NEWARK, N.J, Prudential Annuities, the domestic annuity business of Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU – News), today adjusted its industry-leading annuity optional benefits, which allow investors to ‘lock in’ the highest daily value of their annuity contract, for income purposes, each day the market is open.

Highest Daily Lifetime® Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime® Income replace the Highest Daily Lifetime 6 Plus benefits in all states where Highest Daily Lifetime Income has been approved, and can be purchased for an additional fee with a variable annuity from Prudential issuing companies. They offer a Protected Withdrawal Value (the basis for guaranteed lifetime income) based on the highest daily account value plus 5% annual compounded growth until an investor begins lifetime withdrawals.

“As an industry leader, we must make timely and responsible decisions based on our objective of long-term, sustainable leadership in the guaranteed lifetime income marketplace,” said Stephen Pelletier, president of Prudential Annuities. “Today’s announcement allows us to continue to offer investors one of the most generous lifetime income guarantees in the industry.”

Reinforcing the value investors are placing on retirement income guarantees, overall election rates for Prudential Annuities’ variable annuity optional living benefits—the top-selling benefits in the industry (Source: LIMRA)—grew to more than 95% during the third quarter of 2010. Total account values with guaranteed minimum withdrawal and income benefits at the end of that same period were $51.5 billion.

Specifics relative to Highest Daily Lifetime Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income include:

* Daily Step Ups Before Withdrawals Begin: Highest Daily Lifetime Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income give investors the opportunity to increase their Protected Withdrawal Value (the basis for determining guaranteed lifetime income at the first Lifetime Withdrawal) every day the market is open for trading. The Protected Withdrawal Value is determined by comparing every daily account value growing at an annual 5% compounded rate of return until an investor’s first Lifetime Withdrawal.

Highest Daily Lifetime Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income also offer a minimum Protected Withdrawal Value guarantee of 200% of the account value at election on the 12th anniversary, assuming no Lifetime Withdrawals have been taken in those 12 years. The Protected Withdrawal Value is only available through withdrawals. It is not available as cash or a lump sum.

* Guaranteed Lifetime Income: Highest Daily Lifetime Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income offer a lifetime annual income stream ranging from 2.5-6% of the Protected Withdrawal Value depending on age at first Lifetime Withdrawal, with the potential for future increases and no annuitization required. (Annuitization at a particular age may be required by the terms of the base annuity.)

* Proprietary Risk Management Approach: Highest Daily Lifetime Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income incorporate the fundamentals of a proprietary risk management approach that monitors an investor’s account daily, and, only if specified by the system, automatically transfers amounts between the chosen variable investment portfolios and the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio.

*Post-Withdrawal Step-Up Opportunities: After Lifetime Withdrawals begin, Highest Daily Lifetime Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income provide annual opportunities for increased income based on the account’s highest daily value.

*Lower Spousal Minimum Issue Age: The minimum issue age for Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income has been lowered to 45 years of age for the youngest spouse from 50 years. The minimum issue age for Highest Daily Lifetime Income remains 45 years of age.

Additionally, Highest Daily GRO II and GRO Plus II benefits will be closed on all Prudential Premier Retirement and Premier Advisor products effective today.

“Our variable annuity benefits remain the only ‘highest daily’ living benefits in the industry, and have been since 2006,” said Bruce Ferris, senior vice president, Prudential Annuities’ Sales and Distribution. “In today’s volatile markets, we offer Americans in The Retirement Red Zone ® both protection and growth opportunities—guaranteeing investors that their income base will be at its all-time high regardless of when they retire.”

Prudential Financial, Inc. (NYSE:PRU – News), a financial services leader, has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. Prudential’s diverse and talented employees are committed to helping individual and institutional customers grow and protect their wealth through a variety of products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management, and real estate services. In the U.S., Prudential’s iconic Rock symbol has stood for strength, stability, expertise and innovation for more than a century. For more information, please visit http://www.news.prudential.com/

Investors should consider the contract and the underlying portfolios’ investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. This and other important information is contained in the prospectus, which can be obtained from your financial professional. Please read the prospectus carefully before investing.

A variable annuity is a long-term investment designed to create guaranteed income in retirement. Investment returns and the principal value of an investment will fluctuate so that an investor’s units, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than the original investment.

Annuity contracts contain exclusions, limitations, reductions of benefits and terms for keeping them in force. Your licensed financial professional can provide you with complete details.

Please note that the Protected Withdrawal Value is used to determine your lifetime income when you take your first Lifetime Withdrawal, as described in the prospectus. The Protected Withdrawal Value is separate from the account value and is not available as a lump sum.

Variable annuities are issued by Pruco Life Insurance Company (in New York, by Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey), Newark, NJ and distributed by Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc., Shelton, CT. All are Prudential Financial companies and each is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. Prudential Annuities is a business of Prudential Financial, Inc.

All guarantees, including optional benefits, are backed by the claims-paying ability of the issuing company and do not apply to the underlying investment options.

Optional living benefits may not be available in every state and may not be elected in conjunction with certain optional benefits. Optional benefits have certain investment, holding period, liquidity, and withdrawal limitations and restrictions. The benefit fees are in addition to fees and charges associated with the basic annuity. Please see the prospectus for more information.

Variable annuities offered by Prudential Financial companies are available at a total annual insurance cost of 0.55% to 1.85%, with an additional fee related to the professionally managed investment options. Note: All products may not be available through all third party broker/dealers HD Lifetime Income is available for an additional annual fee of 0.95% based on the greater of the account value and the Protected Withdrawal Value. Spousal HD Lifetime Income is available for an additional annual fee of 0.95% based on the greater of the account value and the Protected Withdrawal Value.

Highest Daily Lifetime Income and Spousal Highest Daily Lifetime Income use a predetermined mathematical formula to help us manage your guarantee through all market cycles. Each business day, the formula determines if any portion of the account value needs to be transferred into or out of the AST Investment Grade Bond Portfolio (the “Bond Portfolio”). Amounts transferred by the formula depend on a number of factors unique to your individual annuity and include:

Therefore, at any given time, some, most, or none of the account value may be allocated to the Bond Portfolio. Transfers to and from the Bond Portfolio do not impact any income guarantees that have already been locked in. The Protected Withdrawal Value is separate from the account value, and not available as a lump sum.

Any amounts invested in the Bond Portfolio will affect your ability to participate in a subsequent market recovery within the permitted subaccounts. Conversely, the account value may be higher at the beginning of the market recovery; e.g., more of the account value may have been protected from decline and volatility than it otherwise would have been had the benefit not been elected. Please note: We are not providing investment advice through the formula. You may not allocate purchase payments or transfer account value into or out of the Bond Portfolio. See the prospectus for complete details.

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