From Sales to Entrepreneurship
Jonathan Zurita was only 19 years old when he became the youngest sales manager at Circuit City. “I thought I was a superstar,” he explained to me one afternoon in the conference room at Zurita Insurance on Cherry Street. “I thought I’d do it forever and keep rising through the ranks.” In 2006, before the company filed for bankruptcy, Jonathan drove from Stamford (where he lived) to Orange (where he worked), only to be laid off and turn right back around.
“I drove all that way just to get fired. But I immediately jumped into problem-solving mode,” he recalled. “I figured I should stop by the State Farm office in Stamford and change my auto coverage to save a couple bucks.” When he arrived at the office, he told the agents what had happened and jokingly asked if they were hiring. One week later, he started with State Farm.
“I think every single person you speak to in the insurance business is going to tell you that they just fell into the business. And I’m no different,” he affirmed. Nearly two decades later, he has built a successful independent insurance agency licensed in nine states and offering policies from 15 insurance carriers. Once located throughout Connecticut, Zurita has closed all but one office in Milford, which was built in 2022. This decision has allowed them to develop a hybrid-remote company structure and to provide a more central location for staff members who are scattered across the state.
“Our team is number one,” Jonathan stated. “If the team is happy and feels supported, the customers are more satisfied.”
An Agency of the Future
Zurita’s work structure isn’t the only unique aspect of the business. They are also committed to being an “agency of the future,” a phrase that showcases their commitment to new technologies amidst an otherwise antiquated industry.
“We invest in the best technology that’s out there, to provide our agents with all the tools they need to be the most efficient and accurate” Jonathan noted. He provided the example of certain AI systems that allow clients to seamlessly import their current insurance policies onto Zurita’s platform. The policies are then automatically imputed into the company’s comparative rating system, allowing Zurita to work more efficiently at finding clients the best rates.
Combating Misconceptions, Anticipating Needs
At the mention of rates, I asked Jonathan about current and future trends in the industry and what misconceptions people may have about how insurance works. “First and foremost, we don’t set the rates,” he explained. “The carriers set the rates. And right now – everyone is aware of it – rates are skyrocketing.” He explained that the recent increase in insurance rates boils down to an unfortunate game of catch-up: insurance commissioners have, over the last few years, prohibited insurance companies from raising their rates to keep up with inflation. Now that those rules are softening, rates have gone up but they have also compounded to make up for lost time.
Zurita’s approach to this problem combines diligence with customer service and, most important, proactive research. “We’ve pulled people out of their day-to-day role here just to focus on client retention,” Jonathan explained. “We have a team that deals only with renewals: we’ll check the market to see if there is an opportunity out there and call the client right away, before the renewal processes. This helps them avoid getting a surprise rate increase.”
Moving, Milford, and Millie
Until recently, Zurita Insurance had offices across the state of Connecticut. Now, they have moved all operations to Milford. Jonathan noted that Milford offers a true sense of community. “Operating in other towns could sometimes feel alienating,” he recalled, “like we weren’t part of the club. I prefer to let our work speak for itself, and moving to Milford has allowed us to do that.” As far as clientele goes, Jonathan smiled widely as he assured me, “the people in Milford are honestly so kind and so easy to do business with.”
In many ways, Zurita’s company culture derives from Jonathan’s own upbringing. Born in Chile, his family moved to the United States when he was five years old. “I grew up in a very stereotypical Latino household,” he laughed. “My dad’s a carpenter, my mom’s a housekeeper. They both still work. My work ethic and attention to detail definitely come from my parents.”
Indeed, Zurita’s Milford location has amassed more than 500 five-star reviews on Google, a testament to the company’s focus on efficiency, accuracy, and customer service. But it’s not all business all the time: Zurita’s six-year-old English Mastiff, Millie, provides staff and visitors with a hearty dose of morale as she ambles around the office on a daily basis.
As Millie snored at my feet, Jonathan reflected. “Our work starts after the sale,” he said. “The way we generate income is by keeping clients happy. We’re not so much in the insurance industry as we are the service industry.”
"Our team is number one...we invest in the best technology that’s out there, to provide our agents with all the tools they need to be the most efficient and accurate."
"I prefer to let our work speak for itself, and moving to Milford has allowed us to do that."