Why Earn Your CMIP Designation?
Commercial marine and longshore insurance is a specialized market.
The statutes, coverages, and exposures involved are distinct from standard commercial lines, and the agents and underwriters who handle these accounts well have usually spent years building knowledge that does not come from a standard licensing course.
The CMIP designation is the structured path to that knowledge. It was built specifically for marine insurance professionals, covers the topics that actually come up in practice, and is recognized across the industry as a credible marker of expertise in this market.
Whether you are looking to grow your marine book, serve your waterfront clients more confidently, or simply add a meaningful credential to your professional profile, CMIP gives you the foundation to do it.
How It Works
Earning the CMIP designation requires completing four specialized seminars and passing an online exam at the end of each one.​
That's it. No prerequisites, no lengthy application process. The seminars are designed to be practical and immediately applicable, covering real coverage scenarios and placement challenges rather than abstract theory.​
Each seminar is two days, delivered in person, and covers one of four core areas:
Insuring Marine Employees
Insuring Waterfront Businesses
Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation, State Act Workers Compensation, Maritime Employers Liability, the Jones Act, and payroll classifications for maritime workers. This seminar addresses one of the most technically complex and frequently mishandled areas in commercial insurance.
Terminal Operators Legal Liability, Ship Repairers Legal Liability, Stevedores Legal Liability, Marine General Liability, and bailee exposures for ports, shipyards, and marine contractors.
Insuring Vessel Owners & Operators
Recreational Marine Insurance
Hull and Machinery, Protection and Indemnity, pollution liability, charterer's legal liability, and how to read a marine survey. Built for agents and underwriters who handle or want to handle commercial vessel accounts.
Yacht and pleasure craft coverage, marina operators liability, boat builder and manufacturer coverage, and placement strategies for recreational marine accounts from sailing clubs to boat dealerships.
Maintaining Your Designation
Once earned, the CMIP designation requires attendance at a CMIP seminar or CMIP Graduate Seminar every two years. The Graduate Seminar is designed exclusively for CMIP holders and focuses on current developments in the marine insurance market, making it the most efficient way to satisfy the renewal requirement while continuing to build expertise.
​
Continuing Education and Annual Update Credits
​
Each CMIP seminar is filed for 16 hours of continuing education credits. CE hours may vary by state. Credits have been filed in the following states:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington​​
Course approvals are pending in additional states and hours may vary. Contact Karen Tischler for current approval status in your state.
​
CMIP seminars also satisfy annual update requirements for the CIC, CRM, CISR, and CPRM designations, making them an efficient use of your professional development time.
Ready to Get Started?
Seminar registration opens approximately four months before each event. Subscribe to CMIP email updates to be notified when registration opens, or view the seminar schedule to see what is coming up.
-
Download the CMIP Brochure for a full program overview
Questions? Contact Karen Tischler, Education Director, at Karen.Tischler@IIMIS.org or 415-690-6214.