Welcome to Athora
Athora is the new name for Aegon Ireland. You are now being redirected to www.athora.com/ie
https://www.athora.com/ie
Athora is the new name for Aegon Ireland. You are now being redirected to www.athora.com/ie
Here you will find answers to the most common questions we get from Athora Ireland policyholders and advisers. To use our FAQs, simply click on the relevant heading below to reveal a selection of questions. Then simply click on the relevant question to reveal the answer. If you can't find the answer you're looking for here, just get in touch with our Client Relations team.
We don't allow assignment of individual policies on our guaranteed products.
Not all products can be assigned and some can only be assigned with our agreement.
If you are assigning the policy for gift purposes, you can use our generic Deed of Assignment which you’ll find here. We will also require a completed Policyholders Details Form which you’ll find here.
We need a bespoke deed of assignment from your current SIPP provider instructing the transfer to your new SIPP provider and confirming the SIPP's new name.
The new SIPP provider (trustees) will also need to complete our Policyholder Details Form.
It is important to note that we do not comment on the validity of instructions. It is the responsibility of the trustees to ensure their instructions are in line with the trust provisions.
You can instruct us to change your address on online services - click here for more information about our online services. Alternatively you can call or write to us.
Please ensure the instruction is signed by all policyholder(s) and/or all trustees. We might ask you to send us evidence of your new address.
If moving jurisdiction, please also complete our self-certification declaration which you can download by clicking here.
You can find our Internal Funds Switch Instruction Form here. You should use this form if you wish to switch some, or all, of your investment in our internal funds. It can be used for any of the following products:
We will need you to post us a letter of instruction confirming that you have changed your name. We will need specimen signatures for both your maiden and married names on this letter. We will also need a photocopy of your marriage certificate which has been certified, that is stamped to verify that it is a true copy of the original and dated within the last six months, by one of the below professionals.
Please write to us (click here to find our postal address) and instruct us to pay your income to your new bank account details. Please ensure the instruction is signed by all policyholder(s) and / or all trustees. We may also ask you to send in evidence of the new bank account.
We send your yearly statement in the first quarter after your policy anniversary. You can view and download your yearly and quarterly statements via our Policyholder Online Services.
If you haven't used our Policyholder Online Services before, we will first need to post you an authorisation code. Click here to request your authorisation code.
The current value of your policy is available via our on Policyholder Online Services.
If you haven't used our Policyholder Online Services before, we will first need to post you an authorisation code. Click here to request your authorisation code.
You can get a breakdown of the value of your policy via our Policyholder Online Services.
If you haven't used our Policyholder Online Services before, we will first need to post you an authorisation code. Click here to request your authorisation code.
The cash-in value of your policy is available on our Policyholder Online Services .
If you haven't used our Policyholder Online Services before, we will first need to post you an authorisation code. Click here to request your authorisation code.
You may have to pay tax on the withdrawal depending on the withdrawal amount, the withdrawal method and your personal tax circumstances. We highly recommend you discuss taking a withdrawal from your policy with your financial adviser. We can’t give you tax advice. The tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in future. All references to taxation are based on our understanding of current taxation law and practice in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which may change.
No. Where you are switching between our internal fund range, we do not currently charge for this but reserve the right to do so in the future.
You can find out about the charges that apply to your Secure Capital policy here. How much we charge depends on the guarantee(s) you’ve selected, your choice of funds and when the bond was taken out. Your 'Policy schedule' will clearly show what guarantee options you chose. Please note that our policy conditions allow us to change our charges in certain conditions. To find out the charges that apply to your bond, you should first check the number that appears on 'Your policy conditions' booklet and then view the details below corresponding to the number.
Secure Capital (Policy Conditions 1.0)
Secure Capital (Policy Conditions 2.2)
Secure Capital (Policy Conditions 3.0 & 4.0)
How much we charge depends on the guarantee(s) you’ve selected, your choice of funds and when your bond was taken out. Your policy schedule will clearly show what guarantee options you chose. Please note that our policy conditions allow us to change our charges in certain conditions.
To find out the charges that apply to your bond, you should first check the number that appears on 'Your policy conditions' booklet and then view the details below corresponding to the number.
Secure Income (Policy Conditions 1)
Secure Income (Policy Conditions 2)
Secure Income (Policy Conditions 3.0 & 4.0)
You can find out about the charges that apply to your Secure Lifetime Income plan here. How much we charge depends on the guarantee(s) you’ve selected, your choice of funds and also when your plan was taken out. Your 'Policy schedule' will clearly show what guarantee options you chose. Please note that our policy conditions allow us to change our charges in certain conditions. To find out the charges that apply to your plan, you should first check the number that appears on 'Your policy conditions' booklet and then view the details below corresponding to the number.
Secure Lifetime Income (Policy Conditions 1.0 - 4.0)
Secure Lifetime Income (Policy Conditions 5)
Secure Lifetime Income (Policy Conditions 6)
Secure Lifetime Income (Policy Conditions 7)
Secure Lifetime Income (Policy Conditions 8)
You can find out the charges that apply to your Secure Trustee Investment plan here. How much we charge depends on the guarantee(s) you’ve selected, your choice of funds and when your plan was taken out. Your ‘Policy schedule’ will clearly show what guarantee options you chose. Please note that our policy conditions allow us to change our charges in certain conditions. To find out the charges that apply to your plan, you should first check the number that appears on 'Your policy conditions' booklet and then view the details below corresponding to the number.
Secure Trustee Investment (Policy Conditions 1)
Secure Trustee Investment (Policy Conditions 2)
Secure Trustee Investment (Policy Conditions 3)
Secure Trustee Investment (Policy Conditions 4)
We recommend that you discuss this with your financial adviser. The information below relates to products provided by Athora Ireland.
You can use our Deed of Appointment of Additional Trustees Form.
You will also have to complete our Policyholder Details Form.
It is important to note that Athora Ireland does not comment on the validity of instructions. It is the responsibility of the trustees to ensure their instructions are in line with the trust provisions.
For trusts set up in Scotland, please use the Changing Trustees Form.
We recommend that you discuss this with your financial adviser. You can use our Changing Trustee Form.
We have a range of trusts available. We recommend that you discuss these trust options, and which may be appropriate to your personal circumstances with your financial adviser. Trusts establish legal rights and entitlements and might have material financial and tax implications for the settlor, trustees and beneficiaries. Athora Ireland is not authorised to provide legal advice, so you should take your own legal advice before setting up a trust, to make sure that it meets your requirements. Our trusts have been drafted for use by UK domiciled individuals.
Yes. If you were habitually resident in the UK when the contract started you'll be covered by the provisions of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the UK. Insurance business is generally covered for 100% of the current value of the bond or plan, without limit.
Yes. Policyholder assets are ring fenced and only available to policyholders if we were to wind up.
Athora Ireland is part of the Athora Group. Athora Ireland is authorised by the Central Bank of Ireland and is subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority for the conduct of UK business. As well as having strong internal controls, we operate within both the Irish and European regulatory framework covering the following key elements to help protect your investments:
Yes, there is an independent custodian for most of our policyholder assets. A custodian is a person(s) or organisation who is responsible for the safekeeping of assets. Although there is no requirement for Athora Ireland to appoint a third party custodian, we use one to hold most of our policyholder assets.
Policyholders are treated as super-preferential creditors ahead of all creditors under the European Communities (Insurance and Reinsurance) Regulations 2015.
A LEI isn’t required by the trustees or an entity where they only hold an Athora Ireland bond. The assets being managed are our assets not the trust or entity’s assets. If the trustees or entity also invest outside of the bond wrapper they potentially would require a LEI depending on what they invest in, and the trustees or entity should speak to their financial adviser or investment manager about whether a LEI is required.
If the trust needs a LEI, the trust would have to fund it directly. Where it own an Athora Ireland bond, it could take a bond withdrawal but would have to bear in mind any tax consequences of doing this.
All references to taxation are based on our understanding of current taxation law and practice in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which may change.
The Common Reporting Standard for Automatic Exchange of Financial Account Information (CRS) is a global tax compliance measure designed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to combat tax evasion. The Irish Government has amended its laws to implement CRS. Since 1 January 2016, Athora Ireland has been obliged to report specific information to Irish Revenue about reportable persons who aren’t resident in Ireland for tax purposes. By reportable persons we mean:
Irish Revenue will then, in turn, exchange this information with the relevant tax authorities. We’re required to submit an annual CRS report to Irish Revenue by 30 June every year.
Please see our Protecting your personal information leaflet and revenue.ie for further details.
What this means for policyholders
Athora Ireland is obliged to determine jurisdictions of tax residence and taxpayer identification numbers for our policyholders. We share this information with Irish Revenue. In order to for us to comply with our obligations, you must complete and return our Self-certification declaration.
Please also complete our Self-certification declaration should there be a change to your details.
FATCA is a United States (US) law designed to tackle tax evasion by US citizens living outside the US. FATCA now applies in Ireland. This means that Irish financial institutions (including Athora Ireland) are obliged to determine whether their customers have a US connection and report to the Irish Revenue Commissioners, on an annual basis, customers who are or who might be US citizens and / or US tax residents.
Aegon Ireland's Global Intermediary Identification Number is YJ60CN/00003/ME/372.
All references to taxation are based on our understanding of current taxation law and practice in the United Kingdom and Ireland, which may change.
What does this mean for new business applicants?
The means that during the new business process, we're obliged to check whether an applicant has a U.S. connection. We do this through declarations in our application forms. If a U.S. connection is confirmed to us, we can't proceed with the application.
What does this mean for existing policyholders?
For existing business, we're required to carry out checks where we've reason to believe an existing policy has a possible U.S. connection. If a U.S. connection is confirmed to us, or if we don't receive a response to checks we carry out, we're obliged to include this policy in our annual report to the Irish Revenue Commissioners.
Need more information?
You can get more information on FATCA by contacting a financial adviser or alternatively, by visiting the website of the Irish Revenue Commissioners at www.revenue.ie
Athora Ireland's LEI number is 549300AIPJCQZNY2IH15.
1. Tell all of your banks and other financial institutions
Where possible, ask them to close any accounts that have been used fraudulently and open new ones for you in their place.
Otherwise, ask them to apply additional security to all of your accounts, as fraudsters will often make multiple attempts at accessing accounts.
2. Report the incident to the police
This can be done by contacting Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud and internet crime reporting centre. Be sure to follow their instructions.
Their website also includes information and advice on many types of fraud and scams.
3. Take steps to prevent further incidents
Contact a credit rating company (such as Experian®) and ask them to flag your credit report. That way, any future transactions will have to be verified with you.
Use the CIFAS Protective Registration service. They in turn will flag your personal file so that when a CIFAS member company receives an application in your name, they’ll conduct extra checks to ensure the application is genuine.
Learn more about fraud prevention
There are a number of organisations and websites dedicated to helping consumers and businesses to prevent fraud. Some useful examples are given below:
Identity theft is when someone takes your personal information without your permission and uses it to commit fraud. This personal information may include your name, date of birth or National Insurance number.
Identity theft is a growing problem, largely due to more widespread use of information technology – including internet and email. Once your identity is stolen, criminals may use this to withdraw money from your bank accounts and investments, or run up large debts in your name. As well as the financial loss involved, victims of identity theft can often find that they’re left with a damaged reputation and ruined credit which can take some time to be put right.
For example, criminals could use this information to do the following in your name:
1. Keep your information private
2. Ensure your internet connection and computer are secure
3. Be careful sharing your personal information
4. Remain vigilant
Athora Ireland plc is closely monitoring Brexit negotiations for the potential impacts on our business, particularly for our UK policyholders. We have also considered the various Brexit scenarios, the resulting risks, and the ensuing impact on our business and policyholders. Once we learn more about what the Brexit deal will actually look like, and what it will mean for our business and our policyholders, we will provide a further update here. For now, there are no impacts to the business or to policies, and it is business as usual.