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UNUMPROVIDENT NO. 1 IN ENROLLMENT FOR GROUP LONG TERM CARE
INSURANCE
Insurer Passes Milestone of Half-Million Covered Lives
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (July 6, 2005) – LIMRA
International ranked UnumProvident (NYSE: UNM) No. 1 based on the number of
insureds covered in the employer-sponsored group long term care insurance
market, with a record enrollment of 485,290 employees in 2004. By mid-year
2005, UnumProvident exceeded enrollment of a half-million covered lives.
In December 2004, UnumProvident unveiled Group Long Term Care
Advantage, a new group long-term care product that allows employers to design a
policy that best meets the needs of their employees. GLTC Advantage helps
preserve the assets of employees and their families from the financial effects
of illness and injury.
“LTC insurance continues to grow in popularity, particularly among
today’s baby-boomer workers as they focus on financial planning for
retirement,” said Guy Bertsch, vice president of product development. “Group
long term care coverage can help employees and their families safeguard the
very things they have worked so hard to achieve.”
The new employer-sponsored product became available for purchase in
January 2005. "We are off to a strong start with GLTC Advantage," Bertsch said.
"Although competition has increased, GLTC Advantage will help us continue to
build on our leadership in the marketplace."
UnumProvident leads the industry in employer-sponsored group LTC
insurance sales. In 2004, the company sold 748 cases. With 73.6 percent market
share, LIMRA ranked the insurer #1 in 2004 case sales.
Long-term care is a growing topic in the media and a growing
concern for the baby boom generation. The Health Insurance Association of
America estimates that more than 13 million people in the United States need
long term care as a result of a disabling or long-term medical or physical
condition. And 40 percent of them are under the age of 65. The costs of such
care can be staggering, as nursing home expenses alone can exceed $56,000 a
year.
“Many employers provide financial planning tools as part of the
benefits package for employees,” Bertsch says. “A logical next stage of
employee benefits is long term care insurance. It may help employees minimize
exposure to risk, and adds an asset preservation component to their asset
accumulation vehicles already in place.”
LIMRA is a worldwide association providing research, consulting and
other services to more than 800 insurance and financial services companies in
60 countries.
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About UnumProvident
UnumProvident (UNM) is the largest provider of group and individual disability
income protection insurance in the United States and United Kingdom. Through
its subsidiaries, UnumProvident Corporation insures more than 25 million people
and paid $5.9 billion in total benefits to customers in 2004. With primary
offices in Chattanooga, Tenn., and Portland, Maine, the company employs more
than 12,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit
www.unumprovident.com.
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