Progressive Insurance® Expands UpPayment® to Help 200 First-Time Homebuyers Get Into a Home

New investment and expanded access deliver down payment assistance for homebuyers

This article was originally published on progressive.mediaroom.com.

Mayfield Village, OH, May 4, 2026 — To help make homebuying more accessible, Progressive Insurance is expanding the UpPayment program, a down payment assistance program designed to help eligible first-time homebuyers overcome financial barriers and get into homes faster. The program will provide personalized down payment assistance up to $13,500 each toward the purchase of a first home to at least 200 eligible applicants.

The UpPayment program is part of Progressive's Open the House initiative, a multi-year commitment to help more people get into a home, sustain homeownership, and build wealth along the way through education, community partnerships, and targeted financial support.

"For many people, the hardest part of buying a home isn't the monthly payment – it's getting in the door," said Tricia Griffith, Chief Executive Officer at Progressive. "UpPayment is designed to remove that barrier. By combining financial support with practical guidance, we're helping more first-time buyers take a meaningful step toward stability and deepening our commitment to help people move forward and live fully."

With the growing wealth gap and rising housing costs, it's become harder for many people to buy a home – only 21% of homebuyers in 2025 were purchasing their first home, the lowest number ever recorded by the National Association of Realtors.

"For a long time, homeownership felt out of reach for me. I've faced housing instability and worked hard to create something better for my daughter, but the down payment was always the biggest hurdle," said Tiffany Bauldwin, an UpPayment recipient. "When I found out I was selected, it was a huge weight off my shoulders. This program didn't just help me buy a house, it gave us a place to finally feel safe, stable and at peace."

The UpPayment program is now open through October 31. To apply, applicants will first need to work with a participating HUD-certified housing counselor, at no cost. Counselors are trained to help homebuyers navigate the homebuying process and connect them with financial assistance programs, including UpPayment. To locate a participating housing counselor visit progressive.com/openthehouse .

The UpPayment program is only available to first-time homebuyers who have not owned a home in the past three years, have enrolled and are actively participating in a HUD-approved housing counseling program, and have secured a recent mortgage pre-approval. Eligible individuals must meet income requirements, be legal U.S. residents, and be at least 18 years old. See the Terms and Conditions for more information about eligibility requirements.

For more information on how to apply visit: progressive.com/openthehouse.

Since 2024, Progressive has committed more than $16 million toward making the dream of homeownership more achievable to date through:

• Providing down payment assistance to help more than 100 families buy homes

• Expanding access to HUD-certified counseling for over 15,000 households

• Delivering educational tools to more than 300,000 first-time homebuyers

• Supporting housing stabilization services that have helped more than 960 families remain housed during times of hardship