Atlanta, GA, May 13, 2008 — The first phase of a complete redesign of LOMA�s Fellow, Life Management Institute (FLMI) education program will be introduced this fall, as part of a comprehensive LOMA initiative to help companies develop and retain key talent. The first phase includes two new, online introductory courses that will offer employees a technologically enhanced learning experience and highly relevant industry-focused content.
The two new online learning experiences will be designed to �ignite the potential� of today�s�and tomorrow’s�insurance professionals.
Focusing on serving the customer (insurance principles and products) and improving the bottom line (insurance operations), the courses will be introduced as an alternative to the current FLMI Level 1 courses: LOMA 280 � Principles of Insurance and LOMA 290 � Insurance Company Operations. The new courses are designed for anyone who is looking for an engaging way to learn the basics of insurance.
By completing the two new courses, an individual earns LOMA’s �Level 1� Certificate in Insurance Fundamentals and receives two credits toward the prestigious FLMI designation.
�A great feature of these new online courses will be their streamlined content presentation,� said Katherine C. Milligan, FLMI, ACS, Vice President, LOMA Education and Training.� Most learners taking the new courses will reduce their study time by 30% to 50% over those studying our current online or text-based materials for existing FLMI Program courses.�
According to Robert A. Kerzner, CLU, ChFC, president and CEO of LOMA and LIMRA, the new FLMI Level 1 courses have particular relevance today to companies and their employees. �We look forward to talking with company leaders about the critical investment they should be making in their employees by providing this well-rounded introduction to insurance products and operations. Now, more than ever, these LOMA courses are a �gotta-have�–they enhance employee performance and retention, and this can have a real impact on the bottom line,� said Kerzner.
The newly redesigned LOMA 280 and LOMA 290 courses will be available beginning in late 2008. Although LOMA will encourage immediate adoption and use of the new online courses, companies and students already �in the pipeline� will be able to continue using current study materials through 2009 to complete LOMA 280 or LOMA 290. LOMA will announce specific new course introduction dates and current course completion deadlines later this year.
Milligan indicated that revisions of courses beyond Level 1 of the FLMI Program are in the planning stages and that a completely redesigned FLMI Program will be phased in over the next few years. �Over the years, LOMA has updated and changed the structure and requirements of the FLMI Program numerous times to meet the changing needs of the industry. The current initiative, like all others, will be carried out under the guidance of the LOMA Education and Training Council and panels of industry experts in the various subject areas. We envision an engaging and highly relevant new Program that will be structured in a way that offers companies and their employees increased flexibility in customizing program content to career development needs,� she said.
The award-winning FLMI Program is a 10-course, professional development program that provides a comprehensive business education in the context of the insurance and financial services industry. The FLMI Program is the world�s largest university-level education program in insurance and financial services. More than 80,000 students throughout the world have earned the FLMI designation.
About LOMA
Established in 1924, with 1,200 plus member companies in over 80 countries, LOMA is committed to a business partnership with its world-wide members in the insurance and financial services industry to improve their management and operations through quality employee development, research, information sharing, and related products and services. To find out more about LOMA and the learning opportunities it offers, visit LOMA’s Web site at http://www.loma.org.
