Validus Holdings, Ltd. Joins Russell 1000 Index

Validus Holdings, Ltd. (the “Company”) (NYSE: VR) today announced that the Company will be added to the Russell 1000 Index after the close of the equity markets on June 26, 2009, in connection with the annual reconstitution of the Russell Indexes. The Russell 1000 Index comprises the largest 1,000 companies in the Russell 3000 Index.

Ed Noonan, Validus’ Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are very pleased to be included in the Russell 1000 Index. This designation is a testament to the strength of our balance sheet, consistent financial results, and long term growth strategy.”

The Russell Indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for both passive and active investment strategies.

About Validus Holdings, Ltd.

Validus Holdings, Ltd. is a provider of reinsurance and insurance, conducting its operations worldwide through two wholly-owned subsidiaries, Validus Reinsurance, Ltd. (“Validus Re”) and Talbot Holdings Ltd. (“Talbot”). Validus Re is a Bermuda based reinsurer focused on short-tail lines of reinsurance. Talbot is the Bermuda parent of the specialty insurance group primarily operating within the Lloyd’s insurance market through Syndicate 1183. For more information about Validus Holdings, Ltd. please visit www.validusre.bm.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may include forward-looking statements, both with respect to us and our industry, that reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance. Statements that include the words “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “project,” “anticipate,” “will,” “may” and similar statements of a future or forward-looking nature identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements address matters that involve risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, there are or will be important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated in such statements and, additionally, you should not place undue reliance on any such statements. We believe that these factors include, but are not limited to, the following: 1) unpredictability and severity of catastrophic events; 2) rating agency actions; 3) adequacy of our risk management and loss limitation methods;4) cyclicality of demand and pricing in the insurance and reinsurance markets; 5) our limited operating history; 6) our ability to successfully implement our business strategy during “soft” as well as “hard” markets; 7) adequacy of our loss reserves; 8) continued availability of capital and financing; 9) retention of key personnel; 10) competition; 11) potential loss of business from one or more major insurance or reinsurance brokers; 12) our ability to implement, successfully and on a timely basis, complex infrastructure, distribution capabilities, systems, procedures and internal controls, and to develop accurate actuarial data to support the business and regulatory and reporting requirements; 13) general economic and market conditions (including inflation, volatility in the credit and capital markets, interest rates and foreign currency exchange rates); 14) the integration of Talbot or other businesses we may acquire or new business ventures we may start; 15) the effect on our investment portfolio of changing financial market conditions including inflation, interest rates, liquidity and other factors; 16) acts of terrorism or outbreak of war; and 17) availability of reinsurance and retrocessional coverage, as well as management’s response to any of the aforementioned factors.

The foregoing review of important factors should not be construed as exhaustive and should be read in conjunction with the other cautionary statements that are included herein and elsewhere, including the Risk Factors included in our most recent reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and other documents on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements made in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by us will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, us or our business or operations. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.