White Plains, NY - January 22, 2002   Response Insurance, a growing direct-to-the-consumer auto insurance company, moved up on the New York State Insurance Department’s just released 2000 ranking of best performing insurers as measured by their low number of complaints relative to their customer base. At the same time some of the state’s most prominent insurers slipped significantly.

The Response Insurance group of companies, whose customer-base in the state qualified it for the rating for the first time just last year, improved its position by moving up from number 19 to number 17 on the list of 54 auto insurance groups in the state. In doing so, Response once again made the Insurance Department’s list of the “Top-25” companies.

In contrast, major competitors slipped in the rankings. National giants, such as Metropolitan dropped out of the “Top-25” altogether, going from number 16 to 29. Others, that ranked near the bottom last year, remained there, including Nationwide, which fell from 40 to 44; AIG, which fell from 44 to 50; and Allstate – the state’s largest insurer – which slipped a notch from 48 to 49.

“To me, this is a reflection of our employees and our focus on insuring responsible drivers,” stated Mory Katz, Chairman of Response Insurance. “Our team knows how to serve customers and they obviously have demonstrated it once again."

The Response Insurance group, which sold its first policy in New York in 1997, has grown nationally and now has policyholders in 32 states. The New York State Insurance Department Annual Ranking of Automobile Insurance Complaints for 2000 can be found at the Department’s website: www.ins.state.ny.us. The listing ranks 54 auto insurance groups that include more than 225 companies doing business in the state.

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Contact:  Ray Palermo   203-634-7251  rpalermo@response.com