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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1

                        Consent of Independent Auditors

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in Amendment
No. 3 to the Registration Statement (Form S-4) and the related joint proxy
statement/prospectus of ProAssurance Corporation, to the incorporation by
reference therein of our report dated February 14, 2001, with respect to the
consolidated financial statements and schedules of Medical Assurance, Inc.
included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2000,
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and to the use therein of our
report dated February 2, 2001 related to the audited balance sheets of
ProAssurance Corporation as of December 31, 2000 and October 20, 2000 included
therein.


/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Birmingham, Alabama
April 24, 2001