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and are owned
beneficially by the Company free and clear of any security interests, liens,
encumbrances, equities or claims.

          (i)  The Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding
capitalization as set forth in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in
existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus. All of the issued shares in
the capital of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are
fully paid and nonassessable. The Class A Warrants and the Class B Warrants have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.
The Firm Securities and the Option Securities have been duly authorized and at
the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date (as the case may be),
after payment therefor in accordance herewith, will be validly issued, fully
paid and nonassessable. The Direct Securities have been duly authorized and,
after payment therefor in accordance with the Direct Agreements, will be validly
issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The Class C Warrants have been duly
authorized and, after payment therefor in accordance with the Class C Warrant
Purchase Agreements, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. The
Ordinary Shares initially issuable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants, the
Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants and the Direct Warrants (as the case may
be), have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance upon such exercise, and
after payment therefor upon exercise in accordance with the Class A Warrants,
the Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants and the Direct Warrants (as the case
may be), will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. No holders of
outstanding shares of the Company are entitled as such to any preemptive or
other rights to subscribe for any of the Securities, the Direct Securities or
the Ordinary Shares initially issuable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants,
the Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants or the Direct Warrants, and no holder
of securities of the Company has any right which has not been fully exercised or
waived to require the Company to register the offer or sale of any securities
owned by such holder under the Act in the public offering contemplated by this
Agreement.

                                       5
<PAGE>
 
          (j)  The share capital of the Company conforms to the description
thereof contained in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence,
the most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

          (k)  Except as disclosed in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, there are no
outstanding (A) securities or obligations of the Company or its Subsidiary
convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for any shares in the capital of
the Company or its Subsidiary, (B) warrants, rights or options to subscribe for
or purchase from the Company or its Subsidiary any such shares or any such
convertible, exchangeable or exercisable securities or obligations, or (C)
obligations of the Company or its Subsidiary to issue any shares, any such
convertible, exchangeable or exercisable securities or obligations, or any such
warrants, rights or options.

          (l)  The consolidated financial statements of the Company and its
Subsidiary included in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or, if the
Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, fairly
present the financial position of the Company and its Subsidiary and the results
of operations and changes in financial condition as of the dates and periods
therein specified. Such financial statements have been prepared in accordance
with United States generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied
throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein).

          (m)  Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified the consolidated financial
statements of the Company and its Subsidiary and delivered their report with
respect to the audited consolidated balance sheet included in the Registration
Statement and the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by
the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder.

          (n)  The execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Direct
Agreements, the SHL Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the Registration
Rights Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants, the Class C
Warrants and the Direct Warrants have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action of the Company, and no other corporate proceeding therefor on
the part of the Company or its shareholders is required; this Agreement, the
Direct Agreements, the SHL Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the
Registration Rights Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants and
the Direct Warrants have been duly executed and delivered by the Company, and
are the valid and binding agreements of the Company, enforceable against the
Company in accordance with their respective terms.

          (o)  No legal or governmental proceedings are pending to which the
Company or its Subsidiary is a party or to which the property of the Company or
its Subsidiary is subject that are required to be described in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus and are not described therein or, if the Prospectus
is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, and to the
knowledge of the Company, no such proceedings have been threatened against the
Company or its Subsidiary or with respect to any of their respective properties;
and no contract or other document is required to be described in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be

                                       6
<PAGE>
 
filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement that is not described therein
or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus, or filed as required.

          (p)  The issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the
Underwriters by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, of the Direct Securities
to the Direct Investors by the Company pursuant to the Direct Agreements, of the
SHL Securities to SHL by the Company pursuant to the SHL Agreement, and of the
Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants and the Class C Warrants to the Class A
Warrant Holders, the Class B Warrant Holders and the Class C Warrant Holders,
respectively, by the Company pursuant to the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the
compliance by the Company with the other provisions of this Agreement, the
Direct Agreements, the SHL Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the
Registration Rights Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants, the
Class C Warrants and the Direct Warrants and the consummation of the other
transactions herein and therein contemplated do not (i) require the consent,
approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with any
governmental authority, except such as have been obtained, such as may be
required under state securities or blue sky laws and, if the registration
statement filed with respect to the Securities (as amended) is not effective
under the Act as of the time of execution hereof, such as may be required (and
shall be obtained as provided in this Agreement) under the Act, or (ii) conflict
with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of,
or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company or its Subsidiary is a party
or by which the Company or its Subsidiary or any of their respective properties
are bound, or the Memorandum of Association or Articles of Association or other
organizational documents of the Company or its Subsidiary, or any statute or any
judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation of any court or other governmental
authority or any arbitrator applicable to the Company or its Subsidiary, except
for such breaches or defaults as will not have a material adverse effect on the
condition (financial or otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or
results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiary, taken as a whole.

          (q)  Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is
not in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, (i) the Company and
its Subsidiary have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or
contingent, nor entered into any material transaction not in the ordinary course
of business, (ii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding shares,
nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on
its share capital, (iii) there has not been any material change in the share
capital, short-term debt or long-term debt of the Company and its Subsidiary,
(iv) neither the Company nor its Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or
interference with their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood,
hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or
from any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and (v) there
has not been any material adverse change, or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or otherwise),
management, business prospects, net worth, or results of operations of the
Company or its Subsidiary, except in each case as described in or contemplated
by the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus.

                                       7
<PAGE>
 
          (r)  The Company has not, directly or indirectly, (i) taken any action
designed to cause or to result in, or that has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Securities or (ii) since the filing of the Registration Statement (A) sold, bid
for, purchased, or paid anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of, the
Securities or (B) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, except as
contemplated by this Agreement.

          (s)  The Company and its Subsidiary have good and marketable title in
fee simple to all items of real property and marketable title to all personal
property owned by each of them, in each case free and clear of any security
interests, liens, encumbrances, equities, claims and other defects, except such
as do not materially and adversely affect the value of such property and do not
interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the
Company or its Subsidiary, and any real property and buildings held under lease
by the Company or its Subsidiary are held under valid, subsisting and
enforceable leases, with such exceptions as are not material and do not
interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and
buildings by the Company or its Subsidiary, in each case except as described in
or contemplated by the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

          (t)  The Company's Subsidiary is not currently prohibited, directly or
indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other
distribution on its capital stock, from repaying to the Company any loans or
advances to it from the Company or from transferring any of its property or
assets to the Company, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus
or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus.

          (u)  Neither the Company nor its Subsidiary is required to be
registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the "1940 Act"), an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers
Act of 1940, as amended (the "Advisers Act"), or a broker-dealer under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the Direct Agreements, the SHL
Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the Class A Warrants, the Class B
Warrants, the Class C Warrants and the Direct Warrants and the offering,
issuance and sale by the Subsidiary of its annuity and life insurance and
reinsurance products and the conduct of its other respective businesses as
contemplated in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus will not cause the Company or its Subsidiary
to become an investment company or an entity controlled by an investment company
subject to registration under the 1940 Act, an investment adviser subject to
registration under the Advisers Act or a broker-dealer subject to registration
under the Exchange Act. The Subsidiary is a "foreign insurance company" within
the meaning of Rule 3a-6 under the 1940 Act, and the Company and the Subsidiary
will conduct their respective businesses in a manner such that at all times the
Subsidiary will be a "foreign insurance company" within the meaning of such
Rule. The Company has filed Form F-N with the Commission, and such Form
accurately sets forth all information required to be included therein and
complies in all material respects with the

                                       8
<PAGE>
 
applicable requirements of the Act and the 1940 Act and the respective rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.

          (v)  The variable life insurance products offered, issued and sold by
the Subsidiary qualify as life insurance under the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the "Code"), and such variable life insurance products will be
issued only to persons or trusts the Company and its Subsidiary reasonably
believe to be "qualified purchasers" within the meaning of Section 2(a)(51) of
the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and
"accredited investors" within the meaning of Rule 501(a) under the Act. No
registration is required under the Act or any applicable securities, blue sky or
insurance laws of any applicable jurisdiction for the offering, issuance and
sale by the Subsidiary of its variable life insurance products as contemplated
in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus.

          (w)  Each certificate signed by any officer of the Company and
delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed
to be a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the
matters covered thereby.

          (x)  The Company and its Subsidiary maintain a system of internal
accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (1)
transactions are executed in accordance with management's general or specific
authorizations; (2) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation
of financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted
accounting principles and to maintain asset accountability; (3) access to assets
is permitted only in accordance with management's general or specific
authorization; and (4) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with
the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with
respect to any differences.

          (y)  The Company has not distributed and, prior to the later of (i)
the Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date and (ii) the completion of the
distribution of the Securities, will not distribute any offering material in
connection with the offering and sale of the Securities other than the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or other materials, if
any, permitted by the Act.

          (z)  Neither the Company nor the Subsidiary is (i) in violation of its
Memorandum of Association or Articles of Association or other organizational
documents, (ii) in violation of any law, ordinance, administrative or
governmental rule or regulation applicable to it or any of its properties,
except where any such violation or violations in the aggregate could not
reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or results
of operations of the Company and its Subsidiary, taken as a whole, (iii) in
violation of any judgment, injunction, order or decree of any court,
governmental agency or body (including, without limitation, any insurance
regulatory agency or body) or arbitrator having jurisdiction over it, except
where any such violation or violations in the aggregate could not reasonably be
expected to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), management, business prospects, net

                                       9
<PAGE>
 
worth or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiary, taken as a
whole, and (iv) no default exists, and no event has occurred which, with notice
or lapse of time or both, would constitute a default in the due performance and
observance of any term, covenant or condition of any indenture, mortgage, deed
of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or its
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or its Subsidiary or any of their
respective properties is bound or may be affected, except where any such default
or event or defaults or events in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected
to have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or otherwise),
management, business prospects, net worth or results of operations of the
Company and its Subsidiary, taken as a whole.

          (aa) The forms of certificate for the Securities, the Direct
Securities, the SHL Securities, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants and
the Class C Warrants conform to the requirements of the Companies Law (1998
Revision) (the "Companies Law") of the Cayman Islands, British West Indies, and
the Securities have been approved for quotation in the Nasdaq Stock Market's
National Market (the "Nasdaq National Market"), subject to official notice of
issuance.

          (bb) No currency exchange control laws or withholding taxes of the
Cayman Islands, British West Indies or elsewhere apply to the payment of
dividends (i) on the Securities by the Company or (ii) by the Subsidiary to the
Company, except in each case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus
or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus.

          (cc) The Subsidiary is subject to regulation as an insurance company
by the government of the Cayman Islands and has been duly licensed by the
Governor-in-Council as an unrestricted Class "B" insurer under the Insurance Law
(1998 Revision) of the Cayman Islands, British West Indies (the "Insurance
Law"), and such license authorizes the Subsidiary to conduct its business as
described in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus
or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent Preliminary
Prospectus. The Subsidiary is in compliance with the requirements of the
Insurance Law and any applicable rules and regulations thereunder and has filed
all statutory financial returns, reports, business plans, documents or other
information required to be filed thereunder, except where the failure to comply
or to file would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial
or otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth, or results of
operations of the Company and its Subsidiary, taken as a whole. The Company is a
holding company and is not subject to Cayman Islands insurance regulations. The
Company and its Subsidiary are in compliance with all other insurance laws and
regulations of the jurisdictions that apply to them, including laws that relate
to companies that control insurance companies, except where the failure to
comply would not have a material adverse effect on the condition (financial or
otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth, or results of operations
of the Company and its Subsidiary, taken as a whole. Neither the Company nor its
Subsidiary has received any notification from any insurance authority,
commission or other insurance regulatory body in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere
to the effect that the Subsidiary is not in compliance with any insurance law or
regulation.

                                       10
<PAGE>
 
          (dd) Each of the Company and the Subsidiary possess all certificates,
authorizations and permits issued by, and have made all filings with and
provided all notices to, the appropriate Cayman Islands or foreign regulatory
authorities necessary to own, lease, license and operate its properties and to
conduct its business as described in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not
in existence, the most recent Preliminary Prospectus, and neither the Company
nor the Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings relating to, or knows
of any event that could reasonably be expected to result in, the revocation or
modification of any such certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or
in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding,
would result in a material adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or results of operations
of the Company and the Subsidiary, taken as a whole, except as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus; no certificate, authorization or permit of,
and no filing with or notice to, any United States governmental or regulatory
authority or self-regulatory organization or any court or other tribunal is
required by either the Company or its Subsidiary to own, lease, license and
operate their respective properties or to conduct their respective businesses as
described in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus.

          (ee) Neither the Company nor its Subsidiary is required to be licensed
or admitted as an insurer or an insurance holding company, as applicable, or to
otherwise comply with the insurance laws and regulations of any jurisdictions
within the United States in order to conduct their respective businesses as
described in the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most
recent Preliminary Prospectus.

          (ff) The Company and its Subsidiary are not, and will conduct their
respective businesses in a manner such that they will not be, engaged in a trade
or business in the United States within the meaning of the Code.

          (gg) Each of the Company and its Subsidiary has received from the
Cayman Islands Governor-in-Council an undertaking pursuant to the provisions of
the Tax Concessions Law, as amended (1995 Revision), to the effect set forth in
the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the most recent
Preliminary Prospectus, under the caption "Material Tax Consequences--Taxation
of Holdings and Scottish Insurance--Cayman Islands."

          (hh) Neither the Underwriters nor any subsequent purchasers of the
Securities, will be subject to any stamp duty, excise or similar tax imposed in
the Cayman Islands, British West Indies in connection with the offering, sale or
purchase of the Securities.

          (ii) To the knowledge of the Company and its Subsidiary, no change in
any insurance law or regulation is pending that would reasonably be expected to
have, singly or in the aggregate, a material adverse effect on the condition
(financial or otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or results
of operations of the Company and its Subsidiary, except as described in or
contemplated by the Prospectus or, if the Prospectus is not in existence, the
most recent Preliminary Prospectus.

                                       11
<PAGE>
 
          (jj) The Company has duly and irrevocably appointed CT Corporation
System as its agent to receive service of process with respect to actions
arising out of or in connection with violations of United States federal
securities laws relating to offers and sales of the Securities.

          3.  Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Securities. (a) On the basis of
the representations, warranties, agreements and covenants herein contained and
subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to
issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters,
severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company, at a purchase
price of $___ per share, the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the
name of such Underwriter in Schedule 1 hereto. One or more certificates in
definitive form for the Firm Securities that the several Underwriters have
agreed to purchase hereunder, and in such denomination or denominations and
registered in such name or names as the Representatives request upon notice to
the Company at least 48 hours prior to the Firm Closing Date, shall be delivered
by or on behalf of the Company to the Representatives for the respective
accounts of the Underwriters, against payment by or on behalf of the
Underwriters of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer in same-day funds
(the "Wired Funds") to the account of the Company. Such delivery of and payment
for the Firm Securities shall be made at the offices of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen
& Hamilton, One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York, at 9:30 A.M., New York time,
on November __, 1998, or at such other place, time or date as the
Representatives and the Company may agree upon or as the Representatives may
determine pursuant to Section 9 hereof, such time and date of delivery against
payment being herein referred to as the "Firm Closing Date". The Company will
make such certificate or certificates for the Firm Securities available for
checking and packaging by the Representatives at the offices in New York, New
York of the Company's transfer agent or registrar or of Prudential Securities
Incorporated at least 24 hours prior to the Firm Closing Date.

          (b)  For the purpose of covering any over-allotments in connection
with the distribution and sale of the Firm Securities as contemplated by the
Prospectus, the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters an option to
purchase, severally and not jointly, the Option Securities. The purchase price
to be paid for any Option Securities shall be the same price per share as the
price per share for the Firm Securities set forth above in paragraph (a) of this
Section 3. The option granted hereby may be exercised as to all or any part of
the Option Securities from time to time within thirty (30) days after the date
of the Prospectus (or, if such 30th day shall be a Saturday or Sunday or a
holiday, on the next business day thereafter when the New York Stock Exchange is
open for trading). The Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to
purchase any of the Option Securities prior to the exercise of such option. The
Representatives may from time to time exercise the option granted hereby by
giving notice in writing or by telephone (confirmed in writing) to the Company
setting forth the aggregate number of Option Securities as to which the several
Underwriters are then exercising the option and the date and time for delivery
of and payment for such Option Securities. Any such date of delivery shall be
determined by the Representatives but shall not be earlier than two business
days or later than five business days after such exercise of the option and, in
any event, shall not be earlier than the Firm Closing Date. The time and date
set forth in such notice, or such other time on such other date as the
Representatives and Company may agree upon or as the

                                       12
<PAGE>
 
Representatives may determine pursuant to Section 9 hereof, is herein called the
"Option Closing Date" with respect to such Option Securities. Upon exercise of
the option as provided herein, the Company shall become obligated to sell to
each of the several Underwriters, and, subject to the terms and conditions
herein set forth, each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, shall
become obligated to purchase from the Company, the same percentage of the total
number of the Option Securities as to which the several Underwriters are then
exercising the option as such Underwriter is obligated to purchase of the
aggregate number of Firm Securities, as adjusted by the Representatives in such
manner as they deem advisable to avoid fractional shares. If the option is
exercised as to all or any portion of the Option Securities, one or more
certificates in definitive form for such Option Securities, and payment
therefor, shall be delivered on the related Option Closing Date in the manner,
and upon the terms and conditions, set forth in paragraph (a) of this Section 3,
except that reference therein to the Firm Securities and the Firm Closing Date
shall be deemed, for purposes of this paragraph (b), to refer to such Option
Securities and Option Closing Date, respectively.

          (c)  The Company hereby acknowledges that the wire transfer by or on
behalf of the Underwriters of the purchase price for any of the Securities does
not constitute closing of a purchase and sale of the Securities. Only execution
and delivery of a receipt for the Securities by the Underwriters indicates
completion of the closing of a purchase of the Securities from the Company.
Furthermore, in the event that the Underwriters wire funds (such funds, the
"Wired Funds") to the Company prior to the completion of the closing of a
purchase of the Securities, the Company hereby acknowledges that until the
Underwriters execute and deliver a receipt for the Securities, by facsimile or
otherwise, the Company will not be entitled to the Wired Funds and shall return
the Wired Funds to the Underwriters as soon as practicable (by wire transfer of
same-day funds) upon demand. In the event that the closing of a purchase of the
Securities is not completed and the Wired Funds are not returned by the Company
to the Underwriters on the same day the Wired Funds were received by the
Company, the Company agrees to pay to the Underwriters in respect of each day
the Wired Funds are not returned by it, in same-day funds, interest on the
amount of such Wired Funds in an amount representing the Underwriters' cost of
financing as reasonably determined by Prudential Securities Incorporated.

          (d)  It is understood that any of you, individually and not as one of
the Representatives, may (but shall not be obligated to) make payment on behalf
of any Underwriter or Underwriters for any of the Securities to be purchased by
such Underwriter or Underwriters. No such payment shall relieve such Underwriter
or Underwriters from any of its or their obligations hereunder.

          4.  Offering by the Underwriters. Upon your authorization of the
release of the Firm Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer the
Firm Securities for sale to the public upon the terms set forth in the
Prospectus.

          5.  Covenants of the Company. The Company covenants and agrees with
each of the Underwriters that:

                                       13
<PAGE>
 
          (a)  The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Registration
Statement, if not effective at the time of execution of this Agreement, and any
amendments thereto to become effective as promptly as possible. If required, the
Company will file the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part
thereof and any amendment or supplement thereto with the Commission in the
manner and within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b) under the
Act. During any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to
be delivered under the Act, the Company (i) will comply with all requirements
imposed upon it by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission
thereunder to the extent necessary to permit the continuance of sales of or
dealings in the Securities in accordance with the provisions hereof and of the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, and (ii) will not file with the
Commission the Prospectus, Term Sheet or the amendment referred to in the second
sentence of Section 2(a) hereof, any amendment or supplement to such Prospectus,
Term Sheet or any amendment to the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement of which the Representatives previously have been advised
and furnished with a copy for a reasonable period of time prior to the proposed
filing and as to which filing the Representatives shall not have given their
consent (which consent will not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). The
Company will prepare and file with the Commission, in accordance with the rules
and regulations of the Commission, promptly upon request by the Representatives
or counsel for the Underwriters, any amendments to the Registration Statement or
amendments or supplements to the Prospectus that may be necessary or advisable
in connection with the distribution of the Securities by the several
Underwriters, and will use its best efforts to cause any such amendment to the
Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission as promptly as
possible. The Company will advise the Representatives, promptly after receiving
notice thereof, of the time when the Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto has been filed or declared effective or the Prospectus or any amendment
or supplement thereto has been filed and will provide evidence satisfactory to
the Representatives of each such filing or effectiveness.

          (b)  The Company will advise the Representatives, promptly after
receiving notice or obtaining knowledge thereof, of (i) the issuance by the
Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Original
Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto or any order preventing or suspending the use of any
Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
(ii) the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale
in any jurisdiction, (iii) the institution, threatening or contemplation of any
proceeding for any such purpose or (iv) any request made by the Commission for
amending the Original Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement, for amending or supplementing the Prospectus or for additional
information. The Company will use its best efforts to prevent the issuance of
any such stop order and, if any such stop order is issued, to obtain the
withdrawal thereof as promptly as possible.

          (c)  The Company will arrange for the qualification of the Securities
for offering and sale under the insurance and securities or blue sky laws of
such United States jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and will
continue such qualifications in effect for as long as may be necessary to
complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that in
connection therewith the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign
corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any
jurisdiction.

                                       14
<PAGE>
 
          (d)  If, at any time prior to the later of (i) the final date when a
prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act
or (ii) the Option Closing Date, any event occurs as a result of which the
Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, would include any untrue statement
of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make
the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were
made, not misleading, or if for any other reason it is necessary at any time to
amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with the Act or the rules or
regulations of the Commission thereunder, the Company will promptly notify the
Representatives thereof and, subject to Section 5(a) hereof, will prepare and
file with the Commission, at the Company's expense, an amendment to the
Registration Statement or an amendment or supplement to the Prospectus that
corrects such statement or omission or effects such compliance.

          (e)  The Company will, without charge, provide (i) to the
Representatives and to counsel for the Underwriters a signed copy of the
registration statement originally filed with respect to the Securities and each
amendment thereto (in each case including exhibits thereto) (ii) to each other
Underwriter, a conformed copy of such registration statement or any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement and each amendment thereto (in each case without exhibits
thereto) and (iii) so long as a prospectus relating to the Securities is
required to be delivered under the Act, as many copies of each Preliminary
Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto as the
Representatives may reasonably request; without limiting the application of
clause (iii) of this sentence, the Company, not later than (A) 6:00 P.M., New
York City time, on the date of determination of the public offering price, if
such determination occurred at or prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on
such date or (B) 2:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day following
the date of determination of the public offering price, if such determination
occurred after 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on such date, will deliver to the
Underwriters, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus and any amendment
or supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request for purposes
of confirming orders that are expected to settle on the Firm Closing Date.

          (f)  The Company, as soon as practicable, will make generally
available to its securityholders and to the Representatives a consolidated
earnings statement of the Company and its subsidiaries that satisfies the
provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 thereunder.

          (g)  The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the
Securities and the Direct Securities as set forth under the caption "Use of
Proceeds" in the Prospectus.

          (h)  The Company and its Subsidiary will comply with their respective
operating, investment and underwriting guidelines, as each is in effect from
time to time.

          (i)  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, without the prior
written consent of Prudential Securities Incorporated, on behalf of the
Underwriters, offer, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, transfer,
assign, hypothecate, grant any option to purchase, or otherwise sell or dispose
(or announce any offer, sale, offer of sale, contract of sale, pledge, transfer,
assignment, hypothecation, grant of any option to purchase or other sale or
disposition) of any Ordinary Shares or other capital stock of the Company or any
securities convertible into,

                                       15
<PAGE>
 
or exercisable or exchangeable for, any Ordinary Shares or other capital stock
of the Company for a period of one year after the date of the Prospectus, except
(i) pursuant to this Agreement , (ii) pursuant to the Direct Agreements and
(iii) the issuance of options pursuant to the Company's Second Amended and
Restated 1998 Stock Option Plan, provided that such options will not be
exercisable until one year after the date of the Prospectus. The Company will
not file any registration statement on Form S-8 with respect to, or otherwise
register for resale with the Commission, the Ordinary Shares underlying any
stock options issued by the Company for a period of one year after the date of
the Prospectus. The Company will not file any registration statement with
respect to the Direct Securities, the SHL Securities, the Class A Warrants, the
Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants or the Ordinary Shares underlying the
Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants or the Direct
Warrants for a period of one year after the date of the Prospectus.

          (j)  The Company will not, directly or indirectly, (i) take any action
designed to cause or to result in, or which would reasonably be expected to
constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of
the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities or (ii) (A) sell,
bid for, purchase, or pay anyone any compensation for soliciting purchases of,
the Securities or (B) pay or agree to pay to any person any compensation for
soliciting another to purchase any other securities of the Company, except as
contemplated by this Agreement.

          (k)  The Company will obtain the agreements described in Section 7(h)
hereof prior to the Firm Closing Date.

          (l)  If at any time during the 25-day period after the Registration
Statement becomes effective or during the period prior to the Option Closing
Date, any rumor, publication or event relating to or affecting the Company or
its Subsidiary shall occur as a result of which in your reasonable opinion the
market price of the Ordinary Shares has been or is likely to be materially
affected (regardless of whether such rumor, publication or event necessitates a
supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus), the Company will, after notice
from you advising the Company to the effect set forth above, forthwith prepare,
consult with you concerning the substance of, and disseminate a press release or
other public statement, reasonably satisfactory to you, responding to or
commenting on such rumor, publication or event. 

          (m)  If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b), the Company shall
both file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance
with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111
promulgated under the Act by the earlier of (i) 10:00 P.M. Eastern time on the
date of this Agreement and (ii) the time confirmations are sent or given, as
specified by Rule 462(b)(2).

          (n)  The Company will cause the Securities to be duly included for
quotation on the Nasdaq National Market prior to the Firm Closing Date. The
Company will use its best efforts to ensure that the Securities remain included
for quotation on the Nasdaq National Market following the Firm Closing Date.

                                       16
<PAGE>
 
          6.  Expenses.  The Company will pay all costs and expenses incident to
the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the
transactions contemplated herein are consummated or this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 11 hereof, including all costs and expenses incident to (i)
the printing or other production of documents with respect to the transactions,
including any costs of printing the registration statement originally filed with
respect to the Securities and any amendment thereto, any Rule 462(b)
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and any
amendment or supplement thereto, any offering document and any amendment or
supplement thereto required under the securities or insurance laws of any other
applicable jurisdictions, this Agreement and any blue sky memoranda, (ii) all
arrangements relating to the delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the
foregoing documents, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, the
accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the Company, (iv)
preparation, issuance and delivery to the Underwriters of any certificates
evidencing the Securities, including transfer agent's and registrar's fees, (v)
the qualification of the Securities under state or foreign insurance or
securities and blue sky laws, including filing fees and reasonable fees and
disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters relating thereto, (vi) the filing
fees of the Commission and the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.
relating to the Securities, (vii) any quotation of the Securities on the Nasdaq
National Market, (viii) any meetings with prospective investors in the
Securities (other than as shall have been specifically approved by the
Representatives to be paid for by the Underwriters) and (ix) advertising
relating to the offering of the Securities (other than as shall have been
specifically approved by the Representatives to be paid for by the
Underwriters). If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not
consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set
forth in Section 7 hereof is not satisfied, because this Agreement is terminated
pursuant to Section 11(a)(i) or (a)(ii) hereof or because of any failure,
refusal or inability on the part of the Company to perform all obligations and
satisfy all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder other
than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will
reimburse the Underwriters severally upon demand for all reasonable out-of-
pocket expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and disbursements) that shall
have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of
the Securities. The Company shall not in any event be liable to any of the
Underwriters for the loss of anticipated profits from the transactions covered
by this Agreement.

          7.  Conditions of the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of
the several Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Firm Securities shall be
subject, in the Representatives' sole discretion, to the accuracy of the
representations and warranties of the Company contained herein as of the date
hereof and as of the Firm Closing Date, as if made on and as of the Firm Closing
Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company's officers made pursuant
to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its covenants and
agreements hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

          (a)  If the Original Registration Statement or any amendment thereto
filed prior to the Firm Closing Date has not been declared effective as of the
time of execution hereof, the Registration Statement or such amendment and, if
the Company has elected to rely upon Rule 462(b), the Rule 462(b) Registration
Statement shall have been declared effective not later than

                                       17
<PAGE>
 
the earlier of (i) 11:00 A.M., New York time, on the date on which the amendment
to the registration statement originally filed with respect to the Securities or
the amendment to the Registration Statement, as the case may be, containing
information regarding the initial public offering price of the Securities has
been filed with the Commission and (ii) the time confirmations are sent or given
as specified by Rule 462(b)(2), or with respect to the Original Registration
Statement, or such later time and date as shall have been consented to by the
Representatives; if required, the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement
thereto shall have been filed with the Commission, or shall have been filed at
such later time and date as shall have been consented to by the Representatives;
if required, the Prospectus or any Term Sheet that constitutes a part thereof
and any amendment or supplement thereto shall have been filed with the
Commission in the manner and within the time period required by Rules 434 and
424(b) under the Act; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto shall have been issued, and no
proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened or, to the
knowledge of the Company or the Representatives, shall be contemplated by the
Commission; and the Company shall have complied with any request of the
Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus or otherwise).

          (b)  The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the
Firm Closing Date, of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, United States counsel for the
Company, to the effect that:

          (i)   this Agreement, the Direct Agreements, the Warrant Purchase
    Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the
    Class B Warrants and the Direct Warrants have been duly executed and
    delivered by the Company under New York law; and assuming the Company and
    each other party to such agreements has satisfied those legal requirements
    under Cayman Islands law that are applicable to it to the extent necessary
    to make such agreements enforceable against it, the Direct Agreements, the
    Warrant Purchase Agreements, and the Registration Rights Agreement are the
    valid and binding obligations of the Company under New York law, enforceable
    against it in accordance with their respective terms, except as such
    enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency,
    reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or similar laws relating to the
    enforcement of creditors' rights and remedies or other equitable principles
    of general application;

          (ii)  the Securities have been duly included for quotation in the
    Nasdaq National Market subject to official notice of issuance;

          (iii) to the knowledge of such counsel, no holders of securities of
    the Company are entitled to have such securities registered under the
    Registration Statement, or such rights have been waived;

          (iv)  the statements set forth under the headings, "Material Tax
    Consequences--Taxation of Holdings and Scottish Insurance--United States"
    and "Material Tax Consequences--Taxation of Shareholders--United States
    Taxation" in the Prospectus, 

                                       18
<PAGE>
 
    insofar as such statements constitute a summary of provisions of federal tax
    law, provide a fair summary of such provisions;

          (v)   such counsel does not know of any litigation or any governmental
    proceedings or investigations, pending or threatened, required to be
    described in the Prospectus that are not described as required, or of any
    contracts or documents of a character required to be described in the
    Registration Statement or Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to the
    Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required;

          (vi) the execution and delivery by the Company of this Agreement, the
    Direct Agreements, the SHL Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the Class B
    Warrants and the Direct Warrants and the performance of its obligations
    hereunder and thereunder will not (A) result in a violation of any federal
    securities statute or regulation or of any other federal or New York statute
    or regulation or any judgment, decree, order, rule or regulation known to
    such counsel of any court or other governmental authority or any arbitrator
    having jurisdiction over the Company or its Subsidiary or any of their
    respective properties, or (B) result in a breach or constitute a default
    under any agreement filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or
    otherwise identified in a list appended to such opinion; no consent,
    approval, authorization, registration, qualification or order of or with any
    federal or New York governmental agency or body is required for the issuance
    or sale by the Company of the Securities, the Direct Securities, the SHL
    Securities, the Class A Warrants or the Class B Warrants except such as have
    been obtained under the Act and such as may be required under state
    securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution
    of the Securities by the Underwriters.

          (vii)  the Registration Statement has become effective under the Act;
    any required filing of the Prospectus, or any Term Sheet that constitutes a
    part thereof, pursuant to Rules 434 and 424(b) has been made in the manner
    and within the time period required by Rules 434 and 424(b); and to the
    knowledge of such counsel, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
    Registration Statement has been issued, and no proceedings for that purpose
    are pending or threatened or are contemplated by the Commission;

          (viii) such counsel shall state that in the course of the preparation
    by the Company of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, such
    counsel participated in discussions with officers, directors and employees
    of the Company, representatives of Ernst & Young LLP, the independent
    accountants who examined the consolidated financial statements of the
    Company and its subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement and the
    Prospectus, counsel for the Underwriters and the representatives of the
    Underwriters concerning the information contained in the Registration
    Statement and the Prospectus and the proposed responses to various items in
    Form S-1 under the Act, and that based upon such counsel's examination of
    the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, such counsel's investigations
    made in connection with the preparation of the Registration Statement and
    the Prospectus and such counsel's participation in the

                                       19
<PAGE>
 
    discussions referred to above, such counsel is of the opinion that the
    Registration Statement and the Prospectus (in each case, except for (i) the
    financial statements, financial schedules and other financial and
    statistical information included therein and (ii) the information referred
    to under the caption "Experts" as having been included therein on the
    authority of Ernst & Young LLP, as experts, as to which such counsel need
    express no opinion) at the time the Registration Statement became effective
    under the Act, and at the time the Prospectus was filed pursuant to Rule
    424(b) under the Act, respectively, complied as to form in all material
    respects with the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder;

          (ix)  if the Company elects to rely on Rule 434, the Prospectus is not
    "materially different", as such term is used in Rule 434, from the
    prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its
    effectiveness or an effective post-effective amendment thereto (including
    such information that is permitted to be omitted pursuant to Rule 430A);

          (x)   no registration of the Direct Securities, the SHL Securities,
    the Class A Warrants or the Class B Warrants under the Act was, is or will
    be required for the issuance, offering and sale by the Company of the Direct
    Securities to the Direct Investors, of the SHL Securities to SHL, of the
    Class A Warrants to the Class A Warrant Holders and of the Class B Warrants
    to the Class B Warrant Holders, in each case in the manner described in the
    Registration Statement and the Prospectus;

          (xi)  under the laws of the State of New York relating to submission
    to jurisdiction, the Company has, pursuant to Section 16 of this Agreement,
    validly and irrevocably submitted to the jurisdiction of any federal or
    state court of competent jurisdiction in the State of New York in any action
    arising out of or relating to this Agreement, has, to the fullest extent
    permitted by New York or federal law, validly and irrevocably waived any
    objection to the venue of a proceeding in any such court, and has validly
    appointed CT Corporation System as its authorized agent for the purpose
    described in Section 16 hereof; service of process effected on such agent in
    the manner set forth in Section 16 hereof will be effective service of
    process in any such action upon the Company; and the choice of the law of
    New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid and effective
    choice of law under the laws of the State of New York;

          (xii) neither the Company nor its Subsidiary is nor will the
    transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the conduct of the respective
    businesses of the Company and the Subsidiary as described in or contemplated
    by the Prospectus cause either the Company or its Subsidiary to be subject
    to registration as an investment company under the 1940 Act or controlled by
    an investment company subject to such registration, an investment adviser
    under the Advisers Act, or a broker-dealer under the Exchange Act; the
    Subsidiary is a "foreign insurance company" within the meaning of Rule 3a-6
    under the 1940 Act, and the conduct of the respective businesses of the
    Company and its Subsidiary as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus
    will qualify the Subsidiary as a "foreign insurance company" within the
    meaning of such

                                       20
<PAGE>
 
     Rule; Form F-N has been filed with the Commission, and such Form accurately
     sets forth all information required to be included therein and complies as
     to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the
     Act and the 1940 Act and the respective rules and regulations of the
     Commission thereunder; and

          (xiii) a variable life insurance policy issued by the Subsidiary in
     the form attached to such opinion should qualify as a life insurance
     contract for federal income tax purposes, assuming it is administered in
     accordance with its terms and with the requirements of section 7702(a)(1)
     or 7702(a)(2), as applicable, of the Code.

     Such counsel shall also state that although such counsel has not
independently verified and is not passing upon, and does not assume any
responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information
contained in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, based upon such
counsel's examinations, investigations and participation in the discussions
described above, no facts have come to such counsel's attention that cause such
counsel to believe that the Registration Statement (except for (i) the financial
statements, financial schedules and other financial and statistical information
included therein and (ii) the information referred to under the caption
"Experts" as having been included therein on the authority of Ernst & Young LLP,
as experts, as to which such counsel need express no view), at the time it
became effective contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to
make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus (with the
foregoing exceptions) as of its date or as of the date of such opinion contained
or contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made,
not misleading.

     In rendering such opinion, such counsel may (i) limit its opinion to the
federal laws of the United States of America and the laws of the State of New
York and (ii) rely, as to matters of fact, to the extent such counsel deem
proper, on certificates of officers of the Company.

     References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (b) shall include any amendment or supplement thereto at the date of
such opinion.

     (c)         The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the
Firm Closing Date, of Maples & Calder, Cayman Islands counsel for the Company,
to the effect that:

          (i)    the Company and its Subsidiary have been duly organized and are
     validly existing as exempted corporations in good standing under the laws
     of the Cayman Islands;

          (ii)   the Company and its Subsidiary have corporate power to own or
     lease their respective properties and conduct their respective businesses
     as described in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and the
     Company has corporate power to enter into this Agreement, the Direct
     Agreements, the SHL Agreement, the Warrant

                                       21
<PAGE>
 
 Purchase Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Class A Warrants,
 the Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants and the Direct Warrants and to carry
 out all the terms and provisions hereof and thereof to be carried out by it;

     (iii) the issued shares of the Subsidiary have been duly authorized and
validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable and, based on an examination of
the Register of Mortgages and Charges of the Subsidiary, are owned beneficially
by the Company free and clear of any perfected security interests or, to the
best knowledge of such counsel, any other security interests, liens,
encumbrances, equities or claims;

     (iv)  the Company has an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization
as set forth in the Prospectus; all of the issued shares of the Company have
been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable,
have been issued in compliance with all applicable Cayman Islands laws and were
not issued in violation of or subject to any preemptive rights or other rights
to subscribe for or purchase securities; the Class A Warrants and the Class B
Warrants have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and no
further amounts are payable with respect to the Class A Warrants and the Class B
Warrants except as specified in the Class A Warrants and the Class B Warrants
with respect to payment of the exercise price upon exercise thereof, and have
been issued in compliance with all applicable Cayman Islands laws; the
Securities and the Direct Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action of the Company and, when issued and delivered to and paid for
by the Underwriters and by the Direct Investors pursuant to this Agreement and
the Direct Agreements, as the case may be, will be validly issued in compliance
with all applicable Cayman Islands laws, fully paid and nonassessable; the Class
C Warrants have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the
Company and, when issued and delivered to and paid for by the Class C Warrant
Holders pursuant to the Class C Warrant Purchase Agreements will be validly
issued, fully paid and no further amounts will be payable with respect to the
Class C Warrants except as specified in the Class C Warrants with respect to
payment of the exercise price upon exercise thereof; the Ordinary Shares
initially issuable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants,
the Class C Warrants and the Direct Warrants have been duly authorized and
reserved for issuance upon such exercise, and after payment therefor upon
exercise in accordance with the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants, the
Class C Warrants and the Direct Warrants, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable; no holders of outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company
are entitled as such to any preemptive or other rights to subscribe for any of
the Securities, the Direct Securities, the Class A Warrants, the Class B
Warrants, the Class C Warrants or the Ordinary Shares initially issuable upon
exercise of the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants and
the Direct Warrants;

     (v)   the statements set forth under the heading "Description of Shares" in
the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain
provisions of the share capital of the Company, provide a fair summary of such
provisions, and the statements set forth under the headings "Enforceability of
Civil Liabilities under United

                                       22
<PAGE>
 
States Federal Securities Laws", "Risk Factors--Importance of Management and Key
Employees; Cayman Islands Work Permits", "Risk Factors--Income Tax Risks--Cayman
Islands Taxes", "Risk Factors--Holding Company Structure and Dividends", "Risk
Factors--Limitations on Ownership, Transfers and Voting Rights", "Risk Factors--
Anti-Takeover Effects of Articles of Association and Cayman Islands
Confidentiality Laws", "Risk Factors--Service of Process and Enforcement of
Judgments", "Dividend Policy", "Management's Discussion and Analysis of
Financial Condition and Plan of Operations--Taxation", "Business--Employees",
"Business--Legal Proceedings", "Business--Regulation--Cayman Islands",
"Description of Shares", "Material Tax Consequences--Taxation of Holdings and
Scottish Insurance--Cayman Islands" and "Material Tax Consequences--Taxation of
Shareholders--Cayman Islands Taxation" in the Prospectus, insofar as such
statements constitute a summary of provisions of Cayman Islands law and of
documents governed by Cayman Islands law or proceedings in the Cayman Islands
referred to therein, provide a fair summary of such legal matters, documents and
proceedings;

     (vi)  the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Direct Agreements,
the SHL Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the Registration Rights
Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants, the Class C Warrants and
the Direct Warrants have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action
of the Company, and no other corporate proceeding therefor on the part of the
Company or its shareholders is required; this Agreement, the Direct Agreements,
the SHL Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the Registration Rights
Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants and the Direct Warrants
have been duly executed and delivered by the Company; the SHL Agreement, the
Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants and the Direct Warrants are the valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against it in accordance with
their respective terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by
applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, liquidation or
similar laws relating to the enforcement of creditors' rights and remedies or
other equitable principles of general application; and no registration, filing,
stamping or other formalities are necessary (except for a nominal stamp duty if
this Agreement, the Direct Agreements, the SHL Agreement, the Warrant Purchase
Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Class A Warrants, the Class B
Warrants, the Direct Warrants or any original counterparts are brought within
the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands in original form) for the validity and
enforceability of this Agreement, the Direct Agreements, the SHL Agreement, the
Warrant Purchase Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement, the Class A
Warrants, the Class B Warrants or the Direct Warrants in the Cayman Islands or
for their admissibility in evidence in proceedings in the courts of the Cayman
Islands;

     (vii) the issuance, offering and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters
by the Company pursuant to this Agreement, of the Direct Securities to the
Direct Investors by the Company pursuant to the Direct Agreements, of the SHL
Securities to SHL by the Company pursuant to the SHL Agreement, and of the Class
A Warrants and the Class B Warrants to the Class A Warrant Holders and the Class
B Warrant Holders, respectively,

                                       23
<PAGE>
 
by the Company pursuant to the Warrant Purchase Agreements and the issuance of
Ordinary Shares initially issuable upon the exercise of the Class A Warrants,
the Class B Warrants and the Direct Warrants, the compliance by the Company with
the other provisions of this Agreement, the Direct Agreements, the SHL
Agreement, the Warrant Purchase Agreements, the Registration Rights Agreement,
the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants and the Direct Warrants and the
consummation of the other transactions herein and therein contemplated do not
(A) require the consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification
of or with any Cayman Islands governmental authority, except such as have been
obtained, or (B) conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the
terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage,
deed of trust, lease or other agreement or instrument filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement that is governed by Cayman Islands law or otherwise
identified in a list appended to such opinion to which the Company or its
Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company or its Subsidiary or any of their
respective properties are bound, or the Memorandum of Association or Articles of
Association or other organizational documents of the Company or its Subsidiary,
or any Cayman Islands statute or any reported or publicly available judgment,
decree, order, rule or regulation of any Cayman Islands court or other Cayman
Islands governmental authority known to such counsel and applicable to the
Company or its Subsidiary;

     (viii)  the Subsidiary is not currently prohibited by any Cayman Islands
law or governmental authority, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends
to the Company, from making any other distribution on its share capital, from
repaying to the Company any loans or advances to it from the Company or from
transferring any of its property or assets to the Company, except as described
in or contemplated by the Prospectus;

     (ix)    except as otherwise set forth in such opinion, no authorizations,
consents, registrations, qualifications or approvals are required from any
governmental authorities or agencies or other official bodies in the Cayman
Islands in order for the Company and the Subsidiary to conduct their respective
businesses as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus;

     (x)     the forms of share certificate for the Securities, the Direct
Securities, the SHL Securities, the Class A Warrants and the Class B Warrants
conform to the requirements of the Companies Law of the Cayman Islands;

     (xi)    the Subsidiary is subject to regulation as an insurance company by
the government of the Cayman Islands and has been duly licensed by the Governor-
in-Council as an unrestricted Class "B" insurer under the Insurance Law, and
such license authorizes the Subsidiary to conduct its business as described in
or contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus; all statutory
financial returns, reports, business plans, documents or other information
required to be filed under the Insurance Law and any applicable rules and
regulations thereunder in order for the Company and its Subsidiary to conduct
their respective businesses as described in or contemplated by the 

                                       24
<PAGE>
 
Registration Statement and the Prospectus have been filed; the Company is a
holding company and is not subject to Cayman Islands insurance regulations;

     (xii)   no currency exchange control laws or withholding taxes of the
Cayman Islands apply to the payment of dividends (A) on the Securities by the
Company or (B) by the Subsidiary to the Company, except in each case as
described in or contemplated by the Prospectus;

     (xiii)  no legal or governmental proceedings are pending in the courts of
the Cayman Islands to which the Company or its Subsidiary is a party or to which
the property of the Company or its Subsidiary is subject, and to the best
knowledge of such counsel, no such proceedings have been threatened against the
Company or its Subsidiary or with respect to any of their respective properties;

     (xiv)   none of the Underwriters, the Direct Investors, SHL, the Class A
Warrant Holders, the Class B Warrant Holders or any subsequent purchasers of the
Securities, the Direct Securities, the SHL Securities, the Class A Warrants or
the Class B Warrants will be subject to any excise or similar tax imposed in the
Cayman Islands (other than a nominal stamp duty if the Securities, the Direct
Securities, the SHL Securities, the Class A Warrants of the Class B Warrants are
executed in or subsequently brought into the Cayman Islands) in connection with
the offering, sale or purchase of the Securities, the Direct Securities, the SHL
Securities, the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants or the Ordinary Shares
initially issuable upon exercise of the Class A Warrants, the Class B Warrants
and the Direct Warrants;

     (xv)    each of the Company and its Subsidiary has received from the Cayman
Islands Governor-in-Council an undertaking pursuant to the provisions of the Tax
Concessions Law, as amended (1995 Revision), to the effect set forth in the
Prospectus under the caption "Material Tax Consequences--Taxation of Holdings
and Scottish Insurance--Cayman Islands";

     (xvi)   to the extent Cayman Islands law is applicable, each of the Company
and its Subsidiary has validly and irrevocably submitted to the jurisdiction of
any federal or state court sitting in the City of New York, has validly and
irrevocably waived, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objections that
it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit, action or
proceeding brought in any such court based on or arising under this Agreement or
any claims that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court
has been brought in an inconvenient forum, and has validly appointed CT
Corporation System as its authorized agent to receive service of process in any
such suit, action or proceeding; service of process effected in the manner set
forth in Section 16 of this Agreement will be effective under the laws of the
Cayman Islands to confer personal jurisdiction over the Company; and the choice
of the law of New York as the governing law of this Agreement is a valid and
effective choice of law; and

                                       25
<PAGE>
 
          (xvii)  the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a
     judgment obtained in a federal or state court sitting in the City of New
     York against the Company based on or arising under this Agreement, provided
     that service of process is effected in accordance with Section 16 of this
     Agreement and provided that such judgment imposes upon the Company an
     obligation to pay the sum for which the judgment is given, such judgment is
     final, for a liquidated sum, not in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty,
     and not obtained in a manner and not of a kind the enforcement of which is
     contrary to the public policy of the Cayman Islands (and such counsel shall
     state they do not believe that any judgment obtained against the Company
     based on or arising under this Agreement would be of such a kind).

          In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may (i) limit its opinion
to the laws of the Cayman Islands and (ii) rely, as to matters of fact, to the
extent such counsel deem proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the
Company and public officials.

          References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (c) shall include any amendment or supplement thereto at the date of
such opinion.

          (d)  The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the
Firm Closing Date, of the Bernstein Law Firm, special insurance regulatory
counsel for the Company and the Subsidiary, to the effect that:

             (i)    neither the Company nor its Subsidiary is required to be
     licensed or admitted as an insurer or an insurance holding company, as
     applicable, in, or to otherwise comply with the insurance laws and
     regulations of, any jurisdiction within the United States in order to
     conduct their respective businesses as described in the Prospectus;

             (ii)   no certificate, authorization or permit of, and no filing
     with or notice to, any insurance regulatory authority of any state in the
     United States is required by either the Company or the Subsidiary to own,
     lease, license and operate its properties or to conduct its business as
     described in the Prospectus;

             (iii)  the statements set forth under the headings, "Risk Factors--
     Regulation" and "Business--Regulation--United States and Other", insofar as
     such statements constitute a summary of provisions of insurance laws and
     regulations of jurisdictions within the United States, provide a fair
     summary of such provisions; and

             (iv)   to the best knowledge of such counsel, no change in any
     insurance law or regulation of the United States or any state thereof is
     pending that could have, singly or in the aggregate, a material adverse
     effect on the condition (financial or otherwise), management, business
     prospects, net worth or results of operations of the Company and its
     Subsidiary, except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus.

          Such counsel shall also state that, based on their role as special
insurance regulatory counsel to the Company and the Subsidiary, they have no
reason to believe that the Registration Statement, as of its effective date,
contained any untrue statement of a material fact

                                       26
<PAGE>
 
or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
to make the statements therein not misleading or that the Prospectus, as of its
date or the date of such opinion, included or includes any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to
make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they
were made, not misleading.

          In rendering any such opinion, such counsel may rely, as to matters of
fact, to the extent such counsel deem proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company and public officials.

          References to the Prospectus in this paragraph (d) shall include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the date of such opinion.

          (e)  The Representatives shall have received an opinion, dated the
Firm Closing Date, of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, counsel for the
Underwriters, with respect to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, and
such other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and
the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they may
reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

          (f)  The Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP a
letter or letters dated, respectively, the date hereof and the Firm Closing
Date, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, to the effect
that:

             (i)    they are independent accountants with respect to the Company
     and its Subsidiary within the meaning of the Act and the applicable rules
     and regulations thereunder and that they have performed a review of the
     interim unaudited financial information of the Company and its Subsidiary
     for the period ended June 30, 1998, and as at June 30, 1998, in accordance
     with Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71;

             (ii)   in their opinion, the audited consolidated balance sheet
     examined by them and included in the Registration Statement and the
     Prospectus complies in form in all material respects with the applicable
     accounting requirements of the Act and the related published rules and
     regulations;

             (iii)  on the basis of a reading of the latest unaudited
     consolidated financial statements made available by the Company and its
     Subsidiary and their review, in accordance with standards established under
     Statement on Auditing Standards No. 71, of the interim unaudited financial
     information for the period ended June 30, 1998, and as at June 30, 1998,
     carrying out certain specified procedures (which do not constitute an
     examination made in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards)
     that would not necessarily reveal matters of significance with respect to
     the comments set forth in this paragraph (iii), a reading of the minute
     books of the shareholders, the board of directors and any committees
     thereof of the Company and the Subsidiary, and inquiries of certain
     officials of the Company and the Subsidiary who have responsibility for
     financial and accounting matters, nothing came to their attention that
     caused them to believe that:

                                       27
<PAGE>
 
          (A)   the unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company
     and its Subsidiary included in the Registration Statement and the
     Prospectus do not comply in form in all material respects with the
     applicable accounting requirements of the Act and the related published
     rules and regulations thereunder or are not in conformity with generally
     accepted accounting principles applied on a basis substantially consistent
     with that of the audited consolidated balance sheet included in the
     Registration Statement and the Prospectus; and

          (B)   at a specific date not more than five business days prior to the
     date of such letter, there were any changes in the capital stock or long-
     term debt of the Company and its Subsidiary or any decreases in net current
     assets or stockholders' equity of the Company and its Subsidiary, in each
     case compared with the amounts shown on the June 30, 1998 unaudited
     consolidated balance sheet included in the Registration Statement and the
     Prospectus, except in all instances for changes, decreases or increases set
     forth in such letter; and

          (iv)  they have carried out certain specified procedures, not
     constituting an audit, with respect to certain amounts, percentages and
     financial information that are derived from the general accounting records
     of the Company and its Subsidiary and are included in the Registration
     Statement and the Prospectus under the captions "Prospectus Summary", "Risk
     Factors", "Capitalization", "Dilution", "Management's Discussion and
     Analysis of Financial Condition and Plan of Operations", "Business--
     Products Offered by Scottish Insurance", "Business--Administration and
     Consulting Services", "Business--Property", "Management--Stock Option
     Plan", "Certain Relationships and Related Party Transactions", "Description
     of Shares", "Shares Eligible for Future Sale", "Material Tax Consequences"
     and "Underwriting" and have compared such amounts, percentages and
     financial information with such records of the Company and its Subsidiary
     and with information derived from such records and have found them to be in
     agreement, excluding any questions of legal interpretation.

          In the event that the letters referred to above set forth any such
changes, decreases or increases, it shall be a further condition to the
obligations of the Underwriters that (A) such letters shall be accompanied by a
written explanation of the Company as to the significance thereof, unless the
Representatives deem such explanation unnecessary, and (B) such changes,
decreases or increases do not, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make
it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the
Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, as amended as of the
date hereof.

          References to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus in this
paragraph (f) with respect to either letter referred to above shall include any
amendment or supplement thereto at the date of such letter.

                                       28
<PAGE>
 
          (g)    The Representatives shall have received a certificate, dated
the Firm Closing Date, of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial
Officer of the Company to the effect that:

          (i)    the representations and warranties of the Company in this
     Agreement are true and correct as if made on and as of the Firm Closing
     Date; the Registration Statement, as amended as of the Firm Closing Date,
     does not include 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, and the Prospectus, as amended or
     supplemented as of the Firm Closing Date, does not 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
     under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company has performed
     all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be
     performed or satisfied at or prior to the Firm Closing Date;

          (ii)   no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration
     Statement or any amendment thereto has been issued, and no proceedings for
     that purpose have been instituted or threatened or, to the best of the
     Company's knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission; and

          (iii)  subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is
     given in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, neither the Company
     nor its Subsidiary has sustained any material loss or interference with
     their respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane,
     accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from
     any labor dispute or any legal or governmental proceeding, and there has
     not been any material adverse change, or any development involving a
     prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or
     otherwise), management, business prospects, net worth or results of
     operations of the Company or its Subsidiary, except in each case as
     described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment
     or supplement thereto).

          (h)    The Representatives shall have received from each of the Direct
Investors, each of the Class A Warrant Holders and the Class B Warrant Holders
and each person who is a director or officer of the Company or who owns any
outstanding Ordinary Shares or any securities convertible into, or exchangeable
or exercisable for, any Ordinary Shares, an agreement to the effect that such
person will not, directly or indirectly, without the prior written consent of
Prudential Securities Incorporated (which in the case of the Class B Warrant
Holders, may be granted only with respect to transactions with certain officers
of Prudential Securities Incorporated who hold a beneficial interest in any of
the partnerships holding the Class B Warrants), on behalf of the Underwriters,
and (other than with respect to the Class B Warrant Holders), the Company,
offer, sell, offer to sell, contract to sell, pledge, transfer, assign,
hypothecate, grant any option to purchase or otherwise sell or dispose (or
announce any offer, sale, offer of sale, contract of sale, pledge, transfer,
assignment, hypothecation, grant of an option to purchase or other sale or
disposition) of any Ordinary Shares or other capital stock of the Company or any
securities convertible into, or exercisable or exchangeable for, any Ordinary

                                       29
<PAGE>
 
Shares or other capital stock of the Company for a period of one year (or six
months with respect to the Direct Securities to be purchased by Maverick Fund
USA, Ltd., Maverick Fund, L.D.C. and Maverick Fund II, Ltd.) after the date of
the Prospectus.

     (i)    On or before the Firm Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel
for the Underwriters shall have received such further certificates, documents or
other information as they may have reasonably requested from the Company.

     (j)    Prior to the commencement of the offering of the Securities, the
Securities shall have been included for quotation in the Nasdaq National Market.

     (k)    The Direct Investors shall have purchased Ordinary Shares and Direct
Warrants pursuant to the Direct Agreements with an aggregate purchase price of
at least $20.0 million.

     All opinions, certificates, letters and documents delivered pursuant to
this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are
reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Representatives and
counsel for the Underwriters. The Company shall furnish to the Representatives
such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents in
such quantities as the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall
reasonably request.

     The respective obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and pay
for any Option Securities shall be subject, in their discretion, to each of the
foregoing conditions to purchase the Firm Securities, except that all references
to the Firm Securities and the Firm Closing Date shall be deemed to refer to
such Option Securities and the related Option Closing Date, respectively.

     8.     Indemnification and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to
indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who
controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section
20 of the Exchange Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities,
joint or several, to which such Underwriter or such controlling person may
become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based
upon:

     (i)    any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by the Company
  in Section 2 of this Agreement;

     (ii)   any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material
  fact contained in (A) the Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any
  Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement
  thereto or (B) any application or other document, or any amendment or
  supplement thereto, executed by the Company or based upon written information
  furnished by or on behalf of the Company filed in any jurisdiction in order to
  qualify the Securities under the insurance or securities or blue sky laws
  thereof or filed with the Commission or any securities association or
  securities exchange (each an "Application");

                                       30
<PAGE>
 
          (iii)  the omission or alleged omission to state in the Registration
     Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the
     Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application a
     material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
     statements therein not misleading;

          (iv)   any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
     material fact contained in any audio or visual materials used in connection
     with the marketing of the Securities, including without limitation, slides,
     videos, films and tape recordings;

and will reimburse, as incurred, each Underwriter and each such controlling
person for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such Underwriter
or such controlling person in connection with investigating, defending against
or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any such loss, claim,
damage, liability or action; provided, however, that the Company will 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 any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in such Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto or any Application in reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein and
provided, further, that the Company will not be liable to any Underwriter or any
person controlling such Underwriter with respect to any such untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in any Preliminary
Prospectus that is corrected in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement
thereto) if the person asserting any such loss, claim, damage or liability
purchased Securities from such Underwriter but was not sent or given a copy of
the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) at or prior to the written
confirmation of the sale of such Securities to such person in any case where
such delivery of the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented) is required by the
Act, unless such failure to deliver the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented)
was a result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 5(d) and (e) of this
Agreement.  This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which
the Company may otherwise have.  The Company will not, without the prior written
consent of the Underwriter or Underwriters purchasing, in the aggregate, more
than fifty percent (50%) of the Securities, settle or compromise or consent to
the entry of any judgment in any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or
proceeding in respect of which indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether
or not any such Underwriter or any person who controls any such Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act is
a party to such claim, action, suit or proceeding), unless such settlement,
compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of all of the
Underwriters and such controlling persons from all liability arising out of such
claim, action, suit or proceeding.

          (b)    Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, will indemnify and
hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who
signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the
Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the
Company or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject
under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions in respect

                                       31
<PAGE>
 
thereof) arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement or
any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any
amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application or (ii) the omission or the
alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated in the
Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, any Preliminary Prospectus or
the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Application 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 reliance upon and in
conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of
such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein; and,
subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, will
reimburse, as incurred, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the
Company or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with
investigating, defending against or appearing as a third party witness in
connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or any action in respect
thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which
such Underwriter may otherwise have.


     (c)  Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of
notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a
claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this
Section 8, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof; but the
omission so to notify the indemnifying party will not relieve it from any
liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under this
Section 8. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party, and
it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may
wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume
the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party;
provided, however, that if the defendants in any such action include both the
indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall
have reasonably concluded that there may be one or more legal defenses available
to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to
those available to the indemnifying party, the indemnifying party shall not have
the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to
select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified
party or parties. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party of its election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such
indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying
party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 8 for any
legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation,
subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense
thereof, unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel
in accordance with the proviso to the next preceding sentence (it being
understood, however, that in connection with such action the indemnifying party
shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in
addition to local counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially
similar actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general
allegations or circumstances, designated by the Representatives in the case of
paragraph (a) of this Section 8, representing the indemnified parties under such
paragraph (a)

                                       32
<PAGE>
 
who are parties to such action or actions) or (ii) the indemnifying party does
not promptly retain counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party or (iii) the
indemnifying party has authorized the employment of counsel for the indemnified
party at the expense of the indemnifying party. After such notice from the
indemnifying party to such indemnified party, the indemnifying party will not be
liable for the costs and expenses of any settlement of such action effected by
such indemnified party without the consent of the indemnifying party.

     (d)  In circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in the
preceding paragraphs of this Section 8 is unavailable or insufficient, for any
reason, to hold harmless an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), each indemnifying party,
in order to provide for just and equitable contribution, 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 (i) the relative benefits received by
the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on
the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided
by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such
relative benefits but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or
parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection
with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or omissions that
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 shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from
the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the
total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters. The
relative fault of the parties 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 or the Underwriters, the parties' relative intents,
knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such
statement or omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate in the
circumstances. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be
equitable if the amount of such contribution were determined by pro rata or per
capita allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account
the equitable considerations referred to above in this paragraph (d).
Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph (d), no Underwriter shall
be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in the aggregate exceed the
total public offering price of the Securities purchased by such Underwriter
under this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages that such
Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay in respect of the same or any
substantially similar claim, and no person guilty of fraudulent
misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be
entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation. The Underwriters' obligations to contribute hereunder are
several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not
joint, and contributions among Underwriters shall be governed by the provisions
of the Prudential Securities Incorporated Master Agreement Among Underwriters.
For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls an
Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act shall

                                       33
<PAGE>
 
have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each director of
the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement
and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section
15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, shall have the same rights to
contribution as the Company.

     9.   Default of Underwriters. If one or more Underwriters default in their
obligations to purchase Firm Securities or Option Securities hereunder and the
aggregate number of such Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase is ten percent or less of the
aggregate number of Firm Securities or Option Securities to be purchased by all
of the Underwriters at such time hereunder, the other Underwriters may make
arrangements satisfactory to the Representatives for the purchase of such
Securities by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives), but if no such arrangements are
made by the Firm Closing Date or the related Option Closing Date, as the case
may be, the other Underwriters shall be obligated severally in proportion to
their respective commitments hereunder to purchase the Firm Securities or Option
Securities that such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to
purchase. If one or more Underwriters so default with respect to an aggregate
number of Securities that is more than ten percent of the aggregate number of
Firm Securities or Option Securities, as the case may be, to be purchased by all
of the Underwriters at such time hereunder, and if arrangements satisfactory to
the Representatives are not made within 36 hours after such default for the
purchase by other persons (who may include one or more of the non-defaulting
Underwriters, including the Representatives) of the Securities with respect to
which such default occurs, this Agreement will terminate without liability on
the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the Company other than as provided
in Section 10 hereof. In the event of any default by one or more Underwriters as
described in this Section 9, the Representatives shall have the right to
postpone the Firm Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
established as provided in Section 3 hereof for not more than seven business
days in order that any necessary changes may be made in the arrangements or
documents for the purchase and delivery of the Firm Securities or Option
Securities, as the case may be. As used in this Agreement, the term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for an Underwriter under this
Section 9. Nothing herein shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from
liability for its default.

     10.  Survival.  The respective representations, warranties, agreements,
covenants, indemnities and other statements of the Company, its officers and the
several Underwriters set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of
them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement shall remain in full force and
effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company,
any of its officers or directors, any Underwriter or any controlling person
referred to in Section 8 hereof and (ii) delivery of and payment for the
Securities.  The respective agreements, covenants, indemnities and other
statements set forth in Sections 6 and 8 hereof shall remain in full force and
effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

     11.  Termination.  (a) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to the
Firm Securities or any Option Securities in the sole discretion of the
Representatives by notice to the Company given prior to the Firm Closing Date or
the related Option Closing Date,

                                       34
<PAGE>
 
respectively, in the event that the Company shall have failed, refused or been
unable to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions on its part to be
performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior thereto or, if at or prior to the
Firm Closing Date or such Option Closing Date, respectively,

     (i)    the Company or its Subsidiary shall have, in the sole judgment of
  the Representatives, sustained any material loss or interference with their
  respective businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident or
  other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute
  or any legal or governmental proceeding or there shall have been any material
  adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse
  change (including without limitation a change in management or control of the
  Company), in the condition (financial or otherwise), business prospects, net
  worth or results of operations of the Company and its Subsidiary, except in
  each case as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus (exclusive of any
  amendment or supplement thereto);

     (ii)   trading in the Ordinary Shares shall have been suspended by the
  Commission or the Nasdaq National Market;

     (iii)  trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange or
  Nasdaq National Market shall have been suspended or minimum or maximum prices
  shall have been established on such exchange or market system;

     (iv)   a banking moratorium shall have been declared by New York, United
  States or Cayman Islands governmental authorities; or

     (v)    there shall have been (A) an outbreak or escalation of hostilities
  between the United States and any foreign power, (B) an outbreak or escalation
  of any other insurrection or armed conflict involving the United States or the
  Cayman Islands or (C) any other calamity or crisis or material adverse change
  in general economic, political or financial conditions having an effect on the
  United States or Cayman Islands financial markets that, in the sole judgment
  of the Representatives, makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with
  the public offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the
  Registration Statement, as amended as of the date hereof.

     (b)    Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be
without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section
10 hereof.

     12.    Information Supplied by Underwriters.  The statements set forth in
the last paragraph on the front cover page and under the heading "Underwriting"
in any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (to the extent such statements
relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only information furnished by any
Underwriter through the Representatives to the Company for the purposes of
Sections 2(b) and 8 hereof. The Underwriters confirm that such statements (to
such extent) are correct.

     13.    Notices.  All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if 
sent to any of the Underwriters, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission and

                                       35
<PAGE>
 
confirmed in writing to Prudential Securities Incorporated, One New York Plaza,
New York, New York 10292, Attention: Equity Transactions Group; and if sent to
the Company, shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission
and confirmed in writing to the Company at Ugland House (P.O. Box 10657APO),
George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies.

     14.  Successors.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and shall be
binding upon the several Underwriters, the Company and their respective
successors and legal representatives, and nothing expressed or mentioned 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 provisions herein contained, this Agreement and all conditions and
provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive
benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person except that (i)
the indemnities of the Company contained in Section 8 of this Agreement shall
also be for the benefit of any person or persons who control any Underwriter
within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act
and (ii) the indemnities of the Underwriters contained in Section 8 of this
Agreement shall also be for the benefit of the directors of the Company, the
officers of the Company who have signed the Registration Statement and any
person or persons who control the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act.  No purchaser of Securities from any
Underwriter shall be deemed a successor because of such purchase.

     15.  Applicable Law.  The validity and interpretation of this Agreement,
and the terms and conditions set forth herein, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving
effect to any provisions relating to conflicts of laws.

     16.  Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process.  All judicial
proceedings arising out of or relating to this Agreement may be brought in any
state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the State of New York, and
by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company accepts for itself and
in connection with its properties, generally and unconditionally, the
nonexclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts and waives any defense of
forum non conveniens and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered
thereby in connection with this Agreement. The Company designates and appoints
CT Corporation System, 1633 Broadway, New York, New York, and such other persons
as may hereafter be selected by the Company irrevocably agreeing in writing to
so serve, as its agent to receive on its behalf service of all process in any
such proceedings in any such court, such service being hereby acknowledged by
the Company to be effective and binding service in every respect. A copy of any
such process so served shall be mailed by registered mail to the Company at its
address provided in Section 13 hereof; provided, however, that, unless otherwise
provided by applicable law, any failure to mail such copy shall not affect the
validity of service of such process. If any agent appointed by the Company
refuses to accept service, the Company hereby agrees that service of process
sufficient for personal jurisdiction in any action against the Company in the
State of New York may be made by registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, to the Company at its address provided in Section 13 hereof, and the
Company hereby acknowledges

                                       36
<PAGE>
 
that such service shall be effective and binding in every respect. Nothing
herein shall affect the right to serve process in any other manner permitted by
law or shall limit the right of any Underwriter to bring proceedings against the
Company in the courts of any other jurisdiction.

                                       37
<PAGE>
 
     17.  Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which
together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

     If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate
your acceptance thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon
this letter shall constitute an agreement binding the Company and each of the
several Underwriters.


                         Very truly yours,


                         SCOTTISH ANNUITY & LIFE HOLDINGS, LTD.

                         By
                           ----------------------------------------------
                           Michael C. French
                           Chief Executive Officer


The foregoing Agreement is hereby 
confirmed and accepted as of the 
date first above written.

PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED
CIBC OPPENHEIMER CORP.
ING BARING FURMAN SELZ LLC
WARBURG DILLON READ LLC


By PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES INCORPORATED

By
  -----------------------------------------
  Name:  Jean-Claude Canfin
  Title: Managing Director

For itself and on behalf of the Representatives.

                                       38
<PAGE>
 
                                   SCHEDULE 1


                                  UNDERWRITERS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         
                                                               Number of Firm            
                                                               Securities to             
Underwriter                                                    be Purchased             
- -----------                                                    -------------- 
<S>                                                            <C> 
Prudential Securities Incorporated..........................
CIBC Oppenheimer Corp.......................................
ING Baring Furman Selz LLC..................................
Warburg Dillon Read LLC.....................................
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                               --------------  
          Total.............................................      16,750,000
                                                               ============== 

</TABLE>


<PAGE>

                                                                     EXHIBIT 3.1

 
                       THE COMPANIES LAW (1998 REVISION)
                       ---------------------------------
                           COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES
                           -------------------------
                           MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION

                                      OF

                    SCOTTISH ANNUITY & LIFE HOLDINGS, LTD.
         (as adopted by Special Resolution dated 12th November, 1998)



1.    The name of the Company is SCOTTISH ANNUITY & LIFE HOLDINGS, LTD..

2.    The Registered Office of the Company shall be at the offices of Maples and
Calder, Attorneys-at-Law, Ugland House, PO Box 309, 113 South Church Street,
George Town, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, British West Indies or at such other
place as the Directors may from time to time decide.

3.    The objects for which the Company is established are, subject to section
(i) of this Clause 3, unrestricted and shall include, but without limitation,
the following:

(i)   (a)  To own, hold, purchase or otherwise acquire equity or debt securities
      in companies, firms or other persons engaged in all or any forms of
      insurance or reinsurance business and to promote the establishment of such
      entities, NOTWITHSTANDING any other provision of this Memorandum of
      Association and of this Clause 3 in particular, the objects for which the
      Company is established are restricted to holding shares in one or more
      majority-owned subsidiaries, each of which operates as an insurance
      company (i) incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, British
      West Indies, (ii) regulated as such by the government of the Cayman
      Islands and (iii) engaged 
<PAGE>
 
                                       2

      primarily and predominantly in the writing of insurance agreements of the
      type specified in section 3(a)(8) of the United States Securities Act of
      1933, as amended (except for the substitution of supervision by Cayman
      Islands insurance regulators for the regulators referred to in that
      section), or the reinsurance of risks on such agreements underwritten by
      insurance companies.

      (b)  To carry on the business of a holding company and to undertake and
           carry on and execute all kinds of financial, commercial and other
           operations.

(ii)  To exercise and enforce all rights and powers conferred by or incidental
to the ownership of any shares, stock, obligations or other securities including
without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing all such powers of veto or
control as may be conferred by virtue of the holding by the Company of some
special proportion of the issued or nominal amount thereof, to provide
managerial and other executive, supervisory and consultant services for or in
relation to any company in which the Company is interested upon such terms as
may be thought fit.

(iii) To purchase or otherwise acquire, to sell, exchange, surrender, lease,
mortgage, charge, convert, turn to account, dispose of and deal with real and
personal property and rights of all kinds and, in particular, mortgages,
debentures, produce, concessions, options, contracts, patents, annuities,
licences, stocks, shares, bonds, policies, book debts, business concerns,
undertakings, claims, privileges and choses in action of all kinds.

(iv)  To stand surety for or to guarantee, support or secure the performance of
all or any of the obligations of any person, firm or company whether or not
related or affiliated to the Company in any manner and whether by personal
covenant or by mortgage, charge or lien 
<PAGE>
 
                                       3

upon the whole or any part of the undertaking, property and assets of the
Company, both present and future, including its uncalled capital or by any such
method and whether or not the Company shall receive valuable consideration
therefor.

(v)  To engage in or carry on any other lawful trade, business or enterprise
which may at any time appear to the Directors of the Company capable of being
conveniently carried on in conjunction with any of the aforementioned businesses
or activities or which may appear to the Directors or the Company likely to be
profitable to the Company.

In the interpretation of this Memorandum of Association in general and of this
Clause 3 in particular, subject to section (i) of this Clause 3, no object,
business or power specified or mentioned shall be limited or restricted by
reference to or inference from any other object, business or power, or the name
of the Company, or by the juxtaposition of two or more objects, businesses or
powers and that, in the event of any ambiguity in this clause or elsewhere in
this Memorandum of Association, the same shall be resolved by such
interpretation and construction, subject to section (i) of this Clause 3, as
will widen and enlarge and not restrict the objects, businesses and powers of
and exercisable by the Company.

4.    Except as prohibited or limited by the Companies Law (1998 Revision), the
Company shall have full power and authority to carry out any object and shall
have and be capable of from time to time and at all times exercising any and all
of the powers at any time or from time to time exercisable by a natural person
or body corporate in doing in any part of the world whether as principal, agent,
contractor or otherwise whatever may be considered by it necessary for the
attainment of its objects and whatever else may be considered by it as
<PAGE>
 
                                       4

incidental or conducive thereto or consequential thereon, including, but without
in any way restricting the generality of the foregoing, the power to make any
alterations or amendments to this Memorandum of Association and the Articles of
Association of the Company considered necessary or convenient in the manner set
out in the Articles of Association of the Company, and the power to do any of
the following acts or things, viz: 
to pay all expenses of and incidental to the promotion, formation and
incorporation of the Company; to register the Company to do business in any
other jurisdiction; to sell, lease or dispose of any property of the Company; to
draw, make, accept, endorse, discount, execute and issue promissory notes,
debentures, bills of exchange, bills of lading, warrants and other negotiable or
transferable instruments; to lend money or other assets and to act as
guarantors; to borrow or raise money on the security of the undertaking or on
all or any of the assets of the Company including uncalled capital or without
security; to invest monies of the Company in such manner as the Directors
determine; to promote other companies; to sell the undertaking of the Company
for cash or any other consideration; to distribute assets in specie to Members
of the Company; to make charitable or benevolent donations; to pay pensions or
gratuities or provide other benefits in cash or kind to Directors, officers,
employees, past or present and their families; to purchase Directors and
officers liability insurance and to carry on any trade or business and generally
to do all acts and things which, in the opinion of the Company or the Directors,
may be conveniently or profitably or usefully acquired and dealt with, carried
on, executed or done by the Company in connection with the business aforesaid
PROVIDED THAT the Company shall only carry on the businesses permitted in
accordance with section (i) of Clause 3 of this Memorandum of Association and
for which a license is required under the
<PAGE>
 
                                       5

laws of the Cayman Islands when so licensed under the terms of such laws.

5.    The liability of each Member is limited to the amount from time to time
unpaid on such Member's shares.

6.    The share capital of the Company is US$1,500,000 divided into 100,000,000
Ordinary Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.01 each and 50,000,000
Preferred Shares of a nominal or par value of US$0.01 each with power for the
Company insofar as is permitted by law, to redeem or purchase any of its shares
and to increase or reduce the said capital subject to the provisions of the
Companies Law (1998 Revision) and the Articles of Association and to issue any
part of its capital in series or of different classes, whether original,
redeemed or increased with or without any preference, priority or special
privilege or subject to any postponement of rights or to any conditions or
restrictions and so that unless the conditions of issue shall otherwise
expressly declare every issue of shares whether declared to be preference or
otherwise shall be subject to the powers hereinbefore contained.
    
7.    If the Company is registered as exempted, its operations will be carried
on subject to the provisions of Section 193 of the Companies Law (Revision 1998)
and, subject to the provisions of the Companies Law (Revision 1998) and the
Articles of Association, it shall have the power to register by way of
continuation as a body corporate limited by shares under the laws of any
jurisdiction outside the Cayman Islands and to be deregistered in the Cayman
Islands.      


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