MEDIA CONTACT:
                                              Dennis Milewski
                                              Office: (860) 722-5567

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

               HSB GROUP, INC. ELECTS BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN

HARTFORD,  Conn.,  September 24, 1998 -- HSB Group,  Inc.  announced  today that
Gordon W. Kreh, president and chief executive officer of the company was elected
chairman of the board of directors.

Kreh has served on the company's  board of directors  since 1993. He was elected
president of The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company in 1993.
In 1994, he was elected chief executive officer. He joined the company in 1971.

In addition to his responsibilities on HSB's board, he is also a board member of
the American Insurance Association,  a director of HSB Industrial Risk Insurers,
The Boiler  Inspection  and  Insurance  Company  of Canada  and HSB  Engineering
Insurance  Limited.  Kreh also serves on the board of directors of Orion Capital
Corporation.

HSB Group,  Inc.  (NYSE:HSB)  is a global  provider of  insurance  products  and
engineering  management consulting services.  HSB Group is the parent company of
The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance  Company,  founded in 1866 to
provide loss  prevention  service and insurance to  businesses,  industries  and
institutions.  For more information about HSB Group, Inc., visit its web site at
www.hsb.com.

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