CII exams reach ‘decade-long peak’

The number of exams overseen by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) grew by nearly 2% year-on-year to reach a total of 55,000 in 2025.

This is according to the institute’s latest exam uptake figures, released today (10 February 2026), which also reported a 4% increase in the number of qualifications completed between years, up to 15,182.

The figures represent the largest volume of exams the CII has administered since 2020, reaching what it described as a “decade-long peak”.

In total, 27,856 general insurance exams were sat in 2025 – up 3% on 2024 – resulting in 8,548 general insurance qualifications, some 4% more than the previous year.

Meanwhile 27,134 personal finance exams were undertaken, up 0.6% on the previous year, resulting in the awarding of 6,634 qualifications – 4% more than in 2024.

The CII reported that the fastest growing exam was its R06 exam titled Financial Planning Practice, which saw 2,399 completions, 8% more than the previous year.

Commitment to development

Nicola Mellor, director of qualifications and assessment at the CII, said: “It’s brilliant to see this growth in the number of exams and qualifications completed last year.

“The results demonstrate an appetite for skills and progression within the sector, as well as our members’ continued commitment to professional development and upholding the highest professional standards across insurance and personal finance.

“It’s also really encouraging to see our increased focus on developing the pipeline of talent into financial planning reflected in these results.”