CII

It's not all bad news you know. This week: Buffett makes mistakes too, advisers take on the Eggheads, and McDonald's posts bumper Q3 figures...

In a new series, we ask advisers what steps they are taking to become RDR-ready.

The CII will press ahead with plans to develop alternative assessments for advisers seeking a non-examination route to the RDR's QCF Level 4 qualification minimum.

The issues surrounding the new professionalism requirements

IFA consolidator Perspective Financial Group is encouraging its firms to pursue chartered status as it believes the mark will represent the next step toward professionalism after RDR.

The CII has batted away suggestions it sought to profit from the RDR, saying measures it has taken to help advisers meet its qualification requirements have only marginally upped revenues.

The "most arduous" thing qualified advisers are likely to have to do to be RDR compliant by 1 January 2013 is "read a chapter in a textbook", the CII says.

Bronek Masojada, the chief executive of Hiscox has called for a separate trade body to represent the interests of general insurance from those of the life and savings sector.

Advisers say the CF8 exam does not give IFAs a full enough grasp of the long term care market.

The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) and the Personal Finance Society (PFS) will publish a 'plain English' version of the FSA's RDR guidance next year, because it says many advisers are still 'very unsure' about how to comply with the new rules.