Johnston Group and Empire Life collaborate to offer a new fully insured employee benefits program for medium-sized businesses

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, Sept. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Johnston Group Inc. and The Empire Life Insurance Company ("Empire Life") (TSX: EML.PR.A) are pleased to announce a new fully insured benefit program for the mid-market, under Johnston Group's Maximum Benefit offering, designed for businesses with 25 to 200 employees.

The product, Max, is the industry's first all-out employee care plan. Max includes all of the essentials you would expect in an employee benefits plan and also includes additional benefits for businesses' health and their employees' well-being. The product can be integrated with Payworks payroll services and gives employers access to exclusive bundled pricing on additional HR tools. Max also includes Teladoc Telemedicine Services at no additional cost in all health options. Dave Angus, President, Johnston Group shared; "At Johnston Group, it isn't just about being trendy with technology and innovation, it's about how we can provide better and increasing value to our customers. We're delighted to be working with Empire Life, which has such in-depth knowledge of the needs of small to mid-sized companies. They're a natural fit to deliver this new, targeted product."

"Johnston Group is well regarded for its ability to craft and manage innovative plan designs," said Michael Perry, Senior Vice President, Group Solutions at Empire Life. "Empire Life is on a mission to make group benefits simple, fast and easy for Canadians. We're honoured to be chosen by Johnston Group and confident that together, this competitive new program will allow for the provision of flexible and value-added benefits solutions, specifically developed for medium-sized businesses."

Johnston Group will process member information, adjudicate and process health and dental claims, and provide customer service; Empire Life will insure life, disability, extended health care and dental benefits under the product.

About Johnston Group

Johnston Group, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, provides benefit services to more than 30,000 businesses and their employees across Canada through a variety of targeted plans, such as Chambers Plan, Maximum Benefit, and CINUP, among others. Johnston Group is proud to have been recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies, the country's leading business awards program, every year since 2001.

Contact: Keri Sheppard

204 774-6677, ext. 274 or [email protected]

www.johnstongroup.ca

About Empire Life

Empire Life, serving Canadians for over 95 years from their headquarters in Kingston, Ontario, is a top-ten Canadian provider of individual and group life and health insurance, as well as investment and retirement products. Empire Life is on a mission to make it simple, fast and easy for Canadians to get the investment, insurance and group benefits coverage they need to build wealth, generate income and achieve financial security.

Contact: Shelly Potter

613 548-1890, ext. 4348 or [email protected]

www.empire.ca