How the exam is structured, module by module
Many candidates prepare for the AFA certification as if it were a single exam. This is the wrong approach: each module has its own format, and sitting an oral practical exam having only practised multiple-choice questions is a very poor strategy.
Here’s what to expect, module by module.
General skills and knowledge
30 minutes. Around 20 questions.
The questionnaire covers two topics: the insurance industry and legal knowledge. The questions are divided between the two.
The exam takes place via videoconference, with supervision designed to detect any attempts to cheat. Make sure you have a quiet place, a stable internet connection and a clear desk.
Results are available approximately one week later.
This is the module you must start with: you must pass it before you can sit the other exams.
Health and Supplementary Insurance
30 minutes. A practical case study.
There is no multiple-choice questionnaire here: you have a conversation with a client, and you must deal with the situation. The assessment covers all aspects relating to health insurance and supplementary cover.
Same duration as the first module, same timeframe of around a week for the results, but a radically different exercise. You’re not simply reciting facts here; you’re advising someone.
Non-life
60 minutes.
The exam covers several topics in a single sitting: SMEs, motor, home, and other areas of property and assets insurance. This is the longest and most comprehensive module.
Life
Two stages: a written test, followed by an oral exam.
The oral exam lasts 30 minutes, in front of two examiners. You are presented with a case study: you must analyse it, propose a solution, and answer general questions about your reasoning.
This is the most demanding part of the certification, because it is not enough simply to know the correct answer: you must defend it orally, in front of professionals, within a limited time.
Examination fees
These amounts are those set by the official body. They are payable to the VBV and are unrelated to access to Caelys, which is a preparation course, not an examination.
| Module | Fee |
|---|---|
| General skills and knowledge | 400 CHF |
| Health and supplementary insurance | 100 CHF |
| Non-life insurance | 100 CHF |
| Life insurance | 200 CHF |
A candidate sitting all four modules therefore pays 800 CHF in examination fees, provided they pass each module at the first attempt. The following section details what happens in the event of a fail, and it is worth reading this before registering.
If you need to retake a module
There is no waiting period. For the Skills and General Knowledge, Health and Supplementary, and Non-life modules, exam sessions are available 24 hours a day: you can re-register as soon as you feel ready, without having to wait for a specific exam date.
The Life module is an exception. Its format, which involves an oral examination in front of two examiners, means you must adhere to the dates set by the organising body. You must therefore wait for the next available session.
Whether or not you have to pay again depends on the module, and the difference is considerable:
- General Skills and Knowledge: a fee must be paid again. A recorded failure resulted in a second payment of 400 CHF. This is the most expensive module, and it is the one where failing actually costs money.
- Non-life: a second attempt could be taken without a further payment.
We do not know the rules for Health and Supplementary Insurance or for Life Insurance, nor the number of attempts covered, if any. Check the terms and conditions of your enrolment with the organisation: never assume that a failure has no financial consequences until you have confirmed this.
That said, this flexibility has a downside: the ease of re-registering encourages people to try again too soon, without having returned to the course in the meantime. Failing an exam and retaking it the very next day, without having revised at all, amounts to exactly the same thing. Whether it’s free or not, it’s a waste of time, and means an extra week’s wait before finding out the result.
Certification is not valid for life
The official portal announces recertification sessions: the qualification must therefore be renewed periodically; it is not obtained once and for all.
We do not publish an exact frequency, because we have no official source that sets this out in black and white. The recertification schedule is available on the organisation’s portal: that is where you need to look, and that is the authoritative source.
The key takeaway for today: make a note of the date of your certification and keep an eye on the official schedule. If your qualification expires without you realising it, your practice will come to a halt.
What this means for your preparation
The format is just as important as the content. Training that focuses exclusively on multiple-choice questions does not prepare you for the practical case study on health and supplementary insurance, nor for the oral exam for the life insurance module.
That is why practice on Caelys is not limited to multiple-choice questions: the practical case studies in the form of client dialogues are designed specifically for the format of the health and supplementary insurance exam.
The practice sessions are timed to match the actual exam durations. The practice sets are timed at 30 minutes, just like the Skills and Health modules. The non-life practice sets, which cover all chapters, are timed at 60 minutes, just like the non-life exam. This is not a random figure: it is the time you will actually have available.
Please check with the examining body
The information on this page describes the procedure as it is currently practised. The arrangements, dates and fees are set by the VBV and are subject to change. Before registering, always confirm the current conditions with the official body: its information takes precedence, not this page.