Insurance intermediary: providers, schools, information, FAQs

The Insurance Broker VBV course is aimed at people who work for insurance companies and other service providers in the financial sector, where they sell pension and insurance products and provide insurance advice.

The insurance broker training program provides in-depth knowledge and practical skills in various areas of the insurance industry. The aim is to provide optimal preparation for everyday working life and for the final examination. The typical course content includes

• Fundamentals of the insurance industry
  Introduction to the structures, tasks and processes of insurance companies.
• Legal basis
  Communication of relevant laws and regulations, in particular insurance contract law and data protection.
• Property and asset insurance
  Specialist knowledge of private and commercial risks and suitable insurance solutions.
• Personal and social insurance
  Content on life, health, pension and accident insurance as well as social security.
• Customer advice and communication
  Training in dealing professionally with customers, determining requirements and concluding contracts.
• Preparation for the IHK exam
  Systematic repetition of the exam material, exercises and exam simulations.

The course offers a varied mix of theory and practice and prepares students specifically for a career in insurance sales.

Please note: The specific content may vary depending on the training provider or school. We recommend contacting the respective educational institution directly for more information. The question can be forwarded directly to the desired school via our contact form.

Independent insurance intermediaries who offer or conclude insurance contracts in the interests of insurance companies or other persons must be entered in the public register of insurance intermediaries. Only then may they commence their activities. Other insurance intermediaries may register. FINMA keeps a public register of insurance intermediaries.

Depending on the course model chosen, training to become an insurance intermediary VBV takes up to six months (14 days spread over the months).

Our contact form and the "Ask a question" button are available at any time for individual inquiries or further information. Contact the school of your choice quickly, easily and without obligation.

The insurance broker VBV qualification is one of the most important requirements for entry in the FINMA register and this also applies to Cicero membership. Depending on previous training, this qualification as a specialist in insurance brokerage is also one of the admission criteria for the insurance specialist certificate or for the degree course in insurance economics HF.

The Insurance Intermediary VBV qualification is not a federally recognized qualification in the sense of a Federal Professional Examination or Advanced Federal Professional Examination (AFPE), but a certification recognized by the Financial Market Authority (Finma) for registration as an insurance intermediary.

You need the following qualities as an insurance broker:

• Personal reliability
• Communicative personality
• Quality of advice
• Affinity for numbers
• Customer and solution orientation
• Confidentiality

The VBV examination consists of a written and an oral part. The written VBV examination questions are taken online on an examination platform. In the oral examination, the candidate can choose from two options relating to sales and advisory situations: Private households (individuals, families, self-employed) or small businesses.

A final examination for the Insurance Broker VBV certificate is essential. This consists of a written and a practical, oral part of the examination. The examination takes place twice a year and lasts 120 minutes in writing and 60 minutes orally, including half an hour's preparation time.

In the conventional sense, continuing education, further training as an insurance intermediary VBV is not part-time, if you mean classes in the evenings or at weekends. Nevertheless, it is perfectly possible to continue working alongside the course, as the courses take place in day blocks. This means that you can attend the insurance training course one or two days a week and continue to work on the other days.

In addition to a course for newcomers or those switching to insurance brokerage, there are also courses for established professionals, which last a total of seven days. However, you will only be admitted to such a course if you pass the assessment test, for which you need at least two years of professional experience as an insurance intermediary. You can obtain further information on this directly from the relevant training providers.

A VBV intermediary has the following tasks:

• Advise and support private and corporate clients
• Demand intake
• Offer of contracts for insurance, pension and financial products
• Provide transparent information about the most important product features, premiums and fees
• Conclusion of insurance contracts and solutions