GEORGIA INVESTIGATES PROGRESSIVE

The Georgia Insurance Commission has begun an investigation into Ohio-based motor insurer Progressive amid allegations that it sent private investigators into a church confessional in order to gather information on a couple that had taken legal action against the insurer. Commissioner John Oxendine has ordered Progressive to preserve “all documents, data and tangible things related to all losses or claims incurred or reported involving or related to Georgia policyholders since January 1 2003”. Mr Oxendine said that “in order to assure truthfulness within the industry, when we hear of possible wrongdoing, we have to act promptly to protect the consumer”. The private investigators are alleged to have posed as a married couple looking to join the church to which Bill and Leandra Pitts belonged. The Pitts had been involved in a car crash and were suing Progressive. The investigators are alleged to have attended a home “confessional” and recorded potentially embarrassing personal details revealed by several church members. Progressive issued an apology over the matter on its web site the week before last, according to a local report.