UK Life companies look to Europe

standard life investments wrote £40m worth of new business last year, mainly with-profits, after a relaxation of european legislation

A number of UK life companies are looking to boost sales of with-profits funds to European investors at a time when both the FSA and the ABI are investigating ways of making the product more transparent. National newspapers have also joined the growing chorus of criticism surrounding with-profits funds by blaming the demise of Equitable Life in part for the nature of the product. The fact that sales of with-profit funds in Europe have taken off shouldn't really come as any surprise, according to Brian Newbold, head of pensions development at Skandia Life. Until recently, investors in ...