2005 News Releases

Boston– John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance announced it has been selected as Southern Farm Bureau (SFB)’s provider of long term care insurance (LTCI). Through the agreement, approximately 4,300 SFB agents, located in 10 southeastern states will offer Hancock’s Custom Care portfolio of LTCI products.

The agreement was made when SFB, which had sold its own LTCI for 10 years, decided to the exit the manufacturing side of the LTCI business but wanted to continue to offer this protection to its customers. SFB has dedicated internal and external LTCI sales support teams in an effort to make the transition seamless.

“Long term care insurance is an important way we can help our clients protect their independence and financial security during retirement,” said Gino Gianfrancesco, CLU, ChFC, senior vice president, Marketing, Southern Farm Bureau. “We’re very pleased to be able to offer them a high quality product from a top-rated insurer.”

"We are very pleased that Southern Farm Bureau has selected our LTCI product to offer to its clients," said Laura Moore, senior vice president, John Hancock Long-Term Care Insurance. "Southern Farm Bureau is a respected player in long term care insurance sales and our partnership will be good for both companies and, more importantly, Southern Farm Bureau’s customers."

About Southern Farm Bureau
Founded in 1946, Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company offers a range of insurance products and services to serve the needs of families in 10 southern states.

The company’s approximately 4,300 agents, located in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia offer term and permanent life insurance, variable annuities and variable life insurance and long term care. They also provide retirement planning as well as estate and business planning services.

About John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance
Today, John Hancock, a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, is one of the largest providers of LTC insurance overall with more than 905,000 clients and $1.1 billion of in-force premium.

Having entered the retail LTC insurance market in 1987, John Hancock is the second-largest provider of individual coverage in the country. John Hancock began selling group LTC insurance in 1988 and today is the largest provider of employer-sponsored LTC insurance in the U.S.

In 2002, John Hancock with MetLife were together selected to administer an LTC insurance program for federal employees, retirees and various family members across the country. The program is the largest single employer-sponsored LTC insurance program of its kind.

When the company merged with Manulife Financial Corporation in 2004, John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance grew to include Manulife’s Avon Long Term Care Leaders (ALTCL), a specialized LTC insurance third party administrator and risk manager. Located in Avon, CT, ALTCL is known for its history in product development, underwriting and claim handling. Over the past 15 years, ALTCL management has developed LTC insurance programs for more than 20 companies in 14 countries.

About John Hancock and Manulife Financial
John Hancock is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19 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$360 billion (US$310 billion) as at September 30, 2005.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as ‘MFC’ on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under ‘0945’ 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 today offers a broad range of financial products and services, including whole life, term life, variable life, and universal life insurance, as well as college savings products, fixed and variable annuities, long term care insurance, mutual funds and various forms of business insurance.

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Media Contact:
Melissa Berczuk
617-572-6390