Exhibit 5.2

                        [Debevoise & Plimpton Letterhead]



September 16, 2002


The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.
Hartford Plaza
Hartford, Connecticut  06115

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     This opinion is furnished to you in connection with the Registration
Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-88762) (the "Registration Statement") and
the Prospectus Supplement, dated September 9, 2002 (the "Prospectus
Supplement"), of The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
(the "Commission"), relating to the issuance and sale by the Company of
6,600,000 6% Corporate Units (the "Corporate Units") of the Company. Each
Corporate Unit consists of (x) a contract (each, a "Purchase Contract" and,
collectively, the "Purchase Contracts") to purchase shares of common stock, par
value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Company and (y), initially,
$50 principal amount of 4.1% Senior Notes due 2008 (the "Senior Notes") of the
Company issued pursuant to the Senior Indenture, dated as of October 20, 1995,
between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as trustee (in such capacity, the
"Trustee"), as supplemented by Supplemental Indenture No. 1, dated as of
December 27, 2000, and Supplemental Indenture No. 2, dated September 13, 2002
(as so supplemented, the "Indenture"). The Corporate Units were issued pursuant
to the Purchase Contract Agreement, dated September 13, 2002 (the "Purchase
Agreement"), between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as purchase contract
agent (in such capacity, the "Purchase Contract Agent"). We refer herein to the
Corporate Units, the Indenture and the Purchase Agreement collectively as the
"Transaction Documents."

     In so acting, we have examined and relied upon the originals or certified,
conformed or reproduction copies of such agreements, instruments, documents,
records and certificates of the Company, such certificates of public officials
and such other documents, and have made such investigations of law, as we have
deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of the opinions expressed
below. In all such examinations, we have assumed without independent
investigation or inquiry the legal capacity of all natural persons executing
documents, the genuineness of all signatures on original or certified copies,
the authenticity of all original or certified copies and the conformity to
original or certified documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed or
reproduction copies. We have relied as to factual matters upon, and have assumed
the accuracy of, the statements made in the certificates of officers of the
Company delivered to us and certificates and other statements or information of
or from public officials and officers and representatives of the Company.


The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.                   September 16, 2002


     In rendering the opinions expressed below, we have assumed without
independent investigation or inquiry that (a) each of the parties to the
Transaction Documents (other than the Company) has the power and authority to
execute and deliver, and to perform its obligations under, each of the
Transaction Documents to which it is a party, (b) each of the Transactions
Documents has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the
parties thereto (other than the Company) and is the valid and binding obligation
of such party enforceable against such party in accordance with its terms, (c)
the Corporate Units have been duly authenticated by the Purchase Contract Agent
in the manner provided in the Purchase Agreement and (d) the Senior Notes have
been duly authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided in the Indenture.

     Based on the foregoing, and subject to the limitations, qualifications and
assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

          1. The Corporate Units, the Purchase Contracts and the Senior Notes
     have been validly issued and constitute valid and binding obligations of
     the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their
     respective terms.

          2. The shares of Common Stock to be issued and sold by the Company
     pursuant to the Purchase Contracts have been duly authorized and, when
     issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the
     provisions of the Purchase Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid
     and non-assessable.

     Our opinion in paragraph 1 is subject to the effects of (1) bankruptcy,
insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium and other similar
laws now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors' rights generally, (2)
general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforceability is considered
in a proceeding in law or equity) and (3) an implied covenant of good faith,
reasonableness and fair dealing, and standards of materiality, and we express no
opinion as to the priority status under the Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. ss.ss.
101 - 1330, as amended) of the Senior Notes.

     The opinions expressed herein are limited to the laws of the State of New
York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, including the
applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and the reported cases
interpreting those laws, as currently in effect.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Company's Form 8-K filed on September 17, 2002, incorporated by reference in the
Registration Statement, and to the reference to our firm under the caption
"Validity of the Equity Units" in the Prospectus Supplement. In giving such
consent, we do not thereby concede that we are within the category of persons
whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and
regulations of the Commission thereunder.


                                                Very truly yours,



                                                /s/ Debevoise & Plimpton