Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5)
Registration Number 333-152892

CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

 
Title of Each Class of Securities
to Be Registered

  Maximum Aggregate
Offering Price(1)

  Amount of
Registration Fee(1)(2)

 
Equity Units of Assured Guaranty Ltd.    $345,000,000   $19,251
 
Stock Purchase Contracts of Assured Guaranty Ltd.         
 
Common Shares of Assured Guaranty Ltd.         
 
Debt Securities of Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc.         
 
Guarantee of Debt Securities of Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. by Assured Guaranty Ltd.         
 
(1)
Represents an aggregate amount of $172.5 million of Equity Units offered hereby (including Equity Units that may be purchased by the underwriters pursuant to their option to purchase additional Equity Units to cover overallotments), and an aggregate amount of $172.5 million of common shares (including common shares that may be purchased by the underwriters pursuant to their option to purchase additional common shares), for which consideration will be received upon settlement of the Stock Purchase Contracts.

(2)
The filing fee is calculated in accordance with Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act of 1933.

Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
(To prospectus dated June 16, 2009)

3,000,000 Equity Units
(Initially Consisting of 3,000,000 Corporate Units)

GRAPHIC

Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc.



                  The Equity Units will each have a stated amount of $50 and will initially be in the form of Corporate Units, each of which consists of a purchase contract issued by us and, initially, a 1/20, or 5%, undivided beneficial ownership interest in $1,000 principal amount of senior notes due June 1, 2014, issued by Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc., which we refer to as the "notes." We will fully and unconditionally guarantee all payments on the notes.

                  Neither the Corporate Units, the Treasury Units nor the notes will be listed on any national securities exchange. Our common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "AGO." The last reported sale price of our common shares on June 18, 2009 was $11.09 per share.

                  Concurrently with this offering, we are offering 38,500,000 common shares (or 44,275,000 common shares if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option in full) pursuant to a separate prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. This Equity Units offering is not contingent upon the common shares offering, and the common shares offering is not contingent upon this equity units offering.

                  Investing in our Equity Units involves risks. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page S-32 of this prospectus supplement.



 
 
Per Unit
 
Total
 
Public offering price   $ 50.00   $ 150,000,000  
Underwriting discounts and commissions     $1.50     $4,500,000  
Proceeds, before expenses, to Assured Guaranty Ltd   $ 48.50   $ 145,500,000  

                  The underwriters may also purchase up to an additional 450,000 Equity Units at the public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions within a 13-day period beginning on (and including) the initial date of issuance of the Equity Units in order to cover overallotments, if any.

                  Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. The securities are not being offered in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted.

                  The Equity Units will be ready for delivery in book-entry form only through The Depository Trust Company on or about June 24, 2009.



            Sole Book-Running Manager    

Merrill Lynch & Co.

 

Citi



The date of this prospectus supplement is June 18, 2009.


              You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus is accurate as of the date on the front of this prospectus supplement only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since that date.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
  Page

Prospectus Supplement

   

About This Prospectus Supplement

  S-ii

Forward-Looking Statements

  S-iii

Prospectus Supplement Summary

  S-1

Risk Factors

  S-32

Use of Proceeds

  S-60

Capitalization

  S-61

Price Range of Common Shares and Dividend Policy

  S-62

Selected Historical Financial and Other Data of Assured Guaranty Ltd. 

  S-63

Selected Historical Financial and Other Data of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd

  S-66

Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial Information

  S-69

The Business of Assured Guaranty Ltd. 

  S-78

The Business of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd. 

  S-95

Description of the Acquisition

  S-105

Accounting Treatment

  S-120

Description of the Equity Units

  S-121

Description of the Purchase Contracts

  S-127

Certain Provisions of the Purchase Contract and Pledge Agreement

  S-146

Description of the Notes

  S-150

Material Tax Considerations

  S-158

Underwriting

  S-172

Legal Matters

  S-177

Prospectus

   

About This Prospectus

  3

Forward-Looking Statements

  3

Assured Guaranty Ltd. 

  4

Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. 

  5

Use of Proceeds

  5

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges of Assured Guaranty

  5

General Description of the Offered Securities

  5

Description of Assured Guaranty Share Capital

  6

Description of the Depositary Shares

  15

Description of the Assured Guaranty Debt Securities

  17

Description of the Assured Guaranty US Holdings Debt Securities and Assured Guaranty Guarantee

  29

Description of the Warrants to Purchase Assured Guaranty Common Shares or Preferred Shares

  45

Description of the Warrants to Purchase Debt Securities

  47

Description of Stock Purchase Contracts and Stock Purchase Units

  48

Plan of Distribution

  49

Legal Matters

  51

Experts

  51

Enforceability Of Civil Liabilities Under United States Federal Securities Laws And Other Matters

  52

Where You Can Find More Information

  52

S-i


Table of Contents


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT

              This document is comprised of two parts. The first part is this prospectus supplement, which describes the specific terms of this offering of Equity Units and also adds to and updates information contained in the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The second part, the accompanying prospectus, gives more general information, some of which may not apply to this offering. If the description of the offering varies between this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in this prospectus supplement.

              You should rely only on information contained in this prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein and therein. We have not, and the underwriters have not, authorized anyone to provide you with information that is different. The information in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus may only be accurate as of the date of this prospectus supplement.

              It is important for you to read and consider all information contained or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus in making your investment decision. You should also read and consider the information in the documents to which we have referred you in "Where You Can Find More Information" in this prospectus supplement.

              We have obtained consent from the Bermuda Monetary Authority for the issue and transfer of our common shares to and between persons regarded as non-residents in Bermuda for exchange control purposes, provided our common shares remain listed on an appropriate stock exchange, which includes the New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Issues and transfers of common shares to any person regarded as resident in Bermuda for exchange control purposes may require the specific prior approval from the Bermuda Monetary Authority. In addition, this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus will be filed with the Registrar of Companies in Bermuda in accordance with Bermuda law. The Bermuda Monetary Authority and Registrar of Companies accept no responsibility for the financial soundness of any proposal or for the correctness of any of the statements made or opinions expressed in this prospectus supplement.

              Any person who, directly or indirectly, becomes a holder of at least 10 per cent., 20 per cent., 33 per cent., or 50 per cent. of the common shares must notify the Bermuda Monetary Authority in writing within 45 days of becoming such a holder or 30 days from the date they have knowledge of having such a holding, whichever is later. The Bermuda Monetary Authority may, by written notice, object to such a person if it appears to the Bermuda Monetary Authority that the person is not fit and proper to be such a holder. The Bermuda Monetary Authority may require the holder to reduce its holding of common shares in the Company and direct, among other things, that voting rights attaching to the common shares shall not be exercisable. A person that does not comply with such a notice or direction from the Bermuda Monetary Authority will be guilty of an offence.

              For so long as we have as a subsidiary an insurer registered under the Insurance Act (Bermuda), the Bermuda Monetary Authority may at any time, by written notice, object to a person holding 10 per cent. or more of our common shares if it appears to the Bermuda Monetary Authority that the person is not or is no longer fit and proper to be such a holder. In such a case, the Bermuda Monetary Authority may require the shareholder to reduce its holding of common shares in us and direct, among other things, that such shareholder's voting rights attaching to the common shares shall not be exercisable. A person who does not comply with such a notice or direction from the Bermuda Monetary Authority will be guilty of an offence.

              References in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to "Assured Guaranty," "Assured," "we," "us," "our" and the "Company," refer to Assured Guaranty Ltd. and, unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise stated, its subsidiaries. References in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus to "Assured Guaranty US Holdings" or "AGUSH" refer to Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. and, unless the context otherwise requires or unless otherwise stated, its subsidiaries.

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Table of Contents


FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

              This prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, and the documents incorporated herein by reference, may contain "forward looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). These forward-looking statements may include forward-looking statements which reflect Assured's current views with respect to future events and financial performance. These statements include forward-looking statements both with respect to us specifically and the insurance and reinsurance industries in general. Statements which include the words "expect," "intend," "plan," "believe," "project," "anticipate," "may," "will," "continue," "further," "seek" and similar words or statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements for purposes of the federal securities laws or otherwise. All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, legal, governmental and technological factors. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause Assured's actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. We believe that these factors include the following:

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Table of Contents

              The foregoing review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive, and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included in Assured's periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). We undertake no obligation to update publicly or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

              If one or more of these or other risks or uncertainties materialize, or if Assured's underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect, actual results may vary materially from what we projected. Any forward-looking statements you read in this prospectus supplement, in the accompanying prospectus, or in the documents incorporated by reference reflect Assured's current views with respect to future events and are subject to these and other risks, uncertainties and assumptions relating to Assured's operations, results of operations, growth strategy and liquidity.

              For these statements, we claim the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act.

S-iv


Table of Contents


PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT SUMMARY

              This summary highlights basic information about Assured Guaranty, Assured Guaranty US Holdings and this offering. Because it is a summary, it does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the Equity Units. You should read this entire prospectus supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the documents that we have filed with the SEC that are incorporated herein by reference, including the financial statements and notes thereto, carefully before making an investment decision.

Assured Guaranty Ltd.

              Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a Bermuda based holding company that provides, through its operating subsidiaries, credit enhancement products to the public finance, structured finance and mortgage markets. Credit enhancement products are financial guaranty or other types of financial support, including credit derivatives, that improve the credit of underlying debt obligations. A derivative is a financial instrument whose characteristics and value depend upon the characteristics and value of an underlying security or commodity. We apply our credit expertise, risk management skills and capital markets experience to develop insurance, reinsurance and derivative products that meet the credit enhancement needs of our customers. We market our products directly and through financial institutions, serving the U.S. and international markets.

              Our principal operating subsidiaries are Assured Guaranty Corp. ("AGC") and Assured Guaranty Re Ltd. ("AG Re").

              Assured Guaranty Ltd. has four principal business segments: (1) financial guaranty direct, which includes transactions whereby we provide an unconditional and irrevocable guaranty that indemnifies the holder of a financial obligation against non-payment of principal and interest when due, and could take the form of a credit derivative; (2) financial guaranty reinsurance, which includes agreements whereby we are a reinsurer and agree to indemnify a primary insurance company against part or all of the loss which the latter may sustain under a policy it has issued; (3) mortgage guaranty, which includes mortgage guaranty insurance and reinsurance whereby we provide protection against the default of borrowers on mortgage loans; and (4) other, which includes lines of business in which we are no longer active.

              Our principal operating subsidiaries have the following insurance financial strength ratings:

 
  S&P   Moody's   Fitch
Assured Guaranty Corp.    AAA (Stable)   Aa2 (Under review for possible downgrade)   AA (Rating Watch Evolving)
Assured Guaranty Re Ltd.    AA (Stable)   Aa3 (Under review for possible downgrade)   AA- (Rating Watch Evolving)

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Table of Contents

              Our total financial guaranty net par outstanding as of March 31, 2009 was $237.2 billion, diversified across public finance and structured finance exposures. A breakdown of net par outstanding as of March 31, 2009 by type of business is as follows:

 
  March 31, 2009  
 
  Financial
Guaranty
Direct
Net Par
Outstanding
  Financial
Guaranty
Reinsurance
Net Par
Outstanding
  Consolidated
Net Par
Outstanding
  % of
Total
 
 
  (dollars in millions)
 

U.S. public finance

  $ 45,548   $ 81,616   $ 127,164     53.6 %

U.S. structured finance

    63,695     8,421     72,116     30.4  

International

    26,327     11,568     37,896     16.0  
                   

Total net par outstanding

  $ 135,570   $ 101,606   $ 237,176     100.0 %
                   

              Our net earned premiums for the year ended December 31, 2008 were $261.4 million compared with $159.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2007. Our net earned premiums for the three months ended March 31, 2009 were $148.4 million compared with $46.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008. Our net income for the year ended December 31, 2008 was $68.9 million compared to a loss of $303.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2007. Our net income for the three months ended March 31, 2009 was $85.5 million compared to a net loss of $169.2 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008. Our shareholders' equity as of March 31, 2009 was $2.0 billion, or $22.48 per common share, compared to $1.9 billion at December 31, 2008, or $18.63 per common share. Effective January 1, 2009, we adopted FAS No. 163, "Accounting for Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts" ("FAS 163"). As a result of the adoption of FAS 163, net premiums earned and losses and loss adjustment expenses are not comparable between 2008 and 2009.

              We believe we are in a strong market position due to our high quality insured portfolio and limited exposure to troubled asset classes. As a highly rated and well capitalized insurer, we continue to see significant demand for our guarantee. For the five months ended May 31, 2009, we have guaranteed 794 U.S. public finance new issue transactions totaling $15.2 billion of par. This represents approximately 10.6% of total U.S. public finance new issue volume during this period, an increase of 4.8% over the five months ended May 31, 2008. We will continue to review opportunities to take advantage of current market conditions, including reinsurance of portfolios of risks and acquiring portfolios of risks, in each case meeting our strict underwriting and pricing criteria.

              In November 2008, we entered into a purchase agreement (as amended, the "Purchase Agreement") with Dexia Holdings, Inc. ("Dexia Holdings") and Dexia Crédit Local S.A., to acquire (the "Acquisition") Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd. ("FSAH"), the parent company of, among others, Financial Security Assurance Inc. ("FSA"), a financial guaranty insurer. FSAH's ultimate parent is Dexia SA ("Dexia"). For more information concerning FSAH, see "—Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd." and "The Business of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd."

              For more information concerning Assured's business, see "The Business of Assured Guaranty Ltd."

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Table of Contents

Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc.

              Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. was formed as a holding company to hold the shares of AGC and AG Financial Products Inc. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Assured Guaranty and was formed under the laws of the State of Delaware in February 2004. Its principal executive offices are at 1325 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, and its telephone number is (212) 974-0100.

Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd.

              FSAH, through its insurance company subsidiaries, provides financial guaranty insurance on public finance obligations in domestic and international markets. Historically, FSAH also provided financial guaranty insurance on asset-backed obligations. In August 2008, FSAH announced that it would cease insuring asset-backed obligations and instead participate exclusively in the global public finance financial guaranty business. In addition, prior to November 2008, FSAH issued FSA-insured guaranteed investment contracts ("GICs") and other investment agreements, as well as medium term notes ("MTNs") to municipalities and other market participants through its financial products ("Financial Products") segment.

              FSAH's principal operating subsidiary has the following insurance financial strength ratings:

 
  S&P   Moody's   Fitch

Financial Security Assurance, Inc. 

  AAA (Negative)   Aa3 (Under review for possible downgrade)   AA+ (Negative Credit Watch)

              FSAH's total financial guaranty net par outstanding was $417.3 billion as of March 31, 2009. A breakdown of net par outstanding as of March 31, 2009 by type of business is as follows:

 
  March 31, 2009  
 
  Net Par
Outstanding
  % of Total  
 
  (dollars in millions)
 

U.S. public finance

  $ 293,968     70.4 %

U.S. structured finance

    77,179     18.5  

International

    46,159     11.1  
           

Total net par outstanding

  $ 417,306     100.0 %
           

              FSAH's net premiums earned for the year ended December 31, 2008 were $376.6 million compared with $317.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2007. FSAH's net premiums earned for the three months ended March 31, 2009 were $78.5 million compared with $72.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008. FSAH's net loss for the year ended December 31, 2008 was $8,443.2 million compared to a loss of $65.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2007. FSAH's net income for the three months ended March 31, 2009 was $11.5 million compared with a net loss of $421.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2008. FSAH's shareholders' equity as of March 31, 2009 was $2.3 billion. Effective January 1, 2009, FSAH adopted FAS 163. As a result of the adoption of FAS 163, net premiums earned and losses and loss adjustment expenses are not comparable between 2008 and 2009.

              For more information concerning FSAH's business, see "The Business of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd."

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Table of Contents

Acquisition of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd.

              In November 2008, we entered into the Purchase Agreement pursuant to which we will acquire FSAH from Dexia Holdings in exchange for the issuance of up to 44,567,901 Assured common shares, or approximately 25.6% of our outstanding common shares after giving effect to the Acquisition and the Concurrent Common Share Offering (as defined below), and $361 million in cash. Under the Purchase Agreement, we are required to pay $8.10 per Assured common share in cash in lieu of any Assured common shares that would result in the 44,567,901 Assured common shares otherwise issuable to Dexia Holdings under the Purchase Agreement exceeding 24.9% of our outstanding common shares after giving effect to such issuance and the issuance of common shares in the Concurrent Common Share Offering. Based upon the public offering price of $11.00 per share in the Concurrent Common Share Offering, we would be required to pay Dexia Holdings approximately $9.9 million in cash in lieu of issuing approximately 1.2 million Assured common shares. In addition, under the Purchase Agreement, we may elect to pay $8.10 per Assured common share in cash in lieu of up to 22,283,951 Assured common shares that we would otherwise deliver to Dexia Holdings as part of the purchase price. Dexia Holdings has agreed that the voting power with respect to the Assured common shares owned by it will be reduced to less than 9.5% of the total voting power of all Assured common shares outstanding. We intend to finance the cash portion of the Acquisition and the payment of cash to Dexia Holdings in lieu of 22,283,951 Assured common shares with the net proceeds of this offering and the Concurrent Common Share Offering. See "Use of Proceeds."

              The Acquisition represents a unique opportunity for Assured to create the premier financial guaranty company by combining the talent, capacity, financial resources and relationships of Assured and FSAH. We believe the combination of Assured and FSAH will also enhance our financial strength and enhance our competitive position in the market. Through the acquisition of FSAH, we will increase our gross unearned premium reserves by $4.0 billion (prior to the impact of purchase accounting adjustments) and our financial guaranty net par outstanding by $417.3 billion, in each case as of March 31, 2009.

              Prior to November 2008, FSAH, through its Financial Products subsidiaries (the "Financial Products Companies"), offered FSA-insured GICs and other investment agreements, including MTNs. In connection with the Acquisition, FSAH will transfer to a subsidiary of Dexia Holdings the ownership interests in the Financial Products Companies that it holds. The Financial Products Companies include (a) three FSAH subsidiaries that issued GICs (collectively, the "GIC Issuers"), (b) FSAH's subsidiary FSA Asset Management LLC ("FSAM"), which invests the proceeds of the GICs issued by the GIC Issuers, and (c) FSA Global Funding Limited ("FSA Global"), a variable interest entity that engages in the MTN business. The GIC Issuers and FSAM together constitute the "GIC Subsidiaries." Even though FSAH will no longer own the Financial Products Companies after the Acquisition, FSA's guarantees of the GICs and MTNs and other guarantees related to FSA's MTN and Leveraged Tax Lease Businesses (as defined below) generally will remain in place. In February 2009, Dexia entered into several agreements that transferred credit and liquidity risks of the GIC operations to Dexia (the "February 2009 Risk Transfer Transaction"). In connection with the Acquisition, Dexia and/or certain of its affiliates will enter into agreements assuming the remaining credit and liquidity risks associated with FSAH's former Financial Products business. See "Description of the Acquisition—Financial Products Agreements."

              The Acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals in the United States and foreign countries. All of these conditions, other than those that, by their nature, are to be satisfied at the closing, have been satisfied or waived. We expect to close the Acquisition on or about July 1, 2009.

              For more information concerning the Acquisition, see "Description of the Acquisition."

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Table of Contents

Business Strategy

              Our objective is to build long-term shareholder value by achieving strong growth in book value per share through the following:

              Exercising strict underwriting discipline.    We have underwriting standards designed to protect our company against credit losses. We have exercised discipline in new business written through the credit cycle, including limiting exposure to higher risk asset classes such as certain types of residential mortgage-backed securities ("RMBS"). We constantly review our underwriting standards to reflect current global economic conditions and their impact on the municipal and structured finance markets, seeking to amend and/or strengthen our criteria where necessary.

              Conduct direct business through dual operating platforms.    Following the Acquisition, we will write direct financial guarantee business through our two operating subsidiaries, AGC and FSA. These dual platforms will allow us to capitalize on the well established franchise of each company and allow us to provide investors with increased capacity and greater risk diversification. We will however, operate through a common infrastructure and risk management framework to create maximum operating efficiencies.

              Capitalizing on the strong market position of our direct financial guaranty business.    Following the acquisition of FSAH, we expect to be the largest writer of financial guarantees in the market. Our acquisition of FSAH will bring expanded relationships and experience, especially in the municipal finance and international infrastructure sectors. We intend to capitalize on our leading market position, as shown in the five months ended May 31, 2009, where we have guaranteed $15.2 billion of U.S. public finance new issue transactions, representing approximately 85% of the total insured U.S. public finance new issue volume during this period. We believe we are uniquely positioned to expand our direct financial guaranty business as financial markets stabilize and new issue volumes increase.

              Utilize significant reinsurance market position to enhance strategic flexibility.    We intend to maintain our significant financial guaranty reinsurance presence and leverage our position to enhance our operating flexibility in the market. While our treaty business has ceased due to lack of new business generation by other financial guaranty companies, we will seek opportunities to write new business in domestic and international markets that capitalizes on our efficient delivery of credit enhancement, including supporting new capacity which may be formed in the market over time. We will continue to review opportunities to take advantage of current market conditions, including reinsurance of portfolios of risks which meet our underwriting and pricing criteria.

              Proactive loss mitigation.    We continuously monitor trends and changes in our financial guaranty portfolio to detect deterioration in credit quality and to enable us to take remedial actions to minimize losses in transactions which perform below our expectations. In cases where there is a potential source of loss, we intend to aggressively pursue all sources of recovery from third parties.

              Maintaining our commitment to financial strength.    We recognize the importance of our excellent financial strength ratings and intend to write business in a manner consistent with maintaining the highest possible ratings for AGC and AG Re. We seek to maintain our financial strength through disciplined risk selection, prudent operating and financial leverage and a conservative investment posture. The Acquisition furthers this strategy by strengthening our balance sheet and enhancing our capital position.

              Utilize capital efficiently.    We rigorously monitor rating agency capital adequacy requirements to appropriately deploy capital to optimize the execution of our business plan and our return on capital.

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Table of Contents

Recent Developments

              Moody's Ratings—On May 20, 2009, Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") placed under review for possible downgrade the Aa2 insurance financial strength rating of AGC, as well as the ratings of other entities within the Assured group. In its public announcement of the rating action, Moody's stated that this action reflects its view that despite recent improvements in Assured's market position, the expected performance of Assured's insured portfolio—particularly the mortgage-related risks—has substantially worsened. At the same time, Moody's also placed the Aa3 insurance financial strength ratings of FSA and its affiliated insurance operating companies on review for possible downgrade. In its public announcement of the rating action, Moody's cited its growing concerns about FSA's business and financial profile as a result of further deterioration in FSA's US mortgage portfolio and the related adverse effect on its capital adequacy, profitability, and market traction. In both press releases, Moody's noted that it has taken a more negative view of mortgage-related exposures in light of worse-than-expected performance trends, and recognized the continued susceptibility of the insured portfolio to the weak economic environment. Moody's also commented that the deterioration in the insured portfolios could have negative implications for the companies' franchise values, profitability and financial flexibility given the likely sensitivity of those business attributes to its capital position. Moody's also noted that the market dislocation caused by the declining financial strength of financial guaranty insurers may alter the competitive dynamics of the industry by encouraging the entry of new participants or the growth of alternative forms of execution.

              Fitch Ratings—On May 4, 2009, Fitch Ratings ("Fitch") downgraded the debt and insurer financial strength ratings of Assured Guaranty and its subsidiaries. Fitch's insurer financial strength ratings for AGC and Assured Guaranty (UK) Ltd. ("AG UK") are now AA (rating watch evolving), down from AAA (stable), while the insurer financial strength ratings for AG Re is AA- (rating watch evolving), down from AA (stable). Fitch cited Assured's exposures to mortgage-related and collateralized debt obligations of trust preferred securities as creating pressure on Assured's capital position. On May 11, 2009, Fitch lowered the rating of FSA to AA+ (negative credit watch). Fitch reported that the downgrade of FSA to AA+ was attributable to FSAH's credit exposure to the AA+ rating of the Kingdom of Belgium in connection with the separation of the Financial Products operations from FSA.

              Favorable Litigation Settlement—Assured Guaranty's subsidiary, Assured Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Company ("AGMIC"), reinsured a private mortgage insurer under a mortgage insurance stop loss excess of loss reinsurance agreement covering the reinsured's aggregate mortgage guaranty insurance losses in excess of a $25 million retention and subject to a $95 million limit. In April 2008, AGMIC notified the reinsured it was terminating the agreement because of the reinsured's breach of terms. This matter went to arbitration and on June 4, 2009, the arbitration panel issued a Final Interim Award with respect to this agreement in which the majority of the panel concluded that the reinsured breached a covenant in the agreement. AGMIC and the reinsured reached an agreement in principle on June 10, 2009 to settle the matter in full in exchange for a payment by AGMIC to the reinsured of $10 million, which resolves all disputes between the parties and concludes all remaining rights and obligations of the parties under the Agreement, subject to the execution of a final settlement agreement.



              Investing in our Equity Units includes risks. See "Risk Factors" beginning on page S-32 of this prospectus supplement.

              Our principal executive officers are located at 30 Woodbourne Avenue, Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda, and our telephone number is (441) 299-9375. Our Internet website address is www.assuredguaranty.com. The information on or connected to our website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus, and you should not consider them to be a part of this prospectus supplement or the accompanying prospectus.

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Summary Historical Financial Data of Assured Guaranty Ltd.

              The following table sets forth summary historical financial data for Assured. The audited financial data have been derived from Assured's audited financial statements. The interim financial data have been derived from Assured's unaudited financial statements and include, in the opinion of Assured's management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial data. The results for the three-month periods do not necessarily indicate the results to be expected for the full year.

              You should read the following information in conjunction with Assured's financial statements and notes thereto and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 
  Three Months
Ended March 31,
  Year Ended December 31,  
 
  2009   2008   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004  
 
  (unaudited)
  (dollars in millions, except per share amounts)
 

Statement of Operations Data:

                                           
 

Net earned premiums(1)

  $ 148.4   $ 46.8   $ 261.4   $ 159.3   $ 144.8   $ 139.4   $ 98.7  
 

Net investment income

    43.6     36.6     162.6     128.1     111.5     96.8     94.8  
 

Net realized investment (losses) gains

    (17.1 )   0.6     (69.8 )   (1.3 )   (2.0 )   2.2     12.0  
 

Realized gains and other settlements on credit derivatives

    20.6     27.6     117.6     74.0     73.9     57.1     (13.1 )
 

Unrealized gains (losses) on credit derivatives

    27.0     (259.6 )   38.0     (670.4 )   11.8     4.4     137.4  
 

Other income

    20.6     8.5     43.4     8.8     0.4     0.2     0.8  
                               
 

Total revenues

    243.1     (139.4 )   553.2     (301.6 )   340.4     300.3     330.5  
                               
 

Loss and loss adjustment expenses (recoveries)(1)

   
79.8
   
55.1
   
265.8
   
5.8
   
11.3
   
(63.9

)
 
(48.2

)
 

Profit commission expense

    0.3     1.2     1.3     6.5     9.5     12.9     15.5  
 

Acquisition costs

    23.4     11.9     61.2     43.2     45.2     45.4     49.7  
 

Other operating expenses

    32.3     28.6     83.5     79.9     68.0     59.0     67.8  
 

Other expense

    1.4     0.7     5.7     2.6     2.5     3.7     1.6  
 

Interest expense

    5.8     5.8     23.3     23.5     13.8     13.5     10.7  
                               
 

Total expenses

    143.0     103.4     440.9     161.4     150.4     70.7     97.2  
                               
 

Income (loss) before provision (benefit) for income taxes

    100.1     (242.8 )   112.3     (463.0 )   190.0     229.6     233.3  
 

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

    14.6     (73.6 )   43.4     (159.8 )   30.2     41.2     50.5  
                               
 

Net income (loss)

  $ 85.5   $ (169.2 ) $ 68.9   $ (303.3 ) $ 159.7   $ 188.4   $ 182.8  
                               
 

Earnings (loss) per share:(2)

                                           
   

Basic

  $ 0.94   $ (2.09 ) $ 0.78   $ (4.38 ) $ 2.15   $ 2.51   $ 2.42  
   

Diluted

  $ 0.93   $ (2.09 ) $ 0.77   $ (4.38 ) $ 2.13   $ 2.50   $ 2.42  
 

Dividends per share

  $ 0.045   $ 0.045   $ 0.18   $ 0.16   $ 0.14   $ 0.12   $ 0.06  

Balance sheet data (end of period):

                                           
 

Investments and cash

  $ 3,812.3   $ 3,317.0   $ 3,643.6   $ 3,147.9   $ 2,469.9   $ 2,256.0   $ 2,157.9  
 

Prepaid reinsurance premiums

    23.7     17.5     18.9     13.5     4.5     9.5     11.8  
 

Total assets

    5,588.3     4,062.0     4,555.7     3,762.9     2,931.6     2,689.8     2,689.0  
 

Unearned premium reserves

    2,153.3     1,014.2     1,233.7     887.2     631.0     524.6     507.2  
 

Reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses

    222.6     177.7     196.8     125.6     115.9     117.4     217.2  
 

Long-term debt

    347.2     347.2     347.2     347.1     347.1     197.3     197.4  
 

Total liabilities

    3,562.7     2,569.4     2,629.5     2,096.4     1,280.8     1,028.3     1,161.4  
 

Accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income

    1.8     51.6     2.9     56.6     41.9     45.8     79.0  
 

Shareholders' equity

    2,025.6     1,492.7     1,926.2     1,666.6     1,650.8     1,661.5     1,527.6  

(1)
In May 2008, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FAS 163, which requires that we recognize a claim liability prior to an event of default (insured event) when there is evidence that credit deterioration has occurred in an insured financial obligation. FAS 163 also clarifies the methodology to be used for financial guaranty premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement, as well as requiring expanded disclosures about risk management activities. The provisions of FAS 163 related to premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and all interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application of these provisions was not permitted. As a result of the adoption of FAS 163, net premiums earned and loss and loss adjustment expenses are not comparable between 2008 and 2009 periods. The expanded risk management activity disclosure provisions of FAS 163 were effective for the third

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(2)
Effective January 1, 2009, the Company adopted FSP EITF 03-6-1, "Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions Are Participating Securities" ("FSP"), which clarifies that share-based payment awards that entitle their holders to receive nonforfeitable dividends or dividend equivalents before vesting should be considered participating securities and shall be included in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS"). Upon retrospective adoption of the FSP, Assured decreased previously reported basic loss per share by $0.02 and $0.08 for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and the year ended December 31, 2007, respectively, and decreased previously reported basic EPS by $0.03, $0.04 and $0.02 for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Upon retrospective adoption of the FSP, Assured decreased previously reported diluted loss per share by $0.02 and $0.08 for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and the year ended December 31, 2007, respectively, and decreased previously reported diluted EPS by $0.02, $0.03 and $0.02 for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. There was no impact on both previously reported basic and diluted EPS for 2008.

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Summary Historical Financial Data of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd.

              The following table sets forth summary historical financial data for FSAH. The annual financial data have been derived from FSAH's audited financial statements. The interim financial data have been derived from FSAH's unaudited financial statements and include, in the opinion of FSAH's management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments and entries required to record the February 2009 Risk Transfer Transaction) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial data. The results for the three-month periods do not necessarily indicate the results to be expected for the full year. Furthermore, FSAH's financial statements for the periods prior to December 31, 2008 include FSAH's GIC operations, which were the subject of the February 2009 Risk Transfer Transaction and FSAH's other Financial Products businesses which we are not acquiring.

              You should read the following information in conjunction with FSAH's financial statements and notes thereto and other financial information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

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Summary Historical Financial Data of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd.

 
  As of and for the Period Ended  
 
  March 31,   December 31,  
 
  2009   2008   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004  
 
  (Unaudited)
  (dollars in millions)
 

Summary of Operations:

                                           

Revenue

                                           
 

Net premiums earned(1)

  $ 78.5   $ 72.9   $ 376.6   $ 317.8   $ 301.5   $ 314.9   $ 325.9  
 

Net investment income from general investment portfolio

    62.1     64.8     264.2     236.7     218.9     200.8     172.1  
 

Net interest income from financial products segment

    34.4     208.8     647.4     1,079.6     858.2     487.9     194.7  
 

Realized gains (losses) and other settlements on credit derivatives

    (45.8 )   36.2     126.9     102.8     87.2     89.2     69.1  
 

Net unrealized (losses) gains on credit derivatives

    573.2     (489.1 )   (745.0 )   (642.6 )   31.8     11.1     56.4  
 

Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments

    (180.5 )   430.8     1,424.5     62.8     131.4     (183.6 )   272.9  

Expenses

                                           
 

Losses and loss adjustment expenses(1)

    350.9     300.4     1,877.7     31.6     23.3     25.4     20.6  
 

Foreign exchange (gains) losses from financial products segment

    (16.6 )   13.3     1.7     138.5     159.4     (189.8 )   91.3  
 

Net interest expense from financial products segment

    127.4     239.3     794.3     989.2     768.7     491.6     267.6  
 

Income (loss) before provision (benefit) for income taxes and equity in losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries

    165.3     (685.4 )   (9,315.5 )   (181.9 )   522.8     465.1     580.5  
 

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

    153.7     (263.8 )   (872.4 )   (116.2 )   150.7     126.9     110.6  
 

Net income (loss)

    11.5     (421.6 )   (8,443.2 )   (65.7 )   372.2     337.3     466.0  
 

Less: noncontrolling interest

                    (52.0 )   11.2     87.4  
                               
 

Net income (loss) of FSAH and subsidiaries

  $ 11.5   $ (421.6 ) $ (8,443.2 ) $ (65.7 ) $ 424.2   $ 326.1   $ 378.6  

Balance Sheet Data (at end of period)

                                           

Assets

                                           
 

Cash

  $ 55.3   $ 45.0   $ 108.7   $ 26.6   $ 32.5   $ 43.6   $ 22.6  
 

General investment portfolio

    5,872.3     5,684.2     5,935.5     5,191.9     4,872.4     4,595.5     4,281.8  
 

Financial products segment investment portfolio

    805.0     16,157.8     10,302.0     19,213.2     17,537.1     14,002.0     9,546.7  
 

Assets acquired in refinancing transactions

    182.8     213.5     166.6     229.3     337.9     467.9     749.2  
 

Note receivable from affiliate(2)

    13,576.3                          
 

Total assets

    24,891.3     27,203.1     20,258.1     28,318.7     25,764.7     22,000.1     17,079.0  

Liabilities and shareholders' equity

                                           
 

Deferred premium revenue

    3,991.4     3,002.7     3,044.7     2,870.6     2,621.5     2,339.0     2,063.8  
 

Losses and loss adjustment expense reserve

    2,017.7     526.3     1,779.0     274.6     228.1     205.7     179.9  
 

Financial products segment debt

    14,180.3     20,888.9     16,432.3     21,400.2     18,349.7     14,947.1     10,444.1  
 

Notes payable

    730.0     730.0     730.0     730.0     730.0     430.0     430.0  
 

Total liabilities

    22,609.3     27,158.5     25,442.3     26,740.6     23,042.1     18,996.8     14,289.1  
 

Total shareholders' equity (deficit) of FSA Holdings and subsidiaries

    2,281.7     44.3     (5,184.5 )   1,577.8     2,722.3     2,822.9     2,611.3  
 

Noncontrolling interest

    0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3     180.4     178.6  
                               
 

Shareholders' equity (deficit)

    2,282.0     44.6     (5,184.2 )   1,578.1     2,722.6     3,003.3     2,789.9  

(1)
In May 2008, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FAS 163, which requires that FSAH recognize a claim liability prior to an event of default (insured event) when there is evidence that credit deterioration has occurred in an insured financial obligation. FAS 163 also clarifies the methodology to be used for financial guaranty premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement, as well as requiring expanded disclosures about risk management activities. The provisions of FAS 163 related to premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and all interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application of these provisions was not permitted. As a result of the adoption of FAS 163, net premiums earned and loss and loss adjustment expenses are not comparable between 2008 and 2009 periods. The expanded risk management activity disclosure provisions of FAS 163 were effective for the third quarter of 2008 and were included in FSAH's consolidated financial statements for those periods. FAS 163 will be applied to all existing and future financial guaranty insurance contracts written

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(2)
The GIC Issuers, unlike FSAM, remain part of FSAH's consolidated financial statements, which means that the GICs issued to third parties and the GIC Issuers' note receivable from FSAM of $13.6 billion (the "Note Receivable from Affiliate") represent the liabilities and assets of the GIC business in FSAH's consolidated financial statements. The Note Receivable from Affiliate is carried at net realizable value, which is periodically evaluated for impairment. Prior to February 24, 2009, the Note Receivable from Affiliate was eliminated in consolidation.

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Summary Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial Information

              The following summary unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial information of Assured has been prepared to assist you in your analysis of the financial effects of the Acquisition using the historical consolidated financial statements of Assured and FSAH.

              This information is only a summary. You should read the unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements and other information and the accompanying notes that are included elsewhere in this prospectus supplement. You should also read the historical information and related notes of Assured and FSAH that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

              The following tables set forth summary unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial information of Assured giving effect to the Acquisition, using the acquisition method of accounting, as if the Acquisition had occurred on the dates indicated and after giving effect to the pro forma adjustments. The unaudited pro forma combined condensed balance sheet data as of March 31, 2009 give effect to the Acquisition as if the Acquisition had occurred on March 31, 2009. The unaudited pro forma combined condensed statements of operations data for the year ended December 31, 2008 and the three months ended March 31, 2009 give effect to the Acquisition as if the Acquisition had occurred on January 1, 2008. We are providing the unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial data for informational purposes only. It does not necessarily represent or indicate what the financial position and results of operations of Assured would actually have been had the Acquisition and other pro forma adjustments in fact occurred at the dates indicated. It also does not necessarily represent or indicate the future financial position or results of operations Assured will achieve after the Acquisition.

              The pro forma adjustments reflect the payment of $544.5 million in cash and issuance of 22,283,951 Assured common shares to Dexia Holdings. The pro forma adjustments assume funds for the $544.5 million cash payment were obtained from the issuance of an additional 38,500,000 Assured common shares to the public at a purchase price of $11.00 per share, the public offering price of our common shares in the Concurrent Common Share Offering, and the issuance of $150 million of Equity Units.

              The pro forma financial information does not reflect revenue opportunities and cost savings that we expect to realize after the Acquisition. We cannot give you any assurance with respect to the estimated revenue opportunities and operating cost savings that are expected to be realized as a result of the Acquisition. The pro forma financial information also does not reflect nonrecurring charges relating to integration activities or exit costs that may be incurred by Assured or FSAH in connection with the Acquisition.

 
  As of and for the three
months ended
March 31, 2009
  For the
year ended
December 31, 2008
 
 
  (dollars in thousands,
except per share amounts)

 

Statement of Operations Data:

             
 

Net earned premiums

  $ 263,632   $ 796,671  
 

Net (loss) income

    237,287     (1,072,802 )
 

(Loss) earnings per share

             
   

Basic

  $ 1.55   $ (7.17 )
   

Diluted

  $ 1.55   $ (7.17 )

Balance Sheet Data (at end of period):

             
 

Total assets

  $ 16,610,864        
 

Unearned premium reserves

    7,465,338        
 

Reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses

    2,233,038        
 

Long-term debt

    445,823        
 

Shareholders' equity

    2,802,617        
 

Book value per share

  $ 18.57        

              See Notes to the "Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial Statements."

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The Offering

Issuer   Assured Guaranty Ltd., a Bermuda company.

Securities Offered

 

3,000,000 Equity Units (or 3,450,000 Equity Units if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option in full), each with a stated amount of $50, and consisting of either Corporate Units or Treasury Units as described below. The Equity Units offered will initially consist of 3,000,000 Corporate Units (or 3,450,000 Corporate Units if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option in full).

Use of Proceeds

 

We intend to use $363.8 million of the net proceeds of the Concurrent Common Share Offering to pay the cash purchase price for the Acquisition. We intend to use the remaining net proceeds from the Concurrent Common Share Offering and the net proceeds from this offering to pay cash in lieu of Assured common shares, including Excess Shares, that we would otherwise deliver as part of the purchase price for the Acquisition. See "—Concurrent Offering of Common Shares" and "Use of Proceeds."

The Corporate Units

 

Each Corporate Unit consists of a purchase contract and, initially, a 1/20, or 5%, undivided beneficial ownership interest in $1,000 principal amount of Assured Guaranty US Holdings' senior notes due June 1, 2014, which we call the "notes." The notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof, except in certain limited circumstances. The notes underlying your Corporate Units will be owned by you, but initially will be pledged to us through the collateral agent to secure your obligations under the related purchase contracts. If the notes are successfully remarketed during the period for early remarketing described in this prospectus supplement, or if a special event redemption occurs prior to June 1, 2012, the notes underlying the Corporate Units will be replaced by the Treasury portfolio described in this prospectus supplement, and the Treasury portfolio underlying the Corporate Units will then be pledged to us through the collateral agent to secure your obligations under the related purchase contract.

 

 

Holders of Corporate Units will be entitled to receive, quarterly in arrears on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1 of each year, commencing on September 1, 2009, cash distributions consisting of their pro rata share of interest payments on the notes (or distributions on the Treasury portfolio if the notes have been replaced by the Treasury portfolio).

The Purchase Contracts

 

 

 

 

Settlement Rate

 

Each purchase contract underlying an Equity Unit obligates the holder of the purchase contract to purchase, and obligates us to sell, on June 1, 2012, which we refer to as the "purchase contract settlement date," for $50 in cash, a number of our newly issued common shares equal to the "settlement rate."

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    The settlement rate will be calculated as follows:

 

 


 

if the applicable market value (as defined below) of our common shares is equal to or greater than $12.93, which we refer to as the "threshold appreciation price," the settlement rate will be 3.8685 of our common shares;

 

 


 

if the applicable market value of our common shares is less than the threshold appreciation price but greater than $11.00, which we refer to as the "reference price," the settlement rate will be a number of our common shares equal to $50 divided by the applicable market value; and

 

 


 

if the applicable market value of our common shares is less than or equal to the reference price, the settlement rate will be 4.5455 of our common shares.

 

 

The "applicable market value" of our common shares means the average of the closing price per common share on each of the 20 consecutive trading days ending on the third trading day immediately preceding the purchase contract settlement date. The reference price is the public offering price of our common shares in the Concurrent Common Share Offering. The threshold appreciation price represents a 17.5% appreciation over the reference price. The reference price, threshold appreciation price and settlement rate are subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus supplement.

Treasury Units

 

A Treasury Unit is a unit created from a Corporate Unit and consists of a purchase contract and a 1/20, or 5%, undivided beneficial interest in a zero-coupon U.S. Treasury security with a principal amount of $1,000 that matures on May 31, 2012 (CUSIP No. 912820PR2), which we refer to as a "Treasury security." The Treasury security underlying the Treasury Unit will be owned by you, but will be pledged to us through the collateral agent to secure your obligations under the related purchase contract.

 

 

There will be no distributions in respect of the Treasury securities underlying the Treasury Units, but holders of the Treasury Units will continue to receive the scheduled quarterly interest payments on the notes that were released to them when they created the Treasury Units as long as they continue to hold the notes.

 

 

If, at the time the holder of a Corporate Unit wishes to substitute Treasury securities for the related notes, such Treasury securities have a yield that is less than zero, then, a Treasury Unit will instead be a unit created from a Corporate Unit and will consist of a purchase contract and a 1/20, or 5%, undivided beneficial interest in $1,000 cash. The cash that is a component of the Treasury Unit will be owned by you, but will be pledged to us through the collateral agent to secure your obligations under the related purchase contract.

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Creating Treasury Units and
Recreating Corporate Units
 
Subject to certain exceptions described in this prospectus supplement, each holder of Corporate Units will have the right, at any time on or prior to the seventh business day immediately preceding the purchase contract settlement date, to substitute Treasury securities with the same total principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of the underlying notes held by the collateral agent. Because Treasury securities and the notes are issued in integral multiples of $1,000, holders of Corporate Units may make this substitution only in integral multiples of 20 Corporate Units. This substitution will create Treasury Units, and the notes will be released to the holder and be tradable separately from the Treasury Units.

 

 

In addition, subject to certain exceptions described in this prospectus supplement, each holder of Treasury Units will have the right, at any time on or prior to the seventh business day immediately preceding the purchase contract settlement date, to substitute notes having the same total principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of the related Treasury securities held by the collateral agent. Because Treasury securities and the notes are issued in integral multiples of $1,000, holders of Treasury Units may make these substitutions only in integral multiples of 20 Treasury Units. This substitution will recreate Corporate Units, and the applicable Treasury securities will be released to the holder and be separately tradable from the Corporate Units.

Early Settlement of the Purchase
Contracts

 


You can settle a purchase contract for cash prior to the purchase contract settlement date, subject to certain exceptions and conditions described under "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Early Settlement" in this prospectus supplement. If a purchase contract is settled early, the number of our common shares to be issued per purchase contract will be the stated amount of $50 divided by the threshold appreciation price, initially 3.8685 shares (subject to adjustment as described in this prospectus supplement).

 

 

In addition, upon the occurrence of a "fundamental change" as defined in this prospectus supplement, you will have the right, subject to certain exceptions and conditions described in this prospectus supplement, to accelerate and settle a purchase contract early at a "fundamental change settlement rate," which will depend on the stock price in such fundamental change and the date such fundamental change occurs, as described under "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Early Settlement upon a Fundamental Change."

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    Holders of Corporate Units may settle early only in integral multiples of 20 Corporate Units. If the Treasury portfolio has replaced the notes underlying the Corporate Units, holders of the Corporate Units may settle early only in integral multiples of 16,000 Corporate Units (or such other number of Corporate Units as may be determined by the remarketing agent upon a successful remarketing of notes if the reset effective date is not a regular quarterly interest payment date).

 

 

Holders of Treasury Units may settle early only in integral multiples of 20 Treasury Units.

Satisfying Your Payment Obligations
under the Purchase Contracts

 


As a holder of Corporate Units or Treasury Units, you may satisfy your obligations under the purchase contracts as follows:

 

 


 

through early settlement of your purchase contracts in the manner described in this prospectus supplement;

 

 


 

unless the Treasury portfolio has replaced the notes underlying the Corporate Units, through separate cash settlement prior to the final three-business day remarketing period described below in the case of holders of Corporate Units, in the manner described in this prospectus supplement;

 

 


 

through the automatic application of the proceeds of the Treasury securities, in the case of a Treasury Unit, or proceeds from the Treasury portfolio if it has replaced the notes underlying the Corporate Units;

 

 


 

through exercise of the put right as described below if no successful remarketing has occurred and none of the above events has taken place; or

 

 


 

without any further action, upon the termination of the purchase contracts as a result of a bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization involving Assured Guaranty (and not, for the avoidance of doubt, Assured Guaranty's subsidiaries).

 

 

If the Treasury securities you substitute for notes or your applicable ownership interest in the Treasury portfolio, as the case may be, produce proceeds at maturity that are less than the aggregate purchase price of the common shares to be issued pursuant to the purchase contracts underlying your Equity Units, you will be obligated to pay the amount of the deficiency. See "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Deficiencies."

The Notes

 

 

 

 

Issuer

 

Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc.

Guarantor

 

Assured Guaranty Ltd.

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Remarketing the Notes   Assured Guaranty US Holdings may, at its option, elect to remarket the notes underlying the Corporate Units on any remarketing date occurring during the period (which we call the "period for early remarketing") beginning on December 1, 2011 and ending on May 1, 2012, unless the notes have been previously redeemed in connection with a special event redemption or have been previously successfully remarketed. Any remarketing during this period will occur during one or more three-business day remarketing periods that consist of three sequential possible remarketing dates selected by Assured Guaranty US Holdings and will include the notes underlying the Corporate Units and other notes of holders that have elected to include those notes in the remarketing, as described below.

 

 

On each remarketing date occurring during the period for early remarketing, the remarketing agent will use its reasonable efforts to obtain a price for the notes remarketed equal to approximately 100% of the purchase price for the remarketing Treasury portfolio described in this prospectus supplement plus the applicable remarketing fee. If the remarketing is successful, interest on the notes will be reset to the "reset rate" described below and, except with respect to notes that are not a part of Corporate Units the holders of which have elected to have their separate notes remarketed (as described below), a portion of the proceeds from the remarketing equal to the remarketing Treasury portfolio purchase price will be applied to purchase the remarketing Treasury portfolio. This Treasury portfolio will be substituted for the notes underlying the Corporate Units and will be pledged to us through the collateral agent to secure the Corporate Unit holders' obligations under the purchase contracts. When paid at maturity, an amount of the Treasury portfolio equal to the principal amount of the substituted notes will automatically be applied to offset the Corporate Unit holders' obligations to purchase our common shares under the purchase contracts on June 1, 2012. See "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Remarketing" in this prospectus supplement.

 

 

If U.S. Treasury securities (or principal or interest strips thereof) that are to be included in a remarketing Treasury portfolio have a yield that is less than zero, then the cash proceeds from the remarketing (and not the U.S. Treasury securities) will be substituted for the notes that are components of the Corporate Units and will be pledged to us through the collateral agent to secure the Corporate Unit holders' obligation to purchase our common shares under the purchase contracts.

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    If none of the remarketings occurring during a three-business day remarketing period results in a successful remarketing, the interest rate on the notes will not be reset, the notes will continue to be a component of Corporate Units and subsequent remarketings may, subject to the next paragraph, be attempted during one or more subsequent three-business day remarketing periods as described above.

 

 

You may notify the purchase contract agent on or prior to the seventh business day immediately preceding June 1, 2012 of your intention to pay cash in order to satisfy your obligations under the related purchase contracts, unless the notes have been successfully remarketed during the period for early remarketing. If you have not given such notification and the notes have not been successfully remarketed during the period for early remarketing, the notes will be remarketed during a three-business day remarketing period beginning on, and including, the fifth business day, and ending on, and including, the third business day, immediately preceding June 1, 2012. This three-business day remarketing period is referred to as the "final three-business day remarketing period" and we refer to the third business day immediately preceding June 1, 2012 as the "final remarketing date." In this remarketing, the remarketing agent will use its reasonable efforts to obtain a price for the notes equal to approximately 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes being remarketed plus the applicable remarketing fee. If the remarketing is successful, interest on the notes will be reset to the "reset rate" described below and, except for notes that are not part of Corporate Units whose holders have elected to have their separate notes remarketed, a portion of the proceeds from the remarketing equal to the aggregate principal amount of the notes being remarketed will automatically be applied to offset in full the Corporate Unit holders' obligations to purchase our common shares under the related purchase contracts on the purchase contract settlement date.

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    If the notes have not been successfully remarketed on or prior to the final remarketing date, the interest rate on the notes will not be reset and holders of all notes will have the right to put their notes to us on the purchase contract settlement date at a put price equal to $1,000 per note ($50 per applicable ownership interest) plus accrued and unpaid interest. A holder of a note underlying a Corporate Unit will be deemed to have automatically exercised this put right unless such holder provides a written notice of an intention to settle the related purchase contract with cash as described in this prospectus supplement. Unless a Corporate Unit holder has settled the related purchase contracts with separate cash, such holder will be deemed to have elected to apply a portion of the proceeds of the put price equal to the principal amount of the notes underlying such Corporate Units against such holder's obligations to us under the related purchase contracts, thereby satisfying such obligations in full, and we will deliver to such holder our common shares pursuant to the related purchase contracts.

Election Not to Participate in the
Remarketing

 


You may elect not to participate in any remarketing and to retain the notes underlying your Corporate Units by:

 

 


 

creating Treasury Units as described above; or

 

 


 

settling purchase contracts early as described above; or

 

 


 

in the case of the final three-business day remarketing period, notifying the purchase contract agent of your intention to pay cash to satisfy your obligation under the related purchase contracts on or prior to the seventh business day before the purchase contract settlement date and delivering the cash payment required under the purchase contracts to the collateral agent on or prior to the sixth business day before the purchase contract settlement date.

 

 

Whether or not you participate in the remarketing, upon a successful remarketing your notes will become subject to the modified provisions described under "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Remarketing—Early Remarketing."

Additional Notes

 

Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. may, without notice to or the consent of the then existing holders of the notes, issue additional notes ranking equally and ratably with the notes in all respects except for the issue price, issue date and the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of the additional notes or the first payment of interest following the issue date of the additional notes. The additional notes will be consolidated and form a single series with the notes and will have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as the notes offered hereby.

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Interest   Interest on the notes will be payable, initially, quarterly in arrears at the rate of 8.50% per annum of the principal amount of the notes to, but excluding, the "reset effective date." The "reset effective date" will be:

 

 


 

in the case of a remarketing during the period for early remarketing, the third business day following the date on which a remarketing of the notes is successfully completed, unless the remarketing is successful within five business days of the next succeeding interest payment date in which case such interest payment date will be the reset effective date; or

 

 


 

in the case of a remarketing during the final three-business day remarketing period, the purchase contract settlement date.

 

 

Following a successful remarketing, the notes will bear interest at the "reset rate" described below from the reset effective date to, but excluding, June 1, 2014 or, if we elected to modify the stated maturity to a later date in connection with the successful remarketing, such later maturity date. If there is not a successful remarketing of the notes, the interest rate will not be reset and the notes will continue to bear interest at the initial interest rate, payable quarterly in arrears.

 

 

Prior to the reset effective date, interest payments will be payable quarterly in arrears on each March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1, commencing on September 1, 2009. From the reset effective date, interest payments on all notes may be paid semi-annually in arrears on interest payment dates to be selected by Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. If no successful remarketing of the notes occurs, interest payments on all notes will remain payable quarterly in arrears on the original quarterly interest payment dates.

The Reset Rate

 

Unless a special event redemption has occurred, the reset rate on the notes will become effective on the reset effective date. The reset rate will be the interest rate determined by the remarketing agent as the rate the notes should bear in order for the notes underlying the Corporate Units to have an approximate aggregate market value on the remarketing date of:

 

 


 

100% of the Treasury portfolio purchase price plus the applicable remarketing fee, in the case of a remarketing prior to the final three-business day remarketing period; or

 

 


 

100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes being remarketed plus the applicable remarketing fee, in the case of a remarketing during the final three-business day remarketing period.

 

 

The interest rate on the notes will not be reset if there is not a successful remarketing. Any reset rate may not exceed the maximum rate, if any, permitted by applicable law.

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Maturity   The initial maturity date of the notes will be June 1, 2014. Upon a successful remarketing of the notes, Assured Guaranty US Holdings may elect, without the consent of any of the holders, to modify the notes' stated maturity to any date later than June 1, 2014 and earlier than June 1, 2039. Such later maturity date, if any, will be selected on the remarketing date and will become effective on the reset effective date. If the notes are not successfully remarketed prior to June 1, 2012, the stated maturity of the notes will remain as June 1, 2014.

Redemption

 

The notes are redeemable at Assured Guaranty US Holdings' option, in whole but not in part, upon the occurrence and continuation of a tax event or an accounting event, as such terms are defined in this prospectus supplement (collectively, a "special event"), at any time prior to the earlier of the date of a successful remarketing and the purchase contract settlement date, as described in this prospectus supplement under "Description of the Notes—Optional Redemption—Special Event." Following any such redemption of the notes, which we refer to as a "special event redemption," the redemption price for the notes that underlie the Corporate Units will be paid to the collateral agent who will purchase the special event Treasury portfolio and remit any remaining proceeds to the holders. Thereafter, the applicable ownership interests in the special event Treasury portfolio will replace the applicable ownership interests in the notes as a component of the Corporate Units and will be pledged to us through the collateral agent. Holders of the notes that do not underlie Corporate Units will receive the redemption price paid in such special event redemption in full. Other than in connection with a special event, the notes may not be redeemed by Assured Guaranty US Holdings prior to June 1, 2014.

Ranking

 

The notes will rank equally with all of Assured Guaranty US Holdings' existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations both before and after the remarketing. See "Description of the Assured Guaranty US Holdings Debt Securities and Assured Guaranty Guarantee" in the accompanying prospectus.

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Assured Guaranty Guarantee   We will fully and unconditionally guarantee all payments on the notes. The guarantee will be our unsecured obligation and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. Since we are a holding company, our rights and the rights of our creditors, including you as a holder of the notes who would be a creditor of ours by virtue of our guarantee of the notes, and shareholders to participate in any distribution of the assets of any subsidiary upon the subsidiary's liquidation or reorganization or otherwise would be subject to prior claims of the subsidiary's creditors, except to the extent that we may be a creditor of the subsidiary. The right of our creditors, including you, to participate in the distribution of the stock owned by us in some of our subsidiaries, including our insurance subsidiaries, may also be subject to approval by insurance regulatory authorities having jurisdiction over the subsidiaries.

Participation in a Remarketing for
Holders of Separate Notes

 


Holders of notes that are not part of the Corporate Units may elect, in the manner described in this prospectus supplement, to have their notes remarketed by the remarketing agent along with the notes included in the Corporate Units. See "Description of the Notes—Optional Remarketing." Such holders may also participate in any remarketing by recreating Corporate Units from their Treasury Units at any time prior to the first day of the restricted period described under "Description of the Equity Units—Creating Treasury Units." Whether or not you participate in the remarketing, upon a successful remarketing your notes will become subject to the modified provisions described under "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Remarketing—Early Remarketing."

Put Right for Holders of Separate
Notes

 


Holders of notes that are not part of a Corporate Unit may exercise their put right upon a failed final remarketing by providing written notice at least two business days prior to the purchase contract settlement date. The put price will be paid to such holder on the purchase contract settlement date.

U.S. Federal Income Tax
Consequences

 


For a discussion of the material U.S. Federal income tax consequences relating to an investment in the Equity Units, see "Material Tax Considerations—U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences" below.

Risk Factors

 

You should carefully consider all of the information set forth and incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and, in particular, you should evaluate the specific factors set forth under "Risk Factors" beginning on page S-32 of this prospectus supplement before deciding whether to invest in the Equity Units.

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Concurrent Offering of Common
Shares
 
Concurrently with this offering, we are offering (the "Concurrent Common Share Offering") 38,500,000 common shares (or 44,275,000 common shares if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option in full), in a public offering.

 

 

We estimate that the proceeds from the Concurrent Common Share Offering will be approximately $403.9 million ($464.6 million if the underwriters exercise their overallotment option in full), after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses of the offering.

 

 

The Concurrent Common Share Offering will be effected pursuant to a separate prospectus supplement. This prospectus supplement shall not be deemed an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the common shares in the Concurrent Common Share Offering. We cannot assure you that the Concurrent Common Share Offering will be completed. The Concurrent Common Share Offering and this offering are not contingent upon each other.

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THE OFFERING—EXPLANATORY DIAGRAMS

              The following diagrams demonstrate some of the key features of the purchase contracts, applicable ownership interests in the notes, Corporate Units and Treasury Units, and the transformation of Corporate Units into Treasury Units and notes.

              The following diagrams assume that the notes are successfully remarketed during the final three-business day remarketing period and the interest rate on the notes is reset on the purchase contract settlement date.

Purchase Contract

              Corporate Units and Treasury Units both include a purchase contract under which the holder agrees to purchase our common shares on the purchase contract settlement date.

GRAPHIC


Notes:

(1)
If the applicable market value of our common shares is less than or equal to the reference price of $11.00 (subject to adjustment), the number of our common shares to be delivered to a holder of an Equity Unit will be calculated by dividing the stated amount of $50 by the reference price.

(2)
If the applicable market value of our common shares is between the reference price and the threshold appreciation price of $12.93 (subject to adjustment), the number of our common shares to be delivered to a holder of an Equity Unit will be calculated by dividing the stated amount of $50 by the applicable market value.

(3)
If the applicable market value of our common shares is greater than or equal to the threshold appreciation price, the number of our common shares to be delivered to a holder of an Equity Unit will be calculated by dividing the stated amount of $50 by the threshold appreciation price of $12.93 (subject to adjustment).

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(4)
The reference price is the public offering price of our common shares in the Concurrent Common Share Offering.

(5)
The threshold appreciation price represents a 17.5% appreciation over the reference price.

(6)
Expressed as a percentage of the reference price. The "applicable market value" means the average of the closing price per common share on each of the 20 consecutive trading days ending on the third trading day immediately preceding the purchase contract settlement date, subject to anti-dilution adjustments and certain other modifications.

Corporate Units

              A Corporate Unit consists of two components as described below:

GRAPHIC


Notes:

(1)
Each holder will own a 1/20, or 5%, undivided beneficial ownership interest in, and will be entitled to a corresponding portion of each interest payment payable in respect of, a $1,000 principal amount note.

(2)
Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.

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Treasury Units

GRAPHIC

The Notes

              The notes have the terms described below(1):

GRAPHIC


Note:

(1)
Treasury Units may only be created in integral multiples of 20. As a result, the creation of 20 Treasury Units will release a $1,000 principal amount note held by the collateral agent.

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Transforming Corporate Units into Treasury Units and Notes

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Notes:

(1)
Each holder will own a 1/20, or 5%, undivided beneficial ownership interest in, and will be entitled to a corresponding portion of each interest payment payable in respect of, a $1,000 principal amount note.

(2)
Notes will be issued in minimum denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples thereof.

(3)
In connection with the successful remarketing of the notes, AGUSH may elect to modify the stated maturity of the notes to any date on or after June 1, 2014 and earlier than June 1, 2039.

Illustrative Remarketing Timelines

              The following timeline is for illustrative purposes only and is not definitive. For purposes of this timeline, we assume that Assured Guaranty US Holdings has elected to remarket the aggregate principal amount of notes underlying the Corporate Units on the first day (which we refer to as "T" in the timeline) of a hypothetical three-business day remarketing period during the period for early remarketing beginning on, and including, December 1, 2011 and ending on, and including, May 1, 2012. This example assumes that the notes have not been previously redeemed in connection with a special event redemption or been previously successfully remarketed.

Date   Event

December 1, 2011

  First business day of the period for early remarketing.

T-16 business days (10 business days prior to the remarketing announcement date)

 

Notice to Holders—AGUSH will request, not later than 10 business days prior to the remarketing announcement date, that the depositary notify its participants holding notes, Corporate Units and Treasury Units of the remarketing.

T-6 business days (6 business days prior to the first day of the three-business day remarketing period)

 

Remarketing Announcement Date—AGUSH will announce any remarketing of the notes on such business day by causing a remarketing announcement to be published by making a timely release to any appropriate news agency, including Bloomberg Business News and the Dow Jones News Services.

T-5 business days (5 business days prior to the first day of the three-business day remarketing period)

 

Beginning of Optional Remarketing Election Period—Holders of notes that do not underlie Corporate Units may elect to have their notes remarketed in the same manner and at the same price as notes constituting a part of Corporate Units by delivering their notes along with a notice of this election to the custodial agent.

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Date   Event

T-2 business days (2 business days prior to the first day of the three-business day remarketing period)

 

End of Optional Remarketing Election Period—This is the last day for holders of notes that do not underlie Corporate Units to elect to have their notes remarketed in the same manner and at the same price as notes constituting a part of Corporate Units by delivering their notes along with a notice of this election to the custodial agent.

T-1 business day (1 business day prior to the first day of the three-business day remarketing period)

 

This is the last day prior to the three-business day remarketing period:

 

 

to create Treasury Units from Corporate Units and recreate Corporate Units from Treasury Units; and

 

 

for holders of Corporate Units to settle the related purchase contracts early.

 

Holders of Corporate Units will once again be able to make any of these elections on the business day following the last remarketing day of the three-business day remarketing period if the remarketing is unsuccessful.

T to T+2 business days (3 business days beginning on, and including, the first day of the remarketing period)

 

Three-Business Day Remarketing Period—

 

 

if a failed remarketing occurs, we will cause a notice of the unsuccessful remarketing of notes to be published on the business day following the last of the three remarketing dates comprising the three-business day remarketing period.

 

 

if a successful remarketing occurs, (i) the remarketing agent will purchase the Treasury portfolio and (ii) we will request the depositary to notify its participants holding notes of the maturity date, reset rate, interest payment dates, and any other modified terms, established for the notes during the remarketing on the business day following the remarketing date on which the notes were successfully remarketed.

 

Reset Effective Date—The reset rate on the notes, the modified maturity date, if any, and the modified redemption rights, if any, will be determined on the date that the remarketing agent is able to successfully remarket the notes, and will become effective, if the remarketing is successful, on the reset effective date, which will be the third business day following the date on which a remarketing of the notes is successfully completed, unless the remarketing is successful within 5 business days of an interest payment date in which case such interest payment date will be the reset effective date.

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              The following timeline is for illustrative purposes and is not definitive. For purposes of this timeline, we have assumed that there was no successful remarketing during the period for early remarketing and that the notes have not been previously redeemed in connection with a special event redemption.

Date   Event

No later than May 7, 2012 (10 business days prior to the final remarketing announcement date)

  Notice to Holders—AGUSH will request, not later than 10 business days prior to the final remarketing announcement date, that the depositary notify its participants holding notes, Corporate Units and Treasury Units of the remarketing.

May 17, 2012 (5 business days prior to the first day of the final three-business day remarketing period)

 

Beginning of Final Remarketing Election Period—Holders of notes that do not underlie Corporate Units may elect to have their notes remarketed in the same manner and at the same price as notes constituting a part of Corporate Units by delivering their notes along with a notice of this election to the custodial agent.

May 21, 2012 (3 business days prior to the first business day of the final remarketing period)

 

Final Remarketing Announcement Date—We will announce the remarketing to occur during the final three-business day remarketing period on such day by causing a remarketing announcement to be published by making a timely release to any appropriate news agency, including Bloomberg Business News and the Dow Jones News Services.

May 22, 2012 (2 business days prior to the first day of the final three-business day remarketing period and 7 business days immediately preceding June 1, 2012)

 

End of Final Remarketing Election Period—This is the last day for holders of notes that do not underlie Corporate Units to elect to have their notes remarketed in the same manner and at the same price as notes constituting a part of Corporate Units by delivering their notes along with a notice of this election to the custodial agent.

 

Notice to Settle With Cash—A holder of a Corporate Unit wishing to settle the related purchase contract with separate cash must notify the purchase contract agent by presenting and surrendering the Corporate Unit certificate evidencing the Corporate Unit at the offices of the purchase contract agent with the form of "Notice to Settle by Separate Cash" on the reverse side of the certificate completed and executed as indicated on or prior to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on this day.

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Date   Event

 

This is also the last day prior to the final three-business day remarketing period:

 

 

to create Treasury Units from Corporate Units and recreate Corporate Units from Treasury Units; and

 

 

for holders of Corporate Units or Treasury Units to settle the related purchase contracts early.

May 23, 2012 (1 business day immediately preceding the final three-business day remarketing period and six business days immediately preceding June 1, 2012)

 

This is the last day prior to the final three-business day remarketing period for holders of Corporate Units who have elected to settle the related purchase contracts with separate cash to deliver the required cash payment to the collateral agent on or prior to 11:00 a.m., New York City time on such day.

May 24, 2012 to May 29, 2012 (final remarketing period)

 

Final Three-Business Day Remarketing Period—We will attempt a final remarketing beginning on, and including, the fifth business day, and ending on, and including, the third business day, immediately preceding the purchase contract settlement date.

 

If a successful remarketing does not occur during the final three-business day remarketing period, we will cause a notice of the unsuccessful remarketing attempt of notes to be published not later than 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on the business day following the last of the three remarketing dates comprising the final three-business day remarketing period.

June 1, 2012 (the purchase contract settlement date)

 

Reset Effective Date—The reset rate on the notes, the modified maturity date, if any, and the modified redemption rights, if any, will be determined on the date that the remarketing agent is able to successfully remarket the notes, and will become effective, if the final remarketing is successful, on the reset effective date, which will be the purchase contract settlement date.

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RISK FACTORS

              You should carefully consider the following risk factors, as well as the other information included or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus, before making an investment decision. The factors described below represent our principal risk factors.

Risks Relating to the Acquisition

               One or more of the conditions to our or Dexia Holdings' obligation to complete the Acquisition may not be satisfied and the Acquisition may not be completed.

              Our and Dexia Holdings' obligations to complete the Acquisition are subject to a number of conditions specified in the Purchase Agreement. See "Description of the Acquisition—Closing." Among these conditions is the requirement that we shall have received in writing or some other manner reasonably satisfactory to us from each of Fitch, Moody's and Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. ("S&P") a statement indicating that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement will not result in a downgrade of AGC, AG Re and AG UK and that Dexia Holdings shall have received in writing or some other manner reasonably satisfactory to it from each of such rating agencies a statement indicating that the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement will not result in a downgrade of FSA. All of the closing conditions (other than those conditions that by their nature are to be satisfied at the closing) have been met or waived. However, if Fitch, Moody's or S&P were to withdraw its statement regarding the effect of the Acquisition on AGC, AG UK and AG Re, or on FSA, we or Dexia, as the case may be, would not be required to complete the Acquisition. In addition, certain conditions to the completion of the closing of the Acquisition are to be met at the closing date, including the absence of any governmental or judicial action prohibiting or making illegal the completion of the Acquisition and the accuracy of our representations and warranties in the Purchase Agreement. While we are not currently aware of any conditions to the closing of the Acquisition that would not be met, some of the conditions are outside of our control. In the event one of the conditions to our or Dexia Holdings' obligation to close the Acquisition is not met, we or Dexia Holdings might not complete the Acquisition. In such event, we would not obtain the benefits of the Acquisition.

              Additionally, if the Acquisition is not completed for any reason, the price of our common shares may decline to the extent that (i) the current market price reflects a market assumption that the Acquisition will be completed and that the related benefits and synergies will be realized, (ii) the market perceives that the Acquisition was not consummated due to an adverse change in our business, or (iii) investors believe that we cannot compete in the marketplace as effectively without the Acquisition or otherwise remain uncertain about our future prospects in the absence of the Acquisition. Also, if the Acquisition does not occur, we may not be able to efficiently use the proceeds from this offering.

               Loss reserve estimates are subject to uncertainties and loss reserves may not be adequate to cover potential paid claims.

              The financial guarantees issued by Assured and FSA insure the financial performance of the obligations guaranteed over an extended period of time, in some cases over 30 years, under policies that Assured and FSA have, in most circumstances, no right to cancel. The Acquisition will increase our net par outstanding from approximately $237.2 billion to approximately $654.5 billion as of March 31, 2009 on a combined pro-forma basis excluding FSAH's Financial Products business. As a result of the lack of statistical paid loss data due to the low level of paid claims in our financial guaranty business and in the financial guaranty industry in general, particularly, until recently, in the structured asset-backed area, we do not use traditional actuarial approaches to determine loss reserves. The establishment of the appropriate level of loss reserves is an inherently subjective process involving

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numerous estimates, assumptions and judgments by management, using both internal and external data sources with regard to frequency and severity of loss. Actual losses will ultimately depend on events or transaction performance that will occur in the future. Therefore, we cannot assure you that current estimates of probable and estimable losses reflect the actual losses that we may ultimately incur or that the methodologies we and FSAH use to establish reserves in general or for any specific obligations have been the same historically or that they similar to methodologies employed by our competitors, counterparties or other market participants. Actual paid claims could exceed our estimate and could significantly exceed our loss reserves, which may result in adverse effects on our financial condition, ratings and ability to raise needed capital.

               We will have exposure through financial guaranty insurance policies to FSAH's Financial Products business, which we are not acquiring.

              FSAH, through the Financial Products Companies, offered FSA-insured GICs and other investment agreements, including MTNs. In connection with the Acquisition, FSAH will transfer to Dexia Holdings, or any of its subsidiaries, the ownership interests in the Financial Products Companies that it holds. Even though FSAH will no longer own the Financial Products Companies after the Acquisition, FSA's guarantees of the GICs and MTNs and other guarantees related to FSA's MTN and Leveraged Tax Lease Businesses generally will remain in place. While Dexia and/or certain of its affiliates and FSAH have entered into and are expected to enter into, at closing, a number of agreements pursuant to which Dexia and certain of its affiliates will assume the credit and liquidity risks associated with FSAH's former Financial Products business, FSA may still be subject to certain of these risks (as further described below). To the extent FSA is required to pay any amounts on financial products written by the Financial Products Companies, FSA will be subject to the risk that it will not receive the guarantee payment from Dexia and/or its affiliates or otherwise receive funds from Dexia or the Belgian State and/or French State before it is required to make the payment under its financial guarantee policies or that it will not receive the guarantee payment at all. See "Description of the Acquisition—Financial Products Agreements."

               We will have substantial credit and liquidity exposure to Dexia and the Belgian and French states.

              Dexia and its affiliates have entered into and are expected to enter into, at closing, a number of agreements pursuant to which Dexia and/or certain of its affiliates will guarantee certain amounts, lend certain amounts or post liquid collateral to or in respect of FSAH's former Financial Products business. In addition, Dexia has agreed (directly or through an affiliate) to provide a liquidity facility to FSA in an amount not to exceed $1 billion for the purpose of covering the liquidity risk arising out of claims payable in respect of "strip coverages" included in FSAH's leveraged tax lease business. See "Description of the Acquisition—Financial Products Agreements." While these various agreements, are intended to shield Assured from paying any amounts in respect of the liabilities of the Financial Products business, Assured will remain subject to the risk that Dexia and/or various affiliates, and even the Belgian State and/or the French State, may not make such amounts or securities available (a) on a timely basis, which is referred to as "liquidity risk," or (b) at all, which is referred to as "credit risk," because of the risk of default. Even if Dexia and its affiliates and/or the Belgian State or French State have sufficient assets to pay all amounts when due, concerns regarding Dexia's or such States' financial condition could cause one or more rating agencies to view negatively the ability of Dexia and its affiliates or such States to perform under their various agreements and could negatively affect FSA's ratings.

              Dexia and FSAH have entered into and are entering into a number of agreements pursuant to which Dexia and/or certain of its affiliates will guarantee the assets and liabilities of the GIC Issuers and FSAM and its subsidiary for the benefit of FSA. Certain of these obligations also benefit from a guarantee from the Belgian and French States. See "Description of the Acquisition—Financial Products

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Agreements." As of March 31, 2009, the liabilities of the GIC Issuers and FSAM and its subsidiary exceeded their assets by approximately $8.7 billion (before any tax effects). To the extent FSA is required to pay any amounts in respect of the liabilities of these companies, FSA will be subject to the risk that it will not receive the guarantee payment from Dexia, Dexia's affiliates, the Belgian State and/or the French State before it is required to make the payment under its financial guarantee policy or that it will not receive the guarantee payment at all.

              In addition, if a Dexia event of default were to occur, we may be required to direct the administration and management of the assets and liabilities of the GIC subsidiaries and could be delayed in our ability to utilize the collateral posted by Dexia and its affiliate under the credit support annexes. See "Description of the Acquisition—Financial Products Agreements." Any delay in the GIC subsidiaries paying amounts due and payable in connection with the GIC business related to our assuming the obligation to direct the administration and management of the GIC subsidiaries' assets and liabilities or related to a delay in our access to the collateral posted by Dexia and its affiliate could require FSA to pay claims, and in some cases significant claims, under the FSA guarantees related to FSAH's Financial Products business in a relatively short period of time. Any failure of FSA to satisfy these obligations under its guarantees could negatively affect FSA's rating. See "—A downgrade of the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings of FSA could adversely affect its business and prospects and, consequently, our results of operations and financial condition and thus the benefits we would otherwise gain from the Acquisition" below.

               Restrictions on the conduct of FSA's business after the closing will limit Assured's operating and financial flexibility.

              Under the Purchase Agreement, we have agreed to conduct FSA's business subject to certain restraints. These restrictions will generally continue for three years after the closing of the Acquisition. Among other things, we have agreed that unless FSA is rated below A1 by Moody's and below AA- by S&P, FSA will not write any business except municipal bond and infrastructure bond insurance, whether written directly, assumed, reinsured or occurring through any merger transaction. We have also agreed that FSA will not repurchase, redeem or pay any dividends in relation to any class of equity interests unless (i) (A) at such time FSA is rated at least AA- by S&P, AA- by Fitch and Aa3 by Moody's (if such rating agencies still rate financial guaranty insurers generally) and (B) the aggregate amount of such dividends in any year does not exceed 125% of FSAH's debt service requirements for that year or (ii) FSA receives prior rating agency confirmation that such action would not cause any rating currently assigned to FSA to be downgraded immediately following such action. These agreements will limit Assured's operating and financial flexibility.

               Although we expect that the acquisition of FSAH will result in benefits to Assured, we may not realize those benefits because of integration difficulties.

              Integrating the operations of Assured and FSAH successfully or otherwise realizing any of the anticipated benefits of the Acquisition, including anticipated cost savings and additional revenue opportunities, involve a number of potential challenges. The failure to meet these integration challenges could seriously harm our results of operations and the market price of the Assured common shares may decline as a result.

              Realizing the benefits of the Acquisition will depend in part on the integration of information technology systems, operations and personnel. These integration activities are complex and time-consuming and we may encounter unexpected difficulties or incur unexpected costs, including:

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              We may not successfully integrate the operations of Assured and FSAH in a timely manner and we may not realize the anticipated net reductions in costs and expenses and other benefits and synergies of the Acquisition to the extent, or in the time frame, anticipated. In addition to the integration risks discussed above, our ability to realize these net reductions in costs and expenses and other benefits and synergies could be adversely impacted by practical or legal constraints on our ability to combine operations.

               Subject to certain limitations, Dexia Holdings may sell Assured common shares at any time following the one year anniversary of the Purchase Agreement, which could cause our stock price to decrease.

              Dexia Holdings has agreed not to transfer any of the Assured common shares received in connection with the Acquisition at any time prior to November 14, 2009, the one year anniversary of the Purchase Agreement. We have agreed to register all of such Assured common shares under the Securities Act. The sale of a substantial number of Assured common shares by Dexia Holdings or our other stockholders within a short period of time could cause Assured's stock price to decrease, make it more difficult for us to raise funds through future offerings of Assured common shares or acquire other businesses using Assured common shares as consideration.

               A downgrade of the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings of FSA would adversely affect its business and prospects and, consequently, its results of operations and financial condition and thus the benefits we would otherwise gain from the Acquisition.

              As discussed below under "—A downgrade of the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings of any of our insurance subsidiaries would adversely affect our business and prospects and, consequently, our results of operations and financial condition," financial strength ratings are an important factor in establishing the competitive position of financial guaranty insurance and reinsurance companies.

              On March 31, 2009, FSA was rated Triple-A (outlook negative) by S&P; Triple-A (rating watch negative) by Fitch and Aa3 (developing outlook) by Moody's. Subsequently, on May 11, 2009, Fitch downgraded FSA's rating to AA+ (rating watch negative). Fitch reported that the downgrade of FSA to AA+ was attributable to FSA's credit exposure to the AA+ rating of the Kingdom of Belgium in connection with the separation of the Financial Products operations from FSA.

              Rating agencies may downgrade or revise their financial strength or financial enhancement ratings without notice and at any time. A downgrade of FSA's financial strength or financial enhancement ratings would adversely affect its business prospects and consequently, its results of operations and financial condition and thus the benefits we would otherwise gain from the Acquisition.

               You will experience a reduction in percentage ownership and voting power with respect to Assured common shares as a result of the Acquisition.

              In connection with the Acquisition, we will issue to Dexia Holdings up to 44,567,901 Assured common shares. Therefore, following the completion of the Acquisition, you will experience a reduction in your respective percentage ownership interests and effective voting power relative to their respective percentage ownership interests in Assured common shares and effective voting power prior to the Acquisition.

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Risks Related to Our Business

               Loss reserve estimates are subject to uncertainties and loss reserves may not be adequate to cover potential paid claims.

              The financial guaranties issued by us insure the credit performance of the obligations guaranteed over an extended period of time, in some cases over 30 years, under policies that we have, in most circumstances, no right to cancel. As a result of the lack of statistically significant paid loss data due to the low level of paid claims in our financial guaranty business and in the financial guaranty industry in general, particularly, until recently, in the structured finance and asset-backed areas, we do not use traditional actuarial approaches to determine loss reserves. The establishment of the appropriate level of loss reserves is an inherently subjective process involving numerous estimates, assumptions and judgments by management, using both internal and external data sources with regard to frequency and severity of loss. Actual losses will ultimately depend on events or transaction performance that will occur in the future. Therefore, there can be no assurance that actual paid claims in our insured portfolio will not exceed our loss reserves or that the methodologies we and FSA use to establish reserves in general or for any specific obligations have been the same historically or that they are similar to methodologies employed by our competitors, counterparties or other market participants.

              This uncertainty has substantially increased in recent months, especially for RMBS transactions. Current expected losses in subprime, Alt-A, closed-end second and home equity line of credit ("HELOC") RMBS transactions, as well as other real-estate related transactions, are far worse than originally expected and in many cases far worse than the worst historical losses. As a result, historical loss data may have limited value in predicting future RMBS losses. Our net par outstanding as of March 31, 2009 represented by U.S. RMBS and home equity loans was $17.8 billion and represented by commercial mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS") was $5.9 billion. FSA had net par outstanding as of March 31, 2009 represented by U.S. RMBS and home equity loans of $16.5 billion with no CMBS exposure. We cannot assure you that current estimates of probable and estimable losses reflect the actual losses that we may ultimately incur. Actual paid claims could exceed our estimate and could significantly exceed our loss reserves, which may result in adverse effects on our financial condition, ratings and ability to raise needed capital.

               A downgrade of the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings of any of our insurance subsidiaries would adversely affect our business and prospects and, consequently, our results of operations and financial condition.

              Financial strength ratings are an important factor in establishing the competitive position of financial guaranty insurance and reinsurance companies. The objective of these ratings is to provide an opinion of an insurer's financial strength and ability to meet ongoing obligations to its policyholders. Ratings reflect the rating agencies' opinions of our financial strength, and are neither evaluations directed to investors in our common shares nor recommendations to buy, sell or hold our common shares.

              As of June 1, 2009, our insurance company subsidiaries have been assigned the following insurance financial strength ratings:

 
  Moody's   S&P   Fitch

Assured Guaranty Corp. 

  Aa2(Excellent)   AAA(Extremely Strong)   AA(Very Strong)

Assured Guaranty Re Ltd. 

  Aa3(Excellent)   AA(Very Strong)   AA-(Very Strong)

Assured Guaranty Re Overseas Ltd. 

  Aa3(Excellent)   AA(Very Strong)   AA-(Very Strong)

Assured Guaranty Mortgage Insurance Company

  Aa3(Excellent)   AA(Very Strong)   AA-(Very Strong)

Assured Guaranty (UK) Ltd. 

  Aa2(Excellent)   AAA(Extremely Strong)   AA(Very Strong)

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              The outlook for each insurance financial strength rating issued by Moody's is under review for possible downgrade. The outlook for each insurance financial strength rating issued by Fitch is rating watch evolving.

              Aa2 (Excellent) is the third highest ranking and Aa3 (Excellent) is the fourth highest ranking of 21 ratings categories used by Moody's. A AAA (Extremely Strong) rating is the highest ranking and AA (Very Strong) is the third highest ranking of the 21 ratings categories used by S&P. AAA (Extremely Strong) is the highest ranking and AA (Very Strong) is the third highest ranking of the 24 ratings categories used by Fitch. An insurance financial strength rating is an opinion with respect to an insurer's ability to pay under its insurance policies and contracts in accordance with their terms. The opinion is not specific to any particular policy or contract. Insurance financial strength ratings do not refer to an insurer's ability to meet non-insurance obligations and are not a recommendation to purchase or discontinue any policy or contract issued by an insurer or to buy, hold, or sell any security issued by an insurer, including our common shares.

              The major rating agencies have developed and published rating guidelines for rating financial guaranty and mortgage guaranty insurers and reinsurers. The insurance financial strength ratings assigned by S&P, Moody's and Fitch are based upon factors relevant to policyholders and are not directed toward the protection of investors in our common shares. The rating criteria used by the rating agencies in establishing these ratings include consideration of the sufficiency of capital resources to meet projected growth (as well as access to such additional capital as may be necessary to continue to meet applicable capital adequacy standards), the company's overall financial strength, and demonstrated management expertise in financial guaranty and traditional reinsurance, credit analysis, systems development, marketing, capital markets and investment operations. Obligations insured by AGC generally are rated Aa2, AAA and AA by Moody's, S&P and Fitch, respectively, by virtue of such insurance. These ratings reflect only the views of the respective rating agencies and are subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.

              The rating agencies grant credit to primary companies in their calculations of required capital and single risk limits for reinsurance ceded. The amount of credit is a function of the financial strength rating of the reinsurer. For example, S&P has established the following reinsurance credit for business ceded to a monoline reinsurer, including AG Re:

 
  Monoline Reinsurer Rating  
Ceding Company Rating
  AAA   AA   A   BBB  

AAA

    100 %   70 %   50 %   n/a  

AA

    100 %   75 %   70 %   50 %

A

    100 %   80 %   75 %   70 %

              For reinsurance ceded to a multiline reinsurer, S&P has re-examined its methodology for the determination of reinsurance credit. In the course of its examination, S&P considered the effect of having both monoline and multiline companies in the industry, determining that multiline reinsurers had not demonstrated sufficient commitment to participation in the industry and occasionally had handled claims for financial guaranty reinsurance as they handle claims in their other business lines. S&P therefore determined that no rating agency reinsurance credit would be accorded cessions to multiline reinsurance companies that had not demonstrated their willingness and ability to make timely payment, which willingness and ability is measured by a financial enhancement rating from S&P. A financial enhancement rating reflects not only an insurer's perceived ability to pay claims, but also its perceived willingness to pay claims. Financial enhancement ratings are assigned by S&P to multiline insurers requesting the rating who meet stringent criteria identifying the company's capacity and

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willingness to pay claims on a timely basis. S&P has established the following reinsurance credit for business ceded to a multiline reinsurer carrying a financial enhancement rating:

 
  Multiline Reinsurer Rating  
Ceding Company Rating
  AAA   AA   A   BBB  

AAA

    95 %   65 %   45 %   n/a  

AA

    95 %   70 %   65 %   45 %

A

    95 %   75 %   70 %   65 %

              The ratings of AGRO, AGMIC and AG UK are dependent upon support in the form of keepwell agreements. AG Re provides a keepwell to its subsidiary, AGRO. AGRO provides a keepwell to its subsidiary, AGMIC. AGC provides a keepwell to its subsidiary, AG UK. Pursuant to the terms of these agreements, each of AG Re, AGRO and AGC agrees to provide funds to their respective subsidiaries sufficient for those subsidiaries to meet their obligations.

              The ratings assigned by S&P, Moody's and Fitch to our insurance subsidiaries are subject to periodic review and may be downgraded by one or more of the rating agencies as a result of changes in the views of the rating agencies or adverse developments in our subsidiaries' financial conditions or results of operations due to underwriting or investment losses or other factors. As a result, the ratings assigned to our insurance subsidiaries by any of the rating agencies may change at any time. If the ratings of any of our insurance subsidiaries were reduced below current levels by any of the rating agencies, it could have an adverse effect on the affected subsidiary's competitive position and its prospects for future business opportunities. A downgrade may also reduce the value of the reinsurance we offer, which may no longer be of sufficient economic value for our customers to continue to cede to our subsidiaries at economically viable rates.

              On May 20, 2009, Moody's placed under review for possible downgrade the Aa2 insurance financial strength rating of AGC, as well as the ratings of other entities within the Assured group. In its public announcement of the rating action, Moody's stated that action reflects its view that despite recent improvements in Assured's market position, the expected performance of Assured's insured portfolio—particularly the mortgage-related risks—has substantially worsened. At the same time, Moody's also placed the Aa3 insurance financial strength ratings of FSA and its affiliated insurance operating companies on review for possible downgrade. In its public announcement of the rating action, Moody's cited its growing concerns about FSA's business and financial profile as a result of further deterioration in FSA's US mortgage portfolio and the related adverse effect on its capital adequacy, profitability, and market traction. In both press releases, Moody's noted that it has taken a more negative view of mortgage-related exposures in light of worse-than-expected performance trends, and recognized the continued susceptibility of the insured portfolio to the weak economic environment. Moody's also commented that the deterioration in the insured portfolios could have negative implications for the companies' franchise values, profitability and financial flexibility given the likely sensitivity of those business attributes to its capital position. Moody's also noted that the market dislocation caused by declining financial strength of financial guaranty insurers may alter the competitive dynamics of the industry by encouraging the entry of new participants or the growth of alternative forms of execution.

              On May 4, 2009, Fitch downgraded the debt and insurer financial strength ratings of Assured Guaranty Ltd. and its subsidiaries. Fitch's insurer financial strength ratings for AGC and AG UK are now AA (rating watch evolving), down from AAA (stable) while the insurer financial strength rating for AG Re is AA- (rating watch evolving), down from AA (stable). Fitch cited Assured's exposures to mortgage-related and collateralized debt obligations of trust preferred securities as creating pressure on Assured's capital position. On May 11, 2009, Fitch lowered the rating of FSA to AA+ (negative credit

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watch). Fitch reported that the downgrade of FSA to AA+ was attributable to FSA's credit exposure to the AA+ rating of the Kingdom of Belgium in connection with the separation of the Financial Products operations from FSA.

              The rating agencies periodically review their stress loss estimates for our portfolio. Their reviews could lead one or more of them to change their views of Assured and its subsidiaries and downgrade or revise the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings of Assured and its subsidiaries without notice and at any time. There can be no assurance that one or more of the rating agencies will not take further action on our ratings.

              If the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings of any of our insurance subsidiaries were reduced below current levels, we expect it would have an adverse effect on our business prospects for future business opportunities and consequently, our results of operations and financial condition. A downgrade may also reduce the value of the reinsurance we offer, which may no longer be of sufficient economic value for our customers to continue to cede to our subsidiaries at economically viable rates.

              A downgrade in the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings assigned to our operating subsidiaries could adversely impact our existing agreements, which could impair our results of operations and financial condition.

              With respect to a significant portion of our in-force financial guaranty reinsurance business, in the event that AG Re were downgraded from Aa3 to A1, subject to the terms of each reinsurance agreement, the ceding company may have the right to recapture business ceded to AG Re and assets representing substantially all of the statutory unearned premium and loss reserves (if any) associated with that business. As of March 31, 2009, the statutory unearned premium, which represents deferred revenue to us, subject to recapture was approximately $170 million. If this entire amount were recaptured, it would result in a corresponding one-time reduction to net income of approximately $15 million. The effect on net income under these scenarios is exclusive of any capital gains or losses that may be realized.

              If certain of our credit derivative contracts are terminated, we could be required to make a termination payment as determined under the relevant documentation. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, if AGC's ratings are downgraded to BBB+ or Baa1, certain CDS counterparties could terminate certain CDS contracts covering approximately $449.6 million par insured. If AGC's ratings are downgraded to levels between BBB or Baa2 and BB+ or Ba1, certain CDS counterparties could terminate certain CDS contracts covering approximately $8.1 billion par insured. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, if AG Re's or AGRO's ratings are downgraded to BBB or Baa2 or BBB- or Baa3, respectively, certain CDS counterparties could terminate certain CDS contracts covering approximately $121.7 million par insured. Given current market conditions, we do not believe that we can accurately estimate the termination payments we could be required to make if, as a result of any such downgrade, a CDS counterparty terminated its CDS contracts with us. Any such payments could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and financial condition.

              During May and June 2009, we entered into agreements with two CDS counterparties which previously had the right to terminate certain CDS contracts in the event that AGC was downgraded to below Aa3 or AA-, in one case, or below A3 or A-, in the other case. These agreements eliminated the ability of those CDS counterparties to receive a termination payment. In return, we agreed to post $325 million in collateral to secure our potential payment obligations under certain CDS contracts, which cover approximately $18.9 billion of par insured. The collateral posting would increase to $375 million if AGC were downgraded to below AA- or A2. The posting of this collateral has no impact on our net income or shareholders' equity nor does it impact AGC's statutory surplus or net income. We currently are negotiating with several other CDS counterparties to further reduce our exposure to possible termination payments. We cannot assure you that any agreement will be reached with any such CDS counterparty.

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              In addition to the collateral posting described in the previous paragraph, under a limited number of other CDS contracts, we may be required to post eligible securities as collateral—generally cash or U.S. government or agency securities. This requirement is based generally on a mark-to-market valuation in excess of contractual thresholds which decline if our ratings decline. As of the date of this prospectus supplement, we are posting approximately $192.5 million of collateral in respect of approximately $1.6 billion of par insured. Any amounts required to be posted as collateral in the future will depend on changes in the market values of these transactions. If AGC were downgraded below A- or A3, certain of the contractual thresholds would be eliminated and the amount of par that could be subject to collateral posting requirements would be $2.2 billion. The actual amounts posted would be based on market conditions at the time of the posting and the applicable CDS contracts. Any such amounts posted could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity. However, the posting of this collateral would have no impact on our net income or shareholders' equity nor would it impact AGC's statutory surplus or net income.

               Actions taken by the rating agencies with respect to capital models and rating methodology of our business or transactions within our insured portfolio may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

              Changes in the rating agencies' capital models and rating methodology, including loss assumptions, and the risks in our investment and insured portfolios could require us to hold more capital to maintain our current ratings levels. These changes in methodology or assumptions could require us to hold more capital even if there are no adverse developments with respect any specific investments or insured risks. The rating agencies have recently indicated that they are considering changes to the loss assumptions applied in the stress tests they apply to the portfolios of financial guarantors. These loss assumptions are not always provided to us by the rating agencies and, even if they are provided to us, we may disagree with the rating agency loss assumptions. There can be no assurance that the amount of additional required capital will not be substantial or that such capital will be available to us on favorable terms and conditions or at all. The failure to raise additional required capital could result in a downgrade of our ratings, which could be one or more ratings categories, and thus have an adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

              Individual credits in our insured portfolio (including potential new credits) are assessed a rating agency "capital charge" based on a variety of factors, including the nature of the credits, their underlying ratings, their tenor and their expected and actual performance. Factors influencing rating agencies' actions are beyond management's control and are not always known to us. In the event of an actual or perceived deterioration in creditworthiness, a reduction in the underlying rating or a change in the rating agency capital methodology, the rating agencies may require us to increase the amount of capital allocated to support the affected credits, regardless of whether losses actually occur, or against potential new business. Significant reductions in underlying ratings of credits in our insured portfolio can produce significant increases in assessed "capital charges", which may require us to seek additional capital. There can be no assurance that our capital position will be adequate to meet such increased reserve requirements or that we will be able to secure additional capital, especially at a time of actual or perceived deterioration in creditworthiness of new or existing credits. Unless we are able to increase its amount of available capital, an increase in capital charges could reduce the amount of capital available to support our ratings and could have an adverse effect on our ability to write new business.

              In recent months Fitch, Moody's and S&P have announced the downgrade of, or other negative ratings actions with respect to, a large number of structured finance transactions, including certain transactions that we insure. There can be no assurance that additional securities in our insured portfolio will not be reviewed and downgraded in the future. Moreover, we do not know what portion of the securities in our insured portfolio already have been reviewed by the rating agencies and if, and when, the rating agencies might review additional securities in our insured portfolio or review again

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securities that have already been reviewed and/or downgraded. Downgrades of credits that we insure will result in higher capital charges to us under the relevant rating agency model or models. If the additional amount of capital required to support such exposures is significant, we could be required to raise additional capital, if available, on terms and conditions that may not be favorable to us, curtail current business writings, or pay to transfer a portion of our in-force business to generate capital for ratings purposes with the goal of maintaining our ratings or suffer ratings downgrades. Such events or actions could adversely affect our results of operations, financial condition, ability to write new business or competitive positioning.

               If the current difficult conditions in the U.S. and world-wide financial markets continue for an extended period or intensify, our business, liquidity, financial condition and stock price may be adversely affected.

              The volatility and disruption in the global financial markets have reached unprecedented levels. The availability and cost of credit has been materially affected. These factors, combined with volatile oil prices, depressed home prices and increasing foreclosures, falling equity market values, declining business and consumer confidence and the risks of increased inflation and unemployment, have precipitated an economic slowdown and fears of a severe recession. These conditions may adversely affect our profitability, financial position, investment portfolio, cash flow, statutory capital and stock price.

              Issuers or borrowers whose securities or loans we hold and counterparties under swaps and other derivative contracts may default on their obligations to us due to bankruptcy, insolvency, lack of liquidity, adverse economic conditions, operational failure, fraud or other reasons. Additionally, the underlying assets supporting our structured securities may deteriorate causing these securities to incur losses. These losses could be significantly more than we expect and could materially adversely impact our financial strength, ratings and prospects for future business.

              Our access to funds under its credit facilities is dependent on the ability of the banks that are parties to the facilities to meet their funding commitments. Those banks may not be able to meet their funding commitments to us if they experience shortages of capital and liquidity or if they experience excessive volumes of borrowing requests from us and other borrowers within a short period of time. In addition, consolidation of financial institutions could lead to an increased credit risk.

               Some of the state and local governments that issue obligations we insure are experiencing unprecedented budget shortfalls that could result in increased credit losses or impairments on those obligations.

              In recent months state and local governments that issue some of the obligations we insure have reported unprecedented budget shortfalls that will require them to significantly raise taxes and/or cut spending in order to satisfy their obligations. While there have been some proposals by the U.S. federal government designed to provide aid to state and local governments, there can be no assurance that any of these proposals will be adopted. If the issuers of the obligations in our public finance portfolio are unable to raise taxes, increase spending, or receive federal assistance, we may experience losses or impairments on those obligations, which would materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

               We may require additional capital in the future, including soft capital and liquidity credit facilities, which may not be available or may be available only on unfavorable terms.

              Our capital requirements depend on many factors, including our in force book of business and rating agency capital requirements. To the extent that our existing capital is insufficient to meet these requirements and/or cover losses, we may need to raise additional funds through financings or curtail

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our growth and reduce our assets. Our access to external sources of financing, as well as the cost of such financing, is dependent on various factors, including market supply of such financing, our long term debt ratings and the insurance financial strength ratings and the perceptions of our financial strength and the financial strength of our insurance subsidiaries. Our debt ratings are influenced by numerous factors, either in absolute terms or relative to our peer group, such as financial leverage, balance sheet strength, capital structure and earnings trends. The current adverse conditions in the credit markets have generally restricted the supply of external sources of financing and increased the cost of such financing when it is available. Equity financings could result in dilution to our shareholders and the securities may have rights, preferences and privileges that are senior to those of our common shares. If our need for capital arises because of significant losses, the occurrence of these losses may make it more difficult for us to raise the necessary capital.

              Financial guaranty insurers and reinsurers typically rely on providers of lines of credit, credit swap facilities and similar capital support mechanisms (often referred to as "soft capital") to supplement their "hard capital." The ratings of soft capital providers directly affect the level of capital credit which the rating agencies attribute to the financial guaranty insurer or reinsurer when rating its financial strength. We intend to maintain soft capital facilities with providers having ratings adequate to provide the desired capital credit, although no assurance can be given that one or more of the rating agencies will not downgrade or withdraw the applicable ratings of such providers in the future. In addition, we cannot assure you that an acceptable replacement provider would be available in that event.

              We require liquidity in order to pay our operating expenses, interest on our debt and dividends on our common shares, and to make capital investments in our operating subsidiaries. We anticipate that our need for liquidity will be met by (1) the ability of our operating subsidiaries to pay dividends or to make other payments to us, (2) external financings and (3) investment income from our invested assets. Our principal subsidiaries are subject to legal and rating agency restrictions on their ability to pay dividends and make other permitted payments, and external financing may or may not be available to us in the future on satisfactory terms. Our other subsidiaries are subject to legal restrictions on their ability to pay dividends and distributions. In connection with the Acquisition, we have committed that FSA will not pay any dividends for a period of two years from the date of the Acquisition without the written approval of the New York Insurance Department (the "Department"). While we believe that we will have sufficient liquidity to satisfy our needs over the next 12 months, there can be no assurance that adverse market conditions, changes in insurance regulatory law or changes in general economic condition that adversely affect our liquidity will not occur. Similarly, there can be no assurance that adequate liquidity will be available to us on favorable terms in the future.

              Liquidity at our operating subsidiaries is used to pay operating expenses, claims, payment obligations with respect to credit derivatives, reinsurance premiums and dividends to Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc. for debt service and dividends to us, as well as, where appropriate, to make capital investments in their own subsidiaries. While we believe that the operating cash flows of our subsidiaries will be sufficient to meet their needs, we cannot assure you that this will be the case, nor can we assure you that existing liquidity facilities will prove adequate to their needs, or be available to them on favorable terms in the future.

               An increase in our subsidiaries' risk-to-capital ratio or leverage ratio may prevent them from writing new insurance.

              Rating agencies and insurance regulatory authorities impose capital requirements on our insurance subsidiaries. These capital requirements, which include risk-to-capital ratios, leverage ratios and surplus requirements, limit the amount of insurance that our subsidiaries may write. Our insurance subsidiaries have several alternatives available to control their risk-to-capital ratios and leverage ratios, including obtaining capital contributions from us, purchasing reinsurance or entering into other loss

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mitigation agreements, or reducing the amount of new business written. However, a material reduction in the statutory capital and surplus of a subsidiary, whether resulting from underwriting or investment losses or otherwise, or a disproportionate increase in the amount of risk in force, could increase a subsidiary's risk-to-capital ratio or leverage ratio. This in turn could require that subsidiary to obtain reinsurance for existing business (which may not be available, or may be available on terms that we consider unfavorable), or add to its capital base to maintain its financial strength ratings. Failure to maintain such ratings could limit that subsidiary's ability to write new business.

               Our reinsurance business is primarily dependent on facultative cessions and portfolio opportunities which may not be available to us in the future.

              In prior years we have derived a substantial portion of our revenues from financial guaranty reinsurance premiums. During 2009 and the second half of 2008, there was a substantial reduction of direct financial guaranty business underwritten by our principal ceding companies and a reduction in the amount of reinsurance they utilize. As a result, reinsurance treaty and facultative cessions of new business have ceased and we are seeking opportunities to assume financial guaranty portfolios. These portfolio opportunities may not be available to us, which would have an adverse effect on our reinsurance business.

               Recent adverse developments in the credit and financial guaranty markets have substantially increased uncertainty in our business and may materially and adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and future business.

              Since mid-2007 there have been adverse developments in the credit and financial guaranty markets. U.S. RMBS transactions issued in recent years are now expected to absorb losses far higher than originally expected by purchasers of these securities and financial guarantors which guaranteed such securities. This poor performance has led to price declines for RMBS securities and the rating agencies downgrading thousands of such transactions. The recent credit crisis has substantially reduced the demand for our structured finance guaranties. These market conditions may also adversely affect us in a number of ways, including requiring us to raise and hold more capital, reduce the demand for our direct guaranties or reinsurance, limit the types of guaranties we offer, encourage new competitors, make losses harder to estimate, make our results more volatile and make it harder to raise new capital.

               Our financial guaranty products may subject us to significant risks from individual or correlated credits.

              We could be exposed to corporate credit risk if the credit's securities are contained in a portfolio of collateralized debt obligations we insure, or if it is the originator or servicer of loans or other assets backing structured securities that we have insured. A Collateralized Debt Obligation ("CDO") is a debt security backed by a pool of debt obligations. While we track our aggregate exposure to single names in our various lines of business and have established underwriting criteria to manage risk aggregations, there can be no assurance that our ultimate exposure to a single name will not exceed our underwriting guidelines, or that an event with respect to a single name will not cause a significant loss. In addition, because we insure or reinsure municipal bonds, we can have significant exposures to single municipal risks. While the risk of a complete loss, where we pay the entire principal amount of an issue of bonds and interest thereon with no recovery, is generally lower than for corporate credits as most municipal bonds are backed by tax or other revenues, there can be no assurance that a single default by a municipality would not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

              We are exposed to correlation risk across the various assets we insure. During strong periods of macro economic performance, stress in an individual transaction generally occurs in a single asset class or for idiosyncratic reason. During a broad economic downturn, a broader range of our insured

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portfolio could be exposed to stress at the same time. This stress may manifest itself in downgrades, which may require more capital, or in actual losses.

               Some of our direct financial guaranty products may be riskier than traditional financial guaranty insurance.

              A substantial portion of our financial guaranty direct exposures have been assumed as credit derivatives. Traditional financial guaranty insurance provides an unconditional and irrevocable guaranty that protects the holder of a municipal finance or structured finance obligation against non payment of principal and interest, while credit derivatives provide protection from the occurrence of specified credit events, including non payment of principal and interest. In general, we structure credit derivative transactions such that circumstances giving rise to our obligation to make payments is similar to that for financial guaranty policies and generally occurs as losses are realized on the underlying reference obligation. Nonetheless, credit derivative transactions are governed by ISDA documentation and operate differently from financial guaranty insurance policies. For example, our control rights with respect to a reference obligation under a credit derivative may be more limited than when we issue a financial guaranty insurance policy on a direct primary basis. In addition, while our exposure under credit derivatives, like our exposure under financial guaranty insurance policies, has been generally for as long as the reference obligation remains outstanding, unlike financial guaranty insurance policies, a credit derivative may be terminated for a breach of the ISDA documentation or other specific events. In some older credit derivative transactions, one such specified event is the failure of AGC to maintain specified financial strength ratings. If a credit derivative is terminated, we could be required to make a mark-to-market payment as determined under the ISDA documentation.

              In addition, under a limited number of credit derivative contracts, we are required to post eligible securities as collateral, generally cash or U.S. government or agency securities. The need to post collateral under these transactions is generally based on mark-to-market valuation in excess of contractual thresholds. The particular thresholds decline if our ratings decline.

              See "—A downgrade of the financial strength or financial enhancement ratings of any of our insurance subsidiaries would adversely affect our business and prospects and, consequently, our results of operations and financial condition."

               Competition in our industry may adversely affect our revenues.

              The principal sources of direct and indirect competition are other financial guaranty insurance companies and other forms of credit enhancement, which include structural enhancement, letters of credit, and credit derivatives provided by foreign and domestic banks and other financial institutions, some of which are governmental enterprises.

              Our financial guaranty reinsurance business is vulnerable to a decline in demand by other financial guaranty insurance companies, as evidenced over the last few years..

               New entrants into the financial guaranty industry could have an adverse effect on our prospects either by furthering price competition or by reducing the aggregate demand for our reinsurance as a result of additional insurance capacity.

              Recently a new financial guaranty insurer has been licensed to operate in New York and the New York State Insurance Superintendent is encouraging other insurance regulators to rapidly license this new financial guaranty insurer. There have been news reports of other efforts to form new financial guarantors. Increased competition, either in terms of price, alternative structures, or the emergence of new providers of credit enhancement, could have an adverse effect on our business.

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               We are dependent on key executives and the loss of any of these executives, or our inability to retain other key personnel, could adversely affect our business.

              Our success substantially depends upon our ability to attract and retain qualified employees and upon the ability of our senior management and other key employees to implement our business strategy. We believe there are only a limited number of available qualified executives in the business lines in which we compete. Although we are not aware of any planned departures, we rely substantially upon the services of Dominic J. Frederico, our President and Chief Executive Officer, and other executives. Although Mr. Frederico and certain other executives have employment agreements with us, we cannot assure you that we will be able to retain their services. The loss of the services of any of these individuals or other key members of our management team could adversely affect the implementation of our business strategy.

               Our business could be adversely affected by Bermuda employment restrictions.

              Our location in Bermuda may serve as an impediment to attracting and retaining experienced personnel. Under Bermuda law, non Bermudians, other than spouses of Bermudians and individuals holding permanent resident certificates or working resident certificates, are not permitted to engage in any gainful occupation in Bermuda without a work permit issued by the Bermuda government. A work permit is only granted or extended if the employer can show that, after a proper public advertisement, no Bermudian, spouse of a Bermudian or individual holding a permanent resident certificate or working resident certificates is available who meets the minimum standards for the position. The Bermuda government's policy places a six year term limit on individuals with work permits, subject to specified exemptions for persons deemed to be key employees. All of our Bermuda based employees who require work permits have been granted permits by the Bermuda government, including our President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, General Counsel and Secretary, Chief Accounting Officer, Chief Credit Officer, Chief Surveillance Officer and President of AG Re. It is possible that we could lose the services of one or more of our key employees if we are unable to obtain or renew their work permits.

               We may be adversely affected by interest rate changes affecting the performance of our investment portfolio.

              Our operating results are affected, in part, by the performance of our investment portfolio. Changes in interest rates could also have an adverse effect on our investment income. For example, if interest rates decline, funds reinvested will earn less than expected. Our investment portfolio contains interest rate-sensitive instruments, such as bonds, which may be adversely affected by changes in interest rates. Increases in interest rates will reduce the value of these securities, resulting in unrealized losses that we are required to include in shareholder's equity as a change in accumulated other comprehensive income. Accordingly, interest rate increases could reduce our shareholders' equity.

              In addition, our investment portfolio includes mortgage-backed securities. As of March 31, 2009, mortgage-backed securities constituted approximately 28% of our invested assets. As with other fixed maturity investments, the fair market value of these securities fluctuates depending on market and other general economic conditions and the interest rate environment. Changes in interest rates can expose us to significant prepayment risks on these investments. In periods of declining interest rates, mortgage prepayments generally increase and mortgage-backed securities are prepaid more quickly, requiring us to reinvest the proceeds at then-current market rates. During periods of rising interest rates, the frequency of prepayments generally decreases. Mortgage-backed securities having an amortized value less than par (i.e., purchased at a discount) may incur a decrease in yield or a loss as a result of slower prepayment.

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              Interest rates are highly sensitive to many factors, including monetary policies, domestic and international economic and political conditions and other factors beyond our control. We do not engage in active management, or hedging, of interest rate risk, and may not be able to mitigate interest rate sensitivity effectively.

               The performance of our invested assets affects our results of operations and cash flows.

              Income from our investment portfolio is one of the primary sources of cash flows supporting our operations and claim payments. For the three months ended March 31, 2009 and the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, our net investment income was $43.6 million, $162.6 million, $128.1 million and $111.5 million, respectively, in each case exclusive of net realized gains (losses) and unrealized gains (losses) on investments. If our calculations with respect to our policy liabilities are incorrect, or if we improperly structure our investments to meet these liabilities, we could have unexpected losses, including losses resulting from forced liquidation of investments before their maturity. The investment policies of our insurance subsidiaries are subject to insurance law requirements, and may change depending upon regulatory, economic and market conditions and the existing or anticipated financial condition and operating requirements, including the tax position, of our businesses.

              We have retained BlackRock Financial Management ("BlackRock") to manage our investment portfolio. The performance of our invested assets is subject to their performance in selecting and managing appropriate investments. BlackRock has discretionary authority over our investment portfolio within the limits of our investment guidelines.

               Our net income may be volatile because a portion of the credit risk we assume is in the form of credit derivatives that are accounted for under FAS 133/149/155, which requires that these instruments be marked-to-market quarterly.

              Any event causing credit spreads (i.e., the difference in interest rates between comparable securities having different credit risk) on an underlying security referenced in a credit derivative in our portfolio either to widen or to tighten will affect the fair value of the credit derivative and may increase the volatility of our earnings. Derivatives must be accounted for either as assets or liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair market value. Although there is no cash flow effect from this "marking to market," net changes in the fair market value of the derivative are reported in our statement of operations and therefore will affect our reported earnings. If the derivative is held to maturity and no credit loss is incurred, any gains or losses previously reported would be offset by corresponding gains or losses at maturity. Due to the complexity of fair value accounting and the application of FAS 133/149/155, future amendments or interpretations of these accounting standards may cause us to modify our accounting methodology in a manner which may have an adverse impact on our financial results.

              Common events that may cause credit spreads on an underlying municipal or corporate security referenced in a credit derivative to fluctuate include changes in the state of national or regional economic conditions, industry cyclicality, changes to a company's competitive position within an industry, management changes, changes in the ratings of the underlying security, movements in interest rates, default or failure to pay interest, or any other factor leading investors to revise expectations about the issuer's ability to pay principal and interest on its debt obligations. Similarly, common events that may cause credit spreads on an underlying structured security referenced in a credit derivative to fluctuate may include the occurrence and severity of collateral defaults, changes in demographic trends and their impact on the levels of credit enhancement, rating changes, changes in interest rates or prepayment speeds, or any other factor leading investors to revise expectations about the risk of the collateral or the ability of the servicer to collect payments on the underlying assets sufficient to pay principal and interest.

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               Changes in U.S. tax laws could reduce the demand or profitability of financial guaranty insurance, or negatively impact our investment portfolio.

              Any material change in the U.S. tax treatment of municipal securities, the imposition of a national sales tax in lieu of the current federal income tax structure in the United States, or changes in the treatment of dividends, could adversely affect the market for municipal obligations and, consequently, reduce the demand for financial guaranty insurance and reinsurance of such obligations.

              Changes in U.S. federal, state or local laws that materially adversely affect the tax treatment of municipal securities or the market for those securities, or other changes negatively affecting the municipal securities market, also may adversely impact our investment portfolio, a significant portion of which is invested in tax-exempt instruments. These adverse changes may adversely affect the value of our tax-exempt portfolio, or its liquidity.

               Regulatory change could adversely affect our ability to enter into future business.

              Future legislative, regulatory or judicial changes in the jurisdictions regulating our Company may adversely affect our ability to pursue our current mix of business, materially impacting our financial results.

              The perceived decline in the financial strength of many financial guaranty insurers has caused a number of government officials to question the breadth and complexity of some of the securities guaranteed by financial guaranty insurers. For example, the Department has announced that it is working to develop new rules and regulations for the financial guaranty industry. On September 22, 2008, the Department issued Circular Letter No. 19 (2008) (the "Circular Letter"), which establishes best practices guidelines for financial guaranty insurers effective January 1, 2009. The Department plans to propose legislation and regulations to formalize these guidelines. These guidelines and the related legislation and regulations may limit the amount of new structured finance business that AGC is able to write in future periods. In addition, on June 11, 2009, a new bill was introduced into the New York General Assembly at the request of New York's governor to amend the New York Insurance Law to enhance the regulation of financial guaranty insurers. At this time it is not possible to predict if any such new rules will be implemented or legislation enacted or, if implemented or enacted, the content of the new rules or legislation or their effect on us.

              In addition, perceived problems in the credit derivative markets have led to calls for further regulation of credit derivatives at the state or federal level. Changes in the regulation of credit derivatives could materially impact the market demand for derivatives and/or our ability to enter into derivative transactions.

              Actions taken at the federal level in response to the current recession could materially affect our business. Such risks include:

               Our ability to meet our obligations may be constrained by our holding company structure.

              Assured Guaranty is a holding company and, as such, has no direct operations of its own. We do not expect to have any significant operations or assets other than our ownership of the shares of our subsidiaries. Dividends and other permitted payments from our operating subsidiaries are expected to

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be our primary source of funds to meet ongoing cash requirements, including any future debt service payments and other expenses, and to pay dividends to our shareholders. Our insurance subsidiaries are subject to regulatory and rating agency restrictions limiting their ability to declare and to pay dividends and make other payments to us. Furthermore, in connection with the Acquisition, we have committed that FSA will not pay any dividends for a period of two years from the date of the Acquisition without the written approval of the New York Insurance Department. In addition, to the extent that dividends are paid from our U.S. subsidiaries, they presently would be subject to U.S. withholding tax at a rate of 30%. The inability of our insurance subsidiaries to pay sufficient dividends and make other permitted payments to us would have an adverse effect on our ability to satisfy our ongoing cash requirements and on our ability to pay dividends to our shareholders. If we do not pay dividends, the only return on your investment in our Company, if at all, would come from any appreciation in the price of our common shares.

               Our ability to pay dividends may be constrained by certain regulatory requirements and restrictions.

              We are subject to Bermuda regulatory constraints that will affect our ability to pay dividends on our common shares and to make other payments. Under the Bermuda Companies Act 1981, as amended (the "Companies Act"), we may declare or pay a dividend out of distributable reserves only (1) if we have reasonable grounds for believing that we are, and after the payment would be, able to pay our liabilities as they become due and (2) if the realizable value of our assets would not be less than the aggregate of our liabilities and issued share capital and share premium accounts. While we currently intend to pay dividends, if you require dividend income you should carefully consider these risks before investing in our company.

               There are provisions in our Bye-Laws that may reduce or increase the voting rights of our common shares.

              If, and so long as, the common shares of a shareholder are treated as "controlled shares" (as determined under section 958 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code")) of any U.S. Person (as defined below) and such controlled shares constitute 9.5% or more of the votes conferred by our issued shares, the voting rights with respect to the controlled shares of such U.S. Person (a "9.5% U.S. Shareholder") shall be limited, in the aggregate, to a voting power of less than 9.5%, under a formula specified in our Bye-Laws. The formula is applied repeatedly until the voting power of all 9.5% U.S. Shareholders has been reduced to less than 9.5%. In addition, our Board of Directors may limit a shareholder's voting rights where it deems appropriate to do so to (1) avoid the existence of any 9.5% U.S. Shareholders, and (2) avoid certain material adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences to us or any of our subsidiaries or any shareholder or its affiliates. "Controlled shares" include, among other things, all shares of Assured Guaranty that such U.S. Person is deemed to own directly, indirectly or constructively (within the meaning of section 958 of the Code).

              Under these provisions, certain shareholders may have their voting rights limited to less than one vote per share, while other shareholders may have voting rights in excess of one vote per share. Moreover, these provisions could have the effect of reducing the votes of certain shareholders who would not otherwise be subject to the 9.5% limitation by virtue of their direct share ownership. Our Bye-Laws provide that shareholders will be notified of their voting interests prior to any vote taken by them.

              As a result of any reallocation of votes, your voting rights might increase above 5% of the aggregate voting power of the outstanding common shares, thereby possibly resulting in your becoming a reporting person subject to Schedule 13D or 13G filing requirements under the Exchange Act. In addition, the reallocation of your votes could result in your becoming subject to the short swing profit recovery and filing requirements under Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

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              We also have the authority under our Bye-Laws to request information from any shareholder for the purpose of determining whether a shareholder's voting rights are to be reallocated under the Bye-Laws. If a shareholder fails to respond to our request for information or submits incomplete or inaccurate information in response to a request by us, we may, in our sole discretion, eliminate such shareholder's voting rights.

               There are provisions in our Bye-Laws that may restrict the ability to transfer common shares, and that may require shareholders to sell their common shares.

              Our Board of Directors may decline to approve or register a transfer of any common shares (1) if it appears to the Board of Directors, after taking into account the limitations on voting rights contained in our Bye-Laws, that any adverse tax, regulatory or legal consequences to us, any of our subsidiaries or any of our shareholders may occur as a result of such transfer (other than such as the Board of Directors considers to be de minimis), or (2) subject to any applicable requirements of or commitments to the NYSE, if a written opinion from counsel supporting the legality of the transaction under U.S. securities laws has not been provided or if any required governmental approvals have not been obtained.

              Our Bye-Laws also provide that if our Board of Directors determines that share ownership by a person may result in adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences to us, any of our subsidiaries or any of our shareholders (other than such as the Board of Directors considers to be de minimis), then we have the option, but not the obligation, to require that shareholder to sell to us or to third parties to whom we assign the repurchase right for fair market value the minimum number of common shares held by such person which is necessary to eliminate such adverse tax, legal or regulatory consequences. See "Description of Share Capital" in the accompanying prospectus.

               Applicable insurance laws may make it difficult to effect a change of control of us.

              Before a person can acquire control of a U.S. insurance company, prior written approval must be obtained from the insurance commissioner of the state where the domestic insurer is domiciled. Because a person acquiring 10% or more of our common shares would indirectly control the same percentage of the stock of our U.S. insurance company subsidiaries, the insurance change of control laws of Maryland and New York would likely apply to such a transaction.

              These laws may discourage potential acquisition proposals and may delay, deter or prevent a change of control of our company, including through transactions, and in particular unsolicited transactions, that some or all of our shareholders might consider to be desirable.

              While our Bye-Laws limit the voting power of any shareholder (other than ACE) to less than 10%, there can be no assurance that the applicable regulatory body would agree that a shareholder who owned 10% or more of our common shares did not, notwithstanding the limitation on the voting power of such shares, control the applicable insurance company subsidiary.

               Some reinsurance agreement terms may make it difficult to effect a change of control of us.

              Some of our reinsurance agreements have change of control provisions that are triggered if a third party acquires a designated percentage of our shares. If these change of control provisions are triggered, the ceding company may recapture some or all of the reinsurance business ceded to us in the past. Any such recapture could adversely affect our future income or ratings. These provisions may discourage potential acquisition proposals and may delay, deter or prevent a change of control of our Company, including through transactions that some or all of our shareholders might consider to be desirable.

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               Anti-takeover provisions in our Bye-Laws could impede an attempt to replace or remove our directors, which could diminish the value of our common shares.

              Our Bye-Laws contain provisions that may make it more difficult for shareholders to replace directors even if the shareholders consider it beneficial to do so. In addition, these provisions could delay or prevent a change of control that a shareholder might consider favorable. For example, these provisions may prevent a shareholder from receiving the benefit from any premium over the market price of our common shares offered by a bidder in a potential takeover. Even in the absence of an attempt to effect a change in management or a takeover attempt, these provisions may adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common shares if they are viewed as discouraging takeover attempts in the future.

               Certain of our foreign subsidiaries may be subject to U.S. tax.

              We manage our business so that Assured Guaranty, AG Re and our two U.K. subsidiaries (the "U.K. Subsidiaries") will operate in such a manner that none of them should be subject to U.S. federal tax (other than U.S. excise tax on insurance and reinsurance premium income attributable to insuring or reinsuring U.S. risks, and U.S. withholding tax on certain U.S. source investment income). However, because there is considerable uncertainty as to the activities which constitute being engaged in a trade or business within the United States, we cannot be certain that the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") will not contend successfully that Assured Guaranty or any of our foreign subsidiaries other than AGRO is/are engaged in a trade or business in the United States. If Assured Guaranty, AG Re or either of our U.K. subsidiaries were considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the United States, each such company could be subject to U.S. corporate income and branch profits taxes on the portion of its earnings effectively connected to such U.S. business.

               Assured Guaranty and its Bermuda subsidiaries may become subject to taxes in Bermuda after 2016, which may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and on your investment.

              The Bermuda Minister of Finance, under Bermuda's Exempted Undertakings Tax Protection Act 1966, as amended, has given Assured Guaranty, AG Re and AGRO an assurance that if any legislation is enacted in Bermuda that would impose tax computed on profits or income, or computed on any capital asset, gain or appreciation, or any tax in the nature of estate duty or inheritance tax, then subject to certain limitations the imposition of any such tax will not be applicable to Assured Guaranty or our Bermuda subsidiaries, or any of our or their operations, shares, debentures or other obligations until March 28, 2016. Given the limited duration of the Minister of Finance's assurance, we cannot be certain that we will not be subject to Bermuda tax after 2016.

               U.S. Persons who hold 10% or more of our shares directly or through foreign entities may be subject to taxation under tax rules.

              Each 10% U.S. Shareholder of a foreign corporation that is a controlled foreign corporation ("CFC") for an uninterrupted period of 30 days or more during a taxable year, and who owns shares in the foreign corporation directly or indirectly through foreign entities on the last day of the foreign corporation's taxable year on which it is a CFC, must include in its gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes its pro rata share of the CFC's "subpart F income," even if the subpart F income is not distributed. See "Material Tax Considerations."

              We believe that because of the dispersion of our share ownership, provisions in our Bye-Laws that limit voting power and other factors, no U.S. Person who owns our common shares directly or indirectly through foreign entities should be treated as a 10% U.S. Shareholder of us or of any of our foreign subsidiaries. It is possible, however, that the IRS could challenge the effectiveness of these provisions and that a court could sustain such a challenge.

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               U.S. Persons who hold shares may be subject to U.S. income taxation at ordinary income rates on their proportionate share of our related person insurance income ("RPII").

              If the gross RPII of AG Re was to equal or exceed 20% of AG Re's gross insurance income in any taxable year and direct or indirect insureds (and persons related to such insureds) own (or are treated as owning directly or indirectly through entities) 20% or more of the voting power or value of our shares, then a U.S. Person who owns our shares (directly or indirectly through foreign entities) on the last day of the taxable year would be required to include in its income for U.S. federal income tax purposes such person's pro rata share of AG Re's RPII for the entire taxable year, determined as if such RPII were distributed proportionately only to U.S. Persons at that date, regardless of whether such income is distributed. In addition, any RPII that is includible in the income of a U.S. tax-exempt organization may be treated as unrelated business taxable income. The amount of RPII earned by AG Re (generally, premium and related investment income from the direct or indirect insurance or reinsurance of any direct or indirect U.S. holder of shares or any person related to such holder) will depend on a number of factors, including the geographic distribution of AG Re's business and the identity of persons directly or indirectly insured or reinsured by AG Re. We believe AG Re did not in prior years of operation and should not in the foreseeable future have either RPII income which equals or exceeds 20% of gross insurance income or have direct or indirect insureds, as provided for by RPII rules, of AG Re (and related persons) directly or indirectly own 20% or more of either the voting power or value of our shares. However, we cannot be certain that this will be the case because some of the factors which determine the extent of RPII may be beyond our control.

               U.S. Persons who dispose of our shares may be subject to U.S. income taxation at ordinary income tax rates in a portion of their gain, if any.

              The RPII rules provide that if a U.S. Person disposes of shares in a foreign insurance corporation in which U.S. Persons own 25% or more of the shares (even if the amount of gross RPII is less than 20% of the corporation's gross insurance income and the ownership of its shares by direct or indirect insureds and related persons is less than the 20% threshold), any gain from the disposition will generally be treated as dividend income to the extent of the holder's share of the corporation's undistributed earnings and profits that were accumulated during the period that the holder owned the shares (whether or not such earnings and profits are attributable to RPII). In addition, such a holder will be required to comply with certain reporting requirements, regardless of the amount of shares owned by the holder. These RPII rules should not apply to dispositions of our shares because we will not ourselves be directly engaged in the insurance business; however, the RPII provisions have never been interpreted by the courts or the U.S. Treasury Department in final regulations, and regulations interpreting the RPII provisions of the Code exist only in proposed form. It is not certain whether these regulations will be adopted in their proposed form, what changes or clarifications might ultimately be made thereto, or whether any such changes, as well as any interpretation or application of RPII by the IRS, the courts, or otherwise, might have retroactive effect. The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to impose, among other things, additional reporting requirements with respect to RPII. Accordingly, the meaning of the RPII provisions and the application thereof to Assured Guaranty and AG Re is uncertain.

               U.S. Persons who hold common shares will be subject to adverse tax consequences if we are considered to be a "passive foreign investment company" for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

              If Assured Guaranty is considered a passive foreign investment company ("PFIC") for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a U.S. person who owns any shares of Assured Guaranty will be subject to adverse tax consequences, including subjecting the investor to greater tax liability than might otherwise apply and subjecting the investor to tax on amounts in advance of when tax would otherwise be imposed, which could materially adversely affect your investment. We believe that Assured Guaranty is

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not, and we currently do not expect Assured Guaranty to become, a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes; however, we cannot assure you that Assured Guaranty will not be deemed a PFIC by the IRS. There are currently no regulations regarding the application of the PFIC provisions to an insurance company. New regulations or pronouncements interpreting or clarifying these rules may be forthcoming. We cannot predict what impact, if any, such guidance would have on an investor that is subject to U.S. federal income taxation.

               Changes in U.S. federal income tax law could materially adversely affect an investment in our common shares.

              Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress intended to eliminate certain perceived tax advantages of companies (including insurance companies) that have legal domiciles outside the United States but have certain U.S. connections. For example, legislation has been introduced in Congress to limit the deductibility of reinsurance premiums paid by U.S. companies to foreign affiliates. It is possible that this or similar legislation could be introduced in and enacted by the current Congress or future Congresses that could have an adverse impact on us or our shareholders.

              U.S. federal income tax laws and interpretations regarding whether a company is engaged in a trade or business within the United States, is a PFIC, or whether U.S. Persons would be required to include in their gross income the "subpart F income" of a CFC or RPII are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. There currently are no regulations regarding the application of the PFIC rules to insurance companies, and the regulations regarding RPII are still in proposed form. New regulations or pronouncements interpreting or clarifying such rules may be forthcoming. We cannot be certain if, when, or in what form such regulations or pronouncements may be implemented or made, or whether such guidance will have a retroactive effect.

               The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the European Union are considering measures that might increase our taxes and reduce our net income.

              The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (the "OECD") has published reports and launched a global dialogue among member and non-member countries on measures to limit harmful tax competition. These measures are largely directed at counteracting the effects of tax havens and preferential tax regimes in countries around the world. In response to a number of measures taken and commitments by the government of Bermuda, in June 2009, Bermuda was listed as a jurisdiction that has substantially implemented those standards. We are not able to predict what changes will arise from these changes or commitments or whether such changes will subject us to additional taxes.

Risks Related to this Offering

              You assume the risk that the market value of our common shares may decline.

              Although as a holder of Corporate Units or Treasury Units you will be the beneficial owner of the related applicable ownership interests in notes, Treasury securities or the Treasury portfolio, as the case may be, you will also have an obligation to buy our common shares pursuant to the purchase contracts that are part of the Corporate Units and Treasury Units. On the purchase contract settlement date, (i) in the case of Corporate Units, either (x) the principal of the appropriate applicable ownership interests in the Treasury portfolio when paid at maturity or (y) either the proceeds attributable to the applicable ownership interest in a note derived from the successful remarketing of a note or, if no successful remarketing has occurred, the put price paid upon the automatic put of a note to us, or (ii) in the case of Treasury Units, the principal of the related Treasury securities when paid at maturity, will automatically be used to purchase a specified number of our common shares on your behalf, unless you pay cash to satisfy your obligation under the purchase contracts or the purchase contracts are

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terminated due to our bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or the proceeds of your applicable interest in the Treasury portfolio or the Treasury securities underlying your Equity Units, as applicable, are less than the aggregate purchase price of the common shares issuable pursuant to the related purchase contracts (in which case you will be obligated to pay that difference).

              The number of our common shares that you will receive upon the settlement of a purchase contract is not fixed but instead will depend on the average of the closing price per common share on the 20 consecutive trading days ending on the third trading day immediately preceding the purchase contract settlement date, which we refer to as the applicable market value. There can be no assurance that the market value of our common shares received by you on the purchase contract settlement date will be equal to or greater than the price per share paid by you for our common shares. If the applicable market value of our common shares is less than the reference price of $11.00, the market value of our common shares issued to you pursuant to each purchase contract on the purchase contract settlement date (assuming that the market value is the same as the applicable market value of the common shares) will be less than the effective price per share paid by you for our common shares on the date of issuance of the Equity Units. Accordingly, you assume the risk that the market value of our common shares may decline and that the decline could be substantial.

              The Equity Units provide limited settlement rate adjustments, and the Concurrent Common Share Offering, the Acquisition or another event could occur that adversely affects the value of the Equity Units or our common shares but that does not result in an adjustment to the settlement rate.

              The number of common shares that you are entitled to receive on the purchase contract settlement date, or as a result of early settlement of a purchase contract, is subject to adjustment for certain events arising from stock splits and combinations, stock dividends, cash dividends and certain other acts. See "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Anti-Dilution Adjustments." We will not adjust the number of common shares that you are to receive on the purchase contract settlement date, or as a result of early settlement of a purchase contract, for our Concurrent Common Share Offering, the Acquisition or other events, including offerings of convertible notes or common shares by us for cash or in connection with acquisitions, employee stock option grants or ordinary dividends (at the level we currently pay). There can be no assurance that an event that adversely affects the value of the Equity Units or our common shares, but does not result in an adjustment to the settlement rate, will not occur. Further, we are not restricted from issuing additional common shares during the term of the purchase contracts and have no obligation to consider your interests. If we issue additional common shares, it may materially and adversely affect the trading price of our common shares and the Corporate Units or Treasury Units.

              The opportunity for equity appreciation provided by an investment in the Equity Units is less than that provided by a direct investment in our common shares.

              Your opportunity for equity appreciation afforded by investing in the Equity Units is less than your opportunity for equity appreciation if you directly invested in our common shares. This opportunity is less because the market value of the common shares to be received by you pursuant to the purchase contract on the purchase contract settlement date (assuming that the market value is the same as the applicable market value of the common shares) will only exceed the effective price per share paid by you for our common shares on the purchase contract settlement date if the applicable market value of the common shares exceeds the threshold appreciation price (which represents an appreciation of 17.5% over the reference price). If the applicable market value of our common shares exceeds the reference price but falls below the threshold appreciation price, you will realize no equity appreciation of the common shares for the period during which you own the purchase contract. Furthermore, if the applicable market value of our common shares equals or exceeds the threshold appreciation price, you would receive on the purchase contract settlement date only approximately 85%

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of the value of the common shares you could have purchased with $50 at the reported last sale price of our common shares on the date of pricing of the Equity Units.

              The trading prices for the Corporate Units and Treasury Units will be directly affected by the trading prices of our common shares, the general level of interest rates and our credit quality.

              The trading prices of Corporate Units and Treasury Units in the secondary market will be directly affected by the trading prices of our common shares, the general level of interest rates and our credit quality. It is impossible to predict whether the price of the common shares or interest rates will rise or fall. Trading prices of the common shares will be influenced by our operating results and prospects and by economic, financial and other factors. In addition, general market conditions, including the level of, and fluctuations in the trading prices of stocks generally, and sales of substantial amounts of common shares (or securities convertible into, or that may otherwise be settled in, common shares) by us in the market after the offering of the Equity Units, or the perception that such sales could occur, could affect the price of our common shares. The price of our common shares could also be affected by possible sales of our common shares by investors who view the Equity Units as a more attractive means of equity participation in us and by hedging or arbitrage trading activity that may develop involving our common shares. This trading activity could, in turn, affect the trading price of the Corporate Units or the Treasury Units.

              If you hold Corporate Units or Treasury Units, you will not be entitled to any rights with respect to our common shares, but you will be subject to all changes made with respect to our common shares.

              If you hold Corporate Units or Treasury Units, you will not be entitled to any rights with respect to our common shares (including, without limitation, voting rights and rights to receive any dividends or other distributions on the common shares), but you will be subject to all changes affecting the common shares. You will only be entitled to rights on the common shares if and when we deliver our common shares upon settlement of the purchase contracts that are part of Corporate Units or Treasury Units on the purchase contract settlement date, or as a result of early settlement, as the case may be, and the applicable record date, if any, for the exercise of rights occurs after that date. For example, in the event that an amendment is proposed to our certificate of incorporation and memorandum of association or bye-laws requiring shareholder approval and the record date for determining the shareholders of record entitled to vote on the amendment occurs prior to delivery of the common shares, you will not be entitled to vote on the amendment, although you will nevertheless be subject to any changes in the powers, preferences or special rights of our common shares.

              You may have to pay taxes with respect to distributions on our common shares that you do not receive.

              The number of common shares that you are entitled to receive on the purchase contract settlement date or as a result of early settlement of a purchase contract is subject to adjustment for certain events arising from stock splits and combinations, stock dividends, cash dividends and certain other actions by us that modify our capital structure. See "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Anti-Dilution Adjustments." If the settlement rate is adjusted as a result of a distribution that is taxable to our common shareholders, such as a cash dividend, you would be required to include an amount in income for federal income tax purposes, notwithstanding the fact that you do not actually receive such gross distribution. Non-U.S. holders of the Equity Units may, in certain circumstances, be deemed to have received a distribution subject to U.S. federal withholding tax requirements. See "Material Tax Considerations—U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Purchase Contracts—Adjustment to the Settlement Rate."

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              The secondary market for the Corporate Units, Treasury Units or notes may be illiquid.

              It is not possible to predict how Corporate Units, Treasury Units or notes will trade in the secondary market or whether the market will be liquid or illiquid. There is currently no secondary market for our Corporate Units, Treasury Units or notes, and we do not intend to list the Corporate Units, the Treasury Units or the notes on the New York Stock Exchange or any other national securities exchange. There can be no assurance as to the liquidity of any market that may develop for the Corporate Units, the Treasury Units or the notes, your ability to sell these securities or whether a trading market, if it develops, will continue. In addition, in the event a sufficient number of holders of Corporate Units were to convert their Treasury Units to Corporate Units or their Corporate Units to Treasury Units, as the case may be, the liquidity of Corporate Units or Treasury Units could be adversely affected.

              Your rights to the pledged securities will be subject to our security interest.

              Although you will be the beneficial owner of the applicable ownership interests in notes, Treasury securities or the Treasury portfolio, as applicable, those securities will be pledged to us through the collateral agent to secure your obligations under the related purchase contracts. Thus, your rights to the pledged securities will be subject to our security interest. Additionally, notwithstanding the automatic termination of the purchase contracts, in the event that we become the subject of a case under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code, the delivery of the pledged securities to you may be delayed by the imposition of the automatic stay under Section 362 of the Bankruptcy Code and claims arising out of the notes, like all other claims in bankruptcy proceedings, will be subject to the equitable jurisdiction and powers of the bankruptcy court.

              The notes are effectively subordinated to any secured debt of Assured Guaranty US Holdings and any liabilities of its subsidiaries, and the guarantee of the notes is effectively subordinated to any of our secured debt and any liabilities of our subsidiaries.

              The notes will rank senior in right of payment to Assured Guaranty US Holdings' future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the notes; equal in right of payment to its existing and future liabilities that are not so subordinated; effectively junior to any of its secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness; and structurally junior to all existing and future indebtedness incurred by, and other liabilities of, its subsidiaries. Our guarantee of the notes will rank senior in right of payment to our future indebtedness that is expressly subordinated in right of payment to the guarantee; equal in right of payment to our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness; effectively junior to all existing and future indebtedness incurred by, and other liabilities of, our subsidiaries.

              In the event of our or Assured Guaranty US Holdings' bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganization or other winding up, the assets that secure debt ranking equal in right of payment to the notes and the guarantee, as applicable, will be available to pay obligations on the notes or the guarantee only after any applicable secured debt has been repaid in full from these assets. There may not be sufficient assets remaining to pay amounts due on any or all of the debt, including the notes, then outstanding. The indenture governing the notes and the guarantee does not prohibit Assured Guaranty US Holdings or us from incurring additional senior debt or secured debt, nor does it prohibit any of our subsidiaries from incurring additional liabilities.

              As of March 31, 2009, our subsidiaries had approximately $347.2 million of indebtedness outstanding, and the subsidiaries of Assured Guaranty US Holdings had no indebtedness outstanding.

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              The notes and the guarantee are the respective obligations of Assured Guaranty US Holdings and Assured Guaranty only, and their respective operations are conducted through, and substantially all of their consolidated assets are held by, their respective subsidiaries

              The notes and the guarantee are the respective obligations of Assured Guaranty US Holdings and Assured Guaranty, and are not guaranteed by any of their respective operating subsidiaries. A substantial portion of our and Assured Guaranty US Holdings' consolidated assets are held by our respective subsidiaries. Accordingly, Assured Guaranty US Holdings' ability to service its debt, including the notes, and our obligation to pay any amounts due under the guarantee of the notes, depend on the results of operations of our respective subsidiaries and upon the ability of such subsidiaries to provide each of us with cash, whether in the form of dividends, loans or otherwise, to pay amounts due on our respective obligations, including the notes and the guarantee. Our and Assured Guaranty US Holdings' subsidiaries are separate and distinct legal entities and have no obligation, contingent or otherwise, to make payments on the notes, the guarantee or to otherwise make any funds available for that purpose. In addition, dividends, loans or other distributions to us or Assured Guaranty US Holdings from such subsidiaries may be subject to contractual and other restrictions and are subject to other business considerations.

              Upon a successful remarketing of the notes, the terms of your notes may be modified even if you elect not to participate in the remarketing.

              When Assured Guaranty US Holdings attempts to remarket the notes, the remarketing agent will agree to use its reasonable efforts to sell the notes included in the remarketing. In connection with the remarketing, Assured Guaranty US Holdings and the remarketing agent may materially change the terms of the notes, including their interest rate, maturity date, optional redemption and interest rate deferral terms. If the remarketing is successful, the modified terms will apply to all the notes, even if they were not included in the remarketing. However, holders of the notes must elect to participate in the remarketing before knowing what the modified terms of the notes will be. You may determine that the revised terms are not as favorable to you as you would deem appropriate.

              Assured Guaranty US Holdings may redeem the notes upon the occurrence of a special event.

              Assured Guaranty US Holdings has the option to redeem the notes, on not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior written notice, in whole but not in part at any time before the earlier of the date of a successful remarketing of the notes underlying the Corporate Units and the purchase contract settlement date, if a special event occurs and continues under the circumstances described in this prospectus supplement, which we call a special event redemption. If Assured Guaranty US Holdings exercises this option to redeem the notes, Assured Guaranty US Holdings will pay the redemption price, as described herein, in cash to the holders of the notes. The redemption price payable to you as a holder of Corporate Units will be distributed to the collateral agent, who in turn will apply a portion of the redemption price to purchase the Treasury portfolio on your behalf, and will remit the remainder of the redemption price, if any, to you, and the Treasury portfolio will be substituted for the notes as collateral to secure your obligations under the purchase contracts related to the Corporate Units. If your notes do not underlie Corporate Units, you will receive the redemption payment directly. There can be no assurance as to the effect on the market price for the Corporate Units if we substitute the Treasury portfolio as collateral in place of any notes so redeemed. A special event redemption will be a taxable event to the holders of the notes, including applicable ownership interests in the notes, see "Material Tax Considerations—U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—The Notes—Sale, Exchange or Other Taxable Disposition of Notes" in this prospectus supplement.

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              The U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Equity Units are unclear

              Although the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") has issued a Revenue Ruling addressing the treatment of units similar to the Equity Units, no statutory, judicial or administrative authority directly addresses all aspects of the treatment of the Equity Units or instruments similar to the Equity Units for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and no assurance can be given that the conclusions in the Revenue Ruling would apply to the Equity Units. As a result, the U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of Equity Units are not entirely clear. For a further discussion, see "Material Tax Considerations—U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Taxation of Equity Units" in this prospectus supplement.

              Special U.S. federal income tax rules will apply to note holders that are U.S. Persons.

              While the matter is not free from doubt, because of the manner in which the interest rate on the notes is reset, we intend to treat, and by purchasing an Equity Unit, each holder agrees to treat, the notes as contingent payment debt instruments. Special U.S. federal income tax rules apply to contingent payment debt obligations. Under these rules, a U.S. Person (as defined below) will be required to accrue interest income on the notes regardless of whether the U.S. Person uses the cash or accrual method of tax accounting and may be required to include interest in taxable income in excess of interest payments actually received in a taxable year.

              In addition, any gain on a disposition of a note or a Corporate Unit to the extent such gain is allocable to the applicable ownership interest in notes prior to the date six months after the interest rate on the notes is reset will generally be treated as ordinary interest income; thus, the ability to offset such interest income with a loss, if any, on a purchase contract may be limited. For a further discussion, see "Material Tax Considerations—U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—The Notes" in this prospectus supplement.

              Fluctuations in interest rates may give rise to arbitrage opportunities, which could affect the trading price of the Corporate Units, Treasury Units, the notes and our common shares.

              Fluctuations in interest rates may give rise to arbitrage opportunities based upon changes in the relative value of the common shares underlying the purchase contracts and of the other components of the Equity Units. Any such arbitrage could, in turn, affect the trading prices of the Corporate Units, Treasury Units, the notes and our common shares.

              The purchase contract and pledge agreement will not be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and the obligations of the purchase contract agent are limited.

              The purchase contract and pledge agreement among us, AGUSH, the purchase contract agent and the collateral agent, custodial agent and securities intermediary will not be qualified as an indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "Trust Indenture Act") and the purchase contract agent will not be required to qualify as a trustee under the Trust Indenture Act. Thus, you will not have the benefit of the protection of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to the purchase contract and pledge agreement, the purchase contract agent or the collateral agent, custodial agent and securities intermediary. The notes constituting a part of the Corporate Units will be issued pursuant to an indenture, which will be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. Accordingly, if you hold Corporate Units, you will have the benefit of the protections of the Trust Indenture Act only to the extent applicable to the applicable ownership interests in notes included in the Corporate Units.

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The protections generally afforded the holder of a security issued under an indenture that has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act include:

              If your applicable ownership interest in the Treasury portfolio or your Treasury securities do not produce at maturity proceeds in an amount at least equal to the aggregate purchase price for the common shares to be issued pursuant to the purchase contracts underlying your Equity Units, you will be obligated to pay the amount of the deficiency.

              In the event that the Treasury portfolio purchased with the proceeds of a successful remarketing or in connection with a special event redemption or the Treasury securities you substitute for notes to create Treasury Units do not produce at maturity cash in an amount at least equal to the aggregate purchase price for the common shares to be issued pursuant to the purchase contracts underlying your Equity Units, you will be obligated to pay the amount of the deficiency. Such a deficiency could occur in either case only if (i) due to a calculation error, an insufficient amount or incorrect issue of Treasury securities are purchased or (ii) the U.S. government defaults on its obligation to pay the principal on the Treasury securities at maturity. See "Description of the Purchase Contracts—Deficiencies."

Risks Related to our Common Shares

               The market price of our common shares may be volatile, which could cause the value of your investment to decline.

              The market price of our common shares has experienced, and may continue to experience, significant volatility. Numerous factors, including many over which we have no control, may have a significant impact on the market price of our common shares. These risks include those described or referred to in this "Risk Factors" section and in the other documents incorporated herein by reference as well as, among other things:

              In addition, the stock market in recent years has experienced extreme price and trading volume fluctuations that often have been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of

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individual companies. These broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the price of our common shares, regardless of our operating performance.

               The common shares are equity securities and are subordinate to our existing and future indebtedness.

              The common shares are equity interests. This means the common shares will rank junior to all of our indebtedness and to other non-equity claims on us and our assets available to satisfy claims on us, including claims in a bankruptcy or similar proceeding. Future indebtedness may restrict payment of dividends on the common shares.

              Additionally, unlike indebtedness, where principal and interest customarily are payable on specified due dates, in the case of common shares, dividends are payable only when and if declared by our board of directors or a duly authorized committee of the board. Further, the common shares place no restrictions on our business or operations or on our ability to incur indebtedness or engage in any transactions, subject only to the voting rights available to stockholders generally.

               There may be future sales or other dilution of our equity, which may adversely affect the market price of our common shares.

              There may be future sales or other dilution of our equity, which may adversely affect the market price of our common shares. The market price of our common shares could decline as a result of sales of a large number of common shares or similar securities in the market after this offering or the perception that such sales could occur.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

              The net proceeds from the sale of the Equity Units offered hereby (after deducting underwriting discounts and commission and estimated expenses of the offering) are estimated to be $145,000,000 ($166,825,000 if the underwriters' option to purchase additional Equity Units to cover overallotments, if any, is exercised in full).

              The net proceeds from the sale of the common shares offered in the Concurrent Common Share Offering (after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses of the offering) are estimated to be $403,942,500 ($464,608,875 if the underwriters' option to purchase additional common shares to cover overallotments, if any, is exercised in full).

              We intend to use $363.8 million of the net proceeds of the Concurrent Common Share Offering to pay the cash purchase price for the Acquisition. We intend to use the remaining net proceeds from the Concurrent Common Share Offering and the net proceeds from this offering to pay cash in lieu of Assured common shares, including Excess Shares, that we would otherwise deliver as part of the purchase price for the Acquisition. Under the Purchase Agreement, we may elect to pay $8.10 per Assured common share in cash in lieu of up to 22,283,951 Assured common shares that we would otherwise deliver as part of the purchase price. Pending such uses, we intend to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest bearing securities.

              We currently intend to use the proceeds from the settlement of the purchase contracts to repay debt as soon as practicable following such settlement, and we have agreed not to use such proceeds to repurchase our common shares.

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CAPITALIZATION

              The following table sets forth, as of March 31, 2009, our consolidated long-term debt and shareholders' equity on an:

              This table assumes that the underwriters' option to purchase additional Equity Units in this offering and to purchase additional common shares in the Concurrent Common Shares Offering are not exercised. You should read this table in conjunction with our and FSAH's consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto, which are incorporated by reference.

 
  At March 31, 2009  
 
  Actual   As
Adjusted
  As Further
Adjusted
 
 
  (dollars in thousands)
 

Long-term debt:

                   
 

Assured Guaranty US Holdings Inc.

                   
   

7% Senior Notes due 2034

  $ 197,452   $ 197,452   $ 197,452  
   

6.40% Series A Enhanced Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2066

    149,774     149,774     149,774  
   

Senior notes offered in this offering(1)

            147,600  
 

Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd.:(2)

                   
   

67/8% Quarterly Interest Bonds due 2101

        100,000     100,000  
   

6.25% Notes due 2102

        230,000     230,000  
   

5.60% Notes due 2103

        100,000     100,000  
   

Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2066

        300,000     300,000  
               
     

Total long-term debt

    347,226     1,077,226     1,224,826  
               

Shareholders' equity:

                   
 

Common stock ($0.01 par value, 500,000,000 shares authorized, 90,123,385 shares outstanding actual, 150,907,336 shares outstanding as adjusted)

    901     1,509     1,509  
 

Preferred stock

             
 

Additional paid-in capital

    1,284,093     1,912,235     1,914,635  
 

Retained earnings

    738,831     884,705     884,705  
 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

    1,768     1,768     1,768  
 

Treasury stock at cost

             
               
   

Total shareholders' equity

    2,025,593     2,800,217     2,802,617  
               
     

Total capitalization

  $ 3,102,819   $ 3,877,443   $ 4,027,443  
               

(1)
The as further adjusted amount assumes that 98.4% of the issue price of an Equity Unit is allocable to the ownership interest in the note and 1.6% is allocable to the purchase contract.

(2)
Amounts presented are at par value. Subsequent to the closing of the Acquisition, these amounts will be presented at fair value in our financial statements.

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PRICE RANGE OF COMMON SHARES AND DIVIDEND POLICY

              Our common shares have been listed for trading on the NYSE under the symbol "AGO" since April 22, 2004. The following table sets forth on a per share basis the high and low sales prices for consolidated trading in our common shares as reported on the NYSE and dividends for the quarters indicated.

 
  Price Range of Common Shares    
 
 
  Dividend
Paid
per Share
 
 
  High   Low  

Fiscal Year Ended 2007

                   
 

First Quarter

  $ 28.40   $ 25.90   $ 0.04  
 

Second Quarter

    31.99     26.65     0.04  
 

Third Quarter

    30.22     21.32     0.04  
 

Fourth Quarter

    29.46     13.34     0.04  

Fiscal Year Ended 2008

                   
 

First Quarter

  $ 26.98   $ 16.53   $ 0.045  
 

Second Quarter

    27.58     17.94     0.045  
 

Third Quarter

    20.64     7.95     0.045  
 

Fourth Quarter

    16.65     5.49     0.045  

Fiscal Year Ended 2009

                   
 

First Quarter

  $ 12.79   $ 2.69   $ 0.045  
 

Second Quarter (through June 18, 2009)

    16.07     6.48     0.045  

              The closing price of our common shares on the NYSE on June 18, 2009 was $11.09 per share.

              As of June 12, 2009, there were approximately 15,000 holders of record of our common shares. This number excludes beneficial owners of common shares held in "street name."

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SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF ASSURED GUARANTY LTD.

              The following table sets forth selected historical financial and other data of Assured and, except as otherwise indicated below, is derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and unaudited consolidated financial statements. The interim financial data have been derived from Assured's unaudited financial statements and include, in the opinion of Assured's management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial data. The results for the three-month periods do not necessarily indicate the results to be expected for the full year.

              You should read the following information in conjunction with Assured's financial statements and notes thereto and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

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  Three Months
Ended
March 31,
  Year Ended December 31,  
 
  2009   2008   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004  
 
  (unaudited)
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
  (dollars in millions, except per share amounts)
 

Statement of Operations Data:

                                           
 

Net earned premiums(1)

  $ 148.4   $ 46.8   $ 261.4   $ 159.3   $ 144.8   $ 139.4   $ 98.7  
 

Net investment income

    43.6     36.6     162.6     128.1     111.5     96.8     94.8  
 

Net realized investment (losses) gains

    (17.1 )   0.6     (69.8 )   (1.3 )   (2.0 )   2.2     12.0  
 

Realized gains and other settlements on credit derivatives

    20.6     27.6     117.6     74.0     73.9     57.1     (13.1 )
 

Unrealized gains (losses) on credit derivatives

    27.0     (259.6 )   38.0     (670.4 )   11.8     4.4     137.4  
 

Other income(2)

    20.6     8.5     43.4     8.8     0.4     0.2     0.8  
                               
 

Total revenues

    243.1     (139.4 )   553.2     (301.6 )   340.4     300.3     330.5  
                               
 

Loss and loss adjustment expenses (recoveries)(1)

    79.8     55.1     265.8     5.8     11.3     (63.9 )   (48.2 )
 

Profit commission expense

    0.3     1.2     1.3     6.5     9.5     12.9     15.5  
 

Acquisition costs

    23.4     11.9     61.2     43.2     45.2     45.4     49.7  
 

Operating expenses

    32.3     28.6     83.5     79.9     68.0     59.0     67.8  
 

Interest expense

    1.4     0.7     5.7     2.6     2.5     3.7     1.6  
 

Other expense

    5.8     5.8     23.3     23.5     13.8     13.5     10.7  
                               
 

Total expenses

    143.0     103.4     440.9     161.4     150.4     70.7     97.2  
                               
 

Income (loss) before provision (benefit) for income taxes

    100.1     (242.8 )   112.3     (463.0 )   190.0     229.6     233.3  
 

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

    14.6     (73.6 )   43.4     (159.8 )   30.2     41.2     50.5  
                               
 

Net income (loss)

  $ 85.5   $ (169.2 ) $ 68.9   $ (303.3 ) $ 159.7   $ 188.4   $ 182.8  
                               
 

Earnings (loss) per share:(3)

                                           
   

Basic

  $ 0.94   $ (2.09 ) $ 0.78   $ (4.38 ) $ 2.15   $ 2.51   $ 2.42  
   

Diluted

  $ 0.93   $ (2.09 ) $ 0.77   $ (4.38 ) $ 2.13   $ 2.50   $ 2.42  
 

Dividends per share

  $ 0.045   $ 0.045   $ 0.18   $ 0.16   $ 0.14   $ 0.12   $ 0.06  

Balance sheet data (end of period):

                                           
 

Investments and cash

  $ 3,812.3   $ 3,317.0   $ 3,643.6   $ 3,147.9   $ 2,469.9   $ 2,256.0   $ 2,157.9  
 

Prepaid reinsurance premiums

    23.7     17.5     18.9     13.5     4.5     9.5     11.8  
 

Total assets

    5,588.3     4,062.0     4,555.7     3,762.9     2,931.6     2,689.8     2,689.0  
 

Unearned premium reserves

    2,153.3     1,014.2     1,233.7     887.2     631.0     524.6     507.2  
 

Reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses

    222.6     177.7     196.8     125.6     115.9     117.4     217.2  
 

Credit derivative liabilities (assets), net

    557.0     881.6     586.8     617.6     (49.0 )   (35.8 )   (31.3 )
 

Long-term debt

    347.2     347.2     347.2     347.1     347.1     197.3     197.4  
 

Total liabilities

    3,562.7     2,569.4     2,629.5     2,096.4     1,280.8     1,028.3     1,161.4  
 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

    1.8     51.6     2.9     56.6     41.9     45.8     79.0  
 

Shareholders' equity

    2,025.6     1,492.7     1,926.2     1,666.6     1,650.8     1,661.5     1,527.6  
 

Book value per share

    22.48     18.63     21.18     20.85     24.44     22.22     20.19  

Financial Ratios:

                                           
 

Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio(4)

    45.4 %   78.1 %   81.4 %   3.4 %   (3.3 )%   (35.0 )%   (17.0 )%
 

Expense ratio(5)

    31.4 %   56.1 %   38.7 %   55.8 %   59.2 %   58.9 %   65.4 %
 

Combined ratio(6)

    76.8 %   134.2 %   120.1 %   59.2 %   55.9 %   23.9 %   48.4 %

Combined statutory financial information:

                                           
 

Contingency reserve(7)

  $ 770.0   $ 637.0   $ 728.4   $ 598.5   $ 645.8   $ 572.9   $ 491.8  
 

Policyholders' surplus

    1,405.0     1,526.0     1,578.4     1,489.9     1,010.0     977.3     906.2  

Additional financial guaranty information (end of period)

                                           
 

Net in-force business (principal and interest)

  $ 357,216   $ 329,833   $ 348,816   $ 302,413   $ 180,174   $ 145,694   $ 136,120  
 

Net in-force business (principal only)

    237,176     214,876     222,722     200,279     132,296     102,465     95,592  
 

* Some amounts may not add due to rounding.

                                           

(1)
In May 2008, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FAS 163, which requires that we recognize a claim liability prior to an event of default (insured event) when there is evidence that credit deterioration has occurred in an insured financial obligation. FAS 163 also clarifies the methodology to be used for financial guaranty premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement, as well as requiring expanded disclosures about risk management activities. The provisions of FAS 163 related to premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and all interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application of these provisions was not permitted. As a result of the adoption of

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(2)
Other income for three months ended March 31, 2009 and the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007 included a change in fair value of $19.7 million, $8.5 million, $42.7 million and $8.3 million related to AGC.'s committed capital securities entered into in April 2005. The change in fair value was $0 in 2006 and 2005.

(3)
Effective January 1, 2009, the Company adopted FSP, which clarifies that share-based payment awards that entitle their holders to receive nonforfeitable dividends or dividend equivalents before vesting should be considered participating securities and shall be included in the calculation of basic and diluted EPS. Upon retrospective adoption of the FSP, Assured decreased previously reported basic loss per share by $0.02 and $0.08 for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and the year ended December 31, 2007, respectively, and decreased previously reported basic EPS by $0.03, $0.04 and $0.02 for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. Upon retrospective adoption of the FSP, Assured decreased previously reported diluted loss per share by $0.02 and $0.08 for the three months ended March 31, 2008 and the year ended December 31, 2007, respectively, and decreased previously reported diluted EPS by $0.02, $0.03 and $0.02 for the years ended December 31, 2006, 2005 and 2004, respectively. There was no impact on both previously reported basic and diluted EPS for 2008.

(4)
Loss and loss adjustment expense ratio, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is defined as loss and loss adjustment expenses (recoveries) plus the Company's net estimate of credit derivative incurred case and portfolio loss and loss adjustment expense reserves, which is included in unrealized gains (losses) on credit derivatives, plus net credit derivative losses (recoveries), which is included in realized gains and other settlements on credit derivatives, divided by net earned premiums plus net credit derivative premiums received and receivable, which is included in realized gains and other settlements on credit derivatives.

(5)
Expense ratio is calculated by dividing the sum of ceding commissions expense (income), profit commission expense, acquisition costs and operating expenses by net earned premiums plus net credit derivative premiums received and receivable, which is included in realized gains and other settlements on credit derivatives.

(6)
Combined ratio, which is a non-GAAP financial measure, is the sum of the loss and loss adjustment expense ratio and the expense ratio.

(7)
Under U.S. statutory accounting principles, financial guaranty and mortgage guaranty insurers are required to establish contingency reserves based on a specified percentage of premiums. A contingency reserve is an additional liability established to protect policyholders against the effects of adverse economic developments or cycles or other unforeseen circumstances.

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SELECTED HISTORICAL FINANCIAL AND OTHER DATA OF FINANCIAL SECURITY ASSURANCE HOLDINGS LTD.

              The following table sets forth selected historical financial data for FSAH. The annual financial data have been derived from FSAH's audited financial statements. The interim financial data have been derived from FSAH's unaudited financial statements and include, in the opinion of FSAH's management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring adjustments and entries required to record the February 2009 Risk Transfer Transaction) necessary for a fair presentation of the financial data. The results for the three-month periods do not necessarily indicate the results to be expected for the full year. Furthermore, FSAH's financial statements for periods prior to December 31, 2008 include FSAH's GIC operations, which were the subject of the February 2009 Risk Transfer Transaction, and FSAH's other Financial Products businesses which we are not acquiring.

              You should read the following information in conjunction with FSAH's financial statements and notes thereto and other financial information included or that are incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus.

 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
  Year ended December 31,  
 
  2009   2008   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004  
 
  (unaudited)
  (dollars in millions)
 

Summary of Operations Data(1):

                                           
 

Revenues

                                           
   

Net premiums earned(2)

  $ 78.5   $ 72.9   $ 376.6   $ 317.8   $ 301.5   $ 314.9   $ 325.9  
   

Net investment income from general investment portfolio

    62.1     64.8     264.2     236.7     218.9     200.8     172.1  
   

Net change in fair value of credit derivatives:

                                           
     

Realized gains (losses) and other settlements

    (45.8 )   36.2     126.9     102.8     87.2     89.2     69.1  
     

Net unrealized gains (losses)

    573.2     (489.1 )   (745.0 )   (642.6 )   31.8     11.1     56.4  
       

Net change in fair value of credit derivatives

    527.4     (453.0 )   (618.1 )   (539.8 )   119.0     100.3     125.5  
   

Net interest income from financial products segment

    34.4     208.8     647.4     1,079.6     858.2     487.9     194.7  
   

Net realized gains (losses) from financial products segment

    (278.4 )       (8,644.2 )   1.9     0.1     (7.5 )   2.2  
   

Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments

    (180.5 )   430.8     1,424.5     62.8     131.4     (183.6 )   272.9  
   

Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value

    425.4     (411.4 )   130.4     14.0     3.6          
 

Expenses

                                           
   

Losses and loss adjustment expenses(2)

    350.9     300.4     1,877.7     31.6     23.3     25.4     20.6  
   

Foreign exchange (gains) losses from financial products segment

    (16.6 )   13.3     1.7     138.5     159.4     (189.8 )   91.3  
   

Net interest expense from financial products segment

    127.4     239.3     794.3     989.2     768.7     491.6     267.6  
 

Income (loss) before provision (benefit) for income taxes and equity in losses of unconsolidated subsidiaries

    165.3     (685.4 )   (9,315.5 )   (181.9 )   522.8     465.1     580.5  
 

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

    153.7     (263.8 )   (872.4 )   (116.2 )   150.7     126.9     110.6  
 

Net income (loss)

    11.5     (421.6 )   (8,443.2 )   (65.7 )   372.2     337.3     466.0  
 

Less: noncontrolling interest

                    (52.0 )   11.2     87.4  
                               
 

Net income (loss) of FSAH and subsidiaries

  $ 11.5   $ (421.6 ) $ (8,443.2 ) $ (65.7 ) $ 424.2   $ 326.1   $ 378.6  

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  Three Months Ended
March 31,
  Year ended December 31,  
 
  2009   2008   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004  
 
  (unaudited)
  (dollars in millions)
 

Balance Sheet Data(1)(end of period):

                                           

Assets

                                           
 

General investment portfolio, available for sale

  $ 5,872.3   $ 5,684.2   $ 5,935.5   $ 5,191.9   $ 4,872.4   $ 4,595.5   $ 4,281.8  
 

Financial products segment investment portfolio

    805.0     16,157.8     10,302.0     19,213.2     17,537.1     14,002.0     9,546.7  
 

Assets acquired in refinancing transactions

    182.8     213.5     166.6     229.3     337.9     467.9     749.2  
 

Prepaid reinsurance premiums

    1,385.9     1,129.2     1,011.9     1,119.6     999.5     859.4     754.3  
 

Note receivable from affiliate(3)

    13,576.3                          
 

Total assets

    24,891.3     27,203.1     20,258.1     28,318.7     25,764.7     22,000.1     17,079.0  
 
  Three Months Ended
March 31,
  Year ended December 31,  
 
  2009   2008   2008   2007   2006   2005   2004  
 
  (unaudited)
  (dollars in millions)
 

Liabilities and shareholders' equity

                                           
 

Deferred premium revenue

    3,991.4     3,002.7     3,044.7     2,870.6     2,621.5     2,339.0     2,063.8  
 

Losses and loss adjustment expenses

    2,017.7     526.3     1,779.0     274.6     228.1     205.7     179.9  
 

Financial products segment debt

    14,180.3     20,888.9     16,432.3     21,400.2     18,349.7     14,947.1     10,444.1  
 

Notes payable

    730.0     730.0     730.0     730.0     730.0     430.0     430.0  
 

Total liabilities

    22,609.3     27,158.5     25,442.3     26,740.6     23,042.1     18,996.8     14,289.1  
 

Total shareholders' equity (deficit) of FSA Holdings and subsidiaries

    2,281.7     44.3     (5,184.5 )   1,577.8     2,722.3     2,822.9     2,611.3  
 

Noncontrolling interest

    0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3     0.3     180.4     178.6  
 

Shareholders' equity (deficit)

    2,282.0     44.6     (5,184.2 )   1,578.1     2,722.6     3,003.3     2,789.9  

Additional Data:

                                           

Qualified statutory capital(4)

  $ 1,980.4   $ 3,012.9   $ 1,992.4   $ 2,703.1   $ 2,554.1   $ 2,417.5   $ 2,280.9  

Total claims-paying resources(5)

    7,357.4     7,483.3     7,713.1     6,738.8     6,055.8     5,675.8     5,230.6  

Total dividends

        33.6     33.6     122.0     530.0     71.1     22.9  

Exposure:

                                           

Net par outstanding

  $ 417,306   $ 414,128   $ 408,530   $ 406,457   $ 359,560   $ 337,483   $ 317,743  

Net insurance in force (principal and interest)

    616,364     614,268     611,448     598,306     531,421     480,185     444,512  

(1)
Prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

(2)
In May 2008, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued FAS 163, which requires that FSAH recognize a claim liability prior to an event of default (insured event) when there is evidence that credit deterioration has occurred in an insured financial obligation. FAS 163 also clarifies the methodology to be used for financial guaranty premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement, as well as requiring expanded disclosures about risk management activities. The provisions of FAS 163 related to premium revenue recognition and claim liability measurement are effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2008, and all interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application of these provisions was not permitted. As a result of the adoption of FAS 163, net premiums earned and loss and loss adjustment expenses are not comparable between 2008 and 2009 periods. The expanded risk management activity disclosure provisions of FAS 163 were effective for the third quarter of 2008 and were included in FSAH's consolidated financial statements for those periods. FAS 163 will be applied to all existing and future financial guaranty insurance contracts written by FSAH. FAS 163 mandates the accounting changes proscribed by the statement be recognized by FSAH as a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of January 1, 2009. The impact of adopting FAS 163 on FSAH's balance sheet was included in FSAH's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference.

(3)
The GIC subsidiaries, unlike FSA Asset Management LLC ("FSAM"), remain part of FSAH's consolidated financial statements, which means that the GICs issued to third parties and the GIC Subsidiaries' note receivable from FSAM of $13.6 billion (the "Note Receivable from Affiliate") represent the liabilities and assets of the GIC business in FSAH's consolidated financial statements. The Note Receivable from Affiliate is carried at net realizable value, which is

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(4)
Amounts are statutory data for FSA and therefore differ from comparable GAAP amounts.

(5)
Total claims-paying resources is used by Moody's to evaluate adequacy of capital resources and credit ratings. Moody's uses its judgment in making adjustments to some of the measures. This term represents the sum of statutory capital, statutory unearned premium reserve, present value of future net installment premiums, statutory loss reserve, credit available under standby line of credit facility and money market committed preferred trust securities.

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UNAUDITED PRO FORMA COMBINED CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

              The following unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements of Assured have been prepared to assist you in your analysis of the financial effects of the Acquisition. The unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements were prepared using the historical consolidated financial statements of Assured and FSAH. This information should be read in conjunction with, and is qualified in its entirety by, the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes of Assured and FSAH included in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement.

              The accompanying unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements give effect to the transfer by FSAH to Dexia Holdings of the stock of the Financial Products Companies as well as the transfer of the remaining liquidity and credit risk of the GIC operations to Dexia, which we refer to in the following tables as the "FP Business Distribution," and the Acquisition, assuming a purchase price of $544.5 million in cash and the issuance of 22,283,951 Assured common shares, using the purchase method of accounting. The pro forma adjustments related to the Acquisition are preliminary and do not reflect the final allocation of the excess of the purchase price over the net book value of the assets of FSAH, as the process to assign a fair value to the various tangible and intangible assets acquired has not been completed. Final adjustments are likely to result in a materially different purchase price adjustment, debt components and allocation of the purchase price, which will affect the value assigned to the tangible or intangible assets and amount of interest expense and depreciation and amortization expense recorded in the statement of operations. The effect of the changes to the statements of operations will depend on the final purchase price, the nature and amount of debt issued and assumed and the nature and amount of the final purchase price allocation and could be material.

              Assured and FSAH are in the process of reviewing their accounting and reporting policies and, as a result of this review, it may be necessary to adjust FSAH's financial statements to conform to the accounting policies of Assured. While some adjustments have been included in the unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial information included in this prospectus supplement, further adjustments may be necessary upon completion of this review. Final determination of financial statement presentation will be completed upon consummation of the Acquisition. Additionally, the historical financial statements and the pro forma adjustments were prepared under US GAAP. Effective January 1, 2009, Assured and FSAH adopted FAS 163, which significantly changed the accounting for financial guaranty insurance.

              The pro forma financials do not reflect revenue opportunities and cost savings that we expect to realize after the Acquisition. We cannot assure you with respect to the estimated revenue opportunities and operating cost savings that are expected to be realized as a result of the Acquisition. The pro forma financial information also does not reflect non-recurring charges related to integration activity or exit costs that may be incurred by Assured or FSAH in connection with the Acquisition.

              The unaudited pro forma combined condensed balance sheet assumes that the transactions of FSAH took place on March 31, 2009. The unaudited pro forma combined condensed statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2008 and the three months ended March 31, 2009 assume that the transaction took place the first day of the period presented (i.e., January 1, 2008). Reclassifications have been made to the statements of operations of FSAH to conform it to Assured's financial statement classifications.

              The pro forma financial information is based on the estimates and assumptions set forth in the notes to such information. The pro forma financial information is preliminary and is being furnished solely for information purposes and, therefore, is not necessarily indicative of the combined results of operations or financial position that might have been achieved for the dates or periods indicated, nor is it necessarily indicative of the results of operations or financial position that may occur in the future.

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Assured Guaranty Ltd. and Subsidiaries
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Condensed Balance Sheet
As of March 31, 2009
(dollars in thousands)

 
  Assured
As
Reported
  FSA
As
Reported
  Pro Forma
Adjustments
for
Carve Out of
Financial
Products
Segment
  Notes   Pro Forma
Adjustments
For Acquisition
  Notes   Pro Forma
Combined
 

Assets

                                           

General investment portfolio, available for sale:

                                           

Fixed maturity securities, at fair value

  $ 3,176,178   $ 5,383,175   $         $         $ 8,559,353  

Equity securities, at fair value

        573                         573  

Short-term investments, at cost which approximates fair value

    616,834     488,561                         1,105,395  

Financial products segment investment portfolio:

                                           

Fixed maturity securities, at fair value

        796,129     (796,129 )   (1 )              

Short-term investments, at cost which approximates fair value

        8,910     (8,910 )   (1 )              

Trading portfolio at fair value

                                 

Assets acquired in refinancing transactions

        182,812                         182,812  

Total investments

    3,793,012     6,860,160     (805,039 )                   9,848,133  

Cash and cash equivalents

    19,328     55,280               (10,873 )   (10 )   63,735  

Deferred acquisition costs

    382,525     297,562               (297,562 )   (3 )   382,525  

Note receivable from affiliate

        13,576,303     (13,576,303 )   (1 )              

Prepaid reinsurance premiums

    23,655     1,385,908               (406,086 )   (2 )   1,003,476  

Premium receivable

    748,414     815,819                         1,564,233  

Reinsurance recoverable on ceded losses

    7,763     325,812               (7,192 )   (2 )   326,383  

Credit derivative assets

    149,798     126,385                         276,183  

Deferred income taxes

    117,560     580,900     31,443     (1 )   487,516     (11 )   1,217,419  

VIE assets

                      1,147,605     (5 )   1,147,605  

Other assets

    346,273     867,200     (432,301 )                   781,172  

Total assets

  $ 5,588,328   $ 24,891,329   $ (14,782,200 )       $ 913,407         $ 16,610,864  

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  Assured
As
Reported
  FSA
As
Reported
  Pro Forma
Adjustments
for
Carve Out of
Financial
Products
Segment
  Notes   Pro Forma
Adjustments
For Acquisition
  Notes   Pro Forma
Combined
 

Liabilities and
shareholders' equity

                                           

Liabilities

                                           

Unearned premium reserves

  $ 2,153,312   $ 3,991,368   $         $ (406,086 )   (2 ) $ 7,465,338  

                            1,726,744     (6 )      

Reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses

    222,555     2,017,675         (1 )   (7,192 )   (2 )   2,233,038  

Senior Notes/Notes Payable

    197,452     430,000               (391,403 )         236,049  

Series A Enhanced Junior Subordinated Debentures

    149,774     300,000               (240,000 )         209,774  

Goodwill

                      145,874     (8 )    

                            (145,874 )   (9 )      

Credit derivative liabilities

    706,768     816,633                         1,523,401  

Financial products segment debt

        14,180,258     (14,180,258 )   (1 )              

VIE liabilities

                      1,147,605     (5 )   1,147,605  

Mandatory Convertible Equity Units

                      147,600     (10 )   147,600  

Other liabilities and minority interest

    132,874     873,365     (160,796 )   (1 )               845,443  

Total liabilities

    3,562,735     22,609,299     (14,341,054 )         1,977,267           13,808,247  

Commitments and contingencies

                                           

Shareholders' equity

                                           

Common stock

    901     335               (335 )   (7 )   1,509  

                            608     (10 )      

Additional paid-in capital

    1,284,093     9,365,755     (7,754,971 )   (1 )   (1,610,784 )   (7 )   1,914,635  

                            630,542     (10 )      

Retained earnings

    738,831     (7,089,937 )   7,316,746     (1 )   (226,809 )   (7 )   884,705  

                            145,874     (9 )      

Purchase price

                                 

Non-controlling interest

        250     (250 )   (1 )              

Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)

    1,768     6,712     (2,671 )   (1 )   (4,041 )   (7 )   1,768  

Deferred equity compensation

        13,052               (13,052 )   (7 )    

Less treasury stock at cost

        (14,137 )             14,137     (7 )    

Total shareholders' equity

    2,025,593     2,282,030     (441,146 )         (1,063,860 )         2,802,617  

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

  $ 5,588,328   $ 24,891,329   $ (14,782,200 )       $ 913,407         $ 16,610,864  

See accompanying notes to unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements, including Note 2 for an explanation of the preliminary pro forma adjustments.

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Assured Guaranty Ltd. and Subsidiaries
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Condensed Statements of Operations
For the Year Ended December 31, 2008
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

 
  Assured
As Reported
  FSAH
As Reported
  Pro Forma
Adjustments
for
Carve Out of
Financial
Products
Segment
  Notes   Pro Forma
Adjustments
For Acquisition
  Notes   Pro Forma
Combined
 

Revenues

                                           

Net earned premiums

  $ 261,398   $ 376,573   $         $ 158,700     (b ) $ 796,671  

Net investment income

    162,558     264,181                         426,739  

Net realized investment losses

    (69,801 )   (6,669 )                       (76,470 )

Change in fair value of credit derivatives

                                           

Realized gains and other settlements on credit derivatives

    117,589     126,891                         244,480  

Unrealized gains (losses) on credit derivatives

    38,034     (744,963 )                       (706,929 )

Net change in fair value of credit derivatives

    155,623     (618,072 )                       (462,449 )

Net interest income from financial products segment

        647,366     (647,366 )   (a )              

Net realized (losses) gains from financial products segment

        (8,644,183 )   8,644,183     (a )              

Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments

        1,424,522     (1,424,237 )   (a )             285  

Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value

        130,363     (47,563 )   (a )             82,800  

Income from assets acquired in refinancing transactions

        11,154                         11,154  

Other income

    43,410     (16,199 )   69     (a )             27,280  

Total revenues

    553,188     (6,430,964 )   6,525,086           158,700           806,010  

Expenses

                                           

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

    265,762     1,877,699                         2,143,461  

Profit commission expense

    1,336                             1,336  

Acquisition costs

    61,249     65,700               (65,700 )         61,249  

Other operating expenses

    83,493     98,871     (43,241 )   (a )             139,123  

Foreign exchange losses (gains) from financial products segment

        1,652     (1,652 )   (a )              

Interest expense

    23,283     46,335     12,120     (a )   6,314     (c )   103,052  

                            15,000     (e )      

Net interest expense from financial products segment

        794,308     (794,308 )   (a )              

Other expense

    5,734                             5,734  

Total expenses

    440,857     2,884,565     (827,081 )         (44,386 )         2,453,955  

Income (loss) before provision (benefit) for income taxes

   
112,331
   
(9,315,529

)
 
7,352,167
         
203,086
         
(1,647,945

)

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

    43,448     (872,359 )   182,688     (a )   71,080           (575,143 )

Net (loss)

  $ 68,883   $ (8,443,170 ) $ 7,169,479         $ 132,006         $ (1,072,802 )

Net loss per diluted share

                                      $ (7.17 )

See accompanying notes to unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements, including Note 2 for an explanation of the preliminary pro forma adjustments.

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Assured Guaranty Ltd. and Subsidiaries
Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Condensed Statements of Operations
For the Quarter Ended March 31, 2009
(dollars in thousands, except per share amounts)

 
  Assured
As Reported
  FSA
As Reported
  Pro Forma
Adjustments
for
Carve Out of
Financial
Products
Segment
  Notes   Pro Forma
Adjustments
For Acquisition
  Notes   Pro Forma
Combined
 

Revenues

                                           

Net earned premiums

  $ 148,446   $ 78,523   $         $ 36,663     (b ) $ 263,632  

Net investment income

    43,601     62,117                         105,718  

Net realized investment losses

    (17,110 )   (5,922 )                       (23,032 )

Change in fair value of credit derivatives

                                           

Realized gains and other settlements on credit derivatives

    20,579     (45,754 )                       (25,175 )

Unrealized (losses) gains on credit derivatives

    26,982     573,194                         600,176  
                                   

Net change in fair value of credit derivatives

    47,561     527,440                         575,001  

Net interest income from financial products segment

        34,355     (34,355 )   (a )              

Net realized gains (losses) from financial products segment

        (278,359 )   278,359     (a )              

Interest income on note receivable from affiliate

        35,447     (35,447 )   (a )              

Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on derivative instruments

        (180,483 )   180,479     (a )             (4 )

Net unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments at fair value

        425,356     (386,637 )   (a )             38,719  

Income from assets acquired in refinancing transactions

        2,172                         2,172  

Other income

    20,568     (14,743 )                       5,825  
                                   

Total revenues

    243,066     685,903     2,399           36,663           968,031  
                                   

Expenses

                                           

Loss and loss adjustment expenses

    79,754     350,858                         430,612  

Profit commission expense

    255                             255  

Acquisition costs

    23,421     8,999               (8,999 )   (f )   23,421  

Other operating expenses

    32,318     37,435     (8,319 )   (a )             61,434  

Foreign exchange (gains) losses from financial products segment

        (16,588 )   16,588     (a )              

Interest expense

    5,821     12,510     1,603     (a )   1,579     (c )   25,263  

                            3,750     (e )      

Net interest expense from financial products segment

        127,422     (127,422 )   (a )              

Other expense

    1,400                             1,400  
                                   

Total expenses

    142,969     520,636     (117,550 )         (3,670 )         542,385  
                                   

(Loss) income before (benefit) provision for income taxes

    100,097     165,267     119,949           40,334           425,647  

(Benefit) provision for income taxes

    14,608     153,722     5,913     (a )   14,117     (d )   188,360  
                                   

Net income

  $ 85,489   $ 11,545   $ 114,036         $ 26,217         $ 237,287  
                                   

Net income per diluted share

                                      $ 1.55  

See accompanying notes to unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements, including Note 2 for an explanation of the preliminary pro forma adjustments.

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Assured Guaranty Ltd.
Notes to Unaudited Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial Statements

Note 1—Basis of Pro Forma Presentation

              The unaudited pro forma combined condensed balance sheet data shows the estimated effects of the Acquisition as if it had occurred on March 31, 2009. The unaudited pro forma combined condensed statements of operations data for the year ended December 31, 2008 and the three months ended March 31, 2009 show the estimated effects of the Acquisition as if it had occurred on the first day of the periods presented (i.e., January 1, 2008).

              The Carve Out of Financial Products Segment and Adjustments For Acquisition columns represent adjustments to present the historic consolidated financial statements of Assured and FSAH to conform to the preliminary presentation of such information for the combined entity as discussed below. For purposes of identifying the transactions that give rise to the changes on the financial statements, numerical references are provided to reflect where balances have been adjusted.

              Assured and FSAH are in the process of reviewing their accounting and reporting policies and, as a result of this review, it may be necessary to adjust FSAH's financial statements to conform to the accounting policies of Assured. While some adjustments have been included in the unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial information included in this prospectus supplement, further adjustments may be necessary upon completion of this review. Final determination of financial statement presentation will be completed upon consummation of the Acquisition. Additionally, the historical financial statements and the pro forma adjustments were prepared under US GAAP. Effective January 1, 2009, Assured and FSAH adopted FAS 163, which significantly changed the accounting for financial guaranty insurance.

              Historically, Assured and FSAH engaged in reinsurance transactions together. The effects of material intercompany transactions have been eliminated from the accompanying unaudited pro forma combined financial information.

              The pro forma adjustments reflect the payment of $544.5 million in cash and issuance of 22,283,951 Assured common shares to Dexia Holdings. The pro forma adjustments assume funds for the $544.5 million cash payment were obtained from the issuance of an additional 38,500,000 Assured common shares to the public at a purchase price of $11.00 per share, the public offering price of our common shares in the Concurrent Common Share Offering, and the issuance of $150 million of equity units.

              The Acquisition will be accounted for using the purchase method of accounting effective on January 1, 2009 in accordance with FAS No. 141, Business Combinations, as revised in 2007 ("FAS 141R"). Assured will be the acquiring entity for financial reporting purposes. Under the purchase method of accounting, the acquisition price will be allocated to the tangible and intangible assets and liabilities assumed of the acquired entity based on their estimated fair values, with any excess being recognized as goodwill and any deficit being recognized as an extraordinary gain to net income in the first reporting period after the deal closes. Costs of the Acquisition are expensed in the period in which the expenses are incurred.

              In addition, as explained in more detail in the accompanying notes to the unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements, the resulting extraordinary gain reflected in the unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements is subject to adjustment. The adjustments included in these unaudited pro forma combined condensed financial statements are preliminary and may be revised. Based on the preliminary adjustments and allocation of purchase price, the fair value of FSAH's pro forma net assets at March 31, 2009 exceeds the purchase price by $145.9 million. This results in negative goodwill. Any negative goodwill will be recognized as an extraordinary gain in the combined results of operations in the first reporting period subsequent to consummation of the

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Acquisition. After completing a fair value analysis of FSAH's assets and liabilities as of the closing date, the final allocation of negative goodwill to nonfinancial assets and the amount of the extraordinary gain will be determined. The final purchase price allocation and purchase accounting adjustments may be materially different from the unaudited pro forma adjustments presented in the document.

Note 2—Unaudited Pro Forma Adjustments

Carve Out of Financial Products Segment

(1)
Adjustment to carve out amounts attributable to the Financial Products Companies from consolidated FSAH balances. Under the Purchase Agreement, we have agreed to acquire FSAH. Assured is not acquiring the Financial Products Companies. Assured expects FSAH to distribute certain of the Financial Products Companies to Dexia Holdings or one of its affiliates. Under the Purchase Agreement, Assured and Dexia Holdings have agreed to negotiate a number of agreements pursuant to which Dexia Holdings would guarantee or otherwise take responsibility for the assets and liabilities of the financial products business. This pro forma adjustment shows the estimated effects of these agreements, which will be entered into at the closing of the Acquisition.

Adjustments for Acquisition

(2)
Adjustment to eliminate amounts attributable to reinsurance activity between Assured and FSAH entities.

(3)
Adjustment to write off FSAH deferred acquisition costs as part of purchase GAAP accounting.

(4)
Adjustment to record the debt Assured acquired from FSAH at fair value. Refer to Note 11 of the notes to FSAH's consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2008 for a description of the material terms related to this debt, which have been incorporated by reference into this prospectus supplement. The debt matures beginning in 2036 with the final obligation maturing in 2103. The coupon rates are considerably lower than the rates that would apply to comparable debt issued today. Accordingly, the adjustment reflects the changes in credit spreads from when the debt was originally entered into and current credit spreads in the market.

(5)
Adjustment to reflect assets and liabilities of variable interest entities at their carrying values that will need to be consolidated pursuant to the guidance of FASB Interpretation No. 46 (revised December 2003) "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities" ("FIN 46R"). This adjustment is based on Assured's preliminary evaluation of variable interest entities whereby the combined variable interest of FSAH and Assured would lead us to conclude that the combined entity is the primary beneficiary as defined by FIN 46R and, therefore, that we would need to consolidate these entities.

(6)
Adjustment to record at fair value FSAH's unearned premium reserves. Adjustment reflects the amount that a financial guaranty insurance company with a similar credit rating would require to assume the policies for which FSAH has already been paid premiums in full (typically referred to as up-front policies). The adjustment reflects our best estimate of current upfront premiums that a financial guarantor would require based on the nature of the policies in force. The adjustment reflects estimated costs of capital based on rating agency capital charges, expenses based on our historical experience and a risk premium that reflects the risk of loss associated with the policies.

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(7)
Adjustment to eliminate historic balances attributable to FSAH common stock, additional paid-in capital, retained earnings, accumulated other comprehensive income, deferred equity compensation and treasury stock.

(8)
Adjustment to record negative goodwill based on the excess of the fair value of FSAH's net assets compared to the purchase price paid based on our preliminary assessment. The fair value of FSAH's pro forma net assets at March 31, 2009 exceeds the purchase price by $145.9 million. After completing a fair value analysis of FSAH's assets and liabilities as of the closing date, the final allocation of negative goodwill to non-financial assets and the amount of the extraordinary gain will be determined. The final purchase accounting adjustments may be materially different from the unaudited pro forma adjustments presented in this document.

(9)
Adjustment to recognize an extraordinary gain for the negative goodwill in pro forma adjustment Note 8, above. This extraordinary gain would be recognized in the combined results of operations in the first reporting period subsequent to consummation of the Acquisition.

(10)
Adjustment to reflect the effects of the offering of Assured's common shares to finance the Acquisition. The pro forma adjustments reflect a payment of $544.5 million in cash and the issuance of 22,283,951 Assured common shares directly to Dexia Holdings. The funds for the $544.5 million payment were assumed to be obtained from the issuance of an additional 38,500,000 Assured common shares to the public at $11.00 per share plus the issuance of $150 million of equity units. Transaction costs are estimated to be $39.9 million, of which $10.9 million is assumed to be paid from cash on hand.

(11)
Adjustment to tax effect of purchase GAAP accounting entries. Adjustment assumes a 35% tax rate.

Carve Out of Financial Products Segment

(a)
Adjustment to carve out amounts attributable to the Financial Products Companies from consolidated FSAH balances.

Pro Forma Adjustments

(b)
Adjustment to record incremental net earned premium attributable to the effects of balance sheet pro forma adjustment Note 6, above. Adjustment assumes that the pro forma adjustment

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(c)
Adjustment to record incremental interest expense attributable to the effects of balance sheet pro forma adjustment Note 4, above. Adjustment assumes incremental expense will be recognized straight line over the contractual life of the debt.

(d)
Adjustment to tax effect of pro forma adjustments. Adjustment assumes a 35% tax rate for all adjustments.

(e)
Adjustment to reflect interest expense on $150 million of equity units. Interest expense based on the company's estimated cost to issue 3-year debt, which is estimated to be 10%. The difference between this estimated cost and the actual coupon on these equity units of 8.50%, results in a credit to the company's additional paid-in capital.

(f)
Adjustment to eliminate FSA's deferred acquisition cost amortization as a result of write-off of deferred acquisition costs as part of purchase GAAP accounting, see note 3 above.

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THE BUSINESS OF ASSURED GUARANTY LTD.

Overview

              Assured Guaranty Ltd. is a Bermuda based holding company that provides, through its operating subsidiaries, credit enhancement products to the public finance, structured finance and mortgage markets. Credit enhancement products are financial guaranty or other types of financial support, including credit derivatives, that improve the credit of underlying debt obligations. A derivative is a financial instrument whose characteristics and value depend upon the characteristics and value of an underlying security or commodity. We apply our credit expertise, risk management skills and capital markets experience to develop insurance, reinsurance and derivative products that meet the credit enhancement needs of our customers. We market our products directly and through financial institutions, serving the U.S. and international markets.

              Our principal operating subsidiaries are AGC and AG Re.

              We have four principal business segments: (1) financial guaranty direct, which includes transactions whereby we provide an unconditional and irrevocable guaranty that indemnifies the holder of a financial obligation against non-payment of principal and interest when due, and could take the form of a credit derivative; (2) financial guaranty reinsurance, which includes agreements whereby we are a reinsurer and agree to indemnify a primary insurance company against part or all of the loss which the latter may sustain under a policy it has issued; (3) mortgage guaranty, which includes mortgage guaranty insurance and reinsurance whereby we provide protection against the default of borrowers on mortgage loans; and (4) other, which includes lines of business in which we are no longer active.

              We primarily conduct our business in the United States, Bermuda and Europe. The following table sets forth our gross written premiums by segment for the periods presented:

Gross Written Premiums By Segment

 
  Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2009
  Year Ended
December 31,
2008
 
 
  ($ in millions)
 

Financial guaranty direct:

             
 

Structured finance

  $ 0.9   $ 59.4  
 

Public finance

    139.2