Edgar Filing: UNITED INSURANCE HOLDINGS CORP.

Large accelerated filer

Accelerated filer

Non-accelerated filer

Smaller reporting company

Form S-3

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 9, 2015

Registration No. 333-

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

UNITED INSURANCE HOLDINGS CORP.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Delaware

75-3241967

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

360 Central Avenue, Suite 900

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

(727) 895-7737

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

John Forney

Chief Executive Officer

United Insurance Holdings Corp.

360 Central Avenue, Suite 900

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

(727) 895-7737

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

with a copy to:

Carolyn T. Long, Esquire

Megan A. Odroniec, Esquire

Foley & Lardner LLP

100 North Tampa Street, Suite 2700

Tampa, Florida 33602

Phone: (813) 229-2300

Fax: (813) 221-4210

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ¨

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, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please 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 registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



Title of Each Class of Securities to be Registered	Amount to be Registered⁽²⁾⁽³⁾	Proposed Maximum Offering Price Per Security⁽³⁾	Proposed Maximum Aggregate Offering Price⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾	Amount of Registration Fee⁽³⁾
Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share⁽¹⁾
Preferred Stock, $0.0001 par value per share
Debt Securities
Warrants
Stock Purchase Contracts
Stock Purchase Units
Total			$50,000,000⁽⁵⁾	$5,810⁽⁵⁾

⁽¹⁾	Pursuant to a shareholder rights agreement, dated as of July 20, 2012, between the Company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, each share of common stock has an attached right to purchase our Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, which rights are not currently exercisable.

⁽²⁾

Includes an indeterminate aggregate principal amount and/or number of each identified class of securities up to a proposed aggregate offering price of $50,000,000, which may be offered by the registrant from time to time in unspecified numbers and at indeterminate prices, and as may be issued upon conversion, redemption, repurchase, exchange or exercise of any securities registered hereunder, including any applicable anti-dilution provisions. This registration statement also covers delayed delivery contracts that may be issued by the registrant under which the party purchasing such contracts may be required to purchase debt securities, common stock or preferred stock. Such contracts may be issued together with the specific securities to which they relate. Securities registered hereunder to be sold by the registrant may be sold either separately or as units comprised of more than one type of security registered hereunder. In addition, this registration statement is a post-effective amendment to the registration statement on Form S-3 (Reg. No. 333-191472) originally filed by the Company on September 30, 2013, and declared effective on October 10, 2013 (the “Prior Registration Statement”), which registered $75,000,000 of any combination of the Company’s securities described therein, which may be offered by the registrant from time to time in unspecified numbers and at indeterminate prices, $25,000,000 of which have not yet been sold (the “Remaining Offering Amount”). In accordance with Rule 429 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the prospectus contained herein also relates to and will be used in connection with the offer and sale of the Remaining Offering Amount covered by the Prior Registration Statement. In accordance with Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act, this registration statement shall be deemed to cover any additional securities to be offered or issued with respect to stock splits, stock dividends or similar transactions with respect to the shares being registered.

⁽³⁾

Pursuant to General Instruction II.D. of Form S-3, the table lists each of the classes of securities being registered and the aggregate proceeds to be raised but does not specify by each class information as to the amount to be registered, the proposed maximum offering price per security, and the proposed maximum aggregate offering price.

⁽⁴⁾	If applicable, includes consideration to be received by the registrant for registered securities that are issuable upon exercise, conversion or exchange of other registered securities or that are issued in units.

⁽⁵⁾

The proposed maximum aggregate offering price has been estimated solely for purposes of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(o) and General Instruction II. D. of Form S-3. The $5,810 registration fee for the $50,000,000 proposed maximum aggregate offering price registered hereby is being paid in connection herewith. A registration fee of $10,230 was previously paid in connection with the filing of the Prior Registration Statement on September 30, 2013, which included the registration fee for the Remaining Offering Amount.

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 the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.

STATEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 429(b)

The registrant is filing a single base prospectus in this registration statement pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act, in order to satisfy the requirements of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations thereunder for (i) the offering, issuance and sale by the registrant of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $50,000,000 of the registrant’s common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, stock purchase contracts and/or units being registered in this new registration statement and (ii) the offering, issuance and sale by the registrant of up to a maximum aggregate offering price of $25,000,000 of the registrant’s common stock, preferred stock, debt securities, warrants, stock purchase contracts and/or units registered in the Prior Registration Statement (Registration No. 333-191472), to enable an aggregate of $75,000,000 of securities to be offered pursuant to the combined base prospectus. The combined base prospectus in this registration statement, which is a new registration statement, also constitutes a post-effective amendment to the Prior Registration Statement. Such post-effective amendment shall hereafter become effective concurrently with the effectiveness of this registration statement and in accordance with Section 8(c) of, and Rule 429 under, the Securities Act.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED JANUARY 9, 2015

LOGO

United Insurance Holdings Corp.

Common Stock

Preferred Stock

Debt Securities

Warrants

Stock Purchase Contracts

Stock Purchase Units

We may offer and sell from time to time up to $75 million of any combination of the securities described in this prospectus, in one or more classes or series and in amounts, at prices and on terms that we will determine at the times of the offerings.

This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time securities are sold using this prospectus, we will provide a supplement to this prospectus and possibly other offering material containing specific information about the offering and the terms of the securities being sold, including the offering price. The supplement or other offering material may also add, update or change information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, the supplement, any other offering material and the information incorporated by reference carefully before you invest.

We may offer the securities independently or together in any combination for sale directly to purchasers or through underwriters, dealers or agents to be designated at a future date. The supplements to this prospectus will provide the specific terms of the plan of distribution.

Our common stock is traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “UIHC.” The last reported sale price of our common stock on January 7, 2015 was $21.02 per share.

Investing in our securities involves risks. Please read carefully the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, in any applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material and in such other documents as we refer you to in any prospectus supplement for a discussion of certain risks that prospective investors should consider before investing in our securities.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is , 2015.

TABLE OF CONTENTS


TABLE OF CONTENTS			i
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS			i
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS			ii
UNITED INSURANCE HOLDINGS CORP.			1
RISK FACTORS			1
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES			2
USE OF PROCEEDS			2
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK			2
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES			7
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS			23
DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS			24
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION			25
LEGAL MATTERS			27
EXPERTS			27
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION			27

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

Unless the context otherwise requires, in this prospectus, “UPC Insurance,” “our company,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to United Insurance Holdings Corp. and its subsidiaries.

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) utilizing a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell the securities or combinations of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we may offer. Each time we offer securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement and/or other offering material that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement and/or other offering material may also add, update or change information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any other offering material together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.”

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, in any prospectus supplement and in any other offering material. We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. We are not making offers to sell or solicitations to buy the securities in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making that offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any other offering material, or the information we previously filed with the SEC that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus, any prospectus supplement and/or any other offering material, and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and/or any other offering material, contain forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and/or any other offering material, including, without limitation, estimates, projections, outlook, guidance, statements relating to our business plans, strategy, objectives, expected operating results and future financial position, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “outlook,” “intend,” “strategy,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result” or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, among others, those we identify under the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K or Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and other documents that we file from time to time with the SEC that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Numerous important factors described in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, and the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, could affect these statements and could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations. We assume no obligation, and disclaim any duty, to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

UNITED INSURANCE HOLDINGS CORP.

Our Business

United Insurance Holdings Corp. serves as the holding company for United Property & Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliated companies. Our business is conducted principally through four wholly-owned subsidiaries: United Property & Casualty Insurance Company (our insurance affiliate), United Insurance Management, L.C., Skyway Claims Services, LLC and UPC Re. Collectively, including United Insurance Holdings Corp., we refer to these entities as “UPC Insurance,” which is the preferred brand identification we are establishing for our company.

UPC Insurance is primarily engaged in the homeowners property and casualty insurance business in the United States. We currently write in Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Rhode Island, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Texas, and we are licensed to write in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Virginia. Our target market currently consists of areas where the perceived threat of natural catastrophe has caused large national insurance carriers to reduce their concentration of policies. In such areas, we believe an opportunity exists for UPC Insurance to write profitable business. We manage our risk of catastrophic loss primarily through sophisticated pricing algorithms, avoidance of policy concentration, and the use of a comprehensive catastrophe reinsurance program. UPC Insurance has been operating continuously in Florida since 1999, and has successfully managed its business through various hurricane and other tropical storm events. We believe our record of successful risk management and experience in writing business in catastrophe-exposed areas provides us a competitive advantage as we grow our business in other states facing similar perceived threats.

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at 360 Central Avenue, Suite 900, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701, and our telephone number is (727) 895-7737. Our website is www.upcinsurance.com. The information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus, and such information should not be considered to be part of this prospectus.

RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves significant risks. Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks and other information we include or incorporate by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement. In particular, you should consider the risk factors under the heading “Risk Factors” included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, as revised or supplemented by our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K, each of which are on file with the SEC and are incorporated herein by reference, and which may be amended, supplemented or superseded from time to time by other reports we file with the SEC in the future. The risks and uncertainties we have described are not the only ones facing our company. Additional risks and uncertainties not currently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business operations. Additional risk factors may be included in a prospectus supplement relating to a particular offering of securities.

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

The following table shows our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods presented:


Nine Months Ended	Years Ended December 31,
September 30, 2014	2013		2012		2011		2010		2009
127.39		82.56		40.89		23.34		.22		2.97

For purposes of calculating these ratios, earnings consist of pre-tax income from continuing operations and fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest expensed and capitalized; amortized premiums, discounts and capitalized expenses related to debt; and estimated interest within rental expense.

We did not have any preferred stock outstanding and we did not pay or accrue any preferred stock dividends during the periods presented above.

USE OF PROCEEDS

We will describe the use of the net proceeds from the sales of the securities in the applicable prospectus supplement.

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STOCK

General

We are authorized to issue up to 50,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of which 20,905,070 shares were issued and outstanding as of January 7, 2015. We are also authorized to issue up to 1,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of which 125,000 shares are designated as “Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock.” No shares of preferred stock were outstanding as of January 7, 2015.

Common Stock

The holders of our common stock are entitled to one vote per share on all matters to be voted upon by our stockholders. Subject to any preferences that may be applicable to any preferred stock issued in the future (including the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock), the holders of our common stock are entitled to receive ratably any dividends that may be declared from time to time by our board of directors out of funds legally available for that purpose. In the event of our liquidation, dissolution or winding up, the holders of our common stock are entitled to share ratably in all assets remaining after the payment of liabilities, subject to the prior distribution rights of any preferred stock then outstanding (including the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock). Our common stock has no preemptive or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our common stock.

Preferred Share Purchase Rights

On July 20, 2012, our board of directors declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of our common stock. The dividend was payable to our stockholders of record on August 3, 2012. Each right entitles the registered holder to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of our Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, at a price of $27.00, subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the rights are set forth in a Rights Agreement, dated July 20, 2012, between our company and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, as Rights Agent.

Initially, the rights are not exercisable and are attached to and trade with all shares of common stock outstanding as of, and issued subsequent to August 3, 2012. The rights will separate from the common stock and will become exercisable upon the earlier of (a) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (other than our company, a subsidiary of our company, an employee benefit plan of our company or a subsidiary, or a person who beneficially owns 20% or more of our common stock outstanding on the effective date of the Rights Agreement) (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or more of our outstanding common stock or (b) 10 business days (or such later date as may be determined by action of our board of directors prior to such time as any person becomes an Acquiring Person) following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership by a person or group (other than our company, a subsidiary of our company, an employee benefit plan of our company or a subsidiary, or a person who beneficially owns 20% or more of our common stock outstanding on the effective date of the Rights Agreement) of 20% or more of such outstanding common stock or (c) 10 days following a public announcement that our board of directors declared a person or group of affiliated or associated persons which beneficially owns 15% or more of our outstanding common stock to be an “Adverse Person,” as described below.

An “Adverse Person” is any person or group of affiliated or associated persons beneficially owning 15% or more of our outstanding common stock, if our board of directors determines (a) that the person or group is holding the common stock in order to cause us to repurchase their common stock or to cause pressure on us to take action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions where our board determines that the actions to be taken are not in the best long-term interests of our company or our stockholders, or (b) that beneficial ownership of our common stock by the person or group is causing or reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact on the business or prospects of our company.

At any time after a person becomes an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person and prior to the acquisition by such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person of 50% or more of our outstanding common stock, our board of directors may exchange the rights (other than rights owned by any Acquiring Person or Adverse Person which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one common share, or one one-hundredth of a share of our Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock (or of a share of a class or series of our preferred stock having equivalent rights, preferences and privileges), per right, subject to adjustment.

The rights may be redeemed in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per right (payable in cash, common stock or other consideration deemed appropriate by our board) by the board only until the earlier of (a) the time at which any person becomes an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person or (b) the expiration date of the Rights Agreement. Immediately upon the action of the board ordering redemption of the rights, the rights will terminate and thereafter the only right of the holders of rights will be to receive the redemption price.

Until a right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a stockholder of our company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

The rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The rights will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire our company without conditioning the offer on redemption of the rights or on a substantial number of rights being acquired. The rights will expire on July 20, 2022, unless previously redeemed or exchanged by us. The rights distribution was not taxable to our stockholders.

Preferred Stock

Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock

In connection with the adoption of the Rights Plan described above, our board of directors designated 125,000 shares of our preferred stock as Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock. Each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock will be entitled to a minimum preferential quarterly dividend payment of $1.00 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate dividend of 100 times the dividend declared per share of the Company’s common stock. In the event of liquidation, the holders of these preferred shares will be entitled to a minimum preferential liquidation payment of $100 per share but will be entitled to an aggregate payment of 100 times the payment made per share of the Company’s common stock. Each share will have one vote per share, voting as a separate class on all matters submitted to the holders of the Company’s common stock. Finally, in the event of any merger, consolidation or other transaction in which shares of the Company’s common stock are exchanged, each share of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock will be entitled to receive 100 times the amount received per share of the Company’s common stock. These rights are protected by customary antidilution provisions.

Other Preferred Stock

We are also authorized to issue 875,000 shares of “blank check” preferred stock, which may be issued from time to time in one or more series upon authorization by our board of directors. Our board of directors, without further approval of the stockholders, is authorized to fix the designations, powers, including voting powers, preferences and the relative, participating, optional or other special rights of the shares of each series and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof.

If we offer preferred stock, we will file the terms of the preferred stock with the SEC and the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to that offering will include a description of the specific terms of the offering, including any of the following applicable terms:

•

the series, the number of shares offered and the liquidation value of the preferred stock;

•

the price at which the preferred stock will be issued;

•

the dividend rate, the dates on which the dividends will be payable and other terms relating to the payment of dividends on the preferred stock;

•

the liquidation preference of the preferred stock;

•

the voting rights of the preferred stock;

•

whether the preferred stock is redeemable or subject to a sinking fund, and the terms of any such redemption or sinking fund;

•

whether the preferred stock is convertible or exchangeable for any other securities, and the terms of any such conversion; and

•

any additional rights, preferences, qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the preferred stock.

It is not possible to state the actual effect of the issuance of any shares of preferred stock upon the rights of holders of our common stock until our board of directors determines the specific rights of the holders of the preferred stock. However, these effects might include:

•

decreasing the amount of earnings and assets available for distribution to holders of common stock;

•

restricting dividends on the common stock;

•

diluting the voting power of the common stock;

•

impairing the liquidation rights of the common stock; and

•

delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control of our company.

Anti-Takeover Provisions

In our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, we elected not to be governed by Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law which regulates corporate takeovers. This section prevents certain Delaware corporations, under certain circumstances, from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder.”

Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended) and By-Laws contain provisions that may discourage unsolicited takeover proposals our stockholders may consider to be in their best interests. Our board of directors is divided into two classes, each of which will generally serve for a term of two years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. At a given annual meeting, only a portion of our board of directors may be considered for election. Since our “staggered board” may prevent our stockholders from replacing a majority of our board of directors at certain annual meetings, it may entrench our management and discourage unsolicited stockholder proposals. Moreover, our board of directors has the ability to designate the terms of and issue a new series of preferred stock.

In addition, as described above under the heading “—Preferred Share Purchase Rights,” we previously declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right for each outstanding share of our common stock. Each right entitles the registered holder to purchase one one-hundredth of a share of our Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock at a price of $27.00, subject to adjustment. These rights have certain anti-takeover effects, which are described in greater detail above under the heading “—Preferred Share Purchase Rights.”

Liability Limitations and Indemnification

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended)

Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended) provides that a director of our company shall not be personally liable to our company or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty by such director as a director, except for liability (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to our company or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), or (d) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended) further provides that, to the full extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL, as amended from time to time, our company shall indemnify all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto.

By-Laws

Our By-Laws provide that we shall indemnify any person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of our company) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of our company, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of our company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful. Our By-Laws also provide that we shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of our company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of our company against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of our company, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to our company unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.

Liability Insurance

We maintain directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage for our directors and officers.

Indemnification Agreements

In addition to the indemnification required in our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended) and By-Laws, we have entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors. These agreements provide for the indemnification of such directors, subject to certain conditions and exclusions, against certain costs actually and reasonably incurred in connection with a proceeding (a) if they were, are, or are threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in a proceeding and (b) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law if they are party to or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding. The indemnification agreements also provide that, if the indemnification rights provided in the indemnification agreements are unavailable, then (to the fullest extent permissible under applicable law) we will pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by the applicable director in connection with a proceeding without requiring such director to contribute to such payment. We also agreed, under the indemnification agreements, to advance expenses reasonably incurred by these directors in connection with a proceeding upon the execution and delivery by the applicable director of an undertaking to repay the advance to the extent that it is determined that such director is not entitled to be indemnified by us. These rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of expenses are not exclusive of any other rights to which such directors are entitled. In addition, such rights shall continue, under certain circumstances, after the term of such directors’ service to us has ended.

Delaware Law

Section 145 of the DGCL, which was adopted by our company as described above, provides that a corporation may indemnify any persons, including officers and directors, who were, are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided that such officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation, such as our company, may indemnify officers or directors in an action by or in the right of the corporation under the same conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him against expenses (including attorney’s fees) actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection therewith.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Trading

Our common stock is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “UIHC.”

Transfer Agent and Registrar

The transfer agent and registrar for our common stock is American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC. The transfer agent’s address is 6201 15^th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11219, and its telephone number is (800) 937-5449.

DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

The following description of the debt securities sets forth the material terms and provisions of the debt securities to which any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material may relate. The particular terms of the debt securities offered by any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material and the extent, if any, to which the provisions described in this prospectus may apply to the offered debt securities will be described in the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the offered debt securities. As used in this section, the terms “UIHC,” “our company,” “the Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to United Insurance Holdings Corp., and not any of its subsidiaries, unless the context otherwise requires.

Senior debt securities will be issued under an indenture between UIHC and a trustee. A form of the indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The indenture relating to the senior debt securities, as amended or otherwise supplemented by any supplemental indentures, is referred to in this prospectus as the senior indenture. Subordinated debt

securities will be issued under an indenture between UIHC and a trustee. A form of the indenture is filed as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part. The indenture relating to the subordinated debt securities, as amended or otherwise supplemented by any supplemental indentures, is referred to in this prospectus as the subordinated indenture. The senior indenture and the subordinated indenture are sometimes referred to in this prospectus collectively as the indentures, and each individually, as an indenture.

The following summaries of the material provisions of the indentures and the debt securities do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indentures, including the definitions of specified terms used in the indentures, and the debt securities. Wherever particular articles, sections or defined terms of an indenture are referred to, it is intended that those articles, sections or defined terms will be incorporated herein by reference, and the statement in connection with which reference is made is qualified in its entirety by the article, section or defined term in the indenture.

General

The indentures do not limit the amount of debt, either secured or unsecured, which we may issue under the indentures or otherwise. We may from time to time, without giving notice to or seeking the consent of the holders of a series of debt securities issued under an indenture, issue debt securities under that indenture having the same terms (except for the issue date, and, in some cases, the public offering price and the first interest payment date) as, and ranking equally and ratably with, the debt securities of a series previously issued under that indenture. Any additional debt securities having such similar terms, together with the debt securities of the applicable series, will constitute a single series of securities under the applicable indenture, including for purposes of voting and redemptions. No such additional debt securities may be issued if an event of default under the applicable indenture has occurred and is continuing with respect to the applicable series of debt securities.

The debt securities may be issued in one or more series with the same or various maturities and may be sold at par, a premium or an original issue discount. Some of the debt securities may be issued under the applicable indenture as original issue discount securities to be sold at a substantial discount below their principal amount. Federal income tax and other considerations applicable to any original issue discount securities will be described in the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

Unless otherwise provided in a prospectus supplement, the senior debt securities will be unsecured obligations of our company and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness outstanding from time to time. The subordinated debt securities will be unsecured obligations of ours, subordinated in right of payment to the prior payment in full of all senior debt securities of ours as described below under “Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities” and in the applicable prospectus supplement.

The indentures do not limit the amount of senior, pari passu and junior indebtedness that we may issue. As of January 7, 2015, we had no senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities outstanding.

We conduct a substantial amount of our operations through subsidiaries and expect that we will continue to do so. The debt securities will not be guaranteed by any of our existing or future subsidiaries. Our subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to pay any amounts due with respect to the debt securities or to make any funds available therefor, whether by dividends, loans or other payments. Our right to participate as a shareholder in any distribution of

assets of any subsidiary upon its liquidation or reorganization or otherwise and the ability of a holder of debt securities to benefit as our creditor from any distribution are subject to prior claims of creditors of the subsidiary. As a result, the debt securities will effectively rank junior in right of payment to all existing and future debt and other liabilities (including trade payables) of our subsidiaries. In addition, to the extent the debt securities are unsecured, the debt securities will also effectively rank junior in right of payment to any secured debt that we may have outstanding to the extent of the value of the assets securing such debt.

At January 7, 2015, United Property & Casualty Insurance Company, our insurance subsidiary, had long-term debt consisting of a Surplus Note payable to the Florida State Board of Administration (the “SBA Note”). At September 30, 2014, the outstanding principal and interest under the SBA Note was $13,824,000 and the interest rate on the unpaid principal balance was 2.54%. Any surplus note issued to us by United Property & Casualty Insurance Company in connection with future capital contributions that we may make to it will be subordinate to the SBA Note.

The prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the particular series of debt securities offered thereby will describe the following terms of the offered debt securities:

•

the title of the offered debt securities;

•

any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the offered debt securities;

•

the date or dates (or the manner of calculating the date or dates) on which the principal of the offered debt securities is payable;

•

the rate or rates (or the manner of calculating the rate or rates) at which the offered debt securities shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable and the regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

•

the place or places where the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the offered debt securities will be payable;

•

the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the currency in which, and the terms and conditions upon which the offered debt securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at our option;

•

our obligation, if any, to redeem or purchase the offered debt securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices in the currency at which, the currency in which, and the terms and conditions upon which the offered debt securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

•

whether the offered debt securities are senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and, if subordinated debt securities, the specific subordination provisions applicable thereto;

•

the denominations in which the offered debt securities shall be issuable if other than in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;

•

if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currencies in which payments of interest or principal of (and premium, if any, with respect to) the offered debt securities are to be made;

•

if the interest on or principal of (or premium, if any, with respect to) the offered debt securities are to be payable, at our election or at the election of a holder thereof or otherwise, in a currency other than that in which such debt securities are payable, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the currency in which such debt securities are denominated or stated to be payable and the currency in which such debt securities or any of them are to be so payable;

•

whether the amount of payments of interest on or principal of (or premium, if any, with respect to) the offered debt securities of such series may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method (which index, formula or method may be based, without limitation, on one or more currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the manner in which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

•

the extent to which any offered debt securities will be issuable in permanent global form, the manner in which any payments on a permanent global debt security will be made, and the appointment of any depository relating thereto;

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the inapplicability of specified provisions relating to discharge and defeasance described in this prospectus with respect to the offered debt securities;

•

any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or covenants with respect to the offered debt securities of such series, whether or not such events of default or covenants are consistent with the events of default or covenants set forth herein;

•

if any of the offered debt securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and, if so, the time, manner and place for such debt securities to be authenticated and delivered;

•

the terms of any right to convert the offered debt securities of such series into, or exchange the debt securities for, our common stock or other securities or property or cash in lieu of our common stock or other securities or property, or any combination thereof; and

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any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of the related indenture).

Payments

Unless otherwise indicated in any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the offered debt securities will be payable, and transfers of the offered debt securities will be registrable, at the corporate trust office of the trustee. Alternatively, at our option, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as it appears in the debt security register.

Denominations, Registration and Transfer

Unless otherwise indicated in any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, the offered debt securities will be issued only in fully registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, or the equivalent in foreign currency. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of offered debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with any transfer or exchange.

If the purchase price of any of the offered debt securities is denominated in a foreign currency or currencies or if the principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on any series of offered debt securities is payable in a foreign currency or currencies, the restrictions, elections, tax consequences, specific terms and other information with respect to the issue of offered debt securities and the foreign currency or currencies will be described in the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

We will not be required to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange debt securities of any series during the period from 15 days prior to the mailing of a notice of redemption of debt securities of that series to the date the notice is mailed. We will also not be required to register the transfer of or exchange any debt security so selected for redemption, except the unredeemed portion of any debt security being redeemed in part.

Conversion and Exchange

The terms, if any, on which debt securities of any series are convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or preferred stock, property or cash, or a combination of any of the foregoing, will be set forth in the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. Terms may include provisions for conversion or exchange that is either mandatory, at the option of the holder, or at our option. The number of shares of common stock or preferred stock to be received by the holders of the debt securities will be calculated in the manner, according to the factors and at the time described in the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

Merger

Each indenture provides that we may, without the consent of the holders of debt securities, consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of our assets to, or merge into any other corporation, provided that:

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immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no default under the applicable indenture has occurred and is continuing;

•

the successor corporation is a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the United States or a state thereof; and

•

the successor corporation expressly assumes the due and punctual payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all debt securities, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all the covenants and conditions of the applicable indenture to be performed by us.

In addition, we must provide to the trustee an opinion of legal counsel that any such transaction and any assumption by a successor corporation complies with the applicable provisions of the indenture and that we have complied with all conditions precedent provided in the indenture relating to such transaction.

Other than the covenants described above, or as set forth in any accompanying prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, neither indenture contains any covenants or other provisions designed to afford holders of the debt securities protection in the event of a takeover, recapitalization or highly leveraged transaction involving us.

Modification of the Indentures

With the consent of the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of any series of debt securities then outstanding under the applicable indenture, waivers, modifications and alterations of the terms of either indenture may be made which affect the rights of such holders of the series of debt securities. However, no modification or alteration may, without the consent of all holders of any series of debt securities then outstanding affected thereby:

•

change the stated maturity of the principal of, or any premium or installment of interest on, any debt security of that series;

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reduce the principal amount of, or the rate, or modify the calculation of such rate, of interest on, or any premium payable upon the redemption of, any debt security;

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reduce the amount of the principal of an original issue discount security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy;

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change the redemption provisions of any debt security or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any holder of any debt security of that series;

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change the place of payment or the coin or currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt security of that series is payable;

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impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the stated maturity of any debt security of that series or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date or, in the case of repayment at the option of any holder, on or after the repayment date;

•

make any change that adversely affects the right to convert or exchange any debt security into or for shares of common stock or preferred stock or other securities, cash or property in accordance with its terms;

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modify any of the provisions of the indenture relating to the offices for notices and payments, filling vacancies in the trustee’s office, and paying agent provisions in a manner adverse to holders of the debt securities; or

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reduce the percentage of debt securities of that series, the holders of which are required to:

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consent to any supplemental indenture;

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rescind and annul a declaration that the debt securities of that series are due and payable as a result of the occurrence of an event of default;

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waive any past event of default under the applicable indenture and its consequences; and

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waive compliance with other specified provisions of the applicable indenture.

In addition, as described in the description of “Events of Default” set forth below, holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of any series then outstanding may waive past events of default with respect to such series of debt securities in specified circumstances and may direct the trustee in enforcement of remedies.

We and the trustee may, without the consent of any holders, modify and supplement the applicable indenture:

•

to evidence the succession of another corporation to our company under the applicable indenture, or successive successions, and the assumption by the successor corporation of our covenants, agreements and obligations pursuant to the applicable indenture;

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to add to the covenants applicable to us such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as our board of directors and the trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the holders of debt securities of any or all series, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any of such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions a default or event of default with respect to such series permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in the applicable indenture; provided, however, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction or condition, such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such default or may limit the remedies available to the trustee upon such default;

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to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained in the applicable indenture or in any supplemental indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained in the indenture or in any supplemental indenture;

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to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property to or with the trustee;

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to make other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising under the applicable indenture as shall not adversely affect the interests of the holders and to make any change that would provide additional rights or benefits to the holders of any or all series or that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the applicable indenture of any such holder;

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to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment by another corporation as a successor trustee under the applicable indenture with respect to one or more series of debt securities and to add to or change any of the provisions of the indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the indenture by more than one trustee;

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to modify, amend or supplement the applicable indenture in such a manner as to permit the qualification of any supplemental indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as then in effect, except that nothing contained in the indentures shall permit or authorize the inclusion in any supplemental indenture of the provisions referred to in Section 316(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939;

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to provide for the issuance under the applicable indenture of debt securities in coupon form (including debt securities registrable as to principal only) and to provide for exchangeability of such debt securities with debt securities of the same series issued hereunder in fully registered form and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose;

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to change or eliminate any of the provisions of the applicable indenture, provided, however, that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no debt security outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; and

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to establish any additional form of debt security and to provide for the issuance of any additional series of debt securities.

Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

Each indenture will provide that, at our option, we:

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will be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the debt securities of a series, except for certain obligations set forth in the indenture that survive such discharge (“legal defeasance”); or

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may omit to comply with certain restrictive covenants of the indenture, including those described under “Merger,” and the occurrence of an event described in clause (4) under “Events of Default” with respect to any such covenants will no longer be an event of default (“covenant defeasance”);

in each case, if

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we irrevocably deposit with the trustee, in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the holders of such series of debt securities, (i) lawful money, (ii) direct obligations of the government which issued the currency in which such debt securities are denominated, or obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government and which obligations are guaranteed by such government (which direct or guaranteed obligations are full faith and credit obligations of such government, are denominated in the currency in which such debt securities are denominated and are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof) or (iii) a combination thereof, in each case in an amount sufficient, after payment of all federal, state and local taxes in respect thereof payable by the trustee, in the opinion of a nationally-recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the trustee, to pay when due the principal, premium, if any, and interest to maturity or to the redemption date, as the case may be, with respect to the debt securities of such series then outstanding, and any mandatory sinking fund payments or similar payments or payment pursuant to any call for redemption applicable to such debt securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the applicable indenture and such debt securities;

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no event of default or event which with the giving of notice or lapse of time, or both, would become an event of default with respect to debt securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of the deposit or insofar as an event of default resulting from certain events involving our bankruptcy or insolvency are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of the deposit or, if longer, ending on the day following the expiration date of the longest preference period applicable to us in respect of the deposit (and this condition will not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period);

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the interest of the holders in such deposit shall have been duly perfected under the applicable provisions of the applicable uniform commercial code;

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the defeasance will not cause the trustee to have any conflicting interest with respect to any of our securities or result in the trust arising from the deposit to constitute, unless it is qualified as, a regulated investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

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the defeasance will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, the indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which we are a party or by which we bound;

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we have delivered an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax in the same manner as if the defeasance had not occurred, which opinion of counsel, in the case of legal defeasance, must refer to and be based upon a published ruling of the Internal Revenue Service, a private ruling of the Internal Revenue Service addressed to us, or otherwise a change in applicable federal income tax law occurring after the date of the indenture; and

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we shall have delivered an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that the conditions to such defeasance set forth in the indenture have been complied with.

If we fail to comply with our remaining obligations under the indenture after a covenant defeasance with respect to the debt securities of any series and such debt securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of default, the amount of money and government obligations on deposit with the trustee may be insufficient to pay amounts due on such debt securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from the event of default. We will, however, remain liable for those payments.

Satisfaction and Discharge

With respect to any series of debt securities, the applicable indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect (except as to surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities of such series, as expressly provided for in the indenture) as to all outstanding debt securities of such series when:

(1)

either (a) all the debt securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen or destroyed debt securities which have been replaced or paid and debt securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by us and thereafter repaid to us or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the trustee for cancellation or (b) all of the debt securities of

such series (i) have become due and payable, (ii) will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or (iii) if redeemable at our option, are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the trustee in the name, and at the expense, of our company, and we have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the trustee lawful money, direct or guaranteed government obligations, or a combination thereof, of the nature and in the amounts described above under the heading “Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the debt securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of such series to the date of deposit together with irrevocable instructions from us directing the trustee to apply such funds to the payment thereof at maturity or redemption, as the case may be;

(2)

we have paid all other sums payable under the indenture in respect of such series of debt securities; and

(3)

we have delivered to the trustee an officers’ certificate and an opinion of counsel stating that all conditions precedent under the indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of the indenture with respect to such series of debt securities have been complied with.

Events of Default

As to any series of debt securities, an event of default is defined in the applicable indenture as being:

(1)

failure to pay any interest on the debt securities of that series when due, which failure continues for 30 days;

(2)

failure to pay principal or premium, if any, with respect to the debt securities of that series when due;

(3)

failure to pay or satisfy any sinking fund payment or similar obligation with respect to debt securities of that series when due;

(4)

failure to observe or perform any other covenant, warranty or agreement in the applicable indenture or debt securities of that series, other than a covenant, warranty or agreement, a default in whose performance or whose breach is specifically dealt with in the section of the applicable indenture governing events of default, if the failure continues for 90 days after written notice by the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding;

(5)

if any event of default as defined in any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced, any indebtedness of our company, whether such indebtedness now exists or is hereafter created or incurred, happens and consists of default in the payment of more than $25,000,000 in principal amount of such indebtedness at the maturity thereof, after giving effect to any applicable grace period, or results in such indebtedness in principal amount in excess of $25,000,000 becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable, and such default is not cured or such acceleration is not rescinded or annulled within a period of 30 days after there has been given written notice as provided in the applicable indenture;

(6)

we shall fail within 60 days to pay, bond or otherwise discharge any uninsured judgment or court order for the payment of money in excess of $25,000,000, which is not stayed on appeal or is not otherwise being appropriately contested in good faith;

(7)

specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership or reorganization; or

(8)

any other event of default provided with respect to debt securities of that series.

Notice and Declaration of Defaults

So long as the debt securities of any series remain outstanding, we will be required to furnish annually to the trustee a certificate of one of our corporate officers stating whether, to the best of such officer’s knowledge, we are in default under any of the provisions of the applicable indenture, and specifying all defaults, and the nature thereof, of which such officer has knowledge. We will also be required to furnish to the trustee copies of specified reports filed by us with the SEC.

Each indenture provides that the trustee will, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with respect to any series for which there are debt securities outstanding which is continuing, give to the holders of those debt securities notice of all uncured defaults known to it, including events specified above without grace periods. Except in the case of default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on any of the debt securities of any series or the payment of any sinking fund installment on the debt securities of any series, the trustee may withhold notice to the holders if the trustee in good faith determines that withholding notice is in the interest of the holders of the debt securities.

If a specified event of bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, or reorganization occurs and is continuing, then the principal amount of (or, if the debt securities of that series are original issue discount debt securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in their terms as due and payable upon acceleration) and any accrued and unpaid interest on that series will immediately become due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holder. If any other event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may declare the principal amount of the debt securities of that series immediately due and payable. In some cases, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of any series then outstanding may waive any past default and its consequences, except a default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, including sinking fund payments.

Actions upon Default

Subject to the provisions of the applicable indenture relating to the duties of the trustee in case an event of default with respect to any series of debt securities occurs and is continuing, the applicable indenture provides that the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the applicable indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the holders of debt securities outstanding of any series unless the holders have offered to the trustee reasonable indemnity. The right of a holder to institute a proceeding with respect to the applicable indenture is subject to conditions precedent including notice and indemnity to the trustee, but the holder has a right to receipt of principal, premium, if any, and interest on their due dates or to institute suit for the enforcement thereof, subject to specified limitations with respect to defaulted interest.

The holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities outstanding of the series in default will have the right to direct the time, method and place for conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any power or trust conferred on the trustee. Any direction by the holders will be in accordance with law and the provisions of the related indenture, provided that the trustee may decline to follow any such direction if the trustee determines on the advice of counsel that the proceeding may not be lawfully taken or would be materially or unjustly prejudicial to holders not joining in the direction. The trustee will be under no obligation to act in accordance with the direction unless the holders offer the trustee reasonable security or indemnity against costs, expenses and liabilities which may be incurred thereby.

Subordination of Subordinated Debt Securities

Except as set forth in the related prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, the subordinated debt securities will be subordinated, in right of payment, to the prior payment in full of the senior indebtedness, including the senior debt securities, whether outstanding at the date of the subordinated indenture or thereafter incurred, assumed or guaranteed. The term “senior indebtedness” means:

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the principal, premium, if any, and unpaid interest on indebtedness for money borrowed;

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purchase money and similar obligations;

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obligations under capital leases;

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guarantees, assumptions or purchase commitments relating to, or other transactions as a result of which we are responsible for the payment of, indebtedness of others;

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renewals, extensions and refunding of any senior indebtedness;

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interest or obligations in respect of any senior indebtedness accruing after the commencement of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings; and

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obligations associated with derivative products, including interest rate and currency exchange contracts, foreign exchange contracts, commodity contracts, and similar arrangements unless, in each case, the instrument by which we incurred, assumed or guaranteed the indebtedness or obligations described in the foregoing clauses expressly provides that the indebtedness or obligation is not senior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities.

Upon any distribution of our assets in connection with any dissolution, winding up, liquidation or reorganization of our company, whether in a bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or receivership proceeding or upon an assignment for the benefit of creditors or any other marshalling of our assets and liabilities or otherwise, except a distribution in connection with a merger or consolidation or a conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all of our properties in accordance with the subordinated indenture, the holders of all senior indebtedness will first be entitled to receive payment of the full amount due on the senior indebtedness, or provision will be made for that payment in money or money’s worth, before the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment in respect of the subordinated debt securities.

In the event that a payment default occurs and is continuing with respect to the senior indebtedness, the holders of all senior indebtedness will first be entitled to receive payment of the full amount due on the senior indebtedness, or provision will be made for that payment in money or money’s worth, before the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment in respect of the subordinated debt securities. In the event that the principal of the subordinated debt securities of any series is declared due and payable pursuant to the subordinated indenture and that declaration is not rescinded and annulled, the holders of all senior indebtedness outstanding at the time of the declaration will first be entitled to receive payment of the full amount due on the senior indebtedness, or provision will be made for that payment in money or money’s worth, before the holders of any of the subordinated debt securities are entitled to receive any payment in respect of the subordinated debt securities.

This subordination will not prevent the occurrence of any event of default with respect to the subordinated debt securities. There is no limitation on the issuance of additional senior indebtedness in the subordinated indenture.

Governing Law

The indentures and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, such law as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Concerning the Trustee

We may from time to time maintain lines of credit, and have other customary banking relationships, with the trustee or its affiliates under the senior indenture or the trustee or its affiliates under the subordinated indenture.

The indentures and the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 that are incorporated by reference in the indentures contain limitations on the rights of the trustee, should it become one of our creditors, to obtain payment of claims in certain cases or to realize on certain property received by it in respect of any such claim as security or otherwise. The trustee is permitted to engage in other transactions with us or any of our affiliates. However, if it acquires any conflicting interest (as defined under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939), it must eliminate such conflict or resign.

Book-Entry, Delivery and Settlement

We will issue the debt securities in whole or in part in the form of one or more global certificates, which we refer to as global securities. We will deposit the global securities with or on behalf of The Depository Trust Company, which we refer to as DTC, registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of DTC.

We have provided the following descriptions of the operations and procedures of DTC solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of DTC and are subject to change by them from time to time. Neither we, any underwriter or the trustee take any responsibility for these operations or procedures, and you are urged to contact DTC directly to discuss these matters.

DTC has advised us that:

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DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a “clearing agency” registered under Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934;

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DTC holds securities that its direct participants deposit with DTC and facilitates the settlement among direct participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through electronic computerized book-entry changes in direct participants’ accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates;

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Direct participants include securities brokers and dealers, trust companies, clearing corporations and other organizations;

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DTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, which is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries;

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Access to the DTC system is also available to indirect participants such as securities brokers and dealers, banks and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a direct participant, either directly or indirectly; and

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The rules applicable to DTC and its direct and indirect participants are on file with the SEC.

We expect that under procedures established by DTC:

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Upon deposit of the global securities with DTC or its custodian, DTC will credit on its internal system the accounts of direct participants designated by the underwriters with portions of the principal amounts of the global securities; and

•

Ownership of the debt securities will be shown on, and the transfer of ownership of the debt securities will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee, with respect to interests of direct participants, and the records of direct and indirect participants, with respect to interests of persons other than participants.

Investors in the global securities who are participants in DTC’s system may hold their interests therein directly through DTC. Investors in the global notes who are not participants may hold their interests therein indirectly through organizations which are participants in such system. All interests in securities may be subject to the procedures and requirements of DTC.

The laws of some jurisdictions require that purchasers of securities take physical delivery of those securities in the form of a certificate. For that reason, it may not be possible to transfer interests in a global security to those persons. In addition, because DTC can act only on behalf of its participants, who in turn act on behalf of persons who hold interests through participants, the ability of a person having an interest in a global security to pledge or transfer that interest to persons or entities that do not participate in DTC’s system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of that interest, may be affected by the lack of a physical definitive security in respect of that interest.

So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered owner of a global security, DTC or that nominee will be considered the sole owner or holder of the debt securities represented by that global security for all purposes under the applicable indenture and under the debt securities. Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to have debt securities represented by that global security registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive the debt securities in the

form of a physical certificate and will not be considered the owners or holders of the debt securities under the applicable indenture or under the debt securities, and may not be entitled to give the trustee directions, instructions or approvals. For that reason, each holder owning a beneficial interest in a global security must rely on DTC’s procedures and, if that holder is not a direct or indirect participant in DTC, on the procedures of the DTC participant through which that holder owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder of debt securities under the applicable indenture or the global security.

Neither we nor the trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of DTC’s records relating to the debt securities or relating to payments made by DTC on account of the debt securities, or any responsibility to maintain, supervise or review any of DTC’s records relating to the debt securities.

We will make payments on the debt securities represented by the global securities to DTC or its nominee, as the registered owner of the debt securities. We expect that when DTC or its nominee receives any payment on the debt securities represented by a global security, DTC will credit participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their beneficial interests in the global security as shown in DTC’s records. We also expect that payments by DTC’s participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global security held through those participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practice as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. DTC’s participants will be responsible for those payments.

Payments on the debt securities represented by the global securities will be made in immediately available funds. Transfers between participants in DTC will be made in accordance with DTC’s rules and will be settled in immediately available funds.

Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected in accordance with DTC’s procedures and will be settled in same-day funds.

DTC has advised us that it will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of notes only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account DTC has credited the interests in the global securities and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the notes as to which such participant or participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an event of default under the notes, DTC reserves the right to exchange the global securities for certificated notes, and to distribute such notes to its participants.

Although DTC has agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of interests in the global securities among participants in DTC, it is under no obligation to perform or to continue to perform such procedures, and may discontinue such procedures at any time. None of the Company, the trustee or any of their respective agents will have any responsibility for the performance by DTC or its respective direct or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

Exchange of Global Securities for Certificated Securities

We will issue certificated debt securities to each person that DTC identifies as the beneficial owner of debt securities represented by the global securities upon surrender by DTC of the global securities only if:

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DTC notifies us that it is no longer willing or able to act as a depository for the global securities, and we have not appointed a successor depository within 90 days of that notice;

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An event of default with respect to the debt securities has occurred and is continuing; or

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We decide not to have the debt securities represented by a global security.

Neither we nor the trustee will be liable for any delay by DTC, its nominee or any direct or indirect participant in identifying the beneficial owners of the related debt securities. We and the trustee may conclusively rely on, and will be protected in relying on, instructions from DTC or its nominee, including instructions about the registration and delivery, and the respective principal amounts, of the debt securities to be issued.

Same Day Settlement and Payment

We will make payments in respect of the notes represented by the global securities (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the global securities holder. We will make all payments of principal, interest and premium, if any, with respect to certificated notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the holders of the certificated notes or, if no such account is specified, by mailing a check to each such holder’s registered address. The notes represented by the global securities are expected to be eligible to trade in DTC’s Same-Day Funds Settlement System, and any permitted secondary market trading activity in such notes will, therefore, be required by DTC to be settled in immediately available funds. The company expects that secondary trading in any certificated notes will also be settled in immediately available funds.

DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

We may issue warrants for the purchase of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities. Warrants may be issued independently or together with debt securities, preferred stock or common stock offered by any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material and may be attached to or separate from any such offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as warrant agent, all as will be set forth in the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the particular issue of warrants. The warrant agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the warrants and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of warrants or beneficial owners of warrants.

The following summary of certain provisions of the warrants does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, all provisions of the warrant agreements.

Reference is made to the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the particular issue of warrants offered pursuant to such prospectus supplement and/or other offering material for the terms of and information relating to such warrants, including, where applicable:

•

the designation, aggregate principal amount, currencies, denominations and terms of the series of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of warrants to purchase debt securities and the price at which such debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

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the number of shares of common stock purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase common stock and the price at which such number of shares of common stock may be purchased upon such exercise;

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the number of shares and series of preferred stock purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase preferred stock and the price at which such number of shares of such series of preferred stock may be purchased upon such exercise;

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the designation and number of units of other securities purchasable upon the exercise of warrants to purchase other securities and the price at which such number of units of such other securities may be purchased upon such exercise;

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the date on which the right to exercise such warrants shall commence and the date on which such right shall expire;

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U.S. federal income tax consequences applicable to such warrants;

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the number of warrants outstanding as of the most recent practicable date; and

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any other terms of such warrants.

Warrants will be issued in registered form only. The exercise price for warrants will be subject to adjustment in accordance with provisions described in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

Each warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase such principal amount of debt securities or such number of shares of preferred stock, common stock or other securities at such exercise price as shall in each case be set forth in, or calculable from, the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the warrants, which exercise price may be subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events as set forth in such prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. After the close of business on the expiration date, or such later date to which such expiration date may be extended by us, unexercised warrants will become void. The place or places where, and the manner in which, warrants may be exercised shall be specified in the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to such warrants.

Prior to the exercise of any warrants to purchase debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities, holders of such warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of debt securities, preferred stock, common stock or other securities, as the case may be, purchasable upon such exercise, including the right to receive payments of principal of, premium, if any, or interest, if any, on the debt securities purchasable upon such exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture, or to receive payments of dividends, if any, on the preferred stock, or common stock purchasable upon such exercise, or to exercise any applicable right to vote.

DESCRIPTION OF STOCK PURCHASE CONTRACTS AND STOCK PURCHASE UNITS

We may issue stock purchase contracts, including contracts obligating holders to purchase from us, and obligating us to sell to the holders, a specified number of shares of common stock or other securities at a future date or dates, which we refer to in this prospectus as “stock purchase contracts.” The price per share of the securities and the number of shares of the securities may be fixed at the time the stock purchase contracts are issued or may be determined by reference to a specific formula set forth in the stock purchase contracts. The stock purchase contracts may be issued separately or as part of units consisting of a stock purchase contract and debt securities, preferred securities, warrants, other securities or debt obligations of third parties, including U.S. treasury securities, securing the holders’ obligations to purchase the securities under the stock purchase contracts, which we refer to herein as “stock purchase units.” The stock purchase contracts may require holders to secure their obligations under the stock purchase contracts in a specified manner. The stock purchase contracts also may require us to make periodic payments to the holders of the stock purchase units or vice versa, and those payments may be unsecured or refunded on some basis.

The stock purchase contracts, and, if applicable, collateral or depositary arrangements, relating to the stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units, will be filed with the SEC in connection with the offering of stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units. The prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to a particular issue of stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units will describe the terms of those stock purchase contracts or stock purchase units, including the following:

•

if applicable, a discussion of material U.S. federal income tax considerations; and

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any other information we think is important about the stock purchase contracts or the stock purchase units.

If we issue stock purchase units where debt obligations of third parties are used as security for your obligations to purchase or sell shares of common stock or preferred stock or other securities, we will include in the prospectus supplement and/or other offering material relating to the offering information about the issuer of the debt securities. Specifically, if the issuer has a class of securities registered under the Exchange Act is either eligible to register its securities on Form S-3 under the Securities Act of 1933 or meets the listing criteria to be listed on a national securities exchange, we will include a brief description of the business of the issuer, the market price of its securities and how you can obtain more information about the issuer. If the issuer does not meet the criteria described in the previous sentence, we will include substantially all of the information that would be required if the issuer were making a public offering of the debt securities.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

We may sell securities in any one or more of the following ways from time to time: (1) through agents; (2) to or through underwriters; (3) through brokers or dealers; (4) directly to purchasers, including through a specific bidding, auction or other process; or (5) through a combination of any of these methods of sale. The applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material will contain the terms of the transaction, the name or names of any underwriters, dealers, or agents and the respective amounts of securities underwritten or purchased by them, the initial public offering price of the securities, and the applicable agent’s commission, dealer’s purchase price or underwriter’s discount. Any dealers and/or agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and compensation received by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts.

Any initial offering price, dealer purchase price, discount or commission may be changed from time to time.

The securities may be distributed from time to time in one or more transactions, at negotiated prices, at a fixed price or fixed prices (that may be subject to change), at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at various prices determined at the time of sale or at prices related to prevailing market prices.

Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us or by agents designated by us from time to time. Any such agent may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the securities so offered and sold.

If underwriters are utilized in the sale of any securities in respect of which this prospectus is being delivered, such securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at fixed public offering prices or at varying prices determined by the underwriters at the time of sale. Securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or directly by one or more underwriters. If any underwriter or underwriters are utilized in the sale of securities, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, the obligations of the underwriters are subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all such securities if they purchase any of them.

If a dealer is utilized in the sale of the securities in respect of which this prospectus is delivered, we will sell such securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell such securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by such dealer at the time of resale. Transactions through brokers or dealers may include block trades in which brokers or dealers will attempt to sell shares as agent but may position and resell as principal to facilitate the transaction or in cross trades, in which the same broker or dealer acts as agent on both sides of the trade. Any such dealer may be deemed to be an underwriter, as such term is defined in the Securities Act, of the securities so offered and sold.

Offers to purchase securities may be solicited directly by us and the sale thereof may be made by us directly to institutional investors or others, who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale thereof.

If so indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, we may authorize agents and underwriters to solicit offers by certain institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on the date or dates stated in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material. Such delayed delivery contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

Agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under relevant agreements with us to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribution with respect to payments which such agents, underwriters and dealers may be required to make in respect thereof. The terms and conditions of any indemnification or contribution will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material.

We may also sell shares of our common stock through various arrangements involving mandatorily or optionally exchangeable securities, and this prospectus may be delivered in connection with those sales.

We may enter into derivative, sale or forward sale transactions with third parties, or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions. If the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material indicates, in connection with those transactions, the third parties may sell securities covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, including in short sale transactions and by issuing securities not covered by this prospectus but convertible into, exchangeable for or representing beneficial interests in securities covered by this prospectus, or the return of which is derived in whole or in part from the value of such securities. The third parties may use securities received under derivative, sale or forward sale transactions or securities pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of stock, and may use securities received from us in settlement of those transactions to close out any related open borrowings of stock. The third party in such sale transactions will be an underwriter and will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment) and/or other offering material.

Underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may receive compensation in the form of commissions, discounts or concessions from us. Underwriters, broker-dealers or agents may also receive compensation from the purchasers of shares for whom they act as agents or to whom they sell as principals, or both. Compensation as to a particular underwriter, broker-dealer or agent will be in amounts to be negotiated in connection with transactions involving shares and might be in excess of customary commissions. In effecting sales, broker-dealers engaged by us may arrange for other broker-dealers to participate in the resales.

Any securities offered other than common stock will be a new issue and, other than the common stock, which is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market, will have no established trading market. We may elect to list any series of securities on an exchange, and in the case of the common stock, on any additional exchange, but, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, we shall not be obligated to do so. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for any of the securities.

Agents, underwriters and dealers may engage in transactions with, or perform services for, us and/or our subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business.

Any underwriter may engage in overallotment, stabilizing transactions, short covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act. Overallotment involves sales in excess of the offering size, which create a short position. Stabilizing transactions permit bids to purchase the underlying security so long as the stabilizing bids do not exceed a specified maximum. Short covering transactions involve purchases of the securities in the open market after the distribution is completed to cover short positions. Penalty bids permit the underwriters to reclaim a selling concession from a dealer when the securities originally sold by the dealer are purchased in a covering transaction to cover short positions. Those activities may cause the price of the securities to be higher than it would otherwise be. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue any of the activities at any time. An underwriter may carry out these transactions on The Nasdaq Capital Market, in the over-the-counter market or otherwise.

The place and time of delivery for securities will be set forth in the accompanying prospectus supplement and/or other offering material for such securities.

LEGAL MATTERS

The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Foley & Lardner LLP. The validity of the securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for any underwriters or agents by counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement. The opinions of Foley & Lardner LLP and counsel for any underwriters or agents may be conditioned upon and may be subject to assumptions regarding future action required to be taken by us and any underwriters, dealers or agents in connection with the issuance of any securities. The opinions of Foley & Lardner LLP and counsel for any underwriters or agents may be subject to other conditions and assumptions, as indicated in the prospectus supplement.

EXPERTS

The consolidated financial statements incorporated in this Prospectus by reference to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 have been audited by McGladrey LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their report incorporated by reference herein, and are so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. We also filed a registration statement on Form S-3, including exhibits, under the Securities Act with respect to the securities offered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement, but does not contain all of the information included in the registration statement or the exhibits. You may read and copy the registration statement and any other document that we file with the SEC at the SEC’s Public Reference Room located at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You may call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information regarding the operation of the Public Reference Room. Our SEC filings are also available to the public at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov.

We are “incorporating by reference” specified documents that we file with the SEC, which means:

•

incorporated documents are considered part of this prospectus;

•

we are disclosing important information to you by referring you to those documents; and

•

information we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information contained in this prospectus.

We incorporate by reference the documents listed below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (i) after the date of filing of the registration statement on Form S-3 filed under the Securities Act with respect to securities offered by this prospectus and prior to the effectiveness of such registration statement and (ii) after the date of this prospectus and before the end of the offering of the securities pursuant to this prospectus:

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our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013 filed with the SEC on February 24, 2014;

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our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 1, 2014, August 4, 2014 and November 4, 2014;

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our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 6, 2014, February 28, 2014, May 12, 2014, June 5, 2014, August 29, 2014, September 11, 2014 (as amended on September 12, 2014), September 25, 2014 and December 15, 2014;

•

our Definitive Proxy Statement relating to our 2014 annual meeting of stockholders filed with the SEC on April 3, 2014;

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the description of our common stock contained in or incorporated into our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, filed with SEC on December 10, 2012, and any amendment or report updating that description; and

•

the description of our preferred share purchase rights contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act, filed with the SEC on July 23, 2012, and any amendment or report updating that description.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, information furnished under Items 2.02 and 7.01 of any Current Report on Form 8-K, including the related exhibits under Item 9.01, is not incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

Information in this prospectus supersedes related information in the documents listed above, and information in subsequently filed documents supersedes related information in both this prospectus and the incorporated documents.

We will promptly provide, without charge to you, upon written or oral request, a copy of any or all of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibits are specifically incorporated by reference in those documents. Requests should be directed to:

United Insurance Holdings Corp.

Attn: Corporate Secretary

360 Central Avenue, Suite 900

St. Petersburg, Florida 33701

(727) 895-7737

You can also find these filings on our website at www.upcinsurance.com. However, we are not incorporating the information on our website other than these filings into this prospectus.

You should not assume that the information in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, as well as the information we file or previously filed with the SEC that we incorporate by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and/or other offering material, is accurate as of any date other than its respective date. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.

Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.

The following table sets forth the costs and expenses payable by the registrant in connection with the registration of the securities being registered hereby. All amounts shown are estimates, with the exception of the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.


Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee	$	5,810
Printing and engraving expenses		*
Accounting fees and expenses		*
Legal fees and expenses		*
Miscellaneous (including any applicable listing fees and trustee and transfer agent fees and expenses)		*
Total		*

*	Fees and expenses (other than the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee to be paid upon filing of this registration statement) will depend on the number of issuances and the nature of the offerings, and cannot be estimated at this time.

Item 15.

Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended)

The Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended) provides that a director of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty by such director as a director, except for liability (a) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders, (b) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (c) under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”), or (d) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

The Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended) further provides that the Company, to the full extent permitted by Section 145 of the DGCL, as amended from time to time, shall indemnify all persons whom it may indemnify pursuant thereto. It also provides that expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by an officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative action, suit or proceeding for which such officer or director may be entitled to indemnification shall be paid by the Company in advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized by the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended).

II-1

By-Laws

The Company’s By-Laws provide that the Company shall indemnify any person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or proceeding if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful. The Company’s By-Laws also provide that the Company shall indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if the person acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and only to the extent that the court in which such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses which the court shall deem proper.

In addition, the Company’s By-Laws provide for the advancement of expenses (including attorneys fees) incurred by an officer, director, employee or agent in defending a civil, criminal, administrative or investigative action, suit or proceeding, or threat thereof. They also permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company against any liability asserted against the person and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of the person’s status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify him against such liability under the provisions of Article IX of the By-Laws.

Liability Insurance

The Company maintains directors’ and officers’ insurance coverage for its directors and officers.

Indemnification Agreements

In addition to the indemnification required in the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended) and By-Laws, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with each of its directors. These agreements provide for the indemnification of such directors, subject to certain conditions and exclusions, against certain costs actually and reasonably incurred in connection with a proceeding (a) if they were, are, or are threatened to be made, a party to or a participant in a proceeding and (b) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law if they are party to or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding. The indemnification agreements also provide that, if the indemnification rights provided in the indemnification agreements are unavailable, then (to the fullest extent permissible under applicable law) the Company will pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by the applicable director in connection with a proceeding without requiring such director to contribute to such payment. The Company also agreed, under the indemnification agreements, to advance expenses reasonably incurred by these directors in connection with a proceeding upon the execution and delivery by the applicable director of an undertaking to repay the advance to the extent that it is determined that such director is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company. These rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of expenses are not exclusive of any other rights to which such directors are entitled. In addition, such rights shall continue, under certain circumstances, after the term of such directors’ service to the Company has ended.

II-2

Delaware Law

Section 145 of the DGCL, which was adopted by the Company as described above, provides that a corporation may indemnify any persons, including officers and directors, who were, are, or are threatened to be made, parties to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than an action by or in the right of the corporation) by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise. The indemnity may include expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, provided that such officer, director, employee or agent acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the corporation’s best interests and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. A Delaware corporation, such as the Company, may indemnify officers or directors in an action by or in the right of the corporation under the same conditions, except that no indemnification is permitted without judicial approval if the officer or director is adjudged to be liable to the corporation. Where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him against expenses (including attorney’s fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him in connection therewith.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 16.

Exhibits.

The exhibits listed in the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed or incorporated by reference as part of this Registration Statement.

Item 17.

Undertakings.

(a)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

(1)

To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post- effective amendment to this registration statement:

(i)

To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

(ii)

To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered

II-3

would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and

(iii)

To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) above do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

(2)

That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment 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.

(3)

To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

(4)

That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

(i)

Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

(ii)

Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide

II-4

offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

(5)

That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

(i)

Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

(ii)

Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant;

(iii)

The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and

(iv)

Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser.

(b)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement 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.

(c)

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant 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 registrant 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 Securities Act of 1933 and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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(d)

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 part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a 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.

(e)

The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of St. Petersburg, State of Florida, on January 9, 2015.


UNITED INSURANCE HOLDINGS CORP.

By:		/s/ John L. Forney
		John L. Forney
		Chief Executive Officer
		(Principal Executive Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints John L. Forney and Bennett Bradford Martz and each of them individually, as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement and any Rule 462(b) registration statement and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either or them, or their or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.


Signature	Title	Date
/s/ John L. Forney John L. Forney	Chief Executive Officer; Director (Principal Executive Officer)	January 9, 2015

/s/ Bennett Bradford Martz Bennett Bradford Martz	Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)	January 9, 2015

/s/ Gregory C. Branch Gregory C. Branch	Chairman of the Board of Directors	January 9, 2015

/s/ Alec L. Poitevint, II Alec L. Poitevint, II	Director	January 9, 2015

S-1



/s/ Kent G. Whittemore Kent G. Whittemore	Director	January 9, 2015

/s/ Kern M. Davis Kern M. Davis	Director	January 9, 2015

/s/ William H. Hood, III William H. Hood, III	Director	January 9, 2015

/s/ Sherrill W. Hudson Sherrill W. Hudson	Director	January 9, 2015

S-2

EXHIBIT INDEX

In reviewing the agreements included as exhibits to this registration statement, please remember they are included to provide you with information regarding their terms and are not intended to provide any other factual disclosure or information about the Company, its subsidiaries or other parties to the agreements. The agreements contain representations and warranties by each of the parties to the applicable agreement. These representations and warranties have been made solely for the benefit of the other parties to the applicable agreement and:

•

should not in all instances be treated as categorical statements of fact, but rather as a way of allocating the risk to one of the parties if those statements prove to be inaccurate;

•

have been qualified by disclosures that were made to the other party in connection with the negotiation of the applicable agreement, which disclosures are not necessarily reflected in the agreement;

•

may apply standards of materiality in a way that is different from what may be viewed as material to you or other investors; and

•

were made only as of the date of the applicable agreement or such other date or dates as may be specified in the agreement and are subject to more recent developments.

Accordingly, these representations and warranties may not describe the actual state of affairs as of the date they were made or at any other time. We acknowledge that, notwithstanding the inclusion of the foregoing cautionary statements, we are responsible for considering whether additional specific disclosures of material information regarding material contractual provisions are required to make the statements in this report not misleading. Additional information about the Company may be found elsewhere in this registration statement and the Company’s other public filings, which are available without charge through the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.


Exhibit No.		Description

1.1*		Form of Underwriting Agreement.

3.1		Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as amended to include the Certificate of Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock of United Insurance Holdings Corp.) (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to the Form 10-Q, filed on August 8, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference).

3.2		Bylaws (included as Exhibit 3.3 to the Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-143466), filed June 4, 2007, and incorporated herein by reference).

3.3*		Form of Certificate of Designations, Powers, Preferences and Rights of Preferred Stock of United Insurance Holdings Corp.

4.1		Specimen Common Stock Certificate (included as Exhibit 4.2 to Amendment No. 1 to Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-150327), filed on December 23, 2008, and incorporated herein by reference).



4.2		Rights Agreement, dated as of July 20, 2012, between United Insurance Holdings Corp. and Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, which includes as Exhibit A thereto a summary of the terms of the Series A Junior Participating Preferred Stock, as Exhibit B thereto the Form of Right Certificate, and as Exhibit C thereto the Summary of Rights to Purchase Preferred Shares (included as Exhibit 4.1 to the Form 8-A, filed July 23, 2012, and incorporated herein by reference).

4.3		Form of Senior Indenture.

4.4*		Form of Senior Debt Securities.

4.5		Form of Subordinated Indenture.

4.6*		Form of Subordinated Debt Securities.

4.7*		Form of Warrant.

4.8*		Form of Warrant Agreement.

4.9*		Form of Stock Purchase Contract.

4.10*		Form of Stock Purchase Unit.

4.11		See Exhibits 3.1 and 3.2 of this registration statement for provisions of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and our Bylaws defining certain rights of security holders.

5.1		Opinion of Foley & Lardner LLP.

12.1		Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

23.1		Consent of McGladrey LLP.

23.2		Consent of Foley & Lardner LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1).

24.1		Power of Attorney (included on signature page).

25.1**		Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of Trustee on Form T-1.

25.2**		Statement of Eligibility and Qualification of Trustee on Form T-1.

*	If applicable, to be filed by amendment or as an Exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

**	To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Rule 5b-3 thereunder.