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The Hanover Insurance Group Simplifies, Speeds Homeowners Policy Quote and Issuance

October 4, 2006

-Streamlined Process Makes it Easier for Agents to do Business-

-Sets the Stage for New Homeowners Product, Connections(TM) Home-

WORCESTER, Mass., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG), a leading super regional property and casualty company, has enhanced its homeowners quoting and issuance process, making it easier for its agent partners to do business.*

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/NEM023LOGO )

The improvements cut the time it takes to quote a policy by 30 percent and reduce the number of accounts referred to an underwriter.

    The Hanover's homeowners enhancements include:

    - distinct and separate quote and issuance processes
    - simpler screens: numerous fields have been eliminated and many others
      have been pre-filled to foster smooth navigation
    - a link to the Marshall & Swift/Boeckh Replacement Cost Estimator, to
      help foster agent/customer discussions about the adequacy of their
      coverage
    - helpful links for cross-selling allow agents to easily offer additional
      policies such as second home, auto or umbrella
    - improved navigation and "help" icon efficiently answers agent questions

The simplified homeowners screens were recently piloted with great success in Connecticut and Virginia, and include homes, condominiums and tenants policies.

"We are very pleased to unveil the latest improvements to our homeowners product because they are based on direct feedback from our valued agent partners," said Marita Zuraitis, president of The Hanover's property and casualty companies. "All of these changes demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement and making it easy for our agent partners to do business with us. We believe these enhancements, as well as planned future enhancements, will deliver additional growth opportunities for independent agents."

The enhancements mark an important step in a series of changes that The Hanover will make as it prepares for the launch of Connections(TM) Home, a competitive, new homeowners product that the company plans to launch in 2007. Preparation for Connections Home comes on the heels of last year's launch of Connections Auto(TM), a state-of-the-art auto product, which has driven private passenger automobile new business growth of more than 150 percent.

For independent agents, who always seek to provide customers with the best combination of coverage and cost, The Hanover's homeowners product is an excellent way to round-out accounts, as it complements the company's powerful suite of personal lines products designed to meet the needs of both individuals and families. The Hanover's broad menu of personal lines products also includes auto, watercraft and umbrella policies.

All of The Hanover's personal lines products are sold exclusively through independent agents.

About The Hanover

The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. (NYSE: THG), based in Worcester, Mass., is the holding company for a group of insurers that includes The Hanover Insurance Company, also based in Worcester; Citizens Insurance Company of America, headquartered in Howell, Mich., and their affiliates. The Hanover offers a wide range of property and casualty products and services to individuals, families and businesses through an extensive network of independent agents, and has been meeting its obligations to its agent partners and their customers for more than 150 years. Taken as a group, The Hanover ranks among the top 35 property and casualty insurers in the United States.

    CONTACTS:
    Investor Relations                  Media Relations
    Sujata Mutalik                      Amy Lynn Banek
    smutalik@hanover.comabanek@hanover.com
    (508) 855-3457                      (508) 855-4486

* The enhancements are available in states where The Hanover is currently writing new homeowners business. However, enhancements vary by state, as agent partners in Massachusetts will only see changes to the issuance process, due to the nature of the technology used by local agents.

SOURCE The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.

Contact: Investor Relations Sujata Mutalik, +1-508-855-3457, smutalik@hanover.com, or Media Relations: Amy Lynn Banek, +1-508-855-4486, abanek@hanover.com, both of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc.