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Progressive Bringing 400 New Jobs to Phoenix

Brush Up Your Resume; Recruiting Open Houses Planned for June 17 and 24

TEMPE, Ariz., June 10 -- In a market where unemployment rates recently hit 5.9 percent, the Progressive group of insurance companies , the third largest auto insurance group in the U.S., is helping boost the Phoenix area economy by hiring about 400 new employees in a new customer service call center. Twenty-five positions need to be filled immediately; the remaining will be filled on an ongoing basis, as Progressive prepares to open its new customer service center in Phoenix.

The Company currently operates a direct sales call center in Tempe.

People can learn more about the jobs, including the in-depth, eight weeks of on-the-job training each employee will receive, at two recruiting open houses at 600 East Curry Road, Tempe, on June 17 and 24 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Potential employees will have an opportunity to meet with Progressive recruiters, complete an application, and interview for positions. No RSVPs or appointments are necessary and applicants should bring a current resume. Those not able to attend one of the open house events should apply online at jobs.progressive.com.

Additional open houses and other recruiting events will be held throughout the summer and fall. In early 2004, Progressive plans to move its existing 400 direct sales call center employees and the new customer service center employees into 165,000 square feet at 4425 East Cotton Center Blvd. in Phoenix (the Allred Cotton center). The lease for this space was signed in May 2003.

"This is great news for Progressive and great news for Phoenix," said Joe Eberwein, customer service call center manager, Progressive. "And it marks just the latest development in Progressive's brief, but very fast growing, history in the area."

   - Five years ago, Progressive, an auto insurer little known to Arizonans,
     came to East Curry Road in Tempe to start a direct sales call center.
     On its first day of operation, it employed 10 people. Today, the direct
     sales call center employs more than 400.

   - In 2000, Progressive quietly opened one of its pilot "claims service
     center" sites on East Curry Road. This prototype center tested ways the
     Company's claim representatives could provide one-stop convenience for
     people whose vehicles require repair following an accident. This year
     the Company announced it has plans to open 20 such centers throughout
     the U.S., bringing the total number of centers to 27. The Tempe claims
     service center was completely renovated and its new look will be
     unveiled on June 24.

   - In early 2003, the Company added a second Tempe location (7340 South
     Kyrene Road) to house the industry's first claims training center
     specifically designed to help Progressive claim representatives better
     understand how to write estimates on damaged motorcycles, boats and
     RVs. The center trains about 2,000 Progressive claim representatives
     from all over the country each year, bringing much needed revenue to
     local hotels and restaurants.

Eberwein said: "We need the space and we need the people because we're growing at an incredible pace. One of the reasons we're growing so quickly is the 24/7, in-person customer service we deliver from customer service call centers just like the one we're opening here and because of the claims service delivered through claims service centers like the one we have in Tempe."

Progressive grew 30 percent in 2002 compared to an industry average growth rate of nine percent.

The customer service call center will become the sixth such center the Company operates. Others are located in Mayfield Village, Ohio (company headquarter location), Austin, TX, Tampa, Fla., Sacramento, Calif. and Colorado Springs, Colo.

Qualified candidates for the open customer service call center representative jobs will have a high school diploma or equivalent and have a minimum of one year customer service experience, preferably in a call center.

Progressive offers its employees a broad range of benefits and on-site services, including:

   - Competitive salary and variable pay package;
   - Medical and dental benefits including medical coverage for
     nontraditional dependents including grandchildren, parents, children
     over 23 and domestic partners;
   - Casual dress environment;
   - On-site cafeteria;
   - Primary care center;
   - Fitness center;
   - Wellness program featuring a variety of health screenings and
     educational opportunities; and
   - Employee Assistance Programs providing counseling services to
     Progressive people and their families.

  Fully-Renovated Claims Service Center to Open

Progressive is not only giving a boost to the Arizona economy by creating jobs, it's also working to make the vehicle repair process easier for its current customers. On June 24, Progressive will officially open the doors on its newly renovated claims service center at 600 East Curry Road in Tempe providing customers with one-stop convenience and a simpler way of getting their cars fixed following an accident. Progressive is the first auto insurer in the country to take responsibility for the entire vehicle repair claims process, creating a more efficient and positive experience for everyone involved in a claim-customers, auto body repair shops and Progressive. The service saves time and adds convenience for customers, provides a steady flow of work for body shops and results in increased Progressive customer satisfaction.

The Progressive group of insurance companies, in business since 1937, comprises the nation's third largest auto insurance group and provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7, in-person service. The companies offer insurance by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, online at progressive.com and through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies throughout the U.S. The Progressive Corporation, the holding company, has headquarters in Mayfield Village, Ohio. More information can be found at progressive.com.

In Arizona, Progressive currently employs 575 people, operates five claims offices (Flagstaff, Glendale, Scottsdale, Tempe, Tucson) and staffs three operations in two locations in Tempe (direct sales call center and claims service center on East Curry Road and claims training center on South Kyrene Road). The company is represented by nearly 400 independent insurance agencies throughout the state of Arizona.

Contact Doug Honig Progressive Public Relations (440) 395-2991