Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC)

Written by True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

Reviewed by Subject Matter Experts

Updated on August 10, 2023

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The Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC) designation indicates that you are a qualified professional in the field of insurance.

You have demonstrated knowledge in all areas of the profession including risk management, financial analysis, investments, and others.

Additionally, designations also show your continuing education with each renewal cycle to remain eligible for designation renewal.

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How Do I Become a Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC)?

To become a Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC) you must meet the following requirements:

  • Education - meet the education requirement of your state;
  • Experience - have at least five years of insurance experience or earn an exemption by examination.
  • Examination - pass the required examinations for your U.S. state, territory, and/or peer country.

The Benefits of Becoming a Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC)

Benefits_of_Becoming_a_Chartered_Insurance_Counselor_(CIC)

What Types of Insurance Professionals Can Be Certified as CICs?

There are a variety of different insurance professionals that can be certified as a Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC):

  • Insurance Agents - including property/casualty, life or health insurance brokers, independent adjusters, or agents employed by insurance companies, associations, or other organizations.
  • Insurance Brokers - including life, health, or property/casualty brokers employed by insurance companies, associations, or other organizations.
  • Insurance Service Professionals - including consultants, educators, underwriters, product managers.
  • Financial Planners - including financial planners, investment advisers, or advisors employed by insurance companies, associations, or other organizations.
  • Securities Representative - for those who sell securities as well as financial planning products of insurance companies.

Courses

To be a CIC, you have to complete five of seven courses in order to receive the certification, but it’s your choice which ones you complete. The courses are as follows:

Personal Lines

The Property Casualty insurance field is the focus of this Personal Lines training. The policy coverages, exclusions, and limitations for Personal Auto and Personal Residential are addressed.

Commercial Casualty

This course covers commercial insurance coverages, liabilities exposures, and loss control measures.

Topics include liability malpractice, products/completed operations, inland marine, crime coverage for merchants and employees, computer fraud.

Commercial Property

The Commercial Property course focuses on coverage and endorsements for commercial properties.

Students will understand how to increase coverage and safeguard property accounts.

Life and Health

This course focuses on Annuity and Life Policies, Employee Benefits, Business Life Concepts, and Health Insurance.

Agency Management

The CIC Agency Management course teaches students how to utilize management concepts, techniques, and procedures that are necessary for running a successful insurance agency.

Students should be able to apply methods intended to improve agency profitability at the conclusion of the session.

Commercial Multiline

This course teaches students how to detect Commercial Inland Marine, Cyber, Crime, and Employment Risk Exposures.

The course will also assist them in learning about the many types of coverage available to address those risks as they create insurance plans for their clients.

Insurance Company Operations

This course focuses on how to make decisions for the purpose of following product creation, compliance standards, claims processing, underwriting, adjudication, distribution and marketing, and other critical company activities while still complying with regulatory demands.

The Bottom Line

By earning the Chartered Insurance Counselor designation, insurance professionals can demonstrate that they have earned a nationally recognized and respected designation.

It also provides an opportunity to distinguish themselves from their competitors and gain new business by marketing their skills and expertise in a global marketplace of insurance professionals.

Finally, the CIC designation helps agents grow their businesses with access to top insurance markets because it provides them with the credibility needed to present themselves as experienced, professional agents.

Chartered Insurance Counselor (CIC) FAQs

About the Author

True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

True Tamplin is a published author, public speaker, CEO of UpDigital, and founder of Finance Strategists.

True is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®), author of The Handy Financial Ratios Guide, a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, contributes to his financial education site, Finance Strategists, and has spoken to various financial communities such as the CFA Institute, as well as university students like his Alma mater, Biola University, where he received a bachelor of science in business and data analytics.

To learn more about True, visit his personal website or view his author profiles on Amazon, Nasdaq and Forbes.

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