Exhibit 99.1

                            FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                      HALLMARK FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.
                    SECOND QUARTER 2006 EARNINGS RESULTS

 FORT WORTH, Texas,  (August 14, 2006) - Hallmark  Financial  Services,  Inc.
 today  reported  operating  results  for the second quarter  of fiscal 2006.
 During the three months ended June 30, 2006,  total revenues of  the Company
 were  $47.2  million,  representing a 165.3% increase over the $17.8 million
 in  total  revenues  for the second quarter of 2005.  During the six  months
 ended  June 30, 2006,  total  revenues  of the Company  were  $91.7 million,
 representing  a  160.3%  increase  over the $35.2 million in total  revenues
 for the first half of 2005.  The  increases in total revenues for the  three
 and six  months  ended  June 30, 2006  were primarily  attributable  to  the
 acquisitions of new  operating units in  the first quarter  of  2006 and the
 retention of business that was previously retained by third parties.

 The Company reported a  net loss of  $2.8 million  and  $0.4 million for the
 three and six  months ended  June 30, 2006,  respectively,  compared to  net
 income of $2.0 million and $3.8 million  in the same  periods  in the  prior
 year.  On a diluted  per share basis, net loss  was $0.18 and $0.03  for the
 three and six  months ended June  30, 2006,  respectively,  compared to  net
 income per diluted share of $0.20 and $0.44 for the same periods in 2005.

 During the three  and  six months ended  June 30, 2006, the Company recorded
 $8.5 million  and  $9.6  million, respectively,  of  interest  expense  from
 amortization attributable to the  deemed discount on convertible  promissory
 notes issued in  January, 2006.  The principal and accrued interest  on  the
 convertible notes  was  converted to  approximately  3.3 million  shares  of
 common stock during the second quarter of 2006 and the balance of the deemed
 discount is now fully amortized.  In the absence of this  non-cash  expense,
 net income for the three and six months ended June 30, 2006  would have been
 $2.5 million and $5.7 million, respectively, representing  a 25.7% and 47.9%
 increase over  the $2.0  million  and  $3.8  million in  net income  for the
 similar periods of 2005.

 "I am  pleased by  the significant  growth in  our revenues  and  the robust
 increases in our operating results for the second quarter and year to date,"
 stated  Mark E. Schwarz, Executive  Chairman.  "I believe that  we are  well
 positioned for continued  success in our specialty  and  niche property  and
 casualty insurance markets," Mr. Schwarz continued.

 "We  are  now  reaping  the  benefits  of  the  strategic  plans   we  began
 implementing  last  year,"  stated  Mark J. Morrison,  President  and  Chief
 Executive Officer.  "Our successful 2005 capital  plan paved the way for the
 accretive acquisitions and increased retention of profitable  business which
 are  now  fueling our  success.  We  look  forward to  retaining  additional
 premium as we continue to integrate these acquisitions into our operations,"
 Mr. Morrison concluded.

 Hallmark Financial Services,  Inc. is  an insurance  holding company  which,
 through its  subsidiaries, engages  in the  sale  of property  and  casualty
 insurance products  to businesses and individuals.  The  Company's  business
 involves marketing,  distributing,  underwriting  and  servicing  commercial
 insurance in Texas, New Mexico, Idaho, Oregon, Montana,  Louisiana, Oklahoma
 and Washington;  marketing,  distributing,  underwriting and servicing  non-
 standard personal  automobile  insurance  in  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona,
 Oklahoma  and  Idaho;  marketing, distributing, underwriting  and  servicing
 general  aviation insurance  in 48  states;  and  providing  other insurance
 related services.  The Company is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas and its
 common stock  is listed  on the  American Stock  Exchange  under the  symbol
 "HAF".

 Forward-looking statements in this  Release are made  pursuant to the  "safe
 harbor" provisions  of  the  Private  Securities  Litigation  Act  of  1995.
 Investors are cautioned  that actual results  may differ substantially  from
 such forward-looking  statements. Forward-looking  statements involve  risks
 and uncertainties including, but not limited to, continued acceptance of the
 Company's products and services  in  the  marketplace, competitive  factors,
 interest rate  trends,  the  availability of  financing,  underwriting  loss
 experience and other risks  detailed  from  time to  time  in the  Company's
 periodic report filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

                   For further information, please contact:
   Mark J. Morrison, President and Chief Executive Officer at 817.348.1600
                             www.hallmarkgrp.com



              Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. and Subsidiaries
                    Consolidated Statements of Operations
                                 (Unaudited)
                 ($ in thousands, except per share amounts)


                                    Three Months Ended     Six Months Ended
                                          June 30                June 30
                                    ------------------     ------------------
                                      2006       2005        2006       2005
                                    -------    -------     -------    -------
 Gross premiums written            $ 47,876   $  8,839    $ 95,611   $ 19,473
 Ceded premiums written              (2,484)         -      (4,440)         -
                                    -------    -------     -------    -------
   Net premiums written              45,392      8,839      91,171     19,473
   Change in unearned premiums      (11,133)       824     (28,478)       230
                                    -------    -------     -------    -------
   Net premiums earned               34,259      9,663      62,693     19,703

 Investment income, net of expenses   2,236        451       4,593        862
 Realized loss                       (1,283)       (41)     (1,366)       (41)
 Finance charges                      1,216        509       1,903      1,049
 Commission and fees                 10,016      5,628      22,280     10,440
 Processing and service fees            727      1,570       1,584      3,204
 Other income                            16          5          20         13
                                    -------    -------     -------    -------
   Total revenues                    47,187     17,785      91,707     35,230

 Losses and loss adjustment expenses 20,199      5,515      36,889     11,541
 Other operating costs and expenses  20,027      9,150      41,053     17,855
 Interest expense                     1,662        102       3,247        105
 Interest expense from amortization
   of discount on convertible notes   8,508          -       9,625          -

 Amortization of intangible asset       573          7       1,146         14
                                    -------    -------     -------    -------
   Total expenses                    50,969     14,774      91,960     29,515

 Income (loss) before tax            (3,782)     3,011        (253)     5,715

 Income tax expense (benefit)          (940)     1,007         163      1,896
                                    -------    -------     -------    -------
 Net income (loss)                 $ (2,842)  $  2,004    $   (416)  $  3,819
                                    =======    =======     =======    =======

 Common stockholders net income
   (loss) per share:
     Basic                         $  (0.18)  $   0.20    $  (0.03)  $   0.45
                                    =======    =======     =======    =======
     Diluted                       $  (0.18)  $   0.20    $  (0.03)  $   0.44
                                    =======    =======     =======    =======


 The following is  a reconciliation  of net income  without interest  expense
 from  amortization  of  discount  on  convertible notes to reported  results
 (in thousands).  Management  believes this  reconciliation  provides  useful
 supplemental  information  in  evaluating  the  operating  results   of  our
 business.  This disclosure should not be viewed as a substitute for net loss
 determined in accordance with GAAP:

                                                Three Months     Six Months
                                                    Ended           Ended
                                                June 30, 2006   June 30, 2006
                                                -------------   -------------
     Income excluding interest expense from
       amortization of discount, net of tax         $2,520          $5,650

     Interest expense from amortization
       of discount                                   8,508           9,625
     Less related tax effect                        (3,146)         (3,559)
                                                -------------   -------------
                                                     5,362           6,066

                                                -------------   -------------
     Net loss                                      ($2,842)          ($416)
                                                =============   =============