ORIAS registration — insurance, banking and finance intermediaries

Insurance brokers and tied agents, insurance agents and agents of intermediaries, credit brokers and their agents (IOBSP), financial investment advisers, tied agents of investment firms, crowdfunding intermediaries and advisers — individuals and companies alike.

What this scheme covers

• C.1A single, publicly searchable register: a customer, lender or insurer can check that an intermediary is authorised and in which categories.
• C.2Several categories that can be combined: insurance intermediary (IAS), banking and payment services intermediary (IOBSP), financial investment adviser (CIF), tied agent of an investment firm, crowdfunding intermediary or adviser.
• C.3Four substantive conditions checked at registration: good repute, professional competence, professional indemnity insurance, and a financial guarantee where the intermediary handles client funds.
• C.4Levels of professional competence by category and role: levels I, II and III in both insurance and credit intermediation, evidenced by a diploma, professional experience or a training course.
• C.5An annual continuing-training duty: at least fifteen hours for insurance distribution under EU Directive 2016/97 (the IDD), and seven hours for banking and payment services intermediaries.
• C.6Since law no. 2021-402 of 8 April 2021 (the brokerage reform), membership of a professional association approved by the ACPR — subject to statutory exceptions — for insurance and credit brokers and their agents.

The link with Qualiopi

ORIAS registration authorises an intermediary occupation: it has no connection with Qualiopi and does not replace it. The bridge lies on the training side — providers delivering IAS and IOBSP competence courses, then the annual continuing training, need Qualiopi certification for those courses to be eligible for public and pooled funding. A broker training its own agents in-house does not need Qualiopi; one selling those courses to third parties with public funding does.

The process, summarised

1. 1.Determine the categories and roles involved: broker, tied agent, agent, agent of an intermediary, in insurance, credit or both — combinations are allowed, but each category has its own requirements.
2. 2.Assemble the professional competence of the manager and of the staff involved in distribution: diploma, professional experience or a training certificate issued by a provider, at the level the role requires.
3. 3.Take out the required professional indemnity insurance and, where the intermediary handles third-party funds, the matching financial guarantee.
4. 4.For insurance and credit brokers and their agents, join a professional association approved by the ACPR, unless a statutory exception applies.
5. 5.File the application online on the ORIAS website with proof of identity, company registration, good repute, competence, insurance and, where applicable, association membership.
6. 6.Renew the registration every year in the window ORIAS opens at the start of the year, before 1 March: otherwise the intermediary is struck off the register and may no longer trade.