About
Bourse Life & Pensions Ltd (“Bourse Life”) is a specialist provider of tailored, regulated single premium investment-linked life insurance and pension-based wealth solutions for high net worth individuals and their families.
As a wholly owned subsidiary of Bourse Group, one of Guernsey’s leading independent fiduciary groups with assets under administration in excess of xxx billion, we bring extensive experience in delivering tax-efficient wealth planning strategies.
Our Board and wider management team possess deep expertise across a broad range of financial services. Combined with our exceptional in-house support and the collaboration of trusted professional intermediaries, this enables us to build lasting relationships and respond swiftly to the evolving economic landscape.
Our independence allows us to work seamlessly alongside clients’ existing professional advisers, ensuring that our tailored structures integrate effectively with their wider wealth planning arrangements.
We have significant experience supporting individuals, families and corporates with regulated financial services, from straightforward arrangements to complex high net worth structures.
Bourse Group and its subsidiaries are licensed and regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission to provide financial services.
Guernsey is a self-governing British Crown Dependency and one of the world’s leading international financial centres.
The island has a strong constitutional and legislative framework, underpinned by a commitment to high regulatory standards and global best practice. It was among the first offshore jurisdictions to introduce specific regulation for pension providers and pension scheme rules.
Guernsey has 15 full double taxation agreements in place, most notably with the Isle of Man, Jersey, Luxembourg, Mauritius, Malta and the United Kingdom.
Approved Guernsey life and pensions policies owned by non-residents can accumulate and decumulate free of all Guernsey taxes.
Bourse Life & Pensions Limited (Company Number 58464) is regulated by the Guernsey Financial Services Commission to carry on long-term insurance business pursuant to the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002, as amended.
Working alongside clients’ professional advisers, trustees and administrators, we design tailored products within the prescribed regulatory framework to enhance, protect and preserve wealth.
Our investment-linked policies offer a simple, well-regulated and tax-efficient way to support succession planning for high net worth individuals and their families. Unlike many international life offices that take a standardised approach, we do not believe in a one-size-fits-all design. Each policy is crafted to reflect the unique circumstances and objectives of the client.
In addition to tailoring policy terms and benefits, we can usually offer clients and their advisers the ability to select both the investment custodian and the underlying investments, provided these are suitable to be held on our balance sheet and do not give rise to widely recognised adverse tax consequences, such as highly personalised bonds and annuities in the UK.
Our charging structure is fully transparent. We do not accept hidden commissions, and we agree initial and ongoing fees individually with each client and their adviser based on time spent and the value provided. Our ownership structure allows us to operate free from the restrictive profitability and sales targets often found within larger life offices.
In essence, we provide bespoke life and pension tax wrappers, giving clients access to straightforward, well-understood and regulated tax-efficient solutions designed around their needs.
Guernsey-registered international life and pensions insurers writing long-term business are required to comply with the island’s policyholder protection framework.
These requirements include the appointment of a Guernsey-based trustee, who in turn appoints a custodian to hold the company’s assets. Assets representing at least 90% of policyholder liabilities must be held in trust to ensure the highest level of client protection.
Full details of the Guernsey policyholder protection requirements are contained within the standard condition imposed under Section 12 of the Law on the licences of companies writing long-term business. A copy of this standard condition can be found in the Documents and Forms section of the Guernsey Financial Services Commission website.
Effective Governance and Management
As a licensed fiduciary in Guernsey, the Bourse Life Board and senior management are required to take all reasonable steps to ensure that all employees act with integrity and professionalism to avoid any material damage to:
(a) the licensee’s reputation
(b) the licensee’s financial position
The Board must also act to protect the reputation of the Bailiwick as an international finance centre and ensure that effective policies, procedures and controls are in place to meet all regulatory obligations. These requirements are set out under the Regulation of Fiduciaries, Administration Businesses and Company Directors, etc. (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, together with all other relevant legislation and associated rules.
Our Capital Adequacy
Under the Insurance Business (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law 2002, the Guernsey Financial Services Commission sets regulatory solvency standards through the Prescribed Capital Requirement (PCR) and the Minimum Capital Requirement (MCR) as outlined in the Insurance Business (Solvency) Rules 2015.
The MCR must be no less than the Capital Floor, which for a licensed insurer carrying on long-term business is £250,000.
Bourse Life’s PCR, calculated using the Standard Formula specified in the Rules, was £287,778 (2022: £266,275). The Solvency Ratio at the 2023 year end was 498% (2022: 498%), representing shareholder funds of £1,432,682 (2022: £1,328,822) divided by the PCR of £287,778 (2022: £266,275).
Bourse Life writes only linked business and assumes no insurance or market risk. The company takes no credit for future profits when assessing its capital resources, ensuring that all solvency calculations are fully prudent and transparent.
Your Wealth. Our Expertise.
Get in touch to discuss how we can support your life and pension planning needs.