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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
     We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectus
constituting part of this Registration Statement on Form S-4 of our report dated
January 27, 1997, which appears on page 43 of the 1996 Annual Report to
Stockholders of Trenwick Group Inc., which is incorporated by reference in its
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996. We also consent
to the incorporation by reference of our report on the Financial Statement
Schedules, which appears on page S-3 of such Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also
consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Prospectus.
 
/s/ Price Waterhouse LLP
 
New York, New York
June 6, 1997