AIS Certification: Prerequisites, Course, Costs, and Exam

AIS certification, formally the Associate in Insurance Services designation from The Institutes, is earned by holding one of 14 qualifying prerequisite designations, passing the AIS 320 course exam, and completing a free online ethics course. Most candidates who already have a prerequisite in hand finish in one to three months.¹

The Prerequisite Designation

AIS is not a starting credential. Before you can claim it, you need to already hold one of these designations:¹

Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU)
Accredited Adviser in Insurance (AAI)
Associate in Claims (AIC)
Associate in Commercial Underwriting (AU)
Associate in Fidelity and Surety Bonding (AFSB)
Associate in Insurance (AINS)
Associate in Marine Insurance Management (AMIM)
Associate in National Flood Insurance (ANFI)
Associate in Personal Insurance (API)
Associate in Premium Auditing (APA)
Associate in Reinsurance (ARe)
Associate in Risk Management (ARM)
Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI)
Professional Risk Consultant (PRC)

If you don’t yet hold one of these, you’ll need to complete it first. For someone who already has an AINS, AIC, or any of the others, AIS 320 is the only course between you and the credential.

AIS 320: The Single Required Course

AIS 320, Delivering Dynamic Insurance Services, is the one course the designation requires. It covers how to improve customer interactions, build innovative teams, use data to guide decisions, and apply process improvement across the insurance value chain.²

The material is organized into six assignments covering the insurance marketplace, listening to the voice of the customer, addressing customer needs, encouraging process improvement, developing innovative teams, and embracing data and emerging technology. The Institutes estimate four to six weeks of study time, and the content is updated regularly.² You get a course platform, printable study outline, mobile app, practice quizzes, flashcards, discussion boards, and a simulated exam.

Ethics 311

Every Institutes designation also requires Ethics 311: Ethical Decision Making in Risk and Insurance. It is free, delivered entirely online, and only has to be taken once across all your Institutes designations.³ If you completed Ethics 311 or Ethics 312 for a prior credential such as the CPCU, you do not need to repeat it.⁴ You can take it at any point during your work toward the AIS; the timing doesn’t affect your eligibility for the exam or the final designation.

What It Costs

The AIS 320 course materials are $359, and the exam runs $249 to $329 depending on when you register.² The ethics course is free, so total out-of-pocket for the AIS-specific work falls somewhere between about $608 and $688.³

If you don’t pass on the first attempt, a retake within the same testing window is $80 off the standard exam price.⁵ Many insurance employers reimburse designation costs, so it’s worth checking with HR before paying yourself.

Exam Format and Scheduling

The AIS 320 exam has 50 questions and a 65-minute time limit.² You schedule it inside one of four annual testing windows:⁵

Quarter 1: January 15 through March 15
Quarter 2: April 15 through June 15
Quarter 3: July 15 through September 15
Quarter 4: October 15 through December 15

Enrollment, course purchases, exam scheduling, and progress tracking all run through your account on The Institutes’ website.

Virtual Proctoring Setup

All Institutes exams now require virtual proctoring, and the AIS is not among the limited exceptions.⁶ You test from home or another quiet space, and the technical setup matters:

Laptop or desktop only. Tablets, Chromebooks, and phones are not supported.
Working camera and microphone throughout the exam.
Windows 10 or 11, or one of the two latest macOS releases.
Latest version of Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
At least 5 Mbps upload and download speed, with a wired connection recommended over Wi-Fi.

Corporate VPNs, school networks, and mobile hotspots frequently cause connection errors during proctored exams. If your work laptop routes through a VPN you cannot disable, use a personal computer on your home network. The Institutes recommend running the proctoring platform’s built-in equipment check at least 48 hours before your scheduled exam.⁶

Passing and Claiming the Designation

Passing is 70% or higher, and you see your result immediately after finishing the exam. A grade report broken down by topic area appears in your student record within 24 to 48 hours.⁷

Once both your AIS 320 exam result and Ethics 311 completion are logged, you submit a designation application to receive the credential and the right to use the AIS letters after your name. From starting AIS 320 to holding the designation, the typical timeline is one to three months when the prerequisite is already in place.¹

Who the AIS Is Aimed At

The Institutes position the AIS for agents and brokers, claims professionals, customer service staff, data analysts, risk managers, and underwriters.¹ The common thread across those roles is involvement with service delivery, not just technical policy knowledge. Because of the prerequisite requirement, the AIS usually fits best as a second or third designation that broadens an existing insurance credential rather than as a first step into the field.

1
The Institutes. Associate in Insurance Services
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The Institutes. AIS 320 – Delivering Dynamic Insurance Services
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The Institutes. Ethics 311 – Ethical Decision Making in Risk and Insurance
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The Institutes. The Edge – March 2011 – Section: Ethics Requirement Reminder
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The Institutes. Exam Information
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The Institutes. Virtual Exam Proctoring
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The Institutes. What To Expect on Exam Day