How to Understand Commercial Property Underwriting & COPE
Total Credits: 2 including 2 CE Credit
- Average Rating:
- 45
- Categories:
- Commercial Lines | Commercial Lines - Basic | Big “I” Virtual University
- Faculty:
- Christopher J. Boggs, CPCU, ARM, ALCM, LPCS, AAI, APA, CWCA, CRIS, AINS
- Course Levels:
- All Levels
- Duration:
- 2 Hours
- License:
- Product Setting: Expires 30 day(s) after program date.
Description
Today's commercial property underwriters use the exact same information their predecessors used nearly 400 years ago:
- Construction
- Occupancy
- Protection
- Exposure
Combined, these four elements are known as "COPE underwriting."
There is no "magic" to commercial property underwriting. The "magic" is in knowing how these four key elements direct the property underwriter's decision one, to extend coverage, and two, how to price the property.
Basic Course Information
Learning ObjectivesUnderstand in detail all four parts of COPE:
- Construction: Do you want to know how to determine the proper construction class (1-6); why square footage matters; and how age affects the underwriting decision? Don't miss this class. (We will also discuss mixed-construction issues this is worth the price of admission.)
- Occupancy: You will learn why HOW the insured does what they do matters more than what they do.
- Protection: You will learn the basics of sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, alarm systems, fire doors and fire walls and public fire protection, and how each affect the pricing.
- Exposure: We discuss the external factors that affect the insured property. Many agents forget this part but knowing how to paint the proper exposure picture helps your underwriter, your client, and ultimately you.
Course Materials
IMPORTANT_CE Credit Instructions_Read Before Webcast_Updated (752.6 KB) | Available after Purchase |
How to Understand Commercial Property Underwriting & COPE - CE filing documents (2 MB) | Available after Purchase |
How-to-Understand-Commercial-Property-Underwriting-&-COPE-Handout-1-of-2 (1.3 MB) | Available after Purchase |
How-to-Understand-Commercial-Property-Underwriting-&-COPE-Handout-2-of-2 (120.9 KB) | Available after Purchase |
Faculty

Christopher J. Boggs, CPCU, ARM, ALCM, LPCS, AAI, APA, CWCA, CRIS, AINS Related Seminars and Products
Christopher J. Boggs, CPCU, ARM, ALCM, LPCS, AAI, APA, CWCA, CRIS, AINS, joined the insurance industry in 1990. He is the Executive Director of the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (Big "I") Virtual University. His current duties involve researching, writing, and teaching property and casualty insurance coverages and concepts to Big "I" members and others in the insurance industry.
During his career, Boggs has authored more than 300 insurance and risk management-related articles on a wide range of topics as diverse as Credit Default Swaps, the MCS-90, and enterprise risk management. In addition to this, Boggs has written 13 insurance and risk management books:
- "The Insurance Professional's Practical Guide to Workers' Compensation: From History through Audit," now in its second edition;
- "Business Income Insurance Demystified: The Simplified Guide to Time Element Coverages," now in its third edition;
- "Property and Casualty Insurance Concepts Simplified: The Ultimate 'How to' Insurance Guide for Agents, Brokers, Underwriters and Adjusters;"
- "Wow! I Never Knew That! 12 of the Most Misunderstood and Misused P&C Coverages, Concepts and Exclusions;"
- "Insurance, Risk & Risk Management! The Insurance Professional's Guide to Risk Management and Insurance;"
- "Workers' Compensation: How You Can Effectively Answer Your Clients 12 Most Commonly Asked Questions;"
- "Glossary of Insurance Terms;"
- "Choosing the Best Risk Financing Option;"
- "Writing Property and Liability Coverage for Condos;"
- "The Truth about Enterprise Risk Management;"
- "The Experience Mod Worksheet;"
- "What has ISO Done to us Now?" and
- "Cancellations, Non-Renewals & Conditional Renewals: THE Insurance Professional's Guide to Statutory Insurance Carrier Notification Requirements for All 50 States!"
Boggs is a regular speaker at industry events, speaking for groups such as the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (NAMIC), the National Society of Insurance Premium Auditors (NSIPA), the American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA), the Institute of Work Comp Professionals (IWCP), and the CPCU Society.
A graduate of Liberty University with a bachelor's degree in Journalism, Boggs' background includes work as a risk management consultant, loss control representative, producer, claims manager, and quality assurance specialist
Dates
Mon, Mar 24, 2025 - 10:00am to 11:49am PDT
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Tue, Apr 01, 2025 - 01:00pm to 02:49pm PDT
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Mon, Apr 21, 2025 - 05:00am to 06:49am PDT
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Fri, May 09, 2025 - 07:00am to 08:49am PDT
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Tue, May 27, 2025 - 10:00am to 11:49am PDT
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Mon, Jun 02, 2025 - 01:00pm to 02:49pm PDT
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Tue, Jun 17, 2025 - 05:00am to 06:49am PDT
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Wed, Jul 09, 2025 - 07:00am to 08:49am PDT
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Fri, Jul 25, 2025 - 10:00am to 11:49am PDT
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Mon, Aug 04, 2025 - 01:00pm to 02:49pm PDT
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Tue, Aug 19, 2025 - 05:00am to 06:49am PDT
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Tue, Sep 09, 2025 - 07:00am to 08:49am PDT
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Wed, Sep 24, 2025 - 10:00am to 11:49am PDT
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Mon, Oct 06, 2025 - 01:00pm to 02:49pm PDT
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Tue, Oct 21, 2025 - 05:00am to 06:49am PDT
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Fri, Nov 07, 2025 - 07:00am to 08:49am PST
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Mon, Nov 24, 2025 - 10:00am to 11:49am PST
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Mon, Dec 01, 2025 - 01:00pm to 02:49pm PST
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Tue, Dec 16, 2025 - 05:00am to 06:49am PST
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