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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1


                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS


We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-58350) of our reports, which include
an emphasis paragraph related to a change in the Company's method of revenue
recognition for certain contracts, dated March 21, 2001 relating to the
financial statements and financial statement schedules, which reports appear in
HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
December 31, 2000 and our report, which includes an emphasis paragraph related
to a change in the Company's method of revenue recognition for certain
contracts, dated March 21, 2001, except for the second paragraph of Note 2, as
to which the date is May 28, 2001, relating to the financial statements, which
appears in HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.'s Form 8-K filed on June 14, 2001. We
also consent to the references to us under the headings "Experts" in such
Registration Statement.




/s/ PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS, LLP
Houston, Texas

July 9, 2001