Preview our latest curriculum chapter developed in partnership with WSIA. This chapter explores how surplus lines insurance fills critical coverage gaps by insuring emerging, unusual, and high-risk exposures that standard insurers cannot cover. Students will learn how surplus lines supports real-world businesses and events, how it is regulated, and why it plays an increasingly important role in the U.S. economy.

This chapter provides the foundation for your study of insurance and risk management. After completing this module, you will be able to describe how insurance began and the way it has evolved over time; list the benefits and costs of insurance; explain how the insurance industry is organized and describe the two general principles of insurance. Many of the key insurance terms in this chapter carry through the rest of the curriculum.

This chapter will discuss the types of risks faced by individuals and families. After completing this chapter, you will be able to distinguish between pure and speculative risks; identify the major loss exposures faced by individuals and families; recognize the major categories of loss causes; identify the impact of losses; and identify the risk management methods that can be used to treat the risks faced by individuals and families.

This chapter discusses the various ways insurance is marketed and sold to the public. After completing this chapter, you will be able to describe the steps an insurance company takes to market its products; describe how an insurance company uses market segmentation and target marketing; discuss how an insurance company decides what products to sell; and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each distribution method.

This chapter introduces the way insurance is marketed and sold by insurance agents, how business is processed within agencies and how customer service is provided when a customer’s insurance needs change. After completing this chapter, students will be able to better understand the concept of a customer life cycle; describe the basic functions performed in an insurance agency; describe and distinguish the role of an insurance agent and a customer service representative (CSR); list the various job positions in a typical insurance agency and understand the use of computers in selling and servicing insurance policies.

This chapter will help you examine the various careers available across the insurance industry. After completing this chapter, you will be able to distinguish between a job and a career; understand key steps to find a career that suits your skills and abilities; know questions to ask before you begin your job search; identify general business skills required for a career in insurance; and describe the major careers available in insurance.

This chapter will discuss important issues surrounding automobile insurance and driver safety. It will then discuss some of the laws that relate to auto insurance and how victims of car accidents are compensated for their injuries or damage to their vehicles. After completing this chapter, you will be able to discuss current issues in automobile insurance; identify ways victims of auto accidents are compensated and list things youthful drivers can do to reduce the risk of auto accidents.

This chapter discusses the most common insurance policy – the Personal Automobile Policy (PAP). When you complete this chapter, you will be able to describe the various parts of the PAP; explain the importance of the definitions section of an insurance policy; describe the coverage provided by the various parts of the PAP; determine who is insured by each section of the PAP and discuss the miscellaneous provisions of the PAP.

This chapter will discuss the underwriting process, the various risk factors that affect the cost of insurance and how insurance companies use the money paid to them by policyholders. After completing this chapter, you will understand the underwriting process used by insurance companies; describe the use of underwriting guidelines in determining if an applicant is acceptable; discuss the role of an insurance actuary; describe how an insurance company uses statistics to develop rates; calculate an insurance premium given a rate; identify the factors that can control the cost of automobile insurance.

We have split the Homeowners Policy into two parts. This chapter introduces the property coverage provided by Homeowners and Renters Policies. After completing this chapter, you will be able to identify the different types of Homeowners Policies and each of their intended markets; explain the coverage provided under Section I of the Homeowners Policy; list the property covered and not covered under the Homeowners Policy Coverage C — Personal Property; distinguish between the various Homeowners forms based on their covered causes of loss, identify the major exclusions found in a Homeowners Policy; and determine how the amount of payment for a covered loss is calculated.

This chapter introduces Section II of the Homeowners Policy which provides coverage for insured locations and the activities of the policyholder that take place off the premises. After completing this chapter, you will know what is required for a claim to be paid under Coverage E of the Homeowners Policy; identify the basic limit of liability for Coverage E and Coverage F; discuss who is insured under the liability section of the Homeowners Policy; describe the key definitions in Section II of the Homeowners Policy; understand how Medical Payments to Others applies; list some of the exclusions in Section II of the Homeowners Policy; identify some of the endorsements available to a homeowner and their purpose; and understand what factors affect the price of homeowners.

This chapter for students will breakdown the Business Owners Policy, also known as BOP. The BOP was developed by the Insurance Services Office (ISO) to insure small to medium size businesses. When you complete this chapter, you should be able to understand the two major coverage sections of the BOP; identify and explain the five major components of the BOP; explain who qualifies for insured status under the BOP; describe the five categories of property that are covered under BOP; summarize the special form “open peril” basis of the BOP; understand the purpose of an insurance policy exclusion; and explain the limits of insurance that apply to certain categories of property.

This self-paced chapter provides an overview of Health Insurance. After completing this module, you will be able to discuss the conditions under which individuals need health or disability insurance; explain the role of waiting periods and benefit amounts in disability insurance; summarize the distinguishing characteristics of different types of disability income insurance; explain the distinguishing characteristics of health insurance plans – individual, group and government; and recognize how health insurance fits into different stages of life and financial planning.

This self-paced chapter provides an overview of Life Insurance. After completing this chapter, you will be able to understand the conditions in which individuals need life insurance; identify the most common types of life insurance; explain the needs approach and the human life approach for determining the appropriate amount of life insurance; and understand risk factors considered when insurers evaluate life insurance applicants during the underwriting process.