RADNOR, Pa. and MIAMI, July 24, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Health Benefits Direct Corporation (OTCBB:HBDT), a leading technology innovator in the direct marketing and distribution of a wide range of health and life insurance and related products for individuals and families, and HealthCare.com today announced an exclusive distribution agreement for co-marketed health insurance resources to consumers. Through the agreement, Health Benefits Direct will be the exclusive health insurance gateway on http://www.healthcare.com, an informational, consumer-driven healthcare portal reaching millions of visitors per month.
HealthCare.com's mission is to empower Internet users to make informed healthcare decisions and integrate the healthcare system into the increasingly digital lives of Americans. HeathCare.com's web site offers a comprehensive menu of information related to healthcare including diseases, conditions and drug indexes, treatments and care guides, doctor directories, medical records libraries, career resources and a health store. As the exclusive health insurance gateway for the portal, Health Benefits Direct will now enable HealthCare.com visitors to shop, compare and apply online or by phone for affordable health insurance from multiple highly-rated insurance carriers. HealthCare.com visitors can shop within Health Benefits Direct's online marketplace and receive knowledgeable agent assistance from licensed agents in the company's contact centers.
Through Health Benefits Direct's proprietary online technology and dialing application, called "Quick-to-Call," consumers who submit a request for quotes for health insurance and related products via the HealthCare.com website are connected with a licensed agent in as little as 30 seconds from the time of submission. Health Benefits Direct's process can reduce the amount of time from a consumer's expression of interest in purchasing insurance to the submission of an application to a carrier for underwriting to as little as 60 minutes.
"Our streamlined sales process, supported by our proprietary online technology, dialing application and voice signature process, ensures efficiency for consumers purchasing insurance products," said Charles A. Eissa, President and Chief Operating Officer of Health Benefits Direct. "HealthCare.com found our unique hybrid approach between independent online shopping and live, real-time agent assistance to be the best combination of resources for consumers. HealthCare.com is a well-trafficked site and offers superior resources for individuals seeking to make sensible choices regarding their own healthcare. We are pleased to be chosen as HealthCare.com's exclusive partner in offering a selection of the best health coverage available for their wide audience of individual consumers and families. We view this agreement as our first major milestone in a comprehensive affiliate marketing program with multiple well recognized healthcare partners."
"HealthCare.com is putting the power to take greater control of health decisions squarely in individual consumers' hands," says HealthCare.com's President and COO, Jose Vargas. "By providing health insurance quotes from Health Benefits Direct's diverse plan offerings, HealthCare.com believes it can best service its broad user base through accurate, quick health insurance quotes. HealthCare.com is continuing to show its commitment to its users by providing them with outstanding content partnerships."
The companies expect that the Health Benefits Direct health insurance quote engine and application process will be accessible via HealthCare.com within the next several months. Qualified HealthCare.com shoppers will have a choice of coverage from a selection of Health Benefits Direct's major medical insurance carriers including Golden Rule Insurance Company (a UnitedHealthcare company), Aetna, Inc., Humana, Inc., PacifiCare Life and Health Insurance Company and Time Insurance Company (marketed under the name Assurant Health). Over time, Health Benefits Direct's health insurance gateway on http://www.healthcare.com will also offer health insurance through carrier partner UniCare (a Wellpoint company) and life insurance through Fidelity Life and AIG American General (an AIG company).
About Health Benefits Direct Corporation
Health Benefits Direct Corporation is a technology-focused insurance agency that operates an interactive online marketplace and contact centers enabling consumers to shop for, compare, and purchase health and life insurance and related products for individuals and families. Health Benefits Direct's sales platform combines its proprietary, integrated online technology and dialing application to connect consumers who express an interest in purchasing health or life insurance or related products with its knowledgeable, licensed agents housed in one of its contact center locations. The Company's interactive Quick-to-Call sales process and Insurint(tm) quote engine technologies offer highly competitive application processing for agents and consumers. www.hbdc.com or www.healthbenefitsdirect.com
About HealthCare.com, Inc.
Launched in December 2006, HealthCare.com allows consumers to take personal control of their healthcare. Our content and technology platform connects consumers with information, enabling tools, online communities and integrated workflow for working with care providers. With HealthCare.com's easy-to-use web tools, users will be able to find, organize and share healthcare information, products and services that are specific to their needs -- allowing for a new model of patient-driven healthcare. For more information visit http://www.healthcare.com
Safe Harbor Statement for Health Benefits Direct Corporation
In addition to historical facts or statements of current condition, this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "Safe Harbor" provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding Health Benefits Direct's status as the exclusive health insurance gateway on www.healthcare.com, HealthCare.com's mission, the availability of Health Benefits Direct's quote engine and the carriers offering insurance products through Health Benefits Direct. Forward-looking statements provide Health Benefits Direct's current expectations or forecasts of future events. Actual events could differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements, such as if Health Benefits Direct does not become the exclusive health insurance gateway on HealthCare.com, if HealthCare.com is unable to execute its mission effectively, if Health Benefits Direct's quote engine is not available in the specified time period, if at all, or if one or more carriers that offers products through Health Benefits Direct changes. Given these risks and uncertainties, any or all of these forward-looking statements may prove to be incorrect. Therefore, you should not rely on any such factors or forward-looking statements. Health Benefits Direct undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement.