Are you a lifelong learner looking for a claims professional designation? Do you need professional development engagement? Are you ready to take the next step in your claims career? If the answer is “yes” to just one of these questions, keep reading.
Most members and fellows know that CLM’s Claims College offers students the opportunity to earn the Certified Claims Professional (CCP) designation after completing three levels of coursework over three years. What they might not know is that students with five years of industry experience or more can accelerate their learning journeys by testing out of level one of their preferred schools.
The Process
Here’s how it works: If a student successfully passes a school’s level-one exam, they can immediately move on to level two and skip the coursework associated with level one. This essentially cuts a year off the designation-earning process, allowing the student to begin at level two. This option is available in all of Claims College’s three-level schools, which includes the following: Casualty Claims, Construction, Cyber Claims, Professional Lines, Property Claims, Transportation, and Workers’ Compensation.
Conveniently, the exam is taken at the student’s location of choice, but must be completed without any study materials to ensure that the student’s existing knowledge is sufficient. Depending on the school, it could take anywhere from 90-120 minutes to complete the multiple-choice exam.
If your company has a corporate fellowship, there is no cost to take the test-out exam. If not, the registration cost is $349, a savings of $150 for fellows and $450 for members over the cost to complete level one traditionally. Should a student not pass the test-out exam, the registration cost of $349 is used towards their level 1 registration at Claims College.
What Students Say
One recent exam taker stated, “I found CLM’s Claims College test-out option to be very convenient. As someone who has some experience in workers’ compensation, I found the test challenging but passable. I am looking forward to year two of Claims College this fall!”
Another exam taker said, “I discovered that my employer is a member of the corporate fellowship program and there is an option to test out of level one of Claims College. With over 15 years of property claims experience, I decided to give it a shot. It was a seamless experience, and I received my results immediately. As a lifelong learner, I am constantly looking for new challenges, and pursuing CLM’s CCP designation is a logical next step in my career path.”
One other exam taker offered advice for those thinking of this option. “I have over 23 years of claims experience and I’ve taken and passed state exams—but some of the questions were challenging. My best advice is to read the question multiple times, applying each answer and choosing the best option. I passed, and you can, too.”
The last day to register for the test-out option is July 29, 2022, and exams must be completed by August 12, 2022. To learn more, go to theclm.org/claimscollege or email help@theclm.org.