Pass the IIC Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) C11 Questions and answers with CertsForce

Liability insurance arises because individuals and businesses have legal obligations not to cause bodily injury or property damage to others. When someone is negligent, the law allows the injured party to seek compensation. These legal obligations can be substantial and financially devastating. Liability insurance provides protection by transferring the financial burden of compensating others to an insurer. It ensures that the insured can meet their legal responsibilities and that injured third parties receive compensation.

Option A is incorrect because liability insurance is not for protecting oneself from personal risk—it protects against obligations to others. Option C refers to social norms, which may influence behavior but do not impose enforceable financial duties. Option D refers to ethics, but ethical feelings alone do not create legal liability.

The key reason liability insurance exists is the legal requirement to compensate others when negligent, making B the correct answer.

Comprehensive Explanation (150–250 words):

When a vehicle is deemed a total loss, the insurer typically pays theactual cash value (ACV)minus thedeductible. If the insured decides to keep the salvage, thesalvage valuemust also be deducted from the settlement, because the insured retains something of monetary worth.

The formula for this situation is:

Settlement=ACV−Deductible−Salvage Value\text{Settlement} = \text{ACV} - \text{Deductible} - \text{Salvage Value}Settlement=ACV−Deductible−Salvage Value

Using Ivana’s numbers:

ACV = $17,000

Deductible = $1,500

Salvage value = $3,000

17,000−1,500−3,000=12,50017,000 - 1,500 - 3,000 = 12,50017,000−1,500−3,000=12,500

Therefore, Ivana receives$12,500, and she keeps the damaged vehicle, which she values for personal reasons.

Option B ($14,000) ignores the salvage deduction.

Option C ($15,500) ignores the deductible.

Option D ($17,000) ignores both deductible and salvage, which is not permitted.

The only correct settlement amount is$12,500.

For a new insurer, cash flow and premium collection are critical. Liability claims often take years to develop, but expenses such as commissions, reinsurance, administration, and claim reserves must be funded immediately. If premiums are not collected promptly due to poor management of accounts receivable, the insurer may not have sufficient liquidity to meet obligations—even if it has written a large volume of business on paper.

Option B is irrelevant because insurers (unlike brokers) do not receive profit-sharing commissions.

Option C is not typically a cause of financial distress since endorsements generateadditionalpremium.

Option D—discounting premiums—could affect income but would not normally create severe financial difficulty unless combined with other poor practices.

The most likely reason for early-stage financial trouble is failure to collect premiums efficiently, making A correct.

Apro rata cancellationoccurs when an insurer cancels a policy or when the insured cancelswithout penalty, and the insurer refunds thefullunexpired portion of the premium. The refund is calculated strictly based on time remaining in the policy period. No service charges, cancellation penalties, or retained percentages apply.

This is different fromshort rate cancellation, where a penalty is applied when the insured cancels voluntarily.

“Total rate,” “fully fixed,” and “non-adjusted rate” are not recognized forms of cancellation methods.

Thus, refunding the entire unused premium confirms the cancellation ispro rata.

The Canadian Insurance Claims Managers Association (CICMA) is a professional body composed of senior claims managers across the Canadian insurance industry. Its principal purpose is to promote high ethical standards, professionalism, fairness, and integrity in claims handling. CICMA supports education, networking, and the sharing of best practices to ensure consistency and ethical conduct across insurers.

Option A is incorrect because CICMA does not evaluate or adjudicate claims; individual insurers and provincial accident benefit systems handle those tasks. Option B is incorrect because fraud detection is handled by insurers and sometimes by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). Option C is unrelated—vehicle damageability research is conducted by organizations such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or similar bodies.

CICMA’s work emphasizes ethics, professional development, and claims leadership, which align directly with option D.

Mirroringis a communication technique used to build rapport by subtly matching another person’s body language, tone, gestures, or pace of speech. It is widely used in sales, client consultations, and negotiations. When done professionally and subtly, mirroring helps clients feel understood and creates psychological comfort, making it easier to discuss needs and gather accurate underwriting information.

Option B, copycatting, implies obvious or exaggerated imitation and is not a recognized professional communication method. Option C, transparency, refers to openness and honesty, not physical or behavioural alignment. Option D, open listening, is active listening—important, but unrelated to mirroring physical actions.

Since Patrice is deliberatelyperforming similar actionsto his client, he is engaging inmirroring, makingAthe correct answer.

Under contract law principles referenced inPrinciples and Practice of Insurance, a contract is only valid when both parties givefree, informed, and genuine consent. Fraud occurs when one party intentionally misleads another through deception, false representation, or concealment to induce consent. In this scenario, John intentionally misrepresented the nature of the accommodation—promising his private residence while intending to place Louise in a different, inferior property.

Because Louise agreed based on amaterial misrepresentation, the contract is voidable due tofraud, meaning she can invoke nullity and have the contract deemed without effect. Fraud differs from error in that the misinformation wasdeliberatelycreated by John. It is not lesion (which relates to unfair disadvantage in value) nor violence (which involves physical or psychological coercion). Therefore, the correct answer isB. Fraud.

This question is identical to Question 25, so the correct answer and reasoning are the same. Whether an adjuster is a staff employee or an independent contractor, they are hiredto represent the insurerin the claims process. They are both compensated by the insurer—staff adjusters through salary and benefits, independent adjusters through fees or billing arrangements. Both must meet licensing requirements established by provincial regulatory bodies, conduct investigations, and report their findings to the insurer. They are also both subject to authority limits on claim settlement.

Thus, the only option that correctly reflects their similarity isB: both serve and are paid by insurers.

Interim covers—also called binders or cover notes—are legal proof of temporary coverage. Because they function as contracts, any additional terms the insurer wishes to impose must be clearly written and communicated to the insured at the time coverage is bound. Courts consistently require that policy terms be in writing to be enforceable, especially when modifying or restricting standard coverage.

Option B is incorrect because verbal instructions can lead to disputes and are not enforceable under contract law or statutory requirements. Option C is incorrect because statutory conditions apply automatically but do not add insurer-specific terms. Option D is unrelated—interim covers exist precisely to provide immediate insurance before the policy is issued.

Therefore, if the insurer wants additional conditions or limitations to apply, they must be set down in writing as part of the interim contract, making A the correct answer.

Pollution exposures—especially from oil refinery operations—arehigh-severity, high-complexity risks. Standard property and liability policiestypically exclude pollution, except for sudden and accidental events. Pollution arising from new drilling methods is considered aspecialized environmental liabilityand often requirescustomized financial transfer mechanisms.

Anon-insurance loss-financing transfer agreement(also called a contractual risk transfer or financial risk transfer mechanism) allows the company to shift the financial consequences of pollution losses to another entity or through non-traditional insurance structures (e.g., environmental impairment liability contracts, captive agreements, or specialized financial instruments). This is the most appropriate and realistic way to transfer complex pollution exposures.

Option A (retain the risk) is unsafe due to catastrophic loss potential.

Option B (surety bond) guarantees performance, not pollution losses.

Option D is incorrect because standard policiesdo not coverthis exposure.

Thus the best option isC.