Two Norwich Union with profit funds are set to pay their policyholders an average of GBP1,000 each should they accept the offer.
Around a million customers hold these particular Norwich Union funds, with 700,000 of them set to receive between GBP400 and GBP1,000 and a further 220,000 looking at a minimum of GBP1,000 up to GBP3,500. The policies in question are the CGNU Life and CULAC with profit fund. The payout will be instead of any future claim on the surplus value of the funds so the options should the considered carefully.
The general opinion is that the offer is a very fair one and is likely to be accepted by most customers, especially in the current economic climate. Payouts are expected to begin in the middle of 2009 since there are a number of administrative procedures to carry out prior to Norwich Union allocating the funds.
According to the information provided by AA Insurance around 4,000 caravans are stolen each year in the UK, with the midlands being the area from which they vanish more than any other.
It has been suggested that the convergence of several main motorways could explain the Midlands status as caravan theft capital of the UK. With the M6 and M1, as well as the M42, all close by it is easy to get to any part of the country, traffic excepted of course. AA Insurance figures show the Midlands loses 10 percent more caravans than anywhere else.
Caravan owners should ensure their caravan is always secured, making it harder for thieves to take it away. This is especially true at this time of year, said the AA Insurance spokesman, since many people prepare the caravan on the drive prior to setting off for a trip. This is when it is most vulnerable.
The Prudential is said to be expanding the partnership it has with Standard Chartered a bank that works in the emerging markets sector.
At the moment the Prudential provides both insurance and savings products across Asia through the existing partnership, though this is set to develop with the partnership expansion. Moving forwards the Pru will be in a position to provide insurance products to customers in Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
Current market figures show that the Prudential is the market leader for life insurance in Asia so the move into these far eastern countries is expected to be a fruitful one, the current status of the Prudential helping it quickly gain market share.