Standard Life Assurance Ltd and Standard Life International dac response to COVID-19

Led by our senior leadership team, we are using our established business continuity framework to manage our response. We acted quickly to mobilise our employees and enable them to work from home. Alongside our priority critical services, we are continuing to provide non-critical services too.

We will make all efforts to continue to provide a responsive service and we continue to work closely with our strategic partners, including Standard Life Aberdeen, to ensure their arrangements are aligned. Our priority continues to be keeping our employees safe, whilst ensuring continuity of service for advisers and their clients.

We have slightly amended the opening hours for some of our phone lines and have updated the information on our Adviserzone contact us page.

There are many transactions which can be completed online for a range of our key Individual and Workplace products. If you’re not already registered, you can register online.

You can quote, apply, trade and alter certain client records online. Our online services differ by product so please use our Service Directory to guide you to the appropriate area to understand what can be done online for each of our products. Where we have online services, you will be able to link directly to that service if you're already logged in.

A list of online transactions can be found on our Service Directory on Adviserzone. These do not require wet signatures.

Offshore Bond

We have introduced series of changes to our offline International Bond processes to enable documents with signatures to be scanned and emailed to us. This is covered in more detail further down in the FAQ.

Onshore Bond

For Onshore Bond New Business we have been able to suspend the requirement for a wet ink signature and can now accept a signed scanned copy of the application form provided it is submitted by the adviser via a strongly password protected email to sippnb@standardlife.com. The original does not need to follow by post. All other BAU, Identity & Verification and Financial Crime controls will still apply. This does not apply to Trust business where a wet ink signature continues to be required.

SIPP New Business

For SIPP New Business we have an online process available to advisers. However, where the transaction cannot be completed online, the offline process dictates that a wet ink signature is required. This is in order to comply with the Relief at Source Regulations from HMRC. A customer who is new to Standard Life Assurance Limited and does not have a SIPP with us will be required to apply for tax relief and a wet signature will be required. Therefore, where a requirement for a wet ink signature exists on SIPP New Business, that requirement cannot be waived by Standard Life Assurance Limited.

Our offices are closed except to a very small number of people providing critical services, which includes ensuring all mail is scanned and cheques banked as normal, however we would ask that where possible, monies are submitted by bank transfer and any documentation is completed online.

Remember, you can contact us by email if you can’t find the answer to your query on Adviserzone.com, and you can also contact your normal Standard Life relationship contact.

Our phone lines are open and we have done our utmost to continue to deliver our services during these strained times. However, where possible we would ask that trading is conducted online or via email.

Yes, we remain committed to delivering our usual service to advisers and customers. You can also visit our market volatility page which will be kept up to date with a list of suspended funds.

Our email contact details for the International Bond are:

• New Business – new_business_team@standardlife.ie
• Trades – dealing@standardlife.ie
• All other queries (incl. monies out) – service@standardlife.ie

Where we have introduced temporary measures to allow for documents to be scanned and emailed please remember the importance of securing customer data before sending it to us.

To phone us, please call 0345 300 4273 (9am-5pm Mon-Fri)

You can scan and email new business application forms to new_business_team@standardlife.ie

Bonds can be activated based on the scanned copy but the original must follow by post or future transactions on the bond will be restricted. This restriction includes, but is not limited to withdrawals, partial cash-ins and assignments.

Where certified AML is available this can be scanned to us at new_business_team@standardlife.ie

Where certified AML isn’t available – we will carry out an online verification check using “Call Validate”

• If Call Validate check is a “pass” – no further AML is required.
• If Call Validate check is a “fail” – certified AML will be required. We can accept uncertified scanned copies with the certified copies to follow at a later date. Transactions on the bond will be restricted until AML requirements are met in full. This restriction includes, but is not limited to withdrawals, partial cash-ins and assignments.

We can work with scanned copies of fully executed documents at new business stage with originals or original certified copies to follow.

Where you have switching authority you can trade online using Client View which is accessed via Adviserzone.com

If the request is coming from your client this can be accepted by:

• Phone (call from all policyholders) to 0345 300 4273. Once security checks are complete, the request can be accepted over the phone.
• Signed instruction can be scanned and emailed to dealing@standardlife.ie

This can be accepted by phone (call from all policyholders) to 0345 300 4273. Once security checks are complete, the request can be accepted over the phone.

Signed instruction can be scanned and emailed to service@standardlife.ie

Payment must be made to an account previously used or verified. If paying to a new account and certified account verification isn't available we can use “Call Validate” to verify the account.

• If this is a “pass”, no further account verification is required.
• If this is a “fail”, then we will need account verification. For part surrenders, we can work with uncertified account verification to make payment. We will require the certified copy to be received before full surrender.

We can begin processing with a scanned uncertified copy of the death certificate.

Additionally, we do accept adviser confirmation of death to begin the process.

No monies will be paid out until the original or certified copy of the death certificate along with grant of probate (where required) is received.

Requests can be emailed to service@standardlife.ie

Where a client authority is required, the signed instruction can be scanned and emailed to service@standardlife.ie

Client instructions can also be accepted by phone (call from all policyholders) to 0345 300 4273. Once security checks are complete, the request can be accepted over the phone.

Original or original certified copies of assignment deeds are required before we can change the ownership.

For assignments to trust, we can accept scanned copies of the trust deed if monies aren't being paid out at this time, but originals must follow at a later date or transactions on the bond will be restricted. This includes, but is not limited to withdrawals and partial cash-ins.