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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--A new series of research-based educational materials from Unum (NYSE:UNM) offers personal stories, compelling statistics and clear explanations of the role employee benefits play in protecting the financial foundations of individuals, families, businesses and the government.

"A full two-thirds of employees do not have access to disability insurance at work, and thatas an issue that needs to be addressed."

aAs a leader in financial protection benefits, we see the importance every day of helping people understand the critical role employer-sponsored benefits play in protecting the financial stability of hundreds of thousands of people,a said Unum Senior Vice President Mike Simonds. aThis research gives us an effective way to quantify and explain the value of these benefits.a

A new [ video ] presentation and research [ overview ] feature information from a landmark study on the economic value of financial protection benefits for working families a" [ Economic Analysis of Insurance Products in Workplace Benefits Programs ].

aThese materials can help build the financial literacy of both individuals and businesses by clearly explaining how crucial workplace benefits are to working Americans,a Simonds said. aA full two-thirds of employees do not have access to disability insurance at work, and thatas an issue that needs to be addressed.a

The [ Financial security for working Americans ] research overview includes powerful visual elements and statistics from the research. Group disability insurance, for example, provides billions of dollars in benefits each year when wage-earners are sidelined because of illness or injury. But the value extends to the federal government, as well.

The analysis finds that disability benefits protect as many as 500,000 families a year from impoverishment, contributing to a savings for taxpayers of up to $4.5 billion a year.

The [ five-minute video presentation ] includes highlights from the release of this research during the aPROTECT 2011: Workplace Benefits and Financial Securitya symposium in Washington, D.C.

The video includes speaker highlights from Unum President and CEO Tom Watjen, U.S. Senators Kay Hagan (D-NC) and Bob Corker (R-TN), as well as other benefits and financial industry professionals.

Personal stories and key findings from the research are incorporated throughout the video to demonstrate the concrete value these benefits provide to the individuals they help protect.

Sen. Hagan discusses the importance of empowering people to make informed financial choices to protect themselves from personal hardships, saying afinancial literacy educationa is the key to making that happen.

And Sen. Bob Corker shares an emotional story about a construction superintendent who worked for his company and became disabled at the age of 55.

aFortunately, I had bought for him, as an employee of my company at that time, disability policies,a Corker said. aAnd it enabled me to treat him and his family in a very dignified way.a

For more information about this research, including the full research report, visit [ Unum.com/CRAreport ].

About Unum

Unum ([ www.unum.com ]) is one of the leading providers of employee benefits products and services in the United States and the United Kingdom. Through its subsidiaries, Unum Group paid approximately $6 billion in total benefits to customers in 2010.