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What Most Business Owners Don’t Know About Insurance | A.J. Ciccone
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What Most Business Owners Don’t Know About Insurance
Before Crisis Hits
The Right Room is a business and leadership podcast where founders and entrepreneurs share real stories, profit strategies, and practical lessons for building successful companies.
In this episode of The Right Room, Jane Parmel and Celeste DeCamps speak with A.J. Ciccone, insurance professional and agency leader, about what business owners and homeowners need to understand before they actually need to use their coverage. A.J. shares the pivotal moment that shaped his career, the strategy that helps clients feel informed and supported, and the key lessons entrepreneurs can apply when reviewing risk, coverage, and peace of mind.
A.J. officially entered the insurance business in 2012, the same year Superstorm Sandy hit New York. Instead of easing into the work, he was immediately helping families and business owners navigate devastation, confusion, and loss. That experience shaped how he approaches insurance today: not just as a product, but as a relationship built on education, empathy, and setting expectations before problems happen.
This episode is about much more than policies and premiums. It is about choosing the right advisor, understanding what you have, knowing what you do not have, and making sure your business protection evolves as your business grows.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ How Superstorm Sandy shaped A.J.’s approach to insurance
✅ Why empathy matters in moments of crisis
✅ How to think about insurance based on the actual risks in your business
✅ Why business owners should review and update coverage regularly
✅ What to look for when choosing an insurance agent
✅ Why service matters just as much as price
✅ How AI can help you better understand your policy
✅ Why expectations and education reduce surprises later
Room Service:
In the next 48 hours, pull out one insurance policy, personal or business, and review it.
Then do one of these:
- ask your agent to explain the biggest gaps or exposures
- upload the policy into ChatGPT and ask it to explain it in plain English
- make a list of 3 questions you want answered about what is and is not covered
Do not wait until a claim happens to find out what your policy really says.
About Our Guest:
A.J. Ciccone is part of a multi-generation insurance family and helps clients navigate personal and business coverage with clarity, calm, and care. With experience shaped by real crisis situations and a strong emphasis on relationships, he works to make insurance more understandable, more proactive, and more supportive for the people he serves.
Connect with A.J.:
LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajciccone/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/CicconeAgency
INSTAGRAM: @CicconeAgency
GOOGLE: https://share.google/OJmhqPF6tvSJX1R1h
About The Right Room Podcast:
The Right Room is a business and leadership podcast focused on growth, communication, entrepreneurship, and the strategies that help leaders navigate challenges and build stronger businesses.
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Um, I always look at glass half full things. So in the moment, it was tough. Um, you know, we had people crying in our office, we had people whose homes burned down in Breezy Point, there was a fire there. Now looking back, it was probably a really good learning experience of how to deal and be empathetic to people.
SPEAKER_02Um, do you ever have a problem with your insurance? Because I know you live in, I live in a private house. You live in a kind of a co-op co-op. Um I know it can get a little tricky sometimes. Do you know everything that's on your um policy? I am embarrassed to say I do not. Uh yeah, well, because my policy comes in, it's about yay thick, and I never have a chance to to look through it. And um I'll be honest with you, I probably don't think to do it, period, until you need it.
SPEAKER_01So exactly. And I have to tell you, our uh today's guest has a very interesting story about how he entered the insurance business. He actually entered it the same year that Superstorm Sandy decided to slam into New York, and there was no easing in for him. He was crisis mode from day one. But everything that he has brought to the table for insurance is a really big uh opportunity for us. Right, sure it doesn't really understand what insurance means to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
SPEAKER_02So we're we're here in the right room. We want to give somebody a story, a strategy, and a step to move forward. I'm Jane Parmel. I'm Celeste Kant. There you go. And we'd like to welcome AJ Sicconi to the Write Room. AJ, thanks for coming, joining us today.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER_02Great. Well, we want to know a little bit about your business first, and then like uh like Celeste said, how you entered the business and and what you do exactly.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. So definitely appreciate the time um and this platform. I'm really excited to be here. So uh I came into the insurance business officially, um, like Celeste said during the year Superstorm Sanity 2012. However, I I like to say I was born into it. So my dad started our agency back in 1979. Uh, my grandfather um also had an agency. And then lo and behold, you know, fast forward, I get married, and my wife runs our other agency in New Jersey. So when I say we're all in, um, I mean we're all in. Um, but coming into the insurance industry, especially this type of insurance where we're dealing with people's businesses and homes, uh, cars that, you know, basically got destroyed overnight. Uh, it kind of threw me into the deep end of a 12-foot pool and and tried to had to figure out how to swim. Um, I always look at glass half-full things. So in the moment, it was tough. Um, you know, we had people crying in our office. We had people whose homes burned down in Breezy Point. There was a fire there. Now looking back, it was probably a really good learning experience of how to deal and be empathetic to people. Um, because you know, everyone for the most part that we're around has insurance to some extent, right? But you know, you don't want to have to use it to the worst case scenario that you think. And we had to help people both navigate that. Um, you know, and there are still people, you know, now who really fully haven't rebuilt from, you know, from that, you know, 14 years later almost. So um I would say it it kind of taught me very quick how to handle both uh clients to understand their insurance and you know help them navigate through it.
SPEAKER_02And and the one thing I, you know, I I really always pick up whenever you talk about it is the the longevity um that you have your grandfather, your father, now you, your wife. I'm sure, you know, even the kids probably. Um, you know, the thought of it being another legacy uh, you know, down to your children. What what is it that that you do that I mean that makes you so different? That stands, I mean, there's a million insurance brokers out there, there's a million insurance agents. What is the one thing that that maybe you think maybe it's old school relationships that you make with people, um continuing it forward? Stuff dad or your grandfather taught you, you know. Um, what do you what do you think that having it come to you that way makes you different?
SPEAKER_00So I think it it it's taking the experience they had, but then also trying to be realistic in where we are today, right, with technology, the amount of information that are is in front of people in a moment's notice with AI, you know, I think it's a useful tool for both professionals um and clients to use to do some research. Um, but it it's really, I think at the end of the day, regardless how much technology advances, you know, anyone can get a policy online that sounds like a good price and clicks a button, right? And that's all fine and good. But I think there is some sense of easiness when someone knows that in the event of something happening, right, where that really stressful time happens, they have a comforting agent, agency with their staff to talk to, to just tell them it stinks right now, but it's gonna be okay, right? And we're gonna help you and kind of hold your hand as best you can to navigate through that. I think that peace of mind is what we really try and instill in a lot of our clients because you know, everyone probably has some sticker shock when they look at their insurance, whether it's their business insurance, whether it's their home insurance, car insurance, um, you know, they're the those premiums are going up and to an exorbitant level. So we can't necessarily help that in the moment, but when we can help is just making sure they understand what they have, they understand what they don't have, what might not be covered, and just set expectations so there are no surprises. We try and limit those as much as we can.
SPEAKER_01That's gotta be a hard conversation too for somebody, especially small business owners and entrepreneurs where the budget is tight and it's hard to foresee any danger that could happen. How do you walk through a customer who you know has limited funds? Just uh you know, I know that I'm sure the process is different all the time, but is there an overview that our listeners can at least start to understand? Because I'm sure many of them are in this process right now.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I I think that question more lies on the type and the nature of the business, right? There are different businesses with different risks. And based on those risks, that might be what coverage is in your policy specifically that you may want to lay more into and that probably show um some more importance, right? Someone who may have a, you know, an accounting firm or a business where they have clientele in and out has a different type of risk than the person who you know has 10 vehicles on the road at the same time with different drivers who are exposed to car accidents and things like that. So I think having uh an educated conversation with your agent based on the business that you have and the risks involved is the place to start. And then maybe you can find avenues where some of those risks are lower. You can, you know, maybe pull back some of that coverage that might be not as necessary, but there are definitely some that every business should try and make sure that they at least have from the onset to some extent. We're not saying it needs to be, you know, all in soup to nuts, but more so, you know, here's where I think we should start. But then let's reevaluate this in six months, in a year, two years, as your business grows, your insurance policy naturally has to change too, because the coverages that you need are going to change, you know, based on where you're located, whether, you know, we're in a different world. Many businesses are virtual, right? So there's there's that type of just exposure. And there's some, you know, who have who have offices who, you know, own their buildings where that office resides, maybe lease that office space. So it's a bigger conversation, um, but broadly, uh, I would start just what type of business you are and what are the risks of those business. Let's try and see where that is. And then from there we can try and build out a policy that that mitigates some of those major exposures.
SPEAKER_02So one of the things that I I I always notice with AJ, I know AJ a long time. Um, and the one thing that I always marvel at is he's he's kind of the most laid-back insurance agent I've ever met in my life. And he he leads, he does lead with very um confident, calm, um, you know, don't worry about it. I got you. Like he he really supports the clients when when I know he has to work with them. Um AJ, in terms of like turning that into a strategy that people can really seize on and work with, what um like what's what's like the the secret sauce that you use to like stay, because I know you know when you have all that paperwork and all those phone calls you have to make and back and forth with the clients, how do you do, how do you lead with confidence and and the calmness that you have?
SPEAKER_00I would say the the biggest thing I do is try to put myself in the shoe of our clients, right? In in where they're sitting. Because if I wasn't on this side of the desk, I would think I have an insurance policy, I pay a lot of money, I'm probably upset about the amount of money I pay. So anything and everything that could possibly happen under the sun should be covered, right? And and that's what most people tend to think. So, you know, I really try and help individuals and businesses navigate that that's not necessarily the case. Insurance companies get bad raps, they're not in the business of denying claims, but they are in the business to make sure that they pay claims that should be paid out. And many times it could be a very small endorsement or something that should be on there that was relatively inexpensive that was just not discussed or brought up. So I think it's mindful to be in the shoe of the client because everyone is financial situation is different too, right? You know, your insurance going up, Jane, you know, $200 a month might be nothing to you, but might be very tough for Celeste, right? And we need to be aware of that, right? What we might think is not a lot, could be a lot for other people. Um, and people overall, right now, you know, they're in a tough spot financially. Everything is going up, right? And there are some things you can cut back, but unfortunately, a lot of times some of your insurances are not that, right? You can't just decide my car insurance is a lot, I'm gonna cancel it. Yeah, and you're gonna have a big issue with your license and with DMV, and no one wants to spend more time in DMV than we already do. We all know that. You know, if you if you have a home and you have a mortgage, you need home insurance. You, you know, you're not gonna get a mortgage. You know, if you live in a co-op, sometimes there's a property management company that says you need to have insurance, right? There's a lot that goes into it. We just try and be the calm because we feel like sometimes clients can be upset of you know, them not thinking of a claim. And we also want them to feel confident that they can come to us on an off-the-record type of conversation to just be and ask, you know, would this be covered? Is this covered? It's hard to get that type of answer when you just ask, you know, the insurance company themselves because they're going to be very weary about committing to saying it should or should not be covered. So we try and give sound advice uh based on things we have seen, just to make people prepared, you know, more so what they should have.
SPEAKER_01I think what's difficult too is trying to be proactive and understanding everything that your business may need for insurance purposes. But then it also comes down to how do I pick the agent? How do I know that I am getting all the information that this is somebody that will hold my hand and talk me through it? Is there a checklist steps that somebody could have in their back pocket to question the agent to see if they're getting what they need?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, I I think like anything else we probably do now, whether you're staying in a hotel or checking at a restaurant, like you're gonna try and do some research, right? I implore people to just on the surface do some research, check the reviews, right? You're probably gonna go with someone who has better reviews than someone who has less reviews, not less, but you know, one-star reviews or people saying, I call them six times, no one called me back. I think that's a place to start. Then I think from there, you know, I would get a list of two or three and and make some calls and almost interview them, right? Because it, you know, it's a big decision. And I know on the surface people don't want to spend additional time, right? It's just here's what I need, please get it for me the quickest. I want to put this, you know, to the complete pile so I can move on to the next thing. And, you know, I get that. Um, but if it's not you as the business owner, you know, have someone in your office do that work. Um, try by sending them an email. If you don't get a response in a few days, could be some writing on the wall. Who knows? Maybe they're out of the office, right? And no one's perfect. Um, but we live in a world where people want, you know, immediate gratification, right? If I emailed you at nine and you didn't email back by 9.02, I'm calling your office by 9.04, really upset. And and I get that. Um so in you know, in a respectful way, we have to explain to our clients how our office dynamic works. And and you know, I'm big on setting expectations. I think if people know what to expect, there are less surprises. It's when they don't know what to expect, or it's very kind of broad, that they can tend to get more upset. So I would say start with doing your research, um, trying to find companies, whether it's a you know, a captive agency like an all-state or a state farm. Um, I personally think working with an agency that has a good support team behind them could be beneficial versus, and I'm not knocking the geikos and the progressives of the world, they're not bad, but you know, at the end of the day, and we've all been there, right? When you try and call your utility company or your cable company, it's this endless bone tree loop, and then you finally 20 minutes later get to the right, oh, you're in the wrong department. Let me transfer you. 20 minutes later, that call gets disconnected, and you're about to throw your phone across the room, right? And then it's like, you know what, I'm not dealing with this now, and then it gets put on the back burner. I think service overall in a lot of industries has really gone down. Um, so I think you want to try and find out like any company, any insurance company can take a payment, right? They can do that. It's are they available when I need them to be available in that time when I need them? And that's when you know you need them to step up. So doing the research, trying to call them, having conversations, seeing how that staff answers their phone, asking the agent, how long have you been an agent? How long have you worked for the company, right? How long have your staff been with you? I think those are true tell signs of who you're dealing with, not just today, but six months from now, a year from now, and two years from now.
SPEAKER_02So you had mentioned um earlier that um one of the things people don't do is they don't necessarily review um their policies or their coverages, whatever. Um, so this is the part of the the interview that we call um room service. So we want to make sure that we leave some of our listeners with a step that they can take in the next you know, 48 hours, week, whatever during the week, thinking about their entire business, whether it whether it be business or like you said, homeowners or just auto insurance. What's something that they could do right now in that time, you know, the first thing that they could start to do to either change coverages, change, you know, what should they do?
SPEAKER_00So it's a good question. You know, like you said, most of us get that insurance document that's like that thick, and it's like, why are they spending money on mailing this? And it goes in the garbage and no one's reading it. Um, I would use technology as a resource and a tool, um, not only for business owners, but from also as just a consumer, right? Take that insurance document, which can be digitally sent to you if you don't already or you have access. Take it, upload it to ChatGPT, right? Chat GPT can take that information and say, you know, based on me, whether it's a personal policy or a business policy, but you know, I know Chat GPT talks a lot, the more you give it, the more it can give you, right? I'm a business owner in Brooklyn. Based on the policy that I have, where can you see some exposures in my policy? And where do you think I should ask my agent to talk about different types of coverages? You'll be, you know, I like when people do that. Some agents feel almost threatened because they think that, you know, the consumer is trying to be a licensed insurance agent, but now it comes to me with direct concerns that now is kind of brought to their attention. And now we can really focus on that. So I would say don't shy away from the AI. Um, I know a lot of people are kind of scared about it, if it's gonna replace me or this job or the world, like who knows where that direction is going. But I would say from a consumer, it's a really strong tool to use to really get, you know, uploaded and say, hey, please translate this insurance policy as if I'm a 10-year-old and I need it explained to me. Just use that exact prompt, and you'll be surprised and shocked and how much, and that's how we like to or try to explain coverages and policies because people don't understand with what's family liability, what's guest medical, what's additional living expense. But when we translate the the terminology with, well, how does this impact you specifically? Like here's a quick hypothetical, then it kind of puts the two together and then it it makes sense. And you know, you can use chat GPT as a tool to to kind of get you there.
SPEAKER_02It's it's telling a story, you know, it's telling a story so that they can put it into context.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. And it's no, I I I I love that advice. I I think more and more people would really appreciate some of this terminology to be a little bit better understood. And this also brings us to asking you since you're in the right room, what does it mean to you personally to be in the right room? What does that look like?
SPEAKER_00Um I think the right room for me, I I think of it from two ways. I think there's a right room from a business standpoint, and then a right room just for me, AJ as a person. Um, you know, as Jane can probably tell you, I, you know, I tend to be more even keel, like my demeanor is low, but I I like to be around like-minded, positive people. I don't like negativity, I don't like drama. I feel like we're surrounded with it, you know, anytime you turn on the TV or you pick up a phone, and I, you know, I think you need to control that to the best of your ability. So the right room for me would be around positive, like-minded individuals who, with everything going on, I feel like there's always there's always a way out, right? There's always a way to make better, there's always a way to do better. Um, our industries, regardless of what you're in, are gonna evolve. And if we don't evolve with them, you know, like the blockbuster. Of the world, we're going to be left in the dust. So you can't resist the change. You got to embrace it, make a plan. So for me, it's just being with like-minded individuals, um, you know, who want to grow, help each other up when we get knocked down, because we've all been knocked down before, right? It's the ones who get up and keep going. Um, you know, and that's why I applaud you two for for having this podcast. It's not like you guys invented the podcast, right? There's some competition out there, right? A little bit. Everyone who started a podcast had, you know, the first 10 episodes, then they got to 20. And everyone, you know, everyone had a start, right? And no one talks about the start when they get to a place that looks from the other side to be successful, right? And people think like it was easy. And no, everyone has some type of story. So, you know, I thank you both for giving me a platform to share that story, but I also applaud you for you know having the tenacity and the determination to do this with people because you know, I'm not, I'm, I'm sure it's not, it's not easy, you know, and it's not simple. And you know, but everyone was everyone was there at one point.
SPEAKER_01Well, yeah, but we enjoy doing this because it does give us the opportunity to bring different people in because we all need the help, we all need advice, we all need somebody that we could say, oh, that makes sense, you know, and and have somebody who's an expert that's willing to give us their information and do so freely. And it's the generosity that we appreciate from our guests.
SPEAKER_02Exactly, definitely. Um, you know, the the just the longevity and the and the uh and the consistency that I've always seen, you know, with first meeting uh AJ's dad years ago and then meeting AJ, um, working with him, being in different situations, networking situations and business situations and personal situations where you know you actually see someone's professionalism um character when you talk about it as on a personal note. Um AJ, you know, is there something that um because you have that legacy behind you, because if someone wanted to build something that would actually really matter 20 years from now, could you give them a little bit of advice?
SPEAKER_00Uh I would say the advice I would give is to whatever you're trying to build in 20 years, whether it's a podcast, whether it's an insurance agency, whether it's an accounting firm, is at the beginning be humble and surround yourself with the people around you who are really good at it. And don't be shy to call them and ask them for help and ask them to lunch, take them out to dinner, um, and and really just try and be a sponge and not think that you know it. And you'd be surprised how many people want to do that. When I started, even though I come from a background with my dad, he knew it and he knew it well, but he knew it the way he wanted to do it. And that doesn't mean it was the be all end all. And you know, I I took what he knew, but I knew there were other people around our industry who did it even better. So I I you know, I don't want to settle. So I spent a lot of time with people and and they gave their time to me. And now, you know, I pay that forward with people starting in the industry, and I would say that is the best way instead of trying to figure it out alone. You know, I don't think you're alone. I think there's people who yearn to want to help, they just want to be a X, right? And I think it's a compliment when someone comes to you, identifies you as someone who does well in your industry um or your classification, and asks you like, what are you doing right? What are you doing wrong? Like you'd be surprised. I think that is by far the best. And I think reading, I think reading books, um, you know, or listening to audio books is is a great way. There's just we're we're in such a time where there's such an on-demand way of getting information that it's almost to the point of being overwhelming. Yeah, right. Like I kind of related to when streaming came out of music that like all of a sudden you could pick any song you want to listen to right now, and you're like, all right, AJ, what song you want to listen to? And I would like, I couldn't think of one because it your mind just keeps going and it's like, wow, I could choose any song. Like, that's like there are so many tools and information that I think you need to pick some that are good and then stick the process because a lot of people end up trying something, it doesn't work for two or three weeks, and then they kind of give up, and then it's on to the next one. And it's hard to sustain success when you know you just try and give up, and then try and give up thinking you're just looking for you know the quick fix. Um, because it's not out there. I mean, there are things you can do to help, you know, make things more efficient, but I think hard work and and falling and getting up is is the best way for long-term success.
SPEAKER_01Cool. Great. Uh you summed that up very, very well. And I know that a lot of people now are wondering what's the best way to get a hold of you, AJ? We are gonna have all of your information underneath under on the comments. But this way, people just watching it might want to just know how to get a hold of you.
SPEAKER_00Um, yeah, so uh my email, which I'm sure you'll share, is just AJ at succoniagency.com. Uh, we're in the process, so I guess I'm a little late talking about technology and not saying here's my website. We have the domain, the website is being developed as we speak. Um, I always came from a place of a lot of word of mouth. So again, building a website was on that list of things for probably the past five years. Like, you know, as business owners, we all have that list. And now, you know, my wife and I finally sat down, met with someone, and are building it out. So it'll be SacconiAgency.com. So I would say email website, um, you know, my phone number. If you search AJ Sacconi Insurance Online, you know, I'm right there. You could read those reviews that you know I recommended doing that research on before, but that would that would be the best way as a start. Um I'm pretty I'm pretty easy to reach.
SPEAKER_02Definitely, definitely. So we'll link everything in the show notes and anybody that's out there. You can really service anybody um nationwide, right?
SPEAKER_00So no, we so we do New York and then we do New Jersey, and then our agency in New Jersey can also do Pennsylvania um from uh from a personal lines insurance aspect. So think of you know car insurance, home insurance, condo and co-op, um, as well as as any type of business type of insurance as well.
SPEAKER_02All right, sounds good. Well, AJ, thank you so much for being in the right room with us today. Um, we're gonna have probably have you back another time to talk about something else um and probably all the layers of things that we we heard in today's interview.
SPEAKER_01So that'll be Yeah, and we really appreciate the actionable steps. I think research is something that people don't always think about and picking an agent and having that understanding of doing some homework and saving yourself a lot of headache later down the line. Thank you very much.
SPEAKER_00I really appreciate it.
SPEAKER_01Thank you.
