METLIFE ENHANCES GROUP LIFE BENEFITS FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES WITH WILL PREPARATION AND ESTATE RESOLUTION SERVICES

METLIFE ENHANCES GROUP LIFE BENEFITS FOR SMALLER BUSINESSES WITH WILL PREPARATION AND ESTATE RESOLUTION SERVICES

New York, NY December 07, 2010

MetLife, the largest U.S. life insurer and a leading provider of employee benefits, today announced that it has enhanced its group life benefits portfolio for small businesses by adding will preparation and estate resolution services as standard features to its supplemental term life and core/buy-up term life insurance coverages. Will preparation and MetLife Estate Resolution Services^SM are now available to employers with as few as ten employees in their group life insurance program – providing a valuable "living benefit" to employees today, along with additional assistance for beneficiaries. These new features are available immediately for new customers and for current customers upon renewal.

“MetLife is pleased to add these important features to all of our group life plans. The availability of both face-to-face and phone consultations on these personal matters is yet another way to enhance the value of employers’ supplemental life insurance offerings for their workers. The features can help increase employees’ appreciation of their benefits by providing peace of mind now, along with thoughtful and personal assistance for their beneficiaries later – strengthening the continuum of services MetLife makes available to them,” said Stephen Pontecorvo, vice president, Group Life Products, MetLife.

With will preparation, offered through Hyatt Legal Plans, employees and their spouses/domestic partners will have access to:

• An attorney of their choice to prepare or update a will. The attorney fees are fully covered when using a participating Hyatt Legal Plans attorney. Attorney fees for a non-participating lawyer are reimbursable up to a scheduled amount.
  
• Telephone and face-to-face consultations.
  
• Preparation of codicils and testamentary trusts.
   

With MetLife Estate Resolution Services, offered through Hyatt Legal Plans, executors and administrators of an employee’s estate will have access to the following comprehensive services:

• Legal representation from the attorney of their choice. The attorney fees are fully covered when using a participating Hyatt Legal Plans attorney. Attorney fees for a non-participating lawyer are reimbursable up to a scheduled amount.
  
• Telephone and face-to-face office consultations.
  
• Preparation of documents and representation at court proceedings needed to transfer the probate assets from the insured’s estate to his or her heirs.
  
• The completion of correspondence necessary to transfer non-probate assets, such as proceeds from insurance policies, joint bank accounts, stock accounts or a house; and
  
• Associated tax filings.
   

It is easy and convenient to take advantage of will preparation services and MetLife Estate Resolution Services. Employees and their spouses/dependents can simply call a toll-free number to identify a participating attorney. Estate representatives may also easily take advantage of MetLife’s Estate Resolution Services, provided at no cost to the executor or administrator for in-network attorneys.

For more information, please visit metlife.com/smallbusiness and click on “Life Insurance.”