Esurance Surpasses Green Milestone of 100,000 Trees Planted

SAN FRANCISCO, May 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Esurance, the direct-to-consumer car insurance company, recently planted 8,000 trees in Springfield, Ohio, through its "Save a Windshield, Plant a Tree" program. The Arbor Day tree planting helped the company surpass the 100,000 mark for trees planted and reach a major milestone in its green initiatives.

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Part of the company's partnership with auto glass claims service provider HSG, "Save a Windshield, Plant a Tree" is a unique program that pledges to plant a tree for every Esurance customer who chooses to have their windshield repaired instead of replaced.

The program is designed to help keep millions of pounds of glass out of landfills, ultimately helping the environment by decreasing waste, preserving valuable landfill space, and reducing pollution from new glass fabrication. Since its inception in 2009, 13,500 customers have had a windshield repaired rather than replaced.

"Environmental awareness has been at the forefront of Esurance core values and a key component of our community and brand partnerships since we began in 1999," said Esurance President and CEO Gary Tolman. "Over the years our partnerships have ranged from sporting events to music festivals, and our eco-initiatives have included recycling, carpooling, and urban reforestation. We will continue to seek out partners that help reinforce our commitment to the environment."

Other environmental initiatives Esurance has been involved with recently include those in:

Washington: Esurance has been a long-time sponsor of the Sasquatch! Music Festival at the Gorge in George, Washington, and was the first company to help make the event carbon neutral in 2007. Working with Sasquatch organizers, Esurance offset a majority of the festival's carbon footprint through support of wind farms and methane-capture projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. In 2009, Esurance's recycling program helped keep 4.5 tons of waste out of landfills, and last year, the green insurer added carpooling to its Sasquatch initiatives. This Memorial Day weekend, Esurance continues to help keep the historic venue green through increased energy efficiency, recycling, and carpooling options.

California: In honor of NBA Green Week, Esurance joined the Golden State Warriors to encourage carpooling and the use of public transportation. Warriors players Stephen Curry and Ekpe Udoh joined Esurance CEO Gary Tolman and VP of Marketing Darren Howard, along with other associates and volunteers at a Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station near its San Francisco headquarters. The "Green Mob" gave local commuters pre-paid BART cards up to $50 in value and Warriors game tickets. For additional photos from this event visit the Esurance Facebook page.

Through these efforts and more, Esurance continues to be an environmental steward, pushing the envelope on what it means to be a green car insurance company.

About Esurance®

Esurance, a subsidiary of White Mountains Insurance Group, Ltd. (NYSE: WTM), provides personal car insurance direct to consumers online and through select agents, including sister company, Answer Financial. Esurance is dedicated to constantly improving the way people shop for, buy, and manage their car insurance. By combining the best of technology with industry know-how, Esurance is able to offer hassle-free coverage with 24/7 customer service and claims handling at competitive prices.

Through Esurance's website, www.esurance.com, customers can get instant car insurance quotes, view comparison quotes, buy an Esurance policy, and print their insurance cards— all in minutes. Esurance also offers policyholders the ability to make policy changes and file claims instantly online, demonstrating its commitment to improving the entire insurance process from quote to claim.

Answer Financial, also a subsidiary of White Mountains, is one of the largest independent personal lines insurance agencies in the country. Answer Financial offers comparison quotes and provides car and property insurance from more than a dozen top-rated insurance companies through its website, www.answerfinancial.com, and over the phone.

SOURCE Esurance

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