Nov. 14, 2007 Allstate Insurance Company is planning to give customers a greener car insurance option. The company's Allstate Green program, currently in a pilot phase, will help offset drivers' auto emissions by funding reforestation and clean energy projects in the U.S.

With each new enrollment to its electronic Easy Pay Plan, Allstate will donate $30 to the nonprofit Carbonfund.org, which is involved in carbon offset projects. The donation is enough to offset a typical vehicle's emissions for one year.

Allstate says the new program reflects its strategy of designing products and services around the consumer. "Our customers have told us they would like to improve the environment but also recognize the necessity to drive their cars," says president and CEO Tom Wilson. "[Allstate Green] enables customers to improve the environment and save money through contributions to domestic programs that offset greenhouse gas emissions and generate renewable electric energy."

In addition to the new customer carbon offset program, Allstate has pledged to offset annual energy use of its own corporate headquarters, including business miles traveled by employee-owned and company vehicles. The company will also commit at least $200 million in "environmentally beneficial investments" over the next three years.

Allstate Green is currently being tested in Colorado and Ohio. The company says that, if the program is successful, it will be made available to customers nationally in 2008.