Surety Education for Professionals

CE Credits for Licensed California P&C Agents/Brokers

In-Person Courses

Sharon Rusconi is available to present the courses below, with or without CE credit,  either in person or through a webinar (Zoom) platform.  In fact, Sharon often prefers in-person venues to allow for more interaction and dialog between participants.  Please contact her at bidbnds@gmail.com to inquire as to the course you would like presented, the date(s), and in what format (webinar or in person).   Pricing and availability will be established based on number of participants, travel requirements and venue, and will be paid directly to Sharon and not through this website.  Credit cards cannot be accepted for this method of course delivery, but checks or bank transfer payments are options.  Please note for CE credits, Sharon may need at least 14 days to notify the Department of Insurance of the course presentation date, whether live or through a webinar platform, so please allow adequate time when selecting your preferred date.  We recommend you present several date options to Sharon.

Special or customized presentations on any surety topic can also be agreed to by Sharon but will require DOI approval if CE Credits are desired.  CE credit is not a requirement to present a course,  but is offered only as an additional benefit to insurance agency producers and licensed employees within an agency.  An outline of the information, the course credit hours desired, and the date of the presentation will need to be sent in to the DOI for CE consideration.  DOI approvals can take up to 30 days from the date the course is submitted to them, and approvals are not guaranteed by SuretyU.com or Sharon if enough time is not allowed or the topic cannot be made relevant to increasing the professionalism of license holders per DOI standards.

Finally, the same course cannot be repeated for CE credit during the same license renewal cycle.  This includes an online course and a live course of the same title covering the same information from this author. 

We hope you look into hosting a live presentation or webinar for your company!

Sincerely,

Sharon and the SuretyU team

 

 

SURETY BASICS - LIVE

An Overview of Common Surety Bonds
Don’t lose sleep or a client because you were unable to navigate an approval for a surety bond. Learn a bit about surety history and why it is different from insurance, as well as the different categories of surety bonds your clients may need, all in a live, or webinar, interactive presentation that will leave you inspired!


Available to schedule.

Hours:3
Credits:3
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CONTRACT BONDS I - Live

Obligees, Project Delivery Types, and Typical Bonds
Do you want your team to be more confident in discussing contract surety with clients? Schedule a time for this course - which will not only introduce new terminologies, but also improve your team's knowledge of this interesting and specialized class of surety! They will learn about the various obligees and project delivery methods used in the construction industry and how each may have a different impact on the risk to your construction clients as well as your surety markets. Open a new revenue stream for your business by providing this educational opportunity to your team!


Available to schedule.

Hours:3
Credits:3
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CONTRACT BONDS II - Live

Underwriting The Principal and The Project
Do you want to make contract bond approvals easier for your staff and your clients? This course discusses the critical steps and information that should to be gathered and reviewed to better assist your clients with their contract bond needs - all in an easy to follow process. Attendees will learn how to underwrite the projects that clients want to bid, including the owners of those projects. Taking this course will Increase confidence in learning the lingo of the contract bond world, reduce liability exposures, and solidify a new revenue stream!


Available to schedule.

Hours:3
Credits:3
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CONTRACT BONDS III - Live

Administration of - and Ethical Dilemmas In - Contract Surety
ETHICS CE CREDITS! This third course in the series will provide attendees with tools needed to properly administer contract bonds and avoid potential ethical dilemmas and exposure to professional liabilities. Real life examples and thoughtful questions are provided - questions that should be considered when working with lines of authority, powers of attorney and even broker of record letters. This course will help attendees navigate through the selection of an appropriate surety market for clients, as well as the common claims that might be presented to an agent for proper management. Any agent that wants the confidence to handle a large and multi-faceted book of contractor clients should take this course! PLEASE NOTE: Contract Bonds III provides 4 CE credits in ethics but DOES NOT include the California Department of Insurance’s required one-hour Agents and Brokers Anti-Fraud Training. As such, the one hour of study of insurance fraud requirement will not be met upon completing this course.


Available to schedule.

Hours:4
Credits:4
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IMPROVEMENT & SUBDIVISION BONDS - LIVE Part 1

Background, History and Overview.
Do you want to open up a new revenue source by becoming knowledgeable about the lot split process most developers go through in the State of California? Do you want to understand who is responsible for putting in and maintaining the infrastructure in your town's neighborhoods? In this first of a 3-part series on Subdivision bonds you will learn a bit about the history of land ownership in California, from the days when it was owned by Spain, then Mexico, to the present day Subdivision Map Act, and what that all means for land ownership. Along the way there have been many changes and disputes but the current Subdivision Map Act process has culminated in significant clarity to land ownership as well as providing protection to the many participants in the process. If you do want to learn more about the development process, and in particular, how to handle the surety bonds required in this industry, this is the course for you!


Available to schedule.

Hours:2
Credits:2
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IMPROVEMENT & SUBDIVISION BONDS - LIVE Part 2

Claims, Markets and the Application Process
Do you want to understand more about the Improvement and Subdivision Bond application process, as well as the risks to pursuing this type of bond for your clients? Part 2 of our Improvement and Subdivision Bond Series will focus on what you, as the broker, can anticipate when your clients need an improvement bond, or perhaps one of the many ancillary bonds in this class of surety. From market availability, common claims, and the application process, you will gain insight on what questions to ask and what information to gather so that your clients can receive prompt approvals and favorable rates.


Available to schedule.

Hours:2
Credits:2
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IMPROVEMENT & SUBDIVISION BONDS - LIVE Part 3

The Process To Approval and Issuance
Learn the nuances of the underwriting process and tips to increase your value to your developer clients! This session will bring the Improvement and Subdivision Bond series full circle through the underwriting process and bond issuance subtleties. An overview on some of the ancillary bonds common in this class is also provided.


Available to schedule.

Hours:2
Credits:2
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FINANCIAL ANALYSIS I - LIVE

Capturing the Basics of Surety Underwriting
All financial statements are not equal! Have you always wondered why one client qualified for a bond and another was declined? Help all of your clients qualify for the surety bonds they deserve by understanding the basics of the financial analysis process. Financial Analysis I has clear explanations and examples on why the surety industry requires financials, what basic terminology you need to know, and how you can expedite the underwriting process for your clients by recognizing what paperwork or support documents may be lacking before the submission is made.


Available to schedule.

Hours:2
Credits:2
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FINANCIAL ANALYSIS II - LIVE

Finessing the Basics of Surety Financial Underwriting
Do you wish to improve your understanding of the surety financial analysis process, particularly for contractors, so you can help them achieve their goals? If so, this is your course! You will not only learn what a technical analysis process entails, you will learn why work-in-progress schedules are so important, and how they impact the bond approvals for your clients. You will understand why it is important for construction clients to present on the correct method of accounting to improve their odds of securing the most bond capacity at the lowest rate! All in an interactive and dynamic presentation with examples and clear explanations!


Available to schedule.

Hours:2
Credits:2
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