Progressive offers good career opportunities, but over time it has become more bureaucratic and risk averse.
Pros
For an industry that most people perceive as being very bureaucratic and stodgy, the work environment at Progressive is quite the opposite. On a scale of Google to GM, Progressive definitely leans more toward Google. Progressive offers a really positive work environment for its employees with a tremendous opportunity for growth and movement within the company. In fact, the company encourages its employees to work in different parts of the company throughout their career. The marketing group is given a great deal of latitude in terms of managing their employees, so it's easy to establish a good working relationship with your manager that suits both of your styles. Generally, if you need to work from home every now and then, that's not a problem. Taking time off is simply a matter of giving your manager a heads up a few days in advance. Performance evaluations are conducted annually, and most managers make an effort to prioritize your personal career goals along with those of the job when constructing objectives. While analysts are not offered stock options, all employees participate in a companywide "Gainsharing" program. Depending on your position and the company's performance each year, you can receive a certain percentage of your annual salary as a year-end bonus. If you like data analysis, Progressive is a great company to work for. Nearly every decision is driven by extensive statistical analysis, and those who know how to access and manipulate that data are rewarded as such and can go far in the company. Lastly, work-life balance at Progressive is excellent. I rarely found myself working more than 50 hours/week, and I generally left my work at work. You'll certainly find longer days in the ranks of upper management, but at the analyst level it is very reasonable.
Cons
Progressive isn't as edgy as their name implies. Out of the box ideas aren't as welcome as they used to be, and most decisions are made with an air of conservatism. The CBA tends to have the final say in all decision making. The trailblazing spirit that helped make Progressive such a success seems to be stifled. The company really plays up the idea of an internal career track from analyst to product manager, but in my time there I didn't see much follow through. A couple senior analysts eventually became product managers, but the majority of PMs are recruited from Top 10 b-schools. The management style at Progressive differs significantly between groups, so some people have amazing experiences, while others have miserable ones. Understanding the dynamic of your work group is critical in that regard.