Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Anthem Life in CT Partner with the Chamber Insurance Trust to Offer Life and Disability Products to Members

                               NORTH HAVEN, Conn., Nov. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- 40,000 local businesses and 79 working Chambers of Commerce throughout Connecticut will soon be able to offer their employees and members an extensive portfolio of life and disability products, thanks to a new program developed by Anthem Life Insurance Company (Anthem Life) and its affiliate Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut.

"Anthem Life and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield are proud to team up with the Chamber Insurance Trust in our launch of Chamber Life and Chamber Disability, which are competitive insurance products backed by one of the most trusted names in the industry - Anthem," said James Augur, vice president of sales, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut. "With our new portfolio of products, purchasing life insurance for chamber members just became relatively convenient, easy and affordable. Employees can now protect their loved ones and gain peace of mind for less than what they spend on coffee each month."

Available January 1, 2009, the Chamber Life and Chamber Disability product, will enable approximately 40,000 local businesses and working Chambers of Commerce throughout the state to offer their employees and members Anthem Life and Disability products.

Protect those that matter most - your employees

According to the Life Insurance Marketing Research Association (LIMRA), both large and small group employers agree that life insurance coverage is the most important non-medical benefit to offer employees.

"Life insurance may be one of the most important purchases you'll ever make. In the event of a tragedy, life insurance proceeds can help pay the bills, continue a family business, finance future needs like your children's education and much more," said John Leone, Jr., president of the Chamber Leadership Council. "A competitive benefits portfolio that protects a Chamber member's employees against the financial consequences of death or disability is crucial to financial security. Anthem Life delivers exactly the kind of product we are proud to offer our members."

Disability is behind nearly half of all mortgage foreclosures, according to the Housing and Home Finance Agency of the United States, but disability insurance has not been a high priority for most workers because many assume they're already covered through Social Security, state-mandated workers compensation or employer-provided group plans. LIMRA International reports that Social Security rejects nearly 70 percent of initial disability applications.

"Disability can mean reduced productivity for organizations and income loss for their employees. Disability insurance can help provide financial security for disabled employees to help bridge the gap by offering some income replacement," continued Augur. "Launching Chamber Life and Chamber Disability is important to Anthem Life and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in their efforts to help protect businesses and employees against the financial consequences of disability."

Life and disability products are underwritten by Anthem Life Insurance Company, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The Chamber Life and Chamber Disability portfolio includes life, accidental death & dismemberment, short-term disability, long-term disability and voluntary products.

For more information, call 203-795-9756 or visit www.citrust.com.

About Chamber Insurance Trust

Chamber Insurance Trust (CIT) is a voluntary alliance of all participating Chambers of Commerce across Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Created to bring the combined buying power of thousands of Chamber members, CIT's complete range of insurance options offer small, mid-sized and large businesses competitively priced benefit packages. From its inception in 1992, CIT serves more than 8,000 businesses from the Chambers of Commerce in Connecticut and Massachusetts.

About Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Anthem Health Plans, Inc., an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. (R) ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Additional information about Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut is available at www.anthem.com.

SOURCE Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Connecticut