Markel Insurance Company of Canada Announces Silvy Wright to Succeed Mark Ram as President

Silvy Wright succeeds Mark Ram, who takes over parent company after 11 years as President of Markel

TORONTO (October 27, 2005) – Markel Insurance Company of Canada today announced the appointment of Silvy Wright to the role of President, effective January 1, 2006. Ms. Wright will take over from current President Mark Ram who will become President and CEO of Markel�s parent company, Northbridge Financial, also effective January 1, 2006.

�Over the past decade, Markel has become Canada�s largest trucking insurer and one of the property and casualty insurance industry�s most respected companies,� says Mr. Ram. �Silvy has played a key role in making Markel the company that it is today, and I�m confident that her proven track record and demonstrated leadership at Markel will ensure the company�s continued success.�

Ms. Wright joined Markel in 1994 as Vice-President, Finance. Since then, she has lead several core areas of the company including finance, information technology and human resources. She currently serves as Markel�s Executive Vice-President.

Prior to joining Markel, Ms. Wright held various senior positions in the insurance and financial services industries. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Commerce from the University of Toronto and is a Chartered Accountant.

In 2002, Mr. Ram was named one of Canada�s Top 40 Under 40™, the only individual from the property and casualty insurance industry to ever earn this distinction. In 2004, he was named to Business Insurance Magazine�s 40 Under 40 International List of People to Watch�the only Canadian-based executive to earn that distinction in 2004.

�Mark�s leadership over the past decade has made Markel the undisputed industry leader it is today,� said Ms. Wright. �I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve with Mark. He has built a strong, stable and highly respected organization, and I look forward to continuing in that tradition.�

ABOUT MARKEL INSURANCE COMPANY OF CANADA

Markel is Canada�s largest trucking insurer, providing more than 50 years of continuous service to the industry. Serving a range of carriers, from single operators to large fleets, Markel�s unique value-added products and services are designed to provide the ultimate in outstanding support to brokers, truckers and their businesses. More at http://www.markel.ca/