To complete the CPCU® program requirements, students must choose between one of two different concentrations: a commercial lines concentration or a personal lines concentration. In today’s post, we’ll go over a few different ways you can go about deciding on which of the two concentrations to pursue.
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Approach #1: Choose the area you have more experience and knowledge in
It’s no secret that the CPCU exams are tough, and any advantage you can get might be just the thing to tip your score into the pass range. If you are already working in one of the two lines or otherwise have extensive experience with one over the other, that’s certainly a valid reason to choose it as your concentration.
Remember, though, that the exams are based on The Institutes’ course content, not on what you have learned on the job. You can use your experience to help you with your studies, but don’t assume that what you have picked up from working in that field will be what The Institutes deems as the “right” answers to their exam questions.
Approach #2: Choose the area you know less about
For some people, their number one goal for pursuing the designation is to expand their professional knowledge. If that’s the case for you, you may want to go with the concentration you know least about, just so you can get more learning out of your studies. Using this strategy is more likely to maximize the immediate gain you’ll get from undergoing the CPCU program.
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Approach #3: Choose the area that you find to be more interesting
Regardless of your experience or prior knowledge, it might be that you simply find one area more interesting than another. If the subject matter is interesting to you, your studies will feel less like a chore because you are studying something that you are genuinely curious about.
The courses in the personal lines concentration focus more on topics that are more likely to impact your personal life, since they cover financial planning and policy types that individuals and families commonly purchase. On the other hand, the commercial lines concentration takes a closer look at risk management and insurance from a business perspective, which might be of more interest to you. Either way, being more excited about the material makes it easier to stay engaged while studying.
Approach #4: Choose the area you would like to advance your career in
Generally, most people pursue the CPCU designation because they want to improve their career prospects. By completing the CPCU program, students can demonstrate to current or future employers that they had the grit to complete all the requirements, are well-rounded in terms of their insurance knowledge, and are passionate enough about staying in the insurance profession to invest their time into earning this high-coveted designation. Aligning your choice of concentration with the career path you want to take is the best way to get the highest return on your investment of completing the CPCU program.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways to approach choosing your CPCU concentration. It mainly boils down to what your CPCU goals are. Are you looking for the easiest way to finish because your workplace is paying a bonus and your conferment trip? Or are you investing the time and effort because you are looking to open doors for yourself? Whatever your reasons for pursuing the CPCU designation, consider the above approaches so you can pick the best concentration for yourself.
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About your instructor
Insurance Exam Guides (IEG) was founded by Stacy Trinh, CPCU®, who first started her teaching journey at the request of her co-workers who were preparing for their CPCU exams. Because of her reputation as an adept trainer and motivator, Stacy's co-workers had asked her to lead a class. The feedback on her sessions and study materials was overwhelming positive, and her students encouraged her to share what she had to offer with the rest of the CPCU community.
Since then, Stacy created a library of study materials for both CPCU® and AINS® that have helped thousands of students pass their exams. As an accounting major and former claims adjuster, her style of instruction incorporates both a financial and operational perspective that makes her study materials well-rounded. She looks forward to helping many more students continue to succeed, including you!
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