2006
(05/07/2006) AXA Investment and Offshore Bonds Obtain 5 Star Defaqto Rating
AXA's Investment Bond and AXA Isle of Man's Offshore Bond, Evolution, have both been awarded 5 Stars, the highest rating, by the independent financial research company, Defaqto. AXA Isle of Man Estate Planning Bond was also ranked in 1st place in the category of Estate Planning Packaged Products.
AXA has received the following ratings from the Defaqto Star Rating System:
- 5* For AXA Investment Bond
- 5* For AXA Isle of Man Offshore Bond, Evolution
- Ranked 1st for Estate Planning Package Products - AXA Isle of Man Estate Planning Bond
In addition to this the company is soon to announce a number of measures that will further enhance its wealth management proposition in order to build on the success of the Defaqto 5 Star Ratings.
Commenting on the Star Ratings, Pete Ring, Onshore Investment Senior Propositions Manager at AXA said, "Gaining a 5 Star Rating for AXA's Investment Bond is a real endorsement of the time and effort we have put into building our proposition, resulting in our product being rated in the top 10% of onshore bonds.
He continued, "We work hard to ensure that our products fit the needs of an evolving market place and it is good to see that our efforts are being rewarded with positive recognition across the industry".
Commenting on the Star Ratings, Christine Hall , Offshore Portfolio Manager at AXA said, "We are very pleased to be recognised as market leader for offshore investments used in estate planning. Achieving five stars for Evolution is a great accolade, too. We will not be resting on our laurels and will continue to work with our business partners to ensure our products remain fresh and robust"
Defaqto produces a range of market reports and central to these is its Star Rating System. Defaqto's Star Ratings methodology uses 'Product DNA',1 a unique benchmarking system built into the Aequos Database, to score products for the quality of their features and benefits from the consumer's perspective. Totaling the individual scores across all the chosen criteria gives an overall DNA score which is then used to rank products on a 5 Star to 1 Star basis.
Commenting on Star Ratings, Ross Jones, Head of Marketing at Defaqto said, "Defaqto Star Ratings are a measure of quality in the constantly changing world of financial services. Submitted to a rigorous selection process, the Star Ratings system has gained increasing recognition in the industry not only from the companies that provide the products but also by consumers."
The AXA Isle of Man Offshore Bond, Evolution is an offshore, single premium investment bond designed for medium to long term investment (meaning at least five years to at least ten years or more).
The Estate Planning Bond is AXA Isle of Man's award winning2 Inheritance Tax Planning product. It is designed for people who wish to reduce their Inheritance Tax liability, but who still need to retain an income from their capital.
The AXA Investment bond is an onshore, single premium investment bond designed for medium to long term investment (meaning at least five years to at least ten years or more).
- Ends -
More information
If you are a journalist and require further information contact one of our media team
Notes to Editors
1Product DNA is Product Data Numerical Analysis
2Estate Planning Bond - Best IHT Product (UK), Portfolio International Awards December 2004.
About AXA
AXA is a world leader in financial protection. AXA's operations are diverse with major operations in Western Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific area. AXA employs 120,000 staff and tied agents and, as of 31 December 2005, had € 1,064 billion in assets under management. AXA reported total IFRS revenues of € 72 billion and IFRS underlying earnings of € 3,258 million for the full year 2005. Our previous company performance is not a guide to how we may perform in the future.
AXA ordinary shares are listed on the Paris Stock Exchange; AXA American Depositary Shares (ADSs) are listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol AXA.