Mainland insurance intermediary examinations open to HK residents
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    Hong Kong residents can enrol for the Mainland Qualifying Examinations for Insurance Intermediaries to be held in Hong Kong from next Monday (March 31) to obtain a qualifying certificate as a first step for practising in the insurance intermediary industry on the Mainland.

    This is one of the measures implemented under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) to allow Hong Kong residents to obtain the basic required industry qualification in Hong Kong for practising in the Mainland's insurance intermediary market.

    A spokesman for the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance said today (March 27), ˇ°To facilitate Hong Kong residents to fulfill the Mainland industry qualification requirement by sitting for the qualifying examinations, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission agreed to establish an examination centre in Hong Kong.

    ˇ°Candidates who pass the examinations can also obtain their qualifying certificates in Hong Kong,ˇ± the spokesman said. 

    The qualifying examinations consist of three separate examinations - the insurance agents examination, insurance brokers examination and loss adjusters examination, which are conducted for those aspiring to be insurance agents, insurance brokers and loss adjusters respectively on the Mainland. 

    The Vocational Training Council (VTC) has been appointed the designated examination body to administer the relevant examinations in Hong Kong.  Hong Kong residents who are interested in taking these examinations can enrol with the VTC direct. 

    The spokesman said, ˇ°We would like to remind Hong Kong residents that passing the qualifying examinations or having obtained the qualifying certificate does not imply that they can start carrying on insurance intermediary business on the Mainland.

    ˇ°Holders of the qualifying certificate must be employed by an authorised insurer or insurance intermediary company on the Mainland and obtain the relevant practising certificate before they are allowed to practise in the insurance intermediary industry on the Mainland.ˇ±

    For enquiries on the examination details, please contact the VTC at 2919 1467 or visit its website at http://www.vtc.edu.hk/cpdc

Ends/Thursday, March 27, 2008
Issued at HKT 14:30

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