Course Syllabus


Print Syllabus
Course ID: GBS258
Title: INTRODUCTION TO PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE
Modality: Internet
Credit Hours: 3.00

Course Section Information

Institution: Rio Salado College

Section: 13062

Term: Summer I 2014

Start Date: 8/18/2014

Weeks: 14

Last date to withdraw: None

Instructor: Chris Behymer

Course Materials

Be sure that you have all the necessary materials prior to the start date of your course.

Title: Property and Liability Insurance Principles
Author: AICPCU/IIA
ISBN: 9780894634772

Title: Property and Liability Insurance Principles - Course Guide
Author: AICPCU/IIA
ISBN: 9780894634789

Your course materials are available through the Rio Salado College Bookstore.  All materials should be verified by ISBN before purchasing at the Rio Salado Bookstore or from another seller.

Course Description and Competencies

Official Course Description
Basic principles of insurance. Introduction to insurance contracts. Overview of company functions and operations including ratemaking, underwriting, claims, adjusting, and marketing.
Official Course Prerequisites
None
Official Course Competencies
  1. Describe the basic elements of the insurance industry.
  2. List the social costs and benefits of the insurance industry to our society.
  3. List the four major types of insurance.
  4. Identify the various types of property subject to loss.
  5. Evaluate the monetary value of potential loss.
  6. Analyze liability loss exposures in terms of damages.
  7. Explain the liability adjustment process from time of claim to time of settlement.
  8. List the parts of an insurance policy.
  9. Evaluate property loss situations.
  10. Describe covered property losses.
  11. Define liability policy coverage provisions.
  12. List the various types of insurance producers.
  13. Describe the major types of insurance providers.
  14. Identify the factors of insurance company profitability.
  15. Describe the method of regulating the insurance industry.
  16. Explain how the insurance product is marketed.
  17. Describe the underwriting and claims functions in terms of their impact on profitability.
  18. Analyze the risk management process.

Course Requirements

Failure to successfully submit the first two assignments by the due dates listed may result in the student being withdrawn from the course for lack of active participation.

  1. You must complete all course assessments listed in your online gradebook to be eligible for a passing grade. Check the link on the Course Homepage for due dates.
  2. You are allowed to submit your assignments, including quizzes, only one time unless you have permission from your instructor to resubmit an assignment.
  3. You are expected to write at a college level. Use the grading matrix (if applicable) to see how your assignments will be evaluated. Edit your work carefully before submitting it to your instructor.
  4. Keep a copy of all assignments that you submit.
  5. Contact your instructor if you have any questions while you are enrolled in the course.
  6. Assignments must be submitted by the specified due date. If you find that you need an extension on an assignment, contact your instructor before the scheduled due date. Individual instructors will determine whether or not to grant the extension. If you do not apply for an extension, or an extension is not granted, your instructor will decide whether or not to accept the work and if points will be deducted.
  7. Each student must submit his or her own original work, as outlined in the plagiarism section in the syllabus. Plagiarism can include, but is not limited to:
    • submitting work that is not your own
    • submitting work that is copied directly from another source such as another student, a Web site, or a print source without proper citation
    • submitting work that is paraphrased or summarized from another source without proper citation.
  8. Assignments must include information summarized in your own words and personal examples in addition to quoted information from properly cited sources.
  9. You must earn an average of 60% or higher on the exam(s) and/or Midterm/Final Project(s) in order to be eligible to pass the course.

Time Requirements

Remember that this is a three credit-hour class. As such, you will need to dedicate significant time to this course. Plan to spend at least three hours on course content and at least six hours on homework for a total of at least nine hours each week. Be prepared to double your weekly class and study time if you choose an accelerated calendar.

Grading Procedure and Scale

Grading Procedure
There are 400 possible points for this course
Syllabus quiz = 10 Points
Quizzes = 110 Points
Exercise = 20 Points
Short Answer Essays = 160 Points
Final Exam and Essays = 100 Points
Total = 400

Grading Scale

Letter grades for assignments, examinations, and the course will be determined by the following scale:

360 - 400 points = A (90% - 100%)
320 - 359 points = B (80% - 89%)
280 - 319 points = C (70% - 79%)
240 - 279 points = D (60% - 69%)
0 - 239 points = F (0% - 59%)

The grading procedure for this course is based on the total number of points possible and is administered equally to all students in the course. Do not expect to receive a grade higher than you earn by your total points. No point adjustments will be made for such things as class participation or other subjective factors.

Assignments will be graded on content, incorporation of course and text concepts, and quality of writing. Although this is not a writing course, college-level writing is expected. Essays should be properly formatted and spell-checked; and reviewed for grammar, word usage, and sentence constructions before being submitted.

 

The following matrix describes how written assignment grades will be applied.

Criterion Below Standards Minimal Standards Meets Standard Exceed Standards
-1-

Understanding

No understanding to incorrect understanding Correct understanding with insufficient supporting rationale Correct understanding with sufficient supporting rationale Correct understanding with excellent supporting rationale
-2-

Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking not evident – no supporting rationale Weak Critical Thinking – Supporting Rationale is flawed Solid Critical Thinking – Logical Supporting Rationale Excellent Critical Thinking – Excellent Supporting Rationale
-3-

Key Concepts and Terms

Key Course Concepts and Terms Not Used, or Used Incorrectly Key Course Concepts and Terms Used Incorrectly or Seldom Used Correctly Key Course Concepts and Terms Used Sufficiently Throughout Answers Key Course Concepts and Terms Used Correctly and Exceptionally Well Throughout Answers
-4-

Writing

Ineffective Introduction, Body, or Conclusion; Gross Grammar, Sentence Structure, Spelling, or Punctuation Errors Appropriate Introduction, Body, and Conclusion; Frequent Grammar, Sentence Structure, Spelling, or Punctuation Errors Appropriate Introduction, Body, and Conclusion; Few Grammar, Sentence Structure, Spelling, or Punctuation Errors Excellent Introduction, Body, and Conclusion; No Grammar, Sentence Structure, Spelling, or Punctuation Errors

Exams

Per the Course Requirements, you must earn an average of 60% or higher on the Final Exam and Final Essay in order to be eligible to pass the course.

There are no in-person exam requirements for this course. However, there is one on-line/take-home exam. Please review the "Grading Procedure and Scale" portion of your syllabus for details. Your course materials may give specific information about these exams and make suggestions for test preparation.

Check your Gradebook for specific due dates for these exams.

Hints for Success

Insurance is a unique and fascinating segment of the global economy. People from around the world spend literally billions of dollars to insure everything from a small house to a multi-million-dollar building. Helping you understand how the industry operates is the goal of this course.

GBS 258 serves as an introductory course to insurance. It defines basic terminology that is used and provides the student with an explanation of how insurance is marketed, underwritten, and, if a loss does occur, how the claim is handled.

The best way to succeed in this course is to begin each assignment by reviewing the Course Guide, a required book for GBS 258.  For each assignment, the Course Guide will list the chapter to be read, provide an overview of the material to be covered, and list the educational objectives for the reading. In addition, the Course Guide contains a number of important terms and phrases that the student should review during the reading. Finally, each assignment has a number of review and discussion questions to help you master the material presented. Throughout the "semester," the Course Guide can be your best friend!

Education for members of the insurance business is critical as the number of more and more complex risks increases. Part of the continuing education process involves the awarding of professional designations that are recognized throughout the industry. The Institutes, located in Malvern, PA, has been a leader in insurance education since its inception in 1926. The staff at The Institutes is responsible for developing the curriculum and study materials for GBS 258 and two other insurance courses offered by Rio Salado Community College. In addition, they also award the Program in General Insurance designation (AINS).

To receive the designation, students must pass three multiple-choice national examinations as well as a free online ethic classes offered by The Institutes and the three technical courses required for designation are offered by Rio Salado College. The courses are:

Introduction to Property and Liability Insurance (GBS 258)
Personal Insurance (GBS 263)
Commercial Insurance (GBS 264)

The Institutes refer to these courses as AINS 21, AINS 22, and AINS 23 respectively.  What does this mean to you? With a little extra time and effort, you can register and sit for the national exam and work on a professional designation as well as a college degree.

Interested? Contact your instructor, The Institutes at 800-644-2101, or go to www.theinstitutes.org  for additional information.

Copyright Acknowledgements

Some images used in courses are from collections licensed by Rio Salado College.

The following items are copyrighted and have been reproduced in this online course, through special permission granted by the rights holders, with all rights reserved. In the event copyright permission has not yet been granted, the Fair Use statement below applies. Fair Use statement: Items are made available under the Fair Use Statute, Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976. The material is made available solely for the use of registered students in this class and may not be further distributed to any person outside the class, whether by copying or by transmission in electronic or paper form.

Microsoft Office 365

Office 365 is the latest version of Microsoft’s productivity suite, and includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, and more. It is available for offline and online use to best prepare you for class and your academic journey. As long as you are currently enrolled as a student at one of the Maricopa Community Colleges, you’ll be able to use this software for free.

To get your Office follow these simple steps:

  1. Go to https://login.microsoftonline.com/ and enter the following information:
    1. Username: Your Maricopa email address (i.e. MEID@maricopa.edu)
    2. Password: Password you use to log into your Maricopa email account
    3. Click Sign in
  2. Follow the instructions on the installation screen.

You will need your school email account to sign in.

Important Note: The Office 365 provided by Maricopa Community Colleges is for personally owned (home) computers and devices.

Submitting Assignments

Note: Your lessons will provide course specific instructions for submitting your assignments. Please carefully read all assignment instructions before you submit your work to your instructor.

All assignments are listed under the “Readings, Resources, and Assignments” and in the “Assessing Your Learning” sections of the lesson. All lessons can be accessed from the Course Section Home Page.

Quizzes: You are expected to complete the quiz once you access the link in the lesson. Please make sure you have answered all questions prior to clicking the Submit button.  Once submitted, you will not be able to access the assessment again.

Essay Assignments:  Unless instructed otherwise, it is recommended that you compose your essays in a word processing program, then copy and paste into submission box. Be sure to carefully proofread all written work before submitting. Also, make sure to properly cite and reference all sources. Failure to do so, will result in loss of points, lowered grade or course failure.

Midterm or Final Exams/Projects:  You can only complete or submit Midterms and Finals once, therefore, please be sure to carefully review before completing or submitting your work.  For objective exams, make sure you have answered all questions prior to clicking the Submit button. Note: Please keep a copy of everything you submit.

Late or Missing Assignments

Assignment due dates are listed in the Gradebook. If you need additional time, you must submit an due date change request through the Due Dates tab in the Gradebook.

Students must complete all assignments and assessments to qualify for a passing grade.  If any assignments have not been completed by the course end date, a failing grade will be issued.

Course Completion Policy

A student who registers for a Distance Learning course is assigned a "start date" and an "end date." It is the student's responsibility to note due dates for assignments and keep up with the course work.

If a student falls behind, she/he must contact the instructor and request an extension of her/his end date in order to complete the course.

Course end date extensions are only allowed in situations where the student has made consistent progress throughout the course and has three or fewer assignments remaining at the course end date. Instructors are not obligated to approve end-date extension requests.

Originality of Written Assignments

Students are expected to submit work that is primarily original in nature. Failure to do so is a violation of the Maricopa County Community College District Academic Misconduct Policy. What does this mean?

  • Quoted Passages - If you quote work from a source, a maximum of 20% of the essay may be quoted. Quoted material should support your original work, not replace it. All quoted work must be surrounded by quotation marks, should end with an in-text citation that includes the page number(s), and correspond to a reference listed at the end of the essay.

  • Combined Quoted, Paraphrased and/or Summarized Passages - You can use paraphrased and summarized information for a portion of your essay provided you include a proper in-text citation(s) along with a reference list. All quoted, paraphrased, and /or summarized material must support your original work. Therefore, no more than 50% of a written assignment may be quoted, paraphrased, and/or summarized - even if properly cited, from the work of others. This would not constitute original work.

  • Plagiarism Detection - All essays submitted at Rio Salado College are compared with previously submitted work to ensure students are submitting original work. You may not submit work that another student has previously submitted in a course as this violates the Academic Misconduct Policy.

  • Assignment Sharing Web Sites - Posting or using content from Web sites where students share their assignments is considered plagiarism as it violates the Academic Misconduct Policy and will result in academic discipline.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools - Turning in content created by AI essay generators or other types of AI platforms violates academic misconduct and will result in academic discipline.
Tutoring - If you need assistance writing college-level essays, Rio Salado College provides free online and in-person tutoring. Please see the Tutoring Web Site for hours and locations.

Submitting Assignments

Online Submission Platform

The assignment due dates in this course are structured to complete all the lessons over the span of the course. Regular and consistent progress is expected in the course through the submission of assignments. The submission of an assignment can be no earlier than 7 days prior to the due date. Consult your course gradebook for specific due dates. Assignments/acknowledgments must be submitted through the online submission platform unless otherwise directed.

Final Grade Options

  • Letter grade (A, B, C, D, F)

  • Extension (in lieu of an incomplete grade): Students may request an assessment extension because of illness or other extenuating circumstances, if they have been doing acceptable work. Assessment extensions may extend up to two weeks beyond the established course end as indicated in the gradebook. Please Note: Assessment extensions are given at the instructor’s discretion. Instructors are not obligated to give extensions.

  • Withdrawn Failing (Y) – Students may be removed from their classes with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade for non-participation, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

  • Withdrawal (W) - Students may submit a withdrawal request on or prior to the "Last Date to Withdraw" indicated in their RioLearn Gradebook.

  • Instructors are unable to submit a withdrawal (W) on behalf of a student. A student wishing to withdraw from a class within the stated timeline must do so by visiting View My Classes/Schedule in the Student Center, and selecting Drop Classes. In extreme circumstances, students do have the option of requesting a complete withdrawal from the college by submitting a "Request for Complete Withdrawal From All Courses" available under the Records heading on Rio’s Important Forms page.

    Before withdrawing, students should consider contacting their instructor and/or Rio's Counseling Services to see what options are available to help them stay in class.

    STUDENTS – STOP Before You Drop! A withdrawal request is irrevocable, and may affect future Financial Aid, Visa status, Veteran benefit eligibility, scholarship eligibility and may delay graduation. Please be sure that it is the right option for you before submission.

    STOP BEFORE YOU DROP

  • Credit/No Credit Option (P/Z) - Some courses may be offered with a credit/no credit option which, if offered, would be identified in the Grading Procedure and Scale section of this syllabus. See detailed information about the (P/Z) option here.

  • Note: Choosing the P/Z option is a permanent change to the gradebook. A P/Z grade will not be changed to a letter grade after the course end date.

Regular and Substantive Faculty-Student Interaction

The Rio Salado College faculty provide learners with frequent opportunities for regular and substantive interaction, which are critical components of a quality online program. At a minimum, faculty teaching online courses for credit monitor weekly due dates and initiate contact with students, post course announcements and/or "From Your Instructor" (FYI) notes that are academic and relevant, respond to academic inquiries within 72 hours, and provide detailed, personalized, and timely feedback. In addition, faculty regularly engage in synchronous and/or asynchronous interaction with students via tools such as discussion boards, rubrics, voice threads, video conferences, audio recordings, phone calls, email and/or text messages, social media, and online collaboration software. Though faculty members are responsible for initiating interaction, providing academic information, and facilitating learning, Rio students are responsible for remaining in regular contact with their instructors and engaging with the course content as active participants in the educational experience.

Requirement for Active Class Participation

Withdrawal for Non-Participation (Y) – Students need to communicate regularly with their instructor and engage in academic activities as determined by the instructor and department. Students may be removed from their classes after 14 days of non-participation with a Withdrawn Failing (Y) grade, which counts like an F in GPA calculation.

If you receive financial aid of any kind, it is your responsibility to protect your eligibility to receive financial aid by meeting the active participation requirements of this class.

Pregnant and Parenting Students

Students will not be discriminated against on the basis of a disclosed pregnancy. This includes discrimination against a student based on pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions. As a result, a pregnant or parenting student (a student during a defined postpartum period lasting up to 8 weeks after delivery), may be provided adjustments so they are able to access and participate in their educational program or activity.

Please visit the Working with Pregnant and Parenting webpage to learn more about this policy, reasonable adjustments and complete the Pregnancy Adjustment Form. If you have questions about the policy, please contact Rio Salado College’s Title IX/504 Coordinator Tafari Osayande at o.tafari.osayande@riosalado.edu or (480) 517-8196.

In the event of certain pregnancy-related medical complications, contact Disability.Services@riosalado.edu or call (480) 517-8562 for assistance in providing accommodations/academic adjustments.

Basic Needs

If a lack of basic needs such as food, transportation, school supplies, etc. is affecting your participation and/or performance in this course, please contact the Rio Salado Counseling Department at 480-517-8785 or via email at counseling.receptionist@riosalado.edu.

For additional services and resources:

Rio Salado College Counseling and Career Services
Maricopa Basic Needs and Community Resources

Library Services

The Rio Salado Library is committed to student success and provides a variety of materials and services to enhance student learning. Utilizing Rio’s online library for your research is the best way to ensure that your sources are validated, authoritative, and appropriate for college-level coursework. The library's Video Tutorials page provides instruction on how to use the online library to find books, articles, ebooks, and more. Librarians are available to help you at all times via our Ask a Librarian live chat service.

Please note that when library materials (e.g., articles, ebooks, and streaming media) are integrated into your lesson content, you will see the notation “…provided to you through the Rio Salado Library.

Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct includes cheating, conspiring to cheat, soliciting to cheat, attempting to cheat, plagiarism, fabrication on an assignment, or other forms of dishonest presentation.

Posting assessments on an unauthorized web site, soliciting assessment answers and the unauthorized acquisition of assessments, assessment answers, or other academic material is cheating. Turning in content created by essay generators or other types of artificial intelligence platforms is also academic misconduct.

Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, the use of paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment. It also includes the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling or sharing of term papers or other academic materials. Information gathered from the Internet and not properly identified is also considered plagiarism.

We expect every student to produce his/her original, independent work. Any student whose work indicates a violation of the MCCCD Academic Misconduct Policy (including cheating and plagiarism) can expect sanctions as specified in the college catalog.

Rio Salado College uses software that uncovers plagiarism from student to student and other data sources on the Internet. If a student is found to have plagiarized content, grade consequences will be applied in accordance with departmental policies.

Civility Policy

The faculty of Rio Salado place a high value on the importance of general ethical standards of academic behavior and expect that communication between students and instructors or among students shall maintain the level of formality and mutual respect appropriate to any college teaching/learning situation.

Language or behavior that is rude, abusive, profane, disruptive, or threatening will not be tolerated. Activity of this type is Academic Misconduct as defined in MCCCD Policy AR 2.3.11. Students engaging in such behavior will be removed from the course with a failing grade. Additional sanctions may be applied pursuant to AR 2.3.11.

Honors Program

If you are taking this course for Honors credit, you must complete all assessments, including the Honors Project(s). The Honors Project(s) are listed in one or more lessons of the course and are designated for "Honors Students." Failure to complete the Honors Project(s) will result in a failing grade in the course and a loss of Honors credit.

Honors students are also enrolled in a non-credit Honors Achievement Award (HAA) or Presidential Honors Scholarship (PHS) section within RioLearn to submit co-curricular activity submissions. Co-curriculars must be completed in order to receive funding.

The Honors Department is here to support you! Connect with the college and other Honors students in our INSCRIBE community.

The Honors Department is available to provide additional resources and support to support your journey. Please contact the Honors department at RioSalado.Honors@riosalado.edu.

Classroom Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) and its associated colleges are committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities to students with documented disabilities (e.g. mental health, attentional, learning, chronic health, sensory, or physical). Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Religious Accommodations

Rio Salado College will reasonably accommodate the religious needs, observances, and practices of their students, when requested and the requests are made in accordance with the procedures set forth in ND-4. Any student may request a religious accommodation by making a written request for an accommodation to the appropriate faculty member using the Religious Accommodation Request form. To the extent possible, requests must be made at least two (2) weeks before the requested absence from class due to religious holiday or day of observance.

Addressing Incidents of Sexual Harassment/Assault, Dating/Domestic Violence, and Stalking

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, MCCCD prohibits unlawful sex discrimination against any participant in its education programs or activities. The District also prohibits sexual harassment—including sexual violence—committed by or against students, District employees, and visitors to campus. As outlined in District policy, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are considered forms of "Sexual Misconduct" prohibited by District policy. Visit district.maricopa.edu/mandatory-drs-title-ix-syllabus-statements for more information.

Student Solution Center

Rio Salado College is dedicated to a quality learning experience and has provided the Student Solution Center webpage as a resource for students to raise issues to our attention. We look forward to the opportunity to provide an equitable solution for all involved parties. For grading or instructional issues, students should first contact their faculty member(s) in accordance with the Instructional Grievance Process. For non-instructional complaints, students may contact Institutional Integrity and Compliance by submitting the non-instructional complaint form, emailing studentcomplaints@riosalado.edu, or calling 480-517-8505. Students may also contact their state regulatory agency; the Arizona SARA Council; and/or the Higher Learning Commission to escalate their concerns.

Change of Address

Please notify Course Support at (480) 517-8243 or 1-800-729-1197 or by email at course.support@riosalado.edu. Please include your name, student number, phone number, and new address including city, state, and zip code.

Contact Us

Please see the following page for contact information.

Disclaimer

Course content may vary from this outline to meet the needs of this particular group.

Rio Salado College Copyright

Course Content © Copyright 2021 Rio Salado College. All Rights Reserved.