Ricci & Associates

What Ricci & Associates does

Ricci & Associates is a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based independent insurance agency founded in 1954, operating from a single office on Four Clairton Blvd. The agency sells personal and commercial insurance policies on behalf of ten carrier partners — Agency Insurance Company, Auto Owners, Cumberland Insurance Group, Donegal Insurance Group, Encompass Insurance, Progressive, Foremost Specialty Insurance, Hagerty, Foremost/Bristol West, and Hanover Insurance Group — across six product lines: auto, home, business, motorcycle, watercraft, and life insurance. As an independent brokerage rather than a captive agent, the agency can shop across carriers to match clients with coverage and price points, positioning itself as a multi-carrier intermediary for the local Pittsburgh market and Pennsylvania at large.

The firm employs between 11 and 50 people, including founder Gene L. Ricci, current Owner/Agent Norm Conway, third-generation family member Rori Ricci Conway, and licensed agents Gina Lustre, Cathy Miller, and Bernie Rafferty. The technology stack is minimal: a Squarespace-hosted website serves as the primary digital presence, with no proprietary insurance platform, quoting engine, or customer-facing software disclosed. Customer acquisition runs almost entirely on referrals, word-of-mouth, and testimonials published on the website, several of which reference client relationships of 30 to 37 years and intra-family referrals between generations of the same household.

Revenue is generated through transaction-based commissions paid by the ten carrier partners on new policy placements and renewals, consistent with the standard independent insurance agency model. Premiums are quoted individually based on each client's risk profile and selected carrier, with no public pricing. The business is family-owned across three generations, with no disclosed private equity, venture capital, or external investor involvement, and no evidence of funding rounds, acquisitions, or geographic expansion beyond the Pittsburgh/PA footprint.

Name

Ricci & Associates

Legal name

Ricci & Associates

Website

https://ricciandassociates.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ricci & Associates is a family-owned, independent insurance agency founded in 1954 in Pittsburgh, PA, that places personal and commercial policies through ten carrier partners for individual and small business clients in the Pennsylvania market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Agency Services

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Commercial Lines Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAB)

Keywords

• Independent insurance agency
• Auto insurance
• Home insurance
• Business insurance
• Life insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Insurance Agency Commissions: Ricci & Associates earns commissions from multiple insurance carrier partnerships (Agency Insurance Company, Auto Owners, Cumberland Insurance Group, Donegal Insurance Group, Encompass Insurance, Progressive, Foremost Specialty Insurance, Hagerty, Foremost/Bristol West, Hanover Insurance Group) by selling their insurance policies to individual and business clients. Revenue is generated on a per-transaction basis as commissions on new policy placements and renewals, consistent with the independent insurance agency model.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Ricci & Associates is an independent insurance agency that sells personal and commercial insurance policies (auto, home, business, motorcycle, watercraft, and life) on behalf of multiple carrier partners. The agency acts as an intermediary, matching clients to policies from carriers such as Progressive, Auto Owners, Hanover, Donegal, Encompass, Cumberland, Agency Insurance, Foremost, Hagerty, and Bristol West, and earns commissions on placements and renewals. Services are delivered through licensed agents at the agency's Pittsburgh, PA office.

Product overview

Ricci & Associates is an independent insurance agency that offers a portfolio of core insurance products across personal and commercial lines. The company provides six primary insurance products: Auto Insurance, Home Insurance, Business Insurance, Motorcycle Insurance, Watercraft Insurance, and Life Insurance. As an independent agency representing multiple insurance carriers, they serve as a broker matching clients with appropriate coverage from their carrier network. The products are offered as standalone offerings that agents customize and bundle based on individual client needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Auto Insurance Vehicle insurance coverage for personal automobiles, including collision, liability, and comprehensive protection. Offered to individual consumers in the Pittsburgh, PA market through the agency's carrier portfolio.
• Home Insurance Property insurance coverage for residential homes, protecting against damage, theft, and liability. Offered to individual consumers and homeowners in the Pittsburgh, PA market.
• Business Insurance Commercial insurance coverage for small to mid-sized businesses, including general liability, property, and business interruption protection. Offered to local businesses in the Pittsburgh region through the agency's carrier portfolio.
• Motorcycle Insurance Specialized insurance coverage for motorcycles, including liability and physical damage protection. Offered to individual motorcycle owners in the Pittsburgh, PA market.
• Watercraft Insurance Insurance coverage for boats and watercraft, covering liability and property damage on the water. Offered to individual boat/watercraft owners in the Pittsburgh, PA market.
• Life Insurance Personal life insurance products providing financial protection and death benefits for families. Offered to individual consumers and families in the Pittsburgh, PA market through the agency's carrier portfolio.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients report saving money on insurance premiums by working with Ricci & Associates to find the right carrier and coverage.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Agency Insurance CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Agency Insurance Company as one of its carrier partners. The agency sells Agency Insurance Company policies to its individual and business clients in the Pennsylvania market.
• Auto Owners InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Auto Owners Insurance as one of its carrier partners. The agency offers Auto Owners Insurance products to its clients seeking auto, home, and related coverage.
• Cumberland Insurance GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Cumberland Insurance Group as one of its carrier partners. The agency offers Cumberland Insurance Group products to its individual and business clients.
• Donegal Insurance GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Donegal Insurance Group as one of its carrier partners. The agency sells Donegal Insurance Group policies to its Pennsylvania client base.
• Encompass Insurance CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Encompass Insurance Company as one of its carrier partners, offering Encompass products to its client base.
• Progressive Insurance CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Progressive Insurance Company as one of its carrier partners. Progressive is one of the major national carriers represented by the agency.
• Foremost Specialty InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Foremost Specialty Insurance as one of its carrier partners, offering specialty insurance products to clients.
• Hagerty Auto InsurancecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Hagerty Auto Insurance as one of its carrier partners, offering classic/collector auto insurance to clients.
• Foremost/Bristol West Insurance GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Foremost/Bristol West Insurance Group as one of its carrier partners, offering auto insurance products.
• Hanover Insurance GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRicci & Associates is an independent agency representing Hanover Insurance Group as one of its carrier partners, offering commercial and personal insurance products to its Pennsylvania clients.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Direct peers

• The Hilb Group: The Hilb Group is a property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage that actively acquires and partners with independent agencies. It represents a directly comparable peer in business model (independent agency/brokerage) and is a likely roll-up acquirer for agencies of Ricci's profile.
• USI Insurance Services: USI is one of the largest US insurance brokerage and risk advisory firms, built largely through roll-up of independent agencies. Comparable in business model (multi-carrier agency/brokerage serving personal and commercial lines) and a potential aggregator for agencies like Ricci.
• Erie Insurance: Erie Insurance is a regional P&C carrier and agency network headquartered in Pennsylvania with a heavy concentration in PA, OH, and surrounding states. Like Ricci, it operates through independent agents serving personal and commercial lines in the same Pittsburgh/PA footprint, making it a directly comparable peer in product mix, distribution model, and geography.
• Acrisure: Acrisure is one of the largest insurance brokerages in the world, built primarily through acquisitions of independent agencies. It is a directly comparable peer in business model and a representative roll-up acquirer relevant to Ricci's potential exit paths.
• The Cincinnati Insurance Companies: Cincinnati Financial operates a regional P&C carrier with a strong independent agent distribution model across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. It serves as a directly comparable peer in product mix, agency distribution approach, and target customer base (SMB + personal lines).

Broad incumbents

• GEICO: GEICO is one of the largest direct-to-consumer auto and home insurers in the US. It is a broad incumbent competitor that pressures agency economics for simple personal lines by offering direct online quoting to the same Pittsburgh consumer base.
• State Farm: State Farm is the largest US personal lines insurer, distributing through a captive (exclusive) agent model across auto, home, and life. It is a broad incumbent competitor for the same individual and family customers in the Pittsburgh market.
• Allstate: Allstate is a national P&C carrier with a large captive agent network and growing direct-to-consumer channel (Esurance). It competes with Ricci for the same personal lines customers in the Pittsburgh/PA market across auto and home.

Regional players

• Frankenmuth Insurance: Frankenmuth Insurance is a regional P&C carrier distributing through independent agents in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. It is a comparable peer in business model (independent agency channel, regional personal and commercial lines focus) although it primarily serves different geographies.
• Donegal Insurance Group: Donegal is a regional P&C carrier based in PA that distributes through independent agents in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest. It is one of Ricci's own carrier partners and is a relevant comparable for the regional carrier-agency model in the same Pennsylvania geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/100058721718172

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ricci & Associates