Coinciding with National Preparedness Month, The Institutes’ new designation helps organizations and individuals strategically prepare for natural and human-caused catastrophes and strengthen resilience through mitigation and predict and prevent techniques.

Catastrophe losses are climbing to historic levels, with natural catastrophes having generated approximately $112.8 billion in insured losses in 2024, according to research from the Insurance Information Institute. To meet this pressing need, The Institutes Designations has developed the Associate in Catastrophe Risk and Resiliency™ (ACRR™). This new designation helps individuals strategically anticipate and prepare for the growing challenges of natural and human-caused catastrophes.

As one of the only programs on the market dedicated specifically to both natural and human-caused catastrophe risk management, the ACRR designation provides a framework for assessing and managing risk that will continue to be relevant even as these risks continue to evolve over time. Those who earn the ACRR gain the skills needed to identify exposures, implement holistic mitigation strategies, and strengthen resiliency so their organization and communities can turn catastrophe risk into readiness.

“Today’s risk management and insurance professionals not only need technical skills, but also the strategic ability to anticipate and prepare for evolving risks,” said Adam Carmichael, CPCU, President of The Institutes Knowledge Group. “The Associate in Catastrophe Risk and Resiliency designation provides a foundation in catastrophe risk management, helping individuals become trusted leaders who can incorporate mitigation strategies that extend beyond insurance to build a holistic approach to controlling loss exposures.”

The release of the Associate in Catastrophe Risk and Resiliency (ACRR) designation comes at a fitting time during National Preparedness Month this September, which emphasizes the importance of planning in support of building resilience. Ideal for experienced RMI professionals who want to better understand catastrophe risk and stay at the cutting edge of risk management, ACRR helps individuals prepare for the increasing challenges of floods, wildfires, and other evolving catastrophe risks by building strategies that safeguard their organization and communities. This is especially important when you consider that global insured losses from natural disasters reached approximately $80 billion in the first half of 2025 alone – nearly double the 10-year average from 2015-2024, according to a report from Swiss Re Institute.

ACRR is backed by The Institutes’ more than 115 years of experience as a not-for-profit, committed to educating, elevating, and connecting those interested in risk management and insurance to create a more informed, resilient world. The new credential provides professionals with the skills and credibility they need to navigate a unique market and best mitigate catastrophe risk for their organization and clients. ACRR includes two new catastrophe-specific courses from The Institutes Knowledge Group, as well as a general risk management course and ethics requirement to cover a broad range of in-demand skills, like data analysis and strategic thinking.

For more information about the Associate in Catastrophe Risk and Resiliency (ACRR) designation, please visit TheInstitutes.org/ACRR.

About The Institutes Knowledge Group

The Institutes Knowledge Group helps people build foundational, technical, and leadership skills to stay ahead of evolving trends in risk management and insurance. We offer more than 25 practical professional Institutes Designations, including CPCU®, along with topic courses, micro-courses for learning in the flow of work, collegiate studies, and executive and leadership education programs, all focused on the business of risk management and insurance.

About The Institutes

The Institutes® are a not-for-profit comprised of diverse affiliates that educate, elevate, and connect people in the essential disciplines of risk management and insurance. Through products and services offered by The Institutes nearly 20 affiliated business units, people and organizations are empowered to help those in need with a focus on understanding, predicting, and preventing losses to create a more resilient world. Learn more at Global.TheInstitutes.org.

The Institutes is a registered trademark of The Institutes. All rights reserved.

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“Today’s risk management and insurance professionals not only need technical skills, but also the strategic ability to anticipate and prepare for evolving risks."