PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Group Protection segment of Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) today announced the enhancement of its group short-term disability products. With new features such as Enhanced C-Section Benefit, Rehabilitation Assistance and Family Income Benefit, Lincoln's short-term disability coverage now offers policyholders additional ways to help secure their financial futures and protect their families against the financial loss that a disabling injury or illness can bring. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050830/LFLOGO ) "Lincoln takes the standard short-term disability coverage a step further," said Dave Swanson, Vice President, Product, Risk & Business Technology Management. "In addition to providing much-needed income replacement, Lincoln's enhanced benefit solutions include new benefits which help support and assist employees in their return to wellness, as well as help families financially after the death of a disabled insured." Lincoln's new group short-term disability benefit enhancements include: Enhanced C-Section Benefit More and more mothers are undergoing C-sections rather than traditional births. In fact, the C-section rate in the United States has risen for eleven straight years and now accounts for 31.8% of births.(1) Lincoln recognizes this changing reality and also understands the importance of the time mother and baby need after this surgical procedure. The enhanced C-Section Benefit offers an expanded standard benefit period, to accommodate a longer eight-week recovery time. The C-Section Benefit is one more example of Lincoln's commitment to provide valuable benefits to its customers, which specifically address their needs. Rehabilitation Assistance Benefit Employees want to get back to work as soon as possible. Lincoln's Rehabilitation Assistance Benefit consists of three valuable components to assist them in their efforts to return-to-work. First, the Rehabilitation Incentive Benefit is designed to encourage disabled employees' participation in valuable rehabilitation programs by providing an increased benefit amount to those who participate in an approved program. In addition, Lincoln tailors vocational rehabilitation programs to each individual's needs for recovery with the Vocational Rehabilitation benefit. Finally, Lincoln also helps employers by providing a reimbursement for accommodations employers make on behalf of a disabled employee to facilitate their return to work through the Reasonable Accommodation component of the Rehabilitation Assistance Benefit. The reimbursement can be used to help pay for adaptive furniture, additional equipment, or renovation of a workspace. Family Income Benefit For families already dealing with the financial impact of the disablement of a breadwinner, it can be a significant challenge for them to cope should their loved one die while disabled. Expenses don't stop when the disability coverage ends. However, Lincoln's Family Income Benefit now provides a "paycheck" to help bridge the family expenses until life insurance benefits can be collected. This important benefit allows families to focus on healing their grief; Lincoln provides the income they need to help pay the mortgage, buy groceries, and cover other daily expenses. As with all Lincoln group programs, the new Lincoln disability coverage will be supported by Lincoln's I-Team(SM), which creates a seamless and streamlined implementation process. This offers employers further simplification of the administration process and shortened time cycles for the issuance of policies in Lincoln's Life and Disability product lines. Group insurance products are issued by The Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (Fort Wayne, IN), which does not solicit business in New York, nor is it licensed to do so. In New York, group insurance products are issued by Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York (Syracuse, NY). Both are Lincoln Financial Group® companies. Product availability and/or features may vary by state. Limitations and exclusions may apply. About Lincoln Financial Group Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE:LNC) and its affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the companies of Lincoln Financial Group had assets under management of $137 billion as of September 30, 2009. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life and disability insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. For more information, including a copy of our most recent SEC reports containing our balance sheets, please visit http://www.lincolnfinancial.com/. (1) National Vital Statistics Report, March 18, 2009 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050830/LFLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: Lincoln Financial Group CONTACT: Heidi St. Jean of Lincoln Financial Group, +1-860-466-1759, Web Site: http://www.lfg.com/

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