Who We Are

A Trusted Wholesale Insurance Agency

RIC Insurance General Agency was acquired by Worldwide Facilities, LLC in June 2018. The management and staff at RIC are thrilled to have joined the Worldwide Facilities brand.

Worldwide Facilities’ access to markets and relationships with virtually every specialty insurer fosters a competitive advantage for you. The strength of the brand positions us to be better equipped to fully serve our retail insurance agents and brokers for small, medium and large accounts.

Whether your needs for access are to Underwriting facilities / MGA markets, Brokerage, Workers Compensation, and Programs, we can place your Admitted and Non-Admitted Commercial and Personal risks.

We are one of only two insurance entities authorized as an official distribution channel for the State Compensation Insurance Fund of California. RIC provides thousands of independent insurance brokers access through the exclusive Access State Fund program.

Our 150 employees are located in our headquarters in Santa Rosa, California, and in offices in Chatsworth and Irvine, California; Reno, Nevada; and Provo, Utah.

How We Do Business

RIC aims to provide a nationwide audience of independent agents and brokers with a broad spectrum of insurance products and carriers. Our mission is to give our agents and brokers a competitive edge in the marketplace by providing a superior customer experience. We believe that every transaction is a building block for a successful business relationship.

IBA 5-star MGA

We Thrive on Strong Values

Relationships

We are committed to creating partnerships that benefit our agents, carriers and employees by being courteous, dependable and cooperative.

Integrity

We take responsibility for our actions and are accountable for the quality of our service. We manage our business with a fair, honest and ethical approach.

Customer First

We deliver an exceptional customer experience to our agent and carrier partners. We treat every transaction as an individual experience.

People

We attract, develop and engage talent. We align with employees, agents and carriers who share our passion and commitment for business success, community service and values.

Executive Team

Gary Kitchen
Gary E. Kitchen
Executive Vice President
Jeff Gans
Jeff Gans
Senior Vice President
Kim McClaran
Kim McClaran
Senior Vice President
Chris Garrison
Chris Garrison
Senior Vice President,
Sales & Marketing
Tom Clansen
Tom Clansen
Senior Vice President, Commercial Lines

Our Growth & Success Story

RIC Insurance General Agency is the combination of four different General Agency/MGA entities: RIC Insurance General Agency, NWC Insurance Services, Louis T. Mastos & Associates, and Blackthorn Insurance Underwriters, LLC.

In the mid-1960s, Benveniste Insurance Services offered a package program, writing business for Refreshment stands, Ice cream parlors and Candy stores. The name “RIC” derived from that program. The business incorporated as RIC Insurance General Agency, Inc. in 1974.

RIC expanded its operation from California into bordering states until the 1980s, when the soft market contracted business significantly. In the 1970s, RIC was sold to Fremont General Corporation. In 1978, RIC became licensed to do Surplus Lines business, and E&S grew throughout the 1980s. In 1991, Ron Arndt bought RIC.

Mike Sullivan became a retail agent in the 1970s. Through acquisitions and organic growth, his agency, Northwest Insurance, grew into a significant regional player. In 1987, Dennis Stanley joined Northwest as a producer after a successful career in the lumber and real estate businesses.

Mike and Dennis started a partnership with Allstate Corporation in 1997. They became wholesale brokers placing policies for Allstate agents; NWC Insurance Services was founded for wholesale operations.

Current President and CEO, Gary Kitchen joined RIC in 2001, adding significant value and growth opportunities for the Organization and has managed the day to day operations since that time.  NWC became a Program Administrator for Everest National in 2004.  Mike and Dennis acquired RIC in 2005.  Gary became an owner in 2006.

In 2008, RIC purchased Louis T. Mastos & Associates, which focused on E&S binding authority business, including package, commercial auto, and a strong personal lines book. This allowed RIC to expand it’s footprint into Oregon, Nevada, and Arizona.

Then in 2010, Mike and Dennis sold their retail operation and combined the NWC Insurance Services wholesale business with RIC and Mastos. RIC purchased Blackthorn Insurance Underwriters, LLC in 2014. Its program focused on writing small contractors in the western U.S. This book boasted solid results and allowed RIC to enter the niche program market.

In 2013, RIC became one of two MGA’s placing business for agents in State Fund’s Access State Fund Program which increased the number of agents significantly that RIC serves.

RIC continues its tradition of entrepreneurial spirit, growth and excellence heading into the future, while embodying the values and experience of its multi-faceted past.