Standard Life launches campaign to return unclaimed shares and cash

This week Standard Life will launch its biggest ever campaign to track down around 200,000 people across the globe who are entitled to a slice of over £184 million in unclaimed shares and cash.

The average entitlement for each person is around £863, with one person yet to claim over 43,000 shares currently valued at nearly £100,000. This individual, according to Standard Life records, was based in the Derby area at the time of demutualisation.

Since The Standard Life Assurance Company demutualised in 2006, Standard Life plc has returned the equivalent of £100 million in unclaimed cash and shares to more than 95,000 people worldwide. However, this will be the largest campaign yet, as Standard Life has enlisted the help of specialists, Georgeson, to manage the search to reunite its people with their unclaimed assets. Zambia, Tanzania, Iceland, the Bahamas and Israel are just some of the countries that will feature in the global search to track down the rightful owners of the cash and shares.

From 30 September 2008 onwards, Georgeson will be in contact with individuals who are entitled to demutualisation shares and cash.

Paul McKenna, Assistant Group Company Secretary, Standard Life said, "This is a very large pot of shares and cash we're looking to find the rightful owners for. Many of these customers might not have realised in the first place that they were entitled to cash or shares from demutualisation.

"Maybe some people haven't checked the paperwork that we've sent to them and simply don't realise they are, or were, a customer of ours; or maybe you've lost a loved one and weren't aware they were entitled to cash or shares. I'd encourage people to keep an eye out for any paperwork that comes through the post from Georgeson - so you don't miss out on something that could be yours."

For more information on Georgeson visit georgeson.com/unclaimed