Welcome to AKG

AKG is delighted to announce the launch of its 2018 UK Life Office With Profits Reports.

Who are the reports designed for and why?

These reports are designed to assist advisers and providers in assessing the relative merits of specific with profits funds. The aim is to provide comprehensive, structured and consistent information, accompanied by AKG's key analytical assessments of with profits financial strength, future performance and transparency.

What is the size of the with profits market?

The amount of with profits business in-force remains considerable (with profits technical provisions totalling over £274bn at the end of 2017).

What funds and firms are covered?

The reports contain analysis and assessments of 187 sub-funds within 73 funds from 26 firms that will be active in the UK market at the end of December 2018 (from 24 different groups). The reports cover providers whose with profits funds exceed £110m, supplemented by smaller companies and friendly societies operating in the intermediary market.

What is included in the reports?

Each individual report provides information on the structure and operation of a provider's with profits fund(s). It concludes with AKG's long established Ratings for With Profits Financial Strength, With Profits Future Performance, and With Profits Transparency. A number of comparative industry-wide tables are also included, covering a range of key metrics. This year, the tables feature the second year's set of industry-wide data from the Solvency and Financial Condition Reports that were introduced under the Solvency II regulatory regime.

Can I see the table of contents?

Of course you can, please click here to get a copy of the table of contents.

How much do the reports cost?

£2,250 plus VAT.

How can I purchase a copy of the reports?

The reports can be purchased and downloaded directly from here.

Alternatively you can purchase by email to akg@akg.co.uk and payment can be settled by invoice.

And if you have any questions…

…please get in touch with us.

21 December 2018

AKG has produced an independent report for an intermediary audience, including financial advisers, planners and paraplanners, on the potential relevance and suitability of direct lending as an investment asset for the sophisticated retail investor amongst a wider consideration of alternative asset classes.

The report was sponsored by investment management firms Triple Point and Foresight Group, who offer solutions in the direct lending investment market, along with regulatory consultancy Bovill and law firm Shakespeare Martineau, as report partners. It was underpinned by quantitative consumer and financial adviser market research insight instructed by AKG and carried out via online survey.

AKG looks across the market at a wide range of provider types and was asked to consider what part direct lending / private debt investment might be able to play in the evolving UK intermediary market as the search for yield continued against the post-financial crisis market with increasingly uncertain fixed interest and equity markets, with long term low interest rates and rising inflation.

Research showed a clear willingness by private investors to consider investment outside the traditional equity or cash-based solutions, albeit largely outside of the advice process currently. The report explores the potential opportunities for financial advisers to meet their clients’ continued search for yield and reduced volatility, alongside the challenges and hurdles for providers and advisers in making access to such solutions available.

4 October 2018

Despite the fact that AKG has been assessing financial services companies and producing ratings for these companies for over 20 years we understand the importance of continuing to underline the approach taken by AKG when carrying out our assessment work.

We have prepared a short animation on the subject, which can played below.

With this animation, and with time of the essence for intermediary businesses, we wanted to produce something short and snappy which cuts to the core of AKG’s approach. One of the main considerations being that these ratings are designed specifically for intermediary usage, to support such exercises as product/proposition research and due diligence, and another being the underlying customer focus and perspective on financial strength and sustainability of financial services companies.

We hope that you find the animation useful and please do let us know if you have any questions for the AKG team.

31 July 2018