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Offering More Ways to Control Benefit Costs, Provide Broad Benefit Options

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Simply Unum employee benefits platform now includes new voluntary disability coverage, and offers employer-funded Benefit Credits^SM that employees can apply to the cost of the coverage they choose.

"These new products on Simply Unum are great enhancements to a flexible and streamlined benefits platform that helps small and mid-sized businesses offer broad choice, effective education and cost control," said Mike Simonds, Unum (NYSE: UNM) senior vice president. "Simply Unum was originally developed in response to the clear need for an integrated approach to benefits for smaller businesses, and these new products really extend our offering."

Offering funding choices that include employer-paid, a range of shared funding and employee-paid coverage, these new disability products are also the first on the Simply Unum platform to use the Benefit Credits approach. With Benefit Credits, employers can offer a fixed dollar credit amount to employees, who then apply the credit to the coverage they choose.

"Employers and their advisors are looking for creative solutions to provide meaningful benefits while managing costs in the face of rising health care premiums," Simonds said. "Now, with Simply Unum's enhanced disability offering, customers can get simple administration and breadth of product choice at competitive pricing along with best-in-class enrollment and communication support."

The new voluntary disability coverage and Benefit Credits launched Monday in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. The products will be expanded nationally in 2010.

"By offering these products that help our customers predict budgets and increase employee choice, we have new ways to help them cost-effectively offer the benefits their employees need and want," Simonds said.

Simply Unum launched nationwide in April 2008. Now, more than 3,000 companies are Simply Unum customers across the country, and the benefits solution is available in 47 states.

Created specifically for employers with fewer than 500 employees, Simply Unum provides a base of group disability and life insurance coupled with voluntary benefits. With more than 28,000 product combinations possible, an employer can offer benefit options that best meet the specific needs of their workforce. The platform simplifies administration of benefits for employers, as Simply Unum operates on a single technology, creating one path from benefit package design to enrollment to ongoing billing and administration.

About Unum

Unum (www.unum.com) is one of the leading providers of employee benefits products and services, and the largest provider of group and individual disability insurance, in the United States. Through its subsidiaries, Unum paid $6 billion in total benefits to customers in 2008.

    Source: Unum