Progressive Opens Riverview Claims Service Center
 Imagine if every student at the University of South Florida, or everyone at a sold-out Tropicana Field event got into a car accident. Well, that’s about how many accidents – 45,000 – happen in the Tampa metropolitan area each year – that’s more than 850 a week and more than 120 a day.  Imagine if these drivers could whittle down the amount of time they spend dealing with those crashes from days to just minutes.  Now, they can, thanks to a new center opened by The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies at 4119 Foxworth Road in Riverview.  There, claims reps handle all the details of the claims/repair process for drivers.
 “You may think the most stressful part of being involved in a crash is the crash itself.  But, that’s just the beginning.  The crash is just the start of a process that some say can take four or more days and can include having to arrange for alternate transportation, find a repair facility and get estimates, track updates, inspect the repairs, etc.,” said Todd Parry, Riverview service center manager, Progressive.
 But drivers who choose to use Progressive’s concierge level of claims service at the new Riverview facility can reduce the amount of time they spend on these details to about 15 minutes.  A driver can simply drop off the damaged car and, within minutes, can be on their way in a rental car assured that a quality body shop will get to work repairing their car quickly and that the repairs will be guaranteed.
 
While this service is new to the Riverview area, drivers on the other side of the Bay are already taking advantage of this time-saving process at the recently opened Oldsmar service center, which serves residents in and around Clearwater, Palm Harbor and Largo.  Since it opened in December, the Oldsmar location has served approximately 1,200 drivers.
 “My claim was handled with great ease,” said Michael Pilver Sr., a Pinellas Park resident who recently utilized the Oldsmar service center.  “Everyone was very friendly and courteous.  The staff went out of their way to make sure everything was done in a timely manner and we didn’t have to worry about anything.”
 Progressive, the third largest auto insurance group in the country and fourth largest in the state, sells insurance through independent insurance agents and brokers and direct over the Internet and by phone.  This new service is free to Progressive customers and anyone involved in a claim with their customers.
 How the Concierge Claims Center Works
-- Call.  The customer calls Progressive to report the claim any time of the day or night and then schedules an appointment to bring the vehicle to the specially designed service center.
-- Drop off and go.  In about 15 minutes, the customer can be on his or her way in a rental car with assurance that Progressive will keep him or her informed of the status of the claim throughout the repair process.
A Progressive claims representative prepares a repair estimate and contacts an auto body shop based on its track record of providing superior service and doing quality repairs, as well as its ability to begin and complete work promptly.  Both Progressive and the shop reach agreement on the cost of the repairs; the shop then transports the vehicle from the claims center to its facility and the repair work begins.
 When the work is finished, the vehicle is returned to the Progressive facility where representatives from both Progressive and the body shop inspect the quality of repairs.
 -- Pickup - and it’s guaranteed.  Once satisfied with the repair quality, Progressive calls the customer and asks him or her to return to the center where, together with the claims representative, the customer inspects the repairs.
The customer then leaves with a written guarantee on the repairs that both Progressive and the body shop stand behind as long as the customer owns or leases the vehicle.
 “Think of this as Progressive’s way of giving time back to Bay-area drivers,” said Parry.  “It’s fast and it’s simple.  Let us handle the details so you can spend your time doing what you want. And, when your car is returned to the center from the body shop, you can rest assured that it’s been inspected and the repairs are guaranteed. We’re committed to making this service available to even more drivers and are thrilled to be opening the Riverview site.”
 

Keller Williams South Shore Announces Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening
Keller Williams South Shore Team Leader Michael Levy is pleased to announce the company’s newly appointed Agent Leadership Council (ALC) members:  Joel Brumbach, Terry Chandler, Dave Harbaugh, Jan Hungate, Bob Sheehan, Chris Shumaker, Jo Ellen Smith, Chris Thompson, Debi Tourangeau, and Mitch Wall.  This group of “All Star Agents” is comprised of some of Hillsborough County’s most recognized veterans and top professionals.  This Agent Leadership is a new philosophy that Keller Williams brings to the Tampa Bay area which empowers the agents to make the decisions to enhance their personal business that ultimately makes the company more profitable which drives more profits back to the agents through the profit sharing program.  Truly a win-win relationship.  This group along with over sixty other real estate associates plans to open its doors in the South Shore area next month. 

Michael Levy
The Ribbon Cutting ceremony will begin at 11:30am on Wednesday, May 9 followed by a Grand Opening Happy Hour event from 4-7pm.  Be sure to stop in and meet the entire South Shore Keller Williams team.  For more information call Michael Levy at (813) 404-9194.

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