Why was the CWCP Program developed?
What is the CWCP Program?
- The CWCP Program is a comprehensive claims management course that was developed in conjunction with the Chairman’s Advisory Council at the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. The program is designed to reinforce the fundamentals and build upon those fundamentals to ensure that each certified professional has a thorough understanding of Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation system. Please note, this training program is not part of the State Board of Workers’ Compensation and is a independent designation, however it is a pre-requisite for obtaining a Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License.
- Topics covered include: Historical Background, Overview of Georgia Law o Overview of the State Board o Human Relations in Claims Handling o Investigations o Fraud Awareness o Reserves/Estimates o Medical o Disability Management o Financial Recovery o Litigation and Arbitration o Forms and Procedures o Communication
The CWCP Program consists of a CWCP Certification Course and a CWCP Re-Certification Course. Please see The Certification and Re-Certification Course below for details.
Who should go through the CWCP Program?
- Claims adjusters
- Claims administrators
- TPA’s handling workers’ compensation
- Self-insureds: human resource managers or those responsible for workers’ compensation claims handling
- Counties, municipalities and school boards (same as above)
- Human resource management companies
- Lawyers
- Medical care providers: hospitals, doctors groups, clinics, MCO’s
- Rehabilitation suppliers
Reasons to go through the CWCP Program
- For Insurance Company Adjusters or TPA’s: a. to fulfill your pre-licensing requirement to get your Workers’ C0mpensation Adjuster’s License. b. to help you ascertain that your claims have a successful resolution c. to increase your company’s professionalism d. to increase your knowledge, resulting in increased customer and claimant satisfaction
- For Medical Care Providers: a. to help retain satisfied clients b. to gain an understanding of forms and procedures c. to gain a better understanding of the responsibilities of the adjuster, the employer, the medical care provider and the State Board d. to properly process the paperwork necessary to ensure timely payment
- For Employers, Self-insureds, Municipalities, County and School Boards: a. to gain a working knowledge of the State Board b. to provide training to help access assistance from the various divisions of the State Board c. to ascertain that your adjuster is handling your claims according to the W. C. code and law d. to learn the employer’s responsibilities under the code e. to better educate your employees regarding their rights and responsibilities
- For Attorneys (plaintiff and defense): a. to better understand the other stakeholders interests from their perspective. b. to improve relationships, so that the injured employee’s interests remain the priority c. to increase your knowledge of the system
The CWCP Certification Course-
- The CWCP Certification Course-
- The Course consists of 40 hours of on-line, self-study web-based training, a one day Webinar, and a Final Exam. The on-line, self-study coursework is available once the registration process is completed. The one day Webinar is offered 5 times per calendar year. Each participant may select their preferred date as part of the registration process. The on-line, self-study coursework must be completed before attending the one day Webinar. A Final Exam will be administered at the end of the one day Webinar. The Final Exam will be given to only the participants of the Webinar that are in attendance for the entirety of the Webinar. A score of 70% or higher is considered a passing score. A CWCP Certificate of Completion will be awarded to participants with a passing score. The Certificate must be presented when applying for a Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License as proof of successful completion of the CWCP Certification Course.
- The CWCP Reference Manual, as well as other valuable resources, are provided to all participants of the Course. These resources are located under the Resources Tab on the CWCP Training Site and are available for download. The CWCP Reference Manual is updated each year to reflect any updates or changes to laws and statutes that may have occurred during the previous year.
- The CWCP Certification Course carries 40 Continuing Education credits for participants holding a current Agent’s License or All Lines License. Once the Course is successfully completed the 40 CE credits are filed for qualified participants showing a license number on their CWCP Profile.
The CWCP Re-Certification Course-
The CWCP Re-Certification Course can be done entirely on-line OR by attending a one day “live” Classroom Event OR by participating in a one day “Webinar”.
- The CWCP Re-Certification Course- (Frequently asked questions):
- Do I have to take the CWCP Re-Certification Course every year? Yes, if it is your intent to maintain your CWCP Professional Designation, you must successfully complete the CWCP Re-Certification Course every year, otherwise, your CWCP Professional Designation will lapse.
- What happens if my CWCP Professional Designation lapses? The CWCP Certification Course is a pre-requisite for obtaining a Workers’ Comp Adjuster’s License, however, the Insurance Commission does not require a licensee to maintain the CWCP Professional Designation in order to maintain the License. Should your CWCP Professional Designation lapse you cannot use the initials CWCP in any form of marketing or identification. Once lapsed, you must repeat the CWCP Certification Course to claim the CWCP Professional Designation again.
- What is my CE requirement? If you do not hold an active License, you do not have a CE requirement. If you hold a Workers’ Comp Adjuster’s License your CE requirement is 10 hours per year. If you hold an All lines Adjusters License your CE requirement is 12 hours per year. Additional information on CE requirements can be found at https://www.oci.ga.gov/Agents/CE%20Requirements.aspx
- How often should I take the CWCP Re-Certification Course? To maintain the CWCP Professional Designation the CWCP Re-Certification Course must be taken every year after the initial year in which the CWCP Designation is earned. We encourage you to register early in the calendar year so you don’t miss the deadline for completion.
- When do I have to register? You can register any time during the calendar year prior to the deadline for completion. After completing the registration process, the training modules are populated under the My Training Tab of your Account on the CWCP Training Site.
- What is the deadline to complete the CWCP Re-Certification Course? The Deadline to complete the CWCP Re-Certification Course is December 1st of each calendar year. There will not be any extensions granted beyond this date.
Information about obtaining a Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License? (Licensing)
We get more questions about the Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License than any other question. We happily provide the following but ask that you review the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s website at www.oci.ga.gov for more detailed information.
- Upon successful completion of the CWCP Certification Course, those interested in obtaining a Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License present a copy of their CWCP Certificate of Completion, along with a completed GID-103 Application, to the Insurance Commission. The licensing process is currently being administered for the Insurance Commission by PSI. The application, as well as the necessary steps for applying, can be found on the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s website at www.oci.ga.gov. You do not need a sponsor for this license.
- If you maintain your CWCP Professional Designation by completing the CWCP Re-Certification Course each year, you will earn Continuing Education Credits (CE) to be applied toward the CE requirements of your Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License. We will file your CE Credits for you each year upon successful completion of the CWCP Re-Certification Course if a license number is listed on your Account on the CWCP Training Site.
What about non-residents licenses in other states?
- Holding a Georgia Compensation Adjuster’s License allows you to adjust GA claims. To adjust claims in other states, you will be required to contact that state’s Insurance Department for instructions on non-resident licensure, as each state differs. We have found that if you are applying for a Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License in other states, most states will accept your Georgia Workers’ Compensation Adjuster’s License. We suggest you obtain the state in question’s non-residents license application. as well as a status letter from the Georgia Insurance Department. This can be done by completing form GID-AL-6A found on the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s website at www.oci.ga.gov. This form should accompany the status letter when submitting the non-residents license application to another state for your non-residents license.
What is the cost of the program?
Program Benefits
- Comprehensive training and CWCP Reference Manual
- Convenient Web-based training program
- Interesting workshops
- Access to a reference library
- Clearinghouse for questions to the State Board
- Respected CWCP Professional Designation
- Most importantly, to help make the workers’ compensation system more accountable and effective for the employers and employees in our State
Finally, the best endorsements for the CWCP Program come from the participants. Ask your peers what they think about the CWCP Program. Chances are they are currently participating and are members of the CWCP “Family”.
We appreciate your interest and compliment you on your commitment to professionalism in your field.