WAUKESHA, Wis., April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel American Insurance Company, the market leading insurer for high performance boats, today announced its continuing commitment to the high performance boating market with the introduction of the Safe And Friendly Environment (SAFE) program. The program is designed to champion and reward participant safety at poker runs and other similar events. "Safety doesn't happen by accident," said Thomas Conroy, Marine Director for Markel American Insurance, Company. "That's why we're implementing the SAFE program to stress the importance of approaching a poker run with a conscious focus on safety." A SAFE award will be provided to the participant and crew that best illustrates their adherence to the safety standards including appropriate speed and distance for conditions and lookout control. Markel American is pleased to be able to offer this SAFE award in conjunction with continuing efforts to ensure the long-term viability of poker runs and the high performance industry. "Markel's SAFE Award Program is vital to the preservation of performance boating and we certainly appreciate and value the leadership Markel has demonstrate," said retired US Coast Guard Brad Schoenwald who is the Safety Director of the Florida Powerboat Club and member of Tres Martin's Performance Boat School. "Recognition of demonstrated performance has long been known to be a valuable tool for steering groups to appropriate behavior. It is the responsibility of all stakeholders to align in altruistic cross-supportive efforts such as Markel's SAFE Award Program. All of our independent entities rely upon each other's survival and we rise to applaud Markel's leadership. We look forward to future combined efforts to promote safety and remove risk from pleasure boating events" A subsidiary of the Markel Corporation, Markel American Insurance Company specializes in the lines of Powersport Products, Specialty Marine, Preferred Yacht and Small Boat, and Specialty Property. For more information on our products, please visit http://www.markelinsuresfun.com/ . The Richmond, VA-based Markel Corporation markets and underwrites specialty insurance products and programs to a variety of niche markets. In each of these markets, the company strives to provide quality products and excellent customer service. For more information, please visit http://www.markelcorp.com/. DATASOURCE: Markel American Insurance Company CONTACT: Kevin Behringer of Markel Corporation, +1-262-548-9880 ext. 3304, Web site: http://www.markelinsuresfun.com/ http://www.markelcorp.com/

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