Exhibit 99.1



              ProAssurance Recognized as a Top Performer
                        in Ward's 2007 Survey


    BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 17, 2007--ProAssurance
Corporation (NYSE:PRA) is included in the 2007 Ward's 50, a
prestigious list which recognizes top performing property-casualty
insurance companies. ProAssurance is the only specialty medical
malpractice carrier to be included in Ward's 2007 list.

    The Ward Group analyzed over 2,700 property-casualty insurance
companies from 2002 to 2006 in order to identify the best performers
for inclusion in the 2007 Ward's 50. These elite companies pass a
number of safety and consistency screens and must achieve superior
financial performance as well.

    ProAssurance's Chief Executive Officer, W. Stancil Starnes, said,
"Recognition from the Ward Group is a tribute to the financial
discipline and operational excellence that is the goal of every
employee at ProAssurance. We believe that delivering on the promises
of security and service results in a loyal policyholder base that
allows us to continue to increase shareholder value."

    Jeff Rieder, the President of Ward Group, said the Ward's 50
companies have transformed themselves in order to remain competitive
and efficient in a changing environment. He explained, "The best
companies identify what is important to the organization and customers
and focus on meeting these needs."

    Ward's said the organizational focus of top companies comes from
strategies such as identifying market niches, achieving scale to
support the business, ensuring distribution efficiency, and meeting
key customer service points. Starnes agreed, and said a keen strategic
focus has allowed ProAssurance to excel. He explained, "We've focused
on the professional liability market for more than three decades. In
that time, we've grown to be the largest writer of medical liability
insurance across our states of operation, and a dedication to service
has made us the company of choice for thousands of policyholders and
the top agents in our chosen markets."

    About ProAssurance

    ProAssurance Corporation is the nation's fourth largest writer of
medical professional liability insurance through our principal
subsidiaries The Medical Assurance Company, Inc., ProNational
Insurance Company, NCRIC, Inc., Physicians Insurance Company of
Wisconsin, Inc., and Red Mountain Casualty Insurance Company, Inc. We
also write professional liability coverage through Woodbrook Casualty
Insurance, Inc. ProAssurance is one of the 100 largest
property-casualty insurance groups in the nation, based on Net Written
Premium.

    Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

    Any statements in this News Release that are not historical facts
are specifically identified as forward-looking statements. These
statements are based upon our estimates and anticipation of future
events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could
cause actual results to vary materially from the expected results
described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking
statements are identified by words such as, but not limited to,
"anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "hope," "hopeful,"
"intend," "may," "optimistic," "potential," "preliminary," "project,"
"should," "will," and other analogous expressions. There are numerous
important factors that could cause our actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Thus,
sentences and phrases that we use to convey our view of future events
and trends are expressly designated as forward-looking statements as
are sections of this news release clearly identified as giving our
outlook on future business.

    Forward-looking statements relating to our business include among
other things: statements concerning liquidity and capital
requirements, return on equity, financial ratios, net income,
premiums, losses and loss reserves, premium rates and retention of
current business, competition and market conditions, the expansion of
product lines, the development or acquisition of business in new
geographical areas, the availability of acceptable reinsurance,
actions by regulators and rating agencies, court judgment, legislative
actions, payment or performance of obligations under indebtedness,
payment of dividends, and other matters.

    These forward-looking statements highlight significant risks,
assumptions and uncertainties, including, among other things, the
following important factors that could affect the actual outcome of
future events:

    --  general economic conditions, either nationally or in our
        market area, that are worse than anticipated;

    --  regulatory and legislative actions or decisions that adversely
        affect our business plans or operations;

    --  inflation and changes in the interest rate environment;

    --  performance of financial markets and/or changes in the
        securities markets that adversely affect the fair value of our
        investments or operations;

    --  changes in laws or government regulations affecting medical
        professional liability insurance;

    --  changes to our ratings assigned by rating agencies;

    --  the effects of health care changes, including managed care;

    --  uncertainties inherent in the estimate of loss and loss
        adjustment expense reserves and reinsurance, and changes in
        the availability, cost, quality, or collectibility of
        reinsurance and/or insurance purchased by the corporation;

    --  our expectation of coverage under insurance or reinsurance
        policies we sell or purchase;

    --  bad faith litigation which may arise from our involvement in
        the settlement of claims;

    --  post-trial motions which may produce rulings adverse to us
        and/or appeals we undertake that may be unsuccessful;

    --  significantly increased competition among insurance providers
        and related pricing weaknesses in some markets;

    --  our ability to achieve continued growth through expansion into
        other states or through acquisitions or business combinations;

    --  the expected benefits from acquisitions may not be achieved or
        may be delayed longer than expected due to, among other
        reasons, business disruption, loss of customers and employees,
        increased operating costs or inability to achieve cost
        savings, and assumption of greater than expected liabilities;

    --  changes in accounting policies and practices that may be
        adopted by our regulatory agencies and the Financial
        Accounting Standards Board; and

    --  changes in our organization, compensation and benefit plans.

    You should not place undue reliance on any such forward-looking
statements, which speak only as of the date made. The factors listed
above could affect our financial performance and could cause actual
results for future periods to differ materially from any opinions or
statements expressed with respect to future periods in any current
statements. Except as required by law or regulations, we do not
undertake and specifically decline any obligation to publicly release
the result of any revisions that may be made to any forward-looking
statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such
statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or
unanticipated events.

    Our results may differ materially from those we expect and discuss
in any forward-looking statements. The principal risk factors that may
cause these differences are described in various documents we file
with the Securities and Exchange Commission, such as our current
reports on Form 8-K, and our regular reports on Forms 10-Q and 10-K,
particularly in "Item 1A, Risk Factors."



    CONTACT: ProAssurance Corporation
             Frank B. O'Neil, 800-282-6242 or 205-877-4461
             Sr. Vice President,
             Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
             foneil@ProAssurance.com