Loss control certification comparison

Loss Control Academy vs The Institutes ARM

Who is each option for?

ARM (Associate in Risk Management) from The Institutes is a professional designation for insurance and risk management professionals (The Institutes risk management courses). Loss Control Academy trains field inspectors to walk a property and write an underwriting survey.

If you want field inspection work, start with an inspector course. If you manage risk programs at a carrier, broker or company, ARM is the credential built for that job.

Loss Control Academy publishes this page. It is based on public information as of November 2026. If something is out of date or wrong, tell us through our contact page and we will review it.

How do they compare side by side?

Swipe the table to see every column.

Loss Control Academy and The Institutes ARM, checked November 2026
Feature Loss Control Academy The Institutes ARM
Price Commercial P&C $297. Personal Lines $147. Workers' Comp $227. Inland Marine $127. All four for $597. ARM 400, 401 and 402 course materials $415 each (The Institutes risk management courses). Exams are sold separately.
Format Self-paced online. Video, reading and quizzes. Inland Marine is reading lessons with printable field guides and no video. Online courses plus separately purchased exams (The Institutes course and exam pricing). Redesigned in 2026, fully online (The Institutes ARM 2026 update).
Scope Commercial P&C, personal lines, workers' comp and inland marine, one course each. Field underwriting surveys. Organizational risk management (The Institutes risk management courses).
Access length Lifetime access to each course you buy. Not listed on the pages we checked.
Refund terms Contact us within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. Not listed on the pages we checked.
Credential Verifiable certificate of completion for each course. 80 percent quiz pass mark with unlimited retakes. ARM designation. Ethics 311 is included free with the new ARM courses (The Institutes ARM 2026 update).
Job pathway Graduates can join the Underwriter Services Association talent pool. Work is not guaranteed. A professional insurance designation (The Institutes designations).

What is the ARM designation?

ARM is a professional risk management designation from The Institutes (The Institutes risk management courses). The program was redesigned in 2026 with new course content and a fully online format (The Institutes ARM 2026 update). The Institutes also offers other professional insurance designations (The Institutes designations).

Is ARM a loss control inspector certification?

ARM is a risk management designation. Field inspector training teaches you to walk a building, photograph construction and protection, and write a survey for an underwriter. People searching "loss control certification" often find both, so it helps to know which job you are training for.

For field survey training, compare the insurance inspector courses.

Is the ALCM designation still offered?

ALCM (Associate in Loss Control Management) is not on The Institutes' current designations list as of November 2026 (The Institutes designations). Older articles may still mention it.

How much does ARM cost?

The Institutes' risk management course list shows ARM 400, 401 and 402 course materials at $415 each, or $1,245 for the three before exam fees (The Institutes risk management courses). Exams are sold separately (The Institutes course and exam pricing). Check The Institutes' current exam pricing before you budget.

Loss Control Academy courses are $127 to $297 each, or $597 for all four, with no separate exam fee.

Which should you choose?

Choose ARM if

Choose Loss Control Academy if

  • You want to do field inspections for insurers.
  • You want to start without prior insurance or construction experience.
  • You want one price per course with lifetime access and no separate exam fees.
  • You want your profile visible in the Underwriter Services Association talent pool, knowing work is not guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions

Is ARM the same as loss control training?

They are different. ARM is a risk management designation for insurance and corporate risk professionals (The Institutes risk management courses). Loss control inspector training teaches field surveys for underwriters.

Is the ALCM designation still offered?

ALCM (Associate in Loss Control Management) is not on The Institutes' current designations list as of November 2026 (The Institutes designations).

How much does the ARM designation cost?

The Institutes lists ARM 400, 401 and 402 course materials at $415 each, $1,245 for the three, before exam fees (The Institutes risk management courses). Exams are sold separately (The Institutes course and exam pricing). Check The Institutes' current exam pricing for the full cost.

Which is better for becoming an insurance inspector, ARM or Loss Control Academy?

For field inspection work, an inspector course such as Loss Control Academy. ARM is built for people who manage risk programs at carriers, brokers and companies.

Does ARM include an ethics course?

The Institutes' 2026 ARM update says Ethics 311 is included free with the new ARM courses (The Institutes ARM 2026 update).

See the LCA courses

Prices, chapter lists and what each course includes. Lifetime access. Contact us within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. Work is not guaranteed.

Compare LCA courses View the Commercial course