Germany  Name of qualification  Insurance Specialist (BWV)  Versicherungskaufmann / -kauffrau  Educational background  A training course, open to everyone  No special qualification from school  is legally required, but in practice  the companies that provide training  employ school leavers who have  completed the Realschule or  matriculated from Grammar Schools  in almost all cases  Occupational background  In-company training with supervised  practical experience  Social qualities and team orientation,  independence, the ability to express  themselves clearly  For what field of work does this  education qualify graduates?  Function-related basic qualification  for all full-time intermediaries who  are private customer orientated  Customer related activity within the  insurance company or a post in sales  and marketing  Vocational knowledge and skills  - Customer advice and sales  - Legal and commercial framework    for insurance intermediaries  - Special insurance knowledge  - Company’s retirement pension    scheme  - Building society savings  Knowledge of insurance products  from the life, accident, health and  property classes of business;  the mastery of different occupational  and training techniques; the ability to  cope with modern means of  communication; customer oriented  counselling and support; commercial  work skills needed in dealing with  insurance contracts of various kinds  in connection with proposals,  policies and claims handling;  commercial planning and controlling  EDP (bookkeeping, cost accounting,  inspection and controlling)  Duration of the education  The theoretical minimum training  duration is 220 units, but is usually  extended to over 350 teaching units.  In addition to theory, the practical  systematic initiation by executives  and specialists takes up 60 days of  the minimum 12 months training  course  Generally three years, though in  some cases it could be shortened,  but at least two years in any case.  Training in the classroom and in the  country alternate.  How are the examinations  carried out?  The written examination takes 180  minutes and contains 120 questions.  In a case study, which reflects a  general selling or advice situation,  the candidate must advise an  examiner, playing the role of the  customer, after a 15 minute period of  preparation  An intermediate examination in the  middle of the second year of training;  a commercially oriented final  examination by the Chamber of  Trade and Commerce (a practical  written examination and an oral  examination in the form of customer  oriented counselling).  Recognition of the education /  qualification by companies in the  national insur. market  Association examination which is still  awaiting state recognition  Recognition of the high standard of  training with the insurance industry;  the highest financial recognition  given for training within commercial  professions, and in the case of the  successful completion of studies a  large proportion of the trainees are  kept on by their companies. There is  a very low rate of unemployment in  this profession, with good prospects  professional advancement.  Name of qualification  Associate of the Insurance Institute  by examination  Insurance Fellow  Educational background  Insurance employees with one year  of business experience, successful  candidates of a similar business  training with two years business  experience, insurance specialists  (BWV) with four years business  experience, others with five years  business experience in the insurance  industry at the time of the  intermediate examination.  Passing the examination to be an  Insurance Fellow with an average  mark of at least 3.5.  Occupational background  same  Passed the final exam called  "Mittlerer Reife” and having four  years‘ experience in the insurance  industry at the start of the study.  For what field of work does this  education qualify graduates?  Counselling of target groups and  dealing with complex matters in all  areas of the internal organisation;  dealing with internal organisational  problems; support of internal and  external training; solving problems for  private, commercial and industrial  customers, and providing specialised  solutions in a particular class of  insurance.  Post in middle and upper  management.  Vocational knowledge and skills  Evaluation of technical insurance  reports bearing in mind micro and  macro economic and legal  considerations leading to appropriate  measures; taking the lead in  managing responsible tasks in  business areas such as personnel,  investments, controlling, sales and  marketing; carrying out customer  oriented risk analyses and needs  analyses; developing strategies for  solving problems for private and  economic risks; having profound  competence and/or experience in a  production area of the business;  systematic and target oriented use  of methods of communication and  techniques, principles of leadership,  concepts and project organisation.  Communication of advanced  competence in property,  methodology and social skills. The  emphasis is in the area of general  economics, VWL?, law, company  management and human resources,  insurance economics, insurance  products and additional financial  services.  Duration of the education  Two years study (four semesters)  parallel to work at one of the places  of study of the BWV (evenings,  Saturdays or distance learning is  possible).  Four terms totalling six hundred  hours. The teaching takes place on  Saturdays and during the seminar  weeks (one per semester).  How are the examinations  carried out?  The first intermediate examination in  basic skills takes place after two  semesters, and the final examination  after four semesters tests functionally  and product oriented skills (written)  and has an oral section that tests  communication and management  (presentations or role play) in a  practical way.  A written examination during the  course after two semesters and a  final examination that is both written  and oral at the end of the fourth  semester. A final thesis has to be  prepared from the third semester  onwards.  Recognition of the education /  qualification by companies in the  national insur. market  This training enjoys a good reputation  within the insurance industry, and  facilitates further professional  advancement, the taking over greater  responsibility, the coping with tasks  and an increase in income.  This course of study has a good  reputation in the insurance industry.