W.R. Berkley Corporation (WRB) is an insurance holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Berkley operates in five segments of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance business: specialty, alternative markets, reinsurance, regional, and international. Specialty includes excess and surplus (E&S) lines and commercial transportation. The alternative markets segment develops, insures, and administers self-insurance programs and other alternative risk transfer mechanisms with a primary focus on the workmen's compensation business. The reinsurance segment provides P&C and surety reinsurance. The regional segment provides commercial P&C coverage to small and mid-sized businesses, as well as to governments in 32 states. The international segment includes operations in Argentina and the Philippines. In 2006, the proportion of Berkley's net premiums written by business segment was specialty (37.7%), regional (25.6%), alternative markets (13.5%), reinsurance (18.5%), and international (4.7%).

Strong double-digit premium growth continues at W.R Berkley. Premium is expected to continue growing at double-digit pace and should benefit from W.R. Berkley's acquisition of a book of business from The Travelers Company Inc. (TRV). This book of business is expected to add to top-line growth over the next year and represented roughly $100 million in premiums (more than 25% of the company's annual premiums prior to the acquisition). The company has started several new units, which should be expected to meaningfully impact on its business by 2007.

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