Endurance Appoints Thomas Asquino Chief Underwriting Officer for Worldwide Reinsurance

PEMBROKE, Bermuda, April 19, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:ENH), a Bermuda-based specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, today announced the appointment of Thomas Asquino as Chief Underwriting Officer, Property and Casualty, of Endurance Worldwide Reinsurance. Mr. Asquino has held various reinsurance management positions with responsibility for property and casualty underwriting operations over the past 30 years, most recently serving as Chief Property Officer, Endurance Worldwide Reinsurance. He is based in Endurance Reinsurance Corporation of America's New York office.

"Tom brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this role," according to William M. Jewett, President of Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. "Working with our property and casualty teams, Tom will ensure that we remain committed to our core values of disciplined and transparent underwriting as we continue to build and expand our relationships with cedants around the globe. Our underwriting capabilities in the reinsurance specialty markets have been a critical component of our success and will continue to be a focus for Endurance as we further expand our portfolio."

Mr. Asquino began his reinsurance career in the international arena, managing a mix of multi-line pro rata, per risk excess and catastrophe business for AFIA Reinsurance. He then held a number of senior underwriting and management positions responsible for casualty and property reinsurance underwriting at Continental Reinsurance Corporation, Sorema North America Reinsurance Company, and Folksamerica Reinsurance Company. Mr. Asquino joined Endurance in May of 2003 in the Treaty Property Department of Endurance Reinsurance Corporation of America and was appointed Chief Property Officer for Endurance Worldwide Reinsurance in February 2007. He holds a BS degree in Secondary English Education, Magna Cum Laude, from SUNY Buffalo.

About Endurance Specialty Holdings

Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd. is a global specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance. Through its operating subsidiaries, Endurance writes property, casualty, healthcare liability, agriculture and professional lines of insurance and property, catastrophe, casualty, aerospace and marine, and surety and other specialty lines of reinsurance. We maintain excellent financial strength as evidenced by the ratings of A (Excellent) from A.M. Best (XV size category) and A (Strong) from Standard & Poor's. Endurance's headquarters are located at Wellesley House, 90 Pitts Bay Road, Pembroke HM 08, Bermuda and its mailing address is Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd., Suite No. 784, No. 48 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM 11, Bermuda.  For more information about Endurance, please visit http://www.endurance.bm.

CONTACT:  Endurance Specialty Holdings Ltd.           Investor Relations           (441) 278-0988           [email protected]