Aflac Named Most Reputable Company in Insurance Industry

Reputation Institute Honors Aflac for Second Straight Year

COLUMBUS, Ga., April 29, /PRNewswire/ -- Aflac today announced that the company has earned Reputation Institute's Global Reputation Pulse 2009 Best Reputation in the U.S. Insurance Industry award for the second consecutive year. The Reputation Institute uses data obtained through its annual online survey of the general public that measures the corporate reputation of 600 of the world's largest companies across 32 countries.

Aflac earned a Top 50 ranking in reputation among the largest 153 companies in the U.S. measured in the study. A Pulse score is a measure of corporate reputation calculated by averaging perceptions of four indicators -- trust, esteem, admiration and good feeling.

"These are challenging times and customers, shareholders and stakeholders need to know that they can trust Aflac and our successful business model," Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos said. "Our commitment to openness and transparency has helped define Aflac for more than 50 years, so we are proud to be the most reputable company in the insurance industry for two consecutive years."

"A strong reputation is critical to have in both good times and in bad," said Kasper Nielsen, managing partner, Reputation Institute. "Organizations such as Aflac that understand the importance of creating a solid connection with key stakeholders through a broad reputation management platform will fare well in today's economy as well as in whatever situation the future has in store."

According to the Reputation Institute, the results provide a clear snapshot of corporate America's reputation landscape, critical information about the pillars that drive reputation, and uncovers a direct link between the strength of a company's reputation and the willingness of consumers to recommend it to others.

About Aflac

For more than 50 years, Aflac products have given policyholders the opportunity to direct cash where it is needed most when a life-interrupting medical event causes financial challenges. Aflac is the number one provider of guaranteed-renewable insurance in the United States and the number one insurance company in terms of individual insurance policies in force in Japan. Our insurance products provide protection to more than 40 million people worldwide. Aflac has been recognized by Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies for three consecutive years and was also named by the Reputation Institute as the Most Respected Company in the Global Insurance Industry in 2008. In 2009, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America for the 11th consecutive year. Aflac appears on Hispanic Enterprise magazine's list of the 50 Best Companies for Supplier Diversity and on Black Enterprise magazine's list of the 40 Best Companies for Diversity. Aflac was also named by Forbes magazine as America's Best-Managed Company in the insurance category. Aflac Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac, visit www.aflac.com.

About Reputation Institute

Reputation Institute is the world's leading reputation consulting firm. As a pioneer in the field of brand and reputation management, Reputation Institute helps companies unlock the power of reputation. With a presence in more than 25 countries, Reputation Institute is dedicated to advancing knowledge about reputation and shares best practices and current research through client engagement, memberships, seminars, conferences and publications, such as Corporate Reputation Review. Reputation Institute's Global Reputation Pulse is the largest study of corporate reputations in the world, identifying what drives reputation and covering more than 1,000 companies from 28 countries annually. Reputation Institute provides specific reputation insight from more than 15 different stakeholder groups and 24 industries, allowing clients to create tangible value from intangible stakeholder feelings.

Visit www.ReputationInstitute.com to learn how you can unlock the power of your reputation.

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    Media Contacts:
    Laura Kane
    Aflac Incorporated
    706.596.3493
    lkane@aflac.com

    Jon A. Sullivan
    Aflac Incorporated
    706.763.4813
    jsullivan@aflac.com

    Analyst and Investment Contact:
    Kenneth S. Janke Jr.
    Aflac Incorporated
    1.800.235.2667, Option 3; Fax: 706.324.6330
    kjanke@aflac.com

SOURCE Aflac Incorporated