John Hancock's Enhanced Flagship Long-Term Care Insurance Product Available in Additional States

BOSTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Life Insurance Company (John Hancock) announced that the latest version of its flagship long-term care (LTC) insurance policy, Custom Care II Enhanced is now available in Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon and Vermont. The policy offers new, innovative benefits, several of which were developed with baby boomers in mind, such as Caregiver Support Services, which provides policyholders and their uncovered family members with access to provider discounts, care provider quality reports, and expert advice when they are called on to be caregivers or care planners for aging parents, spouses, partners, children, and relatives, and CPI Compound Inflation, which provides a more affordable compound inflation option that links annual benefit increases to changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The company has also added new consumer protection provisions to the policy, in an effort to give clients the reassurance they need at the time of purchase and the time of claim. These include:

• Alternate Services Benefit, which recognizes emerging care services
• Independent Third-Party Review, which gives policyholders additional assurances during the claims process
• Timely Payment of Claims, which provides policyholders with guarantees in case of delays in claims payment processing
• Lifestyle Benefit Changes, which provides the flexibility to adjust policy coverage up or down when needs change
• Contingent Nonforfeiture, which has been enhanced on Limited Pay policies
  

"It is our goal to provide today's buyers, who are typically in their 50s, with affordable, comprehensive and relevant LTC insurance coverage," said Marianne Harrison, President of John Hancock Long-Term Care Insurance. "This new product offering increases the value to a policyholder by providing benefits that can be accessed at any time on behalf of parents and family members and is both affordable and relevant, especially in today's environment. As well, our new consumer protection package will assure consumers that our promise to them is secure."

The new policy is currently available in all states except California, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, and Tennessee.

About John Hancock Long-Term Care Insurance
John Hancock is one of the largest providers of LTC insurance overall with more than 1,000,000 LTC insurance clients and $1.5 billion of in-force LTC insurance premium.(1) The company holds $9.4 billion in LTC insurance reserves for future claims(2) and has paid $2.2 billion in LTC claims.(3) Having entered the retail LTC insurance market in 1987, John Hancock is one of the largest carriers of individual coverage in the country.(4) John Hancock began selling group LTC insurance in 1988 and today is the largest provider of employer-sponsored group LTC insurance in the U.S.(5) More information about long-term care issues and insurance products can be found at www.johnhancockLTC.com.

(1) As of December 31, 2008, according to internal financial records.
(2) As of December 31, 2008, according to internal financial records inclusive of active and claims reserves for individual and group long-term care insurance.
(3) Based on John Hancock internal data as of 12/31/08. Total includes individual and group long-term care insurance and 50% of the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.
(4) LIMRA International, U.S. Individual Long-Term Care Insurance Sales Survey, Fourth Quarter YTD 2008.
(5) LIMRA International, U. S. Group Long-Term Care Insurance Sales Survey, Fourth Quarter YTD 2008.

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 22 countries and territories worldwide. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and Asia, and primarily through John Hancock in the United States, the Company offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$421 billion (US$362 billion) as of June 30, 2009. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial can be found on the Internet at www.manulife.com.

The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services, including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at www.johnhancock.com.

Long-term care insurance is underwritten by John Hancock Life Insurance Company, Boston, MA 02117 and in New York by John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, Boston, MA 02117.