The Hartford Financial Services Group Enhances 401k Program

SIMSBURY, CT, May 21, 2003 -- The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. today announced enhancements to The Hartford Advantage (previously known as the Director Advantage) program, a total 401k program that provides plan sponsors and their participants a comprehensive, "high-touch" solution with educational and advice tools, in addition to a full array of investment choices.

The Hartford is a leading provider of 401k plans in the small- to mid-case market through its subsidiary, Hartford Life Insurance Company.

To meet the needs of today's complex market and the increasing number of investment choices, The Hartford Advantage program provides "no-gap" education and advice tools for plan sponsors and their participants that include a proprietary workshop series and two new technology-based services:

• Plan for Life Series Workshops -- The Hartford's proprietary workshop series presents the fundamentals of retirement investing based on the four stages of the career cycle: early career, mid-career, pre-retirement and retirement. Each stage of the cycle focuses on topics that are of likely concern to the intended audience. Topics such as diversification, asset allocation, and the time value of money help address the educational needs and concerns of 401k participants at the work site. Workshops are available for each individual stage of the career cycle, or as one presentation that covers all four stages simultaneously. A Hartford education specialist, a financial professional, or both can conduct the workshops, held at the plan sponsor's request.
• Morningstar ClearFuture -- ClearFuture is an optional, Internet based retirement planning tool that provides investment advice or guidance and is available to plan participants in The Hartford's 401k program, through its award-winning web site, HartfordOnline. Through ClearFuture's retirement planning and guidance services, retirement plan participants gain access to objective planning guidance and tools that help them make informed investment decisions.
• Neuberger Berman Plan IQ -- Neuberger Berman, a highly respected asset manager, now provides investment advisory services to The Hartford's plan sponsor clients. Through Plan IQ, Neuberger Berman will assist plan sponsors in the selection and monitoring of a plan's investment choices and will assume the role of investment advice fiduciary.

These enhancements are one more way that The Hartford delivers innovative solutions to its customers.

"The Hartford's award winning customer service has been lauded for years, and is one of the reasons that brokers and employers find it so easy to do business with us," said Jim Davey, vice president and director, Corporate Markets. "We've been able to provide them with a high-touch, 'no gaps' approach to providing the information, education and tools necessary to successfully sell a 401k program.

"The addition of innovative services and features such as the Plan for Life workshops, Morningstar ClearFuture, and Neuberger Berman Plan IQ extends the same 'no gaps' approach to the education of our plan sponsors and plan participants. Our educational program has always been competitive, however, we believe we're taking our commitment to providing education and advice to an unparalleled level, and one that sets us apart from the competition," Davey said.

The Hartford Advantage also offers plan sponsors a selection of 80 investment choices managed by some of the best-known money managers in the industry. Recent additions to the investment option lineup include new investment options from these well-known fund families: American Funds, AIM Funds, and OppenheimerFunds.

"The Hartford" is The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including issuing company Hartford Life Insurance Company. The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) is one of the nation's largest insurance and financial services companies, with 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 commercial property and casualty insurance.

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