Category Archives: Financial

Financial

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Prudential Reveals A Return To Stock Market As Interest Rates Prompt Rush For Risk Assets

Prudential has released findings from its latest research which shows that financial advisers are predicting a significant return to the stock market in 2010, with 72% expecting an increase in the number of clients looking to invest in equities over the coming 12 months.

While Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) questioned for the Prudential study predicted a strong return to the stock market in 2010, they also believe that investors will look to adopt a more cautious approach on the back of the worst recession since World War II.

Almost three quarters (73%) of IFAs expect clients to invest in cautious managed growth funds, with 66% expecting to see investment in defensive funds and 70% believing investors will also look to spread risk by buying into multi-manager funds.

In addition, 55% of IFAs expect clients to invest in absolute return funds and 68% expect to see ongoing investment in bonds. In contrast, just 18% expect to see clients looking to invest in individual stocks and shares and 46% expect clients to invest in higher risk growth funds.

Andy Brown, Director of Investment Funds, Prudential said: “Given the performance of the markets in the second half of last year coupled with the ongoing poor rate of return for cash based savings, it is perhaps unsurprising that IFAs expect to see more clients looking to return to the stock market and buy into equity based investments in 2010.

“However, in reality not all equities will show equal growth over the coming 12 months and choosing the right time to invest in the right asset classes is key.”

The survey also found that 71% of IFAs believe the recession will have a long term impact on the way clients look to invest and prompt them to adopt a more cautious investment strategy and be more reliant on professional advice. Of these advisers, 83% said they believe clients will be more cautious with investment decisions and favour more balanced portfolios, with 68% of IFAs expecting investors to utilise independent financial advice when choosing investment funds.

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RSA Acquires The Third Largest Insurer In Oman

RSA Insurance Group plc (RSA) & ONIC Holding SAOG announces an agreement in which RSA Oman will acquire Al Ahlia from ONIC Holding for OMR 19m (US$49m). The purchase price is subject to a net asset value adjustment on completion.

RSA Acquires The Third Largest Insurer In Oman

In return ONIC Holding will acquire a 20.03% stake in RSA Oman. The transaction will create the largest insurance group in Oman by net written premium.

Paul Holmes, CEO of RSA Middle East, commented, “Through this acquisition of Al Ahlia,we create a market leading insurer in Oman and this enhances our Emerging Markets position in the Middle East. We welcome ONIC Holding as a local shareholder in Oman and value their strategic support as we drive the business forward.”

Sayyida Rawan Ahmed al Said, Group Chief Executive, ONIC Holding said “This strategic tie up is a significant step for ONIC Holding by aligning with an international player in the insurance sector. We believe that this alliance will enhance value to ONIC Holding’s stakeholders and would have a positive impact on the insurance industry in Oman. We look forward to having a mutually beneficial and long term relationship with RSA.”

Following the transaction the shareholders of RSA Oman will be RSA Middle East, ONIC Holding, WJ Towell Company, OHI and Mr. Prem Mankand.

Completion of the transaction is subject to shareholder and regulatory approvals.

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Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Money, Personal Finance

Barclaycard Platinum To Offer 0% On Balance Transfers Until 2011

Barclaycard Platinum has announced it is continuing to offer the lowest balance transfer fee on the market to new customers, with 0% on balance transfers until February 2011 and 3 months interest free purchases.

Barclaycard will charge new Platinum card customers a 2.9% handling charge to make the move and the balance transfer rate is available on transfers up to 90% of the customer’s credit limit. Purchases over the first three months will also be interest free, after this introductory period the typical interest will be just 15.9%.

Barclaycard Platinum will also enable customers to enjoy the freedom and flexibility of contactless technology, making payments of £10 and under possible with just a simple swipe. This is backed up by Barclaycard’s advanced security and fraud prevention measures.

In addition to the lowest balance transfer fee, the Barclaycard Goldfish credit card is also offering £30 of reward points if customers spend £100 a month for the first three months from account opening. Customers will also receive 0% interest on purchases for the first three months and the lowest interest rate of any rewards credit card in the UK.

Customers can apply for this offer online through the Barclaycard website.

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The Children’s Mutual Reports CTFs Have Revolutionised Child Savings

The Children’s Mutual, a leading Child Trust Fund provider, has revealed new research that, five years on from the first CTF vouchers being issued, the introduction of the CTF has revolutionised long-term savings for children.

The Children's Mutual Reports CTFs Have Revolutionised Child Savings

With every eligible child born since 1 September 2002 having a CTF account, 2010 will see more than five million children holding CTFs.

The Children’s Mutual has revealed that around half of their CTF customers set up a monthly direct debit on the day they open their child’s account. If you look at wider industry statistics, 31% of CTFs receive some form of additional saving. Before the Child Trust Fund was introduced, just one in five families were saving over the long-term for their children.

In addition, while nearly three quarters of parents choose to proactively open their child’s CTF account, a survey by the awards winning Child Trust Fund provider found that when asked over one in 10 parents with CTF vouchers were opting to let the government open the account for them – making an engagement rate of 85%. Compared to engagement rates of other savings products – 40% of the adult population has a private pension and 30% have an ISA – the CTF has driven the UK adult population to engage.

The Children’s Mutual also found that currently 1.4m parents, family and friends are contributing to their children’s accounts with in excess of £22m being added every month – money set to help towards the cost of higher education, first homes and beyond. As a result they estimate £2.74 billion will be available to young adults each year as they turn 18.

According to its calculations, 50% of the government CTF investment so far is going to 1.5 million families on the lowest incomes (under £15,000), with families in the lowest income bracket saving a higher proportion of their household income for their children than those in more affluent groupings.

David White, chief executive of The Children’s Mutual, said: “To those of us involved with the CTF, five years has gone by in the blink of an eye. And yet in that short amount of time, the results have been startling – the CTF has done what no other savings account has achieved before – getting the mass UK population engaged and saving. We’re delighted that parents have engaged with the first universal savings scheme, realising that the only realistic way to fund their adult children’s futures is to start saving now.”

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quoteboffin.co.uk – New Money Saving Website

As the UK emerges from the recession with economic growth up 0.1% and unemployment falling for the first time in 18 months, it’s easy to get sidetracked by the future and forget to learn lessons from the past.

quoteboffin.co.uk - New Money Saving Website

Although the recession saw a dramatic slump in consumer spending on high end products such as cars, luxury holidays and property, recent trends show this too is on the up with the promise of better times to come.

New money saving website, Quoteboffin.co.uk, is urging consumers not to get carried away however and to remain frugal with their money, especially when shopping around for financial products.

“Consumers shouldn’t perceive the end of the recession as a green light for reckless spending or to become apathetic about what happens to their money. Go online and consumers are spoilt for choice when it comes to price comparison sites that can save people hundreds of pounds. Quoteboffin.co.uk in particular helps consumers compare life insurance packages from numerous providers. Saving money on necessities such as life insurance gives people the option to indulge or invest in other areas of their lives which they otherwise might not have been able to do.”

The popularity of the price comparison website is a recession defying success story. Price comparison services are growing at an annual rate of 30% – 50% and became particularly popular during 2007 – 2009 when the recession was at its peak and consumers were eager to save money.

In a nutshell, price comparison services allow consumers to compare financial products from a range of providers. Price comparison websites do not sell the products themselves but source information from retailers from whom consumers can buy from.

Quoteboffin.co.uk emphasises the benefits of such as service in a post recession UK:

“QuoteBoffin.co.uk and its competitors update their databases on a daily basis to ensure consumers get the most up to date prices at the click of a button. Quoteboffin.co.uk in particular is free and easy to use, meaning its never been easier to save money on life insurance.”

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Compare Life Insurance Quotes From A Wide Range Of Providers

Since the start of the global recession in 2008, consumers have become more and more frugal with how they spend their money and approach their finances as a whole. Redirecting funds from high end or luxury products such as property and cars, consumers have begun to avidly protect their savings as well as shop around for better deals on other financial products.

Compare Life Insurance Quotes From A Wide Range Of Providers

It’s no surprise – with an increase in market activity – that life insurance premiums are the lowest they’ve ever been with prices gradually dipping over the last ten years. With insurance providers across the board offering competitive deals whilst attempting to stave off the recession themselves, it would seem the arrival of QuoteBoffin.co.uk couldn’t have come at a better time.

The new QuoteBoffin.co.uk website [ http://www.quoteboffin.co.uk ] allows consumers to get competitive quotes for life insurance by comparing the market. Once completing a simple online form, QuoteBoffin.co.uk aims to have an advisor contact consumers within 24hours to discuss the most economical and competitive options available from a range of insurance providers on the market.

Refreshing offers and provider database on a daily basis, QuoteBoffin.co.uk vows to be “a one stop shop for some of the most up to date life insurance quotes on the market today.” The company also hopes that their emphasis on simplicity, ease of use and the clarity of their online form will encourage people to get a better deal and compare life insurance quotes to save both time and money.

The newly launched QuoteBoffin website also emphasises the importance of life insurance cover describing it as ‘invaluable’. Currently less than half the UK population have life insurance which – should there be a death in the family – can leave loved ones the unfortunate task of having to pay off huge debts or mortgages in the name of the deceased. Organising an affordable life insurance package not only takes moments to do but ultimately provides peace of mind.

About QuoteBoffin
Quoteboffin.co.uk is an online insurance comparison website offering life insurance comparison tools that allow users to search the market and procure the best life insurance policies and quotes.

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BestForexAccount.net Revealed Truth About Trading Forex Platforms!

Do you know what is the most important thing that you should do before starting a Forex business? It is to find a Forex Trading platform. But how would you do that when more than half the websites on the internet provides malicious and unauthentic information about such platforms? There would be a million recommendations for a specific platform but how would you check its authenticity? The answer is simple. Go by its user’s reviews and comments. BestForexAccount.Net is one such site which is gaining lukewarm acceptance more or less solely through the word of mouth factor.

But why should you listen to somebody? Don’t! Instead try it out yourself and then make your own judgment on the basis of your own experience. One visit to this site will make you understand the real difference between this site and other Forex related sites. Firstly, while choosing a Forex platform you need to check their reputation. Do they have a sound background or you can smell some bankruptcy? Then you should consider is the package they are offering. Does it include any free demo/trial accounts? Or should you directly take the risk of investing in their service. And lastly focus on the superfluous services. What are the compliments they are willing to offer? Free utilities, free trading advice, regular and instant market updates/alerts and how secure would be your transaction through their server etc. Indeed performing such an extensive assessment would be time consuming and often the results could be misleading. Now that is why people sought to take the help of BestForexAccount.Net. This site regularly publishesForex articles and reviews that advise people on what and how should they choose their Forex trading platforms. The site even summarizes and lists answers to all the above questions in a tabular format for the ease of the visitor.

Now who would do such a thing for a total stranger like you? Only a person who believes in helping people in the right direction and so is the owner of the site, a Forex investor since 3 years and whose free tips and advice has helped many Forex traders flourish. The site in fact has brought forth certain facts regarding different trading platforms that otherwise would have been hid by other biased sites. It has compared and listed the Pros & Cons of different Forex trading platforms such as eToro and EasyForex on the basis of their site popularity, registration speed, leverage, spreads and minimum deposit required etc. Never would you find a site which has presented such impartial statistics about so many Forex trading platforms.

You may even feel free to state your queries and doubts regarding Forex trading directly and a prompt reply is guaranteed. Also the site as a matter of fact could be considered a democratic site since any visitor is free to express his/her opinion through the feedback section which will be then listed on the rightmost pane of the site. This doesn’t even ask for a sign up. The site’s transparency and professionalism is beyond question.

The site’s extensive comparison about the different aspects of the platforms and the overall rating of each platform within a scale of 5 allows the visitor to immediately conclude the best platform he/she should take for their business. The presentation of data with proper authentic citing and references assures the visitor that their decision won’t go vain. Also the links to the official site ensures two things: firstly that they wouldn’t have to roam about surfing the internet for the platform’s official site and secondly they needn’t worry about its legitimacy and the site’s professionalism.

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The Children’s Mutual Reports Parents Persist In Saving

The Children’s Mutual, a leading Child Trust Fund provider, has reported that the latest figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) show that parents are persisting in saving for their children and engaging with the Child Trust Fund.

The Children's Mutual Reports Parents Persist In Saving

The new quarterly Child Trust Fund statistics released by the HMRC have revealed that nearly three quarters of all Child Trust Funds (CTFs) are proactively opened within a year of a child’s birth. However, according to a new analysis from The Children’s Mutual, this figure only tells part of the story of parents’ engagement with saving for their children.

The award winning Child Trust Fund provider found that while the vast majority of parents open an account for their child rather than waiting for the Government to do so, many of those who don’t are making a proactive decision not to while others are understandably busy with their new baby.

David White, Chief Executive of The Children’s Mutual, said: “Because the CTF is universal, every single eligible child receives an account, but what is impressive is that nearly 75% of parents choose to proactively open the account and around half of our customers start saving on a monthly basis immediately.”

According to its research among parents of young children, over one in 10 parents actively choose not to open an account and to let the Government do so on their behalf, citing their lack of familiarity with financial matters. In addition, research among parents who haven’t opened accounts found that 27% say it is because they haven’t had time to think about it – not surprising considering a new baby has a profound effect on family life.

Mr White said: “Attention is often paid to the quarter of parents who do not open accounts, accusing them of not engaging with, or being interested in the CTF, but our research shows that parents are far more engaged than many would believe. We found that over one in 10 parents, with CTF vouchers to place, said they would choose to let the Government open their child’s CTF and of those who haven’t opened accounts, the number one reason is because they are understandably focusing on the here-and-now. The beauty of the CTF is that it allows for this, with the Government opening accounts on behalf of parents if they don’t do it themselves, meaning that no child will miss out.

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Prudential Warns Of Widespread Over-Reliance On State Pension

According to new research from Prudential, nearly a fifth (18%) of people planning to retire in 2010 will be retiring on the State Pension and savings.

Prudential Warns Of Widespread Over-Reliance On State Pension

But 31% of the people surveyed in Prudential’s nationwide Class of 2010 study either do not know how much the basic State Pension pays or over-estimate the individual weekly amount by £25 or more.

Prudential warns the basic State Pension alone may not provide sufficient retirement income for many and urges people who are still working to save as much as possible for their old age in company and personal pensions as well as savings and investments.

“Given that so many people expect to retire on the basic State Pension, particularly when only half know how much it pays, there is still a clear need for people to understand the consequences of not making adequate provision for their retirement,” said Martyn Bogira, Director of Defined Contribution Solutions at Prudential.

“If the basic State Pension is your only source of income you could be in an extremely precarious position financially. Just one significant financial emergency, like your central heating system unexpectedly breaking down, could cause serious financial hardship for people expecting to retire on the State Pension alone.

“On its own the basic State Pension, paying just under £5,000 a year, should only really be used to supplement other sources, such as income from a pension or an annuity.

“We would urge people to pay as much as they possibly can into their retirement savings, because the State alone is unlikely to be able to support you in your retirement. The sooner you start saving, either into a company pension, personal pension or other savings, the greater the amount of money you can build up to help provide for you when you do come to retire.”

Average expenditure in households headed by someone aged 65 to 74 was £321 a week, according to the most recent Office for National Statistics figures from 2007, and £218 a week for households headed by someone aged 75 or over, but today the basic State Pension for married couples lags behind this figure by paying £152.30 a week.

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Understanding Texas Home Insurance Options

It is a smart idea that no matter what state you live in, you familiarize yourself with the types of policies and market rates for that particular state. Texas is no exception to this rule so it is important that when you’re shopping online for home insurance quotes you know what policies insurance companies in Texas offer.

Understanding Texas Home Insurance Options

According to an article recently published on InsuranceAgents.com, searching for homeowners insurance quotes in Texas is just like searching for homeowners insurance quotes in any other state, only the rates may fluctuate from company to company. However, the types of policies are usually standard no matter what company you check out.

The article states, “Insurance companies in Texas offer their own particular policies that are relevant solely to Texans. Once you have a sampling of what Texas homeowners insurance offers you can shop for homeowners insurance quotes more effectively.”

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npower Warns Outdated Financial Records Could Prolong Financial Instability

npower warns that despite evidence showing the UK economy is now out of recession, out of date financial records could prolong financial instability for many UK businesses. This is likely to impact credit ratings, reducing businesses’ access to finance and essential supplies, like energy.

power Warns Outdated Financial Records Could Prolong Financial Instability

Companies House records can be anything from 12 to 18 months out of date, which means that a company’s financial viability will be judged on its performance mid-recession, irrespective of how well it is doing now. Major credit rating agencies typically use these statutory accounts to assess financial health and, despite the scale of the problem, a large number of businesses have a lack of understanding on how their credit rating can impact their business.

Wayne Mitchell, head of corporate sales at npower, explained: “Poor credit ratings mean insurance companies are withdrawing credit insurance for businesses, a necessary guarantee that allows them to negotiate contracts with suppliers. This is impacting businesses’ access to essential supplies like energy and in the worst cases, could lead to tighter payment terms, restricted forward purchasing and even security deposits. In 2009 more than £100m worth of insurance was withdrawn for our business customers and we predict it will continue to be an issue for many businesses in 2010.

“That is why we are calling on businesses, energy suppliers and credit insurers to work together to avoid a credit crisis and prevent businesses facing challenges in securing energy supplies. There needs to be open dialogue and information sharing so that financial decisions are based on real-time data and are not solely reliant on the information held by Companies House.”

npower is also working closely with the Major Energy Users Council (MEUC) to reach businesses and bring to their attention the importance of carefully managing credit insurance.

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Barclaycard Reveals New Advert

Barclaycard has launched its much anticipated sequel to its famous waterslide commercial. The new advert tells the story of an even more adventurous and innovative commute to work – on a rollercoaster. The fast and exhilarating 60 second rollercoaster ride brings to life Barclaycard’s mission of making its customers’ (both retailers and consumers) lives easier through contactless payment technology.

Barclaycard Reveals New Advert

‘Rollercoaster’ takes forward the successful features of ‘Waterslide’, using a fun and engaging story of one character’s journey to work to promote the ease of using a Barclaycard. The advert begins with the character standing at the lift doors of his apartment block when a rollercoaster pulls up and takes him on a wonderfully smooth and liberating journey high above the clutter and congestion of the city below, only slowing slightly when he makes a contactless payment at the bakery en route to work.

Filmed in New York and Hollywood, the rollercoaster advert has been the most technical and complicated shoot to date in Barclaycard’s celebrated history of advertising. Utilising a real rollercoaster cart and 40ft of working track, the ad also features the first use of the ‘Spidercam’ in an advert since the camera was developed to film parts of the ‘Spiderman’ movies and complex CGI to help create a realistic vision of a rollercoaster weaving in and out of the city’s skyscrapers.

The four week campaign launched online on YouTube and Barclaycard’s Facebook page on the 22nd January with a 60 second advert and aired on television for the first time two days later. A 40 second version was introduced after the first week. The TV activity is part of a wider campaign that will include online adverts and a social media campaign set to reach more than 10 million people using the Barclaycard Facebook page as a hub for all new information about the commercial.

Following on from the success of the Waterslide iPhone game, Barclaycard will launch a Rollercoaster download game later in the year.

Contactless payment technology was pioneered by Barclaycard in the UK in 2007 with the launch of Barclaycard OnePulse. Now, all Platinum, Gold and Classic Barclaycards are issued with contactless technology and over five million are in circulation in the UK. Over 20,000 retailers now accept contactless payments throughout the UK.

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Barclaycard Brings Freedom To Over 30,000 Retail Outlets Across The UK

Barclaycard has announced that it will be launching Barclaycard Freedom in March – the broadest retail rewards scheme the UK has ever known. The groundbreaking new loyalty scheme will be available to over eight million cardholders who will be able to earn rewards in an unprecedented number of shops, restaurants and online outlets across the UK, without having to do or pay anything to join.

Barclaycard Brings Freedom To Over 30,000 Retail Outlets Across The UK

The scheme allows cardholders to interact at the point of sale, bringing a new level of simplicity to the concept of customer rewards. There is no need to collect and save vouchers and coupons, no need to replace their card or carry an additional one, and with no points to calculate – the rewards will be recorded in pounds and pence. It will utilise a state of the art technology system and the chip within the credit cards will be totally electronic, instant and intuitive to cardholders. Retailers who participate in Barclaycard Freedom will be able to offer rewards and relevant offers at their point of sale to over eight million cardholders.

Barclaycard cardholders will automatically earn rewards, called ‘Reward Money’, when they use their Barclaycard at a participating retailer – 1 per cent on most transactions alongside regular special promotions and giveaways. When cardholders use their card in a participating retailer they will see the value of their Reward Money balance appear on the card machine before they enter their PIN to pay. They can then choose to redeem some or all of their Reward Money rewards towards that transaction or to continue to save up for a future purchase at another retailer within the scheme.

Barclaycard has invited more than 30,000 retailers of all sizes to be partners in the scheme, meaning that when it launches in March it will be a rewards coalition of unprecedented size and scope. On average, there will be 200 retailers within five miles of where a cardholder lives. Barclaycard Freedom will be supported by a significant marketing campaign with TV, online and print advertising driving awareness about the programme for customers.

Participating retailers will benefit from a loyalty scheme that includes over eight million cardholders at launch meaning there will be on average 75,000 Barclaycard cardholders within five miles of a retailer’s store.

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Interest Rates Are Held, But Mortgage Lenders Hike Their SVRs

2010 has started with yet another interest rate hold by the Bank of England – the tenth consecutive hold decision since Bank Rate was cut in March to an all-time low of 0.5%.

Interest Rates Are Held, But Mortgage Lenders Hike Their SVRs

Mortgage lenders Standard Variable Rates (SVRs) have also been very low over the last year, but despite Bank Rate remaining unchanged, a number of lenders have been increasing their SVRs – pushing up mortgage costs for thousands of borrowers. As this trend continues, more and more borrowers should consider switching their mortgage to a new deal.

Although SVRs tend to follow the Bank Rate, lenders can change their own rate at their discretion. Lenders such as C&G and Nationwide have rules in place which guarantee that their SVRs can be no more than 2% above the Bank’s base rate, but other lenders have no such restriction.

While the SVRs of both C&G and Nationwide remain at 2.5%, a number of lenders have recently increased their rates and some are now charging more than twice that rate. Marsden Building Society recently announced an increase in SVR from 5.49% to 5.95% effective this month and Kent Reliance increased theirs by 0.3% to a huge 6.08% from 1st December.

Others have increased by even bigger margins. Accord (part of Yorkshire Building Society), last month raised its SVR by 0.65% and Cambridge Building Society went up by 0.59%.

Most recently, Mansfield Building Society announced that it was increasing its SVR by 0.35% to 5.59% – effective from the 11th January for existing borrowers.

David Hollingworth, Head of Communications for L&C, said, “Following these rises, the gap between the lowest and highest SVRs is now more than 3.5%, so depending on which lender you’re with, paying the Standard Variable Rate could prove costly.

“If you’ve been paying your lender’s SVR, don’t just assume that it’s the best rate for you at the moment – you could be paying more than you have to and you could see you monthly mortgage payments increase out of the blue.”

A simple way to check if you’re paying too much for your mortgage is to use L&C’s 1 Minute Mortgage Check answer 3 simple questions and they’ll tell you if you could save money on your mortgage.

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LV = Launches New 50 Plus Plan TV Advert

LV=, the insurance, investment and pensions group, has launched its fifth TV advertising campaign to promote its ’50 Plus plan’. The new TV advertisement was created by creative marketing agency ‘redtag’ to promote the LV= life insurance policy.

The new TV advertisement has been developed with the LV= brand and features three different families, with each one giving their perspective on losing a parent. It highlights how the money they received from the 50 Plus insuranceplan provided by LV= helped them at a difficult time. The theme of the advertisement is to ‘Look after what you love’.

Geoff Bates, Head of Direct Distribution for LV=, said: “We get a lot of feedback on the reasons why our customers buy our product, and leaving a legacy that helps their family at a difficult time is at the core of those reasons. We are pleased that the new advertisement demonstrates so clearly that protecting families is at the heart of our business.”

Launched in October 2004, the LV= 50 Plus plan is aimed at 50 to 80 year olds, living in the UK. The over 50 life insurance policy provides guaranteed cover with a cash lump sum payable on death, without the need for a medical or answering any health questions.

Kevan Kelsey, Creative Director at redtag, said: “It’s a new approach that takes the tried and tested formula we know customers like and uses it in a dynamic and emotive way”.

The life insurance advertisement was previewed on Facebook and YouTube in December 2009 before being launched on terrestrial, satellite and cable channels in January 2010.

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A New Year ‘Stop Smoking’ Resolution Could Save You Money on Life Insurance

Not only will those who quit benefit from a substantial cut in expenditure from the cigarettes themselves, but once they have not smoked or used tobacco or nicotine products for 12 months, they will also be able to benefit from non smoker rates for their life insurance.

A male aged 35 with a 25 year level term life insurance policy could reduce their monthly premium by 42%* by being eligible for non smoker rates, saving £78 a year.

Smokers who quit can request an automatic reminder by email or text to review their life premiums after 12 months by using L&C’s LifePROMPT service.

Richard Morea, technical manager at L&C says “those who stop smoking at the start of 2010 should register with Lifeprompt now so they are reminded to review their life insurance costs in 12 months time. If they are successful in their quest to stop smoking, they will also be able to benefit from savings on their life insurance this time next year”.

*Monthly premium for a male aged 35, non Smoker, £100,000 level term insurance policy £8.90
Monthly premium for a male aged 35, smoker, £100,000 level term insurance policy £15.40

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Finding Cheap Life Insurance Easier Than You Think

To those who have wondered whether or not a cheap life insurance policy exists today, a newly published article on InsuranceAgents.com answers with an emphatic “yes.”

Finding Cheap Life Insurance Easier Than You Think

“Cheap life insurance does exist and its target market are people under 30, that are starting a family,” the articles, ‘Cheap Life Insurance’ states. “Most times cheap life insurance is term life insurance.”

Term life insurance is a policy that has an expiration date. After the term is over, the coverage ceases, as well, unless the policyholder passes on during the term. It’s typically the cheapest life policy to buy. More expensive (but more comprehensive) is a whole life insurance policy—these policies aren’t cheap unless you invest in them very young.

Life insurance can be the line between a financially-broken grieving family and a family that can focus on the death of a loved one because they don’t have to worry about income.

“The death of a loved one is tough enough; combine that with financial devastation and the situation just got worse,” the article states. “A life insurance policy takes care of those you love, should the unthinkable occur.”

The funds from a life insurance policy can be used for any number of things the beneficiary(s) may need to pay for like funeral costs, any mortgage or debts left behind, sending the children to college, and even allowing the family time to grieve before returning to work.

A great way to find cheap life insurance rates is to search online for quotes. You can obtain several life insurance quotes and policies, allowing you the opportunity to compare coverage, rates and insurance providers.

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Midcountry Bank Honored By USDA For Increasing Rural Home Ownership

MidCountry Bank was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (USDA) for utilizing federally-guaranteed mortgages that increased, and made more affordable, home ownership in rural Illinois. Each year the USDA honors lenders that excel in using the federal agency’s guaranteed loan program in rural areas.

“In this difficult housing marketing, MidCountry Bank is committed to using Rural Development’s guaranteed home loan program to help as many homebuyers as possible,” said Jim Davis, a Rural Development specialist in the USDA’s Marion , Ill. , office. “They helped borrowers buy their first homes, or upgrade to better homes. We are extremely pleased with MidCountry Bank’s achievement.”

MidCountry Bank provided Illinois homebuyers with more than $1 million in Rural Development-backed loans in 2009. With the Rural Development guarantee, MidCountry Bank offers 100 percent loans with no required down payment, no private monthly mortgage insurance (PMI), no maximum purchase prices, competitive fixed interest rates, and 30-year terms. The program also includes flexible credit guidelines and generous income limits.

“This program has helped put many families into a home and strengthened rural communities by providing stability in a challenging housing market. It is easily the best 100-percent program in the market,” said MidCountry Bank Regional President Randy Forby. “We’re proud to have received this honor from the USDA, and even more so to have helped families throughout rural Illinois realize their dreams of homeownership.”

For nearly a decade, MidCountry Bank has been serving the communities of southern Illinois and central Minnesota with a full spectrum of financial products that are matched with excellent customer service. Its retail banking division offers a variety of deposit and loan products to meet consumers’ needs, its business division helps small business by providing them with the financing they need to grow, and its military banking division serves those who serve our nation with personal loans and award-winning financial education programs. Every MidCountry Bank associate is dedicated to creating a high-quality and well-respected financial services organization, and is committed to the values of integrity, fairness, honesty, excellence, and compassion.

Via EPR Network
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Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Information, Financial Services, Investment, IRA, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

Prudential Launches Five New Risk Rated Portfolios

Prudential is launching five new actively-managed, risk-rated, multi-asset funds designed to help advisers to focus on client management through an extension of its partnership with independent investment specialist Old Broad Street Research (OBSR).

The partnership gives advisers access to the asset allocation expertise of Prudential’s Portfolio Management Group (PMG)*, which currently manages over £100 billion of capital, and the fund selection and recommendation experience of OBSR in one place.

Prudential is launching the funds in response to demand f r o m advisers for investment solutions which can help them respond to the changes driven by the Retail Distribution Review and the ongoing focus of the Financial Service Authority’s Treating Customers Fairly (TCF) initiative. In addition, customers will benefit f r o m the choice of a wide range of funds across tax wrappers that are designed to meet the needs of identified groups and are targeted accordingly.

Crucially, the funds will be actively risk managed in line with their portfolio investment objectives and may help reduce the risk of potential TCF issues through running static portfolios.

The five portfolios – Defensive; Cautious; Cautious Growth; Balanced; and Adventurous – will be available on a range of Prudential personal pension products, income drawdown, onshore and offshore bonds. The risk ratings of each portfolio can be mapped against all the major independent risk-rating tools.

Andy Brown, Director of Investment Funds at Prudential said: “Asset allocation and fund selection are vital in ensuring that client needs and long-term investment expectations are met. However, both are potentially demanding and time-consuming.

“Advisers need cost-effective support with their investment management to address the changing regulatory environment. We are determined to address that issue and are delighted to be expanding our partnership with OBSR.”

Phil Lindsay, sales & marketing director for OBSR said: “The objective of the ‘Prudential Dynamic Portfolio’ risk rated funds is to consistently conform to specific risk profiles by utilising the strengths of Prudential’s Portfolio Management Groups’ asset allocation capabilities and OBSR’s fund research and portfolio construction skills thereby assisting intermediaries in developing solutions in line with client attitudes to risk.”

Prudential’s Portfolio Management Group will be responsible for asset allocation, determining the macro asset mix of the portfolios with the long-term aim of ensuring the portfolios conform to their stated risk objectives. They will have the flexibility to implement strategic and tactical changes within given ranges which over time will result in changes in the broad asset mix. These changes will be made to ensure the funds remain within the risk parameters set.

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Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Information, Financial Services, Investment, IRA, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

Prudential Warns Of State Of Ignorance Over Retirement Age Rise

New research from Prudential shows that nearly half (47 per cent) of 45 to 49 year-olds and two-fifths (39 per cent) of 50 to 54 year-olds are unaware of the rise in the minimum retirement age from 50 to 55 which comes into effect on 6 April this year. The increase in the minimum retirement age could be a particular blow to people aged 50 to 55 who are planning to retire this year, Prudential warns.

Prudential is urging people who will be affected by the increase in minimum retirement age to speak to financial advisers and pension providers ahead of the 6 April deadline and stresses there is still time to act.

The new minimum retirement age – first announced by the Government in 2004 – will prevent many people aged between 50 and 55 from claiming private or company pension benefits and especially taking the tax-free cash element of their pension fund until they
are 55.

For those who had planned to retire at 50, the higher minimum age will mean five years without access to pension benefits or tax-free cash.

Prudential’s research has found that 6 per cent of the UK’s 3.9 million adults aged 50 to 54 – equivalent to more than 230,000 people – said they planned to retire in 2010.

Karin Brown, Director of Annuities at Prudential, said: “People who want to take their pension benefits and any tax-free cash allowance still have nearly three months to decide what they want to do.

“Prudential strongly urges people approaching retirement to contact a financial adviser or talk to their pension provider about the options available.

“The Government first announced the changes to the minimum retirement age nearly six years ago so there has been plenty of time for the news to sink in. It is worrying that so many are still unaware but there is time to act before rules change.”

The information contained in Prudential UK’s press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Full consumer product information can be found at www.pru.co.uk.

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