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CIGNA Recognized for Return-to-Work Program; Wins Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education's realLIFEstories Contest

PHILADELPHIA-(Business Wire)-September 4, 2008 - CIGNA was named the winner of the disability category in The Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education’s (LIFE) realLIFEstories Client Service Award contest. It’s the first time a group disability insurance carrier has been recognized as a winner in the 13 years since the contest began.

LIFE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping people make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families’ financial futures. Each year they ask insurance professionals to submit stories that demonstrate how life and disability insurance help people during times of great personal and financial need.

CIGNA's winning essay about disability insurance told the story of Ashley Tew, whose career as a neonatal intensive care unit nurse was just taking off when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. At 24 years old, she had to go out of work on disability.

Determined to return to her career as a nurse, Tew took full advantage of CIGNA's return-to-work services after being contacted by a CIGNA vocational rehabilitation counselor. Together they practiced interview role-playing, searching for jobs and resume writing. As a result, Tew eventually landed a nursing job with her previous employer that allowed her to work from a desk.

“Not only was I faced with an unexpected illness, but I was faced with leaving a job I loved,” said Tew. “Without disability insurance and the return-to-work resources I had access to through CIGNA, I am not sure if I would be where I am today. I am so grateful to be back at work doing a job that I love.”

“Everyday we focus on helping people like Ashley through our return-to-work programs,” said Karen Rohan, president of CIGNA Group Insurance and Specialty Products. “Her story demonstrates the value of disability insurance and how this coverage not only provides important financial protection, but can also offer services that help safely return people to productive work.”

Those who submitted the winning essays, and the people whose lives were positively impacted by the benefits of life and disability insurance, were given an all-expense-paid trip to an awards banquet in San Diego during the annual convention of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. All four stories will be featured in a special section that appears in Newsweek’s September 8 issue.

For more information on CIGNA's disability programs and to read Ashley’s full story, please visit www.cigna.com/diam.

About CIGNA:

With approximately 47 million covered lives in the United States and around the world, CIGNA's operating subsidiaries offer a full portfolio of medical, dental, behavioral health, pharmacy and vision care benefits and group life, accident and disability insurance. “CIGNA,” the “Tree of Life” logo and “CIGNA Group Insurance” are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation and its operating subsidiaries, including Life Insurance Company of North America, CIGNA Life Insurance Company of New York, and Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, subsidiaries of CIGNA Corporation. All insurance products are provided by these operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation.

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