CIC- Certified Insurance Counselor

The way I see it is, you have to take continuing ed anyway, might as well make it worthwhile. The CIC designation doesn't mean a whole lot non-P&C-insurance people, but the classes themselves are quite valuable.
 
If you want to know which designations are "worthwhile", check with your state department of insurance. They will list the designations/courses that waive examination requirements and other pre-licensing requirements. The CLU will do this in MOST states (not all) as will the LUTCF.

http://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-in...broker-agents/upload/LIC4468PreLicProgReq.pdf

For securities, check with your state department of corporations. Usually CFP, ChFC, CIC (Chartered Investment Counselor), CFA & CPA/PFS will waive the Series 65 examination for becoming an RIA.

http://www.corp.ca.gov/OLP/pdf/rm/0999b2.pdf

I look at designations as business tools that serve MY purposes... not to be suplicating to clients to get them to "approve" of me. I will form an RIA in the future. My ChFC designation will help me do that without taking another FINRA exam.

As stated before, these designations DON'T help you get clients. It may help to REASSURE clients, prospects and other professionals that you are well trained and knowledgable, but no one has called me saying "hey, you're a ChFC - I want your help."
 
It is an awesome learning tool. At $495.00 a class, you should be very serious about it. I have learned so much from it.
I couldn't care less about having CIC behind my name, I want to know as much as I can about the business...
 
However, I agree about this and all other designations. Clients don't give a crap and the letters after an agent's name mean nothing to anyone.

I say this from experience.

Richard Bronstein, BA, CIC, CSA, MSAA, CBC, ACBC

Man, Rick...I didn't know you were so smart and successful....can I get an insurance quote. <<<shakes head like a dog>>> What just happened...it's like I was hynotized by all those letter....:D
 
Man, Rick...I didn't know you were so smart and successful....can I get an insurance quote. <<<shakes head like a dog>>> What just happened...it's like I was hynotized by all those letter....:D

Happy to help. Please call for an appointment. I think I'll have some time around the middle of August.

Rick
 
Those that say clients don't care fall into one of two categories:

1. They don't have a designation.

2. They only deal with uneducated buyers. You can bet that the owners, controllers and risk managers of larger companies (read: large premiums) know what the designations are.


Educated buyers know what a designation is and know what it took to get it. They also understand that they are an indication of the difference between a true insurance professional and somebody who is strictly a salesperson taking a swing at the insurance business. As the original poster on this thread admitted.. he didn't even know what a CIC was.

While I don't think being a CIC, CPCU, etc makes you as an agent... it at the very least tells me you are committed to your profession and life long learning.
 
Well, I have a CFP and work with business owners and to my knowledge none of them have cared about anything other than the fact I know what I'm doing and I'm easy to work with.
 
Well, I have a CFP and work with business owners and to my knowledge none of them have cared about anything other than the fact I know what I'm doing and I'm easy to work with.


Not sure what type of business owners you are talking about. If you are talking about a muffler shop with 9 employees... then yes, the owner probably doesn't know or care. If you are submitting a proposal against Marsh, Willis, AON, Gallagher and the rest of the regional big boys to insure a fortune 1000 company, a large REIT or hospital group then the insurance consultant, risk manager and controller tend to know a lot about insurance... most of them have spent a decade or more on the carrier and agency side of the insurance business. They often know as much or more about insurance than the guys presenting.

If you go to a CIC or CRM class... the teachers presenting are often big time national insurance consultants and expert witnesses. The risk managers work for cities, counties and giant multi national corporations like Harrah's. These are not online classes with multiple choice tests.
 
oooook. See, I thought we were talking about a normal agent that is looking to get a designation. I guess the CIC topic wasn't clear to me...sorry I misunderstood. :/
 
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