<ARTICLE> 7
<LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM
THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS CONTAINED IN THE FORM 10-Q FOR EACH
QUARTERLY PERIOD ENDED AS SHOWN AND THE FORM 10-K FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER
31, 1995 FOR MARKEL CORPORATION AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO
SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<RESTATED>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                                                     
<PERIOD-TYPE>                         YEAR                  9-MOS                   6-MOS              3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>              DEC-31-1995            DEC-31-1995             DEC-31-1995        DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                   DEC-31-1995            SEP-30-1995             JUN-30-1995        MAR-31-1995
<DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE>               706,055                660,436                 582,741            489,236
<DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE>                    0                      0                       0                  0
<DEBT-MARKET-VALUE>                      0                      0                       0                  0
<EQUITIES>                         134,346                131,579                 124,422            116,511
<MORTGAGE>                               0                      0                       0                  0
<REAL-ESTATE>                            0                      0                       0                  0
<TOTAL-INVEST>                     908,583                889,314                 797,547            689,488
<CASH>                              18,315                 12,192                  12,709              2,493
<RECOVER-REINSURE>                  20,404                 16,000                  32,660             39,289
<DEFERRED-ACQUISITION>              32,024                 33,612                  31,556             26,917
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                   1,314,537              1,311,872               1,242,040          1,196,434
<POLICY-LOSSES>                    734,409                729,816                 702,443            655,471
<UNEARNED-PREMIUMS>                170,697                178,285                 168,334            154,000
<POLICY-OTHER>                           0                      0                       0                  0
<POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS>                    0                      0                       0                  0
<NOTES-PAYABLE>                    106,689                118,176                 117,663            100,699
<COMMON>                            23,118                 23,039                  22,963             22,948
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                    0                      0                       0                  0
<PREFERRED>                              0                      0                       0                  0
<OTHER-SE>                         190,324                170,938                 156,912            135,327
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>     1,314,537              1,311,872               1,242,040          1,196,434
<PREMIUMS>                         285,146                209,892                 134,233             65,784
<INVESTMENT-INCOME>                 42,981                 30,530                  18,472              8,368
<INVESTMENT-GAINS>                  11,952                  7,650                   4,613              1,563
<OTHER-INCOME>                       3,496                  2,561                   1,772                810
<BENEFITS>                         186,655                137,685                  88,034             42,023
<UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION>         66,788                 48,370                  29,862             15,733
<UNDERWRITING-OTHER>                29,325                 21,884                  14,817              6,872
<INCOME-PRETAX>                     47,927                 32,959                  20,124              8,838
<INCOME-TAX>                        13,435                  9,083                   5,232              2,298
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                 34,492                 23,876                  14,892              6,540
<DISCONTINUED>                           0                      0                       0                  0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                          0                      0                       0                  0
<CHANGES>                                0                      0                       0                  0
<NET-INCOME>                        34,492                 23,876                  14,892              6,540
<EPS-PRIMARY>                         6.38                   4.42                    2.76               1.21<F1>
<EPS-DILUTED>                         6.15                   4.26                    2.67               1.17<F1>
<RESERVE-OPEN>                     561,866                      0                       0                  0
<PROVISION-CURRENT>                195,448                      0                       0                  0
<PROVISION-PRIOR>                   (8,793)                     0                       0                  0
<PAYMENTS-CURRENT>                  42,002                      0                       0                  0
<PAYMENTS-PRIOR>                   131,251                      0                       0                  0
<RESERVE-CLOSE>                    575,268                      0                       0                  0
<CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY>             (8,793)                     0                       0                  0
        
<FN>
Markel adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 128 "Earnings Per
Share" effective December 31, 1997. The Financial Data Schedule tags <EPS
PRIMARY> and <EPS DILUTED> refer to Basic EPS and Diluted EPS, respectively, as
these terms are set forth in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No.
128.
</FN>