A New Environment for Insurance and Auto Body Repair; Allstate Connects Safety, Pollution Prevention and Quality

NORTHBROOK, Ill.--Dec. 7, 2004--Oil, antifreeze and paint. An auto body repair facility can create more than 200 gallons of potentially hazardous waste each year. Where do these by-products of the body shop business go?

Allstate, the nation's second largest auto insurer, is asking the more than 3,200 auto body repair facilities across the country that participate in its direct repair program to complete an auto body specific environmental and safety-training program. Specifically, the company is encouraging its direct repair facilities to complete the non-profit Coordinating Committee for Automotive Repair's Safety and Pollution Prevention (S/P2) training. S/P2 is an online training program that focuses on safety and environmental issues specific to the repair industry, including proper material handling and disposal.

"Allstate provides first class service to our customers. We work closely with repairers to help ensure the quality of repairs and customer service provided to our customers and claimants," said Allstate assistant vice president for claims Jim Murray. "A clean, safe work environment is good for repairers, the community and creates an atmosphere that promotes quality and customer service."

Murray says most auto body repair facilities are cautious and conscientious when it comes to protecting the environment, but he says Allstate is taking a stand on the environment.

In addition to basic environmental issues, Allstate says the new training can also help repairers by improving overall safety inside shops by preventing unnecessary employee illnesses, injuries and dangerous situations that could lead to fires or explosions in repair facilities.

Allstate revolutionized the auto insurance and repair industries when it introduced the idea of an auto body direct repair program (DRP) 30 years ago. Allstate's new environmental training guidelines are part of an overall enhancement of the company's DRP. Other components of the new, redesigned program include expanded quality inspections of completed repairs, new quality rankings for repairers and greater emphasis on new technology training.

More than 3,200 auto body shops around the country participate in Allstate Insurance Company's direct repair program. The DRP includes repair facilities that have agreed to provide priority service to Allstate insurance customers and claimants. Many consumers never realize the DRP program exists, but the program helps Allstate to provide repair facility recommendations to customers and claimants after an accident and helps speed up the claims process by giving the customer a one-stop-shop for estimates and repairs that Allstate guarantees.

As always, Allstate says it will continue to honor the choice of repair facility by customers and claimants. According to Allstate, new environmental standards strengthen the power of its referral program for those customers that request help in choosing a repair facility.

The Allstate Corporation is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate(R)" slogan, Allstate helps individuals in more than 16 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow through more than 12,900 exclusive agencies and financial specialists in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services through Allstate agencies, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate(R). Encompass(SM) and Deerbrook(R) Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. Allstate Financial Group provides life insurance, annuity, retirement, banking and investment products through distribution channels that include Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and broker-dealers.

CCAR, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, focuses on environmental and safety issues in the auto repair industry. The S/P2 program is also made available free of charge to automotive career/technical schools across the U.S., and currently more than 1,400 such schools representing over 120,000 students are enrolled.