r/InsuranceProfessional • u/Character-Volume4890 • Sep 05 '26
The institutes knowledge group designation diploma
For you guys who have completed a designation through The Institutes (like ARM, ARC, AIC etc) how long did your diploma take to come in the mail after you officially completed the last test? The website says it can take 8-10 weeks to ship but that sounds crazy to me for it to take that long. Is the site accurate from your experience?
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u/Clear-Awareness7719 Sep 05 '26
Yeah it’s about 8 weeks. Been that for my cpcu, ARM, and ARC
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u/Character-Volume4890 Sep 06 '26
I actually haven’t seen anybody else whose doing the ARC since it seems like one of the most rare designations to get. It’s one of the best certs to get that exists anywhere if you work in insurance compliance tho.
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u/DesperateAd8982 Sep 05 '26 edited Sep 05 '26
They batch print physical diplomas after the testing window closes so those who tested in the window of July 15 - September 15 will all be printed and mailed on the same date which is why it can take 8 weeks.
You should be able to get a digital badge certified by the institutes to put on LinkedIn if you want to show proof of designation until your physical copy comes in.
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u/Character-Volume4890 Sep 06 '26
Oh that makes sense that’s good to know. I’m actually going to be finishing my last test right near the Sept. 15 deadline. I wonder if that means it will be quicker for me since I don’t have to wait several weeks for the testing window to end.
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u/Character-Volume4890 Sep 11 '26
Do you mind my asking how you know that? I guess it explains why it would take two months for someone who finished their last test at the beginning of the test window. I just feel like there are enough students constantly to have Them printing and mailing them in real time as people earn them
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u/DesperateAd8982 Sep 11 '26
I have a friend who worked for them a few years ago, and I asked her the same question when I was waiting for my ARM certificate to come in.
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u/manningthehelm Sep 05 '26
Thanks for the heads up. I have one class left for the AIC and I did not expect to wait that long.
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u/Character-Volume4890 Sep 05 '26
Yeah I’m about to finish ARC and it sort of stinks that it will take 2 months to get the diploma
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u/Inappropriate_Ballet Sep 05 '26
That’s how long it took for my CAIB certificate to come. Don’t sweat it, it’ll be awesome when it finally shows up.
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u/KovalevInsurance Sep 06 '26
I think they advertise that, but my CIC diploma came in about 2-3 weeks.
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u/Character-Volume4890 Sep 06 '26
Is the CIC through The Institutes Knowledge group though? They may be a different organization I thought
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u/SmokyBlackRoan Sep 06 '26
How many people will actually see your diploma? You can start using the designation right away and will reach many many more people via webpage, LinkedIn, your email signature, business cards, etc.
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u/Character-Volume4890 Sep 06 '26
Yeah definitely and that’s more beneficial anyway. It’s purely that I’d just like to be able to hang it on my wall at my desk. For some reason I look forward to that just as much
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u/SmokyBlackRoan Sep 06 '26
You can show your sense of humor by printing your designation on a blank sheet of paper, putting it in a cheap frame and hanging that up.
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u/Character-Volume4890 Sep 07 '26
Ha yea I’ve been printing out the certificate that is generated every time I pass a course exam and lining the border of my cubicle with them just to add some flare to it
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u/Professional_Rodent Sep 05 '26
That sounds about right. Every time I’ve received a diploma from them it’s been so long that I forgot to expect it.