Medical Protective Remains Nation's Only Dedicated Medical Liability Carrier with the Highest Financial Strength Ratings from Both A.M. Best and S&P.

A.M. Best and S&P Again Affirm Medical Protective's Respective "A++" and "AAA" Rating

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- Once again the independent rating agency A.M. Best has rated Medical Protective "A++", its highest possible financial strength rating. Earlier this year, Standard & Poor's (S&P) also reaffirmed its "AAA" rating - their highest - for Medical Protective, and Medical Protective remains the only dedicated medical liability insurer to receive both S&P's "AAA" rating and A.M. Best's "A++" rating.

"We appreciate A.M. Best again recognizing Medical Protective with its highest rating," said Timothy Kenesey, President and CEO of Medical Protective. "It is more tangible evidence of our industry leadership in service of healthcare providers, and of the reputation and commitment of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway, our parent company. For over a century - while so many others in the medmal industry have come and gone - Medical Protective has been the one company that generations of healthcare providers have relied on. We will continue to serve healthcare providers with the nation's (i) most secure financial strength, (ii) most winning and proactive defense of their assets and reputations, and (iii) smartest risk management solutions and patient safety education."

A.M. Best, while affirming Medical Protective's rating, acknowledged Medical Protective's "leading market presence in the primary medical professional liability market, its distribution capabilities, aggressive claims philosophy and its comparatively strong operating performance" as well as "enhanced financial flexibility...and leading business position." S&P had similar sentiment when reaffirming earlier this year its highest rating for Medical Protective: "Medical Protective's ratings reflect its leading market position, effective distribution...disciplined underwriting and pricing, and prospectively strong earnings."

"Despite successful tort reforms in some states and recent moderating frequency in claims in many jurisdictions, healthcare providers remain under assault from tens of thousands of frivolous lawsuits and numerous excessive verdicts," Kenesey added. "Regrettably, there now seem to be a fair number of more aggressive start-up and some existing companies - many unwilling or unable to seek independent ratings from organizations like A.M. Best and S&P - who claim to sell healthcare providers long-term protection and security, but lack the necessary defense expertise and financial capacity to truly back it up for the long haul. In stark contrast, Medical Protective policyholders can always sleep peacefully at night, knowing that their assets and reputations will be protected from not only today's attacks, but also from the long-to-resolve claims that arise years down the road."

About Medical Protective

With about $700 million in annual premium, Medical Protective is a national leader in primary medical professional liability coverage and risk solutions to physicians, dentists, allied healthcare providers, community-based hospitals and other healthcare facilities, and professional corporations. As the nation's first provider of medical professional liability insurance, Medical Protective has been protecting the assets and reputations of doctors and other providers of healthcare for over 100 years. Its offerings include professional liability insurance on both claims-made and occurrence forms across the healthcare spectrum, risk management consulting and education, premium finance solutions and - through affiliates and partners - additional financial products and services for its healthcare providers. Medical professional liability insurance products are underwritten by The Medical Protective Company or its affiliates, each rated AAA (Extremely Strong) by Standard & Poor's and A++ (Superior) by A.M. Best, and are distributed primarily through a nationwide network of appointed agents, as well through employee sales managers. Medical Protective is a Berkshire Hathaway company. More information about Medical Protective is available at www.medpro.com.