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REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY UNDERWRITER (RPLU)

The Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) Program is a professional education program sponsored by the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS). The RPLU Program consists of the following five 13 week courses:

• Part I* - A Study of General Liability Insurance

• Part II - Professional Liability Insurance

• Part III - Professional Liability: Non-Medical

• Part IV - Professional Liability: Medical

• Part V - Directors and Officers/Fiduciary Liability Insurance

Each part consists of twelve assignments. There is an examination for each part of the RPLU program. Upon the successful completion of all five examinations, the student is eligible to receive the Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU) professional designation.

TO EARN THE RPLU DESIGNATION

To become an RPLU, you must pass a minimum of four examinations and meet the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS) experience and ethics requirements. Candidates must submit an application for examination which shows that, for the three-year period immediately preceding the conferment of the RPLU designation, they were engaged in acceptable insurance activities, with an average of 20 hours per week. Applications will be reviewed by the RPLU Educational Board of Examiners. This board will certify eligibility based on standardized criteria as set forth by the PLUS Board of Trustees.

*CRITERIA FOR PART I

To satisfy Part I of the RPLU requirement, one of the following conditions must be met:

• Completion of AU 63 or 66
• An ARM Designation 
• A CPCU Designation
• An AU Designation (Commercial Underwriting)
• B.S. with a Major in Insurance
• A CIC Designation
• Masters Degree in Insurance
• CPCU Part 4 (Commercial Insurance)

Because many candidates choose to self-study this curriculum, ISC offers RPLU classes only when our staff learns of significant interest in a particular course.  If you know of at least two or three other people -- within your firm or in other organizations -- who would like to take a specific RPLU course, please contact Mary Carroll at ISC (312-427-2520, x 12 or carroll2828@earthlink.net).  

Also, the books for RPLU courses are not sold through the ISC bookstore. Students are responsible to order their own books prior to the first class session. Books are ordered directly through PLUS headquarters. A book order form can be obtained through ISC or by calling the PLUS headquarters at (800) 845-0778. Please note that NO PHONE ORDERS ARE ACCEPTED.

• Examinations are held twice each year in May and December and do not have to be taken in order. (Note: The textbook used in Part II is used also in Parts III, IV and V.)
• Examinations are administered in several cities throughout the United States. Exam cities will be announced prior to each exam.
• Exams are 2 1/2 hours in length.
• The fee for each exam is $95. There is a $75 non-refundable one-time matriculation fee.
• All answer booklets and exams are the property of the RPLU Educational Board of Examiners and are not returned to the students.
• All tests are developed by Dr. William R. Feldhaus, CPCU, CLU of Georgia State University.
• RPLU exams have been approved for Insurance Continuing Education Credits in most states.

PART II Course Description - Professional Liability Insurance. This part introduces the student to the field of professional liability insurance. Three major areas are described—professional liability in the non-medical professions, professional liability in the health care field, and directors and officers liability.

There are a number of issues that are common to all forms of professional liability insurance. Common policy features are explored. The claims-made versus occurrence coverage triggering mechanisms are compared. Finally, there is a brief introduction to the underwriting of professional liability exposures, the claims management function, and the professional liability insurance market.

PART III Course Description - Professional Liability, Non-Medical. The number of professions outside the health care field that are exposed to professional liability claims is growing. The traditional professions are examined in this part of the program—accountants, lawyers, and architects/engineers. The professional liability exposure of media professionals, public officials, insurance agents, and real estate agents is also discussed, along with the unique underwriting considerations for these professions. Finally, several miscellaneous forms of errors and omissions liability coverage are included to complete the discussion of non-medical professional liability.

No Spring 2010 RPLU class is currently scheduled.

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