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REVIEW SUMMARY

Investors Trust Access Portfolio Bond

Investors Trust is a global brand representing the ITA Group of Companies.

ITA International Holdings is the ultimate parent company of Investors Trust Assurance SPC based out of the Cayman Islands, ITA International Insurer, a Puerto Rico based and licensed company, both rated “A-” by AM Best, and ITA Asia Limited, a Labuan-licensed company based in Malaysia.

Investors Trust work in Cayman Islands, Malaysia and Puerto Rico with service points in Dubai, Hong Kong, Uruguay and a corporate support office in the U.S.

Investors Trust is licensed and regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and essentially specialise in the provision of investment–linked insurance. 
Overview
FAQ
Customer Reviews
Expert Verdict

Access Portfolio is a lump sum, open-architecture, portfolio bond product that claims to provide investors around the world with solutions that adapt to their investment requirements.

The Access Portfolio Bond has three different charging structures you can choose from:

  1. Access Portfolio 5000 Series
  2. Access Portfolio 8000 Series
  3. Access Portfolio Plus

We will look at each of these in greater detail in this review but first let's have a look at the key features of the Investors Trust Access Portfolio:

  • Available policy currencies: USD $ - EUR € - GBP £.
  • Minimum initial investment amount: USD 75,000 / EUR 75,000 / GBP 50,000.
  • The minimum additional investment is USD 7,500 / EUR 7,500 / GBP 5,000.
  • The Access Portfolio allows to you manage and control all of your investments under one holding vehicle.
  • Access to an array of investment options including: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Mutual Funds and Structured notes.
  • It claims to have a tax-efficient portfolio bond structure.
  • It provides for free partial withdrawals and borrowing facilities.
  • The Access Portfolio has no establishment charge, no charges for currency exchange or asset transfers and no custody charges.
  • Additionally, Access Portfolio allows you to borrow against your investment portfolio. A borrowing facility is useful for situations when a timing difference could affect your ability to take advantage of market opportunities.

Investors Trust say that they understand the importance of having constant access to your investment portfolio online, as well as access to multi-language support, tools and resources to help you reach your investment goals. So, they have created an account access website where you will be able to monitor your portfolio, place service requests and manage your portfolio online at all times.

Regardless of how many different investments you hold within your Access Portfolio bond, you will always have access to all transaction history and portfolio values.

Access Portfolio also gives you the option to choose a plan with the charge-structure that suits your personal needs. Whether you choose Access Portfolio 5000 Series, Access Portfolio 8000 Series or Access Portfolio Plus, would depend on your individual requirements. Let's have a look at what each one of them entails.

Access Portfolio 5000 Series

 Access Portfolio 8000 Series Access Portfolio Plus
     
Currency: USD $ - EUR € - GBP £ Currency: USD $ - EUR € - GBP £ Currency: USD $ - EUR € - GBP £
     
Minimum Contribution:
USD 75,000 / EUR 75,000 / GBP 50,000		 Minimum Contribution:
USD 75,000 / EUR 75,000 / GBP 50,000		 Minimum Contribution:
USD 75,000 / EUR 75,000 / GBP 50,000
     
Top Up Minimum:
USD 7,500 / EUR 7,500 / GBP 5,000		 Top Up Minimum:
USD 7,500 / EUR 7,500 / GBP 5,000		 Top Up Minimum:
USD 7,500 / EUR 7,500 / GBP 5,000
     
Minimum Dealing Amounts:
Funds: USD 5,000 / EUR 5,000 / GBP 4,000
Bonds: USD 10,000 / EUR 10,000 / GBP 8,000
No minimum dealing amount for Stocks, ETFs and Structured Notes		 Minimum Dealing Amounts:
Funds: USD 5,000 / EUR 5,000 / GBP 4,000
Bonds: USD 10,000 / EUR 10,000 / GBP 8,000
No minimum dealing amount for Stocks, ETFs and Structured Notes		 Minimum Dealing Amounts:
Funds: USD 5,000 / EUR 5,000 / GBP 4,000
Bonds: USD 10,000 / EUR 10,000 / GBP 8,000
No minimum dealing amount for Stocks, ETFs and Structured Notes
     
Establishment Charge: NIL Establishment Charge: NIL Establishment Charge: NIL
     
Administration Charge:
0.45% quarterly (1.8% per annum) during the first 5 years. This charge will be calculated based on the higher of the premium paid or the account value.		 Administration Charge:
0.30% quarterly (1.2% per annum) during the first 8 years. This charge will be calculated based on the higher of the premium paid or the account value.		 Administration Charge:
0.25% quarterly (1.00% per annum) for the duration of the Policy, based on the account value.
     
Policy Fee:
USD 180 / EUR 180 / GBP 112.5 Quarterly		 Policy Fee:
USD 180 / EUR 180 / GBP 112.5 Quarterly		 Policy Fee:
USD 90 / EUR 90 / GBP 55 Quarterly
     
Dealing Charges:
Stocks, ETFs, Funds and Structured Notes: USD 50 / EUR 50 / GBP 40
Bonds: USD 100 / EUR 100 / GBP 80		 Dealing Charges:
Stocks, ETFs, Funds and Structured Notes: USD 50 / EUR 50 / GBP 40
Bonds: USD 100 / EUR 100 / GBP 80		 Dealing Charges:
Stocks, ETFs, Funds and Structured Notes: USD 50 / EUR 50 / GBP 40
Bonds: USD 100 / EUR 100 / GBP 80
     
Surrender Charge:
Equal to outstanding administration charges at the time of the surrender, based on the higher of the premium paid or the account value.		 Surrender Charge:
Equal to outstanding administration charges at the time of the surrender, based on the higher of the premium paid or the account value.		 Surrender Charge:
Plan is free of surrender charges and it can be redeemed at any time you wish.
     
Free Partial Withdrawals:
Free partial withdrawals available, but subject to maintaining the minimum Net Surrender Value of USD 15,000 / EUR 15,000 / GBP 10,000. Minimum surrender is USD 500 / EUR 500 / GBP 300.		 Free Partial Withdrawals:
Free partial withdrawals available, but subject to maintaining the minimum Net Surrender Value of USD 15,000 / EUR 15,000 / GBP 10,000. Minimum surrender is USD 500 / EUR 500 / GBP 300.		 Free Partial Withdrawals:
Free partial withdrawals available, but subject to maintaining the minimum Net Surrender Value of USD 15,000 / EUR 15,000 / GBP 10,000. Minimum surrender is USD 500 / EUR 500 / GBP 300.
     
Issue Age: 18 - 85 years Issue Age: 18 - 85 years Issue Age: 18 - 85 years
     
Guaranteed Death Benefit:
101% of Surrender Value		 Guaranteed Death Benefit:
101% of Surrender Value		 Guaranteed Death Benefit:
101% of Surrender Value
     

 

NOTE:

  • Policy values are subject to surrender charges for early termination and you may not get back the amount originally invested.
  • The Access Portfolios Bonds are similar to many such products on the marketplace and can be an expensive option in the wrong hands. We believe that they are outdated products aimed at the commission sales market.
  • Another key concern is that this is not a widely regulated product.
  • We would highly recommend reading the 'expert verdict' section of this review to learn why our experts gave the Access Portfolio Bond 3 out of 5 stars and what you can do if you already have it.

 

 

The Pros

> Platinum Plus and Access Portfolio Plus plans offer open architecture
> Popular product

The Cons

> Risk of hidden commission
> Commonly mis-used
> Limited protection, makes it risky to consider
> With commission this is an extremely expensive option
> Withdrawals increase real costs
What is a Cash Account?

Each portfolio bond has its own Cash Account. Any premium paid is initially placed into the Cash Account. The Cash Account is used for:

  • Purchase of investments
  • Sale of investments - cash generated will be paid into this account
  • Withdrawals - cash will be deducted from this account
  • Deposit of cash generated by investments (dividends, interest payments, etc.)
  • Deduction of product fees, or any custody fees (if applicable)

There is no minimum amount required to maintain this account. However, Investors Trust says that it is important that the Cash Account holds a positive balance in order to cover charges and overall product fees.

What will happen in the event of relevant death?

In the event of death, the standard amount payable will be 101% of the surrender value.

What are the minimum dealing and trading amounts of the Access Portfolio?
  • The Access Portfolio's minimum dealing amount will be USD 5,000 / EUR 5,000 / GBP 4,000 for Mutual Funds and USD 10,000 / EUR 10,000 / GBP 8,000 for Bonds.
  • There will be no minimum dealing amount for Stocks, ETFs and Structured Notes.
  • A trading charge will apply each time a trade is performed.
  • Depending on the currency of the policy, the charge will be USD 50, EUR 50 or GBP 40 for Stocks, ETFs, Mutual Funds and Structured Notes and USD 100, EUR 100 or GBP 80 for Bonds.
  • There will be no charges for currency exchange or asset transfers.

You need to plan for the long-term

I signed up for an 8 year term and lost my job. I decided to head home and my IFA told me that the Access Portfolio wasn't suitable if I did - so I cashed in and lost out because of financial penalties.

Expert assessment of Investors Trust's Access Portfolio Bond

Used in the right circumstances, offshore bonds can give deliver substantial tax benefits.

However, in many instances, they can be mis-used by commission-based salespeople for their own gain.

This product has limited protection and is extremely expensive. Our advice is to consider incepting such a plan after receiving advice from a fully regulated chartered financial planner, and to opt for a cleanly priced option with lower or no establishment charges, lock-in periods, or exit penalties.

If you already have an Investors Trust Access Portfolio Bond, and it is worth £250,000 or more, we strongly recommend you seek a Second Opinion to ensure you are on track to get and keep the life you want.

Investors Trust - Access Portfolio Bond Product Brochure

Investors Trust - Access Portfolio Bond Product Profile

Investors Trust - Access Portfolio Bond Benefits Flyer

Investors Trust - Access Portfolio Bond Investment Opportunities

Investors Trust - Access Portfolio Trading Guide

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