Zurich dispatches claims professionals to assist businesses impacted by Hurricane...

Zurich dispatches claims professionals to assist businesses impacted by Hurricane Gustav

Providing additional claims resources where and when it matters
SCHAUMBURG, Ill.--(Business Wire)--
Zurich, a leading property and casualty insurance provider in
North America and globally, said today that insurance professionals
were in place with more on the way to areas affected by Hurricane
Gustav to assist customers in processing claims.

Mike Hargrave, Zurich's Property Claims national catastrophe
manager, said Zurich's team will be on the ground in affected areas as
soon as possible to help customers efficiently process their claims.
We know how important it is to local communities, and to the US
economy as a whole, to get businesses back up and running as quickly
as possible.

"We want to ensure that the experience of submitting a claim is a
smooth one for our customers," Hargrave said. "We have additional
claims specialists staffing our toll-free reporting hotline to handle
claims that have been submitted starting on Labor Day. Our Claims
Reporting Care Center is always open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
to expeditiously process these claims.

"We have nearly 200 insurance consultants and adjusters on the way
to the affected areas who are in the process of contacting key brokers
and customers," Hargrave said. "Last week, we started the process of
contacting our customers who suffered considerable damage from
Hurricane Katrina to assure them of our activities and presence."

Hargrave said customers have five channels through which to report
a claim:

-- Internet - Go to the main page of www.zurichna.com and click
on the "Filing a claim and other hurricane-related
information" link in the Hurricanes box.

-- Phone - Contact Zurich's Claims Reporting Care Center at
800-987-3373 or 847-240-8020.

-- Fax - 877-962-2567 to send all important documentation.

-- E-mail - Contact Zurich's Claims Reporting Care Center at
usz_carecenter@zurichna.com.

-- U.S. Mail - Zurich Claims Reporting Care Center

-0-
*T
P.O. Box 49547
Colorado Springs, CO 80949-9537
*T

Hargrave also gave the following tips to help in filing claims:

-- Report the claim immediately - don't delay.

-- Collect as much information as possible regarding the loss
such as address, policy number(s), name and address of company
or reporting location, description of the loss, estimated
damages and immediate needs.

-- Save all pertinent documentation, photos and any
materials/receipts.

Hargrave said once a claim is filed, customers can use the
10-digit claim number they will receive to inquire about the status of
the claim by following these procedures:

-- Call 800-987-3373 or 847-240-8020.

-- Select option '2' to check on an existing claim.

-- Then select option '1', enter the 10-digit claim number, and
you will be connected to the Zurich claims professional
handling your claim.

About Zurich Financial Services

Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) is an insurance-based
financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and
offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin
America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered
in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 60,000 people serving
customers in more than 170 countries. In North America, Zurich
(www.zurichna.com) is a leading commercial property-casualty insurance
provider serving the global corporate, large corporate, middle market,
specialties and programs sectors.

Zurich
Steve McKay
(847) 706-2265
steven.mckay@zurichna.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008