The Hartford's New Auto Insurance Plan Reaches More Customers, with Greater Choice and Convenience

Company's 'Dimensions with Auto Packages' now available in more states; four coverage options, fast quoting technology and one-stop shopping help agents meet their clients' needs

HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 18 -- America is, among other things, a nation of consumers, and many of us prefer as much choice as possible when making a purchase. However, a recent government survey on how Americans use their time found that, on average, less than one hour each day is spent shopping for goods and services. That doesn't leave much time for browsing.

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In an effort to provide more choice and convenience when shopping for auto insurance, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. , one of the nation's leading providers of investment and insurance products, announced that the new version of its popular Dimensions(SM) personal auto insurance program -- Dimensions with Auto Packages -- has expanded into nine more states this month.

Introduced in 2003, Dimensions enables agents to generate a customized price for each policyholder, independent of the risks and rates of other members in the same household. The plan, which is available through the company's network of independent agents, was enhanced this year and is now being offered in select states with four distinct package options. Each one provides a unique bundle of features and benefits to best match an individual's insurance needs.

"We believe a 'one-size-fits all' approach to auto insurance is a thing of the past," said Mike Concannon, senior vice president of personal lines at The Hartford. "With our new auto packages, agents and their sales staff can quickly provide clients with a quote on four different coverage options, each with its own level of protection and features. This new approach combines greater choice with the conveniences of one-stop shopping -- a win-win for both our agents and their customers."

The four Dimensions with Auto Packages options -- Essential, Sentinel, Sentinel Gold and Sentinel Platinum -- each come with standard features offered by The Hartford, such as 24-hour claims service and Roadside Assistance and discounts for purchasing an accompanying homeowners policy. Additional coverage features and pricing depend on which package is purchased.

For example, Essential, the lowest-priced package, offers a choice of any limit and deductible, multi-policy and safe driver discounts, and a zero deductible for windshield repair. Sentinel Platinum, which provides the most benefits and maximum protection, includes accident forgiveness, a renewal assurance guarantee, emergency expense coverage and a 12-month policy term.

Obtaining and comparing quotes for the four auto packages has also become faster and easier than ever before with enhancements to The Hartford's online Quote-to-Issue (QTI) system for rating, quoting and issuing the Dimensions plan.

When refining the program, The Hartford reached out to consumers to learn more about what they wanted when working with an agent. The company found that having more choices and a better understanding of coverage options were some of the most important criteria.

"This research shaped our new auto package options, which we believe will help agents build stronger, longer-term customer relationships," added Concannon. "In fact, the company is already receiving positive feedback from states where the plan has been introduced. Agents have commented on how the package options are making their jobs easier and, more importantly, giving customers a convenient choice."

What Some Agents are Saying

"The quoting system for four packages is something we've never seen before," noted Brooke Wootan from the Charles Short Insurance Agency in Lubbock, Texas. "We're taking the time to talk to folks and understand their needs, and the package options really help. Being able to quote with one click is the best part for us. And it's definitely broadening options for customers with different price levels."

Nicole Broch, of R.W. Troxell in Springfield, Illinois, said the competitively-priced Sentinel package has been an attractive option for customers. Features such as accident forgiveness and the 12-month policy for Gold and Platinum packages also make quoting, selling and account billing much easier. "I like to understand my customer's needs and match up the features and benefits to their needs," added Broch. "The product is definitely addressing customer needs."

LaRenda Bankson, a customer service representative from Jackson-Lloyd Personal Brokerage in Longview, Texas also praised the website interface on The Hartford's Electronic Business Center (EBC), and the ability to re-quote different packages with a single click. "We can meet several client needs at once," Bankson observed. "We also love the fact that if you're a homeowner, it shows the customer how much they can automatically save."

The Dimensions with Auto Packages program was introduced earlier this summer to customers in Illinois, Nebraska, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Connecticut and South Dakota. As of September 15, it has also become available in Iowa, Arkansas, Missouri, Utah, Arizona, New Hampshire, Indiana, Idaho and Vermont, and will be followed by Kentucky, Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee during October. Additional states are expected in the coming months.

For more information on the Dimensions program, agents can contact a personal insurance sales representative from The Hartford or visit the company's Electronic Business Center (EBC) at http://ebc.thehartford.com/. Customers who are interested in purchasing Dimensions insurance coverage should contact an independent agent of The Hartford in their area.

The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance companies, with 2005 revenues of $27.1 billion. The Hartford is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property and casualty insurance. International operations are located in Japan, Brazil and the United Kingdom. The Hartford's Internet address is http://www.thehartford.com/.

Some of the statements in this release should be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These include statements about our future results of operations. 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, without limitation, those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2005 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.

  Contacts: Joe Loparco
            860-547-3397
            Joseph.Loparco@thehartford.com

            Debora Raymond
            860-547-9613
            Debora.Raymond@thehartford.com

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