Insurance Journal Forums

Seems Progressive is offering homeowner's quotes directly to our customers now. One of my customers e-mailed me his direct auto quote and at the bottom of the quote Progressive gives you an option to get home, condo or renters quotes. http://www.homesite.com

What state(s)?

My TSM told me that Progressive would never be in the HO market. Very interesting.


Seems as if they are trying to go around the agents, huh?

Progressive has backdoored agents from CA (I do not know about other States, but assume they do this in all States) for sometime. As an independent broker, I would not deal with them period. I have an associate that had a Commercial account with Progressive. The company relayed one bit of information to broker and told client something totally different! In my opinion, Progressive has never been loyal to brokers.

<_< It really is no surprise that Progressive is offering this, as far as the TSM that said Progressive would never be in the HO business, He must be new, because they started writing Homeowners on Progressive paper several years ago, including Mobilehomes, it was on a state by state basis and seems to have been halted in the last year or so. This would explain why they are pushing Homesite, which by the way is pushed by GMAC Insurance and Prudential as well. It is clear they are never going to do away with the direct market and the independant agents can thank themselves for building the Progressive name to what it is today and making it a household name, it just bites a little that Progressive uses what WE built against us as competition. They say they want to grab more of what the captives have and they dont really care if it is on the agents side or the direct side, they win both ways.

<span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>Callen, You won't deal with progressive because they sell direct and take your business but you will do business with Insurance Noodel who also sells direct and takes your business. Why the double standard? I don't get it. We must all evaluate our suppliers and STOP doing business with companies like Progressive and Insurance Noodel who work with you out of one side of their head and compete with you out of the other. When you do business with companies like this you are funding your competition and causing your eventual demise and the demise of your fellow agents. We, your fellow agents, plead with you to jealosly protect the independent agency system that pays our bills, takes care of our families and helps us provide employment to good people. Nothing good can come from us supporting Progressive, Insurance Noodel or any other company that directly competes with us and our way of life. They grow stronger, they learn our techniques and our local market particulars and then they use that knowledge to make us irrelevant. Resist the temptation. Hold fast!</span>

Hey folks, you might want to check out the website that Goredsox put in the note. Homesite.com is a link to an insurance carrier and it does not appear that they are related to Progressive. Looks like they only do business over the internet.

Homesite looks like a small company, not yet rated by AM Best.

You can say what you will about Progressive but they offer a market for many risks that others will not consider. They could be like Geico and not offer their products to agents at all. What would you prefer - 10% of a policy that you might have internal competition on or no market to approach?

As for Insurance Noodle (let's try and spell correctly) they are a reputable firm that does not hide any of their business practices. If you have enough volume or potential to get your own contracts then do so. If not, you'll have to work through intermediaries if you want access to certain markets.

I've had quite a few dealings with the folks at Noodle and I can only give them praise for how they operate and their attention to customer service.

Progressive is not the only company in this business.

You have a choice between many different nonstandard carriers in almost every state. Most of these carriers are easier to get appointed with, offer better commissions, and have better relations with agents.

Look for your independent insurance rating software company to provide you with quotes as to who to go to. Most should be able to provide a mix of companies with better rates and commissions.

geico does the same thing thru Travelers. Progressive isnt writing the stuff but IM sure they get some $ from it.

<_< I agree with several others. If we are not Progressive agents and are going to be DRIVE agents I do not want anything in or around our office that has progressive on it. They are getting the advertising and I get nothing by doing it.
If it is to be DRIVE then that is all it will be.

I saw this was one of the most read topics so I read further. We are a million + producer with Progressive and I feel they are more devoted to the independant agent now than ever. The Drive program will be successful as it will be ran just as Progressive is now and that isn't that bad of a model since everyone has been chasing them for the last 10yrs. I am not a big fan of the lower commissions but that is it. Everything else they have done has been rock solid and I never have had an unhappy client come claim time. Competition is everywhere, solid companies aren't as easy to fine. Progressive / Drive are proven solid performers. I will continue to sell there products whether they sell homeowners though independants or not. Chances are good that if the homeowners market proves profitable, they will allow us to sell it. Remember, the shareholders like profits!

Drive Insurance from Progressive will help the Independent Agent and Independent Agency Channel compete with the Captive Agency Channel.

The Captive Agency Channel currently owns approximately 74% of the personal lines market in the USA.

Captive agencys make a great living on Commissions that are the same or lower than Drive Insurance from Progressive.

If you are an Independent Agency, ask yourself the following:

Who is doing anything to help the Independent Agency Channel capture more business from the Captive Agency Channel?

How many of your current carriers do anything except constantly ask you for more business without providing you leads, national advertising, and a recognized brand name.

Ask the next 10 people who come into your agency to name 5 auto insurance carriers. Who do you think they will mention?

The long-term survival of the Independent Agency Channel will depend on growth that comes from the Captive Agency Channel.

Progressive discontinued writing new homeowners insurance policies.

I do find it funny how you are giving Progressive such a hard time. They spend millions of dollars to hook you up with Drive and all you can do is complain. I don't see you complaining when an insured cancels their policy and you still get commission for years on it because it was expected to last longer. Does Progressive give you a hard time for charging 190 dollars for brokers fees, or does Progressive give you a hard time for charging insureds for the cost of a MVR when you get reimbused for it? no. but keep posting messages like these I am sure Progressive can start tracking your performance so this can be fixed.
You all have no idea how much Progressive does to make sure Agents/brokers are treated well! If you want to argue the point your wasting your time typing.

PS yes, Drive is for agents, Progressive is Direct. if you have Progressive and Drive Promo material mixed up....You will be the person confusing the insureds not Progressive.(with the exception of the IRV because claims is still the same)

oh yeah stop telling insureds when they make the down payment "Progressive requires you to pay the first and last month" the first time I heard this I busted out laughing. creative but confusing.

I am a Progressive or Drive Insurance Agent. I was very disappointed that we lost the name brand. We were told a few years back that sharing a name would benefit agents and direct since if they wrote 2% and of the market the other 98% would be familar with Progressive and more likley to buy a name brand.

Now the brand is gone, and we our customers will get their claims serviced by the compeditor or by Progressive. I will keep writing when I can make more money but will try to place elsewhere first.