
Your Success Is Our Future.
For over 50 years, our designations have been regarded throughout the industry as symbols of trust. Our practical insurance and risk management courses are taught by active insurance practitioners, include polices and forms currently used in the field, and guide you through real-world scenarios to give you a deep understanding of what your clients are facing today. The knowledge and skills you develop in any one of our courses or designation programs can be put to use immediately and make your career soar.
CISR DESIGNATION PROGRAM

The Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation empowers outstanding individuals to provide exceptional account management and customer service.
The Certified Insurance Service Representatives (CISR) designation program is a nationally recognized educational program for customer service representatives. This practical program includes 9 courses focused on minimizing E&O claims and understanding and analysis of risks and exposures. Some working knowledge of the applicable policies is required.
Earning the Designation
To earn the CISR designation you must complete five courses and successfully pass the examination that follows each course within three calendar years following the year in which you pass your first exam. To keep the designation, you must update each year with additional continuing education.



CISR courses
29% of surveyed CSRs expressed an interest in advancement opportunities in agency management. —CSR Profile
CISR Agency Operations can transform you into an indispensable team player in any insurance agency or give you confidence to move into another position. As you work with colleagues and customers, you’ll discover an enhanced self-assurance and a greater understanding of the dynamics within insurance organizations. Also, understanding how agencies function is essential training for both insurance agencies and company personnel. Topics:
- Legal & Ethical Requirements
- The Insurance Agency
- The Insurance Industry and Marketplace
- Communication and Technology
- Agency Workflow Concepts
- Agency Workflow Steps
- Account Management
- Errors & Omissions
State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
Gain confidence with commercial casualty exposures and coverages and learn the CGL policy inside and out.
This CISR Commercial Casualty I Course strengthens your ability to have productive, confident interactions with your commercial customers in the area of commercial casualty exposures and coverages. You’ll improve your understanding of legal liability and what creates liability exposures. The focus of this course is the Commercial General Liability Coverage Form. Also addressing additional insured exposures and the coverage available to meet them, the course provides a strong foundation that is valued by insurance professionals. Topics:
- Essentials of Legal Liability
- Commercial General Liability
- Additional Insureds
Those who completed the Insuring Commercial Casualty Exposures course (which was available prior to Commercial Casualty I and Commercial Casualty II), may choose either Commercial Casualty I or Commercial Casualty II as part of their five courses to earn the CISR designation, but not both. State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
One objective of this course is to clarify who is and who is not an insured in specific situations as defined by the Business Auto Coverage Form.
This course, like Commercial Casualty I, expands your ability to have a confident relationship with your commercial customers in the area of commercial casualty exposures and coverages. In Commercial Casualty II, the focus is the Business Auto Policy, the Workers Compensation Policy, and Excess Liability Policies. You will improve your understanding in each of these vital areas. Topics:
- Business Auto Exposures and Coverages
- Workers Compensation & Employers Liability Insurance Policy
- Commercial Umbrella and Excess Liability Policies
Those who completed the Insuring Commercial Casualty Exposures course (which was available prior to Commercial Casualty I and Commercial Casualty II), may choose either Commercial Casualty I or Commercial Casualty II as part of their five courses to earn the CISR designation, but not both. State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
Insurance Service Representatives can benefit from an understanding of the risk management process.
Knowing the types and classifications of exposures their clients face helps them to design more effective insurance and risk management programs. This course provides tools and techniques to identify exposures, assess their impact on clients’ assets and operations, consider a variety of loss funding/insurance options, control losses and claims, and finally to implement risk management and loss control procedures and monitoring their progress.
Topics Include:
- Introduction to Risk Management
- Risk Identification
- Risk Identification Methods
- Risk Analysis
- Risk Control
- Risk Financing
- Risk Administration
State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
Gain a grasp of the types of commercial property, be able to identify parties with an insurable interest, and understand the difference between direct and indirect loss.
Commercial property insurance is one of your business customers’ greatest concerns. You’ll improve your cross-selling abilities with up-to-date knowledge of commercial property coverage and reduce E&O exposures. Insuring Commercial Property gives you the skills to address these issues with greater ease and confidence.
Topics:
- Fundamentals of Commercial Property Insurance
- Building and Personal Property Coverage Form
- Causes of Loss Forms
- Basics of Time Element Insurance
- Basics of Commercial Inland Marine Insurance
State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
Identifying the right personal automobile policy and being able to modify it appropriately are skills valued by clients and their families.
After taking the CISR Insuring Personal Auto Course, you’ll be able to assist your clients in identifying their exposures and more effectively advise them of policy limitations or exclusions that may apply, including ways to provide the needed coverage.
Topics:
- Introduction to the Personal Auto Policy
- Personal Auto Policy Definitions and Liability Coverage
- Medical Payments/Personal Injury Protection
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage
- Coverage for Damage to Your Auto
- Coverage for a Rented Vehicle
State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
Nothing hits home more than a personal lines loss. Client retention depends on developing relationships and learning to identify the specific exposures each client contends with.
The CISR Personal Residential Course helps you develop the expertise to guide your customers through the often complex and confusing process of purchasing homeowners insurance. More importantly, you will be able to provide practical information that will help clients make decisions for protecting their most valuable assets and their financial future in the event of a loss. Topics:
- Personal Residential Concepts
- Homeowners Policy Property Coverages
- Homeowners Policy Liability Coverages and Policy Conditions
State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
While Personal Lines business may be your primary focus, cross-selling life and health products is a proven revenue generator and client retention tool. Grow your skills and grow your value for your future and for your agency’s!
This course helps build a better understanding of what your clients need to know about life and health insurance. Explaining the benefits of having the proper life and health insurance is key to the financial wellbeing of your clients’ families and businesses.
Be better prepared to answer questions about analyzing the need for and placement of life insurance. Health insurance includes a diverse assortment of policies, from medical expense coverage to vision care and dental coverage, plus a variety of delivery systems and health plans designed to manage the high cost of care.
Topics:
- Introduction to Life Insurance
- Term and Permanent Life Insurance
- Common Characteristics of Life Insurance Policies
- Health Care Policies
- Federal Regulation and Consumer-Driven Health Plans
- Medicare
State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.
Get ready to learn about the property and liability coverage provided—or not provided—by the homeowners policy for recreational vehicles.
The CISR Personal Lines — Miscellaneous Course addresses the coverage exclusions and limitations in the most current ISO Homeowners 3 – Special Form and the ISO Personal Auto Policy for exposures created by clients’ business activities and their ownership or use of recreational vehicles and watercraft.
Clients may not be aware they are lacking the proper insurance coverage for these activities until after a loss occurs. After completing this course, you’ll know the coverage gaps and when an appropriate endorsement is available to provide the needed insurance protection. You’ll also know the right questions to ask your clients to help you identify these exposures so you can tailor an appropriate insurance and risk management program that meets their needs. Learn how to analyze the important coverages offered through personal umbrella and excess liability policies.
Topics:
- Business Activities of Personal Lines Clients
- Recreational Vehicles
- Watercraft
- Personal Umbrella/Excess Liability
It is recommended that students taking CISR Personal Lines Miscellaneous have already taken CISR Personal Residential or have a working knowledge of the Homeowners Policy Form.
State CE credit is approved in all states. To determine specific credits for your state go to the CE Guide.

Sharpen your edge and stand out from the crowd.
After earning the CISR designation, you must meet an annual update requirement. Choose from the list provided, classroom or online. Please note that online, self-paced courses require completion of all quizzes and review tests.
- Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC) course
- Certified Risk Manager (CRM) course
- Certified Personal Risk Manager (CPRM) course
- MEGA Seminar: Dues Required (16hr MEGA updates for 2 Years, 8 hr MEGA Updates for 1 Year).
- Dynamics Series—Classroom Sales Training: Dues Required
- Ruble Seminars: Dues Required
- PROFocus Series: Dues Required
- William T. Hold Seminars-Self-Paced Online (4-hour)
- Ethics-Self-Paced Online (4-hour)
- Insuring Flood Exposures-Self-Paced Online (4-hour)
- William T. Hold Seminars—Classroom (7-hour)
- Dynamics of Service—Classroom (7-hour)
- Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM) course
- Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) course
ONLINE LEARNING

Self-Paced Online
Self-Paced Online Courses provide the ultimate flexibility, efficiency, and are a low-pressure way to earn Continuing Education at your own pace. All Self-Paced Courses can be completed within 60 days across multiple devices.
INTERMEDIATE SUBSCRIPTION
Unlimited Online Learning
Our yearly online intermediate subscription membership provides flexibility with education and is a simple way to earn CE, complete yearly updates, and achieve designations quickly.
Features
Take the first step on your insurance education journey and discover what the Introductory Series has to offer.
- Ready yourself for a career in insurance with preparatory courses that improve achievement and lay a foundation for your future
- Support your own learning style and set your own pace with access to online courses 24 hours a day.
- Cultivate results-oriented learning and take your time with 60 days to complete a course—these courses fit your schedule!
These courses do not offer any state CE credit and will not serve as an update option for the designation programs
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The Certified Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation empowers outstanding individuals to provide exceptional account management and customer service.
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The Certified School Risk Manager (CSRM) designation is known for providing career-building expertise and credibility within the school system and community.
Prove you’re a pro—earn the designation that matters—CSRM. Educational institutions require professionals who know how to identify today’s risks and plan for tomorrow’s challenges! CSRM is a designation program that allows you to expand your skills and enables you to apply quantitative and qualitative techniques to estimate the impact of risks in your school.
CSRM provides you with an introduction to risk management concepts as well as practical knowledge and strategies.
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William T. Hold Seminars offer topics that expand and support the CISR and CSRM program curricula and take you further along your learning path.
They underpin the basics and dig into specific insurance areas that advance your professional development.
These seminars, named in Dr. William T. Hold’s honor, cover more than forty essential topics—personal lines, commercial lines, life and health, and risk management, plus specialty topics, such as Insuring “Toys” and “Liquor Liability” and advanced topics, like EPL.
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Dues-paying members are part of an exclusive community funding imaginative and innovative educational content and programs.
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Valuable digital resources detailing insurance trends, highlights, and distinguished industry professionals.
- Resources Articles
- Nat Alliance NOW Podcast Series
- Awkward Insurance Podcast Series
- Risk & Reward Podcast Series
- Difference Makers Series
- Insurance Glossary