ALL Allstate Corporation

BUFFALO GROVE, Ill., Feb. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Allstate Insurance Company has launched an aggressive recruitment campaign to appoint 87 new agency owners across Illinois by the end of 2011.

Allstate (NYSE: ALL), the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer, is targeting successful, self-motivated professionals for a career as an Allstate exclusive agency owner. Unlike typical entrepreneurships, Allstate provides its new agents with essential tools and resources to help them get off to a great start, including: insurance product education, expertise from company sales consultants, customizable marketing and advertising materials, and performance incentives. Allstate currently has 553 agents in Illinois.

"This is really a great time for us to attract people who are self-motivated, are goal- and success-oriented and who want to own their own business representing Allstate in Illinois," said Kevin Carney, Allstate's Illinois strategic deployment leader. "We're working with business brokers and through our own business development team to find professionals with financial or sales backgrounds, who are dedicated to customer service."

"As an Allstate agency owner, you are in business for yourself but not by yourself," said Carney. "If you don't have an insurance background, we'll provide you with the appropriate insurance education to help your agency hit the ground running the day you open for business. In addition, our agency owners have the independence to run their agency, hire and manage their staff, and set their direction while receiving support from one of the country's largest insurance companies and most respected brands."

Agency owners will have the opportunity to sell the company's wide range of insurance and financial products, including personal and commercial auto, property and financial services. Ideal candidates should have the skills to run their own business, the drive to meet business objectives and $50,000 in liquid capital to open and start their new Allstate agency. Agency owners will be able to watch their business grow with every sale without ever paying franchise or licensing fees.  

"Allstate is unique among all other insurers because our agency owners own the economic interest in their business," said Carney. "Allstate agents can sell the economic interest in their agency. No other branded insurer has this ownership option."

Allstate's Illinois recruiting goals for 2011 are segmented by area across the state:

These target areas represent key consumer touch points in Allstate's broader strategy to aggressively expand the provider's auto insurance presence statewide, while staking a stronger claim in items like boats, recreational all-terrain-vehicles and motorcycles. Allstate is currently the second largest auto insurer in Illinois with over 741,000 cars, trucks and motorcycles insured in the state.  

Interested candidates can apply to become an Allstate agent by logging on to www.allstateagent.com or by calling 1-800-964-4235.

The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With Allstate®" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help nearly 16 million households insure what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow. Consumers access Allstate insurance products (auto, home, life and retirement) and services through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, and Allstate exclusive financial representatives in the U.S. and Canada, as well as via www.allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate®.

SOURCE Allstate Insurance Company