The Hanover Introduces Major Enhancements to Its Professional Liability Capabilities

WORCESTER, Mass., Jan. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG), a leading provider of property and casualty insurance, today announced that it has significantly expanded its professional liability capabilities and product line, adding professional liability for architects and engineers as well as a stand-alone miscellaneous professional liability coverage to the company's Hanover Professional Portfolio of products.

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The Hanover Professional Portfolio is a growing selection of professional and management liability products designed to offer the company's agent partners a distinct competitive advantage and more opportunities to grow in their local markets.

"The expansion of our professional liability capabilities is just one example of our firm commitment to investing in the people, products and services needed to be the best partner for growing independent agents," said Frederick H. Eppinger, chief executive officer of The Hanover. "By strategically adding distinctive capabilities, we are offering our partner agents new ways to strengthen their competitive position and grow their businesses over the long term."

Adding an Architects and Engineers Specialty

In an effort to offer the highest quality program for architects and engineers, backed by the most knowledgeable professionals, The Hanover has acquired Benchmark Professional Insurance Services, Inc., a leading provider of insurance solutions to the design professionals industry.

Benchmark was founded in 1992 by Dick O'Gorman and Katherine (Kitty) Dimit—two highly experienced professionals who have been profitably underwriting architects and engineers for more than 35 years. The company's skilled team of professionals, led by Dimit is adept at underwriting small to mid-sized architects, engineers, interior designers, landscape architects and land surveyors.

As such, The Hanover's new architects and engineers program will offer value-added services, a policy form with innovative coverages, a wide range of limit options (from $100,000 up to $10 million) and deductible options, including a $0 deductible option for small firms.

Hanover Miscellaneous Professional Liability Advantage

The company also has hired Robert F. Drohan, CPCU, ARM, RPLU to help build-out its professional liability product suite and lead its miscellaneous professional liability business. Drohan is a 30-year veteran of the insurance industry, with much of his career spent in leadership roles within various professional liability practices.

Most recently, Drohan worked at Colemont Insurance Brokers.  Prior to Colemont, Drohan served as a vice president of product development at Travelers Insurance Company, where he developed and managed the miscellaneous professional liability product for Travelers Bond.  In addition, Drohan worked for several years at the Lexington Insurance Company.  

The company's new miscellaneous professional liability program, Hanover Miscellaneous Professional Liability Advantage, offers small and mid-sized businesses an affordable, flexible solution that can be tailored to meet their needs. With the new program, agent partners can offer protection to hundreds of eligible businesses. Highlights include:

• Duty to Defend/Pay on behalf of
• Claim Expense limit available outside of policy limit
• Up to $10,000,000 limits
• $25,000 Defense coverage for Disciplinary Proceedings
• Prior Acts coverage
• Internet liability coverage
• Minimum premium $1,000
• Deductibles not Retentions

"Today's announcement represents a big step forward for the Hanover Professional Portfolio and is in direct response to the needs of our partner agents," said Andrew Robinson, executive leadership team member responsible for the Hanover Professional Portfolio. "With the addition of Kitty, her team, and Bob, we have put in place the highest quality, most experienced professionals to lead and support these important product areas and capabilities, enabling us to continue to offer our partners national capabilities with a regional touch that they have come to expect from The Hanover."

The company's miscellaneous professional liability product and specialty program for architects and engineers will be broadly available in the second quarter of 2010. Agents interested in more detail should contact one of The Hanover's local branch offices or visit the Agent section of the company's web site at www.hanover.com.

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG), based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company for a group of insurers that includes The Hanover Insurance Company, also based in Worcester, Citizens Insurance Company of America, headquartered in Howell, Michigan, and their affiliates. The Hanover offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services to individuals, families and businesses through an extensive network of independent agents, and has been meeting its obligations to its agent partners and their customers for more than 150 years. Taken as a group, The Hanover ranks among the top 30 property and casualty insurers in the United States.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this release, including statements regarding the expected benefits of the pending transaction, may be forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.   Use of the words "believes," "anticipates," "expects," "projections," "outlook," "should," "plan," "guidance" and similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements.  The Company cautions investors that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results could differ materially.   Investors are directed to consider the risks and uncertainties in its business that may affect future performance and that are discussed in readily available documents, including the Company's annual report and other documents filed by The Hanover with the Securities and Exchange Commission and which are also available at www.hanover.com under "Investors".  

SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

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