Tigers Outing: June 2017

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Some members of our team went to a Tigers game on June 29, 2017. The Tigers game served as a team bonding outing.

We know that team bonding is important for boosting employee performance and teamwork. This outing was a great opportunity for our team to learn more about each other and to generate team motivation.

Here are some pictures from the Tigers Outing:

 

 

Meet Emily Sapiel

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Emily Sapiel

We would like you to meet Emily Sapiel, one of our customer service representatives for our personal lines department. She has been working with our company since high school. To get to know Emily a little more, check out this question and answer interview.

1. What is your name (first and last) and title at the company?

Emily Sapiel, Customer Service Representative

2. Tell us a little about yourself.

I was born in Warren, MI. I grew up and was raised in Sterling heights, MI. I have been living in Rochester Hills for the past 10 years.

I am a proud dog mother of three. I love to disc golf and bake sweets in my spare time. I started working here at Allied as a co-op student in 11th grade.

I was a co-op student from 2003 – 2005. A full-time position became available after I graduated in 2005 to be a personal lines processor.

I completed my proper training and eventually transitioned into a customer service representative.

3. Before working at Allied Insurance Managers, what was the most unusual or interesting job you’ve ever had?

My first job ever was selling glow sticks at firework events & concerts.

4. What is your proudest moment at Allied Insurance Managers?

Winning second place with my department for the 2016 Sales Contest in which personal Lines faced off in a monthly sales contest against the commercial producers.

5. What are your hopes for this industry?

Just watching it grow and evolve by drawing in more business.

6. If you could witness any historical event, what would you want to see and why?

Me winning next week’s Powerball. I would use the money to help friends and family with their wants and needs.

7. What is the one thing you can’t live without and why?

My family because they are my everything.

 

 

Understanding and Preventing Cyber Attacks

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Cyber attack

Hacker using laptop. Hacking the Internet.What should you do if a hacker were to gain access to valuable information from your company? About your employees, your customers or even your business.

The better question to ask is how can you limit the chance of a cyber-attack on your company? Focusing on the latter question will save your business in the long run. .

Why Companies Fear Cyber Attacks

Most businesses worry about the financial risk associated with cyber-attacks or what to do when an attack occurs and how to move forward . With the various amounts of technology available, how can a company be sure they are truly prepared for a cyber-attack?

A study by the Ponemon Institute shows that the average consolidated total cost of data breach is $4 million.

However, it is about more than the money. The loss of money and stolen data can be detrimental to a company’s brand. A company can either be viewed as a continued credible place to do business or one that needs to be avoided.

No need to fear. We have a few tips that will help you decrease the chances that a hacker will gain access to your information.

Rework Your Passwords

Are your passwords easy to figure out? Do you use the same passwords for multiple accounts? If so, change them. A hacker will have a harder time determining your password if it includes a variety of stronger words, characters, numbers, and is different per account. Do not forget to change your password often. You will keep hackers on their toes when your password is not consistent.

Update Software

Some updates on your computer and system may come with advanced security features. If you do not keep your software updated regularly, you will not be equipped with the maximum security to keep your system and programs protected.

Always Have A Back Up Server

The cloud is one of the best servers that you can use to back up your data. Backing up your data comes in handy when something is accidentally or intentionally lost and stolen. With the server, you have an extra copy of all your stored information.

Cyber Liability Insurance

At Allied Insurance Managers, we understand the risks you face and with more than 60% of data breaches targeted at mid to small sized businesses, you may need a policy that assists in the event you experience a data breach.

Are you at risk of being hacked? Ask yourself:

  • Do you store sensitive data about your clients including personal, financial or medical information?
  • Does your organization use mobile devices and/or the internet?
  • Do you use a cloud network or outsource any of your services to a third-party vendor?

If you answered yes, to any of these questions, you may need a cyber liability policy.

The Top Five Entry-Level Muscle Cars

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Muscle cars exist for one reason: To get down a straight two-lane blacktop as quickly as possible. But automakers have long paired performance options with convenience or luxury features, which invariably increases price and weight. And they’re easy to justify. After all, air conditioning and power switches are handy and only decrease speed marginally.

You could tick boxes for all sorts of power accessories, yet “adding lightness” improves every measure of a car’s performance. That’s why, usually, the most basic car with the biggest engine was the true racer’s choice. The classic car experts at Hagerty® have put together their top five choices for bare-bones muscle cars, listed chronologically.

 1.  1962 Plymouth Sport Fury Max Wedge: The Chrysler Corporation was struggling to find buyers in the early 1960s due to its “interesting” designs. Its solution was to cram bigger engines into the cars, which had been downsized from the previous generation, and take them racing. The 413-cid “Max Wedge” produced 410 horsepower in a car that weighed right around 3,000 lbs. The result was a sub-15-second quarter mile. It also turned up the heat on Ford and GM.

 2.  1967 Chevrolet Chevy II Nova SS: Take a bigger car’s engine and stuff it into a smaller, cheaper one. Boom – muscle car success. That’s what Chevy did when it dropped the Chevelle’s Turbo-Fire mill into the Chevy II. Displacing 327 cubic inches, it made 350 hp and turned the little Chevy II into a legitimate stoplight demon. While the 327 option debuted in 1965, the engine initially made 300 hp. We prefer the later, more powerful one.

3.  1967 Ford Fairlane: In 1966 Ford revamped its Fairlane for the fifth time. The mid-level GT trim was equipped, standard, with the “FE” 390-cid V-8. It had a four-barrel carburetor and produced 335 horses. About halfway through the year, Ford offered an optional “R-code” 427-cubic-inch engine intended for racing but only built 57 of them. The following year, Ford’s Windsor (289-cid) became the standard V-8. However, the 427-cid V-8 was now optional on the entry-level Fairlane, the XL. For the most die-hard, two four-barrel carbs on the 427, combining to produce 425 horsepower, were the ultimate option.

4.  1968 Dodge Dart GTS: Debuting late in 1967, the Dart GTS was arguably the model’s hottest trim level. In 1968, it came standard with a high-output 340-cid V-8. But for some this wasn’t enough, which is why Dodge offered an optional 383-cid monster. Still not enough? Well, Dodge was eyeing the Class B Super Stock drag racing championship and also offered 60 426-cid Hemi equipped Darts. These cars weigh about 3,000 lbs. and Dodge bragged that they were capable of “over 130 mph in less than 11 seconds” over a quarter mile. That they weren’t street legal and were only offered to well-known racers are minor details.

5.  1970 Pontiac GT-37: “There’s a little GTO in every GT-37,” the advertising read. Pontiac’s sales share was rapidly slipping in 1970, so it offered a stripped Tempest, known as the T-37 to compete with other OEMs’ cheaper offerings. Soon enough, however, someone at Pontiac had the idea to liven up the model by stuffing larger motors under the hood. Indeed, that “little GTO” was the drivetrain – beginning with a 350-cid V-8 that made 255 hp. But if you were serious about cheap horsepower, the best option was the Ram Air III. Its 400 cubes produce 345 hp, and best of all it was insured as a Tempest, not a GTO.

 

 

Allied Welcomes Taras Shalay to the Team

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Taras

We would like you to meet our newest member, Taras Shalay. Taras Shalay is a 2006 graduate of Western Michigan University with a Master’s degree in Economics, where he was also awarded graduate student of the year in his department. 

With 10 years of underwriting and brokerage experience in Professional Liability, Executive Lines and Cyber Liability, Taras has a unique specialization in the insurance industry. Taras’ extensive Cyber Liability experience allows him to easily explain the complexities of a Cyber Liability policy, as well as the various coverage available to his clients that may or may not fit their insurance needs.

Taras’ main focus is to identify the key exposures for his clients and provide the best available solutions in this quick changing market environment.

Taras also has a decade of experience with Directors’ & Officers Liability, Employment Practices Liability, Fiduciary Liability, Crime, and Errors and Omissions.

To help you get to know him a little more, check out this question and answer with Taras:

1. What is your first and last name/ title at Allied Insurance Managers?

Taras Shalay, Account Executive.

2. What drew you to Allied Insurance Managers? How has Allied Insurance Managers changed since you started there?

What drew me was the creativity, professionalism, and high ethical behavior of its employees.  It’s exciting to wake up each morning surrounded by creative and talented people.

I would feel it has changed in that Allied Insurance Managers is trying to stay ahead of the insurance curve, mainly by hiring specialists that can go above and beyond for their clients’ needs.

3. What have you gained from working at Allied?

Allied Insurance Managers has taught me the importance of identifying the correct insurance program for each risk, and not concentrating on just the cheapest available.

4. Tell us a little about yourself.

I have two young daughters and an amazing wife. In my personal time, I enjoy spending time with my family as well as playing guitar and watching sports.

5. What is your motto or personal mantra?

Always do your best, regardless if it’s for your friend, family, or client, and you will always be satisfied with your results.

6. Where do you see yourself in five years?

In five years from now I see myself still giving back to the community, providing solutions to customers problems, and enjoying building relationships.

7. What is the greatest challenge you have had to overcome in your life thus far?

The greatest challenge I have had to overcome is experiencing my daughter’s premature birth of 3 months. It puts life into perspective and makes you realize what is most important. Thankfully, my daughter is doing perfectly well and is a constant reminder that miracles do happen.

 

 

 

 

Five Claims That Will Make You Want an Umbrella Policy

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Umbrella

We all know an umbrella protects you from getting wet on a rainy day. However, the type of umbrella we are referring to is a policy that provides excess liability insurance in case of an unexpected auto, property, or home accident.

You might be thinking that this sort of policy is unnecessary, but it can help you cover the additional costs of liability incidents that your base home or auto insurance does not pay for. Check out these five claims that were settled with the additional coverage of a personal umbrella policy courtesy of our partner, Citizen’s:

Claim #1:

A babysitter left a 5-month-old infant unattended in a walker. The infant toppled the walker, struck her head on the floor and suffered brain damage. The parents of the infant sued the teenage babysitter and her parents. The court awarded the infant’s parents $11,000,000.

Claim #2:

A 28-year old engineer dove into a friend’s above ground swimming pool struck his head on the bottom and, as a result became a quadriplegic. He sued both the homeowner and the pool manufacturer. The court found the homeowner to be 60 percent responsible and the pool manufacturer to be 40 percent responsible, and awarded $10,000,000.

Claim #3:

The insured’s tenant claims she became ill from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from a faulty furnace. The tenant claimed permanent brain damage and demanded $750,000.

Claim #4:

A hillside on the insured’s property was covered with concrete to prevent erosion. The concrete had been installed before the insured purchased the property. Approximately 5 feet of the concrete fell to the neighboring property knocking the claimant’s home from its foundation. The resulting claim was settled for $970,000.

Claim #5:

The insured hosted a beach party for their daughter One of the attendees found what was believed to be an empty and discarded propane tank. The tank was thrown into a beach bonfire and subsequently exploded resulting in severe injuries to several guests. A $20,000,000 claim was filed alleging the insured failed to properly supervise the party.

At Allied Insurance Managers, we want you to be prepared for the unexpected. We know these claims will encourage you to make sure you are covered for any liability incident that may come your way.