Progressive Named One of the Best Places to Work in Northeast Ohio; Third Largest Auto Insurance Group Selected as a 2006 NorthCoast 99 Award Recipient

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio--Sept. 14, 2006--At an awards ceremony held last night at Signature at LACENTRE in Westlake, The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies was named one of the best places to work in Northeast Ohio by the Employers Resource Council (ERC), Northeast Ohio's largest employers' association. Each year, the ERC honors the best 99 employers in a 22-county region - those that have implemented "best-in-class" programs that attract, retain and motivate top performers.

"This is the sixth time in eight years Progressive has been recognized by the ERC with a NorthCoast 99 award," said Tricia Griffith, chief human resources officer, Progressive. "It's a true reflection of our goal to make Progressive a great place to work."

Progressive debuted on the NorthCoast 99 list in 1999 with top honors for its compensation and benefits program. More than 9,000 of Progressive's 28,000 people are employed in the Northeast Ohio region.

To be eligible for the 2006 NortchCoast 99, companies were evaluated on compensation and benefits, employee communication, community service, recruitment and selection, training and development, and workplace health and safety.

The ERC created the NorthCoast 99 program in 1999 to develop benchmarks for Northeast Ohio businesses that focus on developing great workplaces, making the region more competitive nationally and globally. Once an organization has been nominated or its application has been accepted, it is required to complete a detailed description of its programs, policies, benefits, and what makes it unique from an employee attraction, retention and satisfaction perspective. The ERC compiles a comprehensive report from the winners' data to share with participating organizations as a guidebook on the most successful practices of the region's top companies.

The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, in business since 1937, ranks third in the nation for auto insurance and number one for motorcycle insurance based on premiums written and provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7 in-person and online service. The products and services of the Progressive Direct Group of Insurance Companies are marketed directly to consumers by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE and online at www.progressivedirect.com through the Progressive Direct(R) brand. The products and services of the Drive Group of Progressive Insurance Companies are offered by more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies and online at www.driveinsurance.com through the Drive(R) Insurance from Progressive brand. The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, are publicly traded at . More information can be found at www.progressive.com.