Premier Critical Illness ... c'est chez ING

ING Employee Benefits Announces New Critical Illness Insurance Product

    MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ING Employee Benefits
(NYSE: ING) has announced the launch of its new critical illness insurance
product. An excellent complement to traditional health and disability
insurance, Premier Critical Illness insurance is designed to provide
additional financial protection for enrolled participants in the event they
experience a critical illness. The new product is currently available to
employers to add to their benefit portfolios with coverage effective
beginning January 1, 2008.

   Premier Critical Illness insurance provides added support and security
by paying an immediate lump-sum benefit following the diagnosis of one of
several specified diseases or illnesses: coma, end stage renal (kidney)
failure, heart attack, major organ failure, permanent paralysis and stroke.
Employers have the option to add cancer coverage to their plans or purchase
cancer only coverage on a stand-alone basis. Carefully built-in features
deliver ultimate flexibility:



   -- Modular Design: Premier Critical Illness offers three, group-level plan
      options for employers to select based on their unique needs. Available
      plan designs include Critical Illness with Cancer, Critical Illness
      without Cancer or Cancer-only coverage.

   -- Conditional Guaranteed Issue: Guaranteed issue underwriting is
      available for cases with more than 500 eligible employees, if
      participation requirements are met.

   -- Restoration Benefit Rider: Our competitive restoration rider combines
      the best features associated with traditional reoccurrence and
      additional-occurrence benefits. Following payment of 100% of the base
      plan benefits in the Critical Illness module, this rider will restore
      the maximum benefit amount one time for a future occurrence or
      reoccurrence of any covered condition in the Critical Illness module.

   -- Occupational HIV Benefit Rider: This rider provides a one-time lump sum
      payment of $10,000 if you are diagnosed with Occupational HIV. The
      rider is available for approved healthcare or related professions at no
      additional cost to the employee.

   According to the American Heart Association, heart disease and stroke
are the No. 1 and 3 causes of death in the United States. And, if survived,
they are a leading cause of serious disability(1). Furthermore, lifetime
probability of developing cancer for men is 1 in 2; women 1 in 3(2).

   "We cannot ignore these staggering statistics," says Curt Olson,
President of ING Employee Benefits, U.S." They are medical realities we all
face in one way or another. As a leader in the insurance business, ING
fully recognizes the emotional and financial impacts a serious illness has
on individuals and their families. Our Premier Critical Illness insurance
was created to meet these needs and help provide peace of mind when dealing
with the uncertainties of life."

   ReliaStar Life Insurance Company is a member of the ING family of
companies. Each insurer is solely responsible for the financial obligations
under the policies or contracts it issues. Product availability may vary by
state.

   ING Group is a global financial institution of Dutch origin offering
banking, insurance and asset management to more than 75 million private,
corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries. With a
diverse workforce of more than 120,000 people, ING comprises a broad
spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under
the ING brand.

   In the U.S., the ING family of companies offers a comprehensive array
of financial services to retail and institutional clients, which include
life insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts,
alternative investments, direct banking, institutional investment
management, annuities, employee benefits, financial planning and
reinsurance. ING holds top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves
more than 15 million customers across the nation. For more information,
visit http://www.ing.com.

   (1) Know the Facts, Get the Stats, American Heart Association, 2007.

   (2) American Cancer Society 2007, Cancer Statistics 2007.

SOURCE ING US Financial Services