FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

TEACHERS’ INSURANCE PLAN BEATS INSURANCE GIANTS AGAIN

Only Teacher-Exclusive Program to Make the Grade in New York
Ranks Nearly Four Times Better than Industry Average

Meriden , CT - January 12, 2005 - The New York State Insurance Department’s 2004 ranking of best performing insurers put only one educator-exclusive program on its “Top 25” list – Teachers’ Insurance Plan. No other teacher program made the grade and many of the state’s biggest insurers stagnated at the bottom half of the list.

The educator-program beat the largest insurers in two separate measurements – low number of complaints and the ratio of complaints to company size. This marks the second consecutive year Teachers’ underwriting company, the Response Insurance Group, has been on the Department’s “Top 25” list.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our employees and teacher-agents who work so hard to provide top-notch service,” stated Steve Oakley, program manager for Teachers’ Insurance Plan and vice president of the Response Insurance Group. “Our teachers deserve the best, and that’s what we give them. It’s just icing on the cake when we beat the big household-name companies.”

None of the state’s ten largest insurers -- Allstate, GEICO, State Farm, Progressive, Travelers, Liberty Mutual, AIG, White Mountains, New York Central Mutual Fire, and Nationwide – surpassed Teachers’.

The Response Group, including Teachers’ Insurance Plan, had a complaint ratio that was nearly four times better than the industry average and ranked the company as number 11 in the state.

The New York State Insurance Department Annual Ranking of Automobile Insurance Complaints was based on recently compiled 2003 data. The analysis ranks 49 insurance groups, who represent more than 200 individual insurance companies doing business in New York. The full ranking can be found at the Department’s website: www.ins.state.ny.us. Information about Teachers’ is at www.teachers.com.

Teachers’ Insurance Plan only insures current and retired members of the education community. The program was formed in 1992 and is headquartered in Meriden CT. Teachers’ Insurance Plan is underwritten by members of the Response Insurance Group of Companies.