Zurich launches series of Guaranteed Accounts

1 February 2007.  Due to continued demand from advisers and their customers for products with a guaranteed return, Zurich has launched the first in a series of Guaranteed Capital Accounts to give customers regular access to such structured products throughout 2007.

Each of the accounts will be open for a set time period and as one product tranche ends a new one will open, ensuring availability throughout the year.

All of the products, which are deposit based with a five and half year term, will continue to offer full capital security and growth potential with returns linked to the FTSE 100 Index - the only feature that may change throughout the year is the FTSE 100 Index participation rate.

Zurich Guaranteed Capital Account 11, which is first in the 2007 series, offers 135% of any growth in the FTSE Index and is now open until 2 March, with an 'early bird' bonus payable if the application is received by 6 February 2007.

The launch of the latest account demonstrates Zurich's ongoing commitment to offering intermediaries and their customers a choice of solutions that respond to the changing world we live in.

Key features of all the Capital Accounts include :

· 100% capital guaranteed
· Gross interest of a specified percentage of any growth in the FTSE 100 Index over five-and-a-half years, currently 135%, but this participation rate may change for future tranches.
· 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
· Early Bird bonus for customers of 0.33% on applications received within a certain time period - typically mid way through the tranche period.

Paul Wright, Zurich's Investment Management Director, comments,  "Previous tranches of these products have proved extremely popular with customers and advisers, so we decided to make them available throughout the year." 

Wright continued, "We believe that their popularity is due to the fact that these simply-structured products can provide capital security, as well as the potential of high levels of stock market linked returns which previous tranches have offered, and continue to offer.  We are confident that this product will remain an attractive option going forward".

Media information:

For further information, please contact:
Nicola Bryson, Senior Media Relations Consultant - Life, Tel : 01793 503354

Notes to editors:
About Zurich

Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) is an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 55,000 people serving customers in more than 120 countries.