MGIC INVESTMENT CORP
S-3, EX-1, 2000-06-22
SURETY INSURANCE
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                           MGIC INVESTMENT CORPORATION

                                 Debt Securities
                             Underwriting Agreement

                                                                          , 2000




To the Representatives named
in Schedule I hereto of the
Underwriters named in
Schedule II hereto

Dear Sirs:

          MGIC INVESTMENT CORPORATION,  a Wisconsin corporation (the "Company"),
proposes to issue and sell to the underwriters  named in Schedule II hereto (the
"Underwriters"),   for   whom   you   are   acting   as   representatives   (the
"Representatives"),  the principal  amount of its debt securities  identified in
Schedule I hereto (the "Securities"),  to be issued under an Indenture, dated as
of           , 2000 (the  "Indenture"),  between the Company and            , as
trustee thereunder (the "Trustee").  If the firm  or firms listed in Schedule II
hereto  include  only the firm or firms  listed in  Schedule I hereto,  then the
terms "Underwriters" and "Representatives", as used herein, shall each be deemed
to refer to such firm or firms.

          The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission")  a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-        ) under the
Securities  Act of 1933,  as  amended,  and the  rules  and  regulations  of the
Commission thereunder (collectively,  the "Securities Act"), relating to certain
debt securities (the "Shelf  Securities")  and the offering thereof from time to
time in accordance with Rule 415 of Regulation C under the Securities Act by the
Company. Such registration statement and each post-effective  amendment thereto,
if applicable, has been declared effective by the Commission.  Such registration
statement,  as so  amended,  if  applicable,  to  the  date  of  this  Agreement
(including the exhibits and schedules  thereto),  is hereinafter  referred to as
the  "Registration  Statement";  provided  that in the event any  post-effective
amendment  to  such  registration  statement  or any  Rule  462(b)  Registration
Statement  becomes  effective prior to the Closing Date, the term  "Registration
Statement"  shall also mean such  registration  statement  as so amended or such
Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement, as the case may be. The prospectus covering
the Shelf Securities (the "Basic Prospectus"), as supplemented by the prospectus
supplement  specifically relating to the Securities,  in the forms first used to
confirm sales of the Securities, are collectively hereinafter referred to as the
"Prospectus". Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the
Basic


<PAGE>


Prospectus,  any  preliminary  form of prospectus (a  "preliminary  prospectus")
previously filed with the Commission  pursuant to Rule 424 of Regulation C under
the Securities Act or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the
documents  incorporated  by  reference  therein  pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3
under the Securities Act, which were filed under the Securities  Exchange Act of
1934, as amended,  and the rules and  regulations of the  Commission  thereunder
(collectively,  the "Exchange  Act"), on or before the date of this Agreement or
the date of the Basic Prospectus,  any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus,
as the case may be; and any reference to "amend",  "amendment"  or  "supplement"
with  respect  to  the  Registration  Statement,   the  Basic  Prospectus,   any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include
any documents  filed under the Exchange Act after the date of this  Agreement or
the date of the Basic Prospectus,  any preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus,
as the case may be, which are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.

          The Company hereby agrees with the Underwriters as follows:

          1.  The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several
Underwriters as hereinafter provided, and each Underwriter,  on the basis of the
representations,  warranties and agreements of the Company herein contained, but
subject to the conditions hereinafter stated, agrees to purchase,  severally and
not jointly,  from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set
forth  opposite  such  Underwriter's  name in Schedule II hereto at the purchase
price set forth in Schedule I hereto plus  accrued  interest,  if any,  from the
date specified in Schedule I hereto to the date of payment and delivery.

          2.  The Company  understands that the several  Underwriters intend (i)
to make a public  offering of their  respective  portions of the  Securities  in
conformity  with the Securities  Act, any applicable blue sky laws and all other
rules  and  regulations  applicable  to them in  connection  therewith  and (ii)
initially to offer the Securities upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus.

          3.  Payment for the  Securities shall be made to the Company or to its
order by wire transfer of same-day funds to an account designated by the Company
or, if  specifically  requested  by the Company,  by certified or official  bank
check or checks payable to the Company in federal or other same-day funds on the
date and at the time and place set forth in  Schedule I hereto (or at such other
time and place on the same or such other date, not later than the tenth Business
Day (as  hereinafter  defined)  thereafter,  as you and the Company may agree in
writing).  Such  payment  will  be  made  upon  delivery  to,  or to you for the
respective  accounts  of,  such  Underwriters  of  the  Securities  through  the
facilities of The Depository Trust Company or, if specifically  requested by the
Representatives,  in  certificated  form  registered  in such  names and in such
denominations  as you shall request not less than one full Business Day prior to
the date of delivery,  or with any transfer  taxes  payable in  connection  with
transfer to the Underwriters duly paid by the Company.  As used herein, the term
"Business  Day" means any day other than a day on which banks are  authorized or
required to be closed in the City of New York or Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. The time
and date of such  payment  and  delivery  with  respect  to the  Securities  are



                                       2
<PAGE>


collectively hereinafter referred to as the "Closing Date." The certificates for
the  Securities  will be made  available for  inspection and packaging by you by
1:00 P.M. on the  Business  Day prior to the  Closing  Date at such place in the
City of New York as you and the Company shall agree.

          4.  The Company represents and warrants to each  Underwriter as of the
date hereof and as of the Closing Date (each, a "Representation Date") that:

          (a) The Company meets the  requirements  for use of Form S-3 under the
Securities Act. The  Registration  Statement has been declared  effective by the
Commission under the Securities Act; no stop order suspending the  effectiveness
of the Registration Statement has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose
has been  instituted  or, to the  knowledge  of the Company,  threatened  by the
Commission;   the   Registration   Statement  and   Prospectus  (as  amended  or
supplemented  if the Company shall have  furnished any amendments or supplements
thereto) comply,  or will comply, as the case may be, when they become effective
or are filed with the Commission,  as the case may be, in all material  respects
with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the
rules and  regulations of the Commission  thereunder  (collectively,  the "Trust
Indenture  Act");  as of the applicable  effective date and each  Representation
Date, the Registration  Statement and any amendment thereto did not and will not
contain an untrue  statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated  therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not
misleading;  and as of the applicable filing date and each Representation  Date,
the  Prospectus  and any  amendment or  supplement  thereto did not and will not
include an 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;  provided,  however,
that the foregoing  representations  and warranties  shall not apply to (i) that
part  of  the  Registration   Statement  which   constitutes  the  Statement  of
Eligibility  (Form T-1) under the Trust  Indenture Act of the Trustee,  and (ii)
statements or omissions in the Registration  Statement or the Prospectus made in
reliance upon and in conformity  with  information  relating to any  Underwriter
furnished   to  the  Company  in  writing  by  such   Underwriter   through  the
Representatives expressly for inclusion therein.

          (b) The documents  incorporated by reference in the  Prospectus,  when
they were filed with the Commission,  complied in all material respects with the
requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents,  when they were so
filed,  included an untrue  statement  of a material  fact or omitted 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;  and any further
documents so filed and  incorporated by reference in the  Prospectus,  when such
documents are filed with the  Commission,  will comply in all material  respects
with the  requirements of the Exchange Act, as applicable,  and will not include
an  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.



                                       3
<PAGE>


          (c) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the Company and constitutes a valid and binding agreement of the Company, except
as rights to indemnity and  contribution  hereunder may be limited by applicable
law.

          (d) The Indenture has been duly  qualified  under the Trust  Indenture
Act and has been duly  authorized,  executed  and  delivered  by the Company and
constitutes  a valid  and  binding  agreement  of the  Company,  enforceable  in
accordance with its terms (except as the  enforceability  thereof may be limited
by  bankruptcy,  insolvency  and other  laws  affecting  the  enforceability  of
creditors'  rights  generally  and general  principles  of equity and an implied
covenant  of good  faith  and fair  dealing),  the  Securities  have  been  duly
authorized  by the Company and, when  executed and  authenticated  in accordance
with  the  terms  of  the  Indenture  and  delivered  to  and  paid  for  by the
Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will have been duly
executed  and  delivered  by the Company and will  constitute  valid and binding
obligations of the Company,  enforceable in accordance  with their terms and the
terms of the Indenture (except as the  enforceability  thereof may be limited by
bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the enforceability of creditors'
rights  generally and general  principles  of equity and an implied  covenant of
good faith and fair dealing),  and holders of the Securities will be entitled to
the benefits  provided by the  Indenture;  and the  Securities and the Indenture
conform in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus.

          (e) The Company has been duly  incorporated and is validly existing as
a corporation under the laws of the State of Wisconsin, with power and authority
(corporate  and  other)  to own its  properties  and  conduct  its  business  as
described  in  the  Prospectus,  and  has  been  duly  qualified  as  a  foreign
corporation  for the  transaction  of business  and is in good  standing (or the
local equivalent) under the laws of each other  jurisdiction in which it owns or
leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such  qualification,
except  where the  failure  to so qualify  or to be in good  standing  would not
result in a material  adverse  effect on the  business,  financial  position  or
results of  operations  of the  Company and its  subsidiaries  taken as a whole,
whether or not arising in the ordinary  course of business (a "Material  Adverse
Effect").

          (f) Each of the Company's subsidiaries that constitutes a "significant
subsidiary"  (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation  S-X) as of the
last day of the Company's most recent fiscal  quarter (each a  "Subsidiary"  and
collectively,  the  "Subsidiaries")  has  been  duly  organized  and is  validly
existing as a corporation  or limited  liability  company in good standing under
the laws of the jurisdiction of its  incorporation  or organization,  with power
and  authority  (corporate  and other) to own its  properties  and  conduct  its
business  as  described  in the  Prospectus,  and has been duly  qualified  as a
foreign corporation or limited liability company for the transaction of business
and is in good standing (or the local  equivalent)  under the laws of each other
jurisdiction  in which it owns or leases  properties or conducts any business so
as to require such  qualification,  except where the failure to so qualify or to
be in good standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.



                                       4
<PAGE>


          (g) The authorized,  issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of
the  Company  is as  set  forth  in  the  column  entitled  "Actual"  under  the
"Capitalization"  section of the  Prospectus,  and such shares of capital  stock
have been duly  authorized  and validly issued by the Company and are fully paid
and non-assessable (except for certain statutory liabilities that may be imposed
by Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law (the "WBCL")
for unpaid employee wages),  and none of such shares of capital stock was issued
in violation of pre-emptive  or other similar  rights of any security  holder of
the Company; all of the outstanding shares of capital stock or limited liability
company  interests  of each  Subsidiary  have been duly  authorized  and validly
issued  and  are  fully  paid  and  non-assessable   (except,  in  the  case  of
Subsidiaries that are Wisconsin corporations,  for certain statutory liabilities
that may be imposed by Section  180.0622(2)(b)  of the WBCL for unpaid  employee
wages),  and, except as otherwise set forth in the  Prospectus,  all outstanding
shares of capital  stock of the  Subsidiaries  are owned by the  Company  either
directly or through  wholly owned  subsidiaries  free and clear of any perfected
security   interest  or  any  other  security   interests,   claims,   liens  or
encumbrances.

          (h) The  financial  statements  and  schedules  of the Company and its
consolidated   subsidiaries   included  or  incorporated  by  reference  in  the
Prospectus  and  the  Registration  Statement  present  fairly  in all  material
respects the consolidated  financial  condition,  results of operations and cash
flows of the Company and its  consolidated  subsidiaries as of the dates and for
the  periods  indicated,  comply  as to  form  with  the  applicable  accounting
requirements of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable,  and have
been prepared in conformance  with United States generally  accepted  accounting
principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except
as otherwise noted therein).

          (i)  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,  who have  certified  the  financial
statements  included  or  incorporated  by  reference  in  the  Prospectus,  are
independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act.

          (j) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Registration  Statement and the Prospectus,  except as otherwise stated therein,
(A) there has been no material  adverse change,  or any development  involving a
prospective  material  adverse change,  in or affecting the business,  financial
position or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a
whole,  whether or not arising in the  ordinary  course of business (a "Material
Adverse  Change")  and (B) there have been no  transactions  entered into by the
Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  other than those  arising in the  ordinary
course of  business,  which are  material  with  respect to the  Company and its
subsidiaries considered as one enterprise.

          (k) The execution,  delivery and  performance of this  Agreement,  the
Indenture and any other agreement or instrument  entered into or issued or to be
entered  into or issued  by the  Company  in  connection  with the  transactions
contemplated  hereby  or  thereby  or in  the  Registration  Statement  and  the
Prospectus and the consummation of the transactions  contemplated  herein and in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and compliance by the Company with
its  obligations  hereunder and  thereunder do not and will not conflict with or
result



                                       5
<PAGE>


in a breach of, or  constitute  a default  under,  or result in the  creation or
imposition of any lien,  charge or  encumbrance  upon any assets,  properties or
operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries  pursuant to, any contract,
indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust, loan or credit  agreement,  note, lease or
other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is
a party or by  which  it or any of them  may be  bound  or to  which  any of the
assets,  properties or operations of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is
subject  (collectively,  the "Agreements and  Instruments")  the result of which
would  have a  Material  Adverse  Effect,  nor will  such  action  result in any
violation  of the  provisions  of the charter or bylaws of the Company or any of
its Subsidiaries or any applicable law or statute or any order, rule, regulation
or judgment of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over
the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or any of their  assets,  properties or
operations,  except for any such violations  that would not,  individually or in
the aggregate, result in a Material Adverse Effect.

          (l) There is no action,  suit,  proceeding,  inquiry or  investigation
before or brought by any court or governmental agency or body now pending, or to
the knowledge of the Company threatened, against or affecting the Company or any
of its  subsidiaries  which is  required  to be  disclosed  in the  Registration
Statement and the Prospectus (other than as stated therein,  including documents
incorporated by reference), or which might reasonably be expected to result in a
Material  Adverse Effect (other than as stated therein,  including the documents
incorporated  by  reference),   or  have  a  material   adverse  effect  on  the
consummation  of  the  transactions  contemplated  under  the  Prospectus,  this
Agreement or the Indenture or the  performance by the Company of its obligations
hereunder and thereunder; and the aggregate of all pending legal or governmental
proceedings  to which the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or of
which any of their  respective  assets,  properties or operations is the subject
which  is not  described  in the  Registration  Statement  and  the  Prospectus,
including  ordinary  routine  litigation  incidental  to  the  business,  is not
reasonably expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

          (m) No  consent,  approval,  authorization,  order,   registration  or
qualification  of or with any court or  governmental  agency or body is required
for the  due  authorization,  execution  and  delivery  by the  Company  of this
Agreement or for the performance by the Company of the transactions contemplated
under the  Prospectus,  this  Agreement  or the  Indenture,  except such as have
already  been made,  obtained or  rendered,  as  applicable,  and such as may be
required under state securities laws.

          (n) Each insurance  company  subsidiary of the Company  (collectively,
the "Insurance  Subsidiaries")  is duly licensed as an insurance  company in its
jurisdiction of organization and is duly licensed or authorized as an insurer in
each jurisdiction  outside its jurisdiction of organization where it is required
to be so licensed or  authorized  to conduct its  business as  described  in the
Registration  Statement and the Prospectuses,  except where the failure to be so
licensed or authorized,  individually or in the aggregate, would not result in a
Material Adverse Effect.



                                       6
<PAGE>


          (o) The Company is not and,  after  giving  effect to the offering and
sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds  thereof as described
in the  Prospectus,  will  not be an  "investment  company"  as  defined  in the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company Act").

          Any certificate  signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to
the  Representatives  or counsel for the  Underwriters  in  connection  with the
offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation  and warranty by the
Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

          5.  The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter as follows:

          (a) To file the  Prospectus in a form  approved by you (such  approval
not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed) pursuant to Rule 424 of Regulation C
under the  Securities Act not later than the  Commission's  close of business on
the second  Business Day  following  the date of  determination  of the offering
price of the Securities.

          (b) To  deliver  to   each   Representative   and   counsel   for  the
Underwriters,   at  the  expense  of  the  Company,  a  conformed  copy  of  the
Registration Statement (as originally filed) and each amendment thereto, in each
case including  exhibits and documents  incorporated  by reference  therein and,
during the period mentioned in subsection (e) below, to each of the Underwriters
as many copies of the  Prospectus  (including  all  amendments  and  supplements
thereto) and documents  incorporated by reference  therein as you may reasonably
request.

          (c) For so  long  as the  delivery  of a  prospectus  is  required  in
connection with the offering or sale of the Securities, to furnish to you a copy
of any proposed  amendment or  supplement to the  Registration  Statement or the
Prospectus,  for your  review,  and not to file any such  proposed  amendment or
supplement  to which you  reasonably  and timely  object in  writing;  provided,
however,  that the  provisions of this  subsection (c) shall not apply to any of
the  Company's  periodic  filings under the Exchange Act described in subsection
(d),  copies of which  filings  in  substantially  final  form the  Company  has
delivered to you in advance of their transmission to the Commission for filing.

          (d) To  file  promptly  all  reports  and   any  definitive  proxy  or
information  statements  required to be filed by the Company with the Commission
pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act for so long as
the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale
of the Securities,  and during such same period, to advise you promptly,  and to
confirm  such advice in writing,  (i) when the  Prospectus,  and any  supplement
thereto,  shall have been filed (if required)  with the  Commission  pursuant to
Rule 424 of  Regulation  C under  the  Securities  Act or when  any Rule  462(b)
Registration Statement shall have been filed with the Commission,  (ii) when any
amendment to the Registration  Statement shall have become  effective,  (iii) of
any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or
any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information,



                                       7
<PAGE>


insofar  as such  amendment  or  supplement  relates  to or covers  the  Company
generally or the Securities specifically, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission
of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration  Statement or
the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose, and (v) of the
receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to any suspension of the
qualification  of the Securities for offer and sale in any  jurisdiction  or the
initiation or threatening  of any  proceeding  for such purpose;  and to use its
best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or notification and,
if issued, to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

          (e) If, at any time when a  prospectus  is  required  to be  delivered
under the  Securities  Act, any event shall occur or condition  shall exist as a
result of which it is necessary to amend or supplement  the  Prospectus in order
to make the  statements  therein,  in the  light of the  circumstances  when the
Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it is necessary to
amend or supplement the  Prospectus to comply with law,  promptly to prepare and
furnish,  subject to subsection (c) above, at the expense of the Company (unless
such event shall occur more than nine months  after the date of the  Prospectus,
in  which  case  the  cost  of  preparing  and  furnishing  such  amendments  or
supplements  shall be borne by the  Underwriter or  Underwriters  requesting the
same),  to the  Underwriters  and to the dealers  (whose names and addresses you
will  furnish to the Company) to which  Securities  may have been sold by you on
behalf  of  the  Underwriters  and to  any  other  dealers  upon  request,  such
amendments  or  supplements  to the  Prospectus  as may be necessary so that the
statements  in the  Prospectus  as so amended or  supplemented  will not, in the
light of the circumstances  when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser,  be
misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

          (f) To make  generally  available to its  security  holders as soon as
practicable  an earnings  statement  covering a period of at least twelve months
beginning  with the first  fiscal  quarter of the  Company  occurring  after the
effective date of the Registration Statement, which shall satisfy the provisions
of  Section  11(a)  of the  Securities  Act  and  Rule  158  of  the  Commission
promulgated thereunder.

          (g) From and  including  the date hereof to and including the Business
Day  following  the  Closing  Date,  not to  offer,  sell,  contract  to sell or
otherwise dispose of any debt securities of, or guaranteed by, the Company which
are substantially similar to the Securities without your prior written consent.

          (h) To arrange, if necessary,  for the qualification of the Securities
for  sale  under  the  laws of such  jurisdictions  as the  Representatives  may
designate,  will maintain such  qualifications in effect so long as required for
the  distribution  of the  Securities  and  will  pay  any  fee of the  National
Association of Securities  Dealers,  Inc., in connection  with its review of the
offering; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to
do business in any  jurisdiction  in which it is not now so qualified or to take
any  action  that would  subject  it to service of process in suits,  other than
those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction
in which it is not now so subject.



                                       8
<PAGE>


          (i) To pay, except as otherwise  provided in paragraph (e) above,  all
costs and expenses  incident to the  performance of its  obligations  hereunder,
including,  without  limiting the  generality  of the  foregoing,  all costs and
expenses (i) incident to the preparation,  issuance,  execution,  authentication
and delivery of the  Securities,  including  any  expenses of the Trustee,  (ii)
incident  to  the  preparation  and  filing  under  the  Securities  Act  of the
Registration Statement, the Prospectus and any preliminary prospectus (including
in each case all exhibits,  amendments and supplements thereto),  (iii) incident
to the  printing and delivery to you and the other  Underwriters  of  reasonable
quantities of the  Registration  Statement,  the Prospectus and any  preliminary
prospectus  (including in each case all  exhibits,  amendments  and  supplements
thereto), (iv) incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and
determination  of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of
such  jurisdictions as the  Underwriters  may designate  (including the fees and
disbursements  of  counsel  for the  Underwriters  in an  amount  not to  exceed
$5,000),  (v) in  connection  with any  listing of the  Securities  on any stock
exchange or  quotation  system,  (vi)  related to any  required  filing with the
National  Association of Securities Dealers,  Inc., (vii) in connection with the
duplication and delivery of this Agreement,  the Indenture,  the Preliminary and
Final Blue Sky Memoranda and any Legal  Investment  Survey and (viii) payable to
rating  agencies  in  connection  with the rating of the  Securities;  provided,
however,  that, except as provided in this Section 5(i) and in Sections 7 and 10
hereof, the Underwriters  shall pay their own costs and expenses,  including the
fees and expenses of their counsel,  any transfer taxes on the Securities  which
they may sell and the expenses of  advertising  any  offering of the  Securities
made by the Underwriters.

          (j) To not take,  directly or  indirectly,  any action  designed to or
which has  constituted or which might  reasonably be expected to cause or result
in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise,  stabilization  or  manipulation of the
price of any  security  of the Company to  facilitate  the sale or resale of the
Securities.

          6.  The several obligations  of the  Underwriters  hereunder  shall be
subject to the following conditions:

          (a) The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein
are true and correct on and as of the  Closing  Date as if made on and as of the
Closing Date,  and the Company shall have complied with all  agreements  and all
conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the
Closing Date.

          (b) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission  pursuant
to Rule 424 of Regulation C under the Securities Act within the applicable  time
period  prescribed  for such  filing  by the  rules  and  regulations  under the
Securities Act; no stop order  suspending the  effectiveness of the Registration
Statement  shall be in  effect  and no  proceedings  for such  purpose  shall be
pending before or threatened by the Commission;  and all reasonable requests for
additional  information on the part of the  Commission  shall have been complied
with to your reasonable satisfaction.



                                       9
<PAGE>


          (c) From and including the date of this Agreement to and including the
Closing  Date,  there shall not have  occurred  any  downgrading,  nor shall any
notice have been given of (i) any intended or potential  downgrading or (ii) any
probable change that does not indicate an improvement in the rating accorded any
securities of, or guaranteed by, the Company by Moody's Investors Service,  Inc.
or Standard & Poor's Ratings Services.

          (d) Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
Prospectus there shall not have been any Material Adverse Change, otherwise than
as set  forth or  contemplated  in the  Prospectus,  the  effect of which in the
judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed
with the public  offering or the delivery of the  Securities on the terms and in
the manner contemplated in the Prospectus.

          (e) The  Representatives  shall have received on and as of the Closing
Date a  certificate  of the Chief  Financial  Officer  or the  Treasurer  of the
Company,  acting  in their  corporate  capacities,  to the  effect  set forth in
subsections  (a)  through (c) of this  Section 6 and to the further  effect that
there has not occurred any Material  Adverse Change,  other than as set forth or
contemplated in the Prospectus.

          (f) Foley & Lardner,  counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to
you their  written  opinion  (other  than as to  subparagraphs  (vii) and (viii)
insofar as such  subparagraphs  relate to insurance law matters) and the General
Counsel or Associate General Counsel of the Company, shall have furnished to you
his  written  opinion  (as to  subparagraphs  (vii) and  (viii)  insofar as such
subparagraphs relate to insurance law matters),  each dated the Closing Date, in
form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you, to the effect that:

              (i)    The Company is validly existing as a corporation  under the
     laws of the State of Wisconsin,  with corporate  power and authority to own
     its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and
     has been duly  qualified as a foreign  corporation  for the  transaction of
     business and is in good standing (or the local  equivalent)  under the laws
     of each  other  jurisdiction  in  which  it owns or  leases  properties  or
     conducts any business so as to require such qualification, except where the
     failure  to so  qualify  or to be in good  standing  would not  result in a
     Material Adverse Effect.

              (ii)   Each Subsidiary of the  Company  is validly  existing  as a
     corporation or limited liability company under the laws of the jurisdiction
     of incorporation or organization, with corporate power and authority to own
     its properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and
     has been duly  qualified  as a foreign  corporation  or  limited  liability
     company for the  transaction  of business  and is in good  standing (or the
     local  equivalent)  under the laws of each other  jurisdiction  in which it
     owns or leases  properties  or conducts  any business so as to require such
     qualification,  except  where the  failure  to so  qualify or to be in good
     standing would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.



                                       10
<PAGE>


              (iii)  All  the  outstanding  shares  of  capital  stock  of  each
     Subsidiary  have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid
     and non-assessable  (except, in the case of Subsidiaries that are Wisconsin
     corporations,  for  certain  statutory  liabilities  that may be imposed by
     Section  180.0622(2)(b) of the WBCL for unpaid employee wages), and, except
     as otherwise set forth in the Prospectus, all outstanding shares of capital
     stock of the  Subsidiaries  are owned by the  Company  either  directly  or
     through wholly owned  subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security
     interest  and, to the  knowledge of such  counsel,  after due inquiry,  any
     other security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance.

              (iv)   This  Agreement has  been  duly  authorized,  executed  and
     delivered by the Company.

              (v)    The Securities  have  been duly  authorized by  the Company
     and,  assuming  that the  Securities  have been duly  authenticated  by the
     Trustee in the manner  described in its certificate  delivered to you today
     and payment of the  consideration  for the  Securities  as specified in the
     Underwriting  Agreement  has been  made,  the  Securities  have  been  duly
     executed, issued and delivered by the Company and will constitute valid and
     binding  obligations  of the  Company,  enforceable  against the Company in
     accordance  with their terms and the terms of the Indenture,  except (A) as
     the  enforcement   thereof  may  be  limited  by  bankruptcy,   insolvency,
     fraudulent  conveyance,  reorganization,  moratorium and other similar laws
     relating to or affecting  creditors' rights  generally,  (B) as enforcement
     thereof is subject to general equity  principles  (whether  considered in a
     proceeding  in equity or at law) and an implied  covenant of good faith and
     fair  dealing;  and  holders  of the  Securities  will be  entitled  to the
     benefits provided by the Indenture.

              (vi)   The  Indenture  has  been  duly  authorized,  executed  and
     delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authorization, execution and
     delivery thereof by the Trustee,  constitutes a valid and binding agreement
     of the  Company,  enforceable  against the Company in  accordance  with its
     terms,  except (A) as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy,
     insolvency,  fraudulent  conveyance,  reorganization,  moratorium and other
     similar laws relating to or affecting  creditors' rights generally,  (B) as
     enforcement  thereof  is  subject to  general  equity  principles  (whether
     considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and an implied  covenant of
     good faith and fair  dealing;  and the  Indenture  has been duly  qualified
     under the Trust Indenture Act.

              (vii)  The issue and sale of the Securities and the performance by
     the Company of its obligations under the Securities, the Indenture and this
     Agreement  and the  consummation  of the  transactions  herein and  therein
     contemplated  will not  conflict  with or  result in a breach of any of the
     terms or provisions of, or constitute a default  under,  any Agreements and
     Instruments  known to such  counsel  to  which  the  Company  or any of its
     subsidiaries  is a party or by which the Company or any such  subsidiary is
     bound  or to which  any of the  assets,  properties  or  operations  of the
     Company or any such  subsidiary  is  subject,  other than in each case such
     breaches or defaults  which,  individually  or in the aggregate,  would not
     result in  a  Material Adverse Effect, nor  will such  action resul  in any
     violation of the  provisions of the charter or bylaws of the Company or any
     of its  Subsidiaries or  any applicable law or statute or any order,  rule,
     regulation or judgment known to such counsel  of any court or governmental
     agency or body having



                                       11
<PAGE>


     jurisdiction  over  the  Company  or  any such  subsidiary  or any of their
     assets, properties or operations.

              (viii) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or
     qualification of or filing with any court or governmental agency or body is
     required for the issue and sale of the  Securities or the  consummation  of
     the other  transactions  contemplated by the Prospectus,  this Agreement or
     the Indenture, except such as have been already made, obtained or rendered,
     as applicable, and such as may be required under state securities laws.

              (ix)   The statements in (A) the Prospectus  under "Description of
     Debt  Securities" and  "Description of Notes",  (B) Item 5 of the Company's
     Current Report on Form 8-K, dated May 19, 2000,  incorporated  by reference
     into the Prospectus and (C) the Registration  Statement in Item 15, insofar
     as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters,  documents or
     proceedings  referred to therein,  fairly present in all material  respects
     the  matters,   documents  or  proceedings   summarized  therein;  and  the
     Securities  and the  Indenture  conform as to legal matters in all material
     respects to the descriptions thereof in the Prospectus.

              (x)    To the knowledge of such counsel,  there is no  pending  or
     threatened   action,   suit  or  proceeding  by  or  before  any  court  or
     governmental  agency,  authority or body or any  arbitrator  involving  the
     Company or any of its subsidiaries or its or their property, of a character
     required  to be  disclosed  in  the  Registration  Statement  which  is not
     adequately  disclosed  in the  Prospectus,  and, to the  knowledge  of such
     counsel,  there is no franchise,  contract or other document of a character
     required to be described in the Registration Statement or Prospectus, or to
     be  filed  as an  exhibit  thereto,  which  is not  described  or  filed as
     required.

              (xi)   The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering
     and sale of the Securities and the  application of the proceeds  thereof as
     described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment company" as defined
     in the Investment Company Act.

              (xii)  The Registration  Statement has become  effective under the
     Securities  Act; any required  filing of the Prospectus or any  preliminary
     prospectus  pursuant  to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within
     the time period required by Rule 424(b);  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 have been instituted
     or threatened.

              (xiii) Each document incorporated by reference in the Registration
     Statement  and the  Prospectus  (except for the  financial  statements  and
     schedules  and other  financial  data  included  therein,  as to which such
     counsel  need  express no opinion)  complied as to form when filed with the
     Commission in all material  respects with  requirements of the



                                       12
<PAGE>


     Exchange Act and the  Registration  Statement and the  Prospectus  and each
     amendment or supplement  thereto  (except for the financial  statements and
     schedules  and other  financial  data  included  therein,  as to which such
     counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects
     with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act.

          Nothing  has come to such  counsel's  attention  that  would lead such
counsel to believe that (except for the financial  statements  and schedules and
other financial data included therein,  as to which such counsel need express no
belief) (A) the Registration Statement,  when such Registration Statement became
effective or on the Closing  Date,  contained an untrue  statement of a material
fact or  omitted  to state a  material  fact  required  to be stated  therein or
necessary to make the statements  therein not misleading or (B) the  Prospectus,
as of its date and on the Closing Date, included or includes an untrue statement
of a material  fact or omitted to state a material  fact  necessary  to make the
statements  therein,  in the light of the  circumstances  under  which they were
made, not misleading.

          In rendering such  opinions,  such counsel may: (A) rely as to matters
of fact, to the extent such counsel deems proper, on certificates of responsible
officers of the Company given in their corporate capacity (it is understood that
such  counsel  shall be entitled to rely on  certificates  of such  officers and
those of Subsidiaries with respect to the foreign qualification matters referred
to in subparagraph  (ii) above) and certificates or other written  statements of
officials of jurisdictions  having custody of documents respecting the corporate
existence  or good  standing of the  Company and (B) limit such  opinions to the
laws of the States of Delaware and  Wisconsin and the Federal laws of the United
States  of  America  and  assume  that  the  laws of the  State  of New York are
identical  in all  relevant  aspects  to the  substantive  laws of the  State of
Wisconsin. With respect to the matters to be covered in the preceding paragraph,
counsel may state his belief is based upon his  participation in the preparation
of the  Registration  Statement,  Prospectus  and any  amendment  or  supplement
thereto but is without independent check or verification except as specified.

          (g) On the date hereof and on the Closing Date, PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP shall have furnished to you a letter, dated such date, in form and substance
reasonably  satisfactory  to you,  containing  statements and information of the
type customarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters with
respect to the financial statements and certain financial  information contained
in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

          (h) You shall have  received on and as of the Closing  Date an opinion
of Mayer,  Brown & Platt,  counsel  to the  Underwriters,  with  respect  to the
validity  of  the  Indenture  and  the  Securities,  the  effectiveness  of  the
Registration  Statement,  the disclosure in the  Registration  Statement and the
Prospectus and such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request,
and such counsel  shall have received  such papers and  information  as they may
reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.



                                       13
<PAGE>


          (i) On or prior to the Closing Date,  the Company shall have furnished
to  the  Representatives   such  further   certificates  and  documents  as  the
Representatives shall reasonably request.

          7.  (a) The  Company  agrees  to  indemnify  and  hold  harmless  each
Underwriter  and each person,  if any, who controls any  Underwriter  within the
meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange
Act from  and  against  any and all  losses,  claims,  damages  and  liabilities
(including,  without  limitation,  the reasonable  legal fees and other expenses
incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted
in respect  thereof),  as incurred,  to which such  Underwriter  or  controlling
person may be subject,  insofar as such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities
arise out of or are based upon:

              (i)    any  untrue statement  or alleged  untrue  statement  of a
     material fact  contained or included in the  Registration  Statement or any
     amendment   thereof,   the   Prospectus,   the  Prospectus  as  amended  or
     supplemented  or any amendment or supplement  thereto,  or any  preliminary
     prospectus; or

              (ii)   the  omission  or  alleged  omission  to  state  therein  a
     material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or,  in the  case  of the
     Registration  Statement or any  amendment  thereof,  the  Prospectus or the
     Prospectus  as amended  or  supplemented  or any  amendment  or  supplement
     thereto, necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or, in the
     case  of any  preliminary  prospectus,  necessary  to make  the  statements
     therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
     misleading;

          provided,  however,  that the Company  shall not be liable  insofar as
such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities  arise out of or are based upon an
untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in any
preliminary  prospectus  or in  the  Registration  Statement  or  any  amendment
thereof,  the Prospectus,  the Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any such
amendment  or  supplement  thereto  in  reliance  upon  and in  conformity  with
information  furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the
Representatives expressly for inclusion therein; and provided, further, that the
Company shall not be liable to any  Underwriter or any person  controlling  such
Underwriter  under the indemnity  agreement  provided for in this  paragraph (a)
with  respect to a  preliminary  prospectus  to the  extent  that any such loss,
claim,  damage or liability of such  Underwriter or  controlling  person results
solely from the fact that such  Underwriter  sold Securities to a person to whom
there was not sent or given,  at or prior to the  written  confirmation  of such
sale, a copy of the Prospectus  (excluding documents  incorporated by reference)
or of the  Prospectus  as then  amended  or  supplemented  (excluding  documents
incorporated  by  reference),  whichever is most recent,  if (A) the Company has
previously  furnished  copies thereof to such Underwriter and (B) the applicable
untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission was corrected therein.

          (b) Each Underwriter  agrees,  severally and not jointly, to indemnify
and  hold  harmless  the  Company,  its  directors,  its  officers  who sign the
Registration  Statement and each



                                       14
<PAGE>


person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the
Securities  Act or Section 20 of the  Exchange  Act from and against any and all
losses,  claims,  damages and liabilities  (including,  without limitation,  the
reasonable legal fees and other expenses  reasonably incurred in connection with
any suit,  action or proceeding or any claim  asserted in respect  thereof),  as
incurred,  to which the  Company  may become  subject,  insofar as such  losses,
claims, damages or liabilities arise out of or are based upon:

              (i)    any  untrue  statement  or  alleged  untrue  statement of a
     material fact  contained or included in the  Registration  Statement or any
     amendment   thereof,   the   Prospectus,   the  Prospectus  as  amended  or
     supplemented  or any amendment or supplement  thereto,  or any  preliminary
     prospectus; or

              (ii)   the  omission  or  alleged  omission  to  state  therein  a
     material  fact  required  to be  stated  therein  or,  in the  case  of the
     Registration  Statement or any  amendment  thereof,  the  Prospectus or the
     Prospectus  as amended  or  supplemented  or any  amendment  or  supplement
     thereto, necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or, in the
     case  of any  preliminary  prospectus,  necessary  to make  the  statements
     therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
     misleading;

in each case to the extent,  but only to the extent,  that such untrue statement
or omission or alleged  untrue  statement  or alleged  omission  was made in any
preliminary  prospectus  or in  the  Registration  Statement  or  any  amendment
thereof,  the  Prospectus or the  Prospectus as amended or  supplemented  or any
amendment  or  supplement  thereto  in  reliance  upon and in  conformance  with
information  furnished  to the  Company  in  writing  by or on  behalf  of  such
Underwriter expressly for use therein.

          (c) If any suit,  action,  proceeding  (including any  governmental or
regulatory investigation),  claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against
any  person  in  respect  of which  indemnity  may be sought  (the  "Indemnified
Person")  pursuant to either of subsections (a) or (b) above,  such  Indemnified
Person  shall  promptly  notify the person  against whom such  indemnity  may be
sought  (the  "Indemnifying  Person")  in  writing  (in  such  detail  as may be
available to such Indemnified  Person).  In no case shall an Indemnifying Person
be liable  under  this  Section 7 with  respect  to any claim  made  against  an
Indemnified Person unless such Indemnifying  Person shall be notified in writing
of the nature of the claim within a reasonable time after the Indemnified  Party
is aware of such  claim  thereof,  but  failure so to notify  such  Indemnifying
Person shall not relieve it from any liability  that it may have  otherwise than
on account of this Section 7. Upon such notice, the Indemnifying Person shall be
entitled to participate in, and, to the extent that it shall wish,  jointly with
any other Indemnifying Person similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof,
with counsel  reasonably  satisfactory  to such  Indemnified  Person,  and after
notice from the Indemnifying  Person to such Indemnified  Person of its election
so to assume the defense thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall not be liable to
such Indemnified Person for any legal or other expenses subsequently incurred by
such  Indemnified  Person in  connection  with the  defense  thereof  other than
reasonable costs of



                                       15
<PAGE>


investigation or as provided in subsection (d) below.  Each  Indemnified  Person
shall assist the Indemnifying  Person in any defense undertaken pursuant to this
Section 7 by providing  such  assistance  and  cooperation  (including,  without
limitation,  witness and documentary or other  information) as may be reasonably
requested by the Indemnifying  Person in connection with such defense,  provided
that all reasonable costs and expenses of such assistance and cooperation  shall
be borne by the Indemnifying Person.

          (d) Notwithstanding  anything herein contained, any Indemnified Person
shall have the right to retain its own  counsel,  but the fees and  expenses  of
such counsel shall be at the expense of such  Indemnified  Person unless (i) the
Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the
contrary,  (ii) the  Indemnifying  Person has failed within a reasonable time to
retain counsel  reasonably  satisfactory to the Indemnified  Person or (iii) the
named  parties  in the  applicable  suit,  action,  proceeding,  claim or demand
(including any impleaded  parties) include both the Indemnifying  Person and the
Indemnified  Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would
be inappropriate due to actual or potential  differing interests between them or
defenses available to them. It is understood that the Indemnifying  Person shall
not,  in  connection  with any  proceeding  or  related  proceeding  in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm
(in addition to any local  counsel) for all  Indemnified  Persons,  and that all
such fees and expenses,  to the extent they are reasonable,  shall be reimbursed
as they are  incurred.  Any such  separate  firm for the  Underwriters  and such
control persons of the Underwriters  shall be designated in writing by the first
of the named Representatives on Schedule I hereto and any such separate firm for
the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the Registration Statement and
such  control  persons of the  Company or  authorized  representatives  shall be
designated  in writing by the  Company.  In either case,  the  separate  firm so
selected  shall be  reasonably  satisfactory  to the  Indemnifying  Person.  The
Indemnifying  Person shall not be liable for any  settlement  of any  proceeding
effected  without its written  consent,  but if settled  with such consent or if
there be a final judgment for the plaintiff,  the Indemnifying  Person agrees to
indemnify  any  Indemnified  Person from and against  any loss or  liability  by
reason of such settlement or judgment. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the
prior written  consent of the Indemnified  Person,  effect any settlement of any
pending or threatened claim,  action, suit or proceeding in respect of which any
Indemnified  Person is or could have been a party and indemnity  could have been
sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person,  unless the Indemnifying Person has
first given the  Indemnified  Person  reasonable  prior  written  notice of such
proposed  settlement and consulted in good faith with the Indemnified  Person as
to the inclusion therein of an unconditional  release of the Indemnified  Person
from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding; and in
the event that an Indemnified  Person is an actual party to such claim,  action,
suit or proceeding,  the Indemnifying Party shall not, without the prior written
consent of the Indemnified Person,  settle or compromise or consent to the entry
of any judgment  therein  unless the same includes an  unconditional  release of
such Indemnified  Person from all liability arising out of or otherwise relating
to the subject matter of such claim, action, suit or proceeding.



                                       16
<PAGE>


          (e) If the  indemnification  provided  for in  subsections  (a) or (b)
above is legally  unavailable to an Indemnified Person in respect of any losses,
claims,  damages or  liabilities  referred  to therein,  then each  Indemnifying
Person under such subsection,  in lieu of indemnifying  such Indemnified  Person
thereunder,  shall  contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified
Person as a result of such losses,  claims,  damages or liabilities  (i) in such
proportion as is  appropriate to reflect the relative  benefits  received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering
of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation  provided by clause (i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative
fault of the Company on the one hand and the  Underwriters  on the other hand in
connection  with the  statements  or  omissions  that  resulted in such  losses,
claims,  damages  or  liabilities,  as  well  as any  other  relevant  equitable
considerations.

          (f) The relative  benefits received by the Company on the one hand and
the  Underwriters on the other hand shall be deemed to be in the same respective
proportions  as the net  proceeds  from the offering of the  Securities  (before
deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts
and the commissions  received by the  Underwriters  bear to the aggregate public
offering price of the  Securities.  The relative fault of the Company on the one
hand and the Underwriters on the other hand 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 by the  Underwriters  and the  parties'
relative intent, knowledge,  access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent  such  statement  or omission.  With  respect to any  Underwriter,  such
relative  fault shall also be  determined by reference to the extent (if any) to
which  such  losses,  claims,  damages  or  liabilities  (or  actions in respect
thereof) with respect to any  preliminary  prospectus  result from the fact that
such  Underwriter  sold  Securities  to a person  to whom  there was not sent or
given,  at or prior to the  written  confirmation  of such  sale,  a copy of the
Prospectus (excluding documents  incorporated by reference) or of the Prospectus
as then amended or supplemented  (excluding documents incorporated by reference)
if the Company has previously furnished copies thereof to such Underwriter.

          (g) The Company and the  Underwriters  agree that it would not be just
and equitable if contribution  pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro
rata allocation  (even if the  Underwriters  were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other  method of  allocation  that does not take  account the
equitable considerations referred to in subsection (f) above. The amount paid or
payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses,  claims, damages and
liabilities  referred  to in  subsection  (f) above  shall be deemed to include,
subject  to the  limitations  set forth  above,  any  reasonable  legal or other
expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with investigating or
defending  any such  action or claim.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of this
Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount
in excess  of the  amount  by which  the  total  price at which  the  Securities
underwritten  by it and  distributed  to the public  were  offered to the public
exceeds the amount of any  damages  that



                                       17
<PAGE>


such  Underwriter  has  otherwise  been required to pay by reason of such untrue
statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person
guilty of fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities  Act) shall be entitled to  contribution  from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent  misrepresentation.  The Underwriters' obligations
to  contribute  pursuant  to this  Section 7 are  several in  proportion  to the
respective principal amounts of the Securities set forth opposite their names in
Schedule II hereto, and not joint.

          (h)  The  indemnity  and  contribution  agreements  contained  in this
Section 7 are in addition to any  liability  that the  Indemnifying  Persons may
otherwise have to the Indemnified Persons referred to above.

          (i)  The  indemnity  and  contribution  agreements  contained  in this
Section 7 and the  representations  and  warranties  of the Company set forth in
this Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of
(i) any  termination of this  Agreement,  (ii) any  investigation  made by or on
behalf of any Underwriter or any person  controlling any Underwriter or by or on
behalf of the Company, its officers or directors or any other person controlling
the Company and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Securities.

          8.  Notwithstanding  anything herein contained,  this Agreement may be
terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to
the Company,  if, from and including the date of this Agreement to and including
the Closing Date, (i) trading  generally shall have been suspended or materially
limited  on or by,  as the  case  may be,  the New York  Stock  Exchange  or the
National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (ii) trading of any securities
of, or  guaranteed  by,  the  Company  shall  have been  suspended  on any stock
exchange  or in any  over-the-counter  market,  (iii) a  general  moratorium  on
commercial  banking  activities  in New York shall have been  declared by either
Federal or New York State  authorities,  or (iv) there shall have  occurred  any
outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial  markets or any
calamity or crisis that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and
adverse and which, in the good faith judgment of the  Representatives,  makes it
impracticable  to  market  the  Securities  on  the  terms  and  in  the  manner
contemplated in the Prospectus.

          9.  If, on the Closing Date, any one or more of the Underwriters shall
fail or refuse to  purchase  Securities  that it or they have agreed to purchase
under this Agreement,  and the aggregate  principal  amount of Securities  which
such  defaulting  Underwriter  or  Underwriters  agreed but failed or refused to
purchase is not more than  one-tenth of the  aggregate  principal  amount of the
Securities,   the  other  Underwriters  shall  be  obligated  severally  in  the
proportions  that the principal  amount of Securities  set forth  opposite their
respective  names in Schedule II hereto bears to the aggregate  principal amount
of  Securities  set  forth  opposite  the  names  of  all  such   non-defaulting
Underwriters,  or in such other proportions as the  Representatives may specify,
to purchase the Securities  that such  defaulting  Underwriter  or  Underwriters
agreed but failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event
shall the principal  amount of  Securities  that any  Underwriter  has agreed to
purchase  pursuant to Section I be  increased



                                       18
<PAGE>


pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such principal
amount of Securities without the written consent of such Underwriter.

          If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or
refuse to purchase  Securities and the aggregate  principal amount of Securities
with  respect  to which  such  default  occurs  is more  than  one-tenth  of the
aggregate  principal  amount of  Securities to be  purchased,  and  arrangements
satisfactory  to you and the Company for the purchase of such Securities are not
made within 36 hours after such default,  this Agreement shall terminate without
liability on the part of any  non-defaulting  Underwriter or Underwriters or the
Company.  In any such case,  either you or the  Company  shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date,  but in no event for longer than seven days, in order
that the required  changes,  if any, in the  Registration  Statement  and in the
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.

          Any action taken under this paragraph shall not relieve any defaulting
Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such  Underwriter  under
this Agreement.

          10. If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters,  or any
of them,  because of any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply
in all material  respects with the terms or to fulfill in all material  respects
any of the  conditions of this  Agreement,  the Company  agrees to reimburse the
Underwriters  or such  Underwriters  as have so terminated  this  Agreement with
respect to  themselves,  severally,  for all documented  out-of-pocket  expenses
(including the fees and expenses of their counsel)  reasonably  incurred by such
Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering of Securities.

          11. This  Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon
the Company,  the Underwriters,  any controlling  persons referred to herein and
their respective successors and assigns.  Nothing expressed or mentioned in this
Agreement is intended or shall be construed  to give any other  person,  firm or
corporation any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of
this  Agreement or any provision  herein  contained.  No purchaser of Securities
from any Underwriter  shall be deemed to be a successor by reason merely of such
purchase.

          12.  Any  action  by the  Underwriters  hereunder  may be taken by you
jointly  or by the first of the named  Representatives  set forth in  Schedule I
hereto  alone on behalf of the  Underwriters,  and any such action  taken by you
jointly  or by the first of the named  Representatives  set forth in  Schedule I
hereto  alone  shall be binding  upon the  Underwriters.  All  notices and other
communications  hereunder  shall be in writing  and shall be deemed to have been
duly given if mailed or transmitted  by any standard form of  telecommunication.
Notices to the Underwriters  shall be given at the address set forth in Schedule
I hereto.  Notices to the Company  shall be given to it at MGIC Plaza,  250 East
Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Attention: Treasurer, with a copy to
the same address, Attention: General Counsel.

          13. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts,  each of which shall
be an  original  and all of which  together  shall  constitute  one and the same
instrument. This Agreement shall be



                                       19
<PAGE>


governed by and construed in accordance  with the laws of the State of New York,
without giving effect to the conflicts of laws provisions thereof.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       MGIC INVESTMENT CORPORATION


                                       By:
                                          --------------------------------------
                                       Name:
                                       Title:

Accepted:


[NAME OF MANAGERS]

By: [NAME OF LEAD MANAGER]

By:
   ----------------------------------
    Name:
    Title:

Acting  severally on behalf of  themselves  and the several  Underwriters  named
herein.


                                       20
<PAGE>


                                   SCHEDULE I

The Securities



Representatives:

Title of Securities:                      % Notes due

Aggregate principal amount:         $

Maturity:                           0

Interest Rate:                            % per annum

Interest Payment Dates:                    and        commencing       , 2000



Optional Redemption/
Repayment Provisions:


Sinking Fund Provisions:



Price to Public:



Price to Underwriters:



Form:                               Book-entry only form through the facilities
                                    of The Depository Trust Company


Other Provisions:                   Not applicable



                                       21
<PAGE>


Closing Date and Location:                           , 2000
                                    9:00 a.m., Central Time
                                    Foley & Lardner
                                    777 East Wisconsin Avenue
                                    Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202

Address for Notices to
Underwriters:



                                       22
<PAGE>


                                   SCHEDULE II

                                                        Principal Amount
            Underwriter                                  of Securities
            -----------                                 ----------------





Total:




                                       23



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