MetLife Retirement & Savings Launches Asset Allocation Portfolios

NEW YORK, November 1, 2004 – Plan sponsors in the small- and mid-market looking for an easy and flexible way to diversify the investment options in their retirement plans now have a new offering at their disposal: MetLife's Asset Allocation Portfolios. These Portfolios, designed and managed by the MetLife Investment Strategies Group, give plan sponsors and their participants diversified investment options, while eliminating the need to research, choose and monitor a diverse range of individual investments.

In total, there are five individual Portfolios – ranging from Conservative to Very Aggressive – designed to meet a variety of investment objectives and levels of risk tolerance. Each of the five Portfolios is made up of a group of underlying investment options from several investment management companies and is diversified among asset classes.

"With employees responsible for an ever increasing share of their own retirement savings and an unprecedented number of Americans nearing retirement, the need for flexible, diversified plan options has never been greater," said William Slater, vice president, MetLife Retirement & Savings. "In considering which portfolios may be appropriate, plan participants should consider how many years they may live in retirement; their anticipated income level; their other income, assets, and investments such as savings accounts, a home, other plan assets and IRAs, and the amount of monthly income they'll need in retirement."

The underlying investment options in MetLife's Asset Allocation Portfolios undergo a rigorous investment screening process. The MetLife Investment Strategies Group chooses the investments for each Portfolio and reviews and rebalances them quarterly to maintain their stated investment objectives and risk profiles.

The MetLife Asset Allocation Portfolios include:

• MetLife^® Conservative Asset Allocation Portfolio – Designed for investors who may have a low tolerance for risk and seek current income and stability rather than growth (Target allocation: 20% equity, 55% fixed income and 25% money market).
• MetLife^® Moderately Conservative Asset Allocation Portfolio – Designed for investors who seek current income and stability and some growth (Target allocation: 40% equity, 50% fixed income and 10% money market).
• MetLife^® Moderate Asset Allocation Portfolio – Designed for long-term investors who are comfortable with some investment risk and seek moderate growth (Target allocation: 60% equity, 35% fixed income and 5% money market).
• MetLife^® Aggressive Asset Allocation Portfolio – Designed for long-term investors who seek a high degree of growth and are comfortable with an increased degree of investment risk (Target allocation: 80% equity and 20% fixed income).
• MetLife^® Very Aggressive Asset Allocation Portfolio – Designed for long-term investors who seek a very high degree of growth and are very comfortable with an increased degree of investment risk (Target allocation: 100% equity).

With more than 80 years of experience in the benefits arena, MetLife is a top retirement plan provider to small and mid-size companies. In 1921, MetLife sponsored the first group pension plan. Today, the company is offering a broad range of retirement income and savings products, all designed to help employees achieve financial independence in retirement.

MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), is a leading provider of insurance and other financial services to individual and institutional customers. The MetLife companies serve individuals in approximately 13 million households in the U.S. and provide benefits to 37 million employees and family members through their plan sponsors. Outside the U.S., the MetLife companies serve approximately 8 million customers through direct insurance operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Korea, Taiwan and Uruguay. For more information about MetLife, please visit the company's Web site at www.metlife.com.

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