VBV

What VBV does

VBV (Berufsbildungsverband der Versicherungswirtschaft), operating bilingually as AFA in French-speaking Switzerland, is the designated professional association for insurance vocational education and intermediary qualification in Switzerland. Founded in 1936 and headquartered in Bern, VBV administers the full regulated qualification stack from entry-level apprenticeship (Kaufmann/-frau EFZ Privatversicherung) through the Young Insurance Professional (YIP) program, the Versicherungsvermittler/-in VBV licensing examination, the Versicherungsfachmann/-frau mit eidg. Fachausweis federal specialist examination, up to the Dipl. Versicherungswirtschafter/-in HF advanced diploma delivered in partnership with AKAD/HFVESA. Approximately 2,000 candidates sit the VBV intermediary examination each year.

VBV's product surface combines curricula and examinations with a multilingual digital platform suite: myVBV (learning and exam environment), Lernplattform/LMS (bildung.vbv.ch course catalogue), Time2Learn (apprenticeship LMS), Pruefungsmanagement-Plattform (portfolio.vbv.ch), and the public Branchesregister (register.vbv.ch) maintained on behalf of the industry. Following FINMA's August 22, 2024 approval of the Mindeststandards under VAG Article 43 — effective October 1, 2024 — VBV was designated as the enforcement and monitoring body for ongoing intermediary competency verification, anchoring a recurring annual fee stream across Switzerland's registered intermediary population. A Chatbase-powered chatbot supports website visitor queries; the 2025 Mediathek digital library replaced >20 years of print textbooks.

VBV is a Swiss nonprofit association (nonprofit_organization) governed by member insurance companies and steered by a Vorsitz (Mathias Zingg, President, also a member of Helvetia Baloise's executive committee) and a Direktor (Jürg Zellweger). Revenue derives from training-program fees (YIP at 5,100 CHF; ES diploma at 27,600 CHF normal / 18,400 CHF accelerated), examination registration, and annual recertification/database maintenance fees. Service delivery is routed through training partners IRFA (YIP, Givisiez) and AKAD/HFVESA (ES), with direct enterprise engagement for employer-sponsored training across life, non-life, and health insurers; ~70+ practitioners participated in shaping the new intermediary qualification profile.

Name

VBV

Legal name

VBV - Berufsbildungsverband der Versicherungswirtschaft

Website

https://vbv.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

VBV is the Swiss professional association (nonprofit) administering regulated insurance vocational qualifications — from apprenticeships and intermediary licensing to federal specialist and HF diplomas — and, since October 2024, enforcing FINMA-approved Mindeststandards for insurance intermediaries across Switzerland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Vocational Education and Certification

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Qualifications Framework Authorities (NQF/Skills Framework) (EDADAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Qualifications & Credit Framework Authorities (EDADAEAD)

Keywords

• Insurance vocational training
• Insurance intermediary certification
• Federal insurance examinations
• Insurance professional education
• Branche register Switzerland

Headquarters

HQ city

Bern

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Training and Examination Fees: VBV generates revenue through fees for training programs, examination registration, and certification. Specific programs include the Young Insurance Professional (YIP) program at 5,100 CHF and the Économiste d'assurance ES program at 27,600 CHF (normal track) or 18,400 CHF (accelerated track). Annual fees for recertification and database maintenance are also charged.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VBV is the Swiss professional association for insurance vocational education (Berufsbildungsverband der Versicherungswirtschaft / AFA). It designs, administers, and delivers a regulated ladder of professional qualifications — from the Kaufmann/-frau EFZ Privatversicherung apprenticeship and Young Insurance Professional (YIP) program through the Versicherungsvermittler/-in VBV licensing examination and federal specialist diploma to the Dipl. Versicherungswirtschafter/-in HF advanced diploma. VBV also maintains the FINMA-approved Mindeststandards for intermediary training (effective October 1, 2024), operates the public Branchenregister, and runs the Cicero quality seal for advisory competency.

Product overview

VBV (Berufsbildungsverband der Versicherungswirtschaft / Association pour la formation professionnelle en assurance, AFA) is the Swiss professional association for insurance vocational education. Its offering is a portfolio of regulated qualifications spanning from entry-level apprenticeships to advanced federal diplomas: Kaufmann/-frau EFZ Privatversicherung (basic commercial apprenticeship), Young Insurance Professional (YIP, 12-month introduction program), Versicherungsvermittler/-in VBV (intermediary licensing examination), Versicherungsfachmann/-frau mit eidg. Fachausweis (federal specialist examination), and Dipl. Versicherungswirtschafter/-in HF (advanced diploma). VBV also administers the FINMA-approved Mindeststandards for insurance intermediary education (effective October 2024) and the Cicero quality label. These qualifications are supported by a suite of digital platforms: myVBV (learning and examination environment), the Lernplattform LMS (bildung.vbv.ch, course catalogue), the Prüfungsmanagement-Plattform (portfolio.vbv.ch), and the public Branchesregister (register.vbv.ch). A newly launched Mediathek (2025) has replaced print textbooks with digital learning materials. The association is regulated under FINMA supervision and operates under VAG/AVO framework.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• myVBV: Digital learning and examination environment for insurance intermediaries and trainees
• Time2Learn
• Lernplattform (LMS)
• Branchenregister

Products and services

• Kaufmann/-frau EFZ Privatversicherung Three-year federal commercial apprenticeship program for private insurance professions in Switzerland, combining in-company practical training with inter-company courses and school-based instruction; supports entry into the Swiss insurance industry.
• Young Insurance Professional VBV/AFA (YIP) One-year introductory program combining practical work placements in insurance companies with theoretical schooling, designed for holders of a maturité (high school diploma); leads to the optional Versicherungsvermittler/-in VBV examination. Priced at 5,100 CHF, fully covered by the sponsoring training company.
• Versicherungsvermittler/-in VBV Licensing Examination Licensing examination and certification for insurance intermediaries required for entry in the public FINMA intermediary register; offered in profiles All-branches, Life, Non-life, and Complementary Health Insurance; includes annual recertification and database maintenance.
• Versicherungsfachmann/-frau mit eidg. Fachausweis (Federal Specialist Examination / Brevet fédéral) Federal-level professional examination (Brevet fédéral) for insurance specialists covering product management, underwriting, sales, claims handling, and brokerage; current version in effect until 2026, new version from 2027.
• Dipl. Versicherungswirtschafter/-in HF (Économiste d'assurance ES) Advanced federal diploma (Höhere Fachschule) in insurance economics preparing for middle-to-senior management roles; delivered in partnership with AKAD/HFVESA on a normal 6-semester track (27,600 CHF) or accelerated 4-semester track (18,400 CHF).
• Branchenregister (Public Sector Register of Insurance Intermediaries) Public register maintained by VBV under AVO Article 38 listing bound insurance intermediaries with current authorization type, employer data, and status; enables electronic lookup by policyholders and serves as the transparency backbone for compliant insurance intermediation in Switzerland.
• Cicero Quality Seal (Gütesiegel) Independent quality label for competent insurance consulting; participation requires passing the Versicherungsvermittler/-in VBV examination; under adaptation to new VAG requirements alongside the Mindeststandards.
• Mindeststandards für die Aus- und Weiterbildung der Versicherungsvermittler/-innen FINMA-approved framework of minimum standards (Mindeststandards) defining admission examination requirements and regular competency verification (recertification) for licensed insurance intermediaries under VAG Article 43; effective October 1, 2024, with VBV responsible for enforcement and control.
• Mediathek (Digital Learning Library) Digital library launched in May 2025 replacing the print textbooks 'Youngprofessional' and 'Intermediary' that had been used for over 20 years; provides online access to learning materials for VBV insurance training programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 2,000 people annually pass the VBV insurance intermediary examination
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FINMA (Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2024FINMA approved the minimum standards for insurance intermediary training developed by VBV and industry partners. VBV is designated as the body responsible for implementing and monitoring compliance with these standards. The standards became effective October 1, 2024.
• SVV (Schweizerischer Versicherungsverband)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Insurance Association is a steering group member in the Mindeststandards project. Represents the interests of insurance companies in developing training standards and certification requirements.
• SVVG (Schweizerischer Verband der Versicherungs-Generalagenten)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Swiss Association of Insurance General Agents participates in the steering group for minimum standards development, representing the interests of general agency operations.
• ACA (Association des Courtiers en Assurances)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Association of Insurance Brokers is represented in the steering group, advocating for broker-specific training and certification needs.
• SIBA (Swiss Insurance Brokers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSwiss Insurance Brokers Association participates in standards development, representing independent broker interests.
• curafuturacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth insurer association represented in the steering group, contributing to health insurance-specific training requirements.
• santésuissecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth insurer association participating in standards development, ensuring training requirements meet health insurance sector needs.
• IRFA (Givisiez)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraining partner for the Young Insurance Professional (YIP) program in French-speaking Switzerland (Givisiez location). Provides theoretical instruction while VBV handles certification.
• AKAD HochschulecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership with AKAD for delivering the Économiste d'assurance ES (Insurance Economist diploma) program. VBV and AKAD cooperate to provide higher professional education (Höhere Fachschule) in insurance.
• Various insurance companiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInsurance companies including Helvetia Baloise, Vaudoise Assurances, Zürich Versicherungs-Gesellschaft AG, Baloise, AXA, die Mobiliar, Allianz Suisse Versicherungs-Gesellschaft AG, CSS, Concordia, Helsana Versicherungen AG, Sympany, and Würth Financial Services AG participate in working groups for standards development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• I.V.W. – Hochschule für Versicherungswesen: German private university specialised in insurance education and adjacent academic credentials. Comparable to VBV's Dipl. Versicherungswirtschafter/-in HF track, providing higher-professional education in insurance economics.
• BWV Bildungsverband der Versicherungswirtschaft: The German equivalent of VBV — the industry-level professional association responsible for vocational training, continuing education and certification for the German insurance market. Operates the same Berufsbildungsverband model with similar apprenticeship, specialist and intermediary qualification tracks.
• Chartered Insurance Institute (CII): The UK's leading professional body for insurance and personal finance, awarding the CII Diploma, Certificate and Chartered status. Closely comparable to VBV in offering a regulated, industry-recognised ladder of qualifications for insurance practitioners.
• IRFA: VBV's training partner for the Young Insurance Professional (YIP) program at the Givisiez campus. Directly comparable as a French-language insurance vocational training provider operating under VBV's qualification framework.
• The American College of Financial Services: US non-profit institution granting CLU, ChFC, CFP and other financial-services professional designations. Operates a similar federally/industry-recognised designation ladder, online learning infrastructure and recertification model aimed at insurance and financial-services practitioners.
• École Supérieure d'Assurance (HFVESA / AKAD): VBV's delivery partner for the Économiste d'assurance ES / Dipl. Versicherungswirtschafter/-in HF programs in French-speaking Switzerland. Operates higher-professional insurance education comparable to VBV's own diploma tracks.

Others

• AZAV / DEKRA Certification (Germany): Large German certification and training body operating adjacent insurance and financial-services credentialing programs. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that issues recognised certifications, though broader in scope than insurance-specific education.
• FINMA: Swiss financial-market regulator that approved VBV's Mindeststandards in August 2024 and grants VBV its role as certification authority under VAG Article 43. Not a peer but a structural enabler of VBV's franchise.

Regional players

• Centro de Formação Profissional do Setor Segurador: Portuguese insurance-sector professional training centre, delivering vocational and continuing education for the Portuguese insurance industry. Operates a similar sector-specific training-and-certification mandate at a national level.

Broad incumbents

• SVV – Schweizerischer Versicherungsverband: The Swiss Insurance Association — VBV's principal steering-group partner and the industry trade body representing Swiss insurers. Broader remit (lobbying, policy, market data) than VBV, but directly involved in shaping the qualification standards VBV administers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/VBVBern
• Facebookfacebook.com/Berufsbildungsverband
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vbv-afa
• Instagraminstagram.com/vbv_afa

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VBV