CPCU

[InsAgentSF]

Yeah i know. Hopefully i start by the end of this month

[doyourhomework]

If you are an underwriter, especially with a direct writer or an admitted carrier, then the CPCU is worth it. Those managements love it and it will set you apart from others.

If you are an agent or broker, it will help you from a knowledge standpoint but, frankly, most clients won't care diddly about it.

If you are a wholesaler, forget it. No one cares.

Our family has an unusual perspective on the designation. I don't have one and am a wholesaler with 35 years experience in the industry. I make over $250K annually and have my own firm. My wife on the other hand has about the same time in the industry and was a top executive for a major national broker before she took 15 years off to raise our kids. She got her CPCU designation 25 years ago. When she was with the national broker she was encouraged to not use the designation because she would look "uppity" to her clients. When our kids entered high school and she reentered the market she did so [by preference] with a wholesaler as a CSR. That firm told her to not use her designation because it would make the brokers look bad since they did not have one.....and that they were not encouraged to get the designation.

Go figure. A CPCU designation can be a positive achievement in some environments and a negative one in others. Be realistic about what it will do for you before you begin the journey. Don't expect miracles just because you have it.

[volstrike3]

I am surprised to hear some wholesalers and national brokers would discourage her from displaying her designation. I am a fairly new retail agent and just finished my CIC designation and am working on my ARM. This may be ignorance on my part but when I see someone who has been in the business for 25 or 30 years without any designation I kind of wonder why they never made that investment in their career. I understand designations are not a true indication of someones insurance knowledge but it shows they care and are dedicated to a continued education. I have run across a few people that have had one year of insurance experience 20 times and it is a sad sight.

[Porter]

I am a retail agent specializing in mostly personal lines. What kind of designations would help me make more money?

[InsAgentSF]

Well i want to get CPCU mainly for myself. I don't have MBA or any other masters degree and since i picked insurance as the occupation i want to concentrate on for the next 20-30 years, i feel i need to get formal education. I understand that a handyman wouldn't care if i have a CPCU or if i don't. However, if i will write insurance for large firms, their CEOs will definetly appreciate that their insurance is handled by a person with highest designations. Besides, i am 28 years old, i still have some time to spend on education

[independent guy]

I have run across a few people that have had one year of insurance experience 20 times and it is a sad sight.

I love the way you put that. We've hired (& let go) those types a few times. I'm learning how to spot them when interviewing now...

[INTLXS]

I always ask what the person is looking to do when going for a CPCU. Most of the CPCU designations I have seen given lately have been to employees/producers at large brokrage houses and to company people. It is more like getting a college degree in insurance. Great program and will give you a wide knowledge of the business and how everything works.

For more of a "producer" designation I recommend the CIC (Certified Insurance Counselor) program. 5 Parts and each class is concentrated in a 2.5 day period with the test being given the afternoon of the third day. With the time constants most people have this format works better. It is geared more towards what agents or CSR's are selling on a day to day basis.

As far as doing self study for the CPCU I have heard great things about a company called Insurance Achievements: http://www.i-a.com/cpcu.html

Good luck either way and after you get your designation continue to do the updates to further your knowledge of this business and not just because you are looking to fufill a state CE requirement.

[MisterBlues]

"Can't Produce, Can't Underwrite"

Now there's a clever remark that I've never heard before. When I hear that one, I always assume it is coming from someone with the CPTE designation (Can't Pass The Exams).

Good luck in your pursuit of the CPCU. People used to say you could "write your own ticket" with the CPCU designation. While that may no longer be true, it will certainly open some doors for you as it is the most respected designation in the P & C industry.

It took me 12 years to get the designation. I did it self study, at my own pace, since I wasn't disciplined enough to go to class every week. I passed the first five exams I took, and was on track to go to Hawaii for the ceremony. The next exam I took, I didn't prepare adequately and failed. I was so disgusted that I took several years off from the exams. Finally, a co worker really pushed me to get back into it. I ended up going to the convention in Boston - not exactly like going to Hawaii on the company, but a pretty great trip anyway!!!

I got the ARe (Associate in Reinsurance) a few years back to go with my CPCU, and that's enough for me.

Good luck with your studies!

[InsAgentSF]

WOW This is excellent. Thank you very much guys for the input!!

[rhare]

CPCU: I took my first one as class (to check it out), the rest self study. Class was not as helpful as I expected, considering it was a full semester two nights a week for like 3 hrs or something. Self-Study OR class=USE THE STUDY MANUALS - question/answers workbook! That will get you through the tests! I enrolled 1991, completed 1995. They had started 3 tests per year in my area for the last couple years, so I was able to make up for the one year I took off (kids, house,etc.). It's very important you pace yourself as you work toward test date. Now that dates are more accessible in most arteas it's probably easier to re-start if you run behind. But, due to the material involved, I recommend just forge ahead and get it done ASAP. Stick to a schedule and get the test done ASAP and work on the next. Do NOT take two at a time. I never did that, but don't recommend it anyway for anyone who has family life, social life, etc. It will get to be too much stress. I finish my CIC Spring 2007. I'm finding this much easier than CPCU. CPCU is SO DRAGGED OUT! UGH! Good Luck!

[InsAgentSF]

Thanks!

[Porsh]

1.5 years

[InsAgentSF]

Porsh, did you study on your own or did you go to school? It's so damn hard to go study after work