PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release - 09/17/2001

AXA Financial's Equitable Life To Expedite Payments
And Provide Complimentary Services To Families Of Victims

NEW YORK, NY – The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. announced today a program to expedite the payment of claims and provide other complimentary services to families of victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States on Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001. The announcement was made by Kip Condron, President and CEO of AXA Financial, Inc., parent company of Equitable Life.

Two company "disaster relief" claims and information centers will be established: on the site of the AXA Gallery at 787 Seventh Avenue in midtown Manhattan, and at the AXA Advisors Mid-Atlantic Regional headquarters at 3141 Fairview Park Dr. in Falls Church, VA, near Washington, DC. Beneficiaries can come to either location to receive immediate, on-site payment upon presentation of appropriate information. Both locations will be staffed by company service representatives to write and present claims-payment checks on the spot.

In addition, each center will provide grief counseling and the services of financial advisors for various forms of assistance beneficiaries may require.

For beneficiaries without easy access to the centers, or for those who choose not to visit them, their claims will be given priority attention by the company’s national service center. The company’s "800" service center number (1-800-777-6510) will inform individuals who submit claims by mail the steps to take so that their mailings can be immediately identified and prioritized. In addition, individuals can contact their financial professionals to expedite processing of their claims.

"We want to do what we can in this time of terrible tragedy and grief for so many people," Mr. Condron said. "Hopefully, providing immediate payments and extending our additional services to people will, in some small way, assist them through this extraordinary tragedy and its aftermath."

Mr. Condron explained that in addition to the on-site claims-paying service, the company is providing beneficiaries with a full range of financial services, assistance and counseling they might need in light of the events of September 11^th. These include extending the grace periods for life insurance premiums due from 30 to 60 days; expediting the processing of loans taken against life insurance policies; and the complimentary assistance of financial professionals for any financial planning needs.

Information about these additional services will be made available at the disaster relief center, from the company’s national service center and through the company’s financial professionals.

AXA FINANCIAL

AXA Financial, Inc., with approximately $483 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2000, is one of the world's premier financial services organizations through its strong brands: The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S., AXA Advisors, LLC, Alliance Capital Management L.P, Sanford C. Bernstein, and its premier wholesale distribution organization, Equitable Distributors. AXA Financial is a member of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection and wealth management. AXA’s operations are diverse geographically, with major operations in Western Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific region. AXA had $845 billion in assets under management as of December 31, 2000 and reported revenues of approximately $74 billion for the full year 2000 .