Alleghany Corp. (Y) News

FARMINGTON, Conn., Sept. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Darwin Professional Underwriters, Inc. (Darwin) and Professional Government Underwriters, Inc. (PGU) have entered into a program arrangement whereby PGU will be the exclusive provider of professional liability coverages for Darwin's public entity program. The program is available nationally through PGU and targets municipalities, public entities, public school districts (grades kindergarten through 12) and other public and educational entities.

Three segments of public entity business are served by this program. They include public officials professional liability, police professional liability, and school board legal liability. Each will have a segment-specific coverage form. Employment practices liability coverage is also included in the policy forms for school board legal liability and public officials professional liability. Coverage through the program will be written on a non- admitted and admitted basis, depending on domicile of the risk. Darwin can provide limits of liability up to $5 million for each policy.

'Darwin recognized a strong partner in PGU based on their historical performance and expertise in the public entity sector,' says Nicole Haggerty, assistant vice president of Darwin. 'PGU's principals have a strong track record of profitable underwriting practices and a commitment to provide public entity clients with responsive service. Darwin is proud to partner with PGU on this program.'

'Darwin has demonstrated underwriting expertise for this sector, quick turnaround to bring the program up to speed, strong senior management support, and a high level of expertise in developing profitable, sustainable programs,' says Marty Kanipe, president of PGU. 'We look forward to working with Darwin on meeting the needs of our clients.'

Darwin underwrites D&O and E&O liability insurance for public and private companies, health care and medical professional risks, and a broad range of non-medical professional classes. Darwin member companies include Darwin Professional Underwriters, Inc., Darwin National Assurance Company, and Darwin Select Insurance Company. Darwin is a subsidiary of Alleghany Insurance Holdings LLC, whose parent company, Alleghany Corporation, is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol 'Y'). For more about Darwin, visit http://www.darwinpro.com.

PGU, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, began operations in 1993 as a full-service risk management company dedicated to assisting public and educational entities in the management of their professional liability exposures. PGU is dedicated to providing state-of-the-art professional underwriting management and loss control advisory services. The company operates through a network of professional producers who seek specialized services for their public entity and educational clients and who represent the best interests of their clients and the industry as a whole.

For more information about the Darwin/PGU public entity program, please contact Ned Daly of PGU at ndaly@pgui.com or 800 586 6502 x107.

Media Contact: Drake Manning (Darwin) at 860 284 1500 or dmanning@darwinpro.com

SOURCE Darwin Professional Underwriters, Inc.