Since our last edition of Coverage Corner, the Prendiville Insurance team made our way down to sunny San Diego for the 2026 Community Association Law Seminar.

For those who aren’t familiar, it’s a week where some of the brightest minds in community association law and insurance come together to further their education, network, and discuss the latest issues affecting community associations across the country.

Think of it as an “iron sharpens iron” sort of situation.

As a first-time attendee, I knew there was going to be a lot to learn.

What I didn’t expect was to come home thinking so much about four letters:

CIRMS.

So, What Exactly Is a CIRMS?

Throughout the week, especially during the insurance-specific breakout sessions, I kept hearing the term CIRMS.

I’d heard it thrown around plenty of times during my time at Prendiville Insurance, but if I’m being completely transparent, I had yet to get a really clear picture in my head of what it meant.

Spending a week surrounded by CIRMS professionals from across the country changed that.

CIRMS stands for Community Insurance and Risk Management Specialist.

And the name actually does a fantastic job of describing its purpose.

The designation identifies insurance professionals who have developed meaningful knowledge and experience specifically in insuring community associations and managing the unique risks those communities face.

This isn’t simply a title someone adds to the end of their name.

Earning the designation requires substantial industry experience and a demonstrated commitment to the community association insurance field. The process includes requirements involving professional experience, continuing education, community association clients, peer recognition, and ethical business practices.

In other words, there is some weight behind those four letters.

Why Does the CIRMS Designation Matter?

As a first-time attendee at the Law Seminar, it became apparent pretty quickly why the CIRMS title carries so much weight within our industry.

The level of knowledge and professionalism was noticeable in every session, speaker, and topic.

These weren’t surface-level conversations about insurance.

The discussions were designed to push our understanding of community association insurance further, including conversations about real-world claims, changing risks, insurance coverage, and actual case law.

That’s one of the things that makes an event like this so valuable.

There aren’t many opportunities throughout the year for brokers to sit in a room together and study actual claims scenarios alongside the legal decisions that can shape how community association insurance works.

Sometimes the Best Ideas Come From Across the Country

Another major benefit of the conference was getting the opportunity to talk with brokers from across the country and trade notes about how we’re overcoming our local issues.

Community associations may face different risks depending on where they’re located, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn from one another.

For example, an insurance professional from the Southeast may have years of experience dealing with wind and hurricane claims.

Here on the West Coast, our challenges may look very different, especially when we’re dealing with wildfire exposure.

But some of the lessons learned from managing risk, handling claims, educating clients, or working with insurance carriers in one part of the country may be applicable somewhere else.

That’s what makes getting all of these people in the same room so valuable.

It’s Not Just About Agreeing With Each Other

Perhaps one of the most impressive displays of the industry’s commitment to excellence was watching the exchange of ideas between industry leaders.

The conversations covered everything from upcoming changes and pressing challenges to insurance practices and ethics.
And people didn’t always agree.

That’s actually part of what made the discussions so valuable.

If one side of the room disagreed with the other on a particular issue, both sides were given the floor to speak their piece.

The objective wasn’t simply to prove who was right.

It was to have the conversation, challenge each other’s thinking, and ultimately figure out how we can better serve our clients.

That was probably one of my biggest takeaways from the week.

Seeing the Industry Through a Different Lens

I’ve been with Prendiville Insurance for just over a year now, and before joining the agency I worked for an insurance carrier specializing in HOA insurance.

But as someone in only my second year as a broker, there’s still a tremendous amount for me to learn.

Getting the opportunity to rub elbows with some of the most reputable minds in community association insurance was an invaluable experience.

It also gave me a much clearer understanding of why working with professionals who truly specialize in community associations matters.

HOA insurance isn’t simply another property policy.

Community associations present unique coverage questions, claims situations, governing structures, property responsibilities, maintenance issues, and risks. Having an insurance professional who understands that world can make a meaningful difference.

That’s what the CIRMS designation represents to me now.

It’s not just a collection of letters after someone’s name.

It represents experience, education, specialization, ethics, and a commitment to continuing to learn.

After spending the week with CIRMS professionals from around the country, I understand that much better than I did before.

And hopefully, one day, I’ll be joining that esteemed group of CIRMS myself.

Come See Us at Booth #313

Want to hear more about CIRMS or find out what’s new in the insurance world?

Come by Booth #313 at the CACM Northern California Expo!

Patrick, Terri, and I will all be there, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone.

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