IAI SA4 study plan

Map the General Insurance syllabus into a one-page topic tree covering products, underwriting, claims, reinsurance and regulation

Define and write out 25 core general insurance terms (e.g. indemnity, contribution, subrogation, proximate cause, average) with a one-line definition each

Work through the principle of indemnity and its exceptions, producing a worked example for each exception

Draft a personal glossary template and log every new term you meet from this point forward

Explain how the insurance market operates: brokers, agents, underwriters, Lloyd's-style subscription markets and direct writers

Compare the main commercial property and liability covers and identify what each typically excludes

Trace a claim from notification to settlement and list the decision points where coverage could be declined

Summarise the regulatory and conduct framework that applies to general insurers and intermediaries

Map the Life Insurance syllabus into a topic tree covering product types, pricing, reserving, valuation and regulation

Distinguish term, whole-of-life, endowment and unit-linked contracts by cash-flow pattern and risk borne by the policyholder

Explain how mortality and morbidity assumptions feed into premium calculation and how a life table is used

Describe the purpose of actuarial reserves and how valuation bases affect reported surplus

Work through 20 calculation-style questions on life premiums, reserves and surrender values, showing each step

Revisit every week 1-2 glossary term and add 15 general-insurance terms specific to pricing and reserving

Explain how reinsurance and risk transfer affect a life insurer's capital requirements

Write a short critique of how the same risk (e.g. longevity) is treated differently in life and general insurance

Map the Health and Care syllabus into a topic tree covering private medical, critical illness, income protection and long-term care

Compare indemnity-based and fixed-benefit health products and explain when each is appropriate

Explain underwriting factors in health insurance, including pre-existing conditions, waiting periods and moratoriums

Describe how claim frequency, severity and medical inflation drive health insurance pricing

Outline the regulatory and consumer-protection issues specific to health and care products

Map the Pensions and Other Benefits syllabus into a topic tree covering state benefits, occupational schemes, personal pensions and annuities

Compare defined benefit and defined contribution schemes by risk allocation, funding and benefit certainty

Explain how annuity rates are determined and how mortality improvement and interest rates affect them

Distinguish the main state benefit types and how they interact with private provision

Identify the key regulatory and governance requirements for pension schemes and their advisers

Build a 40-question mixed mock exam weighted 25% per domain and sit it under timed conditions

Score the mock by domain and rank your five weakest topics across all four domains

Re-study each weak topic using your topic trees and glossary, then re-attempt the missed questions

Practise 10 exam-style written answers with a strict time limit per answer

Sit a second full mock exam and compare per-domain scores against week 7 to confirm improvement

Review only your weakest two topics per domain, using condensed one-page summaries

Rehearse definitions of 30 high-frequency terms aloud without notes

Finalise a one-page formula and concept sheet for each domain for last-day review