Course Description
Insurance is a major economic element in both personal and business planning. This course is intended to educate the paralegal in the practicalities of the complex field of insurance law. The student will come to recognize the variety of viewpoints within the industry: insurer, insured and intermediary. Paralegal students will also become familiar with key concepts in property and liability coverage through case study and practical exercises.
Course Outline
Objective:
To educate the paralegal in the field of insurance law, providing a variety of viewpoints insurer, insured, intermediary, and making the student familiar with key concepts in property and liability coverage.
Reading Assignments:
Reading assignments are given weekly from the provided textbooks. Reading is also assigned from the supplementary course documents as listed below.
Supplementary Course Documents:
Students have continuous access to these course materials via the online classroom.
- World Trade Center I
- World Trade Center II
- Commercial Auto Policy
- Commercial Express Policy
- Commercial General Liability Policy
- Commercial Property Policy
- Employment Practices Liability Policy
- Westlaw Guide
Discussion Topics
Discussions are a mandatory part of the course and make up 15% of the total grade given. They are broken down by week in the online classroom.
Practical Assignment (required):
The Practical Assignment is posted at the beginning of Week Three and due by the end of that week.
Quizzes and Tests
All students are required to take a final test during the final week of the course. Tests are administered in the online classroom, and all answers must be submitted by the last day of class.
Grading:
Grading is calculated as follows:
| Quiz | 50% of final grade |
| Practical Assignments | 35% of final grade |
| Participation on Discussion Boards | 15% of final grade |
| 100% Total |
Course Topics:
- Insurance Concepts and Classifications
- What is insurance
- Why is insurance important
- Risk sharing
- Nature of the Risks Insured
- Marketing Insurance
- Lloyd’s of London
- Insurance Companies
- Mutual Insurers
- Types of Insurance Contracts
- Insurance intermediaries
- Brokers
- Agents
- Indemnity and Insurability
- Insurance is a contract of indemnity
- Insurable Interest
- Background
- Property
- Life
- Subrogation
- Persons and Interests Protected
- Persons insured under property and liability insurance
- Insurance on Real Property
- Liability Insurance
- Auto Insurance
- “No-Fault” insurance
- Risks Insured
- All risk insurance
- Named Perils policies
- Exceptions and Exclusions
- Accidental losses
- Misrepresentation and breach of policy warranties
- Rights at Variance with the Policy
- Requirement of Good Faith
- Reforming the Policy
- Public Policy and Unconcsionability
- Reservations of Rights
- Disclaiming coverage
- The Claims Process
- Notice of Claim
- Duty to Cooperate
- Conflict of Interest
- Insurer and Insured
- Attorney/paralegal
- Management of the conflict
- Failure to live up to claims obligation
- Government Regulation of Insurnace
- Regulation of the policy terms
- Regulation of rates
- Regulation of Claims process
- Resolving Disputes When Insurance is Involved
- Liability Insurance Issues
- Duty to defend
- Duty to indemnify
- Settlement Negotiations
- Duty to settle within the policy limits
- Duty of insurer to other insurers
- Excess insurers
- Reinsurers
More Information
| Language | English |
| Course Length | 84.00 hours |
| Duration of Access | 2 mos |
| Instructor | TBA |
| Vendor | Washington Online Learning Institute (Read more about Washington Online Learning Institute accreditation.) |
| Course Certification | Certificate |
| Prerequisites/Audience | HS Diploma/GED |
| Requirements/Materials Included | Textbook Required and Included in Course Cost |