Zurich launches Guaranteed Account 9

Zurich Guaranteed Account 9 offers intermediaries and their clients access to potential stock market returns, whilst protecting the client's original capital investment. Assuming the closing level of the FTSE100 Index has grown at all over the five and a half year term, the account will give the customer 42% return on their original investment.

The investment is open for applications between 30 October 2008 and 18 December 2008 and an early bird bonus of 0.33% is payable for applications received before 17 November 2008.

Paul Wright, Zurich's Investment Management Director, comments: "We are constantly looking for ways to meet our customers' needs with flexible and innovative propositions. We are therefore delighted to offer intermediaries and clients access to the Zurich Guaranteed Account 9 which offers capital protection, with the potential to earn 42% return on the original investment - even if the closing level grows by 1 point."

Key features of the Capital Account include:

100% capital guaranteed
Gross interest of 42% if the closing level of the Index averaged over the last 12 months has grown by any amount compared to its starting level.
Early maturity feature - 30% gross interest and closure of the account if the Index has grown by 30% or more on the third anniversary.
Interest on the ISA element is tax-free under current regulations
100% allocation
Minimum and maximum investments £2,500 and £250,000 respectively
3.25% initial commission on all monies invested into this account

Concludes Wright, "In these times of unprecedented stock market volatility, investors have quite clearly become more risk averse. These types of products can be an ideal investment choice for more cautious investors seeking the potential of excellent returns, whilst still protecting their original capital investment."