Allstate Extends Good Hands To Returning Military.

NORTHBROOK, Ill. -- In recognition of their service to our country during this time of war, Allstate Insurance Company is beginning to relax its automobile insurance underwriting guidelines for U.S. servicemen and women returning from military deployment in Iraq and Afghanistan. This means that auto insurance applications from U.S. military personnel whose auto insurance policies lapsed solely due to their active duty deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan will be treated as if auto insurance coverage had been continuous during their overseas deployment.

"The brave men and women of the U.S. military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan deserve to be honored upon returning home," said Tom Wilson, president, Allstate Insurance Company. "Some U.S. servicemen and women allow their auto insurance coverage to lapse while on active duty overseas. Consequently, some returning military personnel could have difficulty re-entering the insurance market. We don't think that returning military should be penalized upon returning from serving overseas, therefore we have chosen to relax our prior insurance requirement and extend the Good Hands(R) to our soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan."

Military personnel who were insured with Allstate prior to their deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan will have their policies reinstated to the date of deployment without any lapse in coverage. The policy change also applies to new Allstate customers, allowing servicemen and women that were not previously insured by Allstate to obtain coverage with the company provided that they had no need for liability insurance while deployed and they actively seek liability insurance coverage within 30 days of their return to the U.S.

Allstate's policy changes apply to servicemen and women whose auto insurance has expired solely due to their military deployment overseas resulting from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, even if the person was not serving in a war zone. Military personnel that are stationed in the United States or overseas not in connection with the current war in Iraq or Afghanistan, or had a need for liability coverage and let their insurance coverage lapse, do not qualify under the policy change. The change will be implemented as soon as regulatory and consequential systems changes can be made.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE:ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate(R)" slogan, Allstate provides insurance products to more than 16 million households and has approximately 12,900 exclusive agencies and financial specialists in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services through Allstate agents, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate(R). Encompass(SM) and Deerbrook(R) Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. Allstate Financial Group includes the businesses that provide life insurance, annuity, retirement, banking and investment products through distribution channels that include Allstate agents, independent agents, worksite, financial institutions and broker-dealers.