Bisnett Insurance Blog

Designated Hitters

Have you ever seen a string of letters after an insurance agent’s name on a business card or email signature? Ever wonder what they mean? Is it important to make sure that your agent’s signature has those letters?

At Bisnett, we are passionate about making the complex insurance world a lot easier to understand and navigate. Here’s a crash course in a couple of popular insurance designations, to help you understand their value, so you can make an informed decision when choosing an agent.

CIC: If an agent is referred to as a CIC, they are a Certified Insurance Counselor. Important things to know about CICs: - A CIC candidate must already be a licensed agent, broker, adjuster, or solicitor, have at least two years of experience in the insurance, risk management, or insurance education industries. - There are five CIC “institutes”. Personal Lines, Commercial Casualty, Commercial Property, Life and Health institute, and Agency Management institute. A Certified Risk Managers (CRM) course may be substituted for one institute. - Each of the five consists of 20 hours of coursework, followed by a 2-hour exam. For more detailed info, visit http://www.scic.com/courses/CIC.

CPCU: If an insurance professional’s business card includes the letters CPCU, they are a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter. Important things to know about CPCUs: - To earn CPCU accreditation, a professional must already be highly experienced, then successfully complete a series of courses and an exam. For more detailed info, visit http://www.cpcusociety.org/page/home/. - CPCUs commit to adhere to an even higher set of ethical rules than the state requires. - Many of these individuals belong to a CPCU association which provides them with resources and news to keep them updated on the latest trends and information. - Those working toward earning the CPCU designation choose between two tracks of study: risk management of commercial insurance and risk management of personal insurance. However, the initial courses for each of the tracks is the same, covering legal issues, risk management, financial services and financial analysis. - Be sure to ask which track of the designation a CPCU holds, in order to find a professional that best matches your needs.

We are proud to have a number of CICs and CPCUs on our staff. While all of our employees are highly qualified insurance experts, those who hold these designations are trained to handle specialty areas and even the most complex needs. We will help you find the best agent for your individual or business needs. You can find bios and contact info for all of our employees on each office’s web page.