Arch Q1 Net up 12% to $129.6 Million; Conference Call Details

The Bermuda-based Arch Capital Group Ltd. reported net income available to common shareholders for the 2006 first quarter was $129.6 million, or $1.71 per share, compared to $115.9 million, or $1.57 per share in the same period of 2005, a 12 percent gain.

The Company also reported after-tax operating income available to common shareholders of $143.1 million, or $1.89 per share, for the 2006 first quarter, compared to $111.9 million, or $1.51 per share, for the 2005 first quarter, a 22.8 percent annualized return on average common equity for the 2006 first quarter, compared to 19.8 percent for the 2005 first quarter.

The Company said its “book value per common share increased to $34.53 at March 31, 2006 from $33.82 per share at December 31, 2005. Gross and net premiums written for the 2006 first quarter were $1.17 billion and $873.7 million, respectively, compared to $980.7 million and $799.8 million, respectively, for the 2005 first quarter.”

Arch’s combined ratio was 88.3 percent for the 2006 first quarter, compared to 88.8 percent for the 2005 first quarter. Gross premiums written rose to $1.168 billion from $980.7 million in Q1 2005.

The full report is available on the Company’s Website at:
http://www.archcapgroup.com.

The Company will hold a conference call for investors and analysts at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, April 28, 2006. A live webcast of this call will be available via the Media-Earnings Webcasts section of the Company’s website at http://www.archcapgroup.bm and will be archived on the website from 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 28 through midnight Eastern Time on May 28, 2006. A telephone replay of the conference call also will be available beginning on April 28 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time until May 5 at midnight Eastern Time. To access the replay, domestic callers should dial 888-286-8010 (passcode 87029197), and international callers should dial 617-801-6888 (passcode 87029197).

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