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.”