2008-01-15 14:28:33 -

www.advisen.com - Advisen Ltd. David Bradford, 212-897-4800 Cell: 917-445-3088 dbradford@advisen.com Advisen Ltd., the leading provider of technology and data to the global commercial insurance industry, today reported that more than $170 billion has evaporated from the balance sheets of companies around the world as the result of the meltdown of the U.S. subprime mortgage market.

However, the $170 billion of writedowns may be only the tip of the iceberg. Advisen estimates the 112 companies reporting writedowns may have as much as $1.2 trillion in collateralized debt obligations and other securities backed by subprime mortgages on their balance sheets.

The crisis in the subprime mortgage market also has triggered an avalanche of lawsuits. According to Advisen's MSCAd(TM) large loss database, 113 lawsuits -- encompassing securities class action suits, derivative actions, fiduciary liability suits, underwriting malpractice suits and other related suits -- have been filed to date. Of the 112 companies reporting writedowns, 24 have been sued. A number of those companies have experienced multiple suits.

Advisen's special report, Subprime-related Writedowns: Potential Exposure to D&O and E&O Insurers, tracks writedowns reported to date and the related lawsuits filed against those companies. The report is available in the Advisen information platform to subscribers, or can be purchased by contacting Advisen at 212-897-4800 or support@advisen.com.

About Advisen

Advisen Ltd. equals success for insurance professionals, driving growth and profitability through the broadest platform of analytics and information services. Designed and evolved by risk and insurance experts, and used daily by more than 100,000 professionals, Advisen combines the industry's deepest data sets with proprietary analytics and applications that drive the risk and insurance lifecycle. Advisen is headquartered in New York with offices in London. For more information, visit www.advisen.com or call 212-897-4800.

New Report Tracks Potential Impact on D&O and E&O Insurers