PROFESSIONAL education and competence are essential to the career of anyone in the insurance industry, but perhaps even more so to general agents, wholesalers and surplus-lines brokers. To provide the specialized training needed to navigate the E&S marketplace, and to recognize those best qualified to do so, two organizations have created professional designation programs specifically for this segment. Kurt C. Bingeman, CPCU, ASLI, RPLU, CIW, director of the Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation Inc., and Bernd G. “Bernie” Heinze, Esq., executive director of the American Association of Managing General Agents, described the programs, discussed recent changes to them and explained the benefits to those who take part in them.

Kurt Bingeman: The Insurance Institute of America offers the Associate in Surplus Lines (ASLI) designation, which was created with the help of the Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation Inc. To earn the ASLI, candidates must complete a total of four courses–two that focus exclusively on surplus lines and two from an approved list of electives–then pass corresponding national exams. They may prepare for an exam by attending a class, participating in a study group or studying independently.

The program, launched in 1995, was recently updated. Two new courses, ASLI 163-Surplus Lines Insurance Operations and ASLI 164-Surplus Lines Insurance Products, replace ASLI 161 and ASLI 162, the original core courses. ASLI 163 is a comprehensive overview of surplus-lines operations that covers most of the topics previously included in ASLI 161 and 162. ASLI 164 addresses product-related topics and is designed specifically for people working in surplus lines. Instead of taking elective courses from each of two categories, as in the past, students now will choose two electives from a single list of courses covering such topics as claims, underwriting, risk management, reinsurance and finance. Anyone who holds the Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) or Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation can skip the elective courses and earn the ALSI designation by passing only the ASLI 163 and 164 exams.