Flood Damaged Cars From Hurricane Katrina Get Crushed
Progressive Sends 5,000 Cars Removed From New Orleans' Flood Waters To The Crusher; Releases Photo
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana — November 28, 2005 — After Hurricane Katrina, flood-damaged cars in Louisiana's hardest-hit parishes were left sitting in water contaminated with e coli and fuel for up to four weeks before insurance companies could get in and start pulling them out. Environmental officials advised that these cars could be decontaminated by washing with soap and water or a combination of water and bleach. Once decontaminated, these vehicles could be sold to consumers anywhere in the country.
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, the third largest auto insurance group in Louisiana and in the U.S., made an unprecedented decision to scrap the more than 5,000 vehicles it insured that were declared total losses as a result of flood waters in St. Bernard parish and parts of Orleans parish.
"The reasons are simple," said Juan Andrade, claims general manager for the region. "We don't want our people working around those cars and we don't want them back on the road."
The cars are destroyed using a three-step process at the Bayou Steel Corporation's Mississippi River Recycling plant. First, they're crushed flat. Then, they're fed through a shredding machine. Finally, the parts are separated and the recyclable metals are melted into re-usable product.
The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, in business since 1937, provides drivers with competitive rates and 24/7, in-person and online service. The products and services of the Progressive Direct Group of Insurance Companies are marketed directly to consumers by phone at1-800-PROGRESSIVE and online at progressivedirect.com through the Progressive DirectSM brand. The Drive Group of Progressive Insurance Companies offers insurance through more than 30,000 independent insurance agencies that market their products and services through the Drive® Insurance from Progressive brand. For more information about Drive Insurance, go to driveinsurance.com. The Common Shares of the Progressive Corporation, the Mayfield Village, Ohio-based holding company, are publicly traded at NYSE:PGR. More information can be found at progressive.com.
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