Standard Life keeps up with-profits bonuses

STANDARD LIFE has maintained the bonus rates for its with-profits policyholders, writes Caroline Merrell.

The maintenance of bonus rates means that Standard Life remains one of the top-paying life offices.

The net returns to policyholders are 11.5 per cent over 10 years and 13.4 per cent over 25 years.

The payout on a pounds 50-a-month, 25-year policy taken out by a 29-year-old man increases slightly to pounds 106,631. On a 10-year policy it drops by 5.3 per cent to pounds 10,912.

Of the offices that have announced bonus levels so far, only General Accident and Commercial Union have bigger payouts over 25 years. The others have either maintained their rates or cut them slightly.

Tom King, Standard Life's general manager (marketing), said: 'The net returns over 25 years and 10 years compare with annual rates of inflation over the same period of 4.8 per cent and 8.1 per cent respectively.'

General Accident's 25-year payout, which has climbed rapidly over the last few years, comes in about pounds 4,000 higher than Standard Life at pounds 110,693, while Commercial Union's payout is pounds 109,620.