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Home » Qualifications » Award for the Foundation Insurance Test
 

New - 2013 info for candidates »

What you need to know to get ahead in your career


The Foundation Insurance Test (FIT) helps you develop an understanding of key insurance issues, including:

  • how the insurance market operates;
  • fundamental risk and insurance principles and procedures; and
  • core personal and commercial insurance products.

FIT is a single-unit qualification which requires you to pass a test. Upon successful completion, you receive a 'Record of Achievement' and a qualification completion certificate for The Award for the Foundation Insurance Test.

By combining FIT with at-work learning, you can greatly improve your knowledge of insurance and take the first steps to becoming a fully-fledged insurance practitioner.

FIT has already proved popular with individuals employed within a diverse range of organisations, including many from companies whose background and main area of business is not insurance.

They value the way that it covers the fundamentals of general insurance in a clear and user-friendly way. Candidates who pass FIT will achieve The Award for the Foundation Insurance Test and receive six credits towards any future studies for CII qualifications such as the Certificate in Insurance (this is the recommended next step for further study).

Full details on the Certificate in Insurance can be viewed on the Certificate in Insurance qualification page. And when you enrol for FIT you receive, as part of your study package, full membership of the CII. This provides a range of benefits including member only access to our knowledge services website which can assist your studies for FIT and provide essential support in your working life. See www.cii.co.uk/membership for further details.

Importantly, FIT has been designed to assist you and your employer to comply with regulatory training and competence requirements. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) requires employees to demonstrate that they are competent in the work they do, and thereafter to maintain this competence. FIT can play an important part in helping to meet the requirements by serving as an objective measurement of your technical awareness and understanding.

Over the following pages you will find full details on the benefits of FIT, what it involves, the available study materials and entry procedures. FIT shows the market that you mean business.

Why FIT?

FIT delivers many advantages:

  • Has no formal entry requirements so is open to anyone, irrespective of experience or educational background.
  • Demonstrates your commitment to personal learning and development: it is the starting point for anyone who needs to know the fundamentals of insurance.
  • Can form part of an overall programme to meet the regulator's training and competence requirements.
  • Provides a student-friendly introduction to the fundamentals of general insurance principles and products.
  • 'Record of Achievement' awarded upon completion from the CII.
  • Includes with the study text full CII membership providing a range of benefits which can assist your studies for FIT and provide essential support in your working life.

Is FIT suitable for me?

FIT is open to anyone, irrespective of educational background or experience. It is suitable for a diverse range of people, including:

  • Anyone wishing to gain a basic understanding of the general insurance market, principles, procedures and products.
  • Employees who hold no insurance qualifications but wish to demonstrate insurance knowledge and understanding.
  • Employees beginning study for general insurance qualifications.
  • Anyone wishing to build upon their specific job knowledge with sound understanding of general insurance principles and market requirements.
  • Insurance staff employed in support functions such as human resources, marketing, IT and finance, wishing to develop an understanding of the industry in which they work.
  • Staff working for an organisation whose primary business is not insurance, but which offers insurance advice and products as part of its overall service to customers.

Introduction

« Back to Introduction

CII qualifications require completion of one or more units, each covering a specific topic that is individually assessed. Assessment methods vary depending on the level and subject matter of a unit, and include:

  • Multiple choice examinations - the assessment method for Certificate, Award and financial services 'R0' Diploma units assessed in the UK.  Exams are delivered on-screen at a network of over 80 public centres across the UK. Sittings are available year-round, often on a weekly basis.
  • Written examinations - the assessment method for Diploma and Advanced Diploma units, excluding financial services 'R0' Diploma units, and also all units examined outside the UK. Sittings are typically available twice yearly in April and October at over 50 public centres throughout the UK and over 100 public centres outside the UK.

What you need to know

It is essential that candidates familiarise themselves with our service, in particular the rules and procedures that are in place. This should include both exam policies (before the assessment) and notes to results (after the assessment).

Things you need to know before the exam

Things you need to know after the exam

Key facts

Key facts for the Foundation Insurance Test (FIT)

Level of qualification Introductory
Credits required to complete (existing credits carried forward) 6
Credits per unit 6
Number of available units 1
Compulsory units FIT - single unit
Exam format Online 2 hours. Multiple choice
Average study time 40 hours time per unit
Combination of units at any level allowed? Not applicable
Availability of exam sessions Year-round. Availability varies from centre to centre, but typically exams can be sat weekly
Entry requirements? None
Credits available for prior learning? No
Record of Achievement issued for each exam pass? Yes
Completion Certificate/Diploma awarded? Yes. Award for the Foundation Insurance Test
Designation No
Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) approved? Note: funding may be available for approved examinations Yes level 2

Completion requirements

What does FIT involve?

To achieve FIT you must pass a single unit. The study text explains how the insurance market operates, outlines key insurance principles and procedures, and provides an overview of core personal lines and commercial insurance products.

The study text breaks down the course into nine chapters, each with clearly-defined learning objectives. The chapters contain learning aids in the form of 'exercises' and 'question times' included at relevant points so that you can measure your understanding as you progress. Each chapter finishes with a series of self-test questions so you can monitor your progress as you prepare for the test itself.

FIT is a two-hour test consisting of 100 multiple choice questions. You receive provisional notification of your results immediately upon completion.

FIT tests are delivered online at centres located throughout the UK.

Twice-yearly paper-based test sessions, in April and October, are available for candidates outside the UK. If you want to sit FIT outside the UK please call Customer Service.

As a guide, we recommend that you allow a minimum of 40 hours of study - this equates to approximately four hours of study a week over three months (this will vary according to your experience and ability). The nominal pass mark is 70%, though the actual pass mark may vary slightly over time to ensure that the pass standard remains constant.

How you are tested

FIT is a two-hour test consisting of 100 multiple choice questions. You receive provisional notification of your results immediately upon completion.

FIT tests are delivered online at centres located throughout the UK.

Twice-yearly paper-based test sessions, in April and October, are available for candidates outside the UK. If you want to sit FIT outside the UK please call Customer Service.

Entering for an online exam

We recommend booking at least six weeks in advance to give the best chance of getting your preferred exam date and venue.

Where next

The Award provides a solid grounding in general insurance fundamentals, and therefore, gives candidates the knowledge they need at the beginning of their career. It also serves as a starting point for further learning, acting as a genuine foundation for personal development within the industry.

 
We recommend that when someone has completed the Award they should progress to the Certificate in Insurance.

The Certificate builds upon the basic knowledge gained through completing FIT and enables candidates to obtain a higher-level qualification. Importantly, candidates passing FIT receive 6 credits towards the 40 required to complete the Certificate.

The Certificate is a core qualification for insurance staff working across all sectors of the industry. The Certificate provides further grounding in:

  • insurance principles including the regulatory environment;
  • key insurance disciplines of underwriting and claims; and
  • popular products including: motor, household, healthcare and packaged commercial insurances.

 
The Certificate is modular in structure, with candidates able to select units of study according to their preference and career requirements. Each unit has a credit value and the accumulation of the stipulated number of credits leads to the award of the Certificate and entitles the holder to apply for use of the designation 'Cert CII®' (CII membership and Continuing Professional Development requirements apply).

FIT
Foundation Insurance Test
 

Assessment information

It is important that candidates entering for a CII assessment familiarise themselves with our service, in particular the rules and procedures that are in place.

Find out more »

Syllabuses

Foundation Insurance Test

FIT covers six essential topics, including the insurance market, legal principles, procedures and the major classes of insurance.

The test is based on the published syllabus, which is itself an important aid to exam preparation and revision. It is essential that you familiarise yourself with this before commencing study. This sets out the learning outcomes and depth of knowledge you will require in order to pass.

The syllabus also identifies learning materials in the form of a reading list, reference materials and periodicals which you can use to assist with your studies. A full syllabus is provided in the CII study text. To obtain the full syllabus free of charge follow the links below or contact Customer Service.

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