Understanding the R06 and AF5 ‘Recommend and Justify’ Questions

In the CII R06 and AF5 exams, ‘Recommend and Justify’ questions can account for a significant proportion of the marks, so knowing how to approach them effectively can make a real difference.

This article is correct as at 8 September 2026.

‘Recommend and Justify…’ questions are usually worth 14 marks or more, and there are often two of them (that’s around 20% of the exam!) so it’s well worth the time practising answering them.

Once you understand the structure of these questions and what the CII are expecting, you’re likely to pick up many more marks, so let’s look at how to approach them.

Structuring your answers

The first thing to note, which may come as a surprise to many candidates, especially those tackling R06 for the first time, is that the you are not expected to give one recommendation followed by a lengthy explanation.

When we look at candidates’ practice answers, we often see long paragraphs including an introduction and a conclusion. This is not what the CII is looking for! They are looking for short concise bullet points with a series of recommendations supported by justifications.

The next surprise is the number of recommendations that are required. If there are 14 marks on offer, we are normally looking for around 7 recommendations. Even if you’re asked to recommend and justify a single product, e.g., a protection product, you’re not just recommending the product itself. You’re also recommending how it should be arranged, for example the sum assured, the policy term and any additional features and then justifying each recommendation.

A good rule of thumb is one justification for each recommendation and a point for each. Sometimes there may be two or three recommendations but only one supporting justification or vice versa so don’t worry if it isn’t always a perfect one-to-one match. It’s simply a useful rule of thumb.

Example

Let’s look at an example – recommending and justifying a protection product – this is a favorite of the CII’s and appears in most R06 exams. A typical example would include:

‘Recommend and justify a suitable life assurance policy to replace Mark and Caroline’s existing mortgage level term assurance policy to provide adequate cover in the event of either death.’

Model answers:

• Recommendation – Joint life first death.
• Recommendation – Decreasing term assurance.
• Justification – Provides a tax-free lump sum on first death.

3 marks in the bag.

Then we look at how we set it up.

• Recommendation – Sum assured to match the current mortgage, decreasing in line with the mortgage debt.
• Justification – Low-cost policy/cheaper than current Level Term Assurance.

• Recommendation – In trust.
• Justification – Use of trust avoids probate/protects children in the event of both deaths/speeds up payment.

• Recommendation – Guaranteed premiums.
• Justification – Known cost/affordability.

• Recommendation – Waiver of premium.
• Justification – Pays premiums in the event of sickness.

You may find there is a point or two that is just a simple justification of the answer itself, so for this question it would be:

• Justification – Simple underwriting, as both are in good health.

Before the pre-exam material is released

Before the R06 case studies or AF5 fact-find are released, we suggest you practise these questions.

Work through past Exam Guides (our Past Paper Analysis also provides useful revision). Don’t think it’s a waste of time because your own case studies or fact-find will cover different subjects. We believe R06 and AF5 are as much about exam technique as they are technical knowledge. Master the exam technique and you’re already halfway there!

Similar questions

Finally, a quick note to say that ‘Recommend and justify…’ questions are very similar to ‘Identify a range of actions…’ questions. In both cases, you’re expected to identify several recommendations or actions and justify each one using the client’s circumstances. Approach both question styles in exactly the same way.

Help is at hand

Once the pre-exam material has been released, our R06 Case Study Analysis and AF5 Fact-Find Analysis can be particularly helpful. We include at least one ‘Recommend and justify’ or ‘Identify a range of actions’ question for each of the client’s stated objectives, together with full model answers.