NFL SUPERSTAR WARRICK DUNN TEAMS UP WITH GUARDIAN TO PROMOTE THE BENEFITS OF LIFE INSURANCE

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month and Marks the Launch of Open Enrollment Season

New York, September 13, 2006 — The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), has teamed up with Warrick Dunn, running back for the Atlanta Falcons, to educate Americans about the importance of life insurance and financial planning. Dunn's partnership with Guardian included a radio media tour on September 12 to promote Life Insurance Awareness Month.

Life Insurance Awareness Month is coordinated by the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE) and supported by the insurance industry to increase public awareness about the importance of life insurance.

"Life insurance provides a critical safety net that is an important component of a family's financial well-being," said Warrick Dunn, who joined the Atlanta Falcons in 2002 and is founder of the Warrick Dunn Foundation. "After losing my mother when I was eighteen and helping to raise my five siblings, I learned at a young age about the importance of planning for life's uncertainties. I am proud to work with The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America to get the word out about the need for life insurance. I encourage Americans to take action today and meet with an agent or advisor or to check their workplace benefits to purchase life insurance or review their policies to make sure that they have adequate protection."

Along with providing single mothers with homes and financial opportunities, The Warrick Dunn Foundation also promotes the importance of financial independence and security, making it a natural fit with Guardian's goal of enriching lives.

"We are very pleased that Warrick Dunn decided to partner with Guardian to promote life insurance protection," said Craig Guiffre, Vice President, Group Life and Disability, Guardian. "He is a leader not only on the football field, but also in the community. Dunn is a true humanitarian."

Added Guiffre, "The end of summer and beginning of fall marks not only the start of the NFL season, but also the beginning of open enrollment season at many companies. This is the time of year when millions of American employees have the opportunity to review and update their workplace benefits. Most employees receive discounts on group policies and life insurance is relatively affordable in the workplace. We encourage employees to meet with advisors, agents and benefits experts and to have a full understanding of the amount of coverage needed to protect their families and loved ones."

"Life is priceless, but most American's do not, at the very least, cover the total economic contribution that they provide to their families," said David Allen, Senior Vice President, Individual Markets, Guardian. "Many U.S. courts call this contribution a person's human life value. It is important for Americans to understand terms such as human life value when they are making decisions about life insurance. Life Insurance Awareness Month is every month at Guardian and we encourage individuals and families to meet with agents and advisors, not only during the month of September, but at least once a year and whenever they experience a major life change to ensure that they have adequate protection and to discuss their financial future."

According to LIMRA, 24 million U.S. households are without life insurance protection; leaving many Americans vulnerable to financial distress in the case of a loved one's premature death. While some people are unaware that life insurance is accessible both through individual programs as well as through employer-sponsored benefits plans, others are confused about how much life insurance is needed to sufficiently protect a household's finances. In fact, although almost three fourths of Americans agree that life insurance is the best way to protect family income against premature death, half don't know how much to buy to afford adequate protection and 43 percent worry about making a wrong decision. You can learn more about determining your life insurance needs at www.life-line.org.

About Guardian
Founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY (Guardian) is one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the United States. As of December 31, 2005, Guardian and its subsidiaries had $36.9 billion in assets (on a consolidated statutory basis). With more than 5,000 employees and 3,000 financial representatives, as well as over 85 agencies nationwide, Guardian and its subsidiaries protect individuals, businesses, and their employees with life, disability, health, long-term care, and dental insurance products, and offer 401(k), financial products and trust services. More information about Guardian can be obtained at: www.guardianlife.com.

About Warrick Dunn and the Warrick Dunn Foundation
As the oldest of six, Warrick grew up watching his mother, Betty Smothers, provide for him and his five siblings. As a single mother she worked endless hours as a Baton Rouge police officer and several off-duty jobs to make ends meet. During Warrick's senior year at Catholic high school, his mother's life was taken in the line of duty, leaving him the responsibility of keeping the family together. Although she worked hard all of her life, Betty was never able to realize the American dream of owning her own home. After being drafted to the NFL by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1997, Warrick established a program called "Homes for the Holidays" as an effort to keep his mother's dream of homeownership alive through other single mothers working hard to provide for their families." After five years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Warrick joined the Atlanta Falcons. More information about the Warrick Dunn Foundation can be obtained at www.warrickdunnfoundation.org.

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