[LETTERHEAD OF TRENWICK GROUP LTD.]

      Contact:  Alan L. Hunte, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
                Officer - 441.292.4985

      For Immediate Release

          Trenwick Group Ltd., LaSalle Re Holdings Limited and Trenwick
         America Corporation File U.S. Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Proceedings
                 to Initiate Previously Announced Restructuring.
           Insurance Company Subsidiaries Not a Party to Proceedings.

Hamilton, Bermuda, August 20, 2003...

Trenwick Group Ltd. ("Trenwick") (OTC: TWKGF) stated today that it and its
affiliates, LaSalle Re Holdings Limited ("LaSalle Re Holdings") and Trenwick
America Corporation ("Trenwick America," and collectively with LaSalle Re
Holdings and Trenwick, the "Debtors"), as a step in its previously announced
restructuring and in accordance with its August 6 letter of intent with
creditors (the "Letter of Intent"), filed for protection under chapter 11 of the
United States Bankruptcy Code (the "Bankruptcy Code") with the United States
Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the "Bankruptcy Court").
Additionally, Trenwick and LaSalle Re Holdings are in the process of filing
proceedings in the Supreme Court of Bermuda, known under Bermudian law as
"winding up", as a further step in the restructuring and in accordance with the
previously announced Letter of Intent. Trenwick's insurance company
subsidiaries, Trenwick America Reinsurance Corporation, The Insurance
Corporation of New York, Dakota Specialty Insurance Company and LaSalle Re
Limited, all of which are in runoff, and its Lloyd's operations are not subject
to the proceedings in the Bankruptcy Court or the Supreme Court of Bermuda and
their operations continue.




Background Information

Trenwick is a Bermuda-based specialty insurance and reinsurance underwriting
organization with subsidiaries located in the United States, the United Kingdom
and Bermuda. Trenwick's operations at Lloyd's, London underwrite specialty
insurance as well as treaty and facultative reinsurance on a worldwide basis.
Trenwick's United States specialty program business, specialty London market
insurance company, Trenwick International Limited, and its United States
reinsurance business through Trenwick America Reinsurance Corporation are now in
runoff. In 2002, Trenwick sold the in-force business of LaSalle Re Limited, its
Bermuda based subsidiary.

Safe Harbor for Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release that are not based on current or
historical facts are forward-looking in nature including, without limitation,
statements containing words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "projects,"
"intends," "expects," "estimates," "predicts," and words of similar import. Such
forward-looking statements, including in particular Trenwick's forecast of
future results, involve known and unknown risks, assumptions, uncertainties, and
other factors disclosed in Trenwick's filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements of
Trenwick to differ materially from any future results, performance, or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In
particular, forecasting of reserves for future losses is based on historical
experience and future assumptions. As a result they are inherently subjective
and may fluctuate based on actual future experience and changes to current or
future trends in the legal, social or economic environment. Trenwick undertakes
no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.