Competency framework to standardize general insurance licensing requirements in BC
Published August 14, 2025
The Insurance Council of BC is standardizing education and skill requirements for general insurance salespersons and agents in British Columbia through the introduction of a competency framework for general insurance licensure. The published General Insurance Competency Framework and information about implementation is available to licensees, education providers and other industry stakeholders at insurancecouncilofbc.com/gicf.
Competency frameworks are commonly used to establish the minimum level of competency and performance expected of regulated professionals. Developed over six years with input from industry, regulators and subject matter experts, the General Insurance Competency Framework establishes the standard for skills, knowledge and abilities for general insurance licensure in BC, and will be used as the benchmark for entry to practice.
Applying the competency framework to licence qualification
The standards established by the competency framework will be introduced through updates to pre-licensure education for general insurance. This will be supported by an Insurance Council of BC accreditation program that will ensure that course content from education providers aligns with the framework.
Once accredited courses are available, new applicants for licensure or licence upgrades would be required to qualify under these standards starting in December 2026, pending approval of amendments to Insurance Council Rules to support use of the competency framework . Current licensees will not need to retake qualifying education to maintain their licences.
No additional education will be required for Level 1, 2 or 3 general insurance licences. The intent is to align courses required for licence qualification with the competencies outlined in framework. For nominees, it is anticipated that an additional course will be required for new nominee appointments to align with the competencies outlined in the competency framework.
Next steps and timing
Rule consultation: From August 15 to November 14, 2025 (extended from original October 17 date), the Insurance Council will be consulting on rule amendments to support the implementation of the general insurance competency framework and an accreditation program for general insurance education. Information on the consultation can be found in the Engagement section of our website from August 15 onward.
Accreditation program begins: Pending rule approval by government, we are targeting Fall 2025 to provide detailed information about the Accreditation Program for General Insurance intended for education providers, including how to apply for course accreditation and evaluation criteria. This will then be followed by the intake of applications for accreditation.
Transition to new licence qualification standards: There will be a period of transition as accredited general insurance courses become available. After that, starting in December 2026, new applicants and licensees applying for a new licence or a licence upgrade will need to have met their education requirements for licensure with accredited courses.
Progress on modernization and collaboration on mobility
The introduction of the General Insurance Competency Framework is a significant milestone, demonstrating progress on the Insurance Council’s strategic objectives to modernize regulatory oversight and licensing standards.
In addition to clearly communicating the standard of competence for general insurance licence levels in BC, the General Insurance Competency Framework provides an opportunity for collaboration with other Canadian jurisdictions, towards shared goals for harmonizing qualification requirements and enhancing labour mobility.
Where to find more information
Detailed information on the General Insurance Competency Framework can be found on our website on the General Insurance Competency Framework page, under Getting a Licence.