Life Assurance plans are something that everyone should have, as long as they are the most suitable for the customer. The CIS Life Insurance division is offering some handy tips to help customers make sure their loved ones are looked after.
CIS Insurance are, for example, offering customer alerts to advise of premium increases as well as identifying the best life assurance policies for those with children. A key aspect of this type of cover is the provision of income replacement, where a sum is paid on a quarterly basis to the remaining family.
A word of warning is also issued regarding Whole of Life policies, from the CIS or any other insurance company, since they are tied in to the performance of the stock market. This means that the amount payable could actually be less than that paid in.
The Prudential, the second largest life insurance provider in the UK, has seen the Peoples Bank of China take a one percent stake in the company, worth GBP130 million.
The move puts the Chinese bank into the top 25 of institutional investors in the Prudential, though there is no feeling that the holding is leading up to a takeover bid. The Chinese bank invests in many different businesses and a one percent holding is not uncommon. Speculation came because of the Prudential developing the Asian market though the management at the insurer welcomes the investment.
Such is the activity of the Prudential in Asia that their growth for the first half of the year was 14 percent, a remarkable step forwards.
The Prudential has named its new chairman as Harvey McGrath, previously the chairman at leading hedge fund company Man Group. Mr McGrath retired from that position late last year but has clearly felt the need to return back into the financial services sector with this new appointment.
The role will be a non-executive one for which he will receive a fee of GBP500,000 annually. Mr McGrath felt that the Prudential combined a very strong history with an exciting future and as such seemed the perfect choice for him. He also meets the requirements of investors who wanted to see a chairman who was based in the UK but also brought experience of the international arena.
Mr McGrath has plenty of experience to draw upon and is looking forward to the challenge, with lots of background and hands on knowledge of many things the Prudential are currently dealing with.