The Hartford Offers Small Business Owners Access To Business Services From Newtek

The Hartford, a leading group benefits provider, now offers small business owners easy access to a broad array of business services from Newtek Business Services, Inc., in order to help them manage and grow their companies.

“The Hartford is committed to responding to the needs of small businesses and helping them succeed,” said Donato Monaco, vice president of small business, Group Benefits. “This new central resource of insurance and business services is the latest initiative designed to help shift the odds in small business owners’ favor and help them win in the marketplace.”

The Hartford’s small business clients now have direct access to a comprehensive suite of Newtek business services, including:

• Business lending;
• Cloud-based managed technology solutions;
• Data backup and storage; and
• Electronic payment and payroll processing.

“We are focused on boosting small business growth by offering products and services that can help reduce expenses, manage risk, and increase sales,” said Barry Sloane, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Newtek, a nationally recognized provider of small business products and services.

Donato added, “This new business resource can also help our broker and agent partners, who not only advise small business owners but are often small business owners themselves.”

This is The Hartford Group Benefits’ latest offering for businesses with four to 49 employees. Most recently, the insurer launched the Workforce Safety & Absence Management Service for companies with as few as four employees and began offering DisabilityFLEX^sm, its voluntary group disability insurance, to businesses with as few as 10 employees. For more information about benefits for small businesses, visit http://www.thehartford.com/group-benefits-producers/small-business.

About Newtek Business Services, Inc.
Newtek Business Services, Inc., (NASDAQ: NEWT) is a distributor of a wide range of business services and financial products to the small- and medium-sized business market under the Newtek brand. Since 1999, Newtek has helped small- and medium-sized business owners realize their potential by providing them with the essential tools needed to manage and grow their businesses and to compete effectively in today's marketplace. Newtek provides its services to more than 100,000 business accounts and has positioned the Newtek brand as a one-stop-shop provider of such business services. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are more than 27.5 million small businesses in the United States, which in total represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.

About The Hartford
With more than 200 years of expertise, The Hartford (NYSE:HIG) is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. The company is widely recognized for its service excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at www.thehartford.com. Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheHartford. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheHartford.

The Hartford^® is The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries, including issuing companies, Hartford Life Insurance Company and Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company. Its headquarters is in Hartford, Conn.

HIG-M

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 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q, 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.

From time to time, The Hartford may use its website to disseminate material company information. Financial and other important information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through and posted on our website at http://ir.thehartford.com. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about The Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Email Alerts” section at http://ir.thehartford.com.