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.
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.
A new policy has been launched by Direct Line that is designed especially for small pubs and restaurants. Cover is included for theft, accidental damage, as well as GBP2 million public liability as well as GBP10 million employers liability cover.
Customers taking out the cover for their businesses can also add on options for their personal premises too, with Direct Line incorporating that into the overall protection. The insurer is aware of the specific issues facing owners and operators of places like these and has created this policy to deal with such factors.
The public and employer liability are key elements of this insurance policy said Direct Line, since pubs and restaurants are prone to such things happening so the policy is structured to ensure sufficient protection is in place.