Progressive Receives U.S. Patent for Concierge Claims Service

Progressive Insurance reports it has received a U.S. patent for one of its methods of processing vehicle damage claims, which it calls its concierge level of claims service.

With this service, Progressive takes responsibility for the entire vehicle claims/repair process following a crash.

Conceived in 2000 and rolled out beginning in 2003, concierge level of claims service is designed to save drivers time. The auto insurance claims process typically delivers a check to the customer for the amount of the repairs, leaving the customer to find a repair shop, get a rental car, and follow up with these vendors.

Progressive’s concierge level of claims service is now available through 54 centers in metropolitan markets in the U.S. In most states, the driver needs only to report the claim, drop off the car and drive away in a rental car. Progressive then writes an estimate for the damage and contacts a repair facility to pick up the car and fix the damages. Once the car is repaired, it is returned to the center, the repairs are inspected and the customer is notified. When the customer returns, he or she picks up the car and drives away knowing that the repairs are guaranteed by Progressive and the shop.

According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Insurance Claims Study, the service delivers repaired vehicles back to customers faster than typcial claims servces. That study reported that Progressive’s concierge service cuts the average time from first notice of the claim to completion of vehicle repairs by an average of 4.8 days relative to the industry average.

The new patent it received is U.S. Patent No. 7,324,951. Progressive holds several other patents, including three for its usage-based insurance programs and one for its online policy servicing capabilities.

Source: Progerssive

Latest Comments

• March 14, 2008 at 1:18 am

  rockinhorse says:

  Progressive's Concierge Program is nothing but their desperate response to being kicked out of most reputable, main stream body shops because of incompetence and unethical cla... read more
• February 23, 2008 at 12:28 pm

  Keith says:

  The program that regressive has patented has been around for years before Progressive was even doing business. Auto body repair shops have provided the same services without t... read more
• February 20, 2008 at 10:13 am

  lastbat says:

  What they're doing that is different from other companies is this - they walked down to the patent office.