EXHIBIT 5.1

                   [letterhead of Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP]







July 7, 2003

Harleysville Group Inc.
355 Maple Avenue
Harleysville, Pennsylvania  19438-2297


     Re:  Harleysville Group Inc. -- 5.75% Senior Notes due 2013
          ---------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel to Harleysville Group Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the issuance and sale by the
Company of an aggregate of $100,000,000 principal amount of the Company's 5.75%
Senior Notes due 2013 (the "Securities") pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of
July 7, 2003, as supplemented by an Officers' Certificate, dated as of July 7,
2003, under Section 2.02(b) of the Indenture fixing the terms of the Securities
(such Indenture, as so supplemented, the "Indenture"), between the Company and
J.P. Morgan Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (the "Trustee").

     In connection therewith, we have examined (a) the Registration Statement on
Form S-3 (File No. 333-104437), as amended (the "Registration Statement"), filed
by the Company and the other related registrants with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Securities Act"), (b) the prospectus of the Company dated June 26,
2003, as supplemented by the prospectus supplement, dated July 7, 2003, relating
to the Securities, as filed with the Commission on July 9, 2003, pursuant to
Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (the "Prospectus"), and (c) the form of the
Indenture. In addition, we have examined the originals (or copies certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction) of such other agreements, instruments,
certificates, documents and records and have reviewed such questions of law and
made such inquiries as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes
of the opinions rendered herein.

     In such examination, we have assumed, without inquiry, the legal capacity
of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures on all documents
examined by us, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals,
the conformity to the original documents of all such documents submitted to us
as copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. We
have also assumed that the books and records of the Company are maintained in
accordance with proper corporate procedures. As to any facts material to our
opinion, we have, when relevant facts were not independently established, relied
upon the aforesaid agreements, instruments,




Harleysville Group Inc.
July 7, 2003
Page 2


certificates, documents and records and upon statements and certificates of
officers and representatives of the Company and public officials.

     Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications
and assumptions stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Securities have
been duly authorized and (assuming their due authentication by the Trustee),
when they have been duly executed, issued and delivered in accordance with the
terms of the Indenture, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of
the Company entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture.

     The opinions rendered herein are limited to the laws of the State of New
York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the Federal laws
of the United States.

     We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company's
Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 10, 2003, which is incorporated by
reference into the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and to the use of
our name under the caption "Legal Matters" contained in the Prospectus. In
giving our consent, we do not thereby concede that we come within the category
of persons whose consent is required by the Securities Act or the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.


                                        Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP