Travelers Hybrid Auto Insurance - Newsroom and Press Releases

Newsroom ›› Press Releases

TRAVELERS OFFERS HYBRID CAR OWNERS DRIVERS IN FIVE ADDITIONAL STATES 10 PERCENT DISCOUNT ON AUTO INSURANCE

Company Launches Hybridtravelers.com as Resource Site for Hybrid Drivers

HARTFORD, Conn., May 1, 2006 – In addition to potential federal tax deductions, hybrid-driving residents in Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York and Washington can now take advantage of a 10 percent discount* on auto insurance offered by Travelers personal lines. This is the first such program offered nationally.

In addition to these states, Travelers, a member of St. Paul Travelers (NYSE:STA), the discount is also available in Alabama, Mississippi, Nevada, Kansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin. The states added this week bring the total number of states in which the program is offered to 38.
“Our preliminary research indicates that hybrid owners tend to fall into the preferred insured category, and at Travelers, lower risk drivers are rewarded with lower premiums,” said Greg Toczydlowski, senior vice president of product management for Travelers. “And considering the growth potential of the hybrid marketplace, we want to be well positioned to meet its needs.”

The consumers Travelers is addressing through this innovative program are in a specific demographic category known as LOHAS: Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. A more trendy term for this group of individuals who are focused on health, the environment, social justice, personal development and sustainable living is “metrospiritual.” It’s a $227 billion market segment that strives to make sure its buying habits jibe with its values—and it’s growing.

"Hybrid car owners have made a purchasing decision that make them part of this like-minded community,” confirmed Toczydlowski. “That sense of community is why we also created hybridtravelers.com. We wanted to give them—and those considering purchasing a hybrid car—a central place for information and entertainment related to hybrid driving.”

Visitors to www.hybridtravelers.com can review up-to-date information on federal and state tax benefits for hybrid drivers as well as other community incentives, such as discounted or free parking, and can share their stories as “hybrid travelers.” With a grand prize drawing in July, there’s still plenty of time to register on the site to win a getaway vacation to the Enchantment Resort and Spa in Sedona, Arizona. All visitors who enter for the grand prize will also be eligible to win monthly giveaways of an iPod nano and $15 iTunes gift card.

The site also features the Early Adopt-o-meter, which ranks visitors’ penchants for embracing new technologies. And, of course, visitors can also access an agent locator and obtain policy information.

Travelers, the second largest writer of auto and homeowners insurance through independent agents, is a member of St. Paul Travelers, a leading provider of property casualty insurance. For more information, visit www.travelers.com. Travelers of Florida homeowners and other property policies will be underwritten solely by First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, which is licensed to write business only in Florida. Travelers of Florida auto policies will be underwritten by First Floridian or The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company. For more information, visit www.travelersfl.com.