“P artnering” is a popular business buzzword that may vanish as quickly as it appeared. The Hartford’s partner- ships, on the other hand, are built for the long term and have played a major role in the company’s growth and success.  agency writes three times as much business with  The Hartford, in both personal and commercial lines, as it writes with any other insurer.  Mutually beneficial partnerships with successful businesses of all sizes are the foundation of The Hartford’s business model.  The company enjoys outstanding partnerships with several of the world’s top asset managers. It also values its thousands of relationships with financial intermediaries such as large broker-dealers, banks and independent financial planners—and with affinity part- ners who extend The Hartford’s reach into large, grow- ing markets.  “A lot of people talk about having the right part- ners, but The Hartford views it differently from most,” says Gary Trippe, CEO of Fort Myers, Fla., property- casualty agency Oswald, Trippe and Company, Inc. “They look for partners who share their core values, and the relationship is based on trust and respect. It’s all about compatibility.” Trippe should know. His Perhaps no relationship represents shared values and shared success better than the one with AARP, which signed a new eight-year contract with The Hartford that began Jan. 1, 2002. The AARP insurance program with The Hartford is a model of affinity mar- keting and distribution savvy. AARP’s membership— those age 50 and over—is the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population. Computer use among this group is growing by an estimated 20 percent per year, and the population segment respects established brands and seeks value, convenience and extraordinary service. That right combination of factors helps make AARP’s World Wide Web site one of The Hartford’s 13 partners