Does Progressive Insurance Hire Felons?

Progressive insurance is an American Insurance company. They insure automobiles, boats, R.V., motorcycles and more. They offer a wide variety of insurance products and bundle discounts.

The nature of business for some companies does not allow them to hire felons. Felons do deserve a second chance to be productive members of society but there are laws that companies have to follow. Those laws say that companies cannot hire felons. Is Progressive Insurance one of those companies?

About Progressive Insurance

Progressive Insurance has made its business about insuring people valuable machines and property. They offer a wide variety of products for personal and commercial automobiles, personal crafts, homes and more.

Progressive Insurance was co-founded in 1937 by Jack Green and Joseph M. Lewis. In 1956 they found their market to be insuring more risky drivers. Progressive Insurance was the first insurance company to have a website where customers could buy policies. They were also the first company to have 24/7 claims reporting. Progressive has become one of the largest auto insurers in the United States.

Progressive have over 13 million policies in force. Their services are sold through the internet or by phone, with some independent agents throughout the country. They have more than 30,000 independent agencies. Progressive is ranked #99 in the 2019 Fortune 500 list.

Progressive offers its employees a wide variety of benefits. They offer medical, dental and vision plans, as well as a 6% match on 401k plans. Employees can take advantage of benefits like fitness centers,  health clinics and seated massages in the office.

Employees of this company definitely like the benefits available to them, and the extra benefits their centers offer. They also rave about the friendly environment they work in. Many employees have reported that all their locations are classy, well organized, well trained and comfortable to work in.

Does Progressive Hire Felons

Reports and research have shown that Progressive Insurance Company does not hire felons. This is due to the laws governing their industry. Often to ensure the quality of their employees they choose to hire applicants with a clean and clear criminal history.

Because the insurance industry has laws stating that a felon can not be employed in many of the positions they hire for they cannot hire felons. Felons can also not be licensed in the insurance industry this also prevents progressive from hiring felons. This is done for security and bonding purposes.

Does Progressive Insurance Do Background Checks

Progressive does do background checks. They go back as far as 10 years looking at criminal history for most of their positions. An insurance company is not going to hire, train and employ anyone with a felony conviction. The background check is the second step in the application process.

Progressive doesn’t want to hire people that aren’t going to be able to become licensed agents or bonded for liability reasons. To become a licensed insurance agent, you must pass a background check and become bonded for liability. A felon cannot pass a background check and they cannot be bonded for liability. Not doing background checks would put Progressive at risk for hiring people that are a risk for the company.

Careers at Progressive Insurance

Progressive has thousands of career opportunities available all across the United States. There is a high demand for many of their positions such as a claims adjuster, customer service rep. And inbound call center rep. They also offer work from home opportunities after training onsite in one of their offices.

Claims Adjuster

There are various claims adjuster positions and different levels of an adjuster. In this position you will help customers get back on the road after an accident. You will determine liability and work with appraisers and estimators. You will negotiate with customers and other insurance carriers to settle on payouts and repair costs.

Customer Service Rep & Inbound Call Center Rep

Customer service reps have a lot of phone work, and they have to be sure of the information that they are conveying to the customer. They answer inbound calls, supporting existing customers and managing their policies. They help by answering questions, get customers to the right department and more.

Facilities Maintenance Technician

Prefer a general knowledge of OSHA policies and procedures. Provide safe and comfortable facilities. Make sure that facilities are clean and up to standard. There is a 3-year experience in commercial custodial work and a high school diploma or GED requirement for this position.

Medical Claims Rep

Must keep the medical claims process efficient and supportive for customers. Conducts research on claims, negotiates with attorneys and clients. There is a bachelor’s degree required for this position.

Software Developer

Support the advancement of cloud technologies, UBI applications and policy servicing platforms. This is a technical position and requires a bachelor’s degree in information technologies and relevant field experience.

Application Process at Progressive

To begin the application process you go to www.progressive.com/careers. You will be able to search and apply for open positions near you. Many positions need a pre-employment assessment. After the assessment, if you qualify your next steps will be resume submission and interview. The whole process can take up to 4 weeks.

Once you have interviewed and been offered employment all necessary background checks will be done. It can take a couple of weeks for background checks to come back and be approved. The application process is not quick and so, they have laws to follow and assets to protect.

The majority of Progressives positions can be applied for online, only those fortunate enough to be near one of their centers can apply in person. Be sure that you meet their eligibility requirements and have the proper credentials for the position you are applying for.

As found during research this is not a quick hiring or application process. There are employment assessments, background checks and qualification checks that are performed prior to the offer of employment. This company also has to follow rules and guidelines to make sure that they are not hiring felons for sensitive positions.

Even for the most entry-level type position you are required to have experience. It’s best not to lie about your background or experience as it will not get you lengthy employment with Progressive.