Erie, Pa. -- November 1, 2000 -- Erie, Pa. – Erie Insurance was recently named to the 2000 Ward’s 50 Benchmark Group for the 10th consecutive year. The ERIE is one of only 13 property/casualty companies to be named to the prestigious group.

"It is a great honor to be among the elite Benchmark Group," said Stephen A. Milne, Erie Insurance President and CEO. "We are not only recognized as being one of the best property/casualty insurers, but our performance contributes to industry benchmarks. The ERIE, its agents and employees are setting the standards by which other insurers are judged."

Ward Financial Group, a Cincinnati-based management consulting firm specializing in the insurance industry, compiles the annual, in-depth analysis. The objectives are to recognize the 50 companies that have excelled at balancing safety, consistency and performance over the past five years (1995-1999), and then to benchmark their performance with the industry overall. Separate analyses were conducted for the property/casualty (over 2,700 companies were analyzed) and life/health (over 1,300 companies were analyzed) segments.

Known for competitive rates and superior service, Erie Insurance Group is a leading property/casualty insurer in the United States. With more than 2.9 million policies in force, Erie Insurance Group includes seven companies operating in 10 states and the District of Columbia and is rated A++ (superior) by A.M. Best Company. Erie Indemnity Company (NASDAQ – ERIE) is the management company for Erie Insurance Group. Headquartered in Erie, Pa. since 1925, the ERIE provides auto, home, business and life insurance through more than 6,200 independent agents representing nearly 1,500 agencies.