Thank you Berks County & Berks County Living for naming Gallen Insurance as the best Insurance Agency for 2018!
As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we wanted to go back to the beginning & tell you just how Gallen Insurance started. Our agency was established in 1957 by Joseph J. Gallen, however the history of insurance goes back even further in the family to Joe Sr’s father, Alexander Joseph Gallen (known as AJ). Joseph Sr. worked with his father at an insurance agency but shortly after his father passed away he was fired. At this time, Joe Sr. decided to go into business on his own & founded Joseph J. Gallen Insurance. Gallen was and still is a main street insurance agency writing both personal & commercial insurance. Ann Gallen Moll was the first of Joe’s children to begin working at the agency in 1978. His son, Jack, joined in 1979. In 1981 Joe Sr. and Ann purchased 50% of Berkleigh Insurance and Ann remained working at the Berkleigh office until 1985 when the second half of Berkleigh was purchased. The two offices merged into our current location at 2237 Lancaster Pike Shillington, PA & thus became known as Gallen Insurance. The family continued to join the agency with the addition of Joe Jr. and Mark in 1985. Joe hired his son-in-law Donald H. Moll (current owner of B&G Glass) in 1986 and son David Gallen in 1989.
As both family & business became more interesting around 1988, Joe Sr. decided to step out of the business for 6 months to see if the family could agree long enough to run a business. Ann was elected President by her 4 brothers. In 1989 the agency hired its first health insurance producer. Joe Sr. officially retired at the age of 65 in 1991.
All of Joe Sr. & Melba Gallen’s children Teresa (Terry) Ernst, Michael Gallen, John (Jack) Gallen, Ann Moll, Joseph (Joe) Jr. Gallen & Christopher (Chris) Gallen have been a part of the agency’s history. Currently, Ann Moll, Joe Jr. Gallen & Dave Gallen still work for the agency. Recently Dave’s son, Ben Gallen joined the team as the first grandchild of Joe Sr. & Melba to work at Gallen on a full time basis.
Our ever popular sign has been changed by our famous “Sign Guys” starting with Sam Moll, son of President Ann Moll, Ben Gallen, son of Dave Gallen, who passed the job down to his brother Grant and our current ‘Sign Guy’ is Owen Gallen, son of Chris Gallen.
We have a feeling there will be many more Gallen grandchildren & great-grandchildren to have a role here at the agency as we continue to be your local, trusted & family owned agency. However, let’s not forget our amazing employees outside of the family. Our current staff consists of 21 employees. We have 17 full time employees and 4 part time that make up our wonderful staff.
Join us in celebrating our 60th Anniversary, we look forward to seeing you at our Open House on Monday, September 18th, 2017!
Gallen Insurance would like to welcome the newest member of our team, Joseph Remash!
Joseph Remash
Commercial Producer
Gallen Insurance
2237 Lancaster Pike
Shillington, PA 19607
610-898-6535
jremash@galleninsurance.com
A Consultative Approach to your Business Insurance Goals
Here at Gallen Insurance, we take a comprehensive and consultative approach to address the needs and concerns of your company. As an independent, family owned agency, we work with the nation’s top rated insurance carriers to package policies with your individual business in mind. I look forward to working with a company just like yours.
Give me a call and see the Gallen difference!
-Joseph Remash
Things To Consider:
Cyber Liability Insurance: 3 Case Studies | Gallen Insurance | Reading, PA
Cyber Crime is on the rise and Cyber Liability Insurance is more important than ever in Pennsylvania. Here are 3 case studies where cyber insurance is recommended.
Case 1: Manufacturer pays for invasion of privacy by intermediary firm
DESCRIPTION OF EVENT:
A manufacturer with 50 employees and @ $10M in annual revenue, leased a copy machine over a two-year period. During that timeframe, the company made copies of proprietary client information and its employees’ personally identifiable information, including driver’s license numbers and social security cards. After the lease expired, the manufacturer returned the machine to the leasing company through an intermediary company. Prior to making its way back to the leasing company, a rogue employee at the intermediary firm accessed the machine’s data for nefarious purposes.
RESOLUTION:
The manufacturer incurred $75K in expenses in connection with a forensic investigation, notification, identity monitoring, restoration services and independent counsel fees. It also incurred approximately $100,000 in legal defense costs and $275K in indemnity associated with the theft and sale of proprietary client information.
Case 2: Hacker Steals ID and Victim Sues at a Resort
DESCRIPTION OF EVENT:
Hackers installed a malicious software program into a high-end resort’s credit card processing system from a remote source, hitting the resort’s point-of-sale processing system where credit cards are swiped for purchases.
One victim’s credit history was damaged as a result of purchases made from the victim’s stolen credit card, resulting in, among other things, being turned down for a mortgage he had applied for. After suffering the consequences for more than a year, the victim brought a lawsuit against the resort, seeking $750K in damages, including emotional distress.
RESOLUTION: In addition to paying overall costs of more than $4 million to recover from the security breach, the resort settled with the plaintiff for more than $300K.
Case 3: Retailer – 35 employees and @ $5M in revenue Criminal scheme skims customers’ payment card info
DESCRIPTION OF EVENT:
A criminal organization connected skimming devices to a local retail chain’s payment card systems at a variety of locations. This permitted unauthorized access to the credit and debit card information of 15,000 customers over a three-year period.
RESOLUTION:
The retail chain spent $850K performing forensics, engaging counsel for compliance assessment and providing notification and call center services to its customers. It also spent $900K reimbursing a variety of banks for costs associated with card cancellations and re-issuance charges. Lastly, it spent $75K in defense costs responding to a regulatory inquiry and $250K in fines.
For more information on cyber insurance or to get an application, please call any of our representatives at:
Gallen Insurance
2237 Lancaster Pike
Shillington, PA 19607
ph: 610.777.4123
This Month in Classic Car History:
January is a great month in history for classic car trivia buffs. Here’s Gallen Insurance’s top 5 moment’s in class car history this month.
January 1886 – The first gasoline-driven car is patented by Karl Benz.
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen (or motorcar), built in 1886, is generally viewed as the first vehicle intended to be pushed by an engine. The vehicle was awarded a German patent to Karl Benz on January 29, 1886.
January 1904 – Henry Ford Sets Land Speed Record
On January 12, 1904, Henry Ford set a land-speed record of 91.37 mph on the frozen surface of Lake St. Clair in Michigan. He was driving a four-wheel vehicle, dubbed the “999,” which had a wooden chassis with no hood or body.
January 1965- Shelby GT350 Debuts
On January 27th, 1965, the first Shelby Mustang, a Wimbledon White Shelby GT350, made its debut. In less than a month, the race version of the car, the Shelby GT350R, had already won its first SCCA.
January 1965 – NASCAR’s ban of the Hemi engine goes into effect
Fan of the Hemi? In 1965 NASCAR banned Ford’s high-riser engines stating that they did not actually fit under “stock” hoods.
January 1979 – “General Lee” 1969 Dodge Charger debuts on The Dukes of Hazzard
On January 26, 1979, “The Dukes of Hazzard,” a television show about two cousins in the rural South and their 1969 Dodge Charger known as the General Lee, debuts on CBS.
For more information on classic car insurance, please call our classic car insurance specialist:
Jody Leigey
Classic Car Insurance Specialist
2237 Lancaster Pike
Shillington PA 19607
Ph. 610-898-6524