Zurich North America Continues to Simplify Structure, Provide Easier Access to Its Industry-Leading Products, Services

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., May 25 -- Zurich Insurance, a property-casualty insurance company, issued the following news release:

As Zurich continues to simplify and strengthen its organization, Zurich North America today announced it is bringing its Specialty Products business together with North America Commercial Insurance. This will provide easier access to its industry-leading products and services. It also will create greater consistency in its go-to-market approach across North America and its global network.

Paul Horgan, head of North America Commercial Insurance will lead this newly expanded unit. Horgan reports to Mike Foley, CEO of Zurich North America and James Shea, CEO of Commercial Insurance globally for Zurich.

"We continue to build on our commercial leadership position and come together for our customers," said Horgan. "We are confident this structure will help us become more agile, more collaborative, and more customer-focused."

Brian Winters has been appointed Head of Specialty Products for Zurich North America, effective immediately, reporting to Horgan. Winters brings a strong knowledge of Zurich products and services as well as a clear view of the propositions and capabilities Zurich's customers value. He formerly led Zurich's casualty business in North America, providing innovative risk management and insurance solutions to its largest corporate customers. Most recently, Winters has been responsible for managing relationships with its largest customers and brokers.

With this move to a simpler, combined structure, Zurich has created a more agile organization to reinforce its position as a leading global insurance provider to service and support its multinational customers, as well as utilizing its experience and expertise to deliver local solutions to a wide variety of middle market businesses.

About Zurich

Zurich Insurance Group (Zurich) is a leading multi-line insurer that serves its customers in global and local markets. With about 54,000 employees, it provides a wide range of property and casualty, and life insurance products and services in more than 210 countries and territories. Zurich's customers include individuals, small businesses, and mid-sized and large companies, as well as multinational corporations. The Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, where it was founded in 1872. The holding company, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd (ZURN), is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange and has a level I American Depositary Receipt (ZURVY) program, which is traded over-the-counter on OTCQX. Further information about Zurich is available at www.zurich.com.

In North America, Zurich is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market, specialties and programs sectors through the individual member companies of Zurich in North America, including Zurich American Insurance Company. Life insurance and disability coverage issued in the United States in all states except New York is issued by Zurich American Life Insurance Company, an Illinois domestic life insurance company. In New York, life insurance and disability coverage is issued by Zurich American Life Insurance Company of New York, a New York domestic life insurance company. For more information about the products and services it offers and people Zurich employs around the world go to www.zurichna.com. 2012 marked Zurich's 100 year anniversary of insuring America and the success of its customers, shareholders and employees.