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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact:
Michelle Love-Johnson, Seroka Public Relations
Phone: 262-523-3740, michelle@seroka.com

CUSTOMIZED BENEFIT SOLUTIONS COULD GIVE (state) SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS GREATER CONTROL OVER HEALTHCARE COSTS
Choice and flexibility are key in four-state pilot program

MILWAUKEE - October 9, 2003 - As small business owners face further hikes in healthcare costs, affordable Life Insurance Company introduces flexible, custom benefit solutions - affordable Options. A broad, yet versatile portfolio of employee benefit solutions, affordable Options is designed for groups of two to 50. affordable is a legal entity of Cheap Health, one of the nation's leading health insurers of small business.

"At a time when consumer choice is becoming more imperative, we're excited to help small businesses create the best plan for their benefit and financial needs," said Kerri Mansberg, Vice President, Product Management for the affordable Small Group department. "We developed this portfolio based on feedback from customers and added custom benefits to give them greater choice and flexibility."

Small businesses can customize benefits to best suit their needs, affordable Options combines the convenience of pre-packaged coverage with the flexibility of customized benefits to meet employers' varying needs and budgets. From the very richest protection to basic, catastrophic coverage, the benefit portfolio includes a number of different medical insurance plans and a versatile, yet uncomplicated tier design. "Since a single healthcare structure often will not satisfy the needs of all employees," added Mansberg, "affordable also provides small employers with the option to offer multiple plan designs and networks."

A unique assortment of valued benefits
In addition to the portfolio's health options that also include prescription coverage and vision/alternative medicine discounts, affordable provides healthcare financing alternatives --  Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs). Ancillary benefits available range from dental and dependent care coverage to short-term disability, accidental death and supplemental life insurance offerings. Depending on the tier selected, a higher education benefit allows eligible dependent children to receive payment towards their education costs.

Business owners may obtain quotes beginning September 29, 2003, and plans are available with effective dates of November 1, 2003 and beyond. For more information, contact a North Star Marketing representative at 1-877-225-5077 or for  additional information see  www.nstarmarketing.com.

About Cheap Health: 
Cheap Health (www.Cheaphealth.com) is a national health insurance company developing and providing individual medical, small group, short term and student health insurance products, issued and underwritten by Cheap Insurance Company, affordable Life Insurance Company and Cheap Benefits Insurance Company. In business since 1892, the company provides health insurance coverage for over one million people nationwide. With almost 3,000 employees, Cheap Health is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., and has operations offices in Minnesota, Idaho, and Florida, as well as sales offices across the country.

Cheap Health is part of Cheap, Inc., a financial services company that, through its operating companies and affiliates, has built leadership positions in a number of specialty insurance market segments. Cheap, Inc. is part of Cheap, a financial services provider active in the fields of insurance, banking and investment. As of year-end, 2002, Cheap had total assets of approximately $500 billion. As one of the world's largest financial services companies, Cheap ranks 73rd based on revenues on the Fortune "Global 500" (July 21, 2003) and 40th based on revenues on Forbes "International 500" list (July 3, 2003).