ESIS Strikes a Strategic Alliance With Aetna.

PHILADELPHIA -- ESIS, Inc. ("ESIS[R]"), a risk management services company of ACE USA, today announced that it signed a letter of intent to enter into a strategic alliance with Aetna, one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies.

As part of the planned strategic alliance, Aetna will be a preferred provider of health, disability and absence management services to ESIS' clients who purchase Integrated Disability Management (IDM) services. The announcement comes as ESIS and Aetna prepare to participate in the upcoming 2007 Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) 45th Annual Conference[R] & Expo in New Orleans, La., which brings together risk management professionals from all industries and showcases innovative and unique aspects of cutting-edge risk management initiatives.

According to David Patterson, President, ESIS, "We constantly look for ways to create additional value for our customers. This undertaking combines ESIS' experience as a risk management solutions provider of integrated disability management services with Aetna's strong position as a group health and integrated disability management company. To retain their position in the competitive marketplace, today's employers need integrated solutions to help minimize the impact of employee disabilities and absence on workplace productivity and costs. The end result for our customers is a seamless, employee-centered approach to benefits delivery."

"Aetna and ESIS share a deep knowledge of the self-insured and large employer markets and both have experience with integrating absence management programs to provide value for our customers. An alliance with ESIS will augment Aetna's Disability offerings and allow us to offer solutions to address our customers' medical, occupational and non-occupational disability needs and a fully integrated absence management program," said Peg Haennicke, Head of Aetna Disability and Absence Management Services.

Disability and Absence Management products are offered by Aetna Life Insurance Company, a subsidiary of Aetna Inc. (NYSE:AET). Aetna Inc. and its subsidiaries are one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 34.9 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life, long-term care and disability plans, and medical management capabilities. Aetna's customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans and government-sponsored plans. www.aetna.com

For more information on the ESIS suite of products and services, please visit www.esis.com.

Organized in 1953, ESIS, Inc. (ESIS) provides sophisticated risk management services designed to help reduce our clients' total cost of loss. ESIS takes a holistic approach that blends people, process and technology to offer programs that are customized to meet each client's needs. ESIS is part of ACE USA, the U.S.-based retail operating division of the ACE Group of Companies, headed by ACE Limited (NYSE:ACE). ACE USA is rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company and A+ (Strong) by Standard & Poor's. ACE USA, through its underwriting companies, provides insurance products and services throughout the U.S. Additional information about ACE USA and its products and services can be found at www.ace-ina.com. Additional information about ESIS, Inc. and its products and services can be found at www.esis.com. The ACE Group of Companies provides insurance and reinsurance for a diverse group of clients around the world.