Standard & Poor's Rating Services has a released a report that despite the stiff headwinds that the U.S. life insurance sector will face throughout 2008, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services is maintaining its stable outlook on the U.S. life insurance sector, according to an industry report card it published today. The article, which is titled "North American Insurance Sectors Retain Stable Outlooks, But Most Companies Are Feeling Market Pressures," says that this means that over the next six to 12 months, positive and negative rating actions should be about equal. Although we do not envision significant rating activity, the tendency is toward a moderately negative trend. The reports are available to subscribers of RatingsDirect, the real-time Web-based source for Standard & Poor's credit ratings, research, and risk analysis, at www.ratingsdirect.com. If you are not a RatingsDirect subscriber, you may purchase a copy of the report by calling (1) 212-438-9823 or sending an e-mail to research_request@standardandpoors.com. Ratings information can also be found on Standard & Poor's public Web site at www.standardandpoors.com; under Credit Ratings in the left navigation bar, select Find a Rating, then Credit Ratings Search. Market News Publishing (The Mc-Graw-Hill Companies); New York, NY; April 21, 2008--