Amerisure Guiding Principles, Benefits Earn 'Best Places to Work' Award

A dedication to a set of guiding principles and company benefits put Farmington Hills-based Amerisure Mutual insurance Co. on the "2012 Best Places to Work in Insurance" list released in September by the weekly newspaper, Business Insurance. 

Sixty-five companies across the country received the honor, which is given out annually in partnership with Best Companies Group, an independent research firm. Amerisure's vice president of human resources Angela McBride said this is the first year the company applied for the honor.

"Amerisure prides itself on having a very strong culture," McBride said. "We have guiding principles we live by, and they're not just words on paper." 

One of the key principles, she said, is collaboration. Employees communicate "respect, candor and professionalism". That starts with orientation for new employees, where cards listing the principles are distributed. They are also posted throughout the building – and they apply from the top down, McBride added. 

"We've also got good benefits for employees," she said, which include a healthy rewards program, family commitment days to take care sick family members, and a matching program that doubles employee donations to charity. 

Companies were judged through a two-part survey evaluation. One aspect focused on employees' workplace experience and company culture, while the other gathered information on the employer's benefits, policies and other practices.

"The benefit of being in a company like Amerisure," McBride said, "is you look forward to walking in the door. You have extreme respect for the people you work for, and everybody understands the company's strategy." 

This is the first time Amerisure has won the Business Insurance award. The company won its seventh 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For award, through the Michigan Business and Professional Association, and has won a Sloan award for workplace excellence. 

"This one was exciting for us," McBride said of the "Best Places to Work in Insurance" award. "It's specific to our industry."

It's also a nice way to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary year, she added. 

Patch editor Jason Alley contributed to this report.