The State Of Arizona Selects The Hartford To Provide Group Life And Disability Coverage

The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) announced today that it has been selected to provide group life insurance, short- and long-term disability, and accidental death and dismemberment coverage for the employees of the State of Arizona.

Every employee will automatically receive group life insurance coverage. Short-term disability (STD) and supplemental life coverage will be offered to employees for purchase. The supplemental life includes accidental death and dismemberment coverage. Long-term disability coverage is also provided by the State of Arizona for public safety employees not covered by the state plan.

"We couldn’t be more pleased with the opportunity to provide for the financial protection needs of Arizona’s state employees,” said Ron Gendreau, executive vice president of The Hartford’s Group Benefits Division. "As a long-time leader in the public and education sector, The Hartford will provide the State of Arizona with industry-leading expertise and service that meets its unique needs while removing the burden from benefits administration.”

The Hartford’s STD clinical claim submission is unique. When Arizona state employees file a STD claim by phone, they will speak with a clinical intake nurse, who is typically a registered nurse with an average of 20 years experience.

The use of this telephonic system means there are no claim forms, and employees speak immediately to a knowledgeable medical professional. In addition, The Hartford reaches out to the employee’s doctors in order to obtain the medical information necessary to complete the claim submission instead of burdening the disabled employee. The Hartford’s clinical claims system has reduced average STD claims by 4.5 days compared to the industry average, according to the 2008 JHA Disability Fact Book. The Hartford offers telephonic claims for life, STD and long-term disability insurance.

"We strongly believe that people want to return to active, productive lives,” Gendreau said. "The Hartford’s Ability Philosophy – our focus on abilities – helps individuals return to work following a disability and will support the State of Arizona in retaining experienced employees.”

Through their group life coverage with The Hartford, State of Arizona employees will have valuable funeral planning benefits at no additional out-of-pocket cost to them. Life Conversations from The Hartford is a new service that provides an industry-leading package of end-of-life services, including funeral planning, online will preparation, and travel insurance.

The State of Arizona joins more than 7,000 public and educational employers that have selected The Hartford for their employee benefits programs. Most recently, the County of San Bernardino, Calif., selected The Hartford’s disability insurance coverage for its 18,000 employees.

"We are happy to add the State of Arizona to our growing portfolio of public and education sector clients in the U.S.,” said Gary Robbins, regional sales manager for The Hartford’s Group Benefits office in Phoenix. "We are committed to providing great products and services to those in public service.”

About The Hartford

Celebrating nearly 200 years, The Hartford (NYSE: HIG) is an insurance-based financial services company that serves households, businesses and employees by helping to protect their assets and income from risks, and by managing wealth and retirement needs. A Fortune 500 company, The Hartford is recognized widely for its service expertise and as one of the world’s most ethical companies. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at www.thehartford.com.

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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 2008 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.