Standard Life continues to expand online services for Group Life & Health plan administrators

MONTREAL, Nov. 6, 2002 – As part of its ongoing commitment to simplifying plan administration for its Group Life & Health clients, Standard Life(*) is pleased to announce the addition of the Invoice Information option to its VIP Room Web site.

The newest VIP Room release gives plan administrators instant access to their current monthly statement of account and ivoice summary, updated as of the current business day. In addition to viewing total payments received since their last monthly invoice, administrators can download information on changes and adjustments affecting specific divisions, and verify invoice history over a twelve-month period. The Invoice Information option continues to round out Standard Life’s VIP Room Web site; simplifying the administration of a Group Life & Health Plan by providing employee information, online enrolment, customized reporting options, online forms and more.

“We’re very pleased with this latest release, which is part of a continuous process of providing our clients with Web-based solutions for administering their Group Life & Health plans,” says Joseph Iannicelli, Vice-President, Marketing – Group Life & Health. Jacques Charron, Vice-President, Customer Services – Group Life & Health, agrees “Billing information is a key aspect in the administration of a Group Life & Health plan – providing online access to current and previous invoice information represents real value-added for plan administrators.”

Note to Editor: In Canada, The Standard Life Assurance Company has over $28 billion in assets under management and offers a wide range of financial products and services to over one million individuals, including group insurance and pension plan members. Its 2,200 employees are committed to providing superior customer service from its principal office in Montr�al, its six regional offices and its 20 sales offices across the country. Products and services include group savings and pension, group life and health, individual life insurance, savings and retirement. Through affiliated companies, it also offers mutual funds and portfolio management services. Total premium income and deposits reached $3.7 billion in 2001. (www.standardlife.ca)

The Standard Life Assurance Company, founded in Edinburgh (Scotland) in 1825, is Europe’s largest mutual life insurance company with over 12,000 employees, over $189 billion in assets under management and over 5 million customers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Spain, India, Hong Kong and many others. The Company has also established two representative offices in China. The Standard Life Assurance Company is one of only five life assurance groups worldwide to have been awarded a “Triple A” classification – the highest possible – by leading international rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. Its total premium income reached close to $19 billion in 2001. (www.standardlife.com)

(*) Standard Life refers to both The Standard Life Assurance Company and The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada.