Search
 

‘Big Sister’ Is Watching Us

I never had a sister. I suppose if I did, Id have wanted her to be a bubbly fun-loving neat-appearing soul much like Progressive Insurances fictional sales girl named Flo, who offers insurance coverage by the box. For a number of years in the 1960s, I handled a lot of...

By Ken Brownlee, CPCU | Updated on November 01, 2013

I never had a sister. I suppose if I did, I’d have wanted her to be a bubbly fun-loving neat-appearing soul much like Progressive Insurance’s fictional sales girl named Flo, who offers insurance coverage by the box. For a number of years in the 1960s, I handled a lot of Progressive auto claims. Back then, we still reported to their headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio—my hometown—and the company’s first building on Euclid had been on my route to classes when commuting to both high school and college. I don’t pay much attention to those television ads, but I remember a few where Flo talked about how something called a “snapshot” would cut auto insurance costs.

From the little I was able to infer from the ads, it seems that Progressive will reduce costs by using a little “tattle-tale” device that informs the company of your driving habits—whether you have been naughty or nice while behind the wheel. But it is optional, and that being the case, apparently many policyholders have declined the offer to “fess up” to bad habits in order to save a few bucks.

Is There An “Off” Switch?

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free
PropertyCasualty360 Digital Reader.

INCLUDED IN A DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP:

  • All PropertyCasualty360.com news coverage, best practices, and in-depth analysis.
  • Educational webcasts, resources from industry leaders, and informative newsletters.
  • Other award-winning websites including BenefitsPRO.com and ThinkAdvisor.com.

Already have an account?

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2024 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Recommended Stories

PropertyCasualty360

Join PropertyCasualty360

Don’t miss crucial news and insights you need to make informed decisions for your P&C insurance business. Join PropertyCasualty360.com now!

  • Unlimited access to PropertyCasualty360.com - your roadmap to thriving in a disrupted environment
  • Access to other award-winning ALM websites including BenefitsPRO.com, ThinkAdvisor.com and Law.com
  • Exclusive discounts on PropertyCasualty360, National Underwriter, Claims and ALM events

Already have an account? Sign In Now
Join PropertyCasualty360

Copyright © 2024 ALM Global, LLC. All Rights Reserved.