ELH offers vision product line for North Carolina and Tennessee employers

Eastern Life & Health Insurance Company (ELH), a subsidiary of Eastern Insurance Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: EIHI), announced today that its vision product line will now be available to North Carolina and Tennessee employers. ELH's vision products include a vision insurance plan and a vision discount program, both utilizing the VSP Vision Care network.

"Vision is one of the most requested employee benefits. North Carolina and Tennessee employers can now offer their employees a full line of benefits, including vision, dental, disability, and term life/AD&D, from a carrier they already know and trust for their ancillary benefit needs," said Curt Melville, chief operating officer for ELH. "ELH has built a reputation for outstanding service to agents and employer groups. We choose to partner with VSP Vision Care because they are known throughout the industry for their commitment to customer service. We are pleased to offer the Signature Plan from the nation's largest eyecare benefits provider."

ELH has begun quoting vision products with effective dates of December 1, 2009 for North Carolina and will begin quoting vision products with effective dates of January 1, 2010 for Tennessee. ELH already offers its vision products in several other states, including South Carolina and Georgia. The vision insurance plan is available as both an employer-paid and voluntary product. The vision discount program is available as an add-on for no additional charge to new dental lines of coverage.

In addition to vision, ELH offers dental, short- and long-term disability, and term life/AD&D insurance products for employer groups as small as two to nine lives, as well as groups of 10 or more employees. Employer-paid and voluntary products are available, as are multi-line discount packages for employer groups placing two or more lines of coverage. ELH has an A- (Excellent) financial strength rating from A.M. Best Co.