Which CPCU/IIA series 
should you take? 
 

 How hard is each course? 

ORDER The Burnham System for CPCU
 
Which course should
you take?		 First, decide if you want a better foundation in the job you now have ... or the next job you want.

Second, if your manager has earned several designations, then your manager can offer you good advice.
Ask your manager.

Third, decide which series is best for you and then start with the course that will be easiest for you.

Fourth, call me at 1-888-BURNHAM (1-888-287-6426) after noon, Eastern Time or email me at Ray@BurnhamSystem.com. 
I'll be happy to advise you. 
I do not care which you take, since I offer help for them all.
How I rate
the difficulties of the
Institutes’ courses:

 




How the ACE rates the
difficulties of the
Institutes' courses:

 I rate the difficulties of the Institutes’ courses on a 1 (easiest) to 10 (hardest) scale.
The gap between numbers increases as the numbers increase.
Simply, the gap between the average 1 and the average 2 is much less than the gap between the average 9 and the average 10.
In fact, to compare two of my ratings, square the ratings. 
Simply, a 10 is about twice as hard as a 7 and about 4 times as hard as a 5, since 10 X 10 = 100, 7 X 7 = 49, and 5 X 5 = 25.

 

For a different perspective on the relative difficulties of of the Institute's courses, please click here for the Academic Credit Recommendations by the American Council on Education. 

 
CPCU 

 

CPCU--is the grand designation of our property-casualty insurance industry. 
Everyone in our industry who wants long-term status and success should become a CPCU 
 

Difficulty--all CPCU courses--7, except CPCU 500 which I rate as a 6, although some courses will be easier or harder based on your experience compared to the experience of other CPCU candidates taking the same course. 

CPCU 540 has the most arithmetic.

CPCU 530 or 560 requires the most logic.
Intro Courses

Insurance,
Claims,
Risk Management, 
and
Underwriting

 

 The Intro courses Insurance (20/320), Claims (30/330), Risk Management (50/350), and Underwriting (60/360) should be taken by people who
first, are new to insurance, claims, risk management, or underwriting;
second, want to learn the basics of one of those three specialty areas; or
third, want to be able to communicate more understandably with the public.

Ray's difficulty rating:

Intro to Insurance (course #20 aka course # 320)--2.
Intro to Risk Management (course #50 aka course # 350)--1.
Intro to Claims (course #30 aka course # 330)--3.
Intro to Underwriting (course #60 aka course # 360)--2.
Supervisory
Management 
18 and 19		 Supervisory Management 18 and 19 should be taken by everyone who supervises (or wants to supervise) others.
Yes, everyone from the CEO to the third shift security foreman will benefit from these courses.
SM 18 and 19 are of even more immediate practical use than most Institute courses.
SM 18 and 19, together, form a good introduction to the AIM series.

Ray's difficulty rating:

SM 18--4, SM 19--4.
INS 21, 22,
and 23

 

 

 

 INS 21, 22, and 23--the Program in General Insurance is a great academic introduction to the principles of insurance, personal lines, and commercial lines.
Academically talented college graduates might reasonably skip these courses and go straight into CPCU or their appropriate specialty designation course.

Ray's difficulty rating:

INS 21--3, INS 22--4, INS 23--4.
AIS 25

 

 

AIS 25--Associate in Insurance Services applies total quality management to insurance settings. 
I recommend it for everyone in our industry.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AIS 25--4.
API 28 
and 29

 

 

 API 28 and 29--Associate in Personal Insurance is designed especially for those involved in personal lines, whether personal lines marketing, finance, or underwriting.
Most of the people who work at the great personal lines insurers or who work in personal lines at agencies should take these two courses.

Ray's difficulty rating:

API 28--4, API 29--4.
AIC 33, 34,
35, and 36		 AIC 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, and 39--Associate in Claims is designed for claims representatives and others who work in claims.
If that’s you, earn the AIC.  You only need to pass four courses and have many options depending on the exact skill area you want to enhance.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AIC 33--4, AIC 34--6, AIC 35--6, AIC 36--7.
AIM 40 
and 44 		 AIM 40 and 44--Associate in Management is designed for managers and those who work in human resource management.
They take a more theoretical than practical approach.
SM 18 and 19, together, form a good introduction to AIM 40 and 44.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AIM 40--7, AIM 44--7.
ARM 54, 55,
and 56		 ARM 54, 55, 56, 57--Associate in Risk Management and ERM (Enterprise Risk Management) are designed for those who manage risk or sell to accounts with over $50,000 of annual premium or who manage risk for a single employer with a high total cost of risk.
These courses emphasize loss financing a bit more than loss control. 

Ray's difficulty rating:

ARM 54--8, ARM 55--8, ARM 56--8.
AU 65 
and 66		 AU 65 and 66--Associate in Underwriting is designed for those who underwrite commercial accounts. Also, if you’re an agent or broker who places commercial accounts with underwriters, you will find taking these two courses will help you get your submissions accepted more often and written at a lower premium.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AU 65--7, AU 66--7.
AAI 81, 82,
and 83		 AAI 81, 82, and 83--Accredited Advisor in Insurance is designed for insurance producers who sell home, auto, life, and small business insurance.
AAI 83 is valuable to anyone who manages or plans to manage an agency.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AAI 81--5, AAI 82--5, AAI 83--6.
APA 91
and 92		 APA 91 and 92--Associate in Premium Auditing is designed for premium auditors but are also helpful to risk managers and brokers who must classify and may rate exposures with adjustable premiums.

Ray's difficulty rating:

APA 91--5, APA 92--6.
AIAF 111, 
112, 113		 AIAF 111, 112, and 113--Associate in Insurance Accounting and Finance is designed for those involved with filing statutory statements, designing financial information systems, and/or investing an insurer’s funds.
AIAF 113 became obsolete 12/16/2005 and hence is no longer offered. 

Ray's difficulty rating:

AIAF 111--10, AIAF 112--9, AIAF 113--9.
AMIM 121
and 122		 AMIM 121 and 122--Associate in Marine Insurance Management is designed for those involved with ocean marine and inland marine as underwriters, producers, or adjusters.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AMIM 121--7, AMIM 122--6.
AIT 131, 
132, 134		 AIT 131, 132, and 134--Associate in Information Technology is designed for those involved with applying, using, and/or managing information technology in companies and agencies.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AIT 131--6, AIT 132--6, AIT 134--6.
ARe 143 
and 144		 ARe 143 and 144--Associate in Reinsurance is designed for those involved with reinsurance as underwriters, brokers, or financial officers of primary insurers.
I also recommend ARe 144 for those who help finance risk for clients whose annual cost of risk exceeds $250,000.

Ray's difficulty rating:

ARe 143--6, ARe 144--7.
AFSB 151,
152, and 153		 AFSB 151, 152, and 153--Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding is designed for producers and underwriters of fidelity and/or surety bonds.

Ray's difficulty rating:

AFSB 151--7, AFSB 152--7, AFSB 153--7.
ASLI 163
and 164		 ASLI 163 and 164--Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance is designed for everyone involved with surplus lines insurance.
I also recommend them for standard lines underwriters and special agents.

Ray's difficulty rating:

ASLI 163--5, ASLI 164--5.
IR 201 IR 201--Insurance Regulation  is designed for everyone involved in insurance regulation.

Ray's difficulty rating:

IR 201--6.
ARM-P 352 ARM (RMPE) 352--is designed for those involved in managing risk for public entities.

Ray's difficulty rating:

ARM-P (RMPE) 352--7.
WAW Writing at Work is designed for everyone in our industry.
The importance of good grammar and lucid writing can not be overemphasized.

Ray's difficulty rating:

WAW--3.

                         

 

Charge On From Here!