Zurich North America Small Business Triples Number of World Class Classes Business Opportunities For Agents and Brokers.

Business Editors

SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2002

Over 8.5 Million Small Business Are `Priority' Targets

Identified Nationwide, Representing $16 Billion in Potential Premium

Zurich North America Small Business (ZSB) today announced that it has expanded its World Class Classes from 35 to 115 classes in the office, retail, service, wholesale, institutional and trade contractors business segments, including its Builders Risk product.

World Class Classes are select groups of small businesses that offer insurance agencies above-average profit and growth potential. They represent more than 8.5 million small business establishments nationwide and $16 billion in potential premium.

Identified through an extensive market analysis, World Class Classes are designed to help agents determine which small business sectors they should target and how to best serve these customers.

"Within the more than 450 classes of small businesses that Zurich North America Small Business offers, there are so many potential customers that it may seem difficult knowing which ones to target," said Ray Thomas, president and CEO of Zurich Small Business. "We've analyzed the small business market and pinpointed customers with better than average growth potential and profitability. By identifying the best prospects, we've made it easier for our agents to profit from them. We have done everything we can to make this business quick and easy for our agents to place with us. In short, we've put in extra work so they won't have to."

Because these classes have met ZSB's specific criteria, agencies will benefit from:

- Self-service convenience of the eZSB internet platform

- One-step quote and issue process

- Fewer underwriting questions

- Fewer underwriting holds

- Higher hit ratios

- Better retention rates

- Increased agency profit margins

- More stable loss ratios

As a unique service to help agents grow and better serve their customer base, ZSB offers agents customer profiles that outline the basic operations and exposures of each business segment, allowing agents to offer customized coverage. In addition, local ZSB field teams are also available to provide marketing assistance, including systems and product training, to agencies nationwide.

To obtain more information about the World Class Classes, agents may contact Zurich Small Business at [phone].

Zurich North America Small Business is a leader in providing insurance protection for small businesses in the office, retail, service, wholesale, institutional, manufacturers and trade contractors markets segments through a network of nearly 12,000 independent agents and 52 local field offices.

About Zurich North America

Zurich North America (www.zurichna.com) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the multinational, middle market and small business sectors in the United States and Canada. Headquartered in Schaumburg, Ill., Zurich North America has 11,650 employees and wrote $10.9 billion in premiums in 2001. Zurich North America includes the Zurich U.S. business units (Corporate Customer, Middle Markets, Small Business, Strategic Partnerships, Construction, Specialties, Zurich Global Energy, Surety & Financial Enterprises and Empire Fire and Marine), as well as Universal Underwriters Group and Zurich North America Canada. The Zurich U.S. pool of companies is rated A (excellent) by A.M. Best and A+ (strong) by Standard & Poor's. Zurich North America is a member of the Zurich Financial Services Group.

Zurich Financial Services is an insurance-based financial services provider with an international network that focuses its activities on its key markets of North America, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Founded in 1872, Zurich is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It has offices in approximately 60 countries and employs well over 70,000 people.