Overview
Give the best answer to your customer’s personal finance question and recommend financial planning solutions at critical stages of an individual’s life. By completing CPCU 556, you’ll gain skills in life insurance and annuities, disability and health insurance, investment strategies, funding retirement, and more.
Skills You’ll Gain
Help customers choose the best investment and retirement strategies for them so they feel prepared for the future
Recommend solutions for each step of the personal financial planning process so customers have confidence that you're recommending the right coverage for them
Clearly explain life insurance and postsecondary education options so customers can set their children up for success
Ready-Made Career Skills:
- Personal Financial Planning
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Estate Planning
- Investment Strategies
- Retirement Planning
Assignments

Exam Prep Tools
CPCU 556 comes with proven, comprehensive study materials to help you pass The Institutes Designations' exam with confidence:
- Online Course and Printed Course Book: Learn in the format that works best for you, depending on the course package you choose.
- Practice Quizzes: Quickly see where your knowledge gaps are with online practice quizzes for each assignment and for the full course. You can 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 556 gives you credit toward the CPCU and Associate in Personal Insurance (API) designations.
- How long does the course take?
- CPCU 556 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?
- In addition to the online course, you have access to assignment quizzes, practice exams, discussion boards, 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.