Progressive Car Insurance to Hire 175 People in Austin by End of January

One of the "Best Places to Work in Central Texas" now hiring customer service and sales reps

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio — September 28, 2010 — Smart, outgoing people looking for flexible schedules, competitive pay and job perks like an on-site fitness center may want to consider joining Progressive car insurance, named one of the best places to work in Central Texas by the Austin Business Journal. Progressive, the fourth largest auto insurance group in the country, plans to fill approximately 175 new positions in sales, service, and claims at its Austin contact center by January 31, 2011.

Progressive car insurance is hiring customer service and sales representatives to work at its contact center in Austin. Sonia Hernandez-Bridwell has been with Progressive since September 2002.

The phone representatives will sell policies, answer customer questions, or help customers file claims after car accidents. Some of the open positions are for bilingual reps fluent in both English and Spanish. The jobs require a minimum of two years' post secondary education or two years' work experience in a customer service environment.

"We're hiring because we're growing," said Kay Krienke, recruiting supervisor at Progressive. "We're looking for energetic, customer-focused problem solvers who are passionate about offering great service. In return, we offer the chance to be part of a culture that embraces risk taking, innovation and diversity, and rewards people for contributing to the company's success."

All of the positions offer paid training, which Krienke said could be particularly appealing to people wanting to start new careers as licensed insurance representatives.

Flexible scheduling options, such as the ability to work four 10-hour days with three days off instead of the typical five-day workweek, are available for some of the positions.

As for benefits, in addition to medical, dental, vision and life insurance, Progressive employees also enjoy:

• potential bonuses based on company performance;
• an on-site health services facility and fitness center;
• parenting resources, such as a child-care subsidy and maternity services;
• tuition assistance; and
• a casual dress code.

To find out more about jobs at Progressive in Austin or to apply, visit http://jobs.progressive.com.

About Progressive
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies makes it easy to understand, buy and use auto insurance. Progressive offers choices so consumers can engage whenever, wherever and however it's most convenient for them — online at progressive.com, by phone at 1-800-PROGRESSIVE, or in-person with a local agent.

Progressive offers insurance for personal and commercial autos, motorcycles, boats, recreational vehicles and homes. It's the fourth largest auto insurer in the country, the largest seller of motorcycle insurance and a leader in commercial auto insurance. Progressive also offers car insurance online in Australia at http://www.progressivedirect.com.au.

Founded in 1937, Progressive continues its long history of challenging the insurance industry with shopping tools and services that save customers time and money, like Name Your Price, the Snapshot Discount, and a concierge level of claims service.

The Common Shares of The Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, are publicly traded at NYSE:PGR.

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