Exhibit 99.1

              Navigators Announces Hurricane Ivan Impact

    NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 14, 2004--The Navigators Group,
Inc. (Nasdaq:NAVG) announced today that its estimated after-tax net
loss from Hurricane Ivan will approximate $3.3 million or $0.26 per
share in the 2004 third quarter.
    Substantially all of the Hurricane Ivan claims result from the
Company's offshore energy exposures in the Gulf of Mexico. The net
loss amount is inclusive of expected reinsurance recoveries and
related reinsurance reinstatement premiums.
    The Company believes that net losses, if any, from all of the
other 2004 third quarter hurricanes and the storms in the Pacific are
not significant.
    The Navigators Group, Inc. is an international insurance holding
company with insurance company operations, underwriting management
companies, and operations at Lloyd's of London. Headquartered in New
York City, Navigators has offices in major insurance centers in the
United States and the United Kingdom.

    This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" as
defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We
cannot assure that results which we anticipate will be achieved, since
results may differ materially because of known and unknown risks and
uncertainties which we face. Please refer to Navigators' most recent
Forms 10-K and 10-Q and its other filings with the Securities and
Exchange Commission for a description of Navigators' business and the
important factors which may affect that business. Navigators
undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statement.

    CONTACT: The Navigators Group, Inc.
             Paul J. Malvasio
             Executive Vice President
             and Chief Financial Officer
             914-933-6088
             pmalvasio@navg.com
             www.navg.com