NEW YORK (Standard & Poor's) Oct. 26, 2006--Standard & Poor's Ratings Services today said its ratings on Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (AAA/Stable/--) and National Indemnity Co. (AAA/Stable/--; NICO), a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of insurance companies, would not be affected by its transaction with Equitas Ltd. The transaction between NICO and Equitas whereby NICO will reinsure all Equitas' liabilities and provide up to a further $7 billion of reinsurance cover to Equitas will not impact the Berkshire and NICO ratings. Because of the long-term nature of the claims underlying this transaction, along with the upfront premium paid to NICO, NICO and Berkshire can withstand any potential prospective loss within Berkshire's equity base of more than $97 billion at second-quarter
