The Hartford Extends eServices For Applied Agents; Policy View, Claim Inquiry and Bill Copy Now Available Using IVANS Transformation Station.

The Hartford Financial Services Group , continuing to put technology solutions at agents' fingertips, now makes it faster and easier for independent agents to obtain the most current customer policy, copy of the bill and claim information directly from their Applied agency management system.

These new transactions augment the billing inquiry feature which allows Applied users to check the billing status of a customer's account.

Agents who use Applied's WinTAM or Vision agency management system can retrieve and display a Hartford-issued policy, make an on-line claim inquiry or see a copy of a customer's current bill in a matter of seconds using IVANS Transformation Station(TM), a data exchange for real-time transactions based on ACORD XML standards. With a few clicks of a mouse, agents can access essential customer information, saving time by eliminating the need to find and search through a paper file, or log into another system.

These eServices give Hartford agents the choice of working in their Applied agency management system or directly through The Hartford's Electronic Business Center (EBC), the insurer's extranet accessed by more than 40,000 users. Applied agents can be confident that all transactions are conducted in a secure environment by authorized users.

"We make it easy for agents to do business with us by giving them the technology solutions they need to do business their way -- using either their agency management system or our agent extranet," said Lisa Cox, senior vice president of e-Business Technology Solutions at The Hartford.

"These expanded eServices with Applied give agents real-time information and eliminate the need to log into another system. Agents' workflows are further streamlined so they can respond faster to their customers," she added.

Agents participating in the pilot of these new eServices say they definitely have seen an increase in their productivity and a measurable time savings.

"We are extremely happy with how these new eServices have transformed our workflow," said Nestor Rivero, principal, Tropical Insurance in Miami, Fla. "We can access customer information in seconds. More importantly, we can serve our customers in a more efficient manner. We are able to see exactly what clients have in their hands and provide them with the highest level of customer service. Everything we need is right at our fingertips."

Applied agents interested in improving their customer service and workflow by using The Hartford's eServices capabilities can get started in minutes by contacting the Applied Support Department at 1-800-999-6512. Agents then need to simply run their account update wizard and set up their user-level security feature to enjoy access to these new features. An EBC password and ID are required for the set-up process. Hartford agents who are not yet using the EBC should contact The Hartford's Agency Interface Services team toll-free at 1-877-322-4833, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST.

For more information, Hartford agents can contact their local Business Technology Solutions Manager or Hartford representative.

The Hartford is one of the nation's largest investment and insurance companies. The Hartford had 2002 revenues of $16.4 billion. The company is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance.

The Hartford's Internet address is http://www.thehartford.com/.

Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2002 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.

CONTACT: Sue Honeyman of +1-860-547-4976, shoneyman@thehartford.com, or Cynthia Michener, +1-860-547-5624, cynthia.michener@thehartford.com both of The Hartford

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