Back in Action: The Hartford Dedicates Team of Specialists to Help Disabled Employees Return to Work.

Leading disability insurer develops guide on creating return-to-work programs

SIMSBURY, Conn. -- In an effort to boost U.S. workers' health and productivity, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) has created a specialized team of clinical professionals to facilitate disabled employees' safe return to the workplace. The Hartford, a group disability insurer has also developed a return-to-work roadmap - a step-by-step guide on creating programs to transition sick or injured employees back into the workforce.

Workers whose employers reach out and communicate with their employees early in their disability return to work an estimated 2.7 weeks sooner, helping to save a company approximately $810 per short-term disability claim, according to the Washington Business Group on Health, a non-profit organization representing more than 260 employers. Almost half of all U.S. businesses, however, don't have a formal return-to-work program, according to research by JHA, a market research, consulting and reinsurance firm.

"For most people, returning to their career - and a full paycheck - is an important part of their recovery after a disabling injury or illness. Workers at companies with return-to-work programs feel valued. Knowing there is a path for them to get back on the job also helps speed their recovery," said Dick Mucci, executive vice president of The Hartford's Group Benefits Division, the No. 1 seller of group disability insurance in the U.S. in 2006, according to LIMRA International, a worldwide association of insurance and financial services companies.

Working with the employee's physician and employer, the return-to-work coordinators concentrate on the employee's abilities, not physical limitations, to identify work opportunities and create a customized plan for a safe and sustained return to the workplace. The coordinators focus on preventing short-term disabilities from turning into long-term issues that are costly for employees and their employers.

"Our return-to-work coordinators have the expertise and experience to guide employers and employees through what can be a very difficult time," Mucci said. "For decades, The Hartford has been getting employees back to work after a disability. With these specialists, we are dedicating more resources to our claims management and are thrilled that in the first month of the program our coordinators have helped dozens of employees get back to work."

To further ease employers' burden, The Hartford provides a roadmap on how to create a return-to-work program or improve an existing one. Located on The Hartford's website for group disability and life insurance customers (www.employerview.hartfordlife.com), the free guide includes:

* An interactive calculator to estimate potential savings through implementation of a return-to-work program

* Sample policies and procedures, job descriptions, and training for supervisors/managers; and

* Tools to track results and evaluate the program.

Recent data shows the value of disability insurance. The Hartford's Disability Literacy Study found that workers with disability insurance recover more quickly from disabilities than workers who lack coverage. According to the study, on average, workers with this protection recuperated from a disability in three months or less, compared to workers without disability insurance whose recovery took six months or longer.

"Disability insurance not only provides workers with income while they are injured or ill but also gives them access to important recovery resources," said Mucci. "During Disability Insurance Awareness Month, we want workers to know that they don't have to go it alone. They can have a team of dedicated professionals helping them deal with a disability and return to an active, productive life."

For more information about the risk of disability, visit the Council for Disability Awareness website at www.disabilitycanhappen.org. The Hartford supports the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education's designation of May as Disability Insurance Awareness Month (www.life-line.org).

The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance companies, with 2006 revenues of $26.5 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 www.thehartford.com.

HIG-L

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, without limitation, those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2006 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.