Liberty International Underwriters Enters Middle East with Dubai Office Opening



    Liberty International Underwriters, a division of the leading
    global insurer Liberty Mutual Group, has entered the Middle East with
    an office in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC). In line
    with LIU's expansion strategy, entry into the market gives local
    brokers more capacity to help meet the growing marketplace demand for
    construction, oil, gas and power insurance.

    "Entering Dubai puts us in the region's important and rapidly
    expanding insurance market," said Edmund F. Kelly, Liberty Mutual
    Group's Chairman, President and CEO. "As the financial hub for the
    Gulf and Middle East, Dubai provides opportunities for growth
    consistent with our overall international expansion strategy."

    The new office, managed by Middle East regional manager Elie
    Bouchaaya, will initially focus on the energy and construction
    businesses. As opportunities arise in the market, Bouchaaya and his
    team will offer access to other product lines, including casualty and
    financial lines.

    "To keep up with demand, brokers are looking for increased local
    capacity with companies that understand the region," said Sean Rocks,
    chief executive of Liberty International Underwriters in Europe. "Our
    new office and Elie's extensive experience in the Middle East
    insurance market over the last 20 years, provides both."

    About Liberty International

    Liberty International, part of the Liberty Mutual Group (LMG),
    provides insurance products and services through two distinct
    approaches. The first is through wholly owned insurance companies in
    foreign countries, which provide mostly personal insurance products
    and services. The second approach is through Liberty International
    Underwriters (LIU), which provides specialty commercial lines of
    insurance worldwide, including casualty, specialty casualty, marine,
    energy, engineering and reinsurance.

    Established in 1994, Liberty International has grown its
    operations to $3.9 billion in revenue in 2005. Liberty International
    has 7,000 employees and operations in 20 countries outside the U.S. -
    Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France,
    Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland,
    Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, Venezuela and Vietnam.

    About Liberty Mutual Group (LMG)

    Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group is a leading global insurer and
    is the sixth largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. As of
    December 31, 2005, LMG had $78.8 billion in consolidated assets and
    $21.2 billion in annual consolidated revenue. LMG ranks 102nd on the
    Fortune 500 list of largest corporations in the United States based on
    2005 revenue.

    LMG offers a wide range of insurance products and services,
    including personal automobile, homeowners, workers compensation,
    commercial multiple peril, commercial automobile, general liability,
    global specialty, group disability, assumed reinsurance, fire and
    surety.

    LMG (www.libertymutual.com) employs over 39,000 people in more
    than 900 offices throughout the world.