OrionAuto Lowers Rates In Illinois, Indiana and North Dakota

30 June 1999

    DENVER, June 29 -- OrionAuto, formerly Guaranty National
Insurance, a nonstandard auto insurer headquartered in Englewood, Colorado,
has lowered rates in Illinois, Indiana and North Dakota for the second time
this year.
    In Indiana, the Company announced an average rate decrease of 3.9 percent.
This includes a 4.5 percent decrease on one-month policies and an average
decrease of 3.2 percent on six-month coverages.
    In neighboring Illinois, where OrionAuto is in the process of implementing
an electronic agency interface system called Orion AutoLink, rates were
decreased an average of 1.4 percent.  This includes an average decrease of
1.5 percent on monthly policies and 1.2 percent on six-month coverages.
    In North Dakota, OrionAuto six-month rates were lowered an average of
3.8 percent.  Physical damage coverages were lowered approximately six
percent.
    The new rates will have particular impact on urban areas.  In Indiana,
one-month policyholders will experience decreases ranging from close to
16 percent in Elkhart to 10 percent in Crown Point.  Terre Haute drivers will
see rates decreased by 15 percent and South Bend rates will decline by
12.6 percent.
    Urban Illinois will be favorably affected, as well.  Drivers in
Springfield, Belleville and Alton will see an 11-14 percent rate reduction,
while drivers in Peoria, Urbana and Jacksonville will experience an 8-11
percent reduction.
    North Dakota drivers can expect to see lower liability rates, especially
in the cities of Fargo, Bismarck, Minot, and Jamestown.
    OrionAuto has been in business for over 40 years and operates through
independent insurance agents in 36 states.  The Company writes nonstandard
private passenger automobile insurance through eight insurance affiliates
which carry A.M. Best ratings of "A(Excellent)" or "A-(Excellent)."  OrionAuto
is one of three wholly-owned subsidiaries of Orion Capital Corporation
, a Fortune 1000 company with assets in excess of $4.0 billion.