Allied World U.S. Announces New Leadership and Resources Dedicated to Claims Handling

PEMBROKE, Bermuda, March 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd announced today a strategic restructuring within its U.S. claims department as part of the company's ongoing effort to provide its clients and trading partners with responsiveness and superior claims handling service.

Gordon Knight, President of Allied World U.S., commented, "Allied World is committed to the highest levels of professionalism in claims handling. Throughout the history of both Allied World and member-company Darwin, this commitment has been demonstrated by the fact that coverage litigation with insureds has been minimal, and tens of thousands of claims and notices have been resolved in a timely manner. At Allied World, we consider the claims process in nearly every facet of our strategy and operations, from risk selection and product development to customer attraction and retention. Superior claims handling is a vital part of everything we do."

In addition to restructuring the U.S. claims department, Allied World U.S. also plans to significantly increase its claims team over the course of 2009 to enhance claim services and complement the company's expanded geographical footprint, primary capabilities and additional product offerings.

Allied World's U.S. claims operation is headed by Mark Rosen, Executive Vice President, U.S. Chief Claims Officer. Previously, Mr. Rosen was General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Darwin Professional Underwriters, Inc., responsible for the claims, legal and compliance areas. Prior to joining Darwin, he was a founding partner of OneBeacon Professional Partners, a White Mountain Insurance subsidiary located in Avon, Connecticut. Mr. Rosen was General Counsel and Senior Vice President for claims, legal and compliance at Executive Risk from 1991 until its acquisition by The Chubb Corporation in 1999. He remained with Chubb as Senior Vice President until 2001. Before joining the insurance industry, Mr. Rosen worked for 15 years in Washington, D.C. where he was Deputy General Counsel for Litigation of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and was responsible for the agency's major litigation cases.

Mr. Rosen noted, "I'm very excited about the growth and focus of Allied World's claims department in the United States as part of our continuing goal to be accessible and proactive in our claims handling. We are positioned better than ever before to provide efficient and effective service to our insureds and trading partners."

In order to provide the most tailored service, the Allied World U.S. claims department is being restructured as follows:

E&O and Public D&O Claims:

Contact Kelly Doherty-Schaffner, Director, D&O, E&O Claims - [e-mail]

Julianne Splain, Vice President, Professional & D&O Liability Claims - [e-mail]

Marjorie Thompson, Vice President, Professional Liability Claims- [e-mail]

Healthcare D&O/Managed Care E&O Claims:

Contact Kevin Dean, Director, D&O & Managed Care Claims - [e-mail]

Medical Liability Claims:

Contact Todd Biondo, Assistant Vice President, Claims - [e-mail]

Private and Not-For-Profit D&O Claims:

Contact Nicole Baummer, Director, EPL & Government Liability Claims - [e-mail]

Property and Casualty Claims:

Contact John Reusch, Assistant Vice President, Claims Operations - [e-mail]

For more information on Allied World's claims services in the United States, please contact Mark Rosen at [e-mail].

About Allied World Assurance Company

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd, through its subsidiaries, is a global provider of innovative property, casualty and specialty insurance and reinsurance solutions, offering superior client service through offices in Bermuda, the United States and Europe. Our insurance and reinsurance subsidiaries are rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best Company. For further information on Allied World, please visit our website at www.awac.com.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any forward-looking statements made in this press release reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. For example, our forward-looking statements could be affected by the ability to recognize the benefits of the Darwin Professional Underwriters, Inc. acquisition; pricing and policy term trends; increased competition; the impact of acts of terrorism and acts of war; greater frequency or severity of unpredictable catastrophic events; investigations of market practices and related settlement terms; negative rating agency actions; the adequacy of our loss reserves; the company or its subsidiaries becoming subject to significant income taxes in the United States or elsewhere; changes in regulations or tax laws; changes in the availability, cost or quality of reinsurance or retrocessional coverage; adverse general economic conditions including those related to the ongoing financial crisis; and judicial, legislative, political and other governmental developments, as well as management's response to these factors, and other factors identified in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We are under no obligation (and expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or revise any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.

Allied World Assurance Company Holdings, Ltd

CONTACT: Media, Faye Cook, VP, Marketing & Communications, +1-646-794-
0543, [e-mail]; Investors: Keith J. Lennox, Investor Relations
Officer, [phone], [e-mail], both of Allied World

Web site: http://www.awac.com/