Prudential

Pension providers must improve service to customers taking out annuities, says a Prudential-hosted panel.

The transfer of £1.8bn worth of with-profits annuity policies from Equitable Life to Prudential has been approved by the High Court.

Prudential will outsource 3,000 staff to outsourcing company Capita in a proposed 15-year agreement.

Prudential has launched an Absolute Discounted Gift Trust to help investors with inheritance tax (IHT) planning.

Prudential's UK sales fell 20% to £529m in the first nine months of 2007, according to the provider's interim results.

An eleventh-hour bid to encourage Equitable Life with-profit annuitants to vote in favour of transferring their policies to Prudential will do little to quell scepticism over the move.

Equitable Life is preparing to write to its 400,000 policyholders ahead of a vote on whether it should transfer 50,000 holders of with-profits annuities to Prudential.

Prudential UK has appointed Gerry Brown as tax and trust manager, providing technical guidance and specialist support to advisers.

The UK's pension crisis will grow worse unless action is taken now, warns a panel of industry experts at a meeting hosted by Prudential.

Prudential distribution director David Harris has left the firm for personal reason, it has been confirmed.