Discipline: Business Degree Credit  [X]
Non Credit  [ ]
Nondegree Credit  [ ]
Comm Service  [ ]
 

Riverside Community College District
Integrated Course Outline of Record

Business 65


COURSE DESCRIPTION
65 Insurance Code and Ethics Units: 1.00
 
Prerequisite: None.
 
Ethical considerations one must support in order to succeed in the insurance industry. The course presents ethical issues with which employees working in insurance offices will be involved. 18 hours lecture.
 
SHORT DESCRIPTION FOR CLASS SCHEDULE
Explores and applies the ethical considerations specific to the insurance industry to which one must ascribe to be successful.
 
ADVISORY ENTRY SKILLS
None.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

Define and explain ethical behavior as it relates to the insurance
industry and identify specific ethical considerations faced by
insurance company employees.

Critically discuss and analyze the laws, regulations and
requirements applied to insurance companies and insurance
professionals.

Compose developed and unified written responses to case
studies involving ethical issues as applied to the insurance
industry.
 
COURSE CONTENT
  TOPICS
 
  1. This one-unit course will cover topics on business ethical behavior, and ethics unique to the Insurance Industry. Included in thecourse will be a series of Case Studies regarding ethical behavior in the field of insurance.
  2. Definition of Ethics
    1. Business Ethics
    2. Ethics and the Corporate Environment
    3. Insurance Ethics
  3. The Law and Ethics
    1. The Legal Framework
    2. State Role in Insurance Regulation
    3. Federal Role in Insurance Regulation
    4. Other Laws and Regulations 
  4. Insurance Agents
    1. Agents and Agency Principles
    2. Types of Agent Authority
    3. Implications and Obligations of Agency/Agents
  5. Ethical Principles
    1. Characteristics of a Professional
    2. Requirements of a Professional
    3. Professional Behavior
    4. Responsibilities of Professionalism
    5. Ethical Obligations
  6. Professionalism in Insurance
    1. Professional Associations
    2. Attributes of Professionalism
    3. Codes of Ethics
 
METHODS OF INSTRUCTION
 Methods of instruction used to achieve student learning outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

  • Presentation of lectures and discussions on the regulation of insurance companies and the specific ethical and legal issues that confront insurance professionals.
  • Cooperative/collaborative learning tasks and activities designed to assist students in better understanding codes of ethical conduct, excellent ethical behavior and, and the laws, regulations and requirements that apply to the insurance industry.
  • Case studies involving ethical and legal issues and situations in order to allow students to apply what they have learned.
  • Guest speakers to allow students to interact with insurance professionals.
 
METHODS OF EVALUATION
 Students will be evaluated for progress in and/or mastery of learning outcomes by methods of evaluation which may include, but are not limited to:

  • The writing of case study analyses demonstrating an understanding of ethical behavior in the insurance industry.
  • Individual and group assignments designed to demonstrate understanding and application of the laws, regulations and requirements under which insurance professionals operate.
  • Class discussions designed to evaluate students’ understanding of ethical conduct as it relates to the insurance field.
  • Quizzes/examinations designed to assess students’ ability to recall, critically analyze and apply key concepts of ethical issues with which employees working in insurance offices will be involved.
  • Participation as required by instructor to ensure progress in mastering the course content and involvement in collaborative learning projects.
  • Individual web projects designed to allow students to explore current, real life ethical situations involving the insurance industry.
ASSIGNMENTS

Required Reading Assignments


Required Writing Assignments


Other Outside-of-Class Assignments
 
COURSE MATERIALS
 All materials used in this course will be periodically reviewed to ensure that they are appropriate for college level instruction. Possible texts include:

  • -. Code of Professional Ethics of the American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters . 7th ed. Malvern, PA: American Institute for Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters, 2002.
  • Duska, R. F. . Ethics for the Financial Services Professional. Bryn Mawr, PA: The American College., 2003.
  • Desjardins, J.. An Introduction to Business Ethics. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. , 2003.
  • Vasquez, M. G. . Business Ethics: Concepts and Cases. 6th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.
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