Guardian Updates Voluntary Disability Choice Plans

NEW YORK, April 12, 2011 –– As employers increasingly turn to voluntary benefits to remain competitive and provide employees added financial security, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), one of the largest mutual life insurers and a leading provider of employee benefits, today announced more options in its Voluntary Disability ChoiceSM plans.  The new options make these plans even more affordable and give employees greater freedom of choice in selecting the right level of income protection, while keeping administration hassle-free for employers and enrollment easy for employees.

With Disability ChoiceSM, new plan design options have been created to help lower costs making coverage more accessible to more employees.  Employees will also have more coverage levels to choose from so it’s easier to find the benefit amount that best meet their needs and budget.  Since premiums are not salary-based, payroll deductions remain the same, easing administration for employers; and by offering flat benefit amount choices, employees know exactly what they are paying for when they enroll. 

“As the voluntary benefit market continues to grow, offering options that serve a wide range of employee circumstances will be key,” said Barry Petruzzi, vice president, Guardian.  “One big advantage of Guardian’s DI Choice is that for employees with more modest salaries and less discretionary income, they are able to choose the balance between benefit level and premium that works for them versus one fixed cost based on the traditional percentage of salary model. These employees also typically have less access to an individual DI agent, making it even more important for them to obtain protection through the workplace.”

For Media Inquiries Contact:

Kristin Meza

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America 

(212) 919-2158       

kristin_meza@glic.com    

About Guardian

A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, long-term care, disability income, group dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), annuities and other financial products. Guardian operates one of the largest dental networks in the United States, and protects more than six million employees and their families at 120,000 companies. The company has more than 5,400 employees in the United States and a network of over 3,000 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide.

For more information about Guardian, please visit: www.GuardianLife.com.