2005 News Releases

• Long Term Care Resources (LTCR) will offer Hancock’s long term care insurance as part of its portfolio of products for affinity groups

Boston– John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance announced it has signed a marketing agreement with Long Term Care Resources (LTCR), a leading national marketing organization specializing in selling long term care insurance to large affinity groups, to sell John Hancock’s long term care insurance in addition to the products it currently offers.

Through the agreement, LTCR will offer Custom Care II, John Hancock’s flagship long term care insurance product, to its growing roster of affinity groups across the country, including over 65 existing endorsements.

"We are very pleased the John Hancock LTCI products will be included in LTCR’s long term care insurance offerings," said Joseph Catalano, senior vice president, Long-Term Care Insurance Distribution. "LTCR is a recognized leader in the affinity marketplace, and this agreement will help both our companies grow."

"We’ve been growing our business at well above industry growth rates and with a great company like John Hancock now in our mix to complement our other partners, we expect to continue as industry leaders,” said Joe Lautiero, CEO of LTCR. “The brand and financial strength of John Hancock will be well received in the endorsement world and we believe this is a great opportunity for both LTCR and John Hancock, ultimately helping our clients protect themselves from the high cost of care.”

About Long Term Care Resources
Long Term Care Resources (LTCR) is a leading national insurance agency and marketing company dedicated to Long Term Care Insurance and the senior market. LTCR represents the top insurance companies in the LTC market through a national network of LTC Specialists.

LTCR specializes in marketing LTC insurance through affinity partnerships such as Alumni groups, national associations and credit unions. Through LTCR's marketing programs, members are able to consult with a LTC Specialist, compare multiple LTC insurance plans from the top carriers in the LTC insurance market and obtain appropriate protection. In addition, members are able to obtain certain plans at discounted rates.

LTCR partners with numerous affinity groups and insurance brokerage firms to offer truly value added LTC insurance benefit programs for members. Each program is custom designed to offer members a truly value added service with affinity discounts and multiple carriers to meet a wide variety of underwriting and product needs. LTCR currently works with over 100 Unions, credit unions, alumni organizations, Military Associations and other affinity organizations.

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 894,000 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$364 billion (US$297 billion) as at June 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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Long Term Care Insurance is underwritten by John Hancock Life Insurance Company, Boston, MA 02117

Melissa Berczuk
(617) 572-6390