So, you’ve opened the M05 textbook and found yourself knee-deep in legal jargon, wondering if you accidentally signed up for law school. You’re not alone, and we totally get it.
But here’s the good news…M05 is one of the most relevant and rewarding units in the CII framework. It might feel overwhelming at first, but once you get into the swing of things, you’ll start to see how law underpins everything in insurance, from contracts and claims to liability and regulation.
Many candidates delay M05 until the end of their qualification journey, but here’s a thought: why not tackle the toughest module first and get it out of the way? As Brian Tracy says, Eat That Frog! Once you’ve cracked M05, the rest of your studies will feel much more manageable.
M05 gives you the legal foundation that makes everything else in insurance click. It’s not just theory, it’s the practical backbone of the industry.
You’ll explore topics like:
It’s not just theory, it’s the basis of how insurance operates in practice.
M05 is a mixed assessment unit so is assessed through a combination of coursework and an exam, both of which must be completed to pass the unit.
The Coursework Assignment consists of 10 scenario-based short-answer questions, with between 10 – 30 marks each up for grabs.
Typically, the coursework questions link to the Learning Outcomes shown on the M05 syllabus as follows:
You have 6 months to complete and submit your coursework from the date of your enrolment to M05 and it will be marked within 63 calendar days of your submission.
The total marks available are 200. You need to obtain 120 marks to pass this assignment, so the pass mark is 60%.
The exam consists of 50 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), 40 of these are standard multiple-choice with 1 correct answer, the final 10 are multi-response questions where you need to select all of the correct answers.
You’ll have 60 minutes to complete the exam remotely or in a CII test centre and achieve the pass mark of 65%.
The average pass rate for learners completing Diploma in Insurance mixed assessment units in full is currently 91.3%, showing strong success for those who complete both components.
M05 dives deep into legal principles like contract law, torts, agency, and regulation. For many insurance professionals, this is their first real exposure to legal theory, which can feel abstract and unfamiliar, especially if your background is more commercial or operational.
Legal terminology isn’t always intuitive. Words like vicarious liability, persuasive precedents, or ratification can be hard to grasp without context and don’t even get us started on the latin phrases like stare decisis or volenti on fit injuria. The textbook is comprehensive, but it can feel heavy-going without support or simplified explanations and then there’s the fact that it’s twice the size of the others!
We’re not trying to scare you off – promise! You need to know what you’re dealing with so here’s what some of our candidates have to say about their experience of M05:
“I spent a fair bit of time googling what things meant.”
“I underestimated how confusing the wording of the questions can be.”
“There were lots of application-based questions.”
Honestly though, it’s not as hard as it may seem, and like everything, the best way to tackle a big task is to break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks.
First up, dive straight in! This may sound daunting but the best way to get started is to just get started. Read the book all the way through once before doing anything else. Don’t expect to understand it straight away and don’t fixate on this needing to be the case. A first read-through will give you a chance to familiarise yourself with the key terminology and concepts.
It is a nearly 400-page textbook though so if you’re not normally one for reading try other methods. The CII unfortunately don’t have an audio version but apps like NaturalReader allow you to upload the PDF textbook and will then read it aloud to you – great for listening while you’re commuting or out for a walk!
Give our Study Guide a try as an alternative to the CII’s textbook. It offers a more interactive learning experience, packed with:
• Engaging activities
• Knowledge checks
• Links to further learning
• Mock tests to bring the content to life
Once you’ve had a first read of the textbook take a mock test. This may seem too early but actually it’s a great way of identifying what you already know, what has wormed its way into your brain from your first read of the textbook and therefore which areas you need to work on and give your focus to.
Our Study Buddy app includes practise exam-style questions which can be used as a full mock test or learning outcome by learning outcome. You can use it on the go at any point during your revision to test your knowledge but at this stage we suggest using the web version to sit a full mock test as it simulates more of the real-life exam feel.
Now it’s time to revisit each chapter…
As we said earlier, the easiest way to tackle your M05 revision and coursework is to break it down into manageable chunks and give yourself realistic deadlines.
The best way to do this is to create a study plan. Review how many chapters are in the book, which chapters relate to which learning outcomes and the areas you need to give your focus to following your mock test. It’s not as simple as just allocating yourself 1 chapter a week to study though, some chapters are much longer than others, some will have a lot more questions in the exam than others and some you may already be pretty comfortable with from your first read and mock. Essentially what we’re saying here is use your time wisely and don’t waste it on a smaller chapter that you’re already comfortable with and only has a couple of questions in the exam!
Before you put pen to paper to create your study plan, make sure to also review the coursework questions. These are not an easy feat and will gradually require more effort as you work through them as the marks available increase start to finish. Each question tells you which learning outcome/s it relates to so match these into your study plan with the relevant chapter i.e. allow time to complete your first coursework question once you’ve revised chapters 1 and 2 and so on.
This already sounds like a lot of prep work but don’t be put off – your best chance of success is to prepare! Thankfully the CII actually provide a specimen example of what your completed coursework should look like so you can start with the end in mind and get a feel for the detail needed.
And (thank us later) we’ve even created an M05 study plan for you that breaks down how long we think you should spend on each learning outcome so use this as a base and add time in for regular mock tests of each chapter, using the Study Buddy app, and completing your coursework.
Now that you have your study plan in place, it’s just a case of working through it – simple, right?
• Plan your time in advance and stick to it, no excuses!
• Ensure you’re in the right environment to study, no distractions!
• Keep yourself motivated and committed, no stress!
Read each chapter through fully this time, highlight key areas, research anything you’re unsure of or want to find out more about – YouTube is a great source of quick videos to break down some of the complex topics and the CII even have their own channel, use extra resources like attending workshops and/or webinars to hear the topics brought to life by experts and discuss how they apply themselves to the world of insurance with other professionals.
Remember to test yourself at the end of each chapter or learning outcome and use what you’ve learnt to complete the relevant coursework question before moving on to the next chapter.
Now it’s just repeat process, chapter by chapter, coursework question by coursework question until you get to the end and you’re ready to submit your coursework and sit your exam.
We’ll leave you with some final hints and tips…good luck!!
• Review the learning outcomes and relevant study material before attempting each question.
• Base your answers on the specific context and information provided in the question.
• Answer every question, do not leave any out.
• Address all aspects of each question thoroughly.
• Respond to each part of a question separately. For example, if a question has parts (a) and (b), answer them individually.
• Distribute your effort evenly across multi-part questions. If a question asks for four items and is worth 12 marks, each item carries 3 marks.
• Match the depth and detail of your answer to the marks available. A 30-mark question requires more comprehensive coverage than a 10 or 20-mark question.
• And finally, if the question asks you to refer to a relevant case or act, make sure you do!
• Know the syllabus inside out, you’ll do this naturally as you work through your coursework anyway.
• Understand how the law applies in practice, use case studies and examples to reinforce your understanding.
• Use the study text actively, highlight, annotate, and test yourself on definitions and concepts.
• Practice past exam questions to get familiar with the question style and don’t forget those pesky multi-response questions where you’ll only get the mark if you select all of the correct answers.
• Manage your time carefully and allocate your revision time based on the marks available for each learning outcome.
• Revise with a study buddy or group so you can talk through tricky topics and deepen your understanding.
“With this unit, repetition is key. Don’t rely on the textbook alone. There’s a wealth of information out there:
• Attend workshops, webinars and/or 121 sessions with our expert tutors.
• Explore the CII’s recommended reading.
• Watch YouTube videos on tricky concepts like torts and proximate cause.
• Follow civil law professionals on LinkedIn as they often share real case examples that bring the law to life.
• Look for case law examples outside of the textbook. AI tools can source these for you but NEVER use it to write your coursework for you. This would be considered plagiarism and AI tools are not always accurate.
Finally, remember, no one learns the law overnight, so don’t be too hard on yourself. You’re not alone – we’re here to support you!”
Good luck!
View Our M05 Study Support, including:
Chat with other M05 candidates in the dedicated BTS M05 online forum room to help keep up to date, find out any new information and gain help and advise from others.
For more information on M05 view the CII info and resources for the M05 Exam
