Norwich Union's Inherited Estate

Norwich Union's Inherited Estate

Norwich Union with-profits policyholders are demanding cash rather than extra bonuses, when the insurer comes to distribute its £5BN inherited estate.

Inherited estate being money in a with-profits fund that is surplus to requirements.

Norwich Union is currently in the process of deciding how to distribute its fund fairly to its 1.1 million policyholders. Prudential is also doing the same wrt its 4 million with-profits policyholders.

Former gas regulator, Clare Spottiswoode, has been appointed to represent the interests of Norwich's with-profits policyholders.

Those affected are in two of its with-profits funds, the old Commercial Union fund and the old General Accident fund. Those in the Norwich Union and Provident Mutual funds will not get anything, because they got windfalls when the insurer joined the stock market ten years ago.

Mrs Spottiswoode has held roadshows across the country to canvass the views of policyholders, and has also commissioned a survey of their views. The results of the roadshows and surveys show that twice as many policyholders would prefer to have cash in hand, rather than extra bonuses.

Clearly the long suffering policy holders have lost faith in the concept of endowment mortgages.

Who can blame them?