*Due to the ongoing Canada Post strike, there may be delays in textbook deliveries. If you are located in Vancouver and wish to arrange for an in-office pickup, please contact Marina Turchina at mturchina@ibabc.org. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

Fundamentals of Insurance (FOI)

If you’re starting out in the insurance industry, successful completion of the FOI exam (or the CAIB 1 exam) is the first step to qualify you for a Level 1 General Insurance Salesperson's License in British Columbia. This includes the ability to sell ICBC’s Autoplan.

View a point-by-point comparison of FOI and CAIB 1.

Quick Links
Textbook	Course Options	Exam Information	Level 1 Licensing
FAQs

FOI Textbook

The current edition of the FOI textbook is from 2017. The current Autoplan Supplement included with the textbook is from April 2024.

The fee for the Fundamentals of Insurance textbook is $165.

To order the FOI textbook: Download and complete the FOI Registration Form. Submit via email to the contact information shown on the form.

All textbook sales are final.

Online Course Options

In partnership with Ensure Training and Education Ltd., IBABC offers instructor-led online courses for Fundamental of Insurance. These courses come with a pass guarantee. If you attend every class, complete all course materials and write your exam within two-weeks of course completion but do not pass, you are eligible to attend the next available sitting of the same course at no additional cost. Please note that you are responsible for paying any exam rewrite fees.

These online courses are designed to maximize student success by appealing to various learning styles. They include the following components:

Intensive classroom instruction
In-class polls, quizzes, study notes, online flashcards, practice exams
All classes are recorded and posted in the student portal

Weekend Immersion Course: This course includes 2 consecutive weekends of instruction.

One-Week Immersion Course: This course includes 5 consecutive weekdays of instruction.

Seven-Week Evening Course: This course includes 7 evenings of instruction.

Other than Ensure Training and Education Ltd., IBABC is not affiliated nor endorses any private institutions that offer insurance education. You should research education providers carefully to make sure you get the best education possible.

Fees:

$594 for IBABC members* + $165 for textbook
$694 for non-members + $165 for textbook

*IBABC-member price is only applicable to those employed by a brokerage that’s a member in good standing. If you already have a current version of the textbook, you may purchase the course only.

To register for a FOI Course: Download and complete the FOI Registration Form. Submit via email to the contact information shown on the form.

COURSES SCHEDULE

	Dates	Times
Seven-Week Evenings (no class Feb 17)	Jan 13 – Mar 3	6PM - 8:30PM
Seven-Week Evenings (no class May 19)	Apr 28 – Jun 16	6PM - 8:30PM
Weekend Immersion	May 3, 4, & 10, 11	9AM - 2:30PM
Weekend Immersion	Aug 16, 17 & 23, 24	9AM - 2:30PM
Seven-Week Evenings (no class Oct 13)	Sep 15 – Nov 3	6PM - 8:30PM

Registration deadline is one week prior to start date. A minimum of 7 students required per course. Cancellations after the registration deadline are subject to a $75 administration fee.

IBABC and Ensure Training strongly recommend that you write your exam within two (2) weeks of course completion. Statistics show that students who write shortly after course completion have a higher success rate.

FOI Exam

The FOI exam is an online 2.5-hour exam and is made up of 100 multiple-choice questions. A minimum grade of 70% is required to pass this exam.

The FOI exam fee is $195 and valid for one year from purchase. No refunds will be issued after 6 months.

The options available to write your exam are:

IBABC in-office
IBABC's virtual proctoring service
Active nominee or brokerage appointed proctor
Educational institution (accredited college or university) or Government exam centre (remote areas only)

Step 1 – Select Your Proctor

You must select and pay (if fees apply) for your exam proctor.
A proctor code will only be sent to a valid business-email address that contains the proctor’s first name or initial, last name and the name of their place of employment. We will not accept: info@abc.com or Gmail, Hotmail, etc.

IBABC Office:
Select "IBABC office" in the Proctoring Option in the FOI Exam Registration (proctor form not required). Once your exam registration has been processed, you will be sent a link to our booking calendar. Please arrive no more than 15 minutes early for your exam. Late arrivals will not be allowed to write and will be subject to a $75 deferral fee to reschedule.

In-office hours: Tuesdays 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. and Wednesdays 9:00. - 11:30 a.m.
Virtual proctoring service:
Select "Online Proctor" in the Proctoring Option in the FOI Exam Registration (proctor form not required). Once your exam registration has been processed, you will be sent a link to the virtual exam booking calendar.
Active nominee or appointed proctor:
Complete the FOI Proctor Nomination & Policy Form and send as an email attachment (scanned PDF) at least three (3) business days before your chosen exam date to the contact information shown on the form for approval.
Educational institution (accredited college or university) or Government exam centre (remote areas only)
Complete the FOI Proctor Nomination & Policy Form and send as an email attachment (scanned PDF) at least three (3) business days before your chosen exam date to the contact information shown on the form for approval.

Step 2 – Register for Your Online Exam

Click here to register for your online FOI Exam (provided by Captus Press) at least three (3) business days before your chosen exam date.

Once your payment has been processed, you will receive an examination candidate code by email. You must have this code with you on exam day to login and begin your exam.

Your exam application will NOT be approved until both Steps 1 and 2 are properly completed in a timely manner.

When you write an exam:

Take your candidate code and government-issued photo ID (valid driver’s licence, passport, citizenship card); your photo ID must be written in English so the proctor can confirm your identity.
Be on time
Respect exam location rules and policies.
The computer you use should be in a quiet, designated exam room and have a high-speed internet connection and an up-to-date web browser

Examinees caught cheating (sneaking in reference materials or mobile device, accessing the internet, talking during the exam or looking at someone else's exam) will be immediately disqualified from the exam, barred from writing any exam for one (1) year, and will be reported to the Insurance Council of B.C.

If you don’t write your exam on the selected date and haven’t rescheduled or cancelled before 4:30 p.m. pacific time on exam day, you will forfeit the exam fee. If you still wish to write the exam, you must pay the exam fee.

Deferring or cancelling an exam

You can defer or cancel your exam booking right up to 4:30 p.m. (pacific time) on the day of your exam. A $75 fee will be charged if deferral or cancellation is less than seven (7) days before the exam date. You will be sent a link for payment.

Email new exam date or cancellation to mturchina@ibabc.org
Pay deferral fee (if applicable)
Let the exam proctor know of the date change or cancellation

An exam deferral or cancellation received later than 4:30 p.m. (pacific time) on the exam date is treated as an expired registration. If you still want to write the exam after that, you must pay another $195.

No refunds will be issued after 6 months from exam registration.

Getting your FOI Exam Mark

As soon as you complete the online FOI exam your mark appears on the computer screen and will be emailed to you. If you misplace the email, input your confirmation code here to retrieve your certificate.You will NOT be given a copy of your marked exam or an opportunity to discuss your exam answers with anyone.

Rewriting the FOI Exam

If you don’t pass the FOI exam, you may register to rewrite it. Each rewrite fee is $195.

FOI exam rewrites are subject to waiting periods, which depend on the number of times you've previously written the exam:

For your second attempt, you may rewrite immediately (i.e., no waiting period).
For your third attempt, you must wait at least one (1) month after your second attempt.
For your fourth attempt and all other attempts after that, you must wait at least six (6) months after your last attempt.

Waiting periods are not erased at the end of a calendar year.

Education Prerequisites for Licensing

Level 1 Licensing Qualification
Successful completion of your FOI exam is the first step to obtaining your General Insurance Salesperson Level 1 License.

For information on the licensing process, visit the Insurance Council of BC.

Contact
Do you have questions about FOI that aren’t answered above? Contact Marina Turchina at mturchina@ibabc.org.