The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian), today introduced Guardian Investor ProFreedom Variable AnnuitySM (B Share) (ProFreedom VA), its first deferred variable annuity product to offer alternative investment options. ProFreedom VA provides the opportunity for investors to go beyond traditional portfolio diversification, which may help offset market volatility and reduce market correlations, potentially leading to better portfolio performance.

ProFreedom VA offers investors the ability to create an optimal portfolio, blending investment options managed by boutique brands (such as ALPS/Alerian, Mariner Hyman & Beck, and Merger (Westchester Capital Management, LLC)) with options managed by highly recognizable brand names (such as Fidelity Investments, MFS® and PIMCO), across different investment strategies, such as traditional, risk managed, sector focused and alternative investment options. These investment vehicles were identified through GIAC's rigorous five-step evaluation and selection process aimed at meeting a diverse range of investment objectives.

As a deferred variable annuity, ProFreedom VA offers investors the opportunity to accumulate assets over time and then to receive guaranteed payments for as long as they live or for a set period of time.

"With increasingly high correlations among asset classes, investors are looking for more effective diversification strategies. ProFreedom VA goes beyond traditional portfolio diversification by offering risk managed, alternative investment options alongside conventional asset classes, within a tax-deferred investment vehicle," said Douglas Dubitsky, Vice President of Product Management & Development for Retirement Solutions at Guardian.

"Through the annuity's broad array of investment strategies, you can create an optimal portfolio that may help reduce the impact of market volatility and risk, enabling you to better meet your long-term investment needs with guaranteed income. ProFreedom VA underscores GIAC's commitment to provide a wide range of annuity products to meet the diverse investment goals and risk tolerances of our clients."

For income-minded investors, the annuity can be issued with a deferred income rider called the Guardian SecureFuture Income RiderSM, which allows contract owners to turn current investment gains and premiums into a future stream of guaranteed lifetime income unaffected by any market condition.

With a minimum initial premium payment of $10,000 ($5,000 for qualified monies), ProFreedom VA offers a relatively low annual base contract fee. All taxes on earnings from interest and capital gains are deferred until those gains are withdrawn from the annuity. Variable annuity guarantees, including annuity payments, death benefits and any optional benefits, are backed exclusively by the claims?paying ability of GIAC, which has received exemplary ratings from the four major credit rating agencies.

For more information on ProFreedom VA, please visit www.GuardianLife.com.

Variable annuities and their underlying variable investment options are sold by prospectus only. Prospectuses contain important information, including fees and expenses. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing or sending money. You should consider the investment objectives, risks, fees, and charges of the investment company carefully before investing. The prospectus contains this and other important information. A prospectus may be obtained from your investment professional or by calling 800-221-3253. To download a fund or contract prospectus, please visit www.GuardianLife.com.

Variable annuities are long term investment vehicles that involve certain risks including possible loss of the principal amount invested. The investment return and principal value may fluctuate so that the investment, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original cost.

About Guardian

A mutual insurer founded in 1860, The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America (Guardian) and its subsidiaries are committed to protecting individuals, business owners and their employees with life, disability income and dental insurance products, and offer funding vehicles for 401(k) plans, annuities and other financial products. Guardian operates one of the largest dental networks in the United States, and protects more than six million employees and their families at 115,000 companies. The company has approximately 5,000 employees in the United States and a network of over 3,000 financial representatives in more than 80 agencies nationwide. For more information about Guardian, please visit www.GuardianLife.com.

Individual annuities, group variable funding agreements and group variable annuity contracts are issued by The Guardian Insurance & Annuity Company, Inc. (GIAC), a Delaware corporation whose principal place of business is 7 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004. GIAC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Guardian does not issue individual annuities, group variable funding agreements and group variable annuity contracts and does not guarantee the benefits they provide.

Guardian Retirement Solutions TM refers to the administrative support services, including participant recordkeeping as well as marketing, enrollment and educational materials, provided by GIAC in conjunction with the individual and group retirement products issued by GIAC.

The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
Jeanette Volpi, 212-919-2188
Jeanette_volpi@glic.com
or
Harden Communications Partners
Erin Burke, 631-239-6903
eburke@hardenpartners.com
Kiley Russell, 510-635-4150
krussell@hardenpartners.com