Bristol West Announces $20 Million Stock Repurchase Program and Quarterly Dividend

DAVIE, Fla., Oct. 28, 2005 -- Bristol West Holdings, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $20 million of the Company's outstanding common stock. This stock repurchase program is separate from and in addition to the $30 million stock repurchase program previously announced on March 14, 2005, which was completed on September 6, 2005. Under the new repurchase program, stock purchases may be made from time to time in the open market depending upon share price, market conditions and other factors.

The Company also announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a dividend of $0.07 per share payable on or before November 25, 2005 to all stockholders of record as of November 11, 2005.

James R. Fisher, Chairman and CEO, said, "We have sufficient capital in place to support our business, and this additional stock repurchase program is consistent with our commitment to maximize returns to stockholders without sacrificing our ability to grow in the future."

About Bristol West

Bristol West Holdings, Inc. began its operations in 1973, and provides non-standard private passenger automobile insurance exclusively through agents and brokers in 21 states. Bristol West is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol, BRW.

For more information about Bristol West, please visit our website, http://www.bristolwest.com/ .

This press release contains statements that may constitute "forward- looking statements." All statements in this press release not dealing with historical results are forward-looking and are based on estimates, assumptions and projections. Statements that include the words "believe", "expect", "may", "will", "should", "seek", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate" or the negative version of those words or other comparable terminology and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements.

All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these statements. Please see the risk factors in our final prospectus dated February 11, 2004. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or review any forward- looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.