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Prudential LTC Adds New Class

New Standard III Underwriting Class in Effect Oct. 1, 2007

09-21-2007

The Prudential LTC Underwriting Department is committed to continually reviewing our underwriting guidelines and criteria to ensure that we are keeping pace with the latest medical and technological advancements.

As we have recently announced, the results of our latest underwriting review by our medical team and risk committee prompted us to make some changes to our underwriting criteria. We believe this change is consistent with the industry, represents responsible underwriting and is in line with the guidelines of the other major LTC insurance carriers.

Effective Oct. 1, 2007, in addition to separating our height and weight tables into male and female tables and liberalizing our weight table for men, we have created a Standard III underwriting class to help preserve your spouse/partner business when one is declined. Also effective Oct. 1, 2007 are two underwriting procedural changes regarding the collection of medical information.

New Underwriting Class for “Declined Spouses/Partners”
We have filed a new 150% “Standard III” underwriting class which has already been approved in 31 states and will be applied to other states as they are approved. The Standard III underwriting class will be used only when we have a declined spouse/partner along with an approved spouse/partner. At the discretion of the underwriter, we may make an alternate offer to the declined “spouse/partner” at the new Standard III rates to help you preserve both policies. Not all declinable medical conditions will qualify. All spousal/partner discounts will still apply to both
policies.

Underwriting Procedural Changes
Effective for applications signed by Oct. 1, 2007 and received by Oct. 15, 2007, a routine attending physician’s statement (APS) will be ordered on all applicants age 60 and above. This change brings the age down for a “mandatory” APS from our current age of 65.

Also effective Oct. 1, 2007, we will require a routine phone interview on all candidates aged 55 and above, down from the current age of 66. The phone interview is conducted by a health care professional and takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes. During this call, medical questions from the application may be reviewed with some follow-up information and a brief cognitive assessment will be made. Please prepare your 55+ clients for the call and indicate on the application
the appropriate number and best time to reach them.

Prudential Long-Term Care continually strives for excellence in sales and marketing support. For guidance, please call the Underwriting hotline at 800-800-8542 and select prompt #3.