Zurich Vista Investment Plan
March 24th, 2009 by ALVIN SOONG
vista-product-brochure-2.pdf
vista-for-education-or-savings.pdf
vista-for-retirement.pdf
old-bonus-structures.pdf
Zurich is a swiss firm.
Attractiveness of the plan:
0% bid offer spread (meaning can buy and sell at same price)
Lowest fees only for first yr at 4%, subsequently only 0.75%pa annual management fees and $12/mth
Huge Bonus at year 1 (up to 187.5% with bonus, depends on the amount invested). Zurich is giving the bonus allocation so as to offset the fees for longer time, and to take opportunity at the low buying price now. When economy picks up, the bonuses would increase exponentially
Private Banking Funds sectors (as written in the attachment), approved also by MAS: these include mining funds, precious metals by Blackrock etc, which are usually open to private banking clients but are now open to all, through this zurich plan
Can vary premiums / take partial withdrawals / stop payment after 18mths
100% allocation of the funds
Criteria:
To have the bonus, min. criteria is to be able to hold for 18 months.
Can reduce / stop payment after 18th month, but has to make 1 mth payment at least for every 3 yrs
For more info. of the product and Zurich global vision, pls read:
http://www.zurich.com/international/home/welcome.htm
or contact 96667946 for more info. Additional promotion additional bonus is valid till 31st March 2009
Right click to save the brochures for more details:
vista-product-brochure.pdf
Disclaimer: Product info and summary written above is summarised based on personal understanding and has no co-relation to the writeup of the company itself. For more info. pls call 96667946.
Additional promotion additional bonus is valid till 31st March 2009
Alvin, It is very sad to see you promoting this as a good investment. LOOK at the fees to the client, monthly fees, payout fees, you say there is no spread that is not true. Look online in forums of investors. the investors who are in this fund really don’t like it but financial “advisors?” such as yourself like it, but WHY do you like it?? Because it pays better commission to you, not because it is good for the client. I don’t expect to see this reply on your site…because you are looking out for FINANCIAL ADVISOR community NOT the general public.
Mr Concerned
I deliberately put up your email on my blog. Before commenting, please look at matters objectively, that this blog was placed in March.
Please note that the promotion is only till 31st March. At that point, Zurich gave a bonus of up to max 187.5%, which practically waive off future charges. Since you have read the charges, please calculate if the bonus given do waive off. Eg on one who invest in Gold Plan (eg $3200 per month for the max of 20 years, given the fact that should have the highest charges)
For the plan that was in much earlier series, there were no bonus given as well. The charges would therefore have been unfavourable. You can also check on earlier entries that there were no mention on this plan
You do realised that after this entry in March, I have not mentioned anything at all on Zurich Vista. Today, the bonus is now much reduced.
Since the blog is opened for all public reading. I would therefore be objective to all public regardless if they are Financial Advisers or not. I would be most happy if you could indicate the forums so I can read objectively on the date entry and the relevant articles.
Once again, I welcome all comments and thank you for the feedback.
Dear Mr.Soong,
I have got mixed reviews about Zurich Vista. I want to know certain things if you can enlighten me:
1.The min premium commitment is for 18 mths only. After which we get a max 3 yrs i.e 36 mths premium holiday. Am I suppossed to continue my premiums after that compusorily? For what period? Say, my monthly premium is 300$,then do i just pay one 300$ instalment and again take a premium holiday- is it possible? Do you have any write up on premium payment flexibility/ premium holiday?
2. If I opt for a Bronze or Silver Vista, is it necc for me to pay for min 5 yrs? Do you have any details on that?
3. Can you refer any website or source where I can access the fine print or policy terms and conditions / customised benefit illustration before buying the same.
Pls advice.
Bhavesh M Kothari.NY.USA.
Hi Bhavesh
1. Yes, you have to continue but you can stop every 36 months, pay for 1 month and take premium holiday. The writeup can be obtained from Zurich company itself.
2. Min is 5 years
3. You can get the sample policy details from zurich company. They would also have prospectus and collaterals for these details.
Warm Regards
Alvin Soong
Hi Alvin
Understand that there are few companies trading these boutique fund and they are still giving bonus of 140%+ to 160%+. Is it still worth looking into these type of boutique fund?
rgds
Hi Kwang Weh
Is it gauranteed? 140%-160%pa?
If any boutique funds would to give you gauranteed more than 6%pa, it probably is not as simple as it seems.
Ever heard of ponzi schemes or it could be misunderstanding of the funds?Maybe You should check things out carefully before considering it?
What I meant is instead of bonus of up to max 187.5%, it is currently only giving bonus of 140% to 160%+.
The few companies that I am looking into include Aviva and Friend Provident as well as Zurich Vista, Aviva and FP have similar product as the the Zurich Vista investment plan you mentioned in this topic.
I am wonder is it still good to go into these so call boutique funds?
What is their return compared to those funds which we can find in dollardex and fundsupermart.
What are the pros and cons of investing in these funds?
Hi Kwang Weh
187.5% to 160%+ but if you do continuous contributions for 5 years, it will give up to max 200% bonus units
Dollardex/Fund Supermart offers normal retail funds.
Zurich Vista/ AVIVA (limited specialist funds)/Friend Provident offers other than normal retail funds, offers other specialist funds.
Most of the specialist funds (some call it private banking funds) are only available to private banking clients, which means you need to have $1M net assets and/or annual income of $300k.
Through Zurich for example, such funds are open to the public retail like us, but because of this, it needs to go through stringent auditing before approval.
Pros of Zurich:
1. accessible to private banking funds
2. back end charges
3. extra bonus units ( now there is a limited one month waiver off as well)
4. supposedly potential higher rewards to risk ratio due to its exposure to private banking funds
Disadvantages of Zurich (my personal feel):
1. min. amount per month is $675/mth
2. more paper work as it needs to go through auditing once. ( not all retailers can qualify. Zurich will need to go through a few documents and cashflow)
3. charges are higher ( but fortunately if they are giving sufficient bonus units, it may offset. You can do your calculation on the matters first)