GEICO Gecko to Appear at Krewe of Argus Parade

METAIRIE, La., Feb. 24, 2006 -- The GEICO Gecko will ride in his sporty red convertible in the Krewe of Argus Parade Tuesday, February 28, in celebration of Mardi Gras. The Gecko, who won the title of "America's Favorite Icon" in 2005, will be on-hand to greet the nearly one million parade-goers along the four-mile traditional Metairie parade route while tossing specialized GEICO Gecko cups and beads.

Dwayne McClure, staff counsel for GEICO and an Argus Krewe member, said, "The Gecko rode in the Krewe of Argus Parade last year and was a big hit. We tossed 10,000 custom GEICO cups and beads in the crowd. Many parade-goers took photos with the Gecko and we hope to continue this civic-minded sponsorship in years to come."

GEICO opened a claims office in Metairie, La. in 2004 and contributes to Krewe of Argus, a non-profit civic organization, in support of its good works in the local community. The organization is known for presenting one of the most outstanding Mardi Gras Day parades in the New Orleans metropolitan area.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fourth largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. It provides auto insurance coverage for more than 6 million policyholders and insures more than 10 million vehicles. GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies. GEICO provides consumers with sales, service and claims capabilities on its geico.com Web site. Consumers may also contact the company at its toll free 1-800-841-3000 number. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com/.