METLIFE COMPLETES ITS ACQUISITION OF GENAMERICA


AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

New York, Friday, January 07, 2000 -- Metropolitan Life Insurance
Company yesterday completed its acquisition of GenAmerica Corporation,
parent company of General American Life and its subsidiaries, for
approximately $1.2 billion in cash. With the acquisition, MetLife's
assets under management has increased to $404.2 billion, based on
September 30, 1999 results.

Under the terms of the agreement, the proceeds from the transaction will
be deposited into a special account. Ultimately, the proceeds of this
account, after permitted charges, will be distributed to General
American policyholders. Policies are not affected by the transaction.
Plans are for General American's headquarters to remain in St. Louis.

"I am very pleased to welcome GenAmerica into the MetLife family," said
Robert H. Benmosche, Chairman and CEO of MetLife. "The company, with its
long-standing, solid reputation in the Midwest and strong distribution
system is a perfect complement to MetLife. I am very enthusiastic about
the bright future we will share together."

GenAmerica Corporation, headquartered in St. Louis, is a holding company
whose operations include General American Life Insurance Company, a
leading provider of life insurance and annuities, Reinsurance Group of
America, Incorporated (NYSE: RGA), one of the largest life reinsurers in
the United States, and Conning Corporation (Nasdaq: CNNG), a leader in
managing assets and providing research for the insurance industry. For
more information about GenAmerica, please visit the company's Web site
at www.genam.com.

Headquartered in New York City since 1868, MetLife is a leading provider
of insurance and financial products and services to a broad spectrum of
individual and group customers. The company, with approximately $366.6
billion of assets under management as of September 30, 1999, provides
individual insurance and investment products to approximately 9 million
households in the U.S. In addition, the corporations and institutions
that MetLife provides with group insurance and investment products have
approximately 33 million employees and members. For more information
about MetLife, please visit the company's Web site at www.metlife.com.

Contact:
Karen Eldred
(212) 578-9561