It’s no surprise that many insurers have offered apps for the ever popular iPhone, and it’s cousins the iPod Touch and iPad.
What may be surprising, though it shouldn’t be, is that Progressive Insurance has created an app for Google’s Android (TM) operating system, which, according to ComScore, Inc., a digital measurement company, is the fastest growing smart phone platform on the market.
Matt Lehman, Progressive’s web experience director, explains, “We’ve seen a 30 percent increase in visits to our mobile Web site by Android users over the past four months. Our Android app is designed to simplify the mobile experience for this fast-growing group of customers.”
Lehman also said that the company’s goal is to make it easier and more convenient for a broad range of mobile users to interact with their insurance company.
The Android app allows users to:
- Request car insurance quotes and purchase policies
- Update policy information
- Make payments
- Get directions to the office of a local, independent insurance agent
- Get directions to the nearest service center offering Progressive’s concierge service
- Research recall notices and crash test results
- Calculate monthly car loan payments, and create a budget
- Compare the cost to insure different cars
- File and track claims
- Watch the latest Progressive television spots
With the release of this app, which is available from the Marketplace on Android devices, Progressive has become the first car insurance group to introduce an Android app that is specifically for car insurance. They have already released an iPhone app, and also maintain a mobile-friendly web site.