Redesigned Product Offers Features Designed to Help Clients Navigate Today's Tough Economy NEW YORK, March 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company announced today that it has revamped its flagship Athena Universal Life(SM) (Athena UL) insurance policy. Today's Athena UL is an innovative, hybrid development in universal life coverage, offering cost-effective, long-term guaranteed protection, cash value accumulation, a long-term care funding option and the ability to leave a charitable legacy. Redefining Universal Life Insurance "In today's tough economy, many Americans on tight budgets need an affordable and flexible way to protect their families, businesses and retirement dreams," said Claude Methot, executive vice president and chief product officer. "Our enhanced Athena UL helps to meet these challenges by eliminating the traditional dilemma of universal life coverage -- having to choose between meaningful guaranteed protection, or cash value accumulation potential. Today's Athena UL breaks down that barrier." "Why pay for a lifetime no-lapse guarantee, if it hampers cash value accumulation and you only need it for 20, 30 or 40 years?" said Methot. "Athena UL combines long-term guaranteed permanent protection and cash value accumulation potential into one product, at competitive rates." Athena UL is now designed with a built-in No-Lapse Guarantee Rider available at no additional charge, ensuring coverage will not lapse for a period of up to age 90, depending on the issue age. This rider remains intact even if the policy's account value falls to zero and as long as a certain level of premiums is maintained and certain policy requirements are met. "Redesigning Athena UL to include a long-term no-lapse guarantee helps keep the costs of insurance down and increases the policyholder's potential for greater cash value accumulation -- money that is not subject to equities risk and that can be used to supplement retirement needs," said Mr. Methot. "These very same attributes also make it appealing to business owners looking to protect and retain key employees and provide for their financial futures, at competitive rates." Optional Rider Helps Protect Against High Costs of Long-Term Care Depending on current and anticipated future needs, the Athena UL product also offers a choice of optional riders for an additional cost, including a Long-Term Care Services(SM) Rider. Available at issue for a monthly charge to people between the ages of 20 and 70, the Long-Term Care Services Rider functions as an acceleration of the life insurance policy's death benefit that can be used for qualified long-term care expenses. When electing the Long-Term Care Services Rider, the policyowner chooses from a certain benefit percentage of the policy's face amount, reflecting the maximum monthly payments to be received, if he or she becomes chronically ill. "Should the need arise, the Long-Term Care Services Rider accelerates the Athena UL death benefit to help defray the burden of long-term care medical expenses," said Mr. Methot. "It can be an affordable, hybrid solution to the 'use it or lose it' dilemma of traditional long-term care insurance." A Way to Give to Charity during Economic Downturn AXA Equitable is also helping to make it easier for individuals to continue charitable giving through the Charitable Legacy(SM) Rider, now available at no additional cost on an Athena UL policy. The Charitable Legacy Rider allows clients with a policy face amount of $1,000,000 or greater to leave an additional one percent of the death benefit to a qualified charity or two charities of their choice, up to a maximum $100,000. The Charitable Legacy Rider adds no additional costs to the policy, does not increase the premium, and does not reduce cash values or cause a reduction in death benefit. "Our new charitable rider offers Americans a convenient way to make sizable charitable donations at no out-of-pocket cost," said Mr. Methot. "It changes the decision from whether to support at all, to which charitable organization to support and how much." Athena UL(SM) (Policy forms #09-400 or state variations) is issued by AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company, New York, NY. The Athena UL policy, Long-Term Care Services Rider and the Charitable Legacy Rider are subject to certain terms and conditions which may vary by jurisdiction, contain limitations, and may not be available in all jurisdictions. In Massachusetts, the Long-term Care Services Rider is called the Accelerated Death Benefit for Chronic Illness Rider. All guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company. About AXA Equitable In business since 1859, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation's premier providers of life insurance, annuity, and investment products and services. The company's products and services are distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel, AXA Advisors, LLC; to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC; and to corporations and their employees through its corporate distribution channel, Corporate Markets. AXA Equitable, a subsidiary of AXA Financial Inc., is part of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management. "AXA Group" refers to AXA, a French holding company for an international group of insurance and financial services companies together with its direct and indirect consolidated subsidiaries. While a part of the AXA Group, AXA Equitable is solely responsible for its annuity and life insurance obligations. For more information, visit http://www.axa-equitable.com/. AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) issues life insurance and annuity products. Guarantees in the life insurance and annuity products are based on the claims-paying ability of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company. Variable products are co-distributed through affiliates, AXA Advisors, LLC and AXA Distributors, LLC. AXA Equitable and AXA Advisors do not provide legal or tax advice. DATASOURCE: AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company CONTACT: Discretion Winter, +1-212-314-2968, , or Jo Ann Tizzano, +1-212-314-2979, Web Site: http://www.axa-equitable.com/.

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