Obtaining a decision about coverage from The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. now takes seconds with a new online Evidence of Insurability (EOI) tool - a combination of an electronic underwriting process and streamlined medical underwriting criteria. The Hartford's new tool allows workers to submit health information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, reducing the administrative burden on employers. Additional advantages for both employers and their employees include:

• Real-time decisions for most employees - Decisions about coverage can be made almost immediately through The Hartford's medical underwriting system. Employees who submit information about their health online receive a decision within seconds as to whether coverage has been approved, declined, or is pending additional information. Those who submit information through the mail will also see faster decisions as a result of The Hartford's new streamlined personal health application.

• Paperless notification - When employees enroll for their employer-sponsored benefits, they are notified by e-mail if they need to provide evidence of insurability. The e-mail includes a link to The Hartford's EOI online tool, improving speed and communication, and eliminating the transfer of paper between the employer, the employee and The Hartford.

• Reminders to submit applications - Automatic reminders are sent to employees who have enrolled for benefits but have not yet submitted their evidence of insurability. The reminders are designed to reduce the number of late submissions, which can create additional administrative work for employers.

• Streamlined underwriting requirements - The number of medical questions that employees must answer about their health has been reduced, making the medical underwriting process faster and easier. Also, the new streamlined personal health application presents questions based on the applicant's state of residence. This focused process means The Hartford is less likely to seek additional medical information, saving time and expense.

• Consumer-focused service - If additional medical information is needed, The Hartford's medical underwriting team makes follow-up phone calls to employees, and is also available to answer questions from employers and employees about applications.

The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com.