Operational in Bermuda

Hiscox PLC
07 December 2005


                         Hiscox Bermuda is operational

Hiscox plc today announced it is fully operational in Bermuda and open for
business. The new wholly-owned Bermudan insurance company has US $500 million of
capital in place. Hiscox Bermuda will underwrite a balanced portfolio of
catastrophe reinsurance and internal group reinsurance.

The Bermudan operation is staffed by a team transferred from head office in
London. Hiscox plan to write US $325 million business in Bermuda next year. This
is in addition to the US $1.7 billion in business the Hiscox Group will write in
2006.

Hiscox Bermuda Chief Executive, Robert Childs said. 'We have a professional,
experienced team on the ground in Bermuda with a proven track record and we are
already seeing submissions from the reinsurance broking community. This is a
new, exciting initiative for Hiscox.'

For further information:

Hiscox Bermuda
Robert Childs         Chief Executive                     020 7448 6006

Kylie O'Connor        Communications Manager              020 7448 6656

Notes to editors

Hiscox plc is a specialist insurance group listed on the London Stock Exchange
where it has a market capitalisation of circa £580million. There are three main
underwriting parts of the Group - Syndicate 33 at Lloyd's of London, UK Retail
and International Retail. Syndicate 33 underwrites mainly internationally traded
business in the London Market - generally large or complex business which needs
to be shared with other insurers or needs the international licences of Lloyd's.
The UK Retail business offers a wide range of specialist insurance for
professionals and business customers, as well as high net worth individuals.
Hiscox has offices throughout the UK in Birmingham, Bristol, Colchester,
Glasgow, Leeds, London and Maidenhead. Hiscox's international offices are
located in Amsterdam, Bermuda, Brussels, Dublin, Guernsey, Madrid, Munich and
Paris. For further information, go to www.hiscox.com





                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange