MetLife to Pay Eligible Life Insurance Policyholders $1.7 Billion in Policy Dividends

Business Wire, Dec 21, 2006

NEW YORK -- MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) announced today that its life insurance subsidiaries (Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New England Life Insurance Company and General Life Insurance Company) will pay an aggregate amount of approximately $1.7 billion in policy dividend payments to eligible life insurance participating policyholders for 2007.

"This payout reflects the MetLife enterprise's ongoing commitment to our participating policyholders. Our ability to deliver one of the largest payouts in our 138-year history is made possible by an unwavering focus on operational efficiencies demanded of publicly-traded companies," said Lisa M. Weber, president, Individual Business, MetLife, Inc. "Our innovative participating policies, such as whole life insurance, will continue to play an important role as we help build a personal safety net for our clients now and in the future."

Eligible policyholders include MetLife clients with in force permanent life insurance policies, primarily whole life policies and certain term life insurance, sold by the companies' sales force -- MetLife and New England Financial -- and independent distribution channel.

The dividend scale is being maintained for 2007. Life insurance policy dividends are based on the performance of participating policies, including investment returns, mortality, persistency and expenses, among other factors.

MetLife, Inc. is a leading provider of insurance and financial services with operations throughout the U.S. and the Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Through its domestic and international subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. reaches more than 70 million customers around the world and MetLife is the largest life insurer in the U.S. (based on life insurance in-force). The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, auto and home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals, as well as group insurance, reinsurance and retirement and savings products and services to corporations and other institutions. For more information, please visit www.metlife.com.