Guaranteed account now available from Zurich

Available immediately, the Zurich Guaranteed Capital Account 22 (GCA 22) which runs for five and a half years, offers intermediaries and their clients the potential to benefit from the growth of the FTSE 100 index whilst protecting their clients' original capital investment.

Any applications received before 20 February 2009 will be eligible for an ‘early bird bonus' of 0.33%.

Provided by Dunbar Bank, Zurich's Guaranteed Accounts provide intermediaries and their clients with the opportunity to invest throughout the year - as one product tranche closes a new one opens. The deposit based products continue to offer full capital security and growth potential with returns linked to the FTSE 100 Index.

Paul Wright, Zurich's Investment Management Director, comments: "Company financial security, capital protection and interest rates at an all time low remain the key concerns for consumers in this challenging economic climate. The Guaranteed Account is an ideal investment for more cautious investors seeking exposure to the stock market, whilst still protecting their original capital investment. In addition to offering capital protection, the potential returns are particularly attractive, given that the interest rates are currently 1%."

Key features of the Guaranteed Capital Account include:

100% capital guaranteed
100% participation in the growth of the FTSE 100 index (unless the Index has grown by 80% or more)
Interest on the ISA element is tax-free under current regulations
100% allocation
Minimum investment is £2,500 and maximum investment is £1 million.
3.25% initial commission is payable on all monies invested into this account.

Wright concludes: "Because of our group strategy and our financial and operational discipline, Zurich is well positioned and strong even in these turbulent times - so consumers can feel confident about investing with Zurich. The account offers a money back guarantee if the stock market falls or remains the same and our guarantee has the same level of protection as any bank or building society deposit account as it is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme".