Australia: 'Pre Select' makes investment choices easier

Navigator has launched a range of new multi-manager style investment options for its Personal Retirement Plan and the Personal Investment Plan.

The new options - known as Pre Select - have been developed to meet the needs of investors across the range of investment profiles. Financial advisers work with their clients to choose the Pre Select funds that best suits their individual investment needs and circumstances, including their tolerance to risk and how many years they have to invest.

The Navigator Pre Select options are also competitively priced.

Speaking about the new Pre Select funds, General Manager Distribution Paul Northey said: “We have already had positive feedback on the Pre Select funds from advisers, who are reporting a significant amount of interest in the new investment options. We are also well aware that competitive MERs are a high priority for investors at the moment. We believe our competitive pricing will be a strong selling point for investors moving forward,” said Paul.

The Pre Select investment options are:

1. Pre Select Conservative Fund
2. Pre Select Balanced Fund
3. Pre Select Growth Fund
4. Pre Select High Growth Fund
5. Pre Select Australian Equity Fund
6. Pre Select International Equity Fund

In developing the six multi-manager style funds, independent asset consultants Mercer Investment Consulting were engaged to advise the Trustee on fund selection. They will also provide six-monthly reviews on the performance of each Pre Select option, while Navigator’s own in-house research team will provide more regular reviews and performance analysis to the Trustee.

The new multi-manager style investment options will create ease and flexibility in investment choices for Navigator Personal Investment Plan and Personal Retirement Plan investors.

“We are pleased with the range and quality of the Pre Select investment options. Together with Mercer Investment Consulting, we have developed a comprehensive range of Pre Select funds by leading fund managers. Each Pre Select option outlines; the investment objectives, time horizon, investor profile and target asset allocation for each option, making investment choices simpler for investors.

“The new funds also allow financial advisers to quickly and accurately tailor investments that not only meet the individual investment needs of their clients, but are also easier for investors to understand,” he said.

The Pre Select option was developed in response to the need for multi manager funds tailored to the broad range of investor profiles. For example, the Pre Select Conservative Fund is recommended for the short to medium term investor seeking stable returns, while the Pre Select Growth Fund has been designed for investors who feel comfortable with a higher than average degree of volatility in order to achieve long term returns.

Of course, Navigator Personal Investment Plan and Personal Retirement Plan investors can also choose from a range of over 140 investment options from over 30 leading fund managers.

The new Pre Select investment options are also available on the newly-launched Navigator Super Solutions.

For more information visit www.navigator.com.au

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Paul Northey is available for interview.

For further information, please contact:
Simon Morgan, Group General Manager
Public Affairs
(03) 9829 8892
0407 966 632

Notes to editors:

• Norwich Union Australia is a group of two specialist financial services companies; Navigator and Norwich Union Life. Portfolio Partners, the Australian funds management arm of Aviva plc, is a sister company to Norwich Union. Through these companies we provide products and services in the areas of wealth creation, wealth management and wealth protection for more than 300,000 customers throughout Australia.
• Globally, Norwich Union Australia is part of Aviva plc, the world’s seventh largest insurance group, the largest insurer in the UK and one of the top five life companies in Europe. Aviva was formed in May 2000 through the global merger of CGU plc and Norwich Union plc.
• Aviva is the world's seventh-largest insurance group and the biggest in the UK. It is the leading provider of life and pensions products to Europe and has substantial businesses elsewhere around the world. Its main activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance. It has premium income and investment sales from continuing operations of A$77.3 billion, and more than A$593 billion of assets under management (as at 31 December 2002). The group has more than 59,000 employees and 25 million customers worldwide.

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