1st Guard® Develops another iPhone® Application for Truckers

Venice, FL– November 30, 2009 - Truck insurer, 1st Guard Corporation, has developed another iPhone application called AheadofMe, designed for the American trucker in mind. AheadofMe can be easily downloaded for free from the Apple iTunes store.

Simple in design, AheadOfMe takes into account the users current location and factors in speed and direction of travel to determine the future destination. Additionally, the application displays the high and low temperature along with speed, latitude & longitude and course direction giving the user a full view of their environment.

“AheadOfMe is the first app of its kind that gives our customers quick information pertinent to them being on the road. It was designed specifically for long-haul truckers who will benefit from knowing destination and weather info at a glance,” stated Daniel Ribar, Chief Information Officer of 1st Guard Corporation.

Truck Insurer Offers New iPhone® App

Venice, FL – October 26, 2009 – Truck insurer, 1st Guard Corporation, today announced that TRUCKER1, a free mobile application for the iPhone, is now available on the Apple App Store. TRUCKER1 is the first mobile application developed specifically for owner operators. “The iPhone provides a perfect platform for extending information to and communication with our customers.” stated Daniel Ribar, Chief Information Officer for 1st Guard Corporation. “For owner operators, TRUCKER1 represents a new level of productivity.”

Anyone can download TRUCKER1 and use the free tools for transmitting route and location details to the e-mail and Facebook accounts of friends and family members. However, TRUCKER1 has added functionality for 1st Guard® customers including instant coverage verification, which replaces the need to carry insurance ID cards, and an easy but technically advanced claims submission process. “We used the full gambit of technologies – GPS, reverse geo-coding, social-networking, geo-stamping images, web services and more to define what an app like this should be” commented Ribar.

1st Guard Corporation has announced a 10% insurance discount for all qualifying users beginning January 1, 2010. The company anticipates that TRUCKER1 will ultimately lead to lower processing and customer service costs. “We’ve literally put an insurance company in the palm of our customers’ hand and topped it off with premium savings,” said Mr. Ribar. That’s commitment to truckers!

First Guard Insurance Company Reaffirmed “A” Rating by A.M. Best

Venice, Florida (September 8, 2009) – Specialty truck insurer First Guard Insurance Company announced today that A.M. Best Company has affirmed its financial strength rating of A (Excellent) with a stable rating outlook. For the latest ratings, visit www.ambest.com.

First Guard’s solid capitalization and balance sheet liquidity coupled with a history of excellent underwriting and operating profitability attribute greatly to the company’s A (Excellent) rating. In addition, management’s effectiveness and aversion to unreasonable risk play strongly to long-term profitability and stability.

“Notwithstanding the challenging economic environment – particularly for truckers, 2008 was our most profitable year ever, and our results for the first eight months of 2009 have us on track for another record year. Surplus now stands at an all time high. We remain committed to the direct writing model as the most efficient and cost effective means for delivering insurance. The “A” rating from AM Best lends credence to our approach for marketing and underwriting truck insurance.” said Ed Campbell III, Chairman of First Guard Insurance Company.

First Guard Insurance Company Adds South Dakota to License List

Venice, Florida (July 23, 2009) – Specialty truck insurer First Guard Insurance Company announced today they received the Certificate of Authority to write business in South Dakota. Currently, First Guard is licensed in twenty-five states, primarily concentrated east of the Mississippi. The addition of South Dakota brings the total to twenty-six. First Guard Insurance Company is rated “A” (Excellent) by AM Best.

“South Dakota broadens our reach westward where we see great potential for growth,” commented Donna Fortuna, President of First Guard Insurance Company.

First Guard Insurance Company is the only specialty truck insurer in the country that does not market through independent insurance agents.

Save Trees. Save Money. Protect Your Identity.

Did you know you can reduce the risk of identity theft by eliminating paper bills and signing up for one of 1st Guard’s® electronic payment options? Stolen or lost checkbooks and discarded billing statements largely attribute to identity theft. Protecting our customers’ identity is extremely important to 1st Guard®. In fact, we don’t even store your credit card information on file. [For further information, please click here].

Best of all, when you enroll in one of our “green-friendly” electronic payment plans, you have the potential to save up to 15% on your truck insurance and positively impact our environment.

How to sign up?

Simple. Just call 1st Guard toll-free at 866-FAST234 to speak with a customer service agent about the variety of electronic payment methods.

Please Note: Discount may not be applicable in all states.
Call 1st Guard for an instant quote to see if you are eligible for this potential savings!

1st Guard Corporation Joins Facebook & Twitter

Venice, Florida – May 20, 2009 – 1st Guard Corporation, a premier truck insurance firm for lease owner operators, can now be found on Facebook and Twitter. Friend 1st Guard® on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and get the inside scoop through updates, wall posts, photos, and press releases.

The social network of Facebook and Twitter will give customers a new way to interact and communicate with 1st Guard®. Customers will be able to preview upcoming product and service enhancements not yet released to the public. They will have the opportunity to provide feedback about any future enhancements allowing 1st Guard® to serve their customer base better. Beyond that 1st Guard® will also use Facebook and Twitter to post the latest blog entries, exciting news and noteworthy events.

“1st Guard® is a leader in innovation and joining Facebook and Twitter made perfect sense in creating new paths of communication with our customers,” commented Colin Cowne, Online Systems Analyst for 1st Guard Corporation.

1st Guard Corporation is the only truck insurance firm currently using social media outlets to connect with their customers.

First Guard Insurance Company Adds QuickDox Feature to Mobile Device Application

Venice, FL – May 11, 2009 – Specialty truck insurer First Guard Insurance Company has added another feature to their 1st Guard® Mobile (1G-Mobile) website called QuickDox. Available on all mobile devices that have Internet access, QuickDox enables truckers to request an e-mailed copy of certificates of insurance or their last truck insurance invoice. A customer must enter the last six digits of the tractor or trailer’s VIN plus the account zip code. The requested documents are then automatically sent to the email address on file. The QuickDox application intentionally does not ask for any e-mail addresses for the protection of the customers. From start to finish, the turnaround time to receive requested documents is less than one minute.

“Most websites make users login and search for documents – we give them an extremely fast path to get the information they need. Most of the time in less then a minute they have their documents in hand,” said Chief Information Officer, Daniel Ribar.

“The ability to retrieve insurance documents instantaneously via mobile devices is revolutionary,” commented Ed Campbell III, Chairman of First Guard Insurance Company. “No one has introduced this high level of technology to their customer base; First Guard continues to be on the leading edge.”

First Guard Insurance Company Closes Claims 34% Faster

Venice, Florida – May 6, 2009 –Specialty truck insurer First Guard Insurance Company reports closing claims 34% faster as a direct result of new claims processing software. Developed internally by First Guard’s automation group and launched in 2007, the claims processing software caters to doing business 100% electronically. All information pertaining to each claim is housed electronically eliminating paper files and enabling instant access to necessary data. Additionally, the software includes capabilities to allow customers to report claims from mobile devices and PDA's, which has also enhances processing time. “The days when fax and US mail were the standard ways of settling claims made it difficult to close claims quickly,” commented Ed Campbell III, Chairman of First Guard Insurance Company. “Handling claims electronically has reduced the time it takes to settle a claim and has helped First Guard leverage compatibility with all realms of technology,” added Campbell.

Beyond electronic filing, the claims processing software incorporates a claims management tool that monitors the daily progress of each claim. Proactive in nature, this tool helps manage the workload of each claim and streamline the claims process, ultimately reducing the amount of time a claim is open. “The faster we close a claim, the more beneficial it is for everyone involved,” said Dan Ribar, Chief Information Officer.

Advanced technology and automation contribute to closing claims faster but the picture would not be complete without the stellar performance of First Guard claims personnel. “Consistent communication with our insureds, body shops and adjusters attributes greatly to First Guard’s success in closing claims fast and efficiently,” remarked Betsy Stealey, Director of Claims for First Guard Insurance Company. “We don’t give in and we fight for our insureds until the end,” added Stealey.

First Guard Insurance Company Launches Mobile Claims Submission

Venice, Florida – April 13, 2009 – First Guard Insurance Company, one of the nation’s premiere physical damage truck insurance companies for commercial (Class 8) vehicles, recently launched the capability to report a claim via a mobile Smart Device. “The ability to submit new claim information using a mobile device is an incredible feature that no other truck insurer offers,” stated Ed Campbell III, Chairman of First Guard Insurance Company.

In order to submit a claim from a mobile device, a First Guard insured has to go to their website http://www.1stguard.com/ and click on the Quick Claim icon. The process takes less than five minutes to complete. Once all the information is submitted to First Guard, a licensed claims adjuster will call the insured within normal business hours to initiate a formal claim. The quick claim icon on the mobile device is similar to a Contact Us page – it is a fast and effective way to transmit pertinent information to First Guard. It is important to note that the mobile claims submission is for new claims only.

“First Guard’s goal is to make life easier for the trucker, and anything we can do, such as the mobile claims submission is definitely a step in the right direction,” added Campbell.

1st Guard Corporation Safeguards Customers by Eliminating Storage of Credit Card Information

Venice, Florida - March 16, 2009 – 1st Guard Corporation, a specialty insurer for long-haul truckers, recently implemented a monumental change in the way they store policyholder credit card information. This change eliminates the storing of all credit card numbers onsite and drastically reduces [if not eliminates] the exposure to a security breach and the liability associated with it. It is all too common these days to hear about companies that have lost hundreds of thousands of customer credit card numbers in a single devastating event. “1st Guard’s® priority is to protect our policyholders,” commented Daniel Ribar, Chief Information Officer at 1st Guard Corporation. “People count on us to provide reliable insurance services and it is our duty to deliver just that,” added Ribar.

For each customer that pays their premium electronically, only one primary card will be stored on file. 1st Guard® will no longer store multiple credit cards for a single customer. This change immediately reduces the exposure to a security breach. Additionally, only the last four digits of the credit card with the expiration date will appear on the payment screen at 1st Guard®. All sensitive numbers that make up the entire credit card will be stored at merchant services which are kept on file for a maximum of 90 days.

Ed Campbell III, Chairman of 1st Guard Corporation stated, “The hacker stories on television have made everyone cognizant that security is a huge issue in daily business operations. 1st Guard took the initiative to make sure the best security measures are in place to protect our policyholder’s financial information.”

1st Guard Corporation Launches 1st Guard® Mobile: A Website Application for Smart Device Users

Venice, Florida – February 17, 2009 – 1st Guard Corporation, a leader in providing physical damage and nontrucking liability insurance to lease owner operators, announced today they have launched 1st Guard® Mobile, a website interface that is accessible from any mobile Smart Device. A Smart Device is considered an iPhone, Blackberry, Palm Pilot, WindowsMobile and the like. The premise behind 1st Guard® Mobile is to allow a user access to 1st Guard®’s website [www.1stguard.com] using a mobile device instead of a PC. Beyond typical phone capabilities, Smart Devices are being used more frequently to access the Internet and carry out day to day business operations. “It is important for us [1st Guard] to be on the cutting edge, if not bleeding edge, of technology and automation,” stated Daniel Ribar, Chief Information Officer for 1st Guard Corporation. “Through innovation we strive to provide everything our customers and future customers would need at their finger tips. 1st Guard® Mobile is a prime example of that,” added Ribar.

1st Guard® Mobile is simple in design, but mechanically driven and extremely functional. To access the 1st Guard® website on a mobile device, a user must go to http://www.1stguard.com/, which automatically takes you to a mobile version of the website. The functions are the same on the mobile device as they are using a computer to access the Internet. A user can obtain an instant quote on a tractor/trailer, view products and FAQ’s, and submit an inquiry for a 1st Guard® representative to call them back.




1st Guard® Mobile is in production mode and will reflect any changes that are made to the public website. For example, in the Spring 1st Guard® anticipates releasing the enhanced version of My Account. This is where a current insured can access his account, view and print documents, make a payment and much more. When this capability is made available on the public website, it will also be available on 1st Guard® Mobile. “To be able to access your truck insurance account in real time on a mobile device any time, any place is an amazing feature that no other truck insurer offers,” remarked Ed Campbell III, Chairman of 1st Guard.

First Guard Insurance Reports 98.5% Customer Satisfaction for Claims Handling

Venice, Florida – February 4, 2009 – First Guard Insurance Company, a specialty truck physical damage insurer for long-haul truckers, recently reported a 98.5% customer satisfaction rating for claims handling for 2008. As a direct-writer for physical damage insurance, First Guard operates their own in-house claims division that deals with tractor trailer claims on a daily basis. First Guard does not use a third party administrator (TPA). Betsy Stealey, Director of Claims for First Guard Insurance Company, commented “In the truck insurance business, it is extremely important to provide our customers with fast, reliable claims service so they get back on the road as quickly as possible. Receiving such a high customer satisfaction rating is not only gratifying but an achievement that will resonate within the owner operator community.”

Each time a claim is settled a claims survey is automatically sent to the insured. In hopes of increasing the percentage of returned surveys, a self-addressed pre-paid envelope is included. The survey consists of four key questions that target adjuster responsiveness and overall service. Each question is weighed individually and then averaged to compile the overall claims satisfaction rating. For 2008, the satisfaction rating for each question ranged between 97.8% to a high of 99.7%.

“Handling truck claims are not easy,” commented Ed Campbell III, Chairman of First Guard Insurance Company. “But we have the philosophy here that just because a lease owner operator has a claim doesn't mean his business has to come to a halt. It’s quite the opposite when you deal with First Guard. We get them back on the road in no time so business can continue as usual.”

Save BIG with 1st Guard

Did you know you could Save up to 15% on your physical damage premium if you sign up for one of the electronic payment methods offered by 1st Guard?

Electronic payment methods include: debit card, credit card or automatic draft from a checking/savings account. Forget the hassle of writing a check and making sure it arrives on-time. Your physical damage premium is on-time, all the time when you pay electronically. Generally speaking, no deposit (escrow) is collected when you pay your premium electronically. That means less money out of your pocket!

The savings attributed to paying a physical damage premium electronically is offered only to lease owner operators that buy direct from 1st Guard.

True Statistic

The average 1st Guard customer saves $295 PER YEAR
when switching to an electronic payment method.

Please Note: Discount may not be applicable in all states. Call 1st Guard for an instant quote to see if you are eligible for this potential savings!

1st Guard® Launches Customer-Oriented Website

Venice, Florida – January 12, 2009 – 1st Guard Corporation, a leader in providing physical damage and nontrucking liability insurance to leased owner operators, launched a new version of their public website this past weekend. The website received an overhaul in design and functionality, incorporating navigation tools that allow the customer to use the website with ease. Daniel Ribar, Chief Information Officer of 1st Guard Corporation, stated “It boils down to the customer and making their life easier. It’s not about us, it’s about them [customers] and that’s the mindset we used when developing the new look and feel of the website.”

The new version of the 1st Guard® website, which can be viewed at www.1stguard.com, is very straightforward. There are four main activities that a customer, or potential customer, would visit the 1st Guard® website for: 1) Get an Instant Quote 2) Purchase Online 3) Manage My Account and 4) Submit a New Claim. “We got rid of the fluff and honed in on simplicity and functionality for the customer,” added Ribar. Beyond functionality, the 1st Guard® automation group integrated additional layers of security, making the website an extremely safe place to do business.

The last revision of the website occurred in April 2006, which relatively speaking is not that long ago. However, in business it is essential to never let things go stale and the redevelopment of the website goes along these lines. “1st Guard® is the only truck insurer that provides online business activities with such ease. We want to deliver the best service possible to our customers and the website revamp drives this point home,” remarked Ed Campbell III, Chairman of 1st Guard Corporation.

DD&S Express Awarded Fleet of the Year 2008

Venice, FL – January 7, 2009 – First Guard Insurance Company announced today that DD&S Express Inc., a heavy and specialized transportation company based out of Baltimore, Maryland, has won Fleet of the Year for 2008. This is the fourth time DD&S Express has won this prestigious award. They also received Fleet of the Year in 2002, 2004 and 2005.

The Fleet of the Year award is presented once a year to the trucking company with the lowest physical damage loss ratio. The purpose of the award is to promote safety and efficiency amongst trucking companies and their owner operators.

Rick Seleski, Vice President & General Manager for DD&S Express, said “Not only is it an honor to receive this award for the fourth time, but it is a testament to our culture at DD&S. As a specialized heavy haul carrier we must put safety front and center. This commitment has enabled us to

maintain the safest, most professional owner operators on the road.” Scott Furley, Director of Safety & Recruiting, added “We are happy to bring this award back to DD&S Express this year. With the help of First Guard's staff and our owner operators we will make another run at it in the new year.”

Ed Campbell III, Chairman of First Guard Insurance Company, knows what an accomplishment it is to win the Fleet of the Year award. “There is no doubt DD&S Express raises the bar for safety standards in the owner operator trucking community,” commented Campbell. “To win the Fleet of the Year award four times is almost unheard of. DD&S Express definitely deserves a round of applause for their amazing safety and compliance management.”

DD&S Express was established as a division of Davidson Transfer & Storage Company. In 1995, DD&S Express became their own company, making a niche in the trucking industry for super loads (heavy –specialized) while supplementing with standard shipments. In September 2008, DD&S Express became a division of Security Storage Company, a moving, storage and logistics company located in Washington, DC.

Picture (left to right): Larry Depace, President & Rick Seleski, General Manager for DD&S Express