Progressive Expands Its Concierge Level of Claims Service; Breaks Ground for New Service Center in Atlanta

DECATUR, Ga.--June 29, 2006--

Georgia Insurance Commissioner, John W. Oxendine, Breaks Ground for New Service Center; Service from Progressive Reduces the Time Each Driver Spends on the Claims/Repair Process from Four Days to About 15 Minutes

The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, the third largest auto insurance group in the country and second largest in Georgia, broke ground today for its new Service Center in Decatur, Ga. The site will feature a 19,000 square foot Service Center and marks Progressive's expansion in Atlanta of its "concierge" level of claims service that oversees all elements of the claims/repair process on behalf of drivers involved in accidents and reduces the time drivers spend on repairs from four days to about 15 minutes. Georgia Insurance Commissioner, John W. Oxendine, was on hand for the ceremony.

The new Service Center, which is located at 2874 E. Ponce De Leon Ave., is scheduled to open in late 2006 and will employee about 10 people. Currently, there are 40 Progressive Service Centers in the U.S. including two in Atlanta - one in Marietta and one in Norcross.

"It's great to see one of the state's leading auto insurers taking steps to make the claims/repair process easy for drivers involved in crashes," said Oxendine.

With Progressive's new service, a driver simply drops off the damaged vehicle at a Service Center and, in about 15 minutes, can leave in a rental car assured that a claims representative will handle the process from beginning to end and that the repairs will be guaranteed. Without a Service Center, drivers have to spend several days doing everything themselves - arranging for alternate transportation, getting repair estimates, finding a shop, getting updates, inspecting the repairs, etc.

"Our Service Center approach is simple and it works," said Paul Kane, Georgia claims manager, Progressive. "By using a service that handles the claims/repair process from start to finish, people can save time and spend it the way they want to."

How the Service Center Works

-- The customer calls Progressive to report the claim any time of the day or night and then schedules an appointment to bring the vehicle to the specially designed Service Center.

-- In about 15 minutes, the customer can be on his or her way in a rental car with assurance that Progressive will keep him or her informed of the status of the claim throughout the repair process.

-- A Progressive claims representative prepares a repair estimate and contacts an auto body shop based on its track record of providing quality repairs, superior service and ability to begin work promptly. Both Progressive and the shop reach agreement on the cost of the repairs; the shop then transports the vehicle from the Service Center to its facility and the repair work begins.

-- When the work is finished, the vehicle is returned to the Service Center where representatives from both Progressive and the body shop inspect the quality of repairs.

-- Once satisfied with the repair quality, Progressive calls the customer and asks him or her to return to the Service Center where, together with the claims representative, the customer inspects the repairs.

-- The customer then leaves with a written guarantee on the repairs that both Progressive and the body shop stand behind as long as the customer owns the vehicle.

All Service Center people handle claims for Progressive Direct and Drive Insurance from Progressive customers and undergo specialized claims and customer satisfaction training at the company's expanded claims training facility in Tampa, Fla.

Progressive employs more than 13,200 claims people in more than 460 offices countrywide. Although this concierge level of claims service is not yet available in all markets where Progressive operates claims offices, claims representatives there continue to personally handle each customer's claim from start to finish.

The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, in business since 1937, ranks third in the nation and second in Georgia for auto insurance based on premiums written and provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7 in-person and online service. The products and services of the Progressive Direct Group of Insurance Companies are marketed directly to consumers by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE and online at www.progressivedirect.com through the Progressive Direct(R) brand. The products and services of the Drive Group of Progressive Insurance Companies are offered by more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies and online at www.driveinsurance.com through the Drive(R) Insurance from Progressive brand. More information can be found at www.progressive.com.