8-K

     As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 4, 2004

                       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): October 4, 2004


                            W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION
                       -----------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


   Delaware                          1-15202                    22-1867895
- --------------                  -------------------          ------------------
(State or other jurisdiction     (Commission File              (IRS Employer
of incorporation)                     Number)                Identification No.)


            475 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, CT                      06830
         ---------------------------------------                 ----------
         (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)


     Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

     [ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
(17 CFR 230.425)

     [ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17
CFR 240.14a-12)

     [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

     [ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))



Item 8.01.  Other Events

     Reference is made to the press release of W. R. Berkley Corporation
relating to its estimate of losses from hurricanes in the third quarter of 2004.
The press release was issued on October 4, 2004. A copy of the press release is
attached to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by
reference.

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

     (c) Exhibits

     99.1 Press Release, dated October 4, 2004


                                   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: October 4, 2004


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit:
- -------
99.1               Press Release dated October 4, 2004

EX-99.1

                                                             EXHIBIT 99.1

- -----------------------------------
  W. R. Berkley Corporation
  475 Steamboat Road                            NEWS
  Greenwich, Connecticut 06830                  RELEASE
  (203) 629-3000
- -----------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                CONTACT: Eugene G. Ballard
                                                         Chief Financial Officer
                                                         (203) 629-3000

            W. R. BERKLEY CORPORATION UPDATES ITS ESTIMATE OF LOSSES
             FROM HURRICANES IN THE THIRD QUARTER, INCLUDING JEANNE

     Greenwich, CT, October 4, 2004 -- W. R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE: BER)
today updated its estimate of hurricane losses in the third quarter to now
include estimated losses from Hurricane Jeanne as well as Hurricanes Charley,
Frances and Ivan. Although potential claims information is preliminary, the
Company's estimate of its combined net after-tax losses from all four storms is
$20 million, or 23 cents per share. These estimated losses are primarily a
result of the Company's participation in syndicates at Lloyd's.

     Founded in 1967, W. R. Berkley Corporation is an insurance holding company
that operates in five segments of the property casualty insurance business:
specialty insurance, regional property casualty insurance, alternative markets,
reinsurance and international.

     This is a "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. Any forward-looking statements contained herein, including
statements related to our outlook for the industry and for our performance for
the year 2004 and beyond, are based upon the Company's historical performance
and on current plans, estimates and expectations. The inclusion of this
forward-looking information should not be regarded as a representation by us or
any other person that the future plans, estimates or expectations contemplated
by us will be achieved. In particular, statements and estimates with respect to
the hurricanes referred to above are preliminary in nature and subject to future
revision. Any forward-looking statements 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, product demand and pricing, claims development and the
process of estimating reserves, the uncertain nature of damage theories and loss
amounts, increases in the level of our retention, natural and man-made
catastrophic losses, including as a result of terrorist activities, the impact
of competition, the availability of reinsurance, the ability of our reinsurers
to pay reinsurance recoverables owed to us, investment risks, including those
relating to fixed income securities, merger arbitrage investments, and other
equity securities, exchange rate and political risks relating to our
international operations, legislative and regulatory developments, changes in
the ratings assigned to us by ratings agencies, the availability of dividends
from our insurance company subsidiaries, our ability to successfully acquire and
integrate companies and invest in new insurance ventures, our ability to attract
and retain qualified employees, and other risks detailed from time to time in
the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks
could cause actual results of the industry or our actual results for the year
2004 and beyond to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking
statement made by or on behalf of the Company. Any projections of growth in the
Company's net premiums written and management fees would not necessarily result
in commensurate levels of underwriting and operating profits. 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.

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