Business - Insurance (Co-op)

Business - Insurance (Co-op)-2025/2026

Year 1
Gen Ed - Take a 3 credit General Education elective course
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:

Group 1
ACCT-1100Principles of Accounting 13
This course introduces the student to the Principles of Accounting, and includes an exploration of the underlying concepts that guide the preparation of accounts for individuals and organizations. It is designed to teach the student, regardless of program destination, an essential life skill - an understanding of Net Worth, and its importance to business success and the financial well being of the individual.
WRIT-1032Reason & Writing Business 13
This course will introduce business students to essential principles of reading, writing, and reasoning at the postsecondary level. Students will identify, summarize, analyze, and evaluate multiple short readings and write persuasive response essays to develop their vocabulary, comprehension, grammar, and critical thinking.
MKTG-1012Principles of Marketing 13
This course is designed to provide an overview of the decisions that face Marketers in today's fast-paced and competitive business environment. Students will learn that marketing is not only advertising but a broad set of activities designed to satisfy consumer needs and wants. Students examine the information Marketers require for effective decision-making and learn the basic elements of the marketing planning process.
MATH-1052Business Math3
This course provides a review of basic arithmetic and algebra as well as providing students with mathematical tools and concepts needed for other college courses and in future employment. This course is to prepare students for later courses in Marketing, Business, Financial Planning, Accounting, Purchasing and Insurance.
BUSI-1060Strategies for Success1
This course presents and helps to develop some of the skills required to achieve academic and career success. Areas of focus include college resources, study skills, time management, academic integrity, emotional self-awareness and social skills development. Additionally, emphasis is placed on career readiness and preparation.
BUSI-1005Introduction to Business Processes3
This course explores the various functional areas of business in Canada and demonstrates the interrelationship among these areas. Students are introduced to many concepts, including major business trends, the role of government in business, marketing, operations, employee-management issues, financial resources management, business ethics and social responsibility.
INSR-1001Fundamentals of Insurance4
The objective of this course is to introduce students to the principles and practice of insurance by showing the multi-faceted nature of the insurance business, dealing with risk and how insurance responds to it, looking briefly at some of the law that deals with insurance, introducing many of the terms and practices commonly encountered in the business, and outlining the basic policy coverages for automobile and property insurance.
FINA-1004Finance 13
A general education course developed to provide students with the fundamental financial life skills so that they can make educated financial management decisions over the course of their lifetime. The emphasis is on those financial life skills that are of particular relevance in the early stages of the financial management life cycle.
ECON-1019Contemporary Issues in Economics3
This is a survey course which introduces students to the structure and function of our economic system. The course will give students a basic understanding of the principles of both micro and macroeconomic activity through modeling and analysis. Students will examine the role that households (consumers), industry (producers) and governments play in a modern economic system and how the decisions by these different levels affect all of our lives. The course is structured to provide insight through lectures, discussions and current events.
INSR-3021Property Insurance4
This course explores personal property insurance in Canada. Students will develop an understanding of the legislation and regulations that govern property insurance. Perils, exclusions, extensions and endorsements will be discussed in the context of the Homeowner's forms. Other types of property insurance will also be explained. Students will be introduced to Commercial property insurance and the application of property insurance in the context of underwriting and claims.
COOP-1020Co-operative Education Employment Prep1
This workshop will provide an overview of the Co-operative Education consultants and students' roles and responsibilities as well as the Co-operative Education Policy. It will provide students with employment preparatory skills specifically related to co-operative education work assignments and will prepare students for their work term.


Group 2
Students will be enrolled in one of the following courses:
MGMT-3041 or INNV-1001
MGMT-3041Organizational Behaviour3
Organizational behaviour (OB) theories and concepts are applicable to various work settings-private, public, for-profit, and not-for-profit. This course investigates how individuals, groups, and structures influence and are, in turn, influenced by behaviours in organizations. Discussion will focus on topics that include: history of OB; evolution of organizational structure, design and culture; work place productivity, employee skills and technology demands; conflict resolution; interpersonal skills; legislation related to workplace discrimination and harassment; leadership; and management of change, power, and organizational politics.
INNV-1001Innovation Applications3
Organizations and individuals need to be innovative to succeed in the complex and rapidly-changing global marketplace. In this course you will learn the fundamentals of innovation and how innovation applies to your discipline or field.Using this foundational knowledge, you will apply the novel and adaptive thinking processes and tools presented in the course to complete an innovative learning project in collaboration with other students.The project will be based on a real-world scenario with a defined scope as chosen by your professor. The project may involve external live clients and a multi-disciplinary approach.Throughout the course, novel and adaptive thinking skills as well as collaboration skills will be evaluated through self assessment.This course is designed to give students in certificate and diploma programs a foundation in innovative thinking.

Year 2
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
COMM-3020Professional Communication3
This course develops students' literacy and professional communication skills. Students focus on current business issues and convey relevant meaning in oral and written format. The main themes of the course include writing reports and other relevant business documents (e.g. letters, short reports); communicating in groups and meetings; awareness of intercultural communication and diverse audiences; the job search (including resumes and cover letters); business; business rhetoric in speaking and writing; summarizing and evaluating current business-related readings; delivering presentations; researching and documenting reports using APA format; and self-editing skills.
INSR-3001Auto Insurance4
This course studies the laws and basic principles of automobile insurance as they apply in Canada. The various policy forms and endorsements used in Ontario are examined. The basis for determining automobile insurance rates and the underwriting philosophy are also studied.
INSR-3005Insurance Against Liability4
This course provides the student with the basic principles of legal liability in Canada, including the Canadian legal system. The various general liability policies currently used are studied, as are the underwriting criteria and loss identification/ prevention methods that are relevant to the policies.
LAWS-3018Ethics & Law3
This course is designed to provide students a solid understanding of the fundamental aspects of law in Canada and it's relationship to Business and the ethical issues they may encounter. The course focuses on the presence and influence of law in society and those ethical standards that shape decision making and risk management in the world of business. This course is designed to give the business student a strong foundation in the areas of contract law, agency, business formations, property and tort law. The course also focuses on the Canadian justice system and alternative dispute resolution solutions for business. Additional areas of focus includes, insurance needs, human rights and employment obligations, cyber liability, consumer protection requirements, as well as professional liability and ethics within professions. The concepts discussed in all law and ethics classes expose students to salient issues that affect modern commerce, including an examination of values and social norms in the business community and social responsibility vs. profit.
INSR-3026Commercial Lines I3
This course will provide students with an overview of Commercial Lines insurance and the roles and responsibilities of the parties to an insurance agreement. This course explores the duties of Brokers and Agents in determining the needs of their commercial clients and recommending coverages, the underwriters position on the acceptance of a risk and determining premium and the adjuster's role in dealing with commercial claims. Students will also be introduced to different types of Commercial Property policy wordings and extensions.
BUSI-1099Customer Relations3
This course covers the concepts and skills needed to provide exceptional service to consumers in the both for-profit and not-for-profit businesses and emphasizes how to develop skills in order to establish and maintain long-term customer relationships within various industry sectors. Emphasis is placed on using case studies in order to learn how to project a customer-friendly image, how to handle demanding customers and most importantly how to appreciate cultural differences in customer service expectations.
INSR-3020Risk Principles3
Students will develop an understanding of the risk management process, and its costs and benefits to an organization. This course focuses on identifying and analyzing loss exposures in the areas of property, liability, management, personnel and net income. Students will also be introduced to forecasting and understanding and applying cash flow analysis.
INSR-3027Commercial Lines II3
This course will provide students with an overview of a number of additional Commercial Lines policy wordings and extensions including Commercial Automobile, Commercial Liability, Cyber Crime, Business Interruption and Equipment Breakdown among others. Students will also investigate the need for and application of a variety of specialized commercial policies for small, medium and large commercial public and private enterprises.
INSR-3011Underwriting Essentials4
This course gives an overview of the underwriter's role as an investor of shareholder capital on behalf of the insurer. It describes how the role has evolved and how the underwriter accepts or rejects risks for the insurer within parameters set by the insurer and imposed by the external environment. The course reviews the temperament, skills and knowledge an underwriter needs to succeed and shows how these characteristics apply in the analysis of individual property, liability and automobile risks.
INSR-3012Essentials of Loss Adjusting4
Focused knowledge of insurance and professional conduct within the claims domain forms the core of this course. Soft skills and knowledge required to handle claims are blended in the curriculum in order to provide fundamental claims handling techniques. Students will learn about managing relationships in order to gather critical information in the claims handling process. A step-by-step process delivers the key to policy analysis for coverage evaluations. Students will also learn the fundamentals of investigation, evaluation, negotiation and settlement within the claims process. Specific introductory knowledge will be covered in automobile, property and liability claims.
INSR-3019Broker/Agent Essential Skills3
This course is an overview of insurance business practices from the broker's perspective. It is a skills-based course concentrating on the needs of personal lines clients and small commercial risks. The course introduces the broker as an insurance intermediary, studying the skills that a typical broker will use to perform effectively. The major product lines and common policy transactions handled by a broker are also examined.
COMP-3077Excel for Business Adv3
Modern spreadsheet programs perform far beyond simple number crunching. The functionality of Microsoft Excel continues to move the application into new venues such as visual interactive data presentations or sales proposals. Given the now commonplace nature of the program, it is crucial that all business minded professionals have a comprehensive knowledge of MS Excel. Upon successful completion of this curriculum, students will be trained in MS Excel for MOS (Microsoft Office Specialist) expert level Excel certification. MOS testing is available at certified testing centers across Canada.

Gen Ed - Electives
Take 3 General Education Credits -
Normally taken in Year 1

Program Residency
Students Must Complete a Minimum of 20 credits in this
program at Fanshawe College to meet the Program Residency
requirement and graduate from this program

Contact/Questions