CINCINNATI, July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The list of Ward's 50 top
performing insurance companies was released by Ward Group, an operational
consulting firm and leading provider of benchmarking and best practices
services to the insurance industry. Annually, Ward Group analyzes the
financial performance of over 3,000 property-casualty insurance companies
and over 900 life-health insurance companies domiciled in the United States
and identifies the top performers in each segment. This group is called the
Ward's 50 for the year. Each Ward's 50 company has passed all safety and
consistency screens and achieved superior performance over the five years
analyzed.

"The insurance industry today faces tremendous challenges including
market pressures, expense management, technology, rising claim costs,
compliance, legislation and more. Top performing companies take these
challenges in stride. The best companies often do things differently in
order to set themselves apart from the competition," explains Jeff Rieder,
President of Ward Group. "In particular, these companies maintain efficient
operating models, meet the needs of customers and successfully execute
their strategy." The Ward's 50 property-casualty insurance companies
produced a 14.1% return on average equity from 2001 to 2005 compared to
6.3% for the property-casualty industry overall. The Ward's 50 life-health
insurance companies produced a 12.4% return on average equity from 2001 to
2005 compared to 9.8% for the life-health industry overall.

The Ward's 50 benchmarks are available in Ward's Results, an insurance
industry financial reference series. To learn more about the Ward's 50 and
Ward Group operational benchmarking and consulting services, visit
http://www.wardinc.com.

2006 Ward's 50 Top Performers -- Life-Health Companies
(listed alphabetically)

    Aetna Life Insurance Company
    AFLAC
    AIG SunAmerica Life Insurance Company
    Alfa Life Insurance Corporation
    Allstate Life Insurance Company
    American Fidelity Assurance Company
    American National Insurance Company
    Ameritas Life Insurance Corp.
    Amica Life Insurance Company
    Auto-Owners Life Insurance Company
    Beneficial Life Insurance Company
    Cincinnati Life Insurance Company
    Combined Insurance Company of America
    Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company
    Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company of Michigan
    Federated Life Insurance Company
    Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company
    Genworth Life Insurance Company
    IDS Life Insurance Company
    Jefferson-Pilot Life Insurance Company *
    John Hancock Life Insurance Company
    Liberty National Life Insurance Company
    Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company
    Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
    Midland National Life Insurance Company
    Minnesota Life Insurance Company
    National Life Insurance Company
    National Western Life Insurance Company
    Nationwide Life Insurance Company
    New York Life Insurance Company
    Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company
    Pacific Life Insurance Company
    Pekin Life Insurance Company
    Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company
    Physicians Mutual Insurance Company *
    Primerica Life Insurance Company
    Protective Life Insurance Company
    Security Benefit Life Insurance Company
    Sentry Life Insurance Company
    Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company
    Standard Insurance Company
    Symetra Life Insurance Company
    Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America
    Thrivent Life Insurance Company
    Union Security Insurance Company
    United Healthcare Insurance Company
    United Life Insurance Company
    Unum Life Insurance Company of America
    USAA Life Insurance Company
    Western & Southern Life Insurance Company

2006 Ward's 50 Top Performers -- Property-Casualty Companies
(listed alphabetically)

    Accident Fund
    Acuity
    Allstate Insurance Company
    American Modern Insurance Group
    American National Property & Casualty Company
    Amerisure Companies
    Automobile Club of Southern California
    Auto-Owners Insurance Group *
    California State Automobile Association
    Canal Insurance Group *
    Central Mutual of Ohio Group
    Chubb Group
    Church Mutual Insurance Company
    Cincinnati Insurance Group *
    Columbia Insurance Group
    The Commerce Group, Inc.
    Donegal Insurance Group
    Farm Bureau of Michigan Group
    Federated Mutual Group
    Frankenmuth Financial Group
    GEICO *
    Germania Insurance Group
    Grange Mutual Casualty Group
    Grinnell Mutual Group
    The Hartford Fire Group
    Hastings Mutual Insurance Company
    IDS Property Casualty Insurance Company
    Indiana Farmers Mutual Insurance Company
    Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company
    Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company
    Louisiana Workers' Compensation Corporation
    Maine Employers Mutual Insurance Company
    Markel Corporation Group
    Mercury Casualty Group
    Metropolitan Property and Casualty Insurance Company
    North Star Mutual Insurance Company
    Old Republic Insurance Group
    Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Company
    Philadelphia Insurance Companies
    Progressive Casualty Insurance Company
    Protective Insurance Group
    RLI Insurance Group *
    SECURA Insurance Companies
    Selective Insurance Company of America
    Tennessee Farmers Mutual Insurance Company *
    United Fire & Casualty Group
    USAA Group *
    West Bend Mutual
    Western National Mutual Insurance Group
    Western World Group

* 16-year recipient (1991-2006)

For more information
contact Betty Cornelius
(513) 791-030

SOURCE Ward Group

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Related links:

http://www.wardinc.com

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