BCP is the common foundation module of SCI's modular Certification in General Insurance: 40 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, passed at 70%, taken on computer in English on weekdays, with unlimited resits. Study from the eBook, 8th Edition (Version 1.1), effective 3 August 2026, and revise each principle next to the concept it is most easily confused with, testing yourself on short contrasts such as subrogation versus contribution and quota share versus excess of loss.
What BCP is and where it leads
BCP (Basic Insurance Concepts and Principles) is the foundation module of the Singapore College of Insurance's modular Certification in General Insurance (CGI), shared by both the personal and commercial certification routes.
Since 12 June 2002, SCI has offered the CGI in a modular format with three modules: Basic Insurance Concepts and Principles (BCP), Personal General Insurance (PGI), and Commercial General Insurance (ComGI). BCP is the common module, and SCI recommends taking it first because the other modules build on its foundation.
The module combines into two certifications. BCP plus PGI gives the Personal General Insurance Certification; BCP plus ComGI gives the Commercial General Insurance Certification. A candidate who passes all three modules is eligible to use the designation Cert SCI (General Insurance), and BCP, PGI and ComGI passes are also the minimum entry requirement for SCI's DGIRM and ADGIRM diploma programme.
The regulatory context matters for your planning. The Monetary Authority of Singapore requires relevant persons who sell or advise on general insurance products, or handle or advise on claims, to pass the Personal General Insurance Certification and/or the Commercial General Insurance Certification, depending on the products involved, as set out in MAS Notices 211 and 502. The General Insurance Association of Singapore and the Singapore Insurance Brokers' Association similarly require front-line sales, advisory and claims personnel to hold the relevant certifications. In practice, BCP alone is usually a step towards the certification your role needs, so confirm which one applies to you.
There is also international recognition. Completing the Personal General Insurance Certification (BCP plus PGI) or the Commercial General Insurance Certification (BCP plus ComGI) makes you eligible to apply to the UK Chartered Insurance Institute for an exemption from its W01 Award in General Insurance, worth 15 certificate-level credits. The CII recognition-of-prior-learning credits are valid until 31 January 2028, and you must apply to the CII directly and on its terms.
- BCP + PGI = Personal General Insurance Certification (for personal-lines products such as motor, travel, personal accident and personal property)
- BCP + ComGI = Commercial General Insurance Certification (for commercial lines such as property, liability, marine, construction and pecuniary insurance)
- All three modules passed = eligibility for the Cert SCI (General Insurance) designation and the DGIRM/ADGIRM entry requirement
- Completing either full certification (BCP plus PGI, or BCP plus ComGI) supports a CII application for a W01 exemption, valid until 31 January 2028; apply directly to the CII
Exam format, timing and results
BCP is a 45-minute computer-based test of 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need 70% to pass, with no penalty for wrong or blank answers.
The format is fixed and straightforward: 40 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes. One mark is awarded for each correct answer, and no mark is awarded or deducted for wrong or blank answers, so answer every question. The minimum passing grade is 70% for each module.
SCI issues a result slip rather than a certificate. The examination is in English, delivered as a computer screen examination, and it is closed book, so SCI expects candidates to self-study from the eBook beforehand.
Scheduling is frequent and retakes are unrestricted. English examinations run daily on weekdays, and there is no limit on the number of times you can sit an exam. On passing BCP, you earn 0.75 CPD hours.
| Feature | BCP |
|---|---|
| Questions | 40 multiple-choice questions |
| Duration | 45 minutes |
| Passing grade | 70% |
| Marking | One mark per correct answer; no penalty for wrong or blank answers |
| Mode | English, computer screen examination, closed book |
| Frequency | Daily on weekdays |
| Resits | No limit on number of sittings |
| Outcome | Result slip only; 0.75 CPD hours on passing |
Study text edition in force
Study from the eBook, 8th Edition (Version 1.1), which was released and became effective on 3 August 2026; hard-copy study texts are no longer issued.
SCI's regulatory-examination notice lists the BCP study text as the 8th Edition (Version 1.1), released 3 August 2026 with the same effective date, so exams from that date are based on this edition. If you sit close to an edition transition, confirm the applicable version with SCI before you buy or start studying.
Because updates go into the eBook rather than into reprints, check the Version Control Record at the back of the eBook to see what has changed. SCI also recommends a minimum of 40 to 50 study hours per certification module, though this varies with your experience and ability.
Sources used: Certification in General Insurance || SCI (exam details page) — BCP module description, structure and format, duration, passing grade, mode, schedule, resits, CPD, regulatory and industry requirements, CII RPL; Singapore College of Insurance current regulatory-examination study-text editions and effective dates — BCP 8th Edition (Version 1.1), released and effective 3 August 2026
Topics the exam covers
The official BCP contents list spans the insurance and reinsurance market, risk, insurance principles, contract and agency law, documents, claims, reinsurance and co-insurance, regulation, and ethics, data protection and cyber hygiene.
SCI publishes the BCP contents as nine areas: The Insurance and Reinsurance Market; The Regulatory Landscape and Industry Frameworks; Risks and Insurance; Principles of Insurance; Law of Contract and Agency; Insurance Documents; Claims; Reinsurance and Co-Insurance; and Ethics, Professionalism, Data Protection and Cyber Hygiene. Treat every listed area as testable and use your eBook for the detailed coverage within each.
The retrieved SCI pages do not publish per-topic weightings, so do not assume some areas are safe to skip. As general advice, the principles, contract and agency areas supply the vocabulary the later topics reuse, which is one reason SCI recommends sitting BCP first.
- The Insurance and Reinsurance Market
- The Regulatory Landscape and Industry Frameworks
- Risks and Insurance
- Principles of Insurance
- Law of Contract and Agency
- Insurance Documents
- Claims
- Reinsurance and Co-Insurance
- Ethics, Professionalism, Data Protection and Cyber Hygiene
Use the official contents with the current eBook
SCI's public page lists Principles of Insurance, Law of Contract and Agency, and Reinsurance and Co-Insurance as BCP areas, but it does not reproduce the definitions or structure mechanics. Use the current eBook for that substantive material.
Treat the public contents list as a coverage checklist. For each heading, locate the matching eBook chapter, record its key terms and examples in the order presented, and check the Version Control Record before final revision. This guide does not restate the unavailable textbook content as if the public heading supported it.
If you use comparison cards, keep the eBook page or location beside each card so that you can verify the wording and any exception. Do the same for the categories under Reinsurance and Co-Insurance rather than relying on an uncited online definition.
Preparation and registration in practice
Plan roughly 40 to 50 hours with the eBook, check coverage against the official contents list, then book a weekday sitting through SCI and confirm current fees before paying.
A workable sequence is to follow the official contents list from market structure and risk through principles, contract and agency, documents, claims, reinsurance and co-insurance, ethics, data, and the regulatory topics. Use the current eBook to supply the definitions and examples under every heading. This is study advice, not an official requirement; SCI's own recommendation is the 40 to 50 hour minimum per module.
Before registering, SCI advises checking the relevant course details to confirm you meet the recommended experience and qualification prerequisites. Registration, the examination schedule and the fee notices are handled through the SCI College website. Note that SCI published revised examination fees and revised miscellaneous fees on 1 August 2026, so check the current fee notice rather than relying on older figures; the exact amounts were not available in the pages reviewed for this guide.
Register only through official SCI channels. SCI's own pages carry a scam alert about fraudulent training courses and examination registrations that misuse recognised institutions' names to solicit payments or personal information, so verify anything suspicious before paying.
Final checklist: you know the format (40 questions, 45 minutes, 70% to pass, answer everything); you are studying the 8th Edition (Version 1.1) eBook and have checked its Version Control Record; your comparison notes cover every official content heading using the eBook's own wording; you know which full certification your role requires under the MAS notices; and you have confirmed the current fee and a weekday sitting that suits you.
- Confirm the certification your role needs (personal, commercial or both) before booking
- Study the eBook, 8th Edition (Version 1.1), effective 3 August 2026
- Complete comparison notes from the eBook for every official content heading
- Check the current SCI fee notice and schedule, then register via official channels only
Sources used: Certification in General Insurance || SCI (exam details page) — BCP module description, structure and format, duration, passing grade, mode, schedule, resits, CPD, regulatory and industry requirements, CII RPL; Exam Registration || SCI — CGI (BCP, PGI & ComGI) registration listing; revised examination and miscellaneous fees notices published 1 August 2026; prerequisite advice
Sources used
Key exam facts checked against official SCI pages: