AGENT ACCESS AGREEMENT

 

<Page>

 

                                                                   Exhibit 10.17

                             AGENT ACCESS AGREEMENT

 

This Insurance Agreement (hereinafter the "Agreement") is made by and between

Allstate Insurance Company, an Illinois property and casualty insurance

company, located in Northbrook, Illinois (hereinafter "AIC"), Allstate New

Jersey Insurance Company, an Illinois property and casualty insurance company

located in Bridgewater, New Jersey, (hereinafter "ANJ") Allstate Life

Insurance Company, an Illinois life and health insurance company, located in

Northbrook, Illinois (hereinafter "ALIC"), and Allstate Bank, a federal

savings association, located in Vernon Hills, Illinois (hereinafter the

"Bank"). This Agreement is executed this 17th day of March, 2004, and shall

be effective as of January 1, 2002.

 

WHEREAS, AIC, ANJ and ALIC have developed a network of employee agents and

independent contractor agents soliciting insurance and other financial services;

and

 

WHEREAS, the Bank offers or will offer various consumer deposit and savings

products and services, and consumer loan products and services, as more fully

described in this Agreement; and

 

WHEREAS, the Bank desires to utilize AIC's, ANJ's and ALIC's network of agents

to offer the Bank's consumer deposit and savings products to customers of AIC,

ANJ and ALIC (hereinafter "Bank Products");

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the parties, in consideration of the mutual covenants,

agreements and promises hereinafter contained, do hereby agree as follows:

 

                    A. RESPONSIBILITIES OF AIC, ANJ, AND ALIC

 

1)   AIC and ANJ do not object to the Bank's utilization of the respective AIC

     and ANJ agents (hereinafter "Agents"), and ALIC does not object to the

     Bank's utilization of the Exclusive Financial Specialists (hereinafter

     "EFSs"), for, among other things, the solicitation of Bank Products,

     referral of customers to the Bank and assisting customers with respect to

     Bank Products.

 

2)   AIC, ANJ and ALIC may, at any time and at their sole discretion, choose to

     exclude certain Agents and EFSs from participation in the solicitation of,

     and customer referral for, the Bank Products by providing the Bank with a

     list of those Agents' and EFSs' names and instructions that they be

     excluded. The Bank agrees that, immediately upon receipt of such list, it

     will refrain from accepting any application for Bank Products or customer

     referral submitted by an Agent or EFS so excluded. Applications for Bank

     Products already accepted by the Bank will not be affected by this

     Paragraph 2.

 

                                        1

<Page>

 

3)   In the event an Agent has terminated his or her agreement with AIC or ANJ,

     as the case may be, or an EFS has terminated his or her agreement with

     ALIC, the Bank shall be notified by the terminating company of such fact.

 

                         B. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BANK

 

1) The Bank agrees that it will conduct, or arrange to have conducted,

   introduction orientation programs and education programs from time to time

   for Agents and EFSs, at no cost to, and no responsibility on the part of,

   AIC, ANJ or ALIC. The schedule to be followed shall be mutually agreed upon

   by the parties.

 

2) The Bank shall have the right, at its option, to terminate, for cause or

   otherwise, the authorization of any Agent or EFS as its agent. The Bank will

   notify AIC, ANJ or ALIC, as the case may be, of the termination of

   authorization of any Agent or EFS.

 

                            C. COMPENSATION TO AGENTS

 

1) Compensation payable to Agents and EFSs as contemplated under this Agreement

   will be remitted by the Bank to Agents and EFSs by utilizing AIC's, ANJ's,

   and ALIC's compensation system.

 

2) Within fifteen (15) days after the end of each month, the Bank shall provide