Jeff Gelles reports:
If you’ve ever seen “Flo,” the cheerfully offbeat cashier in Progressive Insurance’s ad campaign, you probably know her shtick: that when it comes to auto insurance, Progressive strives to be a little bit different, too.
But Progressive’s latest attempt to distinguish itself in Pennsylvania – a plan to offer rates based on drivers’ habits, determined by connecting wireless monitors to their cars’ computers – has run into a roadblock.
The Ohio company says its usage-based “MyRate” plan offers drivers in other states, including New Jersey, discounts of up to 30 percent if they drive fewer miles, stay off the roads during the accident-prone hours after midnight, and avoid hard braking.
But Pennsylvania officials and Philadelphia’s consumer advocate raised questions about the plan, which Progressive says it has temporarily withdrawn.
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