Exhibit 99.1

NEWS

For Release           Immediate

Contacts              (News Media) Tony Zehnder, EVP, Corporate Communications
                      312.396.7086
                      (Investors) Lowell Short, SVP, Investor Relations
                      317.817.6238



                Fritts Joins Conseco as Executive Vice President

Carmel, Ind., March 1, 2006: Conseco, Inc. (NYSE:CNO) today announced that
William Fritts has joined the company as executive vice president, government
relations.

"Bill's extensive experience in government relations and the insurance industry
will be an important asset to our senior leadership team," said William Kirsch,
Conseco's President and CEO. "He will play an important role in actively
promoting the legislative, regulatory and professional interests of Conseco to
the federal and state regulatory agencies, and I'm excited about the
contributions he'll make at Conseco."

As executive vice president, Fritts is primarily responsible for managing
Conseco's regulator relationships, monitoring legislative and regulatory
development, and acting as the main interface with regulatory associations. He
will coordinate Conseco's government relations function on an enterprise-wide
basis, overseeing activities at Conseco Insurance Group, Bankers Life and
Casualty Company, and Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company.

Fritts joins Conseco from The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America,
where he served as executive vice president responsible for oversight and
coordination of PCI's federal and state political advocacy and public affairs
efforts. Prior experience includes senior positions at Intersect Strategies
Group, a government and business consultant organization, ING Americas and
ReliaStar Financial Corporation. He also served as the Washington representative
of the NAIC, Minnesota chief of staff for U.S. Senator Dave Durenberger,
assistant secretary for legislative and inter-government affairs at the U.S.
Department of Commerce, and held various positions in federal agencies. Fritts
holds a BA in psychology and chemistry from the University of Vermont.

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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