MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio – April 16, 2009 – Summer is right around the corner, and while that means cookouts, softball leagues and prime boating weather, it also means hailstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Car insurance company Progressive has a few tools to prepare drivers, bikers and boaters for severe storms, including a special Web site – progressiveresponds.com – and, new this season, Twitter updates.
Progressiveresponds.com provides online visitors with safety tips, insurance claims reporting information and details about Progressive’s National Catastrophe Response Team, a group dedicated to getting customers back on the road quickly after severe storms. Progressiveresponds.com also offers downloadable audio and text files and RSS feeds that deliver weather-related news and updates in real time. And, for the first time, Progressive is using Twitter (@progressive) to keep followers up to date on the latest severe storm information.
“When a major storm hits, we use every tool in our toolbox, which now includes Twitter, to immediately reach out to our customers, make sure they’re safe and help them file insurance claims,” said Scott Snapp, director of Progressive’s National Catastrophe Response Team. “Making it easy to file claims, means we can get to work resolving those claims quickly and get our customers back on the road.”
Snapp recommends customers check their insurance policies to make sure they’ve got the right coverage. For example, storm-related damage requires Comprehensive coverage. It’s also important to choose an affordable deductible, which is the amount the customer pays before the insurance kicks in.
Other severe-weather driving tips include:
- Develop an in-car emergency kit including first-aid supplies, flares/reflectors, a blanket, a flashlight, a portable radio and extra batteries.
- Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check the tires, brakes, headlights, flashers and wiper blades. Be sure all of the mechanical systems are in reliable condition.
- Monitor weather and traffic reports. If possible, postpone travel until conditions improve.
- If you have to drive during a storm, reduce your speed, increase your following distance and keep your headlights on.
- Never drive through standing water.
Visit www.progressiveresponds.com for additional safety tips, and follow us on Twitter, @progressive.
About Progressive
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, in business since 1937, is one of the country’s largest auto insurance groups, the largest seller of motorcycle policies, and a market leader in commercial auto insurance based on premiums written.
Progressive is committed to becoming consumers’ #1 choice for auto insurance by providing competitive rates and innovative products and services that meet drivers’ needs throughout their lifetimes, including superior online and in-person customer service, and best-in-class, 24-hour claims service, such as its concierge level of claims service available at service centers located in major metropolitan areas throughout the United States.
Progressive companies offer consumers choices in how to shop for, buy, and manage their auto insurance policies. Progressive offers its products, including personal and commercial auto, motorcycle, boat, and recreational vehicle insurance, through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies throughout the U.S. and online and by phone directly from the Company. Private passenger auto products and prices are different when purchased directly from Progressive or through independent agencies. To find an agent or to get a quote, go to http://www.progressive.com.
