Insurance Institute to start computer-based CIP exams, program for non-insurance leaders

The Insurance Institute of Canada recently announced a certificate program designed to give “deeper” technical knowledge to workers who already have IIC’s Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation, as well as a one-day program intended to “give leaders with a non-insurance background a deeper understanding” of the property and casualty insurance industry.

IIC chief executive officer Peter Hohman announced the institute’s Advanced CIP program at the National Insurance Conference of Canada in Ottawa.

“This four-course certificate program will provide CIP graduates with deeper technical insurance knowledge, and advanced management and business skills required for management level roles,” he said during closing remarks at NICC, which was held earlier this week.

“It will also provide CIP graduates with the core knowledge necessary to succeed in the Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional) Program and as a result it will also satisfy the university pre-entry requirement of the Fellowship Program for CIP graduates who may not have a university degree.”

The advanced CIP program will start in 2015, Hohman said.

Another new IIC educational program — titled P&C Insurance: Essentials for Executives — is intended to give business leaders who do not have an insurance background an understanding of “the critical issues and challenges facing insurers today and to help them become conversant with key industry concepts, distribution models and business practices,” Hohman said.

“We have also developed a similar program for P&C company boards of directors who often represent a variety of skill sets that does not necessarily include insurance.”

Also at NICC, Hohman said the licensing exams for its CIP program will be computer-based — starting with one course in 2015 and the remainder by the end of 2017.

“We will be expanding our exam sessions into three-week windows held three times annually rather than limiting them to the concentrated one-week periods as we do now,” he said. “There will no longer be a set date and time for an individual course exam. Students will be able to schedule any of our 40+ CIP exams in either English or French for any time slot during each of the three week windows.”