CIFI

Admission is points-based. IASIU requires a minimum of 100 points on the CIFI Examination Application, including at least 30 points of SIU investigative experience, awarded at 10 points per full year. Education, other investigative experience, defense counsel work, private investigator licensing, speaking, writing, and professional certifications can supply the remaining points.

The fee is $250 for IASIU members and $450 for nonmembers. If you qualify for membership, IASIU requires your membership application and payment to be received and approved before you submit the CIFI application in order to get the lower member rate, so plan for dues separately from the exam fee.

You choose. The online option is remotely proctored and needs a computer with a camera and microphone, letting you schedule when and where you want. In-person sittings are held at IASIU chapter events or the Annual Conference, administered by a proctor who is CIFI certified. Select "Online" on the application for the remote option.

IASIU's CIFI page does not publish the item count, time limit, or passing score, so treat any specific figure you encounter elsewhere with caution. Contact the IASIU office directly for the current exam blueprint and scoring before you schedule a sitting.

Only partly. Law enforcement investigative experience earns 5 points per year, but it falls under other investigative experience and does not satisfy the 30-point SIU minimum. That category requires work whose primary purpose was investigating or supervising insurance fraud investigations for an insurer, a self-insured entity, NICB, or a state fraud bureau.

IASIU frames the exam as a test of knowledge and experience rather than a course of study. Its listed resources are Law of Claims Fraud Investigation and Defense from the American Educational Institute, plus in-person prep courses at the Annual Seminar and select chapter events. Build on claims fraud law and defense first, then ethics and investigative practice.

IASIU's CIFI page does not state a retake policy, waiting period, or retake fee, so confirm the current rules with the IASIU office before you sit. Treat the application points as the hurdle you can verify in advance, and document your education and investigative experience carefully before applying.

Recertify every three years. That means maintaining IASIU Code of Ethics standards and earning 60 CEUs over the three-year period, with at least 10 credits per year including a one-credit ethics course. CEUs must relate to insurance fraud investigation, and you retain completion certificates or attendance proof for submission on request.

Examination applications are accepted year-round, so there is no window to wait for. The usual delay is documentation: transcripts, employment history, publication and lecture lists, and certification proof. Applicants seeking the member rate should complete the membership approval step before submitting the CIFI application.