Exhibit 31.1

CERTIFICATION OF CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO SECTION
302(a) OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

|1. |  | I
have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of  Penn-America Group, Inc.
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|2. |  | Based
on my  knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact
or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light  of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with  respect to the
period covered by this report;
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|3. |  | Based
on my  knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in
this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition,  results of
operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the  periods presented in
this report;
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|4. |  | The
registrants other certifying officer and I are responsible for  establishing and
maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in  Exchange Act Rules
13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:
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|a) |  | Designed
such  disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and
procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material  information
relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries,  is made known to us
by others within those entities, particularly during the  period in which this report is
being prepared;
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|b) |  | Evaluated
the  effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and procedures and
presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the  disclosure
controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this  report based on
such evaluation; and
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|c) |  | Disclosed
in  this report any change in the registrants internal control over financial
reporting that occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal quarter  that has
materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the  registrants
internal control over financial reporting; and
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|5. |  | The
registrants other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our  most
recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the  registrants
auditors and the audit committee of registrants board of  directors (or persons
performing the equivalent functions):
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|a) |  | All
significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of  internal
controls over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to  adversely affect the
registrants ability to record, process, summarize and  report financial
information; and
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|b) |  | Any
fraud,  whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a
significant role in the registrants internal control over financial  reporting.
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|Date: May 7, 2004 |  | /s/ Jon S. Saltzman                                 
|                  |  | Jon S. SaltzmanPresident and Chief Executive Officer
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