Looking for an alternative home for your savings?

Over the last number of years, strong, positive investment market returns, coupled with record low interest rates for money held on deposit, has seen many people taking a little more risk by investing some of their money in order to increase their chance of making a better return*. 

Historically, saving on deposit in banks has often been considered a safe option, however it also means that your return on investment is often quite low. 

While savings on deposit will give you a predictable, low rate of interest, you only get a little extra on top of what you put in. But when you take some additional risk and invest your money in a fund, that little extra on top, can become a lot extra. Funds aim to grow your savings faster than interest rates offered by regular savings on deposit. 

Cash is considered safe because the amount of money in your bank deposit will never fall. However, in real terms, the value of your money on deposit can fall. This happens when inflation is high. High inflation means the price of goods increase. If you have money saved in a bank and have it ear marked for a future purpose, high inflation could mean that when you go to spend the money, the item that you are purchasing may be more expensive than what you put aside for it. Therefore, investing in funds is a common strategy used to try to prevent the value of your money being eroded by inflation. 

How do Zurich’s investment plans compare to bank deposit accounts? 

At Zurich we have a range of funds to suit whether you’re a regular saver, lump sum investor, or both. 

You can watch your savings grow over time by putting an amount away regularly in a Regular Savings Plan. Your savings are invested in a range of investment funds depending on your risk profile. 

The Investment Bond for lump sum investors is suitable if you have a lump sum of money to invest, such as an inheritance or existing savings. Your money can be invested in Zurich’s range of investment funds including the risk rated Prisma Funds. 

If you have a lump sum to invest and would like to continue to make regular contributions over time, Zurich’s Special Savings Plus plan offers you the best of both worlds. 

We also have an Investment Growth Calculator which will give you an idea of what your savings could grow to over a specific time and the funds you can invest in. 

You can choose the risk level of your funds. You can find funds with steady consistent growth, and funds that offer more potential for higher long-term gains. The higher the potential for growth however, the riskier the fund. Your investment can always go up or down. 

With careful management, you can build a portfolio of funds geared towards your goals. Because unlike a deposit account, you have control over how your money is invested and how hard you want it to work. 

The key features and benefits include: 

• It’s a medium to long-term investment option for your savings. Ideally you should consider it for seven years or longer.
• You can keep track of how your savings are performing at any time by logging on to Zurich’s online Client Centre.
• Save regularly from as little as €100 per month. The minimum amount needed to put into an investment bond is €5,000.
• Option to vary the regular payments if required and to make a once-off lump-sum injection.
• Excellent investment fund choices to suit your risk appetite.
• You can switch and move between a range of investment funds.
• Options available for you to access your money when you need it.

Zurich investment performance 

Zurich has been meeting the financial needs of people in Ireland for over 40 years. The Investment Provider and Pension Provider Excellence Awards from Brokers Ireland, and the Fund Management Company of the Year at the Financial Services Awards in 2024 are just some of the recent awards we have won**. Receiving these awards is recognition of the strength of our investment products and shows the consistency of our strong investment performance, delivered by our in-house investment management team. 

Our investment team, based in Blackrock, Co. Dublin, is responsible for funds under management of approximately €39.6 billion***. Over the past 10 years, our popular Prisma 3, 4 and 5 Funds have outperformed the market average and delivered positive returns****. 

Why choose Zurich for your investments? 

You might think that investing is complicated, but it is a lot more straightforward than you think. At Zurich we are here to help guide you on your journey so you can make the right decisions for you. Our beginners guide to investing can help you figure out how much you can afford to save, the investment options available and how to choose the right investment funds for you. 

Organising your investments might seem like a major task, so it’s easy to keep putting it off. But once you get started, you’ll find it is quite straightforward. Of course, you don’t have to do it alone. Sound advice is invaluable, so it’s a good idea to seek advice from a financial broker or advisor who can guide you through the process and help you select the right investment funds for your circumstances. 

Contact Zurich Find a broker in your local area Apply online for a regular savings plan

The information contained herein is based on Zurich's understanding of current Revenue practice as at 1st January 2025 and may change in the future.  

*Generally speaking, over the medium to long term, higher risk investments offer the potential for higher returns compared with lower risk investments.  Over the period the Prisma 4 Fund has shown savings both up and down in price compared with the Bank Deposit which shows straight line growth, but the investor has been rewarded for this risk through a higher return.  The capital in a Bank Deposit account is normally secure.

Sources:

**Investment Excellence Award, Brokers Ireland, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014.No awards held in 2020. Pension Provider Excellence Award, Brokers Ireland, 2024, 2023, 2022. Fund Management Company of the Year 2024 Award, Business and Finance Financial Services Awards. Life Assurance and Pensions of the Year, InBUSINESS Recognition Awards, 2024.

***Zurich, 30th September 2024. 

****Zurich and MoneyMate, August 2024. Prisma 3 Fund has 3.7% annualised returns over 10 years, compared to a market average of 2.8%. Prisma 4 Fund has 7.2% annualised returns over 10 years, compared to a market average of 5.6%. Prisma 5 Fund has 10.2% annualised returns over 10 years, compared to a market average of 8.0%. The constituents of the Market Average are multi-asset funds available from Life Company peers in the Irish market (Irish Life Assurance Company, Standard Life Assurance Company, New Ireland, Aviva), which target a similar level of volatility to Prisma 4. Where a provider has multiple fund ranges we use the most prominent, and where risk targeting methodologies differ we seek to use the most comparable fund. All unit price information is sourced from Fund Focus Performance figures and based on close of markets prices 31/07/2024, based on best available information. Annual management fees apply. Returns are based on offer to offer performance and do not represent the return achieved by individual policies linked to the funds.