Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) qualifications
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by Nick Green
Last updated March 14, 2023
Here you can find out more about any CII qualifications that your financial adviser may have.
From G60 (Pensions), MAQ (Mortgages) and Chartered Financial Planner (following on from the APFS qualification), find the full list of CII qualifications below.
Always ask to see your financial adviser's qualifications, including any certificates.
For non-CII qualifications, see our main qualifications menu here.
| Abv. | Name | Description | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACII | Associateship Examination | Associate members are those who have gone on to secure more advanced qualifications by completing the Advanced Diploma in Insurance or its predecessor the Associateship. This shows a commitment to continuous professional development. | QCF4+ |
| AdvDipIP | Advanced Diploma In Financial Planning | This qualification enables professional advisers to develop specialist planning capabilities, covers topics like: personal tax and trust, business financial, pension and investment planning. | QCF4+ |
| AF1 | Personal Tax and Trust Planning | This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to personal tax and trusts. | QCF4+ |
| AF2 | Business Financial Planning | This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to business. | QCF4+ |
| AF3 | Pension Planning | This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to personal and corporate pensions. | QCF4+ |
| AF4 | Investment Planning | This examination assesses the candidate to develop in depth financial planning skills related to investments and the management of investment portfolios. | QCF4+ |
| AF5 | Financial Planning Process | This examination assesses the candidate to develop an understanding of the financial planning process when giving advice to clients. | QCF4+ |
| AF6 | Senior management and supervision | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to apply and evaluate the supervision principles and practices in a retail financial services business | QCF4+ |
| AFPC | Advanced Financial Planning Certificate | In order to have completed this qualification, individuals were required to obtain three units. These could have been selected from any combination of the available units at that time but must have included the compulsory G10 unit - Taxation and Trusts. | QCF4+ |
| ALIA Dip + gap fill | Associate | Associate members are those who have gone on to secure more advanced qualifications by completing the Advanced Diploma in Insurance or its predecessor the Associateship. As part of the Retail Distribution Review which comes into effect in 2013 they will have also been required to demonstrate their knowledge is up to date, this process is known as Gap Fill. On satisfaction of the gap fill requirements they will have obtained a Statement of Professional Standing from an FCA Accredited Body. | QCF4 |
| CF2 | Investment and Risk | This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of investment products and the risks involved. | QCF3 |
| CF3 | Financial Protection | This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of financial protection plans. | QCF3 |
| CF4 | Retirement Planning | This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the various pension products, the pension tax regime and retirement needs. | QCF3 |
| CF6 | Certificate in Mortgage Advice | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, mortgage products, repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice. | QCF3 |
| CF7 | Certificate in Financial Planning and Lifetime Mortgage Activities | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, lifetime mortgage products, repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice. | QCF3 |
| CF8 | Certificate in Financial Planning and Long-Term Care Insurance | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry, long term care insurance products and the giving of long term care insurance advice. | QCF3 |
| CF9 | Pensions Simplification | This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the Government’s simplified pension taxation regime which came into full effect on 6 April 2006 (A-Day). Eight tax regimes for pensions were reduced to one, radically affecting planning and transactions. | QCF3 |
| Chart FP | Chartered Financial Planner | Having achieved the APFS designation, advisers can go onto to achieve this recognisable benchmark of quality and ethical practice for financial services professionals, elevating financial planning and advice in the public eye to the same standing as other Chartered professions. The holder must demonstrate a combination of experience, financial qualifications, ongoing educational activity (continuous professional development) and ethical behaviour. | QCF4+ |
| DipFP | Diploma In Financial Planning | This qualification develops advanced technical knowledge and understanding across a broad range of key advisory areas. | QCF4+ |
| ER1 | Equity Release | This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the different types of equity release products, risks to the consumer associated with equity release and application of suitable equity release solutions according to the circumstances of different customers. | QCF3 |
| FCII | Fellow Membership | Fellowship of the CII is universally regarded as the premier qualification for those working in the insurance industry. This shows a commitment to continuous professional development | QCF4+ |
| FLIA Dip + gap fill | Fellow | Fellowship of the CII is universally regarded as the premier qualification for those working in the insurance industry. As part of the Retail Distribution Review which comes into effect in 2013 they will have also been required to demonstrate their knowledge is up to date, this process is known as Gap Fill. On satisfaction of the gap fill requirements they will have obtained a Statement of Professional Standing from an FCA Accredited Body. | QCF4 |
| G10 | Taxation and Trusts | This examination assessed a knowledge and understanding of the UK tax system, the law and practice of trusts, but also an ability to advise individual clients on the tax treatment of their investments and the use of trusts to meet their current and foreseeable future needs. | QCF4+ |
| G20 | Personal Investment Planning | This examination assessed a knowledge and understanding of investments and an ability to advise individual clients on the construction of investment portfolios to meet both their current and foreseeable future needs. | QCF4+ |
| G30 | Business Financial Planning | This examination demonstrated that the individual has a knowledge and understanding of all financial planning aspects of running a business and an ability to advise clients appropriately. | QCF4+ |
| G60 | Pensions | This examination enhanced general pension knowledge, particularly in pension transfers and opt-out business. | QCF4+ |
| G70 | Investment Portfolio Management | This qualification assessed a knowledge and understanding of portfolio investment management. | QCF4+ |
| G80 | Long-Term Care, Life and Health Protection | This AFPC module provided an advanced knowledge of life and health protection. The October 2004 examination qualified the individual to advise on long-term care insurance. | QCF4+ |
| GR1 | Group Risk | This examination assesses an understanding of group risks, including the operations of such schemes and their features and taxation. | QCF3 |
| H15 | Supervision and Sales | This examination assessed specialist supervisory knowledge and skills in the regulatory environment. | QCF4+ |
| H25 | Holistic Financial Planning | This examination assessed knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate a client’s circumstances and financial needs and produce a holistic financial solution based on an in-depth knowledge of financial services products. | QCF4+ |
| HR1 | Home Reversion Plans | This examination assesses a knowledge and understanding of the legislative and regulatory position of home reversion plans and their place in the advice process. | |
| QCF3 | |||
| IF7 | Healthcare Insurance Products | The examination assesses the candidates knowledge of the insurance market, legal principles, procedures and major classes of healthcare insurance. | QCF3 |
| J01 | Personal Tax | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of: the basic structure of the tax system and self-assessment; the main taxes on income and capital that may be charged on individuals, the self-assessment system and how tax liabilities are computed; impact of residence and domicile on an individual’s liability to UK tax. | QCF4 |
| J02 | Trusts | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the: legal principles associated with the creation and management of a trust; main types of trusts that are common in the UK; taxation considerations relevant to trusts. | QCF4 |
| J03 | The Tax and Legal Aspects of Business | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of: the main legal forms of business and how they are set up and managed; the consequences of bankruptcy or insolvency; business accounts and financial controls; the taxation of each type of business entity, its owners and employees; the main legal responsibilities businesses have to employees, suppliers and customers. | QCF4 |
| J04 | Pension Funding Options | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the: main tax and legal frameworks that govern the accumulation phase of building up retirement benefits under registered pension schemes; features of defined contribution and defined benefit pensions; choices faced by early leavers and use of transfer value analysis; State retirement benefits available, including the risks and suitability of contracting out of the State Second Pension. | QCF4 |
| J05 | Pension Income Options | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of the: process of decumulating pension funds and the main issues for clients and advisers; main choices facing members of pensions schemes during decumulation; features, risks and tax treatment of the secured pension option; features, risks and tax treatment of the unsecured pension option; features, risks and tax treatment of phased retirement; features, risks and tax treatment of the alternatively secured pension option. | QCF4 |
| J06 | Investment Principles, Markets and Environment | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of: how the economic environment and individual company performance affects investment performance and investment decision making; how risk is measured and managed; the main principles governing how to construct an investment portfolio; the range of investment management services, how their performance is evaluated and their regulatory environment. | QCF4 |
| J07 | Supervision in a Regulated Environment | At the end of this unit, candidates should be able to demonstrate an understanding of: the supervisors role in a regulated organisation; recruitment, training, attaining competence, maintaining competence and supervising competence; management information and performance standards; Financial Conduct Authority rules and guidelines in respect of competence and supervision; the legal and regulatory aspects of employment and supervision. | QCF4 |
| J09 | Paraplanning | At the end of this unit candidates should be able to demonstrate their ability to understand the role of the paraplanner in providing financial services, and evaluate and analyse the customer's financial circumstances to provide potential solutions | QCF4 |
| J10 | Discretionary Investment Management | At the end of this unit candidates should be able to analyse and apply financial information and portfolio management skills | QCF4 |
| J11 | Wrap and Platform Services | At the end of the unit candidates should be able to understand the use of platforms in providing financial services, the legal regulatory environment in which they operate and the ability to assess the suitability of platforms in meeting client requirements | QCF4 |
| K10 | Retirement Options | This examination assessed knowledge and understanding of income generating options and applying the knowledge to retirement planning situations. | QCF4+ |
| K20 | Pensions Investment Options | This examination assessed knowledge and understanding of the range of investments available for planning of pensions and to be able to apply the construction of a pension portfolio management for a client. | QCF4+ |
| MAQ | Mortgage Advice Qualification | This qualification assessed the knowledge and understanding of the UK regulation environment in the financial services industry together with types of mortgage products and repayment options and the giving of mortgage advice. | QCF4 |
| RegDipFP | Regulated Diploma in Financial Planning | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK Financial services, regulation and ethics, investment principles and risk, personal taxation, pensions and retirement planning, financial protection and financial planning practice. | QCF4 |
| R01 | Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the financial services industry, including regulation, legislation and the Code of Ethics. | QCF4 |
| R02 | Investment Principles | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of investment products and the application of the investment advice process. | QCF4 |
| R03 | Personal Taxation | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of the UK taxation system, and the ability to analyse the taxation treatment of individuals and trusts during the investment advice process. | QCF4 |
| R04 | Pensions and Retirement Planning | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of an ability to analyse pension and retirement planning issues. | QCF4 |
| R05 | Financial Protection | This qualification assesses a knowledge and understanding of an ability to analyse financial protection planning issues. | QCF4 |
| R06 | Financial Planning Practice | This qualification helps advisers develop and demonstrate their financial planning capabilities. | QCF4 |
| SV1 | Saving and Investments | This examination assessed the knowledge and understanding of economic factors that affect risk from different investments, product features and regulatory framework of retail investments, taxation liabilities and portfolio planning. | QCF4 |
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Author
Nick Green
Nick Green is a financial journalist writing for Unbiased.co.uk, the site that has helped over 10 million people find financial, business and legal advice. Nick has been writing professionally on money and business topics for over 15 years, and has previously written for leading accountancy firms PKF and BDO.