<ARTICLE> 7 <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the financial statements contained in the Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 1999 for Markel Corporation and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1999 <PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1999 <DEBT-HELD-FOR-SALE> 1,343,159 <DEBT-CARRYING-VALUE> 0 <DEBT-MARKET-VALUE> 0 <EQUITIES> 309,066 <MORTGAGE> 0 <REAL-ESTATE> 0 <TOTAL-INVEST> 1,733,667 <CASH> 1,248 <RECOVER-REINSURE> 40,113 <DEFERRED-ACQUISITION> 50,742 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 2,585,021 <POLICY-LOSSES> 1,388,010 <UNEARNED-PREMIUMS> 290,205 <POLICY-OTHER> 0 <POLICY-HOLDER-FUNDS> 0 <NOTES-PAYABLE> 198,245 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0<F1> <PREFERRED> 0 <COMMON> 25,572 <OTHER-SE> 388,346 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 2,585,021 <PREMIUMS> 216,736 <INVESTMENT-INCOME> 44,310 <INVESTMENT-GAINS> 9,043 <OTHER-INCOME> 935 <BENEFITS> 138,303 <UNDERWRITING-AMORTIZATION> 40,520 <UNDERWRITING-OTHER> 41,791 <INCOME-PRETAX> 34,972 <INCOME-TAX> 8,393 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 26,579 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 26,579 <EPS-BASIC> 4.77<F2> <EPS-DILUTED> 4.72<F2> <RESERVE-OPEN> 0 <PROVISION-CURRENT> 0<F3> <PROVISION-PRIOR> 0<F3> <PAYMENTS-CURRENT> 0<F3> <PAYMENTS-PRIOR> 0<F3> <RESERVE-CLOSE> 0<F3> <CUMULATIVE-DEFICIENCY> 0<F3> <FN> <F1>Does not included Company-Obligated Mandatorily Redeemable Preferred Capital Securities of Subsidiary Trust Holding Solely Junior Subordinated Deferrable Interest Debentures of Markel Corporation. <F2>Markel adopted Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 128 "Earnings Per Share" effective December 31, 1997. The Financial Data Schedules 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. <F3>Available on an annual basis only. </FN>