MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio, July 18, 2001 – Independent insurance agents can now offer
their customers the convenience of online policy service 24 hours a day, 7 day a week with the latest agent
technology offered by Progressive (NYSE:PGR). Agents who sell Progressive can now link
their agency Web site to the company’s online service center,
personal.progressive.com®, enabling customers to pay their premiums and
maintain their policy – all online. Progressive.com is a four-time winner of the
Gomez Webstar award; Gomez credits personal.progressive.com for providing
“best-of-breed functionality for consumers desiring to manage their vehicle insurance
policies via the Internet.”
By linking its Web site to
personal.progressive.com, an agency can offer customers the online policy access they say
they want. According to a survey by the Independent Insurance Agents of America (IIAA),
nearly 60 percent of consumers say online access is an important factor in the insurance
purchasing decision. And a survey by Progressive found that consumers would be more likely
to purchase additional products from, refer others to, and be more loyal to an agency that
offers online access.
As Progressive’s online customer
self-service center, personal.progressive.com enables policyholders to make policy
changes, make online payments, find out when payments are due, check the status of a
claim, and more. Agency customers who come to the site – either directly or through
their agency’s Web site link – see their agency’s name and contact
information listed on the home page, and can click a tab linking directly back to the
agency’s Web site from most personal.progressive.com pages. Customer information is
protected with the leading security application available for use on the Internet.
Linking to personal.progressive.com gives an agency the ability to offer 24/7 online
service. But it can also free agency staff from having to perform most routine transactions, enabling it
to focus on selling more new business. And having its contact information listed on the personal.progressive.com
home page helps an agency gain valuable online visibility.
“Consumers are expecting more and more from the companies with whom they do business,
both from a service standpoint, and a technology standpoint,” remarked Chris Garson, Progressive’s
Agent Technology Leader. “It’s fast becoming not enough to have just a simple, informational Web
site. Those agencies that can offer customers interactive functionality have a leg up on
the competition. By linking its Web site to personal.progressive.com, an agency can
provide a variety of features that let customers access and manage their own policy
information.”
Progressive authorized agents who are
interested in establishing a link to personal.progressive.com can find more information on
Progressive’s agent-dedicated Web site, ForAgentsOnly.com (FAO).
Progressive (NYSE:PGR), in business since
1937, is the nation’s fourth largest auto insurance company and the largest writer of
auto insurance through independent agents. The more than 30,000 independent agencies that
represent Progressive combine the power of personalized service and counsel with
Progressive’s trusted brand, superior 24/7 service, innovative technology and
competitive rates. With headquarters in Mayfield Village, Ohio, Progressive also sells its
products over the phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE� and online at progressive.com. Progressive
authorized agents can logon to the company’s agent-dedicated Web site, ForAgentsOnly.com (FAO)
to access customer policies, state and countrywide news, and other interactive features.
Contact:
Nora Walsh, Progressive Insurance
(440) 395-3034
