Allied World Shareholders Approve Articles of Association Amendment and Special Dividend in Connection with Merger Transaction

ZUG, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG (“Allied World”) (NYSE: AWH) announced today that its shareholders have approved both of the proposals that were voted on at the company’s special shareholder meeting held in connection with the previously announced merger transaction with Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited (“Fairfax”). The approved matters include: (i) amending the company’s Articles of Association to remove the limitation on the voting rights of a holder of 10% or more of the company’s ordinary shares; and (ii) the payment, as soon as possible after the closing of an exchange offer by a subsidiary of Fairfax to acquire all of the company’s outstanding ordinary shares, a special dividend of $5.00 per ordinary share to holders of the company’s outstanding ordinary shares as of immediately prior to the closing of the exchange offer and forgoing the $0.26 quarterly dividend.

Scott Carmilani, Allied World’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, “We are pleased with the overwhelming support we received today from our shareholders. With today’s vote, we move one step closer to completing the transaction with Fairfax, to the benefit of our shareholders, customers, business partners and employees.”

About Allied World

Allied World, through its subsidiaries and brand known as Allied World, is a global provider of innovative property, casualty and specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions. Allied World offers superior client service through a global network of offices and branches. All of Allied World's rated insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries are rated A by A.M. Best Company, A by Standard & Poor's, and A2 by Moody's, and our Lloyd's Syndicate 2232 is rated A+ by Standard & Poor's and AA- by Fitch.

Please visit the following for further information on Allied World: Web: www.awac.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/alliedworld | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/allied-world.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND WHERE TO FIND IT

This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell or exchange or the solicitation of an offer to buy, exchange or subscribe to any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, sale or exchange would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. This communication is not an offer of securities for sale into the United States. No offering of securities shall be made in the United States except pursuant to registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, or an exemption therefrom.

In connection with the exchange offer for all of the outstanding registered ordinary shares of Allied World, Fairfax has filed a registration statement on Form F-4, which includes a preliminary prospectus, and expects to file a Tender Offer statement on Schedule TO (the "Schedule TO"), and may file amendments thereto, and soon thereafter Allied World will file a Solicitation / Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the exchange offer and may file amendments thereto. The exchange offer has not yet commenced. The exchange offer will be made exclusively by means of, and subject to, the terms and conditions set out in, an offer document containing and setting out the terms and conditions of the offer and a letter of transmittal to be delivered to Allied World, filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and mailed to Allied World shareholders. The exchange offer will be made by Fairfax or an affiliate of Fairfax and not by any other person.

The release, publication or distribution of this communication in certain jurisdictions may be restricted by law and therefore persons in such jurisdictions into which this communication is released, published or distributed should inform themselves about and observe such restrictions.

SHAREHOLDERS OF ALLIED WORLD ARE URGED TO READ ANY DOCUMENTS REGARDING THE EXCHANGE OFFER CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE (INCLUDING THE EXHIBITS THERETO) AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXCHANGE OFFER.

The registration statement, the Schedule TO and other related documents in relation to the exchange offer, as well as Fairfax's other public filings with the SEC, may be obtained without charge at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, after they have been filed. Any materials filed with the SEC may also be obtained without charge at Fairfax's website, www.fairfax.ca. This material is not a substitute for the registration statement, the Schedule TO and other related documents in relation to the exchange offer that will be filed with the SEC or sent to shareholders in connection with the proposed transactions.

The Schedule 14D-9 and any other relevant documents filed by Allied World with the SEC, as well as any amendments or supplements to those documents and Allied World's other public filings with the SEC, may be obtained without charge at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov, after they have been filed. Any materials filed with the SEC may also be obtained without charge at Allied World's website, www.awac.com.

This communication does not constitute an offer or a solicitation in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is unlawful. An offer will not be made in, nor will deposits be accepted in, any jurisdiction in which the making or acceptance thereof would not be in compliance with the laws of such jurisdiction. However, Fairfax may, in its sole discretion, take such action as it may deem necessary to extend an offer in any such jurisdiction.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. For example, our forward-looking statements could be affected by the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the proposed acquisition by Fairfax; the inability to obtain Allied World’s or Fairfax’s shareholder approval or the failure to satisfy other conditions to completion of the proposed acquisition, including receipt of regulatory approvals; risks that the proposed acquisition disrupts our current plans and operations; the ability to retain key personnel; the ability to recognize the benefits of the proposed acquisition; the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the proposed acquisition; pricing and policy term trends; increased competition; the adequacy of our loss reserves; negative rating agency actions; greater frequency or severity of unpredictable catastrophic events; the impact of acts of terrorism and acts of war; the company or its subsidiaries becoming subject to significant income taxes in the United States or elsewhere; changes in regulations or tax laws; changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance or retrocessional coverage; adverse general economic conditions; and judicial, legislative, political and other governmental developments, as well as management's response to these factors, and other factors identified in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We are under no obligation (and expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170322005893/en/

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG

Media:

Faye Cook, +1-441-278-5406

Senior Vice President, Marketing & Communications

[email protected]

or

Investors:

Giuseppe Montefinese, +1-646-794-0690

Manager, Investor Relations

[email protected]

Website: www.awac.com

Source: Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, AG