The Hartford Agrees To Acquire Ohio-Based TopNoggin to Expand Delivery of Administrative and Consulting Services to Defined Benefit Plans

Firm’s Web-based service platform and in-house expertise will allow The Hartford to provide additional services and pursue new markets

SIMSBURY, Conn. and POWELL, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In a move designed to offer defined benefit plan sponsors the latest in Internet functionality, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG), one of the nation’s largest diversified financial services companies, today announced that it has agreed to acquire TopNoggin, a Powell, Ohio-based firm with proprietary technology that tackles the expensive, time-consuming and cumbersome tasks of data management, administration and benefit calculations. With this acquisition, The Hartford gains leading edge technology and expertise to grow its current offering and expand its future market opportunities.

“TopNoggin’s real-time technology and expertise lets us answer that call with leading edge technology. We eagerly welcome TopNoggin’s employees to our team as we continue to grow The Hartford’s overall retirement plans business.”

“Our defined contribution customers have made it clear they want – ‘need’ is really the word - help administering their defined benefit plans,” said John Walters, president of The Hartford’s U.S. Wealth Management Group and co-COO of The Hartford’s Life Operations. “TopNoggin’s real-time technology and expertise lets us answer that call with leading edge technology. We eagerly welcome TopNoggin’s employees to our team as we continue to grow The Hartford’s overall retirement plans business.”

TopNoggin, a privately held defined benefit administration and consulting firm, currently services 50 clients with more than $4 billion in defined benefit plan assets and 375,000 plan participants. TopNoggin has developed a state-of-the art, Web-based pension administration system that significantly reduces time and costs from the pension administration process.

“We have grown and thrived because we met – with an innovative technology solution – an unmet demand among employers,” said Bradley B. Hansen, President & CEO of Top Noggin. “Now, as part of The Hartford’s Retirement Plans Group, we’ll be able to roll our expertise to new customers and markets under the banner of one of the best recognized brands in the retirement space.”

When the transaction closes, within the next 90 days, all of TopNoggin’s employees will be offered positions with The Hartford. The company intends to maintain TopNoggin’s operations in Powell, Ohio. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed and the acquisition is not expected to be material to The Hartford’s operations.

The Hartford’s Retirement Plans Group is one of The Hartford’s fastest growing business segments, with 2006 deposits of $5.5 billion, an increase of 23 percent over the prior year. The group reported 2006 net income of $109 million, an increase of 45 percent over the prior year. Through its extensive broker/dealer and employer relationships, The Hartford provides 401(k) retirement plans for corporate customers, 457 plans for government entities and 403(b) plans for education, healthcare and non-profit organizations.

The Hartford, a Fortune 100 company, is one of the nation's largest financial services 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.

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“The Hartford” is The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including issuing company Hartford Life Insurance Company. The Hartford’s 401(k) retirement programs are funded by either a group variable annuity contract (Countrywide: HL-14991, NY & FL: HL-14973) or a group variable funding agreement (HL-16533 & HL-16533 (NY)) issued by Hartford Life Insurance Company, Simsbury, CT.

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.