Using CII Designations and Titles
Obtaining a CII, Personal Finance Society (PFS) or Corporate Chartered designation or title is a big achievement. An individual may have obtained their first designation at the very start of their career or be an experienced Insurance Practitioner or Financial Advisor who has worked for years to qualify for that prestigious Chartered title. These designations mean a lot to those who have earned them, and as such it is extremely important to be aware of the requirements to use a CII designation and also what to do if you suspect that someone is misusing a CII designation.
Designations and titles can be split into three categories. These are:
- CII Designations and Titles;
- PFS Designations and Titles; and
- Corporate Chartered Titles.
The designations and titles available under each of the above categories are:
CII Designations and Titles
Cert CII
Dip CII
ACII
FCII
Chartered Insurer
Chartered Insurance Practitioner
Chartered Insurance Broker
Chartered Insurance Risk Manager
Chartered Insurance Underwriting Agent
PFS Designations and Titles
Cert PFS
Dip PFS
APFS
FPFS
Chartered Financial Planner
Corporate Chartered Titles
Chartered Financial Planners
Chartered Insurers
Chartered Insurance Brokers
Chartered Insurance Underwriting Agents
All of the above designations and titles have strict rules governing their use.
In summary, in order to use a CII designation, an individual must:
- be an active member of the CII; and
- have met the qualification requirements for that particular designation.
If an individual wishes to use a PFS designation, they must meet the above criteria, as well as be an active member of the PFS.
For Corporate Chartered Status, there are separate eligibility criteria.
The potential consequences of misusing a CII designation or Corporate Chartered title could involve legal action being taken against the infringer, as the CII takes the protection of its intellectual property seriously. Therefore it is vital that you, as a member/student of the CII, ensure that you meet the above requirements before using any CII designation, or if you are a firm, meet the eligibility criteria for Corporate Chartered Status.
If you suspect that someone is misusing a CII designation or Corporate Chartered title, and thus infringing on the CII’s intellectual property rights, please contact the CII by emailing customer.serv@cii.co.uk, or via the phone by calling +44(0)20 8989 8464.
Your membership designation or Corporate Chartered title is something to truly be proud of as it demonstrates your ongoing commitment to high standards of ethics and integrity and aids the CII in fulfilling its mission in building and maintaining public trust in the industry.
