UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  SCHEDULE 13G
                                 (Rule 13d-102)

  Information to be Included in Statements Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), (c)
           and (d) and Amendments Thereto Filed Pursuant to Rule 13d-2

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                              ARGONAUT GROUP, INC.
                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, par value $.10 per share
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   04015710-9
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                                 March 31, 2003
             (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)


Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:

                  [ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
                  [X] Rule 13d-1(c)
                  [ ] Rule 13d-1(d)

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).




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                                  SCHEDULE 13G



CUSIP No. 04015710-9                                                                           Page 2 of 9 Pages
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 
              NAME OF REPORTING PERSONS/I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)

              HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.
      1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*    (a) [ ]
                                                                   (b) [X]

      2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              SEC USE ONLY

      3
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

              Delaware
      4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                SOLE VOTING POWER

                                         5      0
         NUMBER OF                     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          SHARES                                SHARED VOTING POWER
       BENEFICIALLY
         OWNED BY                        6      2,453,310
           EACH                        -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         REPORTING                              SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
          PERSON
           WITH                          7      0
                                       -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                         8      2,453,310
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

               9                 2,453,310
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES   [  ]
                                 (See Instructions)
               10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)

               11                10.2%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (SEE INSTRUCTIONS)

               12                HC
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------





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Item 1(a). Name of Issuer.

         Argonaut Group, Inc.

Item 1(b). Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

         10101 Reunion Place, Suite 500
         San Antonio, Texas 78216

Item 2(a). Name of Person Filing.

         HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.

Item 2(b). Address of Principal Business Office.

         HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.
         13403 Northwest Freeway
         Houston, Texas 77040-6094

Item 2(c). Citizenship.

         Delaware

Item 2(d). Title of Class of Securities.

         Common Stock, par value $.10 per share (HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.
         has acquired 2,453,310 shares of the Issuer's Series A Mandatory
         Convertible Preferred Stock. Other purchasers, unaffiliated with HCC,
         have acquired an additional 500,000 shares of such Preferred Stock.
         The Preferred Stock is convertible on a 1-for-1 basis for the Issuer's
         Common Stock. If not previously converted, the Preferred Stock will
         mandatorily convert on the 10th anniversary of its issuance. If all
         persons which have currently subscribed for shares convert, HCC would
         own 9.99% of the Issuer's then outstanding shares of Common Stock.)

Item 2(e). CUSIP number.

         04015710-9

Item 3.  If this Statement is Filed Pursuant Sections 240.13d-1(b) or
         240.13d-2(b) or (c), Check Whether the Person Filing is a:

         (a)      [ ] Broker or dealer registered under section 15 of the Act
                  (15 U.S.C. 78o).

         (b)      [ ] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C.
                  78c).



                                       3


         (c)      [ ] Insurance company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the
                  Act (15 U.S.C. 78c).

         (d)      [ ] Investment company registered under section 8 of the
                  Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8).

         (e)      [ ] An investment advisor in accordance with Section
                  240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(E);

         (f)      [ ] An employee benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance
                  with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F);

         (g)      [ ] A parent holding company or control person in accordance
                  with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

         (h)      [ ] A savings association as defined in Section 3(b) of the
                  Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

         (i)      [ ] A church plan that is excluded from the definition of an
                  investment company under section 3(c)(14) of the Investment
                  Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-3);

         (j)      [ ] Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).


Item 4. Ownership.

         (a)      Amount beneficially owned: 2,453,310 (HCC Insurance Holdings,
                  Inc. has acquired 2,453,310 shares of the Issuer's Series A
                  Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock. Other purchasers,
                  unaffiliated with HCC, have acquired an additional 500,000
                  shares of such Preferred Stock. The Preferred Stock is
                  convertible on a 1-for-1 basis for the Issuer's Common Stock.
                  If not previously converted, the Preferred Stock will
                  mandatorily convert on the 10th anniversary of its issuance.
                  If all persons which have currently subscribed for shares
                  convert, HCC would own 9.99% of the Issuer's then outstanding
                  shares of Common Stock.)

         (b)      Percent of class: 10.2%

         (c)      Number of shares as to which the person has:

                  (i)      Sole power to vote or to direct the vote: 0

                  (ii)     Shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 2,453,310

                  (iii)    Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                           of: 0

                  (iv)     Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
                           of: 2,453,310

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

         If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
         hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of
         more than 5% of the class of securities, check the following: [ ]



                                       4


Item 6.  Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.

         Not Applicable.

Item 7.  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
         the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company or Control
         Person.

         See Exhibit A for the identity of the subsidiaries which directly
         beneficially own the securities reported herein.

Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.

         Not applicable.

Item 9.  Notice of Dissolution of Group.

         Not applicable.

Item 10. Certifications

         By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and
         belief, the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not
         held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing
         the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and
         are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction
         having that purpose or effect.
















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                                    SIGNATURE

         After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.


Date:  April 7, 2003


                                             By: /s/ CHRISTOPHER L. MARTIN
                                                -------------------------------
                                             Name: Christopher L. Martin
                                             Title: Executive Vice President




























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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit A     Information Required by Item 7

Exhibit B     Joint Filing Agreement between HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc.,
              Houston Casualty Company, U.S. Specialty Insurance Company, HCC
              Life Insurance Company and Avemco Insurance Company

































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