Exhibit 99.1

NEWS

For Release          Immediate


Contacts             (News Media) Jim Rosensteele, SVP, Corporate Communications
                     317.817.4418
                     (Investors) Lowell Short, SVP, Investor Relations
                     317.817.6238



                Nickele Joins Conseco as Executive Vice President

Carmel, Ind., October 10, 2005: Conseco, Inc. (NYSE:CNO) today announced that
Christopher J. Nickele has been named executive vice president for new product
development of the company.

"I am pleased that Chris has decided to join our leadership team," said William
Kirsch, Conseco's President and CEO. "His extensive experience in the
development, pricing and implementation of insurance products will be a great
asset to Conseco as we continue to pursue our goal of becoming the premier
insurance company in life, annuities and supplemental health products."

"I'm looking forward to the great opportunities at Conseco," Nickele said. "I am
excited about making a considerable contribution to new product development as
part of this very strong team."

As executive vice president, Nickele will be responsible for new product
development and management on an enterprise-wide basis, overseeing activities at
Conseco Insurance Group, Bankers Life and Casualty Company, and Colonial Penn
Life Insurance Company. He will lead efforts focused on developing and
implementing market-driven product portfolios for each of the distribution
channels of the Conseco group of companies.

Nickele joins Conseco from Lincoln Financial Group, where he was Vice President
and Business Line Leader, General Manager and FPP Director for Lincoln's Term
line of business. He has also held other key actuarial positions at First
Penn-Pacific, Zurich Kemper Life, and Conseco's Bankers Life and Casualty unit.
He holds a BS in Mathematics from the University of Notre Dame, is a Fellow of
the Society of Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and a
participant of the Ad Hoc Committee on Regulation XXX.

Conseco, Inc.'s insurance companies help protect working American families and
seniors from financial adversity: Medicare supplement, long-term care, cancer,
heart/stroke and accident policies protect people against major unplanned
expenses; annuities and life insurance products help people plan for their
financial futures. For more information, visit Conseco's web site at
www.conseco.com.

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