Exhibit 23.1

                         Independent Auditors' Consent

The Board of Directors
The St. Paul Companies, Inc.

We consent to the use of our reports dated January 27, 2003, with respect to the
consolidated balance sheets of The St. Paul Companies, Inc.  and subsidiaries as
of December 31, 2002 and 2001, and the related consolidated statements of
operations, shareholders' equity, comprehensive income and cash flows for each
of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2002, and all related
financial statement schedules, which reports appear or are incorporated by
reference in the December 31, 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-K of The St. Paul
Companies, Inc., incorporated herein by reference, and to the reference to our
firm under the heading "Experts" in the registration statement.

Our reports refer to a change in the Company's method of accounting for
business combinations and goodwill and other intangible assets in 2002 and for
derivative instruments and hedging activities in 2001.

/s/ KPMG LLP

Minneapolis, Minnesota
February 12, 2004