Assurant 2005 Annual Report Download - page 38

Fees of Principal Accountants
The Audit Committee, in its capacity as a committee of our Board of Directors, is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation,
retention and oversight of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, our Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. The Audit Committee is
required to approve all engagements with the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, including both audit services and non-audit
services prior to such services being rendered. The Audit Committee has delegated to the Audit Committee Chairman, who is currently
Mr. Carver, the ability to pre-approve non-audit service engagements with the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm involving fees
of up to $250,000 per engagement. Any non-audit services that are pre-
approved by the Chairman must then be reported and ratified at the next
full Audit Committee meeting.
In approving any non-audit services, the Audit Committee, or Chairman when applicable, considers whether the proposed services are
prohibited under current law or regulations. The Audit Committee, or Chairman when applicable, in order to approve the proposed non-audit
services, also must be of the opinion that the proposed services, both individually and collectively with all other provided services, will not
impair the independence of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm relative to their audit opinion given in connection with our
financial statements. The Audit Committee also receives assurances from the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm that the
proposed engagement is not a prohibited service under applicable laws and regulations and that the proposed service will not impair the
auditors’ independence relative to their audit opinion regarding Assurant’s financial statements.
Even though Ernst & Young LLP are not our independent auditors, since Mr. Carver is currently a consultant with Ernst & Young LLP,
Mr. Carver abstains from the approval of any non-
audit services that may be provided by Ernst & Young LLP. In such case, another member of
the Audit Committee is authorized to approve Ernst & Young’s non-audit services and fees, subject to ratification by the Audit Committee.
The following table sets forth the aggregate fees agreed upon with and/or billed to Assurant for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2004
and 2003 by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP:
The nature of the services comprising Audit Fees for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 was for professional services rendered
for the audits of our consolidated financial statements, statutory and subsidiary audits and issuance of comfort letters. The nature of the services
comprising Audit Related Fees for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 was for employee benefit audits, due diligence services,
advisory services related to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and procedures performed and reported under SAS 70. The nature of the services
comprising Tax Fees for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 was for tax compliance and tax advice. The nature of the fees
comprising All Other Fees for the years ended December 31, 2004 and 2003 was primarily for purchases of software licenses.
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Fiscal Year Ended Fiscal Year Ended
December 31, 2004 December 31, 2003
Percentage of Percentage of
Services Approved Services Approved
Description of Fees
Amount by Audit Committee Amount
by Audit Committee
(In thousands)
Audit Fees
$
8,431
100%
$
6,385
100
%
Audit Related Fees
1,161
100%
1,021
100
%
Tax Fees
345
100%
73
84
%
All Other Fees
19
100%
3
100
%