AFC Allied Capital Corporation

First offering in new Avenues commercial lines suite of products offers expanded eligibility, simplified quoting and issue processes. WORCESTER, Mass., Aug. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Citizens and Hanover Insurance Companies have introduced a new, expanded Business Owner's Policy, called Avenues(TM) Business Owner's Policy, or Avenues BOP, for short. Avenues BOP, the first new product introduced under the company's Avenues suite of commercial lines products, significantly enhances and renames the company's successful Dimension 2000+ product for small business. With expanded eligibility guidelines and enhanced flexibility in coverage options, Avenues BOP provides agents with a flexible, convenient product that can protect a wide spectrum of businesses in the small to mid-size commercial market, from sole proprietors to expanding enterprises with more sophisticated needs. Expanded eligibility guidelines Avenues Business Owner's Policy is now available to businesses with sales and total property values of up to $15 million per location and square footage of up to 50,000 per location. Other enhancements include additional classes of coverage for general liability and incidental exposures, such as parking lots, snow removal and vacant land. In addition, flexibility has been added to business income coverage to allow multiple options and enhanced coverage against computer viruses and hacking. "With Avenues BOP, we've created a product that meets the needs of many different kinds of businesses in the small commercial market, offers enhanced coverage flexibility, and is easy for agents to quote and issue," said Marita Zuraitis, president of the Citizens and Hanover property and casualty companies. "We're pleased to offer a product that provides such a great match between the business needs of our agency partners and the insurance needs of their customers." "In addition," continued Zuraitis, "with Avenues BOP, agents can now easily and quickly submit, quote and issue larger small commercial business policies using the Citizens and Hanover online point-of-sale system. This reduces their involvement in the underwriting process and represents a significant ease-of-doing business improvement." Zuraitis said the company is planning further enhancements to Avenues BOP, including the introduction of an excess coverage option later this year and the addition of more business classes in 2006. Given the enhanced customization options available with Avenues BOP, agents have more opportunity to tailor policies to each customer's specific needs. And, with a wider variety of optional coverage levels available, agents also have more ways to help reduce overall premiums for their small commercial customers. Agents interested in learning more about Avenues Business Owner's Policy and the Avenues suite of commercial line products should contact their nearest Citizens or Hanover regional office. A complete list of regional business offices can be found at the company's web site, http://www.allmerica.com/, where visitors can click "contact us" and then "regional offices." About Citizens and Hanover The Citizens and Hanover Insurance Companies are ranked among the 35 largest property and casualty insurers in the country and are members of Allmerica Financial Corporation (NYSE:AFC). Worcester, Massachusetts-based The Hanover Insurance Company, founded in 1852, and Howell, Michigan-based Citizens Insurance Company of America, founded in 1915, offer a range of property and casualty insurance coverages to individuals, families and businesses through a wide network of independent agents. CONTACTS: Investors: Sujata Mutalik E-mail: Telephone: (508) 855-3457 Media: Michael F. Buckley E-mail: Telephone: (508) 855-3099 DATASOURCE: The Citizens and Hanover Insurance Companies CONTACT: Investors: Sujata Mutalik, +1-508-855-3457, , or Media: Michael F. Buckley, +1-508-855-3099, , both of Allmerica Financial Web site: http://www.allmerica.com/

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