Exploring Progressive’s AutoQuote Explorer

In Late April, Progressive started using AutoQuote Explorer for its car insurance rate comparison tool. The insurer filed a trademark for the name last year and it’s now being used to describe its rate comparison tool.

Here’s a look of the previous and current version.

You could argue that there’s also a difference in the product itself, at least when it comes to how it’s presented. Seeing how a Progressive rate stacks up against others is one thing; giving shoppers the option to compare auto insurance rates from different companies is another. What’s more, the trademark application describes AutoQuote Explorer in the following way: “Price comparison services, namely, providing comparative rates from various companies for motor vehicle property and casualty insurance, via an online application.”

The process begins by getting a quote from Progressive. The shopper is then presented with two options – buying the policy or opting to use AutoQuote Explorer to compare the rate against others.

Once the AutoQuote Explorer option is selected, Progressive redirects the shopper to progressive.insurance.com, which presents a screen asking for more info such as annual mileage, age of first license, and the years of employment. In the next step, the data is ‘analyzed’ and quotes are presented.

As you can see, Progressive’s rate is presented next to a rate from Travelers, which is less expensive. The service, which is powered by QuinStreet, even allows the shopper to compare the two coverages side-by-side.

I completed the process with Travelers, which required more information to later present its rate which ended up being more expensive than Progressive’s, and ~50% more than their initial $481 rate.