The Hartford Pilots New Internet Quote System in Calif.

            Technology Makes Personal Auto Faster, Easier to Write

    HARTFORD, Conn., Jan. 23 The Hartford Financial Services
Group Inc. began piloting its new interactive quote system for personal auto
with four agencies in California last month.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990824/HIGLOGO )
    The web-based system allows participating insurance agencies to obtain an
accurate and firm premium quote directly from The Hartford's internal systems
in seconds.  It includes both standard and non-standard auto in a single
workflow, and requires no special software.
    "We've created a robust interface with our agents that is easy to use so
it dramatically streamlines the process of placing a policy with The
Hartford," said Mary Beth Crafts, director of Personal Insurance Business
Support at The Hartford. "Once we've released our full functionality early
this year, this system will automatically obtain all necessary underwriting
reports and assign a policy to the appropriate standard or nonstandard policy
tier.  The Hartford will further streamline the workflow by downloading the
policy into any of 14 different agency management systems."
    "This is designed to make it even easier and more efficient for agents to
do business with The Hartford and to speed up the time it takes to book
policies and to receive commissions.  It also enables agents to provide their
customers with significantly faster service," Crafts added.
    Pat Wagner, sales and service manager at Central City Insurance in San
Bernadino, Calif., likes the quoting portion and says it's very easy to use.
"We're all very comfortable with the Internet and we have a very fast
connection -- a T-1 line.  We send a request to The Hartford and the
information just speeds right through."
    The internet quote system will soon become part of The Hartford's EBC
(Electronic Business Center).  EBC is The Hartford's secure web portal
designed to foster rapid agency-Hartford communication and bring agents
round-the-clock general and account specific information from their own
computers at a click of the mouse.  EBC already offers many on-line services
to agents, including real-time billing inquiry, policy service, claim
reporting, and claim status inquiry.  EBC is a recent addition to the
portfolio of agency technology solutions currently available through The
Hartford, including SEMCI (Single Entry Multi-Company Interface) and download.
    The Hartford continues to invest in the independent agency system through
its technology solutions and has been repeatedly recognized as a leader in
agency technology. ACORD conferred its Upload Carrier of the Year, Download
Carrier of the Year and XML Early Adopter awards on The Hartford in 2000,
making it the first carrier to win three awards in a single year.  The
Hartford was named the Applied Systems Client Network's Upload Carrier of the
Year in 2000. The AMS User's Group also recognized The Hartford for Excellence
in the Pursuit of SEMCI in 2000.
    The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is one of the
nation's largest insurance and financial services companies. The company is a
leading provider of investment products, life insurance and employee benefits;
automobile and homeowners products; commercial property and casualty
insurance; and reinsurance.
    The Hartford's Internet address is http://www.thehartford.com