CISR Agency Operations Comprehensive Study Guide
his document offers a structured, point-by-point exploration of the CISR Agency
T
Operations curriculum. It systematically covers:
● A gency Fundamentals & Ethics:Stakeholders, ethical conduct, legal
duties, and contractual agreements.
● Risk Management:Identification, analysis, control, finance, and
administration techniques.
● Insurance Company & Market Dynamics:Regulation, ownership,
distribution, alternative markets, and reinsurance.
● Agency Operations & Client Service:Communication, social media,
position roles, technology use, quality control, workflow, underwriting,
billing, and claims processing.
● Errors & Omissions (E&O):Negligence, common claims, and defense
activities. This content is ideal for anyone seeking a comprehensive review
or deep dive into agency operations.
1.Professionalism and Ethics in Agency Operations
. Professional:An adjective used to describeappearance,attitude, or
1
actions.
. Acting Ethically and Professionally:You put theneeds of your clients
2
above your own.
3. Ethics:A system or set of moral principles orpractices; a set of rules or
, tandards based on a set of principles or values we accept as truths and that
s
govern our behavior.
. Factors that influence ethics:Friends, Society,Media, Belief Systems,
4
Educational Institutions, Legal Restraints, Family.
. Benefits of Being Ethical:1.Public Trust andConfidence Gained.2.
5
Government regulation avoided.3.Enhanced CredibilityEarned.
. Public Trust and Confidence Gained:It is difficultto criticize that person's
6
behavior or motives.
7. Government Regulation Avoided:Acting in an ethicalmanner avoids this.
. Enhanced Credibility Earned:It allows people toregard you and your
8
business as areliable and trusted resource.
. Conducting Business in an Unethical Manner:Alwaysputs thecustomer
9
secondary.
0. Examples of Bending the Rules in Insurance:*Vehicle Usage * Protection
1
Class * Property Values * Other Residents in the Household * Young drivers in
the household * Rate Basis, Classification, or Garaging Address * Signing for an
insured
1. Contemplating the Ethical Response:Ask questionstoclear blurry lines
1
in situations.
2. Six Steps to Ethical Decision Making:1.Definethe Problem.2.Seek Out
1
Resources.3.Brainstorma List of Potential Solutions.4.Evaluatethose
Alternatives. 5.Make Your Decision and ImplementIt.6.Evaluate the
Decision.
3. Unethical Decision effects on the Agency's Profitability:Incorrect Rating
1
=Unprofitable Agency.
36. Good Ethics:EqualsGood Business.
2.Legal Duties and Authority
14. Legal Duties are based on Three Criteria:*PeerStandards.*Oral and
, Written Agreements.*Statutes.
5. Peer Standards:Require a person's duties be performedin a manner similar
1
to others in the same position. Not typically written, but rather associated with
generallyaccepted practice in a specific field.
6. Contracts (Oral and Written Agreements):An agreementbetween two or
1
more parties which creates an obligation to do or to not do something.
17. Statutes:Written lawsopen to little interpretation.
Types of Agent Authority
8. Actual or Expressed Authority:Expressly givento the agency by the
1
insurance company. It is granted in theagency contract(agreement).
9. Implied Authority:Describes a situation in whichthe authority of the agent
1
is not specifically expressed or communicated, but it still isconsistent with the
agent fully exercising the expressed authoritygrantedby the company.
0. Apparent Authority:Authority the agent appearsto have based on
2
circumstances surrounding that belief. Insurance agencies can be held legally
liable under apparent authority for things that are not expressed.
1. Estoppel:The principle which prevents a personfrom asserting something
2
contrary to what is implied by a previous action or statement of that person or by
a previous pertinent judicial determination. The insurance company is stopped
from denying the agent's authority when it has allowed that same activity in the
past without taking any corrective action.
2. No Authority:Agency cannot generate a quote orconduct business in that
2
insurance company.
Care Owed to Companies and Customers
3. Care owed to their Insurance Companies:*Loyalty.*Good faith.*
2
Reasonable Care.*Contractual Duties.
4. Loyalty:Act for thebenefit of the insurancecompanyregarding matters
2
associated with the agency contract.
5. Good Faith:Beinghonestthroughout the entireinsurance transaction and
2
acting in the best interest of the insurance company.
his document offers a structured, point-by-point exploration of the CISR Agency
T
Operations curriculum. It systematically covers:
● A gency Fundamentals & Ethics:Stakeholders, ethical conduct, legal
duties, and contractual agreements.
● Risk Management:Identification, analysis, control, finance, and
administration techniques.
● Insurance Company & Market Dynamics:Regulation, ownership,
distribution, alternative markets, and reinsurance.
● Agency Operations & Client Service:Communication, social media,
position roles, technology use, quality control, workflow, underwriting,
billing, and claims processing.
● Errors & Omissions (E&O):Negligence, common claims, and defense
activities. This content is ideal for anyone seeking a comprehensive review
or deep dive into agency operations.
1.Professionalism and Ethics in Agency Operations
. Professional:An adjective used to describeappearance,attitude, or
1
actions.
. Acting Ethically and Professionally:You put theneeds of your clients
2
above your own.
3. Ethics:A system or set of moral principles orpractices; a set of rules or
, tandards based on a set of principles or values we accept as truths and that
s
govern our behavior.
. Factors that influence ethics:Friends, Society,Media, Belief Systems,
4
Educational Institutions, Legal Restraints, Family.
. Benefits of Being Ethical:1.Public Trust andConfidence Gained.2.
5
Government regulation avoided.3.Enhanced CredibilityEarned.
. Public Trust and Confidence Gained:It is difficultto criticize that person's
6
behavior or motives.
7. Government Regulation Avoided:Acting in an ethicalmanner avoids this.
. Enhanced Credibility Earned:It allows people toregard you and your
8
business as areliable and trusted resource.
. Conducting Business in an Unethical Manner:Alwaysputs thecustomer
9
secondary.
0. Examples of Bending the Rules in Insurance:*Vehicle Usage * Protection
1
Class * Property Values * Other Residents in the Household * Young drivers in
the household * Rate Basis, Classification, or Garaging Address * Signing for an
insured
1. Contemplating the Ethical Response:Ask questionstoclear blurry lines
1
in situations.
2. Six Steps to Ethical Decision Making:1.Definethe Problem.2.Seek Out
1
Resources.3.Brainstorma List of Potential Solutions.4.Evaluatethose
Alternatives. 5.Make Your Decision and ImplementIt.6.Evaluate the
Decision.
3. Unethical Decision effects on the Agency's Profitability:Incorrect Rating
1
=Unprofitable Agency.
36. Good Ethics:EqualsGood Business.
2.Legal Duties and Authority
14. Legal Duties are based on Three Criteria:*PeerStandards.*Oral and
, Written Agreements.*Statutes.
5. Peer Standards:Require a person's duties be performedin a manner similar
1
to others in the same position. Not typically written, but rather associated with
generallyaccepted practice in a specific field.
6. Contracts (Oral and Written Agreements):An agreementbetween two or
1
more parties which creates an obligation to do or to not do something.
17. Statutes:Written lawsopen to little interpretation.
Types of Agent Authority
8. Actual or Expressed Authority:Expressly givento the agency by the
1
insurance company. It is granted in theagency contract(agreement).
9. Implied Authority:Describes a situation in whichthe authority of the agent
1
is not specifically expressed or communicated, but it still isconsistent with the
agent fully exercising the expressed authoritygrantedby the company.
0. Apparent Authority:Authority the agent appearsto have based on
2
circumstances surrounding that belief. Insurance agencies can be held legally
liable under apparent authority for things that are not expressed.
1. Estoppel:The principle which prevents a personfrom asserting something
2
contrary to what is implied by a previous action or statement of that person or by
a previous pertinent judicial determination. The insurance company is stopped
from denying the agent's authority when it has allowed that same activity in the
past without taking any corrective action.
2. No Authority:Agency cannot generate a quote orconduct business in that
2
insurance company.
Care Owed to Companies and Customers
3. Care owed to their Insurance Companies:*Loyalty.*Good faith.*
2
Reasonable Care.*Contractual Duties.
4. Loyalty:Act for thebenefit of the insurancecompanyregarding matters
2
associated with the agency contract.
5. Good Faith:Beinghonestthroughout the entireinsurance transaction and
2
acting in the best interest of the insurance company.
