MONTREAL, Nov. 18, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada ("Standard Life") announced today that it is boosting its retail offer for the Ideal Segregated Funds Signature 2.0 by adding the Global Absolute Return Strategies (GARS) Fund in its Ideal 75/75 Series. Standard Life is also expanding its market reach by including the Payout Benefit Guarantee for nominee RIF contracts, and an F-Class option for fee-based advisors and their clients with all its series.
"Standard Life is the fastest growing company in the retail segregated fund sector," said Yanic Chagnon, Vice-President, Retail Solutions. "Since launching Ideal Segregated Funds Signature 2.0, the response from clients and their advisors has been very positive - providing them with flexibility, capital guarantees and growth potential. We are building on that success and aiming to increase the reach of our segregated funds offer to new segments of the market."
The GARS Fund is now available within the Ideal 75/75 Series, which guarantees that 75% of the invested capital is protected at maturity/payout and death. It aims to deliver positive absolute returns over the medium and long term in all market conditions, and to offer lower volatility than a traditional long-term global equity portfolio, with no performance fee. Since it launched in 2006 in the UK, GARS has had a successful track record with more than C$47 billion under management. In Canada, Standard Life Investments and Standard Life Mutual Funds started making the GARS Fund available earlier this year to institutional and retail investors. With its addition in the retail segregated funds offering, the GARS Fund will now be available to a wider market.
Two other funds are also being added to the Ideal 75/100 and Ideal 100/100 Series. The Ideal Diversified Income Fund and the Ideal U.S. Monthly Income Fund aim to offer asset and geographical diversification while helping clients reach their savings and retirement objectives.
Standard Life retail segregated funds appeal to investors who want to grow, protect and diversify their savings and retirement income while aiming to manage exposure to market volatility. The Ideal Segregated Funds' assets, including Signature 2.0, have increased by more than 25% from September 2012 to September 2013. Funds are managed by Standard Life Investments and third-party managers, and cover all major asset classes: fixed income, balanced funds, and Canadian and global equities.
Notes to Editors
About Standard Life
Standard Life provides long-term savings, investment and insurance solutions to more than 1.4 million Canadians, including group retirement and insurance plan members. Standard Life in Canada has been doing business for 180 years and has approximately 2,000 employees. It operates under Standard Life Financial Inc., which wholly owns The Standard Life Assurance Company of Canada and Standard Life Mutual Funds Ltd.
Standard Life Financial Inc. is the largest operation outside the United Kingdom of Standard Life plc, its parent company headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland. Standard Life plc has around 6 million customers worldwide and operates in the UK, Canada, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and globally with Standard Life Investments Ltd.
Standard Life plc had $396 billion in assets under administration, including $46.1 billion in Canada through Standard Life Financial Inc. (at September 30, 2013).
Image with caption: "Logo (CNW Group/Standard Life)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131118_C8393_PHOTO_EN_33442.jpg
SOURCE: Standard Life
Ann-Marie Gagné
514-499-7999, ext. 4600
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