0000899140-01-500268.txt : 20011008 0000899140-01-500268.hdr.sgml : 20011008 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000899140-01-500268 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 2 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20010914 ITEM INFORMATION: Financial statements and exhibits ITEM INFORMATION: FILED AS OF DATE: 20010917 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: BERKLEY W R CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000011544 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: FIRE, MARINE & CASUALTY INSURANCE [6331] IRS NUMBER: 221867895 STATE OF INCORPORATION: DE FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 001-15202 FILM NUMBER: 1738164 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 165 MASON ST STREET 2: P O BOX 2518 CITY: GREENWICH STATE: CT ZIP: 06836-2518 BUSINESS PHONE: 2036293000 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 165 MASON ST STREET 2: PO BOX 2518 CITY: GREENWICH STATE: CT ZIP: 06836-2518 8-K 1 bco891355b.txt CURRENT REPORT ON FORM 8-K As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 17, 2001 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 FORM 8-K CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 14, 2001 W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION ------------------------------------------------------ (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Delaware 0-7849 22-1867895 -------- ------ ---------- (State or other (Commission File (IRS Employer jurisdiction of Number) Identification No.) incorporation) 165 Mason Street, P.O. Box 2518, Greenwich, CT 06836-2518 ---------------------------------------------- ---------- (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code) Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (203) 629-3000 -------------- Not Applicable (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits (a) Financial statements of businesses acquired: None. (b) Pro forma financial information: None. (c) Exhibits: 99.1 Press Release dated September 14, 2001 Item 9. Regulation FD Disclosure Reference is made to the press release of W. R. Berkley Corporation (the "Company") relating to the Company's estimated losses resulting from the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. The press release was issued on September 14, 2001. A copy of the press release is attached to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. SIGNATURES Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION By: /s/ Eugene G. Ballard ------------------------------ Name: Eugene G. Ballard Title: Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Date: September 17, 2001 EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit: -------- 99.1 Press Release dated September 14, 2001 EX-99.1 4 bco891355c.txt PRESS RELEASE W. R. Berkley Corporation 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXHIBIT 99.1 W. R. Berkley Corporation 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------- W. R. Berkley Corporation NEWS 165 Mason Street, P.O. Box 2518 RELEASE Greenwich, Connecticut 06836-2518 (203) 629-3000 ---------------------------------------- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Eugene G. Ballard Senior Vice President - Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer 203-629-3000 W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION ISSUES STATEMENT ON WORLD TRADE CENTER TRAGEDY Company Estimates Potential Pre-Tax Losses GREENWICH, CT., September 14, 2001 - W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: BER) Chairman William R. Berkley issued the following statement today, "The events of the past several days have created much sadness in America as well as a sense of deep personal concern within our organization. This has not altered our confidence in our institutions or the importance of individual freedom. We have many friends who lost their lives in this abominable terrorist act and to all the families that suffered we offer our condolences." In addressing the business issue, Mr. Berkley commented, "Although it is too early to make a precise assessment of the financial impact to the company of these events, based on our preliminary analysis and our examination of all known exposures, we do not expect our pre-tax losses to exceed $10 million. In the unlikely event all reinsurance retentions are exhausted, our company's net pre-tax losses would be less than $25 million. We do not currently believe that we have any significant liability exposures." Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company, which operates in five segments of the property casualty insurance business: specialty insurance, alternative markets, reinsurance, regional property casualty insurance and international. ******* This is a "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein, including those related to the Company's performance for the year 2001 and beyond, are based upon the Company's historical performance and on current plans, estimates and expectations. They are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to, the cyclical nature of the property casualty industry, the long-tail and potentially volatile nature of the reinsurance business, the impact of competition, product demand and pricing, claims development and the process of estimating reserves, catastrophe and storm losses, the preliminary nature of the World Trade Center related losses and the complexity involved, legislative and regulatory developments, investment results, availability and use of reinsurance, and other risks detailed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks could cause the Company's actual results for the year 2001 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement made by or on behalf of the Company. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.