2005 News Releases

Boston– John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance announced it has introduced packaged long term care (LTC) insurance products in order to simplify the sales process for independent agents, non-LTC insurance specialists and broker dealers. The SimpleChoices packaging, which makes product design easier for producers and product choice easier for consumers, was designed to expand distribution of long term care insurance into new sales channels. The company will continue to sell its unbundled products.

“Many financial professionals – non-LTC insurance specialists – want to help their clients protect assets with LTC insurance, but don’t do it because they feel the product and process are too complicated,” said Laura Moore, senior vice president, John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance. “The goal of SimpleChoices is to make it easy for them to become involved in this market and provide more comprehensive financial planning to their clients.” said Moore.

SimpleChoices consists of three customer-driven LTC insurance packages, representing some of John Hancock’s most popular LTC insurance feature combinations. The company also has developed marketing materials and incorporated modules on the client illustration system to support the SimpleChoices options. This comprehensive program makes it easier for producers to present appropriate LTC insurance plans to their clients, even when they do not sell LTC insurance on a regular basis.

“With so many brokers and agents still new to LTC insurance, we've identified common markets and benefit packages that will help meet many of their client's needs," said Joe Catalano, senior vice president of sales, John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance. “Using this program will remove some of what they considered the mystery of selling LTC insurance so they can feel comfortable doing so.”

All three SimpleChoices plans offer comprehensive home care protection as well as traditional coverage in assisted living facilities or nursing homes:

• Value – an economical plan providing solid long term care coverage
• Select – a more generous plan offering a higher level of care coverage
• Deluxe – a benefit-rich plan for those who are seeking the most comprehensive coverage

The packages feature inflation options to match client affordability and coverage needs; daily benefits based on the average cost of nursing home care in the client’s individual state; and benefit periods generally based on the average length of stay in a nursing home. Developed with extensive input from LTC insurance producers, the SimpleChoices program represents simplified packages that will fit many consumers’ needs.

About John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance
Today, John Hancock, a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, is one of the largest providers of group and retail LTC insurance in the United States with more than 800,000 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.

With the merger in 2004, John Hancock Long Term Care Insurance now includes 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