Torchmark Corporation Elects New Director and Declares Increased Dividend

May 01, 2006

Torchmark Corporation (NYSE: TMK) announced today that on April 27, 2006, Lloyd W. Newton, 63, of Lithia, Florida, was elected to its Board of Directors. Mr. Newton recently retired as an Executive Vice President Military Engines of Pratt & Whitney. A graduate of Tennessee State University (B.S.) and George Washington University (M.A.), he retired from the United States Air Force in 2000 at the rank of General after 34 years of service.

The Torchmark Board of Directors also announced a $.02 per quarter increase in the dividend rate on its common stock effective with the August 1, 2006, dividend payment. The Board declared a quarterly dividend of $.13 per share on all the outstanding common stock of the Company held of record as of the close of business of the Company's transfer agent on July 7, 2006, to be paid August 1, 2006.

Torchmark Corporation is a holding company specializing in life and supplemental health insurance for "middle income" Americans marketed through multiple distribution channels including direct response, and exclusive and independent agencies. Torchmark has several nationally recognized insurance subsidiaries. Globe Life And Accident is a direct-response provider of life insurance known for its administrative efficiencies. American Income Life provides individual life insurance to labor union members. Liberty National Life, one of the oldest traditional life insurers in the Southeast, is the largest life insurer in its home state of Alabama. United American is a consumer-oriented provider of supplemental health insurance.

SOURCE Torchmark Corporation

CONTACT: Joyce Lane, Vice President, Investor Relations of Torchmark Corporation, +1-972-569-3627, fax, +1-972-569-3282, jlane@torchmarkcorp.com

Web site: http://www.torchmarkcorp.com/