Hurricanes: The Drive Before the Storm

    Progressive Insurance Offers Florida Drivers Tips for Protecting Their
                        Vehicles from Hurricane Damage

    TAMPA, Fla., May 29 Hurricane season officially starts on
June 1.  If your hometown is in the path of a storm, are you prepared to
evacuate?  It's easy to forget about safeguarding your vehicle, but that car,
minivan or sport-utility vehicle might become your most important lifeline.
    "Preparing your home and ensuring your personal safety are more important
than saving a vehicle, but you can minimize damage with a few precautions,"
said Bob Rose, general manager for Progressive, one of Florida's largest auto
insurers.
    Progressive offers these tips for drivers affected by a hurricane or
tropical storm:

    -- Leave the area and leave early.  It's natural to want to stay and
protect your property in the face of a storm, but such acts of courage often
turn deadly. Pick up a hurricane planning guide/map or listen to the radio to
identify your evacuation route, secure your property and head for higher
ground before the storm hits.

    -- Before you leave... winds can become dangerously strong well before the
storm hits land; as you make final preparations keep your vehicles away from
trees, telephone poles, carports and other objects under stress from the wind.

    -- Fill'er up.  Fill your vehicle with gasoline as soon as possible to
avoid the long lines.

    -- Take important documents.  Place your auto/home insurance documents,
vehicle registration and title in a waterproof bag and take them with you.

    -- Plan for the trip.  Bring a flashlight and extra batteries, a first-aid
kit, cash and credit cards and snacks. Remember, you could end up spending the
day in your vehicle.

    -- Beware of live wires.  Do not, under any circumstance, drive over a
downed electrical line.

    -- Flooded streets are deadly.  Do not drive on a road submerged in water;
underlying currents could carry your vehicle away or you could encounter a
dangerous sinkhole. If your vehicle stalls in water, immediately abandon it --
floodwaters can rise several feet in a matter of minutes.

    -- Call your insurance company immediately to report a claim. Don't try to
start or move a flooded vehicle; you could cause more damage than the water
already has.

    Progressive , with headquarters in Mayfield Village, Ohio, is
the nation's fourth largest auto insurance company. In business since 1937,
the company provides all drivers with competitive rates and 24-hour, in-person
and online services. The company sells its products over the phone at
1-800-AUTO-PRO, online at http://www.progressive.com and through more than 30,000
independent agencies throughout the U.S. More information about the company
can be found at http://www.progressive.com .

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