John Hancock Launches JH Essential Income Fixed Immediate Annuity

- Provides Professional Health And Lifestyle Information At No Extra Charge

BOSTON, July 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- John Hancock Financial's Fixed
Products Unit today announced the launch of its latest fixed immediate annuity
product: JH Essential Income.

"JH Essential Income is a strong, highly versatile fixed immediate annuity
with features we believe will make it very competitive in the marketplace,"
said Ron McHugh, Senior Vice President and General Manager, John Hancock Fixed
Products. "Individuals today are living longer which means more years in
retirement -- and facing financial risks their parents and grandparents never
anticipated.

"For the most part, they will be self-funding their retirement. Social
Security and pensions will account for far less than half of most individual's
retirement income. Living longer increases inflation risks, as even small
annual increases in inflation dramatically reduces purchasing power over time.
Finally, health care costs are rising rapidly and older individuals typically
need more health care. JH Essential Income was specifically designed to
support clients' everyday expenditures and help them plan ahead for these
risks that could so dramatically affect their retirement."

JH Essential Income comes with Family Resource Benefits, which offers
professional health and lifestyle information at no extra charge. This
includes discounts, referral services and programs to help clients and their
families better understand and manage challenging care situations. The
services include:

-- Seniorlink(1) is a national eldercare program that provides
personalized
information and advice on a variety of age-related care issues such as
nursing homes, assisted living, home health care, home repair services
and legal services.

-- The Advantage List(2) program helps clients save money, providing
competitive rates at more than 10,000 nursing homes and home health
care
agencies across the nation.

Another of the key new features of the products is an Annual Increase Option
which will help reduce the impact of inflation.

By electing this option, clients can choose to have their initial income
increase each year by 1% to 6%, depending on the percentage they choose. By
structuring payments this way, they will help reduce the impact of inflation.
As the clients' living expenses increase with inflation over time, so will the
dollar amount of their payments.

JH Essential Income Annuity also offers clients a lifetime of guaranteed
income, income for a selected period of time, or a combination of both.
Clients may choose income payment periods of:

-- Payments for life (single life annuity) -- Income annuity payments are
made for the annuitant's lifetime. Payments stop upon
annuitant's death.
-- Payments for two lives (joint and survivor annuity) -- Income annuity
payments are made as long as either of the two joint annuitants is
still
living. Income annuity payments can remain level or be reduced upon
the
death of one of the annuitants' lives. Income annuity payments stop
upon the survivor's death.
-- Certain period -- Income annuity payments are made for a period
specified by the owner, from 3 to 30 years. Income annuity payments
continue until the end of that certain period, regardless of whether
an
annuitant is still living.
-- Payments for life or for two lives, with a certain period -- Income
annuity payments are made as long as an annuitant is still living, or
for a certain period specified by the owner, whichever is longer.
-- Payments for life or two lives, with an installment refund -- Income
annuity payments are made as long as an annuitant is still living, or
until the entire purchase amount has been paid out in the form of
income
annuity payments to a beneficiary, whichever is longer.

-- Payments for life or for two lives, with a cash refund -- Income
annuity
payments are made as long as an annuitant is still living. When no
annuitant is still living, any remaining purchase amount will be paid
in
a lump sum to a beneficiary. The remaining purchase amount, if any,
will
be the amount of the original purchase payment less all income annuity
payments that have been made.

About John Hancock Financial and Manulife Financial Corporation

John Hancock Financial is a unit of Manulife Financial Corporation, a leading
Canadian-based financial services group serving millions of customers in 19
countries and territories worldwide. The John Hancock unit, through its
insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United
States. John Hancock offers a broad range of financial products and services,
including life insurance, fixed and variable annuities, fixed products, mutual
funds, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other
forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be
found at www.johnhancock.com.

Operating as Manulife Financial in Canada and in most of Asia, and primarily
as John Hancock in the United States, Manulife offers clients a diverse range
of financial protection products and wealth management services through its
extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Funds under
management by Manulife Financial and its subsidiaries were Cdn$405 billion
(US$322 billion) as at March 31, 2009.

Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and
under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife Financial may be found on the Internet at
www.manulife.com.

1 Seniorlink is the current referral-service provider for John Hancock.
Seniorlink is not associated with John Hancock Life Insurance Company or its
affiliates. This program may be changed or discontinued at any time.

2 Actual costs of care vary greatly depending on the care provider and
geographic location. Savings are not guaranteed and may be discontinued by the
provider at any time. (Not available in Puerto Rico) The average 10% was
estimated as of July 2008. LifePlans is the current referral-service provider
for John Hancock. LifePlans is not associated with John Hancock Life Insurance
Company or its affiliates. This program may be changed or discontinued at any
time.

SOURCE John Hancock Financial

Brian Carmichael of John Hancock Financial, +1-617-663-4748,
bcarmichael@jhancock.com