RIC Insurance General Agency, Inc. is a Managing General Agency and Surplus Lines Broker located in Tustin, CA. RIC specializes in the small and medium-sized business risks.

RIC, one of the oldest independently owned MGA/Surplus Lines Broker in California, was started more than 50 years ago as Benveniste Insurance Services and incorporated as RIC Insurance more than 35 years ago.

RIC is currently owned by Michael Sullivan and Dennis Stanley. Mike and Dennis purchased RIC from Ron Arndt in January 2005. Ron owned RIC from 1991 to 2005. 

RIC also has a wholly-owned subsidiary, R.I.C. Financial, Inc., an in-house insurance premium finance company. R.I.C. Financial provides premium financing needs to the producers for their RIC business.

Management Team 

Gary Kitchen:
Gary Kitchen has spent his entire career in the insurance industry. He started working in the industry in 1988, and has worked in many different parts of the industry including Marketing/Sales, Underwriting, Operations, and Claims. He has spent most of his time managing specialty programs at the MGA and insurance carrier levels. With the change in ownership in January 2005, Gary became Chief Executive Officer of RIC.

Ron Arndt:
Ron Arndt left the airline industry to start his insurance career in CA. in 1971. He was one of the founding partners of one of the largest independent retail agencies in Orange County. Ron was hired by RIC in 1980 as Director of the newly-formed Excess and Surplus Lines Department. Ron became President in 1989 and owner of RIC in 1991.

Gail Novelich:
Gail Novelich began her insurance career at RIC in 1984 as Accounting Supervisor after 10 years in the food service industry. She spent a brief period in 1988/1989 as the Accounting Manager at a retail insurance agency before returning to RIC. Gail was promoted to Vice President in 2002. Her responsibilites include overseeing all administrative areas, including Producer Agency Services, Accounting and R.I.C. Financial.

Teresa Spraggins:
Teresa Spraggins started at RIC as a file clerk in 1987 and quickly advanced to the underwriting department as a processing clerk. She became an Underwriter in 1990, handling new and renewal business. Teresa was promoted to Underwriting Manager in 2001 and is responsible for overseeing all underwriting areas.