Colorado CPCU Society Chapter Insurance Education Program
Our program offers insurance education classes in the fall, spring, and summer. There are many classes to choose from in the Denver Metro Area and in Colorado Springs for this Spring Semester.
If you have an interest in a classroom setting and don’t see your preferred class in our current Schedule, please contact Gayle Hise at 970-333-1986 or email her at coloradoinsed@gmail.com . With 6 students, we can run a class at any time. We may also ask for your assistance in locating students. Typically, classes for the fall semester begin in late August or early September, begin in mid to late January for the spring semester, and begin in late May or early June for the summer semester.
In case you aren’t aware, our program has been offering 5 hour review sessions in May and December for specific CPCU courses. These review sessions are our Chapter’s way of assisting you to successfully pass your national exam and move you along the way through your CPCU journey. If you have a specific CPCU course that you would like offered at one of these review sessions, contact Gayle Hise at coloradoinsed@gmail.com
The Annual Meeting & Seminar, which includes the CPCU conferment ceremony, will be in Hawaii in 2016. You have time to attain the CPCU designation! Consider beginning your journey now.
2015 Spring Classes:
Denver Tech Center Classes:
CPCU-520 – Insurance Operations will be held on Tuesday evenings from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, beginning January 13th through April 7th at Zurich, 5445 DTC Parkway, Greenwood Village, CO. The instructor is Cindy Baroway, ME, CPCU, AIC. This is one of the 4 required courses for the CPCU designation. You may also use this course toward your AIAF, AINS, AIS, APA, ARC, Are, and AMIM designations. (Note: If you previously passed CPCU-5 in the 10part program, this course is waived for you.) This class is limited to the 1st 8 students that register.
CPCU-530 – Business Law for Insurance Professionals will be held on Thursday’s from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Allied/Nationwide, 7979 E. Tufts, Suite 1700, Denver, beginning on January 29th through April 16th. The instructor is Timothy Gaffigan, JD, CPCU. This is one of the 4 required courses for your CPCU designation. You may also use this course towards your AINS, AFSB, AMIM, and ASLI designations. Note: If you previously passed CPCU6, this course is waived for you. Also, if you happen to hold a JD, this course could be waived as well).
CPCU-551 – Commercial Property Risk Management & Insurance will be held on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 to 7:30pm at Colony Specialty Insurances at 8450 E. Crescent Parkway, Suite 300, Greenwood Village, CO 80111, beginning on January 20th through April 14th. The instructor is Kay Ward, CPCU, AIS, ASC, AAI. This is one of the 3 commercial concentration courses. It is possible that this course could complete one of the AIC property courses. Consult your Progress Tracker to make sure. This course is also an elective within the AINS and AIS designations. (Note: If you previously passed CPCU3, this course is waived for you.)
AINS-21 – Property and Liability Insurance Principals will be held on Wednesday evenings from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, beginning on February 4th through April 8th, at American Family Insurance, 9510 Meridian Blvd., Englewood, CO 80112. The instructor is Joseph Barbara, CPCU, AIC, ARM, ARe, ALCM, ARP. This is a required course for the Associate in Personal Insurance (API) designation, the Associate in Claims (AIC) designation, and is required for the AINS (Associate in General Insurance) designation. Currently, this course is private, meaning that only American Family Employees are allowed to attend. I have asked that others be allowed to attend and am awaiting word. If you are interested in this class and do not work at American Family, please contact me.
Downtown Class:
ARM-56 - Risk Financing will be held on Thursday evenings from 5:30pm to 7:30pm beginning February 5th through April 30th at Marsh, 1225 17th St., Suite 1300, Denver 80202. The instructor is Christopher Hansen, MBA, CPCU, AU, ARM, CIC. ARM 56 is one of 3 required courses to complete your Associate in Risk Management designation as well as Ethics 311 or Ethics 312. It is an elective course for the Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI), Associate in General Insurance (AINS), and Associate in Marine Insurance Management (AMIM), and the Chartered Property & Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designations.
Lowry Area Classes:
CPCU-530 – Business Law for Insurance Professionals will be held on Tuesday and Thursday’s from 12:00pm to 1:00pm at Pinnacol Assurance, 7501 E. Lowry Blvd, Denver, and beginning on February 3rd through April 16th. The instructor is Sherrie Gibson, CPCU. This is one of the 4 required courses for your CPCU designation. You may also use this course towards your AINS, AFSB, AMIM, and ASLI designations. Note: If you previously passed CPCU6, this course is waived for you. Also, if you happen to hold a JD, this course could be waived as well).
AINS-21 – Property and Liability Insurance Principals will be held on Tuesday and Thursday’s from 1pm to 2pm, beginning on February 3rd through April 9th, at Pinnacol Assurance, 7501 E. Lowry Blvd., Denver, CO 80230. The instructor is Sherrie Gibson, CPCU. This is a required course for the Associate in Personal Insurance (API) designation, the Associate in Claims (AIC) designation, and is required for the AINS (Associate in General Insurance) designation.
ARM-54 – Risk Assessment will be held Tuesday evenings from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at Pinnacol Assurance, 7501 E. Lowry Blvd. Aurora, CO, beginning on January 27th through April 21st. The instructor is Chris Hansen, MBA, CPCU, CIC, AU, ARM. This course is one of three needed to complete the ARM designation in addition to the online Ethics course 311 or 312.
Lakewood Class:
AIC-44 – Workers Compensation Claim Practices will be held on at Tristar Risk Management, 200 Union Blvd., Suite 580, Lakewood, CO on Tuesday and Thursday’s from 12 to 1pm beginning on January 27th through April 16th. AIC44 is one of the 3 courses within the Workers Compensation Track for the AIC designation. To complete the AIC designation, you would complete the 2 work comp track courses (AIC44 and AIC37) and then complete the 2 required courses (AINS21 and AIC30), and also complete Ethics 311 or Ethics 312.
Colorado Springs Classes:
AINS-22 – Personal Insurance will be held on Thursday’s from 5pm to 7pm, beginning February 5th through April 23rd at California Casualty, 1650 Telstar Dr., Colorado Springs, CO. The instructor is Melinda Patton. This is one of the 3 AINS course choices to complete the AINS designation. AINS21 and AINS22 are considered the “personal lines track” of the AINS Program. This class is open to ALL.
We’ve also held classes at CSAA. If you work there or near there and want a specific class offered, contact Gayle Hise at coloradoinsed@gmail.com
USAA Classes – Private to USAA Employees:
CPCU-500 – Foundations of Risk Management and Insurance will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6pm to 8pm beginning on January 14th through March 11th, at USAA, 1855 Telstar Dr., Colorado Springs, CO. The instructor is Stephanie Pentycofe, CPCU, MBA, API. This is one of the 4 required CORE courses needed to complete the CPCU designation. It is also an elective for the AINS designation. If you’ve taken AINS21 and AINS22, consider CPCU-500 as your elective course vs. AINS23. AINS21 and 22 waive 1 CPCU course and by using CPCU-500 you are well on your way into your CPCU designation journey.
CPCU-530 – Business Law for Insurance Professionals will be held on Tuesday’s beginning January 14th through March 25th, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at USAA, 1855 Telstar Drive, Colorado Springs, CO. The instructor is Carrie Lignos, CPCU. This is one of the 4 required courses for your CPCU designation. You may also use this course towards your AINS, AFSB, AMIM, and ASLI designations. Note: If you previously passed CPCU6, this course is waived for you.)
CPCU-551 – Commercial Property Risk Management & Insurance will be held on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00pm at USAA, 1855 Telstar Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80920, beginning on January 7th through April 8th. The instructor is Jessica Robinson, CPCU. This is one of the 3 commercial concentration courses. It is possible that this course could complete one of the AIC property courses. Consult your Progress Tracker to make sure. This course is also an elective within the AINS and AIS designations. (Note: If you previously passed CPCU3, this course is waived for you.)
CPCU-556 – Financial Planning will be held on Tuesday and Thursday’s from 12noon to 1pm beginning on January 13th through March 26th at USAA, 1855 Telstar Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80401. This lunch-time course is for USAA Exempt Employees only. The instructor will be Cara Whitsell, CPCU. CPCU 556 is one of the 3 personal line track courses for your CPCU designation.
AINS-22 – Personal Insurance will be held on Tuesday’s from 6pm to 8pm, beginning January 13th through March 31st at USAA, 1855 Telstar Dr., Colorado Springs, CO. The instructor is Joseph “Jay” McGuire. This is one of the 3 AINS course choices to complete the AINS designation. AINS21 and AINS22 are considered the “personal lines track” of the AINS Program.
Intro to Underwriting - 360 will be held on Tuesday evenings from 6pm to 8pm beginning on January 13th through March 10th, at USAA, 1855 Telstar Dr., Colorado Springs, CO. The instructor is Chris Pelton, CPCU.
Additional Website Information:
As noted previously, you can create a great 5 year goal by combining and completing the AINS or AIC program in addition to the CPCU program. ARM also is a great pairing.
Review your Progress Tracker at www.theinstitutes.org to assist you in charting your insurance education path.
The Colorado CPCU Society Chapter Insurance Education Program runs classes separate from The Institutes. Thus, tuition for our classes must be paid to the Colorado CPCU Society Chapter. Tuition ranges from $300 to $340 depending upon the class, with CPCU courses at the top end. Your textbooks and national exam fee are not included in the tuition cost and must be ordered from The Institutes by going to their website, www.TheInstitutes.org or by calling 1-800-644-2101. You do receive the best national exam registration fee by registering prior to each testing window date. Please ensure that you are ordering the correct textbooks for your test window. For example, register prior to October 15th, for the October 15 to December 15 window.
Added Bonus ---- If you take one of our courses, attend at least 75% of the classes, and do not pass that particular course’s national exam, you are eligible for “free” tuition the next time that class is offered by us. For example, you register for AIC-30 and attend 80% of the classes, but do not pass the Institutes exam; you are then able to re-take the AIC-30 course free as long as you take the class the next time it is offered.
CPCU Credit for Prior Courses Taken
In 2010, The Institutes made several changes to the AINS and CPCU Programs. For example, you previously completed AINS21, 22, and 23 and received a Certificate in General Insurance. Now, you may receive the Associate in General Insurance Designation by completing 3 courses and also completing an online, free Ethics 311 course. For $5, you can earn 3 hours of Ethics CE. Don’t forget to make that choice before registering and taking any Institutes exam. Additional changes were made to the AINS program including the use of electives to complete the designation.
The CPCU program requires completion of Ethics 312 if you have not previously passed CPCU510 or CPCU1. The program also has 4 core courses, an elective course choice, and the choice of a commercial track or a personal track. We do recommend you either contact The Institutes at 1-800-644-2101 or visit www.TheInstitutes.org. If you have taken Institutes’ insurance courses in the past, it is very easy to see if you have already completed one part of a specific designation. The “Progress Tracker” within the Student tab is a great way to refresh your memory on what you’ve taken in years past and also help you decide on a specific course path or track.
The AIC designation has also changed and allows you to also choose 5 different course completion paths.
A Masters in Business Administration (MBA) earns credit for CPCU540, and a Law Degree (JD) earns credit for CPCU-530. There may be other MBA waivers. Contact The Institutes if you believe that your MBA would qualify for a CPCU course waiver.
If you have an MBA, please contact The Institutes to make sure it doesn’t waive one of your CPCU courses.
To earn the CPCU designation, in addition to completing the education requirements, you must:
- Matriculate with The Institutes by completing an online form and submitting a fee-- this registers you as a CPCU designation candidate and requires you to abide by the CPCU Code of Professional Conduct. It is recommended that you matriculate as early as possible in your CPCU studies. You will receive a link to the matriculation form when you register for your first exam.
- Before earning the CPCU Designation, you must be able to show that you were engaged for a minimum of 17 1/2 hours a week in acceptable insurance activities for any 24 months during the five-year period immediately preceding the conferment of the designation.
There are other course combinations and designations that will help you obtain other insurance designations. Please visit the Institutes’ website: www.theinstitutes.org for more detailed information.
Testing Windows
January 15 to March 15
April 15 to June 15
July 15 to September 15
October 15 to December 15
Future Annual Meetings and Conferment:
2014 – Anaheim, California – September 20 through 23
2015 – Indianapolis, Indiana – October 3 through 6
2016 – Honolulu, Hawaii – September 17 through 20