Progressive Gives Its Customers A Jump On the Weather

MADISON, WI--July 25, 2011: Weather Central, a global provider of enterprise weather solutions and forecasting, today announced an agreement with Progressive Insurance that will leverage the company's Live:Wire HailZone data and radar analytics to provide advanced warning of severe hailstorms to drivers who sign up at on Progressive's ebsite. With this industry-first hail forecast service, consumers will be able to personalize locations of interest -- such as a home, office or child's school -- and receive automatic alerts via text message up to thirty minutes before hailstorms, high winds, or other severe weather hits their area, giving motorists the time they need  to get themselves and their property to safety. The service also delivers National Weather Service watches and warnings.

"Weather Central's highly-precise weather data has nearly unlimited applications, and we are pleased to be leading the charge with Progressive in order to bring our technology to bear for the insurance industry," said Steve Smedberg, Senior Vice President -- Enterprise, Weather Central. "Severe hail damage costs policyholders and insurers over $1 billion in damages every year. We set out to provide Progressive with life- and money-saving information that comes right to consumers when they need it most, and we've done just that with this partnership."

Progressive Severe Weather Alerts are powered by Weather Central's Live:Wire Alerts platform and trusted HailZone data that is precise to an industry-leading 1km-wide area. Precise warning zone alerting assures that only policyholders in the path of the storm will receive alerts, greatly reducing false alarms associated with county-based warnings.