Navigators Files Universal Shelf Registration Statement

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Navigators Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NAVG) ("Navigators" or the "Company") today announced that it has filed a universal shelf registration statement on Form S-3 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This registration statement, once it becomes effective, will replace the Company's previous expiring shelf registration statement and will allow the Company to offer from time to time up to $500 million in various types of securities, including debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, units, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase units and, through certain capital trusts, trust preferred securities.

The filing was made in order to provide the Company with future financial flexibility. The Company does not have any current plans to sell securities under the new registration statement. If and when the Company offers any securities under the new registration statement, the Company will prepare and make available a prospectus supplement that includes the specific terms of the securities being offered.

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities of the Company in any jurisdiction, nor shall there be any sale of such securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Any such offer will be made solely by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of the applicable securities laws.


The Navigators Group, Inc. is an international specialty insurance holding company with insurance company operations, underwriting management companies, and operations at Lloyd's of London. Headquartered in New York City, Navigators has offices in major insurance centers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe.

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Whenever used in this release, the words "estimate," "expect," "believe," "may," "will," "intend," "continue" or similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. We cannot assure that results that we anticipate will be achieved, since results may differ materially because of known and unknown risks and uncertainties that we face. Please refer to Navigators' most recent Reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a description of Navigators' business and the important factors that may affect that business. Navigators undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement.





The Navigators Group, Inc.

Francis W. McDonnell, 914-933-6270

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

fmcdonnell@navg.com

www.navg.com

Source: The Navigators Group, Inc.