<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-5
<SEQUENCE>4
<FILENAME>ex5-1_020803.txt
<DESCRIPTION>FORM S-3, EXHIBIT 5.1
<TEXT>
[LOGO OF SELECTIVE INSURANCE GROUP, INC.]

                     Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
                     40 Wantage Avenue
                     Branchville, New Jersey 07890
                     Tel:    973 948-1310
                     Fax:    973-948-2070
                     E-mail:  michele.schumacher@ selective.com


Michele N. Schumacher
Vice President

February 10, 2003


Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
40 Wantage Avenue
Branchville, NJ 07890

                         Selective Insurance Group, Inc.
      Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 Relating to
$305,000,000 aggregate principal amount at maturity of Senior Convertible Notes
 due 2032 and 3,958,382 Shares of Common Stock Issuable Upon Conversion Thereof

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          This opinion is furnished to you in connection with amendment no. 1 to
the registration statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement"), filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, for the registration of $305,000,000
aggregate principal amount at maturity of Senior Convertible Notes due 2032 (the
"Notes") of Selective Insurance Group, Inc., a New Jersey corporation (the
"Company"), and 3,958,382 shares of common stock of the Company, par value $2.00
per share (the "Shares"), issuable upon conversion of the Notes. The Notes and
the Shares are being registered on behalf of the holders of the Notes.

          As Vice President, Corporate Secretary and Corporate Governance
Officer for the Company, I have examined and relied upon the information set
forth in the Registration Statement, the Indenture dated as of September 24,
2002 (the "Indenture"), between the Company and National City Bank, as trustee
(the "Trustee"), a specimen of the Notes and the originals, or copies identified
to my satisfaction, of such corporate records of the Company, certificates of
public officials, officers of the Company and other persons, and such other
documents, agreements and instruments as I have deemed necessary as a basis for
the opinion hereinafter expressed. In my examinations, I have assumed the legal
capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the
authenticity of all documents submitted to me as originals and the conformity
with the originals of all documents submitted to me as copies.

<PAGE>

          My opinions set forth below are limited to the law of the State of New
Jersey and the federal laws of the United States, and I do not express any
opinion concerning any other law.

          Based upon and subject to the foregoing, I am of the opinion that:


          (i)   The Notes have been duly authorized by the Company and, assuming
the Notes have been duly authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the
provisions of the Indenture, constitute legal, valid and binding obligations of
the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms,
except as the enforcement thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency
(including, without limitation, all laws relating to fraudulent transfers),
reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting
enforcement of creditors' rights generally, and except as the enforcement
thereof is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether
enforcement is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

          (ii)  The Shares issuable upon conversion of the Notes have been duly
and validly authorized and reserved for issuance upon such conversion by all
necessary corporate action, and such Shares, when issued upon conversion of the
Notes in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, will be duly and validly
issued and fully paid and non-assessable.

          I understand that this opinion is to be used in connection with the
Registration Statement. I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as part
of the Registration Statement and to the use of my name therein and in the
related prospectus under the caption "Legal Matters."


Very truly yours,

/s/ Michele N. Schumacher

Michele N. Schumacher

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
