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Natural Hazards for Insurers PG Cert

London, Bloomsbury

Climate and environmental change, increasing development and urbanisation, and mounting exposure to natural hazards are imposing growing pressure on insurers and reinsurers to seek ways of limiting exposure, reducing vulnerability and building resilience. The PG Cert Natural Hazards for Insurers provides students with a better understanding of natural hazards and the means by which their impacts on the market may be mitigated or avoided.

UK students International students
Study mode
Part-time
UK tuition fees (2025/26)
£8,100
Overseas tuition fees (2025/26)
£18,400
Duration
1 calendar year
Programme starts
September 2025
Applications accepted
Applicants who require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 27 Jun 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

Applicants who do not require a visa: 14 Oct 2024 – 29 Aug 2025
Applications close at 5pm UK time

Applications open

The PG Cert Natural Hazards for Insurers is a programme taken exclusively by professionals working in the (re)insurance sector, as part of their continuing professional development (CPD). The companies they work for pay the tuition fees and the candidates

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Entry requirements

A minimum of a second-class Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline from a UK university or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard, or three years' appropriate experience in the financial services sector.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 1

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

A strong emphasis is placed on developing an improved understanding of natural hazards, including their global distribution and manifestation, the data available and their uncertainties and limitations, and relevant cutting-edge research. The content focuses on hazards of most immediate interest to the market, notably windstorms, floods, wildfires and earthquakes, but also addresses broader topics, such as dam and reservoir safety, resource management and marine pollution response. The programme provides analytical and practical tools for making more informed decisions in day-to-day encounters with natural hazards, exposure and loss.

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, discussions, directed reading and problem-solving exercises. Student performance is assessed through coursework in the form of essays, reports, practical exercises and oral presentations.

Who this course is for

The programme is specifically designed for insurers, reinsurers and other stakeholders in the financial sector, who require the intellectual and practical tools to make more informed decisions in their day-to-day encounters with natural hazard exposure and loss.

Read about what it takes to study for a Master's at UCL

What this course will give you

Top hazard scientists at UCL and other leading academic, research, government, non-government, business and industry organisations have worked with market professionals, the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Under 35s Reinsurance Group to develop and deliver this flexible professional programme, which has been running successfully for over 20 years.

Students benefit from our welcoming environment and world-class facilities, including the UCL Hazard Centre, which was one of the first centres of its kind in the world. They also interact with students on the MSc in Geophysical Hazards, which leads to a mutually beneficial learning and knowledge exchange environment.

Read about what you'll get out of a graduate programme

The foundation of your career

Recent graduates have had roles at (re)insurance companies such as Ark, Canopius, Chaucer, Guy Carpenter, Liberty, RSA Insurance and Tokio Marine Kiln Group.

Employability

The PG Cert Natural Hazards for Insurers provides students with a better understanding of the physical processes underpinning natural and anthropogenic hazards and the means by which their impacts on the insurance market may be mitigated or avoided, as well as the intellectual, analytical and practical tools for making more informed decisions in day-to-day encounters with hazards, exposure and loss.

Networking

Students will benefit from working alongside top hazard scientists at UCL and other leading academic, research, government, non-government, business and industry organisations. They will also interact with students from other (re)insurance companies, and students on the MSc in Geophysical Hazards, which leads to a mutually beneficial learning and knowledge exchange environment.

Accreditation

The programme is accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), the premier professional organisation for those working in the insurance and financial services sectors. Successful completion of the course qualifies the candidate for 60 non-unit specific credits at Advanced Diploma level towards the CII exam framework. Alternatively, completion may be counted towards either Associateship or Fellowship of the CII (major achievement), although it may only be counted once. Candidates may claim one hour of structured CPD towards the CII member CPD scheme for every hour of study.

Teaching and learning

The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, seminars, discussions, directed study and problem-solving exercises.

Taught modules are assessed through coursework in the form of essays, reports, practical exercises and presentations; the independent project is assessed through an 8,000-word report and an oral presentation.

Students undertake three modules to the value of 60 credits, which equate to a total of 600 hours of student effort. There are two 10-week teaching blocks, which are then followed by time to conduct an independent research project. Timetabled out-of-office time is limited to 23 afternoons.

Typical contact hours for students are around 12 hours per week during each weekly teaching block. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments.

In terms one and two students can typically expect between 10 and 12 contact hours per teaching week through a mixture of lectures, seminars, workshops, crits and tutorials. In term three and the summer period students will be completing their own dissertation research, keeping regular contact with their dissertation supervisors.

Modules

Three modules are studied part-time over 12 months. This is composed of two taught modules and an independent research project.

Taught modules: All students take the compulsory foundation taught module GEOL0062 Geological, Geotechnical and Hydrometeorological Hazards. They must then choose one from the following advanced taught modules: GEOL0041 Physical Volcanology and Volcanic Hazard; GEOL0066 Meteorological and Hydrogeological Hazards; HPSC0093 Science Policy in an Era of Risk and Uncertainty; or CEGE0033 Seismic Risk Assessment.

Independent research project: In term three, students take the module GEOL0064 Independent Project; Insurance and Natural Risks. This involves undertaking a research project on a topic of choice that ideally incorporates aspects of both risk from natural hazards and (re)insurance interests. 

Compulsory modules




Optional modules






Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.

Students undertake modules to the value of 60 credits. Upon successful completion of 60 credits, you will be awarded a PG Cert in Natural Hazards for Insurers.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.

Fees and funding

Fees for this course

UK students International students
Fee description Part-time
Tuition fees (2025/26) £8,100
Tuition fees (2025/26) £18,400

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.

Additional costs

Students cover the cost of preparing and presenting their independent project, this should not amount to more than £50.

UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £114.50. This price was published by TfL in 2024. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.

Funding your studies

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.

See all the ways you can fund your studies

Next steps

There is an application processing fee for this programme of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.

When we assess your application we would like to learn:

  • why you want to study Natural Hazards for Insurers at postgraduate level
  • why you want to study Natural Hazards for Insurers at UCL
  • what particularly attracts you to this programme
  • how your academic and professional background meets the demands of this programme
  • where you would like to go professionally with your certificate

Together with essential academic requirements, the personal statement is your opportunity to illustrate whether your reasons for applying to this programme match what the programme will deliver.

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Choose your programme

Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.

Year of entry: 2025-2026

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Got questions? Get in touch

Earth Sciences
Earth Sciences

earthsci@ucl.ac.uk

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