CIGNA Enables Consumers to Better Plan for the Future Through New Will Preparation Offering.PHILADELPHIA -- More than 55 percent of all adult Americans do not have a will1 specifying how their assets should be distributed upon their death, leaving their loved ones loved ones npl → seres mpl queridos loved ones npl → proches mpl et amis chers loved ones love npl potentially at-risk financially and emotionally. To help address this need, CIGNA CIGNA CG (Connecticut General Life Insurance Company) INA (Insurance Company of North America) Group Insurance announced today that will preparation services are now available to life insurance members and their spouses, at no additional charge. Through this online offering, CIGNA members are able to easily create and maintain customized life and health legal documents. "As part of our commitment to provide employers with comprehensive benefit solutions for their employees, CIGNA offers programs and services that go beyond just life insurance," said Jim Jacobsen, vice president of product for CIGNA Group Insurance. "Our life insurance customers can directly benefit from having access to will preparation services - an example of another value-added program we offer." While nearly one in four (24 percent) American adults say their biggest reason for not having a will is a lack of sufficient assets,2 such as money or property, this legal document can also be used to direct funeral arrangements or assign guardianship for children. Another type of will is a living will, or advance medical directive advance medical directive Advance directive, see there , which allows individuals to determine the kind of medical treatment they would or would not want in the event they are in a terminal situation and unable to communicate for themselves. "Currently, two in five American adults (41 percent) have living wills in place,"3 said Jacobsen. "A living will not only ensures your wishes are carried out, it helps to take the emotional burden off family members." Through a new affiliation with ARAG ARAG Advanced Research and Assessment Group (UK Defence Academy) ARAG Antireflective-Antiglare (computer CRT monitors) ARAG Allgemeine Rechtsschutz-Versicherungs-Aktiengesellschaft [R], a leading online provider of legal documentation services and comprehensive voluntary legal plans, CIGNA's will preparation offering gives members the ability to create specific life and health legal documents, such as: * Last Will and Testament- specifies what is to be done with a member's property at death, names the estate executor executor n. the person appointed to administer the estate of a person who has died leaving a will which nominates that person. Unless there is a valid objection, the judge will appoint the person named in the will to be executor. and names a guardian for minor children. * Living Will - contains a member's wishes regarding the use of extraordinary medical measures, such as life support or other life-sustaining medical treatment, when there's no hope of recovery. * Healthcare Power of Attorney - allows a member to grant someone permission to make medical decisions on his or her behalf in the event the individual is unable to do so. * Financial Power of Attorney - allows a member to grant someone permission to make financial decisions on his or her behalf in the event the individual is unable to do so. Members also have access to information on estate planning Estate Planning The overall planning of a person's wealth, including the preparation of a will and the planning of taxes after the individual's death. Notes: Contrary to popular belief, estate planning involves much more than preparing a will, and it is not only for the , identity theft, and CIGNA's life and disability planning kits, including insurance calculators to determine whether they and their families have sufficient coverage for their future. "We believe it is important for all individuals to protect their rights and assets, and welcome the opportunity to enable CIGNA's policyholders to help secure their employees' futures," said Cam Sutton, president and CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of ARAG[R]. Once members register, they will have direct access to a personal estate planning web page, where they can create and maintain personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. legal documents; follow an intuitive, interactive question and answer process to create state-specific legal documents tailored to individual situations; and preview, edit, download To receive a file transmitted over a network. In any communications session, "download" means receive, and "upload" means send. The download/upload often implies a big/little scenario, in which data is being downloaded from the "big" server into the "little" user's computer. and print legal documents for execution. In addition, phone representatives are available to members via a toll-free number to explain concepts and the will preparation tool.4 "Because we know life is full of change, the individual's registration and customized documents are maintained for two years, which allows members to easily make revisions to meet their personal situations," says Jacobsen. For more information, CIGNA members can visit www.cigna.com/willprep. About ARAG[R] ARAG (www.ARAGgroup.com) is the global provider of legal insurance. The company has an international premium base of more than $1.75 billion and protects 15 million individuals and their families - worldwide. ARAG offers comprehensive legal plans that provide a clear path for resolving legal issues and enable people to protect their families, finances and futures. About CIGNA Group Insurance "CIGNA," the "Tree of Life" logo and "CIGNA Group Insurance" are registered service marks of CIGNA Intellectual Property, Inc., licensed for use by CIGNA Corporation (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :CI) and its operating subsidiaries An operating subsidiary is a business term frequently used within the United States railroad industry. In the case of a railroad, it refers to a company that is a subsidiary but operates with its own identity and rolling stock. . Products and services are provided by such operating subsidiaries and not by CIGNA Corporation. Such operating subsidiaries include Life Insurance Company of North America North America, third largest continent (1990 est. pop. 365,000,000), c.9,400,000 sq mi (24,346,000 sq km), the northern of the two continents of the Western Hemisphere. and CIGNA Life Insurance Company of New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . CIGNA Group Insurance is one of the top five providers in disability management and insurance with solutions that focus on helping employees return to a productive work life as quickly and safely as possible. 1,2,3 lawyers.com(SM) 2007 Estate Planning Survey 4 No legal advice is provided. |
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