The Hartford Joins Agent Awareness Initiative

N/Atford has opted to join the <%=company%> National Communications Program at the Gold Partner level. The program is an alliance between IIAA and 20 insurance companies, formed to improve consumer awareness, understanding and appreciation of the Independent Agency System. It combines consumer education, media relations and national advertising and, in 1998, has reached 200 million households with what the association describes as "positive messages about independent agents." N/Atford joins Chubb, Fremont Comp, CGU, MetLife Auto & Home, Progressive, SAFECO and St. Paul at the Gold Partner level in the program. N/Atford "is committing to the independence and success of our agents, the backbone of our business," said Ramani Ayer, the company's CEO and chairman, at a recent IIAA National Board of State Directors meeting. In announcing the Gold Level partnership, Ayer cited internal changes at The Hartford that include transforming the staff and management into people "hungry" for business; reorganizing business units to listen better to policyholders and agents; evaluating the service center strategy; establishing a wholesale market with direct billing; and offering agent education programs and a new Single-Entry, Multi-Company Interface. N/Atford's Senior Vice President Ed Morgan said, "We will successfully grow our business by helping our agents to grow theirs—and the best way to achieve this is by collectively communicating the benefits of an independent agent directly to the consumer."