Overview
Gain the skills you need to make strategic financial decisions and improve your organization’s bottom line by applying key accounting concepts and principles. In CPCU 540, you’ll learn about GAAP and insurer financial statements, corporate investment strategies, and insurer capital requirements so you can positively contribute to your organization with a comprehensive financial view.
Skills You’ll Gain
Better understand financial statements to gauge an insurer’s financial health and assess its strengths and vulnerabilities
Use ratios and monetary calculations to determine the financial impact of potential strategies
Understand the fundamentals of stock and bond investment strategies to contribute to an insurer’s profitability
Ready-Made Resume Skills:
- Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
- Insurance Accounting
- Statutory Accounting Principles (SAP)
- Investment Strategies
- Financial Statements
Assignments

Exam Prep Tools
CPCU 540 comes with proven, comprehensive study materials to help you pass The Institutes Designations' exam with confidence:
- Printable Study Outline: Perfect for taking notes, the printable study outline has key points for each assignment and review questions (and answers!) to help you test your knowledge as you move through the course.
- Practice Quizzes: Quickly see where your knowledge gaps are with online practice quizzes for each assignment and for the full course. And bonus—take them as many times as you want.
- Simulated Exam: Designed to give you the full experience of your final exam, the simulated exam is a timed exam that you can take only once. It mimics the exam structure and level of questions you’ll find on the actual exam. Students who take their Institutes simulated exam pass their exams at higher rates than students who don’t.
- Discussion Boards: Better understand how concepts you're learning apply to real-life, professional experiences by connecting, gaining tips, and sharing best practices with other individuals in your field.
- Flashcards: Test yourself on key terms with flashcards that help you fit studying into your busy schedule.

FAQs
- Does this course give me credit toward The Institutes Designations?
- Yes! CPCU 540 gives you credit toward the CPCU, Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding (AFSB), Associate in Insurance Accounting and Finance (AIAF), and the Associate in Premium Auditing (APA) designations.
- How long does the course take?
- CPCU 540 typically takes students 6-8 weeks to complete.
- How is The Institutes Designations' exam structured?
- Virtual exams are timed. You will have 65 minutes to complete 50 questions.
- What’s included in my course materials?
- Your course materials include a printable study outline, assignment quizzes, practice exams, and a simulated credentialing exam. Depending on the package you choose, you may receive a printed course book as well.
- How do testing windows work?
- We offer The Institutes Designations' exams in 4 testing windows throughout the year. You can complete your exam at any time in the testing window that you registered for. Access your exam from your account when the window opens and complete any time until 11:59 p.m. ET on the final day of the window.
- Quarter 1: January 15 – March 15
- Quarter 2: April 15 – June 15
- Quarter 3: July 15 – September 15
- Quarter 4: October 15 – December 15
- We offer The Institutes Designations' exams in 4 testing windows throughout the year. You can complete your exam at any time in the testing window that you registered for. Access your exam from your account when the window opens and complete any time until 11:59 p.m. ET on the final day of the window.