Traditionally, assurance covered an event certain to happen (death, under a whole of life policy) while insurance covered an event that might happen (death within a set term). Today the terms are used interchangeably; what matters is choosing the right type of policy for your needs.
A common starting point is enough to clear your mortgage and debts plus a multiple of the income your family would lose, minus cover you already have such as death-in-service benefits. The right figure depends on your dependants, their ages and your existing savings, so we calculate it properly rather than guessing.
No. Our ethical portfolios are built at the same five risk levels as our core range, from Cautious to Adventurous, using the same asset allocation discipline. Your risk profile is set first; your values then shape which investments fill it.
Look at what it holds, not what its marketing says. The FCA's sustainability labelling rules now restrict how UK funds can describe themselves, which helps, but the reliable test remains the underlying holdings, the screening methodology and the manager's voting record. Reviewing exactly this is part of our fund selection process.
Yes, and many clients start this way: for example, an ethical ISA alongside an existing pension portfolio. We will structure it so the overall blend still matches your risk profile and financial goals.
No. Our ethical portfolios are built at the same five risk levels as our core range, from Cautious to Adventurous, using the same asset allocation discipline. Your risk profile is set first; your values then shape which investments fill it.
There is no consistent evidence that ethical investing must underperform. Because ethical portfolios tilt away from sectors like oil and tobacco and towards others like technology and healthcare, their returns differ from mainstream benchmarks year to year, sometimes ahead and sometimes behind. We match ethical portfolios to your risk profile exactly as we would any [...]
Ethical investing is values-led: excluding or selecting investments to match your principles. ESG is an analytical framework that scores companies on environmental, social and governance factors, often used to manage risk as much as to express values. Most modern "ethical" funds use both, which is why understanding what a fund actually does matters more than [...]
Yes. Ask us for the latest portfolio factsheets and annual performance reports and we will talk you through them. Past performance is not a guide to future returns.
Selling a little of what has grown and topping up what has lagged, returning the portfolio to its target allocation. It keeps your risk level constant and imposes a disciplined pattern of taking profits high and buying low. We recommend rebalancing whenever your portfolio drifts materially from target.