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3. How do I earn the CISR designation?
To earn the CISR designation, you must attend and pass the exam for each of the five one-day courses in any order within three years.
The five CISR courses are:
- Insuring Personal Residential Property (PR)
- Insuring Personal Auto Exposures (PA)
- Agency Operations (AO)
- Insuring Commercial Property (IP)
- Insuring Commercial Casualty Exposures (IC)
4. How do I maintain the CISR designation?
Once you've completed the program, you can maintain your designation by attending an update course by the end of your birth month each year.
Here are your CISR update options:
1. Attend any regular CISR course, or
2. Attend an Advanced Learning Seminar (ALS), or
3. Take any online CISR course (must pass exam to receive update credit and/or state CE credit), or
4. Attend one day of a CIC or CRM course (you can receive two years' worth of CISR update credits by attending a full CIC or CRM course),* or
5. Attend a Dynamics of Service class (must be a dues-paying CISR to receive update credit), or
6. Attend a Dynamics of Selling class (must be a dues-paying CISR to receive update credit)
* Normally, anyone using the one-day-of-CIC/CRM option cannot receive state CE credit, because the Department of Insurance does not allow partial CE credit (you have to attend the whole class, or you receive no state CE hours).
Don't confuse your CISR update with your state CE requirement, if any. CISR updates are annual.
5. What are the Dynamics of Service and William T Hold courses?
Dynamics of Service is an agency-tested training system designed to increase performance, professionalism, and job satisfaction throughout your agency. The class concentrates on insurance-specific customer service training, with a special focus on customer service issues, including account development and E&O loss prevention.
Dues-paying CISRs can use Dynamics for their annual update, but this class is open to anyone and would benefit anyone who works at an insurance agency.
William T Hold Seminar (WTH) is intended to provide a CISR with a more advanced and varied update option. Each WTH is planned individually, so there is no standard curriculum. The WTH class is intended to cover topics not covered in the five regular CISR classes, or to cover a more advanced version of something that is touched on in one of the regular classes.
Because each WTH is unique and the agenda may not be determined until a few months out, CE credit information may not be unavailable until a month or so before the class.
WTH classes are only open to people who have earned the CISR, CIC, or CRM designation, and the classes satisfy the update requirement for all three programs.
6. Is there any way to prepare in advance for CISR courses?
Yes. See Preparing for CISR, which includes helpful tips and recommended study materials for anyone wanting to prepare in advance, or call our office with any questions about the program or the course curriculum.
7. If I fail a CISR exam, can I take a make-up test?
No. There are no make-up tests in the CISR program. To retake an exam, you have to retake the class, and the fee is the same (i.e., no discount).
8. If I fail an exam, is there any way to find out my score?
No. The Society of CISR only provides pass-fail information.
However, you can get an exam review from the Society. Call them at 800-531-5197 to request the exam review. They will evaluate your exam and send you a report that analyzes your strong and weak points.
9. If I take a CISR class, but I fail the exam, can I still get CE credit from the state?
Yes. In Florida, CE credit for classroom programs is based on attendance. As long as you are present for the entire course, you will earn state CE credit, regardless of whether you even take the exam.
Most other states seem to have similar policies, but if your resident license is in a different state, please review your state's CE law.
10. I think I just passed my last part of CISR. How do I find out whether the Society of CISR shows me as a new CISR? Is there some kind of graduation ceremony?
You will get your exam results in the normal time frame, about four weeks after the class. If you pass the exam, and it is your fifth part, you will get a letter from the Society about four weeks after your "pass" letter informing you that you are now a CISR. It will also make reference to our CIC/CISR Conferment Ceremony and when your first update is due.
The Conferment Ceremony is planned by PIA Association for Nebraska & Iowa. We hold the ceremony once per year to recognize those who've earned their designation during that period. It is usually held in May or June and we send out invitations to those graduating a month or two prior to the event.
11. Can an NAIW member use CISR to earn the CPIW designation?
Yes. CISR has been approved by the National Association of Insurance Women (NAIW) as a Certified Professional Insurance Woman (CPIW) qualification program. Of course, you have to be an NAIW member and meet all of the other requirements. To find out more, visit the NAIW website.
12. Are CISR classes available on an in-house basis?
Yes. Depending on your staff size, it may be cost effective for you to schedule a CISR class at your office or at a nearby location. Call PIA at 402-392-1611 or e-mail us for more details.
13. How can I get information about CISR programs offered in other states?
You can visit the Society's website, or PIA Association for Nebraska & Iowa can fax you the national schedule. It lists all of the programs nationwide for about the next year, and it includes a list of contacts for each state.
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