[GRAPHIC OMITTED]


                                                          XL CAPITAL LTD
                                                          XL House
                                                          One Bermudiana Road
                                                          P. O. Box HM 2245
                                                          Hamilton HM JX
                                                          Bermuda

                                                          Phone: (441) 292-8515
                                                          Fax:   (441) 292-5280
NEWS RELEASE


Contact:   Gavin R. Arton                                  Roger R. Scotton
           Investor Relations                              Media Contact
           (441) 294-7104                                  (441) 294-7165



                XL CAPITAL LTD REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2003 RESULTS

              NET INCOME $99.0 MILLION, OR $0.71 PER ORDINARY SHARE

HAMILTON,  BERMUDA,  October 29, 2003 -- XL Capital Ltd ("XL" or the  "Company")
(NYSE: XL) today reported net income available to ordinary  shareholders for the
quarter ended September 30, 2003 of $99.0 million,  or $0.71 per ordinary share.
This result  includes the impact of a previously  announced $184 million pre-tax
($160 million after-tax) charge for adverse  development  primarily due to newly
reported casualty  reinsurance  claims for the 1997 to 2000 underwriting  years.
Net income for the prior year was $184.1  million,  or $1.34 per ordinary share,
in the third  quarter of 2002.  `Net income  excluding  net  realized  gains and
losses on investments and net realized and unrealized gains and losses on credit
and investment derivative instruments, net of tax' for the third quarter of 2003
was $124.1 million,  or $0.90 per ordinary share,  compared with $216.6 million,
or $1.58 per ordinary  share,  for the quarter ended  September  30, 2002.  `Net
income  excluding net realized gains and losses on investments  and net realized
and unrealized gains and losses on credit and investment derivative instruments,
net of tax' is a  non-GAAP  measure.  See  below  for a  reconciliation  of this
measure to net income available to ordinary shareholders.

Commenting  on the third quarter 2003  results,  Brian M. O'Hara,  President and
Chief Executive Officer of XL, stated, "We had strong current  underwriting year
results in all three of our business segments,  despite the previously announced
$184 million pre tax charge we took in our North



American casualty reinsurance operations in the quarter. Absent this charge, our
combined ratio was 87%, which  demonstrates the quality  underwriting  currently
being carried out in today's favorable market environment."

For the nine months ended  September 30, 2003, net income  available to ordinary
shareholders  was $686.5  million,  or $4.97 per ordinary  share,  compared with
$181.8 million,  or $1.32 per ordinary share, in the nine months ended September
30, 2002 which  included $200 million  related to the  development  of September
11th event and $239.1 million in net realized losses on investments. `Net income
excluding  net  realized  gains and losses on  investments  and net realized and
unrealized gains and losses on credit and investment derivative instruments, net
of tax' for the nine months  ended  September  30, 2003 was $642.9  million,  or
$4.65 per ordinary share,  compared with $450.6  million,  or $3.28 per ordinary
share,  for the  nine  months  ended  September  30,  2002.  See  below  for the
reconciliation  of `net  income  excluding  net  realized  gains  and  losses on
investments  and net  realized  and  unrealized  gains and  losses on credit and
investment  derivative  instruments,  net of tax'  to net  income  available  to
ordinary shareholders.

Total assets as of September  30, 2003 were $39.6  billion  compared  with $35.6
billion as of December 31, 2002.  Book value per ordinary  share as at September
30, 2003 was $50.15 compared with $44.48 as at December 31, 2002.

                                       2



Summary  unaudited  consolidated  financial data for the quarter and nine months
ended  September  30,  2003 and  2002,  respectively,  are set  forth  below (in
millions, except per share amounts):




                                                                THREE MONTHS ENDED               NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                    SEPTEMBER 30                    SEPTEMBER 30
                                                           ----------------------------       --------------------------
                                                                    (Unaudited)                      (Unaudited)
                                                               2003             2002             2003             2002
                                                               ----             ----             ----             ----

                                                                                                    
Gross premiums written                                       $2,289.2         $2,647.7         $7,473.6         $6,990.7
Net premiums written                                          1,717.8          2,116.1          5,778.8          5,413.6

Net premiums earned - General operations                      1,663.7          1,344.7          4,565.1          3,391.9
Net premiums earned - Life and annuity operations                86.4            786.4            249.7            836.1
Net premiums earned - Financial operations                       35.3             16.9             98.1             42.3

Net income                                                     $109.1           $186.5           $716.7           $184.2
Preference dividend                                             (10.1)            (2.4)           (30.2)            (2.4)
                                                           -------------------------------------------------------------
Net income available to ordinary shareholders                   $99.0           $184.1           $686.5           $181.8
                                                           =============================================================

PER ORDINARY SHARE RESULTS:
Net income available to ordinary shareholders                   $0.71            $1.34            $4.97            $1.32
                                                           =============================================================



Gross premiums written for general  operations in the third quarter of 2003 were
$2.1  billion  compared  with $1.8  billion in the third  quarter  of 2002.  Net
premiums  written  increased  to $1.5 billion from $1.3 billion and net premiums
earned rose to $1.7 billion from $1.3 billion in the respective quarters of 2003
and 2002. For the nine months ended September 30, 2003,  gross premiums  written
for general  operations were $7.0 billion compared with $6.0 billion in the year
ago  period.  Net  premiums  written for the first nine months of 2003 were $5.3
billion  compared  with $4.5 billion a year ago.  Net premiums  earned were $4.6
billion for the first nine months of 2003 as compared  with $3.4 billion for the
first nine months of 2002.

Gross premiums  written for life and annuity  operations in the third quarter of
2003 were $89.0  million  compared  with $793.1  million in the third quarter of
2002,  which  included  a  large  life  reinsurance  contract  that  contributed
approximately  $760  million in  premiums.  Net  premiums  written  for life and
annuity operations in the third quarter of 2003 were $84.3 million compared with
$787.5  million in the third quarter of 2002 and net premiums  earned were $86.4
million in the third quarter of 2003  compared with $786.4  million in the third
quarter of 2002.  For the nine months ended  September 30, 2003,  gross premiums
written for life operations were $276.2 million  compared with $851.6 million in

                                       3


the year ago period.  Net premiums written were $245.3 million in the first nine
months of 2003  compared  with $836.0  million in the first nine months of 2002.
Net premiums  earned were $249.7  million and $836.1  million in the  respective
nine month periods of 2003 and 2002.

Gross  premiums  written for  financial  operations in the third quarter of 2003
were $91.6 million compared with $42.9 million in the third quarter of 2002. Net
premiums  written for  financial  operations  in the third  quarter of 2003 were
$89.6  million  compared with $26.2 million in the third quarter of 2002 and net
premiums  earned were $35.3  million in the third  quarter of 2003 compared with
$16.9  million in the third  quarter of 2002.  For the first nine months of 2003
gross premiums  written for financial  operations  were $242.7 million  compared
with $145.0 million in the year ago period.  Net premiums  written for financial
operations  were $238.0  million in the first nine months of 2003  compared with
$123.3  million in 2002 and net  premiums  earned  were $98.1  million and $42.3
million in the respective nine month periods of 2003 and 2002.

Net  investment  income from general  operations was $142.2 million in the third
quarter of 2003,  compared  with $153.3  million in 2002's  third  quarter.  Net
investment  income  from life and  annuity and  financial  operations  was $48.6
million in the third quarter of 2003 compared with $34.1 million for the quarter
ended  September  30,  2002.  For the first nine  months of 2003 net  investment
income from general  operations was $436.3 million  compared with $454.2 million
in the year ago  period.  Net  investment  income  from  life  and  annuity  and
financial  operations  was  $137.0  million  in the  first  nine  months of 2003
compared with $79.0 million for the first nine months of 2002.

The  Company's  equity in the net income of its  investment  affiliates  for the
third  quarter of 2003 was $26.2  million  versus a loss of $2.0  million in the
third quarter of 2002.  The Company's  equity in net income of its insurance and
financial  affiliates  was $12.1  million in the third  quarter of 2003 versus a
loss of $0.4 million in the third quarter of 2002.  The Company's  equity in the
net income of its  investment  affiliates  for the first nine months of 2003 was
$87.3  million  versus  $38.1  million  in the first  nine  months of 2002.  The
Company's equity in net loss of its insurance and financial affiliates was $12.5
million in the first nine  months of 2003  versus net income of $0.1  million in
the first nine months of 2002.

The  combined  ratio  for  the  Company's   general  insurance  and  reinsurance
operations  was 98.0% in the third  quarter of 2003,  versus  90.9% in the third
quarter of 2002.  The loss  ratios  were 70.3% and 61.6% in the  quarters  ended
September  30, 2003 and 2002,  with  corresponding  expense  ratios of 27.7% and

                                       4



29.3% for the same quarters,  respectively. The combined ratio for the Company's
general insurance and reinsurance  operations was 92.4% in the first nine months
of 2003,  versus  96.9% in the first nine  months of 2002.  The loss ratios were
65.1% and 67.5% in the nine  months  ended  September  30,  2003 and 2002,  with
corresponding   expense  ratios  of  27.3%  and  29.4%  for  the  same  periods,
respectively.  In the quarter and nine months  ended  September  30,  2003,  the
Company's  results  were  impacted  by adverse  development  for North  American
casualty  reinsurance  losses.  In the nine months ended September 30, 2002, the
Company's  results were  impacted by adverse  development  for the  September 11
event.  The combined ratio  excluding the third quarter 2003 casualty losses for
the quarter was 86.9% and for the nine months ending  September  2003 was 87.7%.
For the nine months ending  September  2002  excluding the September  11th event
loss the combined ratio was 91%.

A live on-line web cast of XL's call with  analysts and  investors to review the
third  quarter 2003 results will be held at 10 a.m.  Eastern Time on October 30,
2003  at  WWW.XLCAPITAL.COM.   An  unaudited  financial  information  supplement
relating  to the  Company's  2003 and 2002  quarterly  and full year  results is
available  on  its  website:  WWW.XLCAPITAL.COM  (under  "Investor  Relations  -
Financial Information").

XL Capital Ltd,  through its operating  subsidiaries,  is a leading  provider of
insurance  and  reinsurance  coverages  and  financial  products and services to
industrial,  commercial and professional service firms,  insurance companies and
other enterprises on a worldwide basis.

                                      # # #

THIS PRESS RELEASE  CONTAINS  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS THAT INVOLVE  INHERENT
RISKS AND  UNCERTAINTIES.  STATEMENTS THAT ARE NOT HISTORICAL  FACTS,  INCLUDING
STATEMENTS  ABOUT  XL'S  BELIEFS,  PLANS OR  EXPECTATIONS,  ARE  FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS.  THESE  STATEMENTS  ARE  BASED  ON  CURRENT  PLANS,  ESTIMATES,  AND
EXPECTATIONS.  ACTUAL RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE PROJECTED IN SUCH
FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS AND THEREFORE YOU SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE ON
THEM.  A  NON-EXCLUSIVE  LIST OF THE  IMPORTANT  FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL
RESULTS  TO DIFFER  MATERIALLY  FROM  THOSE IN SUCH  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENTS
INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:  (A) THE RESULTS OF THE RESERVE REVIEW AND CLAIMS AUDITS
PREVIOUSLY  ANNOUNCED BY XL AND SCHEDULED TO BE COMPLETED IN THE FOURTH  QUARTER
OF 2003 (B) RATE INCREASES AND  IMPROVEMENTS  IN TERMS AND CONDITIONS MAY NOT BE
AS LARGE OR SUSTAINABLE AS XL IS CURRENTLY PROJECTING;  (C) GREATER FREQUENCY OR
SEVERITY  OF CLAIMS  AND LOSS  ACTIVITY,  INCLUDING  AS A RESULT OF  NATURAL  OR
MAN-MADE  CATASTROPHIC  EVENTS, THAN XL'S UNDERWRITING,  RESERVING OR INVESTMENT
PRACTICES  ANTICIPATE  BASED ON  HISTORICAL  EXPERIENCE  OR INDUSTRY  DATA;  (D)
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WORLD'S FINANCIAL AND CAPITAL MARKETS WHICH ADVERSELY AFFECT
THE PERFORMANCE OF XL'S INVESTMENTS AND XL'S ACCESS TO SUCH MARKETS; (E) CHANGES
IN GENERAL  ECONOMIC  CONDITIONS,  INCLUDING  FOREIGN  CURRENCY  EXCHANGE RATES,
INFLATION  AND OTHER  FACTORS;  AND (F) THE OTHER FACTORS SET FORTH IN XL'S MOST
RECENT REPORT ON FORM 10-K,  FORM 10-Q AND XL'S OTHER DOCUMENTS ON FILE WITH THE
SECURITIES  AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION.  XL  UNDERTAKES  NO  OBLIGATION  TO UPDATE
PUBLICLY  OR REVISE ANY  FORWARD-LOOKING  STATEMENT,  WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW
INFORMATION, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OR OTHERWISE.


                                       5


                                 XL CAPITAL LTD
                       SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
       (In thousands of U.S. dollars, except share and per share amounts)



                                                                              THREE MONTHS ENDED              NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                                 SEPTEMBER 30                    SEPTEMBER 30
                                                                                  (Unaudited)                    (Unaudited)
                                                                             2003         2002 (a)          2003         2002 (a)
                                                                             ----         --------          ----         --------
                                                                                                            
INCOME STATEMENT DATA:
REVENUES:
     Gross premiums written - general, life and annuity and
        financial operations                                               $2,289,241     $2,647,732     $7,473,573     $6,990,665
     Net premiums written - general, life and annuity and financial
        operations                                                          1,717,784      2,116,133      5,778,750      5,413,646

     Net premiums earned - general operations                              $1,663,713     $1,344,681     $4,565,120     $3,391,880
     Net premiums earned - life and annuity operations                         86,428        786,383        249,681        836,073
     Net premiums earned - financial operations                                35,307         16,917         98,087         42,284
     Net investment income - general operations                               142,166        153,270        436,255        454,177
     Net investment income - life and annuity operations                       43,136         26,263        120,829         58,606
     Net investment income - financial operations                               5,461          7,782         16,134         20,402
     Net realized (losses) gains on investments                                (8,693)       (23,086)        80,331       (239,108)
     Net realized and unrealized (losses) gains on derivative instruments     (28,346)         9,484        (26,110)        (5,126)
     Equity in net income (loss) of investment affiliates                      26,240         (1,976)        87,344         38,140
     Fee and other income                                                       3,920         10,082         25,989         38,490
                                                                          -----------    -----------    -----------    -----------
                                                                           $1,969,332     $2,329,800     $5,653,660     $4,635,818
                                                                          -----------    -----------    -----------    -----------
EXPENSES:
Net losses and loss expenses incurred - general operations                 $1,169,664       $828,199     $2,970,210     $2,289,568
Claims and policy benefit reserves - life and annuity operations               99,954        803,741        302,737        870,320
Net losses and loss expenses incurred - financial operations                    3,894          6,006         26,177          9,032
Acquisition costs and operating expenses                                      537,224        440,929      1,460,513      1,126,972
Exchange gains                                                                 (4,076)       (15,382)       (30,130)       (46,952)
Interest expense                                                               49,671         51,815        142,093        133,576
Amortization of intangible assets                                                 375            875          1,125          1,500
                                                                          -----------    -----------    -----------    -----------
                                                                           $1,856,706     $2,116,183     $4,872,725     $4,384,016
                                                                          -----------    -----------    -----------    -----------

Income before minority  interest,  income tax expense and equity in
net (income) loss of insurance and financial affiliates                      $112,626       $213,617       $780,935       $251,802
Minority interest                                                                 763          2,494          5,791          6,528
Income tax expense                                                             14,890         24,286         45,929         61,140
Equity in net (income) loss of insurance and financial affiliates             (12,078)           401         12,487            (47)
                                                                          -----------    -----------    -----------    -----------
Net income                                                                   $109,051       $186,436       $716,728       $184,181
Preference dividend                                                           (10,080)        (2,369)       (30,241)        (2,369)
                                                                          -----------    -----------    -----------    -----------
NET INCOME AVAILABLE TO ORDINARY SHAREHOLDERS                                 $98,971       $184,067       $686,487       $181,812
                                                                          -----------    -----------    -----------    -----------

Weighted average number of ordinary shares and
     ordinary share equivalents: Basic                                        136,826        135,790        136,744        135,551
                               : Diluted                                      138,423        137,349        138,170        137,291

PER SHARE DATA:
     Net income available to ordinary shareholders                              $0.71          $1.34          $4.97          $1.32
                                                                          ===========    ===========    ===========    ===========



NOTE:

a) Certain reclassifications, which have no effect on net income, have been made
   to prior period results to conform to current presentation.

                                       6


                                 XL CAPITAL LTD

                       SUMMARY CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL DATA
       (IN THOUSANDS OF U.S. DOLLARS, EXCEPT SHARE AND PER SHARE AMOUNTS)

                                   (UNAUDITED)




                                                       AS AT SEPTEMBER 30,      AS AT DECEMBER 31,
                                                              2003                     2002
                                                       -------------------      ------------------
                                                                             
BALANCE SHEET DATA:

Total investments available for sale                      $19,410,426              $16,059,733

Net payable for investments purchased                         112,219                1,546,276

Cash and cash equivalents                                   2,059,609                3,557,815

Investments in affiliates                                   1,855,989                1,750,005

Intangible assets                                           1,677,726                1,653,700

Total assets                                               39,586,850               35,647,369

Unpaid losses and loss expenses                            15,161,820               13,202,736

Deposit liabilities and policy benefit reserves             6,160,554                4,889,996

Notes payable and debt                                      1,898,959                1,877,957

Total shareholders' equity                                  7,401,210                6,569,589

Book value per ordinary share                                  $50.15                   $44.48


                                       7



                                 XL CAPITAL LTD

                                 RECONCILIATION

The  following is a  reconciliation  of the  Company's net income to `net income
excluding  net  realized  gains and losses on  investments  and net realized and
unrealized gains and losses on credit and investment derivative instruments, net
of tax' for the three and nine  months  ended  September  30,  2003 and 2002 (in
millions except per share amounts):




                                                                     THREE MONTHS ENDED                 NINE MONTHS ENDED
                                                                         SEPTEMBER 30                     SEPTEMBER 30
                                                                          (Unaudited)                      (Unaudited)
                                                                    2003              2002             2003             2002
                                                                    ----              ----             ----             ----

                                                                                                           
Net income available to ordinary shareholders                       $99.0            $184.1           $686.5           $181.8

Net realized losses (gains) on
   investments, net of tax                                            7.3              28.0            (74.8)           245.8
Net realized and unrealized losses on investment
   derivatives, net of tax                                           16.1               2.7              7.5             12.5
Net realized and unrealized losses on credit derivatives,
   net of tax                                                         1.7               1.8             23.7             10.5
                                                                 ------------------------------------------------------------

Net income excluding net realized gains and losses on
   investments and net realized and unrealized gains and
   losses on credit and investment derivative instruments,
   net of tax                                                      $124.1            $216.6           $642.9           $450.6
                                                                 ------------------------------------------------------------

PER ORDINARY SHARE RESULTS:

Net income available to ordinary  shareholders                      $0.71             $1.34            $4.97            $1.32
                                                                 ============================================================

Net income excluding net realized gains and losses on
   investments and net realized and unrealized gains and
   losses on credit and investment derivative instruments,
   net of tax                                                       $0.90             $1.58            $4.65            $3.28
                                                                 ============================================================

WEIGHTED AVERAGE ORDINARY SHARES
  OUTSTANDING:
Basic                                                               136.8             135.8            136.7            135.6
Diluted                                                             138.4             137.3            138.2            137.3



                                       8




COMMENT ON REGULATION G

This press  release  contains  the  presentation  of `net income  excluding  net
realized gains and losses on investments  and net realized and unrealized  gains
and losses on credit and investment derivatives,  net of tax'. This presentation
is a "non-GAAP financial measure" as defined in Regulation G. The reconciliation
of such  measure to net income  (the most  directly  comparable  GAAP  financial
measure) in accordance with Regulation G is included above.

XL presents its  operations in the way it believes will be most  meaningful  and
useful to investors, analysts, rating agencies and others who use XL's financial
information in evaluating XL's performance.  This presentation  includes the use
of `net income  excluding net realized gains and losses on  investments  and net
realized and unrealized  gains and losses on credit and investment  derivatives,
net of tax'.  Investment  derivatives include all derivatives entered into by XL
other than weather and energy and credit derivatives (discussed further below).

Although the  investment  of premiums to generate  income (or loss) and realized
capital  gains  (or  losses)  is  an  integral  part  of  XL's  operations,  the
determination  to  realize  capital  gains (or  losses)  is  independent  of the
underwriting   process.   In  addition,   under   applicable   GAAP   accounting
requirements,  losses  can be  created  as the  result of other  than  temporary
declines in value without actual realization.  In this regard,  certain users of
XL's financial information, including certain rating agencies, evaluate earnings
before tax and capital gains to understand  the  profitability  of the recurring
sources of income without the effects of these two variables. Furthermore, these
users believe that, for many companies, the timing of the realization of capital
gains is largely  opportunistic and are a function of economic and interest rate
conditions.  In  addition,  with  respect  to  credit  derivatives,  because  XL
generally  holds its financial  guarantee  contracts  written in credit  default
derivative  form to  maturity,  the net  effects of the changes in fair value of
these credit  derivatives  are  excluded  (similar  with other  companies in the
financial  guarantee business) as the changes in fair value each quarter are not
indicative  of  underlying  business  performance  of XL's  financial  guarantee
operations. Unlike these credit derivatives, XL's weather and energy derivatives
are actively traded (i.e, they are not held to maturity) and are, therefore, not
excluded  from net  income  as any  gains  or  losses  from  this  business  are
considered by management when evaluating and managing the underlying business.

In summary,  XL evaluates the performance of and manages its business to produce
an underwriting  profit.  In addition to presenting net income, XL believes that
showing net income exclusive of the items mentioned above enables  investors and
other users of XL's  financial  information  to analyze  XL's  performance  in a
manner similar to how management of XL analyzes performance.  In this regard, XL
believes that  providing  only a GAAP  presentation  of net income makes it much
more  difficult  for  users  of XL's  financial  information  to  evaluate  XL's
underlying business. Also, as stated above, XL believes that the equity analysts
and  certain  rating  agencies  who follow XL (and the  insurance  industry as a
whole)  exclude  these items from their  analyses  for the same reasons and they
request that XL provide this non-GAAP financial information on a regular basis.


                                       9