Courses & Enrolment

Our program spans classes that introduce the basic principles and framework of the industry to advanced courses that engage with the complex regulatory, corporate and contractual matters of insurance law.

How to Enrol

Enrol with the University or Industry Organisation

All enrolments and course fees are managed by our education partners. Students enrol directly with the education partner and are assessed according to the education partner’s protocols. All student fees are paid to the education partner according to their course fee structure.

Study Options in the University Program

Degree Programs

You can enrol in a degree with one of our university partners and undertake ACIS courses as part of your degree. For example, Master of Laws students are eligible to undertake ACIS units as part of their degree.

Single Courses

You can enrol with one of our university partners in a single course without committing to a full degree. Single courses can be undertaken with or without assessment: you will receive academic credit for assessed study and you will receive a certificate verifying your participation upon completion of non-assessed study.

Course Information Table

Course TopicSubject NameStudy OptionsSubject Details DatesEnrolmentAttendanceUniversity
Principles and Practice of General Insurance LawPrinciples and Practice of General Insurance Law LAWS5891
  • CPD/Executive Education
  • Subject taken as part of a degree at UWA

This four-day intensive course requires students to read papers on seven introductory topics before the course proper gets underway.  The course proper consists of another 14 topics (also the subject of papers) which examine key concepts associated with general insurance as a risk transfer loss spreading arrangement, including analysis of the common law and relevant equitable principles and close examination of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth), covering topics such as the duty of utmost good faith pre- and post-contract, causation, subrogation and double insurance and contribution. Presentations and tutorial discussion will focus on areas of interest because of their complexity, controversy or topicality.

The course will be taught intensively using a combination of presentations by interstate and local leading insurance practitioners/academics with tutorial and whole group discussion of each topic.  It will be taught by Greg Pynt (Barrister, Perth), Ian Enright (Chairman of the Australian College of Insurance Studies, Sydney), Fred Hawke (Consultant, Clayton Utz, Melbourne), Mark Doepel (Partner, Sparke Helmore, Sydney) together with local presenters and tutorial facilitators, all faculty members of the Australian College of Insurance Studies. 

For attendance at this short course, practitioners are entitled to up to 6 CPD points.

The CPD rules differ for jurisdictions outside Western Australia and if you are outside Western Australia, we recommend that you check with your local relevant authority whether you can claim any CPD points.

TBC
(4-day intensive)
  • CPD: enrolment via UWA Law School Eventbrite page
  • Live attendance via online classroom (interstate CPD students)
  • On campus

University of Western Australia

Principles and Practice of Life Insurance LawPrinciples and Practice of Life Insurance Law LAWS5892
  • CPD/Executive Education
  • Subject taken as part of a degree at UWA

This course examines the general principles of life insurance law. The course begins by introducing students to life insurance products, industry regulation, contract questions and claims processes and examines relevant legislation including the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) and Life Insurance Act 1995 (Cth). Students will also be introduced to advanced topics: selling life insurance; issues for disability insurance and issues for group life insurance. Students will be expected to apply and improve their analytical and communication skills through close consideration and discussion of case studies and legal issues. The following topics are covered:

Introductory

- Background & regulation
- Life insurance I
- Life insurance cases insights
- Pre-contract issues I
- Insurance contract main terms I
- The claims stage

Intermediate & group insurance

- Life insurance II – group insurance
- Pre-contract issues II
- Insurance contract main terms II
- Insurance contract main terms III – group insurance
- Claims handling

Advanced & disability insurance

- Regulation
- Selling life insurance
- Pre-contract issues III
- Insurance contract main terms IV
- Insurance contract main terms V – complex disability insurances
TBC
(4-day intensive)
  • Live attendance via online classroom (interstate CPD students)
  • On campus

University of Western Australia

Insurance Claims and Dispute ResolutionInsurance Claims and Dispute Resolution LAWS5890
  • CPD/Executive Education
  • Subject taken as part of a degree at UWA
This unit is a structured and comprehensive approach to insurance claims handling, from commencement of a claim on an insurance policy until its resolution. Topics covered include: claim to dispute, internal dispute resolution (IDR), external dispute resolution (EDR), litigation, civil litigation procedures relevant to insurance disputes and duties owed by a lawyer when acting for an insured party on the instructions of an insurer. This unit covers the following topics:

Claim to dispute

- Should a claim be paid – basic issues
- Entities entitled to claim
- Subject matter
- Period of cover
- Insuring clause
- Should a claim be paid – advanced issues
- Indorsements and variations
- Exclusions
- Warranties and conditions
- The Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth): pre-contractual non-disclosure, misrepresentation, utmost good faith and section 54
- Insured’s claim for specific performance of an insurer’s promise to indemnify
- Insured’s claim for damages for an insurer’s failure to indemnify or pay a claim
- Insured’s claim for interest pursuant to section 57 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth)
- Repudiation and acceptance of repudiation
- Onus of proof
- Procedural fairness letter
- Communicating the decision

Internal dispute resolution

- Reviewing the decision
- Discrimination claims
- Code of practice
- Review
- Decision letter

External dispute resolution

- Australian Financial Complaints Authority
       - Terms of Reference
       - Jurisdiction
       - How it works
       - Remedies
- Superannuation Complaints Tribunal
       - The Superannuation (Resolution of Complaints) Act 1993 (Cth)
       - Jurisdiction
       - How it works
       - Remedies
- Code of practice
- ASIC
- Discrimination claims

Litigation
- Advice
- Dispute resolution mechanisms
- Gathering information
- Facts & proof
- Pleadings
- Evidence
- Independent medical examinations
- Social media
- Surveillance
- Legal professional privilege, conflicts, limitation periods and other challenges
- Appeals
- Costs

Civil litigation procedures for Insurance cases
- Liability insurance
- A liability insurer or its insured applying for a declaration as to the insured’s entitlement to indemnity before a third party claimant has commenced court action against the insured
- An insured seeking an indemnity from its liability insurer in third party proceedings
- A third party claimant joining a liability insurer to its court action against the insured
- A judgment creditor ‘garnisheeing’ an amount owing by an insurer to its insured (the judgment debtor)
- A third party claimant obtaining access to the documents comprising a liability insurance contract
- Representation in court
- Client legal privilege and ‘without prejudice’ privilege
- Insurer denying its insured access to a non-privileged expert’s report

The duties owed by a lawyer when acting for an insurer
- A lawyer’s duties to a client generally
- Insurer’s lawyer investigating a third party claim against the insured
- Insurer’s lawyer informing the insured they will be indemnified for a third party claim against them
- Insurer’s lawyer acting in the insured’s interests in relation to a third party claim against the insured
- Limits on the free flow of information and documentation from an insurer’s lawyer to the insurer and its insured.
    TBC
    (4-day intensive)
    • Live attendance via online classroom (interstate CPD students)
    • On campus

    University of Western Australia

    University Partner

    Follow a manual added link

    Industry Partners

    With special thanks to Clyde & Co, the world’s pre-eminent insurance law firm, for its provision of pro bono legal services.

    With special thanks to Clayton Utz for its ongoing support of the program and its partners’ involvement as faculty members.

    With special thanks to CGU for its provision of sample policy documents for our students to use as learning resources.