Curriculum

What to Expect from the CAWC Program

Our Certified Authority on Workers’ Compensation (CAWC) program is designed to help insurance professionals gain expertise in workers’ compensation. The CAWC 19-hour program features classes on a variety of topics, from the basics to more specialized areas of knowledge. The following classes represent the curriculum for the CAWC designation:

Fundamentals of Workers’ Compensation

Provides a general overview of workers’ compensation insurance. This includes a history of workers’ comp, employer liability, how employers provide and obtain workers’ comp insurance, the Federal Employer’s Liability Act and the benefits of workers’ comp.

Experience Modification Factors

This class provides an in-depth look at modification factors to help agents calculate, understand and explain the ramifications associated with a high rating.

Claims

This claims course is designed to introduce participants to the basic, yet integral components of this business unit. Key areas of focus include the importance of timely claims reporting, the coverage verification process, steps involved with handling a workers’ comp claim, the value of the reserving process, claims management programs, and detecting and preventing claims fraud.

Loss Control

Loss control is a vital component of helping clients control their losses and reduce their modification factor. In this class, agents learn the basics of loss control programs, which provide workers’ compensation risk identification injury prevention and safety services.

Return to Work

To be an expert in workers’ compensation insurance, agents must have a strong understanding of how to implement a return-to-work program. This class details how an effective return-to-work program can save employers money while providing their employees the best care possible.

Alternative Work Comp Programs

This course focuses on the competitive advantages associated with loss sensitive plans, such as retrospective rating plans, large deductible plans, self insurance and excess workers’ compensation plans. Insights are provided on how large agencies use these types of programs to help customers save money.

United States Longshore & Harbor Workers Act

USL&H provides employment-injury and occupational-disease protection to approximately 500,000 workers. This class examines the impact on business and coverage needs for policyholders along with who is covered, the basic provisions and requirements, and employee rights.

Workers’ Compensation Classification Basics

This class provides an overview of the rules involving risk classification of workers’ compensation insurance. The class will include discussion about governing classification, and standard exceptions. While the information given at this class will be based on NCCI classification rules and rating, there will also be discussion about how non-NCCI states vary .