Principals who lead
Our principals design your program, negotiate with underwriters and step in personally on claims and complex decisions.
Founded by industry veterans. One uncompromising standard.
GuardianSpec is an independent commercial insurance and risk management firm for growing and mid-sized businesses, founded on a simple idea: they deserve the same caliber of expertise and care that the biggest companies get. We pair decades of proven experience and trusted market relationships with modern tools built for today's risk landscape, so you get precision on even the most complex risks, with faster execution and complete transparency.
Our story
Big-firm expertise, boutique by design.
Between us, we bring more than 35 years across law and insurance. One of us spent nearly two decades on the most demanding accounts in professional and executive liability: AmLaw 200 law firms, publicly traded companies and complex claims. The other built his career advising small and middle market businesses on every commercial line, and helped build an insurance start-up from the ground up. We saw the same thing from both sides: the businesses with the least leverage often got the least attention.
GuardianSpec exists to change that. We're boutique by design, highly specialized and independent. Every client gets principal-level strategy, a dedicated account management team and coverage tailored as carefully as a bespoke suit.
35+Years of combined experience in law and insurance
50+Carriers, MGAs and specialty markets
4Public-company D&O RFPs won by Adnan
2×Agent of the Year at Nationwide
Every business deserves a broker who knows the fine print, fights for them on their worst day, and actually picks up the phone.
Our mission
To bring large-account risk management and insurance expertise to small and middle market businesses, and make insurance simple so you can get back to running your business.
How we're built
Boutique attention, full-firm support.
You get the judgment of seasoned principals and the responsiveness of a full service team, with the same level of care on every account.
Account management & service
A dedicated account management team handles certificates, policy changes, renewals and day-to-day requests, and we aim to process service requests within 24 hours.
50+ market partners
Relationships with national carriers, MGAs and specialty and E&S markets give us the reach to place complex and specialty risks.
Based in the Chicago area, Adnan brings a rare combination to GuardianSpec. He practiced as an attorney, spent years as a senior broker to some of the country's most prominent law firms, and led the claims function of an executive-risk brokerage. He knows how policies are written, how they're sold and how they respond when a claim is made.
He began his career practicing law. He won dispositive motions, wrote appellate briefs, took part in a jury trial and handled due diligence on a $135M telecom acquisition. In 2007 he moved into insurance brokerage, serving as account executive for AmLaw 200 law firms on their professional liability programs.
He went on to manage lawyers professional, management liability and employment practices accounts, and he built a claims-analytics capability. Later he directed renewals for private and nonprofit D&O, E&O and cyber programs. As Senior Vice President and Head of Claims, he led a claims team and negotiated executive-lines panel terms. Most recently he brokered public-company D&O, where he won four RFP competitions and served as the primary resource for board presentations.
Career highlights
- Public D&O brokerage
Client- and market-facing lead on the largest, most complex accounts
Won four RFP competitions for publicly traded companies and served as primary resource for board presentations.
- SVP & Head of Claims
Led claims advocacy and executive-lines panel negotiation
Managed a team of claims analysts and developed content across all executive insurance lines.
- Executive lines brokerage
Directed private and nonprofit D&O renewals
Also ancillary management liability, errors & omissions and cyber programs.
- Analytics & claims
Lawyers professional, management liability and EPL
Built analytics infrastructure and authored thought leadership.
- Senior broker, 2007 onward
Account executive for AmLaw 200 law firms
Professional liability programs for some of the nation's largest law firms.
- Attorney
Litigation and transactional practice
Dispositive motions, appellate briefs, jury trial experience and M&A due diligence.
Credentials
Juris DoctorNorthwestern University Pritzker School of Law
Fulbright ScholarFulbright Scholarship recipient
B.A., Near Eastern Languages & CivilizationsThe University of Chicago
13 published articles and presentationsCyber insurance, legal malpractice, bankruptcy and D&O
Based in Des Moines, Iowa, Armin has spent more than a decade helping small and middle market businesses buy the right insurance: general liability, BOPs, workers' comp, commercial auto, professional liability, cyber and more. He's been on the carrier side, the brokerage side and the start-up side, and he brings all three perspectives to every client conversation.
He started at Nationwide, where he was ranked the #1 sales agent company-wide and named Agent of the Year two years running. He went on to rank in the top 10% of producers nationally at Mercer (Marsh McLennan), and wrote more than $1M in premium in his first year at biBERK, part of Berkshire Hathaway.
As Chief Client Officer of an insurance start-up, he helped build the company from inception. He stood up its sales and operations, established access to more than 50 carriers, MGAs and E&S markets, grew a commercial book from launch to $2M in written premium and helped facilitate more than $100M in reinsurance premium placements. At GuardianSpec he oversees operations, carrier relationships and client experience alongside Adnan.
His experience spans both personal and commercial insurance. He built his foundation in personal lines, protecting families' homes and vehicles, and has since advised small and middle market businesses across every major commercial line, from general liability, property and workers' comp to professional liability, cyber and management liability. With access to more than 50 carriers, MGAs and specialty markets, Armin can find strong options for most businesses, and for the owners behind them.
His focus is white-glove service: responsive, personal and thorough, from the first conversation through every renewal and claim. Clients work with him directly, and he treats every account, large or small, with the same care and attention to detail.
Career highlights
2× Agent of the YearRanked #1 sales agent company-wide, Nationwide
Helped build an insurance start-upFormer Chief Client Officer; $100M+ in reinsurance premium placements facilitated
50+ carriers and marketsStandard, specialty, MGA and E&S access established
Top 10% nationallyProducer ranking at Mercer (Marsh McLennan)
Where we work
Rooted in the Midwest, serving clients nationwide.
GuardianSpec is headquartered in Illinois, with advisors in the Chicago area and Des Moines, Iowa. We meet clients in person across the Midwest and work by phone and video with businesses everywhere else.
We place coverage nationwide, wherever we're licensed and authorized to do business. Licensing details
