Exhibit 10(A)


                     OLD REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                   KEY EMPLOYEES PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION PLAN



                                   ARTICLE ONE
                                   -----------
                           PURPOSE AND EFFECTIVE DATE
                           --------------------------


     1.1 The purpose of this Plan is to further the long term growth in earnings
of Old Republic  International  Corporation by offering long term  incentives in
addition to current  compensation  to those  officers  and key  employees of Old
Republic  International  Corporation and its  subsidiaries  who have been or are
expected to be largely responsible for such growth.

     1.2 This Plan, as amended and  restated,  is effective as of March 21, 2002
and shall apply as to calculations and awards made in 2002 and subsequent years.


                                   ARTICLE TWO
                                   -----------


     2.1  "Plan"  shall mean this Old  Republic  International  Corporation  Key
Employees Performance Recognition Plan.

     2.2  "Company"  shall  mean  Old  Republic  International   Corporation,  a
corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware.

     2.3  "Employer"  and  "Employers"  shall  mean the  Company  and each other
corporation or  organization  which is wholly or partially owned by the Company,
either directly or indirectly, and is designated by the Committee as an Employer
under this Plan. As of the effective date of this Plan the Employers  other than
the Company are:

                  Actuarial Risk Services, Inc.
                  American Treaty Management Corporation
                  Brummel Brothers, Inc.
                  J. Huell Briscoe & Associates, Inc.
                  Old Republic Asset Management Corporation
                  Old Republic General Services, Inc.
                  Old Republic Insurance Company
                  Old Republic Insured Credit Services, Inc.
                  Old Republic International Corporation
                  Old Republic Life Insurance Company



                  Old Republic Life Insurance Company of New York
                  Old Republic Marketing, Inc.
                  Old Republic RE, Inc.
                  Old Republic Title Holding Company, Inc.
                  Old Republic Union Insurance Company
                  Republic Mortgage Insurance Company
                  Sierra Reinsurance Services, Inc.

     2.4  "Chief Executive Officer" shall  mean the chief  executive officer  of
the Company.

     2.5  "Committee"  shall  mean the  Compensation  Committee  of the Board of
Directors of the Company.

     2.6  "Employee"  shall mean any person who is  employed by an Employer on a
full-time  basis and who is compensated for such employment by a regular salary.
"Employee" shall include officers of an Employer but shall not include directors
who are not otherwise officers or employees.

     2.7  "Eligible Employee" shall mean an Employee who pursuant to Section 5.1
hereof  has  been  selected  to  share  in the  allocation  of  the  Performance
Recognition Pool for any given year.

     2.8  "Year of Service" shall  mean each year of continuous  employment with
an Employer after  first being designated  as an  Eligible Employee  pursuant to
Section 5.1 hereof.

     2.9  "Account" shall mean with respect to any Employee, the record of:

          (a)  credits in connection with the allocations,  if any,  credited to
               such account pursuant to Article Five of the Plan,

          (b)  payments to him or her under the Plan  pursuant to Article Six of
               the Plan,

          (c)  forfeitures, if any, pursuant to Article Seven of the Plan, and

          (d)  credits  transferred  from the Plan to a  comparable  plan of any
               subsidiary or affiliate of the Employer by agreement between such
               subsidiary or affiliate and the Employer.

                                      -2-


     2.10  "Calculation  Year" shall mean the Company's  fiscal year immediately
preceding  the  year  for  which  the  Performance  Recognition  Pool  is  being
calculated.

     If there is an operating  loss in the year prior to the  Calculation  Year,
the "prior  year" to be used in the  following  definitions  and for Section 4.1
calculations is the first year prior to the Calculation  Year in which there was
an operating profit.

     2.11 "Minimum  Return  on Equity"  shall mean a  percentage  applied to the
Company's  average  shareholders'  equity  (i.e.,  mean of beginning  and ending
balances,  adjusted for unrealized  investment gains or losses net of applicable
income taxes,  if any) for the  Calculation  Year. The percentage  shall be that
percentage, obtained from public information, equal to two times the mean of the
five  year  average  post-tax  yield  on 10  year  and  30  year  U.S.  Treasury
Securities.  The Committee shall annually  compute and announce this value as it
pertains to a Calculation Year.

     2.12 "Excess  Return  on  Equity"  shall  mean   the   Calculation   Year's
consolidated  net operating income in excess of the Minimum Return on Equity all
calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,  (GAAP).
Net  operating  income  shall  exclude  realized  gains  or  losses  on sales of
investment securities or any other assets (irrespective of the treatment of such
amounts under GAAP) and extraordinary credits or charges.

     2.13 "Minimum   Annual  Income"  shall   mean  112%  of  the  prior  year's
Consolidated  Net  Operating  Income  adjusted  for  dividend   requirements  on
preferred stock issued and outstanding during each year.

     2.14 "Excess   Earnings   Growth"  shall  mean  the   Calculation    Year's
Consolidated  Net  Operating  Income  adjusted  for  dividend   requirements  on
preferred stock issued and outstanding during such year in excess of the Minimum
Annual Income.

     2.15 "Base  Salary" shall mean  the Employee's  basic salary at the rate in
effect  at  the  end  of  the  Calculation  Year  excluding  bonuses,  overtime,
extraordinary  compensation and contributions to the Old Republic  International
Corporation Employees Savings and Stock Ownership Plan.

                                      -3-


     2.16 "Consolidated  Net Operating  Income" shall mean  the Company's income
determined in accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting  principles  and
adjusted  for  payment of income  taxes and for the income of  subsidiaries  and
affiliates  carried on an equity  basis.  Net  operating  income  shall  exclude
realized  gains or losses on sales of investment  securities or any other assets
(irrespective  of the  treatment of such amounts  under GAAP) and  extraordinary
credits or charges.

     2.17 If  in any Calculation  Year the Company  acquires any other  business
accounted for as a purchase whose earnings  contribute 5% or more to such Year's
consolidated net operating income,  the earnings of the acquired Company for the
year of acquisition and the next  succeeding year shall be eliminated  (together
with  related  purchase  accounting  adjustments)  in  order  to  calculate  the
performance  data described in Section 2.11 through 2.22 herein.  No elimination
from any year  shall be made when the  acquired  company  has been  owned by the
Company for two consecutive  calendar years.  Net operating income shall exclude
realized  gains or losses on sales of investment  securities or any other assets
(irrespective  of the  treatment of such amounts  under GAAP) and  extraordinary
credits or charges.

     2.18 "Earnings Per Share" shall  mean fully diluted earnings per share (net
of any paid or accrued  dividends on preferred  stock)  calculated in accordance
with AICPA Accounting  Principles Board Opinion No. 15 or any later  superseding
opinions.

     2.19 "Performance  Multiplier" shall  mean the number  of percentage points
by which the Earnings Per  Share for the Calculation  Year  exceeds  112% of the
Earnings Per Share for the prior year.

     2.20 "Profit Sharing Base" shall mean the sum of:

          (a) Earnings Growth  multiplied by the Earnings Per Share Multiplier;
              and

          (b) 1.5 of Excess Return on Equity.

     2.21 "Earnings  Per  Share  Multiplier"  shall  mean  a  percentage  of the
increase in the fully diluted  Earnings Per Share in the  Calculation  Year over
the preceding year as set forth in the following schedule:

                                      -4-


          Percentage Increase                         Earnings
         In Earnings Per Share                  Per Share Multiplier
         ---------------------                  --------------------

         0 - 6                        =                    0%
         6.01 to 10.00%               =                  2.5%
         10.01 to 15%                 =                  5.0%
         15.01 to 20.00%              =                  7.5%
         Over 20%                     =                 10.0%

     2.22 "Earnings Growth" shall mean the Calculation  Year's  Consolidated Net
Operating  Income  adjusted for dividend  requirements on preferred stock issued
and outstanding during such year in excess of the prior year's  Consolidated Net
Operating Income.

     2.23 "Change of Control" shall mean any one of the following:

          (I)  the date the Board of Directors  of the Company  votes to approve
               and recommends a stockholder vote to approve:

               (a)  any  consolidation  or  merger of the  Company  in which the
                    Company is not the  continuing or surviving  corporation  or
                    pursuant to which shares of the Company's Common Stock would
                    be converted into cash, securities or other property,  other
                    than any consolidation or merger of the Company in which the
                    holders of the Company's Common Stock  immediately  prior to
                    the  consolidation  or  merger  have the same  proportionate
                    ownership  of  common  stock  of the  surviving  corporation
                    immediately after the consolidation or merger; or

               (b)  any  sale,  lease,   exchange  or  other  transfer  (in  one
                    transaction or a series of related  transactions) of all, or
                    substantially all, of the assets of the Company,  other than
                    any  sale,   lease,   exchange  or  other  transfer  to  any
                    corporation where the Company owns,  directly or indirectly,
                    at least 80% of the  outstanding  voting  securities of such
                    corporation after any such transfer; or

               (c)  any plan or proposal for the  liquidation  or dissolution of
                    the Company; or

                                      -5-


         (II)  the date any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the
               Securities  Exchange  Act of 1934,  hereinafter  the "1934 Act"),
               other than the Old Republic  International  Corporation Employees
               Savings and Stock Ownership Trust or any other trust  established
               by or  contributed  to by the Company or any of its  subsidiaries
               for the benefit of employees of the Company or its  subsidiaries,
               shall  become the  beneficial  owner  (within the meaning of Rule
               13d-3  under  the  1934  Act)  of 20% or  more  of the  Company's
               outstanding Common Stock; or

        (III)  the date the Board of Directors  of the Company or any  affiliate
               of the  Company  (within the meaning of Rule 12b-2 under the 1934
               Act) authorizes and approves any  transaction  which has either a
               reasonable  likelihood or a purpose of causing,  whether directly
               or indirectly;

               (a)  the  Company's  Common  Stock to be held of  record by fewer
                    than 300 persons; or

               (b)  the  Company's  Common  Stock to be  neither  listed  on any
                    national  securities exchange nor authorized to be quoted on
                    an inter-dealer  quotation system of any registered national
                    securities association; or

         (IV)  the date,  during any period of 24 consecutive  months,  on which
               individuals  who at the beginning of such period  constitute  the
               entire  Board of  Directors  of the  Company  shall cease for any
               reason to constitute a majority  thereof unless the election,  or
               the  nomination  for election by the Company's  stockholders,  of
               each new director  comprising the majority was approved by a vote
               of  at  least  a  majority  of  the  Continuing   Directors,   as
               hereinafter  defined,  in office on the date of such  election or
               nomination for election of the new director. For purposes hereof,
               a "Continuing Director" shall mean:

               (a)  any member of the Board of  Directors  of the Company at the
                    close of business on March 21, 2002;

                                      -6-


               (b)  any  member of the Board of  Directors  of the  Company  who
                    succeeded any Continuing  Director described in subparagraph
                    a. above if such  successor  was elected,  or nominated  for
                    election by the Company's stockholders, by a majority of the
                    Continuing Directors then still in office; or

               (c)  any  director  elected,  or  nominated  for  election by the
                    Company's stockholders, to fill any vacancy or newly-created
                    directorship  on the Board of  Directors of the Company by a
                    majority of the Continuing Directors then still in office.


                                  ARTICLE THREE
                                  -------------
                                 ADMINISTRATION
                                 --------------


     3.1  The Plan shall be administered  by the  Compensation  Committee of the
Board of Directors of the Company  (hereinafter the "Committee")  which shall be
appointed by the Board of  Directors  of the Company  from its own members.  The
membership of the Committee may be reduced,  changed,  or increased from time to
time in the absolute  discretion  of the Board of Directors of the Company.  The
Committee shall not include any Eligible Employee under this plan.

     3.2  The Committee  shall have the  authority  to  interpret  the Plan,  to
establish and revise rules and regulations relating to the Plan, and to make the
determinations  which it believes  necessary or advisable for the administration
of the Plan.


                                  ARTICLE FOUR
                                  ------------
                 CALCULATION OF THE PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION POOL
                 -----------------------------------------------


     4.1 Prior to each May 31 the  Compensation  Committee  shall  calculate the
amount  of the  Performance  Recognition  Pool for that  Calculation  Year.  The
Performance  Recognition  Pool for any  Calculation  Year  shall be equal to the
lesser of:

          (a)  the Profit Sharing Base for the Calculation Year; or

          (b)  0.75% of the Company's  consolidated  operating  earnings  (after
               deductions  of  preferred  stock  dividends,   if  any)  for  the
               Calculation Year, or

                                      -7-


          (c)  a percentage of the Eligible  Employees'  Base Salaries,  ranging
               from  5% to  50%,  inclusive,  determined  on  the  basis  of the
               following scale:

            COLUMN A                                        COLUMN B
            --------                                        --------

Percent by Which Current Year's
Return  on  Equity  Exceeds ROE
      Target for the Year                               Salary Cap/Spread
- -------------------------------                     -------------------------

           0  -  10%                                5% + 0.5% for each full
                                                    1% exceeding 5% (Max.7.5%)

          10  -  20                                 10.0% + 0.5% for each
                                                    full 1% exceeding 10%
                                                    (Max. 15.0%)

          20  -  30                                 17.5% + 0.5% for each
                                                    full 1% exceeding 20%
                                                    (Max. 22.5%)

          30  -  40                                 20.0% + 0.5% for each
                                                    full 1% exceeding 30%
                                                    (Max. 25.0%)

          40  -  50                                 22.5% + 0.5% for each
                                                    full 1% exceeding 40%
                                                    (Max. 27.5%)

          50  -  60                                 27.5% + 0.5% for each
                                                    full 1% exceeding 50%
                                                    (Max. 32.5%)

          60  -  70                                 32.5% + 0.5% for each
                                                    full 1% exceeding 60%
                                                    (Max. 37.5%)

        70% and Over                                37.5% + 0.5% for each
                                                    full 1% exceeding 70%
                                                    (Max. 50.0%)

     4.2 Notwithstanding any provisions herein to the contrary,  the Performance
Recognition  Pool  shall  be zero  for any year if the  Company  incurred  a net

                                      -8-


operating loss or a net loss in the Calculation Year.


                                  ARTICLE FIVE
                                  ------------
                 ALLOCATION OF THE PERFORMANCE RECOGNITION POOL
                 ----------------------------------------------


     5.1 Prior to each May 1, the CEO shall, in consultation with the Committee,
designate  the  Employees  employed  by the  Employers  during  any part of such
Calculation  Year who will be eligible to share in the  Performance  Recognition
Pool for that Calculation Year.

     5.2 On or  before  June  30  the  Performance  Recognition  Pool  for  that
Calculation  Year shall be  allocated  among and credited to the accounts of the
Employees  on the  following  basis,  provided,  however,  that no member of the
Committee  shall be able to share in the  Performance  Recognition  Pool for any
year:

          (a)  First,  amounts  shall be allocated  among and credited to all or
               such Accounts of those Employees who have Accounts in the Plan on
               the allocation date and who are eligible and actively employed by
               an eligible  Employer  during that year.  The amount  credited to
               each such Account shall equal the balance in each such Account at
               the  beginning  of  the  Year   multiplied  by  the   Performance
               Multiplier.  In no event, however,  shall the aggregate amount so
               credited  exceed  the  lesser  of 15% of  the  aggregate  Account
               balances  on the  allocation  date  or  20%  of  the  Performance
               Recognition Pool for that year.

          (b)  Secondly,  the  remaining  portion,  if any,  of the  Performance
               Recognition  Pool shall be  allocated  among and  credited to the
               Accounts of Eligible  Employees  for the year as the Committee in
               consultation   with  the  CEO  deems   appropriate  in  its  sole
               discretion,   provided,   however,  the  Committee  may,  in  its
               discretion,  reserve up to 50% of any one year's  Pool which will
               not be allocated  currently.  The Committee may carry forward the
               unallocated  portion  of the  Performance  Recognition  Pool  and
               allocate all or a portion of it pursuant to this subparagraph (b)
               during one or more of the next succeeding  three years;  provided

                                      -9-


               however,  that the total amount of any one year's  carry  forward
               must be allocated by the end of the third year.

     5.3 With respect to the amounts to be allocated  in the current  year,  the
Committee  shall  make  such  allocation  to the CEO and to  such  other  senior
Eligible   Employees   selected  in  consultation  with  the  CEO  as  it  deems
appropriate.  Remaining  amounts  allocable for the year to less senior Eligible
Employees shall be distributed by the CEO based on total allocations approved by
the Committee.  In designating Eligible Employees and allocating the Performance
Recognition  Pool among the  Accounts  of the  Eligible  Employees  for any Year
pursuant to this Article, the CEO and the Committee shall consider the positions
and responsibilities of Employees,  their  accomplishments  during the year, the
value of such  accomplishments to the Company,  the CEO's expectations as to the
future  contributions  of individual  Employees to the continued  success of the
Company  and such other  factors as the CEO and the  Committee  shall,  in their
discretion and judgment, deem appropriate.


                                   ARTICLE SIX
                                   -----------
                                  DISTRIBUTIONS
                                  -------------


     6.1 The entire  amount of the credit in the Account of a deceased  Eligible
Employee or an  Eligible  Employee  who  attains age 55 or actually  retires for
disability  prior  thereto,  shall be paid to the  person  or  persons  entitled
thereto at the time and in the manner provided in Sections 6.4, 6.5, 6.6 and 6.8
thereof.

     6.2 Effective  January 1, 1990, an Eligible  Employee  shall  automatically
withdraw and receive in cash 50% of any award  granted to him or her in 1990 and
subsequent  years pursuant to Sections  5.2(a),  5.2(b),  and 5.2(c).  Effective
January 1, 1995,  an Eligible  Employee  shall also  automatically  withdraw and
receive in cash 50% of any Performance  Multiplier granted to him or her in 1995
and subsequent years pursuant to Section 5.2(a).  The remaining 50% of each such
award and each  such  Performance  Multiplier  shall be  credited  to his or her
Account as of such year and shall become vested in  accordance  with the vesting
schedule set forth in Section  6.3(b).  The amounts so withdrawn each year shall
be paid to the  Eligible  Employees  within  ninety  (90)  days of the  date the
Committee and/or CEO make such awards or determine such Performance Multipliers.

                                      -10-


     6.3 A portion  of the amount of the  credit in the  Account of an  Eligible
Employee as of the date he or she  terminates  his or her service for any reason
other than his or her death or retirement for age or disability shall be paid to
the person or persons  entitled  thereto at the times in the manner  provided by
Section 6.5 hereof. The amount to be paid shall be known as a "vested interest,"
and  shall be equal to (a) the  amounts  which  have  been  vested in him or her
because  he or she did  not  make a  withdrawal  in a prior  year  plus  (b) the
following percentage of the balance of his or her credit in his Account:

                  Completed Years                        To Be Paid
                    of Service                       (Vested Interest)
                  ---------------                    -----------------
                  Less than One                               0%
                       One                                   10%
                       Two                                   20%
                       Three                                 30%
                       Four                                  40%
                       Five                                  50%
                       Six                                   60%
                       Seven                                 70%
                       Eight                                 80%
                       Nine                                  90%
                       Ten                                  100%

     Any  amount  not  vested in an  Employee  shall be  forfeited.  Forfeitures
created  during any year shall be allocated at the end of said year to Employees
actively  employed  by an Employer on December 31 of that year in the ratio that
that the Account  balance of each such  Employee on January 1 of that year bears
to the total Account balance of all such Employees.

     6.4 Amounts  payable to an  Eligible  Employee  who retires for age,  after
attaining age 55, shall be paid to the Employee in substantially equal quarterly
installments  over a number  of years  (not to exceed 7 years)  selected  by the
Committee,  in its sole  discretion,  beginning on the first day of the calendar
quarter following the later of the Employee's attaining age 55 or termination of
employment.  In determining the number of installments the Committee may consult
with  the  Eligible  Employee  and may also  consider  as a  guideline  that the
retirement  programs sponsored by Employers hereunder should equal approximately
80% of the Eligible Employee's average compensation over the last three years of
employment.

                                      -11-


     6.5 If an Employee's  employment with an Employer is terminated for reasons
other than death,  disability,  or retirement after attaining age 55, his or her
vested  Account  balance  shall  be  paid to him or her in  substantially  equal
quarterly  installments over a number of years (not to exceed 20 years) selected
by the Committee  beginning on the first day of the calendar  quarter  following
the later of (a) his or her  attaining age 55 or (b) the 12th month after his or
her termination of employment.

     6.6 If an Employee becomes disabled while employed by an Employer but prior
to receiving his or her Account, his or her Account balance shall be paid to him
or her in 40 substantially equal quarterly  installments  beginning on the first
day of the calendar  quarter  following the month during which he or she becomes
disabled.  For  purposes  of this  Article,  an  Employee  shall be deemed to be
disabled if he or she is totally and permanently  disabled within the meaning of
the  Employer's  group  employee  disability  policy or eligible for  disability
benefits under the Social Security Act.

     6.7 An  employee's  entire  Account  balance  shall  become fully vested an
non-forfeitable  and  shall be paid to him or her in a lump sum on the first day
of the  calendar  quarter  following  the date on which any  Change  of  Control
occurs.  If there is a carry forward  balance not allocated  pursuant to Section
5.2(c) when a Change of Control  occurs,  such carry  forward  balance  shall be
immediately allocated among the Accounts of all Employees in the ratio that each
such Employee's Account balance bears to the total of all such Account balances.
Said  additional  amounts shall be 100% vested and paid in  accordance  with the
provisions  of  this  Article.  Any  subsequent  contributions  allocated  to an
Employee's  Account during the two years following the occurrence of a Change of
Control  because the Plan is  continued  in  accordance  with Section 8.2 hereof
shall  be  non-forfeitable  and  shall be  distributed  immediately  after  such
allocation.

     6.8 An Employee may designate in writing,  on forms prescribed by and filed
with the  Committee,  a  beneficiary  or  beneficiaries  to receive any payments
payable  after his or her  death.  If an  Employee  dies  while  employed  by an
Employer or after he or she has begun to receive his or her benefits  under this
Plan, the Account balance (or the remainder of his or her Account balance if his
benefits  had  already   commenced)   shall  be  paid  to  the   beneficiary  or
beneficiaries   designated   by  the  Employee  (or,  in  the  absence  of  such
designation, to his or her legal representative). Such payments shall be made in

                                      -12-


one of the following  forms as determined by the  Committee:  (i)  substantially
equal  quarterly  installments  over a number of years (not to exceed 10 years),
(ii) a lump sum payment, or (iii) any combination of the above options.

     6.9 If an Employee is adjudged incompetent or if the Committee deems him or
her unqualified to handle his or her own affairs,  the Committee may direct that
any payments which would  otherwise be payable to the Employee shall be paid (in
the same amounts and on the same dates as such payments  would have been paid to
the  Employee) to the guardian or  conservator  of such Employee or, if none has
been appointed, the Committee may, in its discretion,  direct that such payments
be made  to the  Employee's  spouse  or  adult  child  or any  other  person  or
institution  who is caring for such  Employee  and any payments so made shall to
the extent  thereof  fully release and discharge the Committee and the Employers
from any further liability to the Employee.

     6.10 Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan to the contrary, the
Committee may upon an Employee's death, disability, or termination of employment
distribute his or her Account balance to the Employee (or his or her beneficiary
in the case of death,  or his or her  guardian  or to the person or  institution
caring for him or her in the event  that he or she is  adjudged  incompetent  or
considered  by the Committee to be unable to manage his or her own affairs) more
quickly than that called for in Section 6.2 through 6.8 if the  Committee in its
sole discretion deems it is desirable to do so.

     6.11 Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Plan to the contrary, the
Committee may deduct from any payments  under the Plan any taxes  required to be
withheld by the Federal or any state or local government for the account of such
Employee.


                                  ARTICLE SEVEN
                                  -------------
                                   FORFEITURE
                                   ----------


     7.1 As a condition  to the  continued  receipt of benefits  hereunder  each
Employee:

          (a)  shall be  required  for a period of three  years after his or her
               termination  of  employment  with an Employer  hereunder  to hold
               himself or herself  available to the Company and his Employer for

                                      -13-


               reasonable consultation inasfar as his or her health permits;

          (b)  shall  not  for  a  period  of  three  years  after  his  or  her
               termination of employment with an Employer  hereunder,  either as
               an  individual  on his or her own  account,  as a partner,  joint
               venturer,  employee,  agent,  salesman  for  any  person;  as  an
               officer,  director or stockholder (other than a beneficial holder
               of not more than 1% of the outstanding  voting stock of a company
               having at least 500 holders of voting stock) of a corporation, or
               otherwise directly or indirectly,


               (i)  enter into or engage in any business  competitive  with that
                    carried on by the Company or his or her Employer  within any
                    area of the United  States in which his or her  Employer  or
                    the Company is then doing business,  providing  Employee has
                    had access to any of the Company's or his or her  Employer's
                    trade secrets,  secret underwriting or business information,
                    programs,  plans, data, processes,  techniques,  or customer
                    information; or

               (ii) solicit or attempt to solicit  any of his or her  Employer's
                    or the  Company's  customers  with  whom  Employee  has  had
                    contact as an Employee in the  exercise of his or her duties
                    and responsibilities hereunder with the intent or purpose to
                    perform for such customer the same or similar services or to
                    sell to  such  customer  the  same or  similar  products  or
                    policies  which  Employee  performed  for or  sold  to  such
                    customer during the term of his or her employment.

If the  Committee  determines  that an Employee  has refused to make  himself or
herself  available  for  consultation  or  violated  his or her  agreement,  the
Committee may, by written notice to such Employee,  cause his or her benefits to
be  immediately  suspended for the duration of such refusal or competition or if
payment  of  benefits  had not yet  commenced,  notify  the  Employee  that such
continued  conduct will cause a  forfeiture  of his or her Account  balance.  If

                                      -14-


after the  sending of such  notice the  Committee  finds that the  Employee  has
continued to refuse to consult or continue to compete with the Company or his or
her  Employer  for a period  of thirty  (30) days  following  such  notice,  the
Committee may permanently cancel the Employee's Account hereunder, and thereupon
all  rights of such  Employee  under this Plan shall  terminate.  The  foregoing
forfeiture  provisions  shall be  inoperative  if an event  described in Section
6.5(a), (b) or (c) occurs.

     7.2 Any amounts forfeited pursuant to Section 7.1 hereof shall be allocated
as a forfeiture in accordance with Section 6.3 hereof.


                                  ARTICLE EIGHT
                                  -------------
                            AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
                            -------------------------


     8.1 The Company  shall have the power at any time and from time to time, to
amend this Plan by resolution of its Board of Directors' provided, however, that
no amendment under any circumstances may be adopted the effect of which would be
to deprive any Participant of his or her then vested  interest,  if any, in this
Plan.

     8.2 The Company  reserves the right to terminate this Plan by resolution of
its Board of  Directors.  Upon  termination  of this  Plan,  the  credits in the
Accounts of Employees shall become 100% vested and non-forfeitable. Distribution
of the balances in said Accounts  shall be made in  accordance  with Section 6.4
hereof upon the  Employee's  subsequent  retirement or  termination  of service.
There shall be no increase in an Account balance of an Employee between the date
the Plan is terminated and the date the Account  balance is  distributed.  If an
event described in Section  2.23(I)(a) or 2.23(IV)  occurs,  the Plan as it then
exists must be continued and  contributions  made for two years before it can be
terminated. Any unallocated balance carried forward shall be similarly allocated
prior to the  expiration of this two-year  period.  All Accounts  shall be fully
vested and distribution shall be made in accordance with Section 6.4 hereof.

                                      -15-


                                  ARTICLE NINE
                                  ------------
                                  MISCELLANEOUS
                                  -------------


     9.1 No Employee or any other  person shall have any interest in any fund or
reserve  account  or in any  specific  asset or  assets  of the  Company  or any
Employer  by reason of any credit to his Account  under this Plan,  nor have the
right to receive  any  distribution  under this Plan except as and to the extent
expressly provided for in the Plan.

     9.2 Nothing in the Plan shall be construed to:

          (a)  give any Employee any right to participate in the Plan, except in
               accordance with the provisions of the Plan;

          (b)  limit  in any  way the  right  of an  Employer  to  terminate  an
               Employee's employment; or

          (c)  be  evidence  of  any  agreement  or  understanding,  express  or
               implied,  that  an  Employer  will  employ  an  Employee  in  any
               particular position or at any particular rate of remuneration.

     9.3 No benefits  under this Plan shall be pledged,  assigned,  transferred,
sold,  or in any manner  whatsoever  anticipated,  charged,  or encumbered by an
Employee,  former Employee,  or their beneficiaries,  or in any manner be liable
for the debts,  contracts,  obligations  or  engagements  of any person having a
possible  interest in the Plan,  voluntary  or  involuntary,  or for any claims,
legal or equitable, against any such person, including claims for alimony or the
support of any spouse.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  benefits under this Plan
may be assigned to or made the subject of a valid living trust.

     9.4 This Plan shall be construed in  accordance  with the laws of the State
of Illinois  in every  respect  including  without  limitation,  validity in its
interpretation and performance.

     9.5 Article  headings and numbers  herein are included for  convenience  or
reference only, and this Plan is to be construed without any reference  thereto.
If there be any conflict  between such numbers and headings and the text hereof,
the text shall control.

                                      -16-


     9.6 Wherever  appropriate,  words used in this Plan in the singular include
the plural, and the masculine includes the feminine.

     IN WITNESS  HEREOF,  the  Company  has caused  this  Plan,  as amended  and
restated,  to be signed by its duly qualified  officers and caused its corporate
seal to be hereunto affixed on this 21th day of March, 2002.


                                     OLD REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION


                                     By /s/ A.C. Zucaro
                                       ------------------------------------
                                            President


Attest:


 /s/ Spencer LeRoy III
- ------------------------
     Secretary


                                      -17-