MassMutual Offers Free Life Insurance to Working Parents in Florida

Oct 30,2006 00:00 by PR-Newswire

Application session to be held at and in conjunction with the Easter Seals of Southwest Florida on Saturday, November 4

SARASOTA, Fla., Oct. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Massachusetts Mutual Life
Insurance Company (MassMutual) is bringing the company's LifeBridge(SM)
Free Life Insurance Program to the Sarasota, Florida area.

MassMutual's LifeBridge is a national philanthropic program in which
the company issues 10-year term life insurance policies to eligible working
parents to help pay for the cost of their children's education in the event
they die. Through LifeBridge, $50,000 life insurance policies are issued to
a trust on the life of qualifying parents or legal guardians to help pay
for the education of their eligible children who -- in the event of a
parent's death during the policy's term -- may not be able to afford to
complete their schooling. All premiums are paid entirely by MassMutual,
with no fees ever for qualified parents or their children.

Bob Mitchell, insurance and financial services professional for
MassMutual who is offering the program locally, is holding a LifeBridge
application session at the Easter Seals facility located at 350 Braden
Ave., Sarasota, FL, this Saturday, November 4, from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Appointments are preferred; walk-ins are welcome. To schedule an
appointment, call the 2-1-1 line at United Way. Cell phone users must dial
941-308-4357.

"We are extremely excited to bring LifeBridge to Sarasota and Manatee
Counties," says Mitchell. "Experience tells us that some of the people who
believe most in the protection that life insurance offers are often the
ones who can least afford it. Working with Easter Seals of Southwest
Florida to help bring this important program to the community is a
pleasure. They continue to go above and beyond expectations for the
community they know and love."

Mary Hitchcock, president and CEO, of Easter Seals added, "We want to
help ensure that access to educational opportunities exists for children of
working families. There is absolutely no cost to the insured for a policy
under the LifeBridge program."

MassMutual has provided more than 5,700 10-year term life insurance
policies since launching the LifeBridge program in 2002, representing more
than $285 million in free life insurance coverage.

To be eligible to apply for a term life insurance policy under the
LifeBridge program, applicants must be:

    * Between the ages of 19-42;
    * A permanent, legal U.S. resident;
    * The parent or legal guardian of one or more dependent children under
the age of 18;

    * Currently employed -- either full- or part-time -- and have a family
income between $10,000 and $40,000 on their most recent income tax return;
    * The only family member who has applied for the LifeBridge program;
and
    * In good health, as determined by MassMutual's underwriting
guidelines.

Each LifeBridge policy has a 10-year policy term. If the insured parent
or legal guardian dies during that time, the $50,000 life insurance benefit
will be applied solely toward the education of the children. The money will
be paid to a trust administered by The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB on
behalf of the children. The trust will pay the educational expenses of the
children directly to the educational institution they attend.

Various types of schools qualify, including, but not limited to, pre-
school, private school, vocational school, community college, universities,
art and music schools or graduate schools. Some of the educational expenses
covered include books, tuition, and room and board.

MassMutual Financial Group companies -- with more than $395 billion in
assets under management as of December 31, 2005 -- provide life insurance,
annuities, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance,
retirement planning products, structured settlement annuities, trust
services, money management, and other financial products and services.

The MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts
Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and its affiliates, which
include: OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring
Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; MML
Investors Services, Inc.; The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB; MML Bay State
Life Insurance Company; C.M. Life Insurance Company; and MassMutual
International LLC.

MassMutual is on the Internet at http://www.massmutual.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS:

    MassMutual                         Easter Seals Southwest Florida
    Robert H. Mitchell, JD             Mary Hitchcock
    941-284-7624                       941-355-7637, x402

    Michael Johnson                    Christine Milligan
    Mullen for MassMutual              Mullen for MassMutual
    313-394-0324                       978-468-8951

SOURCE MassMutual Financial Group

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Related links:
http://www.massmutual.com