General Insurance Essentials

The General Insurance Essentials program is a two-course certificate designed for individuals starting their careers in property and casualty insurance. It covers fundamental concepts in the insurance industry, ideal for both newcomers and non-core employees (e.g, HR, finance, or IT).

Courses are available in-person, online, or through independent study, with a flexible schedule that takes 3-4 hours per week. Graduates earn a digital badge and can pursue agent/broker licensing in several provinces. Successful completion also grants exemption from the first CIP course.

Online learning enables students to attend scheduled live sessions in real time or access the recordings at a later time. Participants are required to meet deadlines for completing graded activities. The course instructor leads the live sessions, offers guidance, and evaluates the students’ work. At the conclusion of the course, students must take a national final exam. The listed tuition and dates apply to live-online learning.

This program is designed for individuals who are either new to the insurance industry, recently hired, or seeking their first job in the field. It also caters to those who have been away from formal education for a while and are looking to focus on professional development. Additionally, the program is ideal for those aiming to pursue agent or broker licensing in a province where the GIE courses are used for study preparation.

What You’ll Learn

• The basic principles of risk and insurance, including categories and functions.
• The structure of insurance companies and the role of intermediaries in sales and distribution.
• The essential components of insurance policies, underwriting processes, and how insurance rates are set.
• Various insurance products, including automobile, homeowners, and business property coverage, as well as liability exposures.
• The importance of ethics, professionalism, and the regulatory framework governing the insurance industry.