HSBC offers investment choices via new plan

HSBC has launched WealthInvest Insurance Plan, an all-in-one investment-linked insurance plan, in response to customer demand for greater simplicity, flexibility and control to manage their medium to long-term financial goals.

Following research conducted by HSBC that revealed people's desire to go back to basics, the new investment-linked insurance plan is a simple, efficient and easy plan that has been specifically designed to enable investors to combine regular savings with insurance protection.

Jason Sadler, Managing Director of HSBC Insurance Hong Kong, said, "We have seen customers’ confidence in investment-linked products increasing. People recognise that there remain many risks, including ill health, job security and unexpected death or injury. They see the benefits of combining saving for key milestones, such as children’s education or retirement, with protection for life’s unforeseen events."

The new investment-linked life insurance plan allows policyholders to select from a comprehensive range of 42 investment choices. As customers' investment strategies evolve, the plan offers the flexibility to easily change premium allocations and allow unlimited switching among investment choices at no extra cost. As a customer’s risk appetite changes, their investment allocations can also be changed accordingly.

Bruno Lee, Regional Head of Wealth Management Asia-Pacific, The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, said, "In the current economic climate, people are revisiting their long-term financial plans. Since the pilot launch at the end of July 2009, WealthInvest Insurance Plan has been very well received by customers and it is already accounting for around 30 per cent of our new business sales. We believe appetite for investment-linked products is returning as people begin to realise that regular savings and exposure to equity and bond markets over the long term can help them achieve their financial goals."

WealthInvest Insurance Plan allows people to invest in a disciplined manner through regular contributions over a period of time. It fully allocates paid premiums into selected investment choices and rewards policyholders with several guaranteed bonuses to boost their returns throughout the policy’s term. Bonuses are awarded in units, which are credited into the policyholders’ policy accounts.

In the event of death, the policyholder's beneficiaries are entitled to receive a death benefit of at least the total capital invested. If a policyholder is diagnosed with a disease that is likely to result in death within one year, the death benefit will be paid out in advance. A Waiver of Premium on Disability Benefit and Payor's Benefit are two optional benefits that are available to help pay future premiums in the event of disability.

WealthInvest Insurance Plan is available to anyone aged 60 or below for the 5-year Premium Payment Period option and aged 55 or below for the 10-year Premium
Payment Period option.