EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS

Beginning July 1, 2017, employees of ARX and its subsidiaries were included in the benefit plans described below. References in this Note 9 to Progressive refer to The Progressive Corporation and its subsidiaries, including ARX and its subsidiaries. Prior to July 1, 2017, ARX maintained employee benefit plans that were separate from the plans that covered employees of The Progressive Corporation’s other subsidiaries.

Retirement Plans Progressive has a defined contribution pension plan (401(k) Plan) that covers employees who have been employed with the company for at least 30 days. Under Progressive’s 401(k) Plan, we match up to a maximum of 6% of an employee’s eligible compensation contributed to the plan. Employee and company matching contributions are invested, at the direction of the employee, in a number of investment options available under the plan, including various mutual funds, a self-directed brokerage option, and a Progressive common stock fund. Progressive’s common stock fund is an employee stock ownership program (ESOP) within the 401(k) Plan. At December 31, 2018, the ESOP held 24.1 million of our common shares, all of which are included in shares outstanding. Dividends on these shares are reinvested in common shares or paid out in cash, at the election of the participant, and the related tax benefit is recorded as part of our tax provision. Matching contributions to these plans for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016 were $106.8 million, $97.3 million, and $86.8 million.

Postemployment Benefits Progressive provides various postemployment benefits to former or inactive employees who meet eligibility requirements, and to their beneficiaries and covered dependents. Postemployment benefits include salary continuation and disability-related benefits, including workers’ compensation and, if elected, continuation of health-care benefits for specified limited periods. The liability for these benefits was $20.2 million and $19.5 million at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Incentive Compensation Plans – Employees Progressive’s incentive compensation programs include both non-equity incentive plans (cash) and equity incentive plans. Progressive’s cash incentive compensation included an annual cash incentive program for a limited number of senior executives and Progressive’s Gainsharing program for other employees; the structures of these programs were similar in nature. Progressive’s equity incentive compensation plans provide for the granting of restricted stock unit awards to key members of management.

In addition, ARX provides periodic cash bonuses to its employees and, prior to 2017, annual cash bonuses to its employees. ARX also has an equity compensation plan under which it has granted stock option awards, exercisable for shares of ARX common stock, to certain of its key employees. These stock option awards include both nonqualified and incentive stock options; all such stock options are subject to the put and call provisions of the ARX stockholders’ agreement (see Note 15 – Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest for further discussion). As a result of these provisions, and the determination that the ultimate settlement of these awards would be in cash, the ARX stock options are treated as liability awards for accounting purposes.

The amounts charged to income for Progressive and ARX incentive compensation plans for the years ended December 31, were:



	2018				2017				2016
(millions)	Pretax		After Tax		Pretax		After Tax		Pretax		After Tax
Non-equity incentive plans – cash	$	539.5	$	426.2	$	461.3	$	299.8	$	386.8	$	251.4
Equity incentive plans:
Equity awards	76.2		60.2		92.9		60.4		80.9		52.6
Liability awards	1.0		0.8		2.5		1.6		4.3		2.8

The increase in 2017 expense for the equity awards, compared to 2018 and 2016, primarily reflected an increase in management’s expectation of the percentage of certain performance-based awards that will ultimately vest (discussed below). The after-tax amounts are determined using the corporate federal tax rate of 21% for 2018 and 35% for 2017 and 2016.

Progressive’s 2015 Equity Incentive Plan, which provide for the granting of equity-based compensation to officers and other key employees, currently has authorized awards for up to 17.0 million shares, which includes 4.0 million shares transferred from the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan in accordance with the terms of the 2015 Equity Incentive Plan. No awards have been granted under the 2010 Equity Incentive Plan since January 2016 and none will be granted in the future.

The restricted equity awards are issued as either time-based or performance-based awards. All restricted stock units are settled at or after vesting in Progressive common shares from existing treasury shares on a one-to-one basis. The time-based awards vest in equal installments upon the lapse of specified periods of time, typically three, four, and five years.

The performance-based awards were granted to approximately 50 Progressive executives and senior managers in 2018 in addition to their time-based awards to provide additional incentive to achieve pre-established profitability and growth targets, relative investment performance, or specific growth measures.

Vesting of performance-based awards is contingent upon the achievement of predetermined performance goals within specified time periods. The targets for the performance-based awards, as well as the number of units that ultimately may vest, vary by grant. All performance-based awards include a specified number of units that will vest if performance meets a specified target and minimum performance goals. If at least the minimum performance goals are achieved, the range at which an award can vest is determined by the type of measurement goals included in the award, as follows:



Performance Measurement	Year(s) of Grant	Vesting range (as a percentage of target)
Growth of our personal auto and commercial auto businesses and homeowners multi-peril business, each compared to its respective market	2018	0-250%
Growth of our personal auto and commercial auto businesses, compared to the combined personal and commercial auto market	2013-2017	0-250%
Investment results relative to peer group	2013-2018	0-200%
Growth in percentage of auto policies bundled with other specified types of policies	2015	0% or 100-200%
Unit growth in a specified customer segment	2016-2017	0% or 85-150%

Generally, time-based and performance-based equity awards are expensed pro rata over their respective vesting periods based on the market value of the awards at the time of grant. Performance-based equity awards that contain variable vesting criteria are expensed based on management’s expectation of the percentage of the award, if any, that will ultimately vest. These estimates can change periodically throughout the measurement period.

A summary of all employee restricted equity award activity during the years ended December 31, follows:



	2018				2017				2016
Restricted Equity Awards	Number of Shares¹		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Number of Shares¹		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Number of Shares¹		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Beginning of year	5,858,848		$	30.47	6,951,373		$	26.18	7,725,227		$	23.37
Add (deduct):
Granted²	1,876,109		45.55		2,383,475		32.01		1,870,660		31.54
Vested	(2,811,070	)	26.41		(3,220,671	)	22.53		(2,422,700	)	21.50
Forfeited	(67,531	)	36.10		(255,329	)	28.03		(221,814	)	24.64
End of year^3,4	4,856,356		$	38.56	5,858,848		$	30.47	6,951,373		$	26.18

¹ Includes restricted stock units; Upon vesting, all units will be converted on a one-for-one basis into Progressive common shares funded from existing treasury shares. All performance-based awards are included at their target amounts.

²We reinvest dividend equivalents on restricted stock units. For 2018, 2017, and 2016, the number of units “granted” shown in the table above includes 144,668, 157,396, and 165,045 of dividend equivalent units, respectively, at a weighted average grant date fair value of $0, since the dividends were factored into the grant date fair value of the original grant.

³ At December 31, 2018, the number of shares included 1,017,520 performance-based units at their target amounts. We expect 2,447,409 units to vest based upon our current estimates of the likelihood of achieving the pre-determined performance goals applicable to each award.

⁴At December 31, 2018, the total unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested equity awards was $100.6 million, which includes performance-based awards at their currently estimated vesting value. This compensation expense will be recognized into the income statement over the weighted average vesting period of 2.2 years.

The aggregate fair value of the restricted equity awards that vested during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, was $162.7 million, $130.5 million, and $77.0 million, respectively, based on the actual stock price on the applicable vesting date.

As a result of the put and call rights described in Note 15 – Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest, all outstanding stock options awarded to ARX employees prior to April 1, 2015, are treated as liability awards for accounting purposes; however, the awards maintain the specific features per the original award agreements. The value of each option is based upon our good faith estimate of the fair market value as of the end of the reporting period and the pro rata expense is recognized.

A summary of all ARX employee stock option activity during the years ended December 31, follows:



	2018				2017				2016
Options Outstanding	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Number of Shares	Weighted Average Exercise Price
Beginning of year	22,550		$	564.60	24,995		$	526.46	24,995	$	526.46
Add (deduct):
Exercised¹	(6,483	)	506.26		(2,445	)	174.65		0	0
End of year	16,067		$	588.15	22,550		$	564.60	24,995	$	526.46
Exercisable, end of year	13,967		$	562.17	17,950		$	517.75	16,995	$	438.77

¹At the time of exercise in 2018 and 2017, the value earned by the option holders was $6.2 million and $2.9 million, respectively.



	2018				2017				2016
Non-Vested Options Outstanding	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Exercise Price
Beginning of year	4,600		$	747.45	8,000		$	712.74	12,000		$	677.81
Add (deduct):
Vested	(2,500	)	736.12		(3,400	)	665.79		(4,000	)	607.95
End of year¹	2,100		$	760.93	4,600		$	747.45	8,000		$	712.74

¹At December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, the remaining unrecognized compensation cost related to unvested options was $0.2 million, $0.7 million, and $1.6 million, respectively, and the remaining weighted average vesting period on the unvested awards was 0.53 years, 1.01 years, and 1.36 years, respectively.

Incentive Compensation Plans – Directors Progressive’s 2003 Directors Equity Incentive Plan, has expired and no new awards may be made under this plan; in 2017, shareholders approved the Progressive 2017 Directors Equity Incentive Plan and it provides for the granting of equity-based awards, including restricted stock awards, to non-employee directors, and originally authorized awards for up to 0.5 million shares.

The Progressive Corporation permits each non-employee director to indicate a preference to receive either 100% of their compensation in the form of a restricted stock award or 60% in the form of a restricted stock award and 40% in the form of cash. If the director does not state a preference, it is presumed that he or she preferred to receive 100% of their compensation in the form of restricted stock. After considering such preferences, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors determines the awards (restricted stock, or restricted stock and cash) for each non-employee director.

The restricted stock awards are issued as time-based awards. The vesting period (i.e., requisite service period) is typically 11 months from the date of each grant. To the extent a director is newly appointed during the year, or a director’s committee assignments change, the vesting period may be shorter. Both the restricted stock awards and cash, if elected, are expensed pro rata over their respective vesting periods based on the market value of the awards at the time of grant.

A summary of all directors’ restricted stock activity during the years ended December 31, follows:



	2018				2017				2016
Restricted Stock	Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value		Number of Shares		Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value
Beginning of year	53,284		$	40.54	55,839		$	33.24	89,427		$	27.23
Add (deduct):
Granted	41,706		62.23		53,284		40.54		55,839		33.24
Vested	(53,284	)	40.54		(55,839	)	33.24		(89,427	)	27.23
End of year¹	41,706		$	62.23	53,284		$	40.54	55,839		$	33.24

¹ At December 31, 2018, the remaining unrecognized compensation cost related to restricted stock awards was $0.9 million.

The aggregate fair value of the restricted stock vested, during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, was $3.2 million, $2.2 million, and $3.0 million, respectively, based on the actual stock price at time of vesting.

Deferred Compensation The Progressive Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (Deferral Plan) permits eligible Progressive executives to defer receipt of some or all of their annual incentive payments and all of their annual equity awards. Deferred cash compensation is deemed invested in one or more investment funds, including Progressive common shares, offered under the Deferral Plan and elected by the participant. All Deferral Plan distributions attributable to deferred cash compensation will be paid in cash.

For all equity awards granted in or after March 2005, and deferred pursuant to the Deferral Plan, the deferred amounts are deemed invested in our common shares and are ineligible for transfer to other investment funds in the Deferral Plan; distributions of these deferred awards will be made in Progressive common shares. For all restricted stock awards granted prior to that date, the deferred amounts are eligible to be transferred to any of the investment funds in the Deferral Plan; distributions of these deferred awards will be made in cash. We reserved 11.1 million of our common shares for issuance under the Deferral Plan.

An irrevocable grantor trust has been established to provide a source of funds to assist us in meeting our liabilities under the Deferral Plan. The Deferral Plan Irrevocable Grantor Trust account held the following assets at December 31:



(millions)	2018		2017
Progressive common shares¹	$	114.7	$	128.2
Other investment funds²	124.0		167.0
Total	$	238.7	$	295.2

¹Included 3.6 million and 4.4 million common shares as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, to be distributed in common shares.

²Amount is included in other assets on the balance sheet.