UICI

                                                 Contact: Vernon R. Woelke
                                                          UICI
News Release                                              4001 McEwen, Suite 200
- ----------------------------------                        Dallas, Texas 75244
                                                          Phone: (972) 392-6700
(For Immediate Release)

UICI ANNOUNCES APPOINTMENT OF WARREN B. IDSAL AS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

DALLAS, TX, March 2, 1998---- Ronald L. Jensen,  President, CEO, and Chairman of
the Board of UICI (the "Company"  NASDAQ:  UICI) announced today the appointment
of Warren B. Idsal as Chief Financial Officer of UICI effective March 1, 1998.

Mr. Idsal joins UICI with 20 years of experience  as an  investment  banker with
several firms. Most recently,  he was Managing Director with Principal Financial
Securities,  Incorporated,  where he provided financial advice concerning public
offerings, private placements, and mergers and acquisitions.

According to Ronald  Jensen,  "Mr.  Idsal  brings  extensive  experience  to the
position  in  identifying,  evaluating  and  negotiating  acquisitions  and  the
financing  of  such  transactions.  This  will  be of  great  help to UICI as it
continues to grow through  acquisitions  in its existing  business  units and by
adding new business units."

Vernon  Woelke,  who has  served as Chief  Financial  Officer  of UICI since its
initial public offering in 1986, and as a Director of UICI since 1991, will work
with Mr. Idsal during a transition  period.  Mr. Woelke will then work primarily
with the Credit  Services and Student  Loan  Divisions of UICI with which he has
worked extensively since they were acquired by UICI.


RESULTS FOR JANUARY

The Company  reported net income of  $7,256,000 or $0.16 per share for the month
of January 1998 on revenues of $92,629,000.  The operating results for the month
ended  January 31, 1998 include the  operations  of ELA Corp.  ("ELA") which was
acquired by UICI in December  1997.  As required by the rules of the  Securities
and Exchange  Commission  for  pooling-of-interests  accounting  treatment,  the
affiliates of both UICI and ELA are subject to  limitations  in the reduction of
their  investment  risk  with  respect  to UICI  common  stock  until  after the
publication  of the results of operations of the combined  entities  covering at
least 30 days.  Operating  results for the month ended  January 31, 1998 are not
necessarily  indicative  of the  results  that may be  expected  for the quarter
ending March 31, 1998 or the year ending December 31, 1998.


CORPORATE PROFILE
UICI is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Dallas, Texas.
Through its subsidiaries,  UICI offers insurance and financial services to niche
consumer  markets.  UICI  companies  also provide  institutional  technology and
outsourcing solutions to the insurance and financial services community.



 
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        4001 McEwen Road, Suite 200, Dallas, Texas 75244 (972) 392-6700