Name: Phil Klein Insurance Group
Address: 7125 Orchard Lake Road, Suite 302, West Bloomfield, MI, 48322
Telephone: 248-682-7445

PKIG Places at 21 on Crain’s Cool Places to Work

Posted on October 11, 2021October 11, 2021 by Owen Rosen

The team at West Bloomfield Independent Insurance Agency, PKIG were recently treated to a BIG surprise…we placed in the top quartile of the Crain’s Cool Places to Work.

Earlier in 2021 the leadership group made a decision to apply for Cool Places to Work. We knew it would be good for morale, hiring and our overall brand.

We knew we had a cool place and decided to run through the process.

One of the steps was getting your staff to answer a survey.

We were excited to find out we had 100% participation on this.

Knowing the team was going to take the time to fill out the survey, it was likely they would say good things.

And they sure must have…

In June we found out that we had placed in the top 100 out of close to 900 applicants.

Late August there was a special online viewing party to see how each of the companies ended up.

The leadership team thought it would be a great day to bring lunch in for the team and tell them there was a special webinar we needed to watch.

That ruse didn’t last long.

Lunch was great.

Watching our teammates see how we progressed toward the top of the list was even better.

You can see the excitement for yourself as we pass the top 75, 50 and 25.

The place was rocking when we landed at # 21.

Not a bad placement for our very first time being on the list.

We hope you enjoy the video.

Oh, and if you know anyone who is licensed in P&C insurance and is looking for a job, they can check out our job openings here.

Enjoy!

PKIG Receives President’s Club Award from Citizens Insurance

Posted on May 28, 2021May 28, 2021 by Owen Rosen

Hanover Insurance Group President’s Club Insignia

PKIG Receives Award for Exceptional Customer Commitment and Service

Agency selected for The Hanover’s President’s Club

PKIG, formerly known as Phil Klein Insurance Group, recently was selected as a participant of The Hanover Insurance Group’s President’s Club, an elite group of independent insurance agencies from across the country.

The Hanover’s President’s Club agencies are recognized for delivering outstanding value to their customers through their insurance expertise and responsive service.

The Hanover partners with a select group of 2,100 independent agents nationwide and only 5% are recognized with this distinction. PKIG was one of the select few independent agencies. This is the 2nd consecutive year PKIG has been selected as a participant of The Hanover’s President Club.

“We are proud to partner with the talented team at PKIG.” said Richard W. Lavey, president, Hanover Agency Markets. “Their deep insurance expertise makes them valued and trusted advisers to their clients, delivering a superior customer service experience.”

The agency will be formally recognized for its selection as a participant of the company’s President’s Club during a national business conference later this year.

“We love our customers and our carriers. Being recognized like this from a top company lie Citizens Hanover is truly an honor” said Phil Klein, CEOat PKIG.

Cyber Insurance Interview with PKIG VP

Posted on April 9, 2021April 9, 2021 by Owen Rosen

Our Vice President of Sales, Terry Bean, joined Mike Brennan and Matt Roush on the M2 Techcast recently to talk all things Cyber Insurance.

This quick conversation details the challenges that many cyber insurance policies help alleviate.

There are some real world stories shared about what can go wrong if you’re not covered. You will also hear a discussion about how checking up on your commercial policy. If you haven’t looked recently (past 4 or 5 years) you may NOT even have this coverage.

Some quick highlights:

* Having Cyber Insurance covers you if there is a data breach and your client’s data gets exposed or compromised.

* Cyber Insurance can cover your lost income that may result from a data breach or other business interruption.

* This can help you get forensic and legal support so the team of investigators can help “catch the bad guy”.

You can watch the whole interview here:

PKIG is a West Bloomfield based independent insurance agency specializing in helping their Auto, Home, Life and Commercial insurance clients find the right coverage at the best value.

You can contact us to learn more about cyber insurance and other coverages by visiting our commercial insurance page.

How much life insurance do I need?

Posted on March 4, 2021March 4, 2021 by Owen Rosen

It’s not enough to have life insurance. It’s important to have the correct amount for YOUR needs and goals.

Click over to our calculator to get a quick estimate of your proper coverage amount.

If you have further questions, contact us today at 248.682.7445 or owen@pkig.com

Do you need life insurance?

Posted on January 25, 2021January 25, 2021 by Owen Rosen

At PKIG, one of our main goals is to simplify insurance concepts as much as possible for our clients. There are a LOT of reasons to purchase life insurance and a LOT of different kinds of policies. It can be very confusing.

Some of these reasons are for more sophisticated concepts such as estate or retirement planning. PKIG can help with nearly any type of scenario.

That said, the key question to determine whether you need life insurance or not is would your death result in financial strain for another person? If the answer is yes in any capacity, you likely need life insurance of some sort.

You might think the process to qualify and purchase a policy is invasive and challenging but that’s not the case. In fact, you can buy a policy online without a medical exam or phone interview in just a few minutes. Just click here to try it out.

If you’re not quite ready to pull the trigger and need a more detailed consultation, please call us at (248) 682-7445 or email info@pkig.com today.

Protecting Your Business During Civil Unrest & Riots

Posted on June 3, 2020June 3, 2020 by Owen Rosen

Civil unrest can create unique challenges for Michigan businesses. Specifically, business owners face the risk of vandalism, stolen or damaged goods and extensive property damage. With this in mind, it’s crucial to take steps to mitigate the risk of potential damages to your business during periods of civil unrest.
Review the following guidance to help keep your business protected in these situations.

Stay Informed
First and foremost, make sure you stay informed via local Detroit or Grand Rapids authorities, news outlets and social media on potential events or issues that could lead to civil unrest within your community. This practice will allow you to be more aware of when civil unrest is most likely to occur and take a proactive approach to protecting your business.
Assess Property Vulnerabilities
Next, it’s important to assess your business property for potential vulnerabilities. In doing so, you will be able to better determine where to focus your mitigation efforts.
Be sure to conduct a thorough inspection of both your own property and the surrounding area—including neighboring businesses, parking lots, alleys and streets—for specific risk management issues (e.g., gaps in security measures, potential traffic or crowding concerns, the type of property at risk and concerns for employee and customer safety).
Protect Your Property
After assessing potential vulnerabilities, make sure you implement adequate security measures to help keep your business fully protected. Potential security practices to consider include:
• Utilizing security cameras
• Implementing an intruder alarm system
• Boarding up property windows and doors
• Ensuring proper locks on all windows and doors
• Installing motion-sensing external lighting and glass break sensors
• Hiring security guards
Remove Valuables
Try to remove as much cash, merchandise and high-value supplies or equipment from your property as possible. In particular, if your business utilizes a fleet of vehicles, consider moving them to a temporary, secure storage location. This way, you will be able to proactively minimize your losses in the event that your business is targeted.
Further, consider utilizing signage to communicate that money and high-value items have been removed from the premises to help deter potential thieves.
Alter Business Hours
If you suspect that that civil unrest could take place near your property, consider temporarily altering your business hours (e.g., opening or closing earlier than normal) to avoid putting your employees and customers in a dangerous situation. However, make sure you properly communicate these changes with your staff and customers to prevent any confusion. In some cases, it may make sense to temporarily close your business.
Avoid Unnecessary Conflict
In the event that civil unrest takes place while your business doors are open, it’s crucial to educate your staff on how to respond appropriately and avoid unnecessary conflict. Establish an evacuation plan that allows for employees and customers to safely leave the area during a dangerous situation. Designate specific staff to be responsible for securing the property (e.g., locking doors and boarding up windows) before evacuating.
If a potentially dangerous individual confronts any of your employees before an evacuation can occur, encourage them to react calmly and avoid using violence or responding aggressively. Designate specific staff to be responsible for contacting the local authorities or emergency services, if necessary. If the individual attempts to loot or rob your business, allow them to do so—no items are worth the risk of an employee injury or fatality.
Consult Local Authorities
Be sure to express any concerns you have regarding civil unrest in your community with local authorities—including the police department, fire department and government officials—and utilize any resources or guidance that they provide. Consider requesting additional police presence or temporary street closures near your business if you are particularly concerned about the threat of civil unrest.
Secure Proper Insurance
Apart from these loss control methods, you can ensure ultimate protection during periods of civil unrest by securing proper commercial insurance coverage. For additional risk management guidance and insurance solutions, contact PKIG today.

COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program: What You Need To Know Now

Posted on April 10, 2020April 10, 2020 by Owen Rosen

Through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the U.S. Treasury Department has established a $349 billion fund that is available to help small businesses and the millions of small business employees across Michigan and the United States. The goal is to keep as many people employed during the pandemic shutdowns as possible. The program provides forgivable loans of up to $10 million, through approved lenders, to companies with less than 500 employees.

Take Advantage Today

Any small business that affirms that “current economic uncertainty” makes the aid necessary to support their “ongoing operations” is eligible.
Aid will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis until the fund is exhausted – the application window opened on April 3rd and loans are already being disbursed, but there’s still time! It’s also possible the fund will be supplemented by further government action.
The loans are forgivable and will allow small business owners to pay for up to eight (8) weeks of payroll costs if they use the money to retain workers or hire back positions they had to cut. Other expenses like your mortgage interest, rent, and utilities are also eligible for forgiveness. Some restrictions apply so make sure to check out the resources below and confirm the terms of forgiveness with your lender. Many of the usual requirements for these loans have been cut to streamline the process. There is still quite a bit of paperwork but we think it’s more than worth it for this unique offer.

How to Get Started

You have to apply through a bank or other lender, so contact yours today and mention the Paycheck Protection Program or do an online search for their application.
If your current bank is not an eligible lender, contact a nearby eligible bank using this search tool. More key information on who can and how to apply can be found here.
Gather your documents—each lender will have their own application, but you should begin collecting records of payroll, rent, and utilities.

Here is a short video our own Christina Welch with more information.

PKIG Winter Driving Tips

Posted on January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 by Owen Rosen

Severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for travelers. Winter storms, bad weather and sloppy road conditions are a factor in nearly half a million crashes and more than 2,000 road deaths every winter, according to research by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Drivers should know the safety rules for dealing with winter road emergencies. PKIG urges drivers to be cautious while driving in adverse weather.

PKIG & AAA recommends the following tips while driving in snowy and icy conditions:

Cold Weather Driving Tips
•Keep a bundle of cold-weather gear in your car, such as extra food and water, warm clothing, a flashlight, a glass scraper, blankets, medications, and more. Stop in to our office for a scraper or car emergency tool.
•Make certain your tires are properly inflated and have plenty of tread.
•Keep at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle at all times.
•Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
•Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface, such as on ice and snow.
Tips for Driving in the Snow
•Stay home if you can and only go out if necessary. Even if you can drive well in bad weather, it’s better to avoid taking unnecessary risks by venturing out.
•Drive slowly. Always adjust your speed down to account for lower traction when driving on snow or ice.
•Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Apply the gas slowly to regain traction and avoid skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry and take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
•Increase your following distance to five to six seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
•Know your brakes. Whether you have anti-lock brakes or not, keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
•Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
•Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads will just make your wheels spin. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed downhill slowly.
•Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
Tips for Long-Distance Winter Trips
•Be Prepared: Have your vehicle checked by a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility before hitting the road.
•Check the Weather: Check the weather along your route and when possible, delay your trip if bad weather is expected.
•Stay Connected: Before hitting the road, notify others and let them know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival.
If you get stuck in the snow:
•Stay with your vehicle: Your vehicle provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Do not try to walk in a severe storm. It is easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and become lost.
•Don’t over exert yourself: When digging out your vehicle, listen to your body and stop if you become tired.
•Be Visible: Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna of your vehicle or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it easier for rescuers to find you.
•Clear the Exhaust Pipe: Make sure the exhaust pipe is not clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust pipe can cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment of the vehicle while the engine is running.
•Stay Warm: Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps. Pre-pack blankets and heavy clothing to use in case of an emergency.
•Conserve Fuel: If possible, only run the engine and heater long enough to remove the chill. This will help to conserve fuel.

Michigan Auto Insurance Reform Update

Posted on December 16, 2019December 16, 2019 by Owen Rosen

Some Michigan auto insurance reform changes have already gone into effect. Others start in July 2020. With so many drivers unaware of the impact of the new law on their current car insurance policy, now is the time to review coverage. To help identify potential coverage gaps, please consider these questions:

• Are there drivers listed on your policy that do not reside with the named insured?
• Are there residents in the home that are not family members?
• Are there resident family members of driving age that are not listed on your policy?
• Is any vehicle on the policy owned by someone other than the named insured(s), spouse or resident family member?
• Does any driver not listed on the policy have regular use of one of the vehicles?
• Are any vehicles used for business purposes such as Uber or Lyft?

If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” your existing policy may have a gap in coverage and needs to be reviewed immediately. Please call us at 248-682-7445 to begin your policy review today.

Michigan’s Overhauled No-Fault Insurance Laws Take Effect July 1, 2020

Posted on October 30, 2019October 30, 2019 by Owen Rosen

On May 30, 2019, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a bill that will bring sweeping changes to the state’s no-fault auto insurance laws. The primary goal of the new legislation is to reduce auto insurance premiums, as Michigan has some of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation.

Though the new legislation provides numerous changes to the auto insurance industry in Michigan, the following are the key takeaways:

•Drivers will no longer be required to purchase unlimited no-fault personal injury protection (PIP) benefits, which guarantee lifetime medical benefits for catastrophic crash injuries. After July 1, 2020, and through July 1, 2028, drivers may select their own no-fault PIP coverage. Under the new law, drivers may choose between $50,000 coverage (if enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare), $250,000 coverage, $500,000 coverage or unlimited PIP coverage.

•Once the new legislation takes effect, drivers could enjoy an auto insurance premium cost reduction depending on which PIP coverage they select. Note that all savings are limited only to the no-fault portion of a driver’s auto insurance bill (typically around 40% of the total premium), not the entire bill. Furthermore, the legislation does not address what the insurance providers may charge on other portions of insurance bills.

•A no-fault fee schedule was established to regulate the rates charged by medical care providers (e.g., doctors and hospitals) regarding medical care associated with auto accidents. Note that the fee schedule will not apply for the entirety of the first year the law is in effect.

•Drivers who choose any PIP coverage lower than unlimited will pay reduced fees to the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA), an entity that bears responsibility to pay catastrophic injury benefits.

•Insurance providers will be prohibited from considering “non-driving factors” when determining insurance rates. Those factors typically include sex, marital status, educational level and occupation. However, providers can still set rates based on “territories” of the state. For example, providers could set higher rates for those who live in a region in which there are heightened instances of accidents or car thefts.

We will continue to provide information as it becomes available.

Please contact us at (248) 682-7445 or info@philkleininsurance.com for more information.