Xcipio And The Hartford Bridge Technologies To Deliver Personal Lines Agency Efficiency In Connecticut

Real-time rating alliance provides another option for insurance agents to work smarter, faster

Hartford, Conn. April 27, 2005 - A new alliance between Xcipio, Inc. and The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG) now provides Connecticut-based insurance agents with seamless access from Xcipio’s single-data-entry comparative rating platform to The Hartford Expressway.^SM

This pioneering relationship makes Xcipio’s XcelerRator™,   the first comparative rating tool to link directly to The Hartford ExpressWay, the new super-quick personal lines quote-to-issue technology. This relationship gives agents an additional choice in the technology they use to work effectively with the insurer. 

Seamless integration to The Hartford’s ExpressWay means agents do not have to leave XcelerRator to complete the upload application submission process.  This reduces the agency time required to place auto and homeowners accounts. Transactions that used to take an average of nine minutes have been cut down to an average of three minutes.

XcelerRater™ integration with The Hartford ExpressWay is now available in Connecticut.  The technology is being piloted in New York and will be rolled out to agencies in that state in late May.  Xcipio anticipates it will be available in Pennsylvania in the fall and in other states thereafter.

"The Hartford is well known in the industry for its business-oriented technology development. Having The Hartford on board as a fully integrated, participating carrier has proved to be a very exciting project for us since our combined technologies are creating a "wow" factor in the marketplace," said David Cooksley , president of Xcipio. "When agents see how quickly we are able to bring back rates directly from The Hartford, their jaws drop."

George Thacker, The Hartford’s vice president of personal lines marketing, sees this integration as a step forward in simplifying agency workflow process. "We have a significant number of agents who use XcelerRator™, so we decided to work with Xcipio to provide those agents with better service. Together we were able to set a new industry standard. A rate request from The Hartford typically is returned in 5 seconds or less," Thacker said. "We’re working hand-in-hand with Xcipio to simplify the agency workflow process and to generate profitable new business for our agents and our company."

Bill Horton, personal lines manager for The Stone Agencies, Guilford, Conn., believes agents will give their business to those carriers that make it easier for them to do business.  "I like XcelerRator’s  embedded sign on  that takes me into ExpressWay and right to my bridged quote, but I especially like that I am getting an absolutely confirmed rate," Horton said. "It eliminates the surprises agents are always running into with other traditional comparative rating systems."

Noting that the insurance industry has been talking about the SEMCI (single-entry, multiple carrier interface) concept for years, Horton added, "We’re not talking pipedreams any more. This is real, and it’s a productive agency tool. The fact that The Hartford is participating on the Xcipio platform, demonstrates a real contribution in making SEMCI a productive reality," he added.

For further information, agents should contact Xcipio’s Cyndy Ainsworth at [email protected], 860-903-1360 or their local Hartford sale representative.
 
About The Hartford

The Hartford is one of the nation's largest financial services and insurance companies, with 2004 revenues of $22.7 billion.  The company is a leading provider of investment products, life insurance and group benefits; automobile and homeowners products; and business property-casualty insurance. The Hartford's Internet address is www.thehartford.com.

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 those discussed in our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, our 2004 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.

About Xcipio, Inc.

Specializing in Java/XML applications for the P&C insurance industry, Xcipio, Inc. has developed XcelerRator™, a single entry, multi-carrier/multi-product/multi-vendor platform that underwrites, tiers quotes in real-time, pre-fills ACORD & carrier supplemental forms, and seamlessly uploads applications to carriers to automate insurance sales, distribution and customer support. For information, contact Cyndy Ainsworth at [email protected], Tel: 860-903-1360.

Press Contacts:

Xcipio
Cyndy Ainsworth 
860-903-1360
[email protected]

The Hartford
Sue Honeyman
860-547-4976
[email protected]