John Hancock Launches LTC Awareness Month Campaign

BOSTON, Nov. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance is marking LTC Awareness Month this year with a campaign that features some new thinking about LTC insurance and ways to expand the marketplace. Headlining this effort is a special weekly online publication for financial professionals available through the month of November, entitled Your Market Weekly, which will include articles about new market segments and sales tips on ways to reach them, as well as the insights of some seasoned long-term care professionals.

In addition to the weekly publication, John Hancock also has joined a number of industry leaders in sponsoring the 3 in 4 Need More campaign, a national initiative focused on raising awareness around the importance of planning ahead for long-term care needs.  The company has also co-sponsored an AALTCI educational insert, "Valuable Lessons on Long-Term Care Planning," which will be included in the November issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.  The insert focuses on the planning needs of 40-60 year olds.

"The need for viable long-term care solutions in this country is rapidly increasing with the aging of the Baby Boomers and the rise of the Gen-Xers, along with the limited sources of government funding," said Marianne Harrison, president, John Hancock Long-Term Care. "By providing consumers with educational materials, compelling facts, and affordable products that meet their needs, we are helping people realize that long-term care insurance remains the most practical and cost-effective solution to offset the potential financial risks posed by a need for care."

In August, John Hancock launched the latest version of its flagship long-term care insurance policy with a new feature called Benefit Builder* which, selected instead of a traditional inflation option, provides a lower cost policy with a unique crediting feature and voluntary buy-up options. The company expects that Benefit Builder will expand the LTC insurance marketplace, by appealing to younger consumers who may have competing financial priorities and cannot afford more traditional policies. It also expects the product will attract older healthy individuals who otherwise could not afford the premiums.

Benefit Builder enables a policyholder's benefits to grow through an automatic crediting formula tied to the investment earnings of a segment of John Hancock's general account. In addition, every three years through age 75, policyholders will be offered the opportunity to increase benefits by 10 percent without having to answer questions about health or undergo a medical exam, subject to restrictions. Premiums for the additional buy-up coverage will be based on the policyholder's age on the option date.

*Patent pending.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. In 2012, John Hancock celebrates 150 years of serving clients across the United States, while Manulife celebrates its 125^th anniversary. Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife Financial Corporation 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 C$514 billion (US$504 billion) as at June 30, 2012.  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 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, 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 johnhancock.com.

Long-term care insurance is underwritten by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), Boston, MA 02117 (not licensed in New York) and in New York by John Hancock Life & Health Insurance Company, Boston, MA 02117.

SOURCE John Hancock Long-Term Care Insurance