NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2011 -- Assurant, Inc. (NYSE: AIZ), a premier provider of specialty insurance and insurance-related products and services, announces the promotion of Richard J. Lauria to the position of senior vice president, chief corporate actuary.

"Rich brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to this position. His expertise in risk management and years of experience with the company make him an excellent choice for this role," said Assurant Executive Vice President and Treasurer Christopher J. Pagano. "This promotion reflects Rich's contributions in developing and implementing risk management processes throughout the company as well as his ability to help us strengthen these efforts."

As head of the Corporate Actuarial and Risk Management group, Lauria manages Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) processes throughout Assurant. He oversees the company's capital management, rating agency communications and actuarial modeling policy. He also co-chairs Assurant's ERM Committee and Actuarial Council of Chief Actuaries. In his new role, Lauria will continue to report to Pagano.

Lauria, 46, has held several positions of increasing responsibility at Assurant, serving as vice president and senior actuary before his promotion. Prior to joining Assurant in 1997, he held actuarial positions with Swiss Re Life and Health and Metropolitan Life. In 2011, he was named to Treasury & Risk Management magazine's list of "100 Most Influential People in Finance." He graduated Summa Cum Laude from the State University of New York at Stony Brook with a Bachelor of Science in applied mathematics and statistics. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation. He currently serves on the Society of Actuaries' Risk Committee.

Assurant is a premier provider of specialized insurance products and related services in North America and select worldwide markets. Its four key businesses -- Assurant Solutions, Assurant Specialty Property, Assurant Health, and Assurant Employee Benefits -- partner with clients who are leaders in their industries and build leadership positions in a number of specialty insurance market segments worldwide.

Assurant, a Fortune 500 company and a member of the S&P 500, is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AIZ. Assurant has approximately $27 billion in assets and $8 billion in annual revenue. www.assurant.com

Media Contact:
Vera Carley
Director, Media Relations &
Financial Communications
Phone: 212-859-7002
[email protected]

Investor Relations Contacts:
Melissa Kivett
Senior Vice President
Investor Relations
Phone: 212-859-7029
[email protected]

Brian D. Koppy
Vice President
Investor Relations
Phone: 212-859-7197
[email protected]