M i ss i on Hea l t h , Inc ., i s an award- w i nn i ng Ashev ill e , N . C ., hea l t h- care  f ac ili t y w i t h  5 , 000  emp l oyees . They ’ re pro t ec t ed by The Har tf ord ’ s group l ong- t erm d i sab ili t y and group li f e i nsurance . Kev i n We l ch , second  f rom l e ft , pres i den t  o f Char l o tt e , N . C . -based The RJC Group , LLC , recommended The Har tf ord i n par t  because o f  our so li d c l a i ms-pay i ng record and a p l an des i gn  t ha t  was r i gh t f or h i s c li en t . We l ch wor k s w i t h , l e ft t o r i gh t , Caro l yn Wor t h i ng t on , M i ss i on Hea l t h ’ s d i rec t or , human resources , Pa tt i Moore , manager , emp l oyee bene f i t s , and W illi am Mance , v i ce pres i den t , human resources . A value-added approach in the group benefits business Our emphasis is on customers’ abilities. Chr i s t i na R i pp , an a t h l e t e  f rom Savoy , I ll ., won  t he Women ’ s Whee l cha i r d i v i s i on o f t he  2003  Bos t on Mara t hon . The Har tf ord i s a  f ound i ng par t ner o f t he U . S . Para l ymp i cs , a d i v i s i on o f t he U . S . O l ymp i c Comm i tt ee . Thirty-two The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. 2003 Annual Report Three The Hartford’s strong marketplace position and exceptional  reputation demonstrate our firm commitment to building long-term relationships with our customers and producers. Our 2003 acquisition of much of CNA Financial Corporation’s group disability, life and specialty accident businesses will accelerate our growth in these areas by adding new distribution expertise and greater scale.  Our work as a founding partner of the U.S. Paralympics, a division of the U.S. Olympic Committee, brings this philosophy to life. We sponsor organizations that showcase the extraordinary achievements— and change public perceptions—of people with physical disabilities. We also take an active role in helping injured or disabled workers overcome their temporary setbacks so they can continue working toward a secure future. We don’t focus on limitations; we assess  workers’ abilities and, with employers and physicians, develop return- to-work plans that help employees lead healthy and productive lives.  Statistics show that U.S. workers have a one-in-three probability of becoming disabled for at least 90 days at some time during their work- ing years. No one can afford to be without disability insurance. As  one of the nation’s largest providers of group benefits, we do more than simply protect employees and their families from the financial consequences of injuries and illness.