AFL AFLAC Inc

COLUMBUS, Ga., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2011 Business of Brands study, conducted annually by The Business Journals, determined that Aflac, the number one provider of supplemental insurance in the U.S. and number one life insurer in Japan in terms of policies in force, is once again the top brand in the Health Insurance category. It is the sixth straight year that Aflac has appeared at the top of the health insurance field.

"Our position as the leading brand in the health insurance industry sends a strong message to small and mid-sized businesses that Aflac is a company you can trust," Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "I am proud that our steadfast commitment to ethics, leadership and customer service continues to accentuate the high value of our products and differentiate us from the competition."

To complete the survey, researchers queried 2,223 small to mid-sized business owners, CEOs and presidents of companies with the majority being businesses with 5 to 499 employees. Respondents were asked to rate companies in the categories of Ethics, Leadership, Relevance, Value, Differentiation, Customer Service and Momentum. The study sample represents Aflac's core audience of small to mid-sized businesses, where the insurance company sells the majority of its policies to individual employees. Ten companies were included in the health insurance category including Aflac. The study was conducted in 2010 and completed in January 2011.

Godfrey Phillips, vice president of research for The Business Journals said, "Aflac's continued leadership in the supplemental insurance industry illustrates the power that comes from building and maintaining a great brand. They should be commended for maintaining the top spot on our survey of American Brands for six straight years."

ABOUT AFLAC

When a policyholder gets sick or hurt, Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For more than 55 years, Aflac insurance policies have helped provide a safety net and given policyholders the opportunity to focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance. In Japan, Aflac is the number one life insurance company in terms of individual policies in force. Aflac insurance products provide protection to more than 50 million people worldwide. For five consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies and by Forbes magazine as one of America's Best-Managed Companies in the Insurance category. In 2011, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the thirteenth consecutive year. Also, Fortune magazine included Aflac on its list of Most Admired Companies for the 10th time in 2011. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit aflac.com or aflacenespanol.com.

ABOUT THE BUSINESS JOURNALS

The Business Journals is the premier media solutions platform for companies strategically targeting business decision-makers. We deliver a total business audience of over 10 million people via our 42 websites, 64 publications and over 700 annual industry-leading events. Our media products provide comprehensive coverage of business news from a local, regional and national perspective. We have more people, publications and websites covering our nation's businesses than any other business media organization. The Business Journals is a division of America City Business Journals.

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SOURCE Aflac Incorporated