With the extremely volatile state of the markets in recent months, heavy fluctuations and the sharp fall in the CAC40 since the beginning of the year, the financial situation is such that even the best informed savers are wondering when is the right time to invest in unit-linked products.
With the extremely volatile state of the markets in recent months, heavy fluctuations and the sharp fall in the CAC40 since the beginning of the year, the financial situation is such that even the best informed savers are wondering when is the right time to invest in unit-linked products. Although the prospects of making a profit on the financial markets in the long term are still greater than for safer funds, everyone is asking themselves when is the right time to venture into the markets. For this reason, Aviva Vie has developed the Aviva Optiprofil Lisséo scheme. This enables prudent savers to invest or to switch gradually from a guaranteed fund to more dynamic unit-linked products, depending on their investor profiles and investment horizons.
With Aviva Optiprofil Lisséo, Aviva Vie remains true to its convictions, favouring the choice of unit-linked products when setting up life insurance portfolios: in the long term, investing in unit-linked products is more profitable for the saver than guaranteed money market funds. For customers with an investment horizon greater than five years, the current level of the markets may make it worth their while investing in unit-linked funds.
Aviva Vie's position is based on two convictions: firstly unit-linked funds perform better in the long term; secondly, the best way of maximising an investment is to save regularly in order to even out the fluctuations in the markets. Based on these two convictions, Aviva Vie is launching two new offers, available from 19 March 2008 au 6 January 2009. Firstly, Aviva Optiprofil Lisséo January 2009, with a guaranteed annual rate of 4.40%* net. The payment threshold is €12,000.
Secondly, Aviva Optiprofil Lisséo Premium January 2009 offers an annual rate of 4.80%* net. In order to benefit from this, the saver must make a minimum initial payment of €20,000 or else set up a programme of scheduled payments** with the assistance of his adviser.
With Aviva Optiprofil Lisséo, the saver benefits from:
- A boosted guaranteed net annual rate on the offer fund.
- Automatic monthly switches, free of charge, to Aviva Gestion d'Actifs' eligible unit-linked products.
- The sustained long-term performance of Aviva Gestion d'Actifs.
This gives the saver access to funds with a higher potential performance than a guaranteed fund and enables him to maximise his investment by evening out the fluctuations in the markets through regular saving.
These offers are in keeping with Aviva Vie's Good Advice policy, which involves helping all customers to determine the best asset allocation based on their situation and to ensure that the beneficiary clause, a fundamental aspect of life insurance, is correctly defined.
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* Guaranteed net annual rate pro rata to the period of investment and until 6 January 2009 at the latest on the net sum invested in the offer fund, before deduction of tax and social security contributions. Net annual rate based on a management fee of 0.95% per annum and a minimum cost of a death benefits cover (or additional cover in case of death) of 0.05% per annum.
** If scheduled payments are set up into eligible funds, unscheduled payments become optional (minimum €750).
Press contacts:
Aviva Vie
David Chenu
Telephone: 01 76 62 67 92
E-mail: david_chenu@aviva.fr
HDL Communication
Alexandra Rigaud
Telephone: 01 58 65 20 15
E-mail: arigaud@hdlcom.com
Notes to editors:
About Aviva
Aviva is the leading provider of life and pensions to Europe with substantial positions in other markets around the world, making it the world's fifth largest insurance group based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2006. Aviva's principal business activities are life insurance and long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with total sales of €56.7 billion and funds under management of €499 billion at 31 December 2007.
With more than 150 years' experience in France, Aviva is among the top 10 players in the insurance market. Aviva France is distinguished by a balanced multidistribution model which has proved itself: 875 general agents, 1,800 agency staff, 400 life advisers, more than 1,000 brokers, partners (Union Financière de France and Médéric). Aviva France's partners also include AFER, the leading association of savers in France, and the Crédit du Nord Group. Specialising in unit-linked products, Aviva is well-known for the performance of its long-term funds and its strong commitment to its customers through its Good advice approach. Aviva has more than 3,300 employees. As at 31 December 2007, Aviva France recorded a consolidated turnover of €6.5 billion, a consolidated operating profit of €338 million (based on intrinsic value - EEV/IFRS norms) and managed assets worth €74.2 billion.