A.M. Best Downgrades Rating of Coregis Insurance Company and Revises Outlook to Stable

Business Wire, June 15, 2004

Business Editors

OLDWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 2004

A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to B (Very

Good) from A- (Excellent) of Coregis Insurance Company (South Bend, IN). The outlook is being revised to stable from negative.

This rating action was taken following the execution of an intercompany loan from Coregis to its parent, GE Global Insurance Holding Corp. (Overland Park, KS) an amount that as a capital reduction has weakened the company's risk-adjusted capitalization.

Coregis sold the renewal rights of its public entity business lines to Argonaut Group (San Antonio, TX) in November 2003, placing all remaining liabilities into run off. With minimal new business activity forecast for 2004, the company is in the process of executing a new business plan. Coregis has historically experienced poor underwriting and operating performance despite previous remedial underwriting actions, which caused its current management by Employers Reinsurance Corporation (ERC) (Overland Park, KS) to undertake a new strategy.

Thus, with its risk-adjusted capital declining below the threshold for an A- (Excellent) rating, compounded by an uncertain future and historically weak underwriting and operating performance, these factors together precipitated the rating downgrade. The rating outlook is stable based on Coregis' relative size and the stop loss protection afforded it through ERC.

A.M. Best Co., established in 1899, is the world's oldest and most authoritative insurance rating and information source. For more information, visit A.M. Best's Web site at www.ambest.com.