Transamerica continues to build on its “end to end” solutions combining Strategies, Insurance Products, Consultation and Support
TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2004 – The Estate Preservation strategy is the newest insurance solution to form part of Transamerica Life Canada’s MONARCH Series. The MONARCH Series is an end-to-end program tying life insurance strategies, products and administrative support, together with a consultative approach. The series, launched in August 2004 strives to provide independent insurance advisors with tailored client solutions that are optimized throughout every stage of the client’s life.
“The Estate Preservation Strategy is an ideal solution for independent insurance advisors to approach their “baby boomer” clients, providing them with a way to protect the assets they’ve built up over their lifetime,” says Joe Kordovi, AVP & Pricing Actuary, Life Marketing and Product Development. “The advisor might want to help clients preserve cherished assets like the family cottage, a farm, or a home,” he explains, “and the Estate Preservation Strategy is a sound way to show them what could happen to these assets if they were to die today, or at any point in the future without proper financial planning.”
Transamerica’s Estate Preservation Strategy assists the independent insurance advisor to concentrate client discussions around increasing a client’s after-tax estate value for their heirs; growing the client’s assets within a tax-sheltered investment vehicle; avoiding probate, legal and executor fees in respect of the insurance proceeds; potentially protecting assets within an insurance policy from creditors; and reducing the cost of a couple’s life insurance protection through a joint life policy.
The client best suited for the Estate Preservation Strategy has a need to protect the proceeds of his or her estate from taxation when they can’t be rolled over to a spouse or infirm dependent, explains Mitchell Singer, AVP Tax and Estate Planning. “They are 50 years of age or older with sizeable personally-owned assets such as stocks funds, and real estate as well as a large RRSP. Most will have assets that hold sentimental value to heirs, like a family cottage, that they would not want to be liquidated or mortgaged to pay any taxes triggered.”
Strategy
The Estate Preservation Strategy incorporates easy to use tools such as a worksheet to record an Estimate of Taxes and Charges, and Transamerica’s LifeView(TM) illustration software, which gives clients a potentially startling look at the realities of taxation while illustrating the best solution.
Through the MONARCH Series and the Estate Preservation Strategy, the advisor has an approach that will enable the client to understand his or her options, and quickly identify the appropriate solution.
Insurance Products
The Estate Preservation Strategy is realized through Transamerica Life Canada’s enhanced universal life insurance plan EstateADVANTAGE(TM), or alternatively through PROTECTORPlus(TM), a permanent life insurance plan. Both products were re-priced in May 2004.
EstateADVANTAGE(TM) universal life plan features more competitive level cost of insurance rates, a new Low Fee Deferred Bonus (low Interest Option Fee) version, an improved Accumulation Bonus, managed interest options with guaranteed Interest Option Fees (comparable to MERs), guaranteed premium tax and new built in living benefits.
These products are optimized with industry leading guarantees, pricing and features that augment the Estate Preservation Strategy. The supporting UL illustration and contract are one of the most accountable in the insurance industry.
Consultation
Transamerica’s Sales Directors and in-house tax and estate specialist take a consultative approach to supporting advisors and their clients in the execution and maintenance of the Estate Preservation Strategy as part of the MONARCH Series.
Support
The back-office paperwork such as timely reminders, convenient reporting and the potential to communicate tax or administrative issues related to the Estate Preservation Strategy are kept in order by Transamerica’s administration services, assisting advisors to manage client relationships and creating a potential for additional business opportunities.
What does a Monarch Butterfly have to do with Insurance?
Like many things in nature, the physical design of a Monarch butterfly is influenced by a natural logic. Likewise, the MONARCH Series supplies the underlying order to create beautiful financial results for clients. Each concept combines intelligent strategies, optimized products, professional consultation and ongoing support. As a result, advisors can build their business on sophisticated concepts that are effective yet easy to explain and implement.
Transamerica Life Canada
Transamerica Life Canada provides Canadians with innovative life insurance and investment products and services. Through a national network of 18,000 independent advisors, Transamerica creates better futures for stakeholders through our core values: Respect, Quality, Transparency and Trust.
Transamerica Life Canada is a member of the AEGON Group, one of the world’s largest insurers. AEGON N.V. and Transamerica Life Canada have consistently received strong financial ratings from Standard and Poor’s, Fitch and A.M. Best Company. In 2003, Transamerica Life Canada earned more than $580 million in life insurance premium income and recorded over $8 billion in total assets under management.
