Our History

Joseph Lewis and Jack Green launched Progressive Mutual Insurance Company in 1937 to help drivers get affordable auto insurance with exceptional service. After more than 85 years in business, we’ve maintained our founders’ mission and grown into one of the largest personal and commercial auto insurance providers.

Today, our vision is to become consumers’, agents’, and business owners’ #1 destination for insurance and other financial needs. Our forward-thinking approach and history of innovation speak to this commitment.

Commercial Lines

Our commercial division, Progressive Commercial, started in 1971. At the time, we focused exclusively on commercial auto insurance. Since then, we’ve expanded business insurance offerings to include general liability, professional liability, workers’ compensation, business owners policies, cyber insurance, and more.

We provide specialized support to various professions, such as truckers, contractors, retailers, restaurants, and consultants.

1971

Progressive begins offering commercial auto insurance policies for small business owners. We maintain our original mission to provide affordable and reliable vehicle insurance coverage.

1977

We become the first auto insurance company to publish our loss reserve report, which estimates the amount we expect to pay for future claims. This shows our commitment to transparency and trustworthiness for our shareholders and customers.

1987

Peter B. Lewis, our CEO, and his management team introduce Progressive’s Core Values, which remain nearly unchanged. These values are integrity, golden rule, objectives, excellence, and profit — all of which emphasize honesty, respect, and hard work.

1990

We introduce 24/7 claims service, giving customers personal service and support to report claims and get help anytime.

1994

Progressive extends its 24/7 claims service to include the Immediate Response® Vehicle, a specially marked and outfitted vehicle that brings trained claims professionals to wherever customers need them — even to the scene of an accident.

1995

We’re the first auto insurance group to launch a website, auto-insurance.com. Two years later, the site converts to progressive.com. We’re also the first major insurance company to offer an online agent referral service.

2003

Progressive Commercial launches a subdomain on Progressive’s main website, commercialauto.progressive.com. The company also accomplishes another industry first with concierge claims service for small business and personal auto customers.

2006

Progressive Commercial gets its own website, progressivecommercial.com, which highlights commercial auto insurance. Customers can call us directly to get a quote.

2007

We continue to support truckers by introducing two new customizable coverages, Motor Truck Cargo and General Liability for truckers.

2008

Progressive Commercial becomes the #1 truck insurer. We also start quoting general liability insurance by phone.

2015

SNL Financial names us the #1 commercial auto insurer in the country. We’ve held this ranking ever since.

2017

We start offering commercial auto insurance in Hawaii, rounding out our offering to include all 50 states.

Smart Haul® launches, giving for-hire truckers with an electronic logging device (ELD) the opportunity to earn discounts for safe driving.

2018

In our home state of Ohio, we start offering our own Business Owners Policy (BOP) product, which provides both property and liability protection for small businesses. As of 2023, we’ve elevated BOP in most states.

2019

Online quoting for business insurance becomes available in nearly every state with BusinessQuote Explorer (BQX). This platform helps customers get personalized business insurance rates from our partner carriers in minutes.

2020

Progressive Commercial introduces Snapshot ProView®, a usage-based program that allows any business with commercial vehicles to get a customized rate based on how they actually drive. Businesses with three or more vehicles will also gain access to free fleet management tools.

2021

The Progressive Corporation acquires Protective Insurance Corporation, which specializes in covering fleet trucking operations and workers’ compensation for transportation-focused businesses.

2022

We reach over 1 million Commercial Lines policies in force, which demonstrates our commitment to small business owners.

Progressive Commercial begins offering Heavy Truck Roadside Assistance coverage, which helps truckers get the services they need after a breakdown. By the end of the year, it’s available in most states.