Bank of Ireland Life Provides Cautious Investors with Solid Investment Opportunitites

Bank of Ireland Life today (9th June 2009) announces the launch of Secure Advantage 3 and Secure Plus 3, two capital protected investment products. These two investment offerings are designed to ensure that cautious investors can take advantage of any future market recovery without putting their original capital at risk.

According to a recent survey conducted with over 160 Investor Advisers*, customers are continuing to adopt a more risk averse investment strategy. But this change in attitude should not mean that cautious investors cannot benefit from any future market recovery. With Secure Advantage 3 and Secure Plus 3 cautious investors are provided with a real investment solution that provides them with a way to participate in any future market recovery with the safety of knowing that, even if markets go down while they are invested, at a minimum they will receive back the money they originally invested at the end of the investment term.

1) Secure Advantage 3:
Secure Advantage 3 offers investors the potential for growth with 100% security of their original investment at the end of the term of the investment (five-year, eleven-months). SecureAdvantage 3 works by actively, and automatically, managing market volatility, increasing an investor's exposure to equity based indices if markets are stable while reducing an investor's exposure if markets are suffering short and sharp movements. At maturity, investors will receive back at a minimum, the amount originally invested.

2) Secure Plus 3:
Secure Plus 3 also provides investors with good growth potential and the comfort of 100% capital security at the end of the investment term. Secure Plus 3 will appeal to investors looking for a shorter-term investment, with a 3 year 11 month investment term.

Commenting on the launches, Brian Grimes, Head of Investments, Bank of Ireland Life said;

"After many months of bad news and seemingly relentless declines in stock markets, March and April saw a significant rally in stock markets. People hear talk of "green shoots" of recovery and begin to wonder are there opportunities to invest. On the other hand, we have seen false dawns before and investors are rightfully cautious about plunging into equities. The nature of investment is such that opportunities, when they exist, pass by those who wait for certainty. With these new investment offerings, we believe we are offering cautious investors the possibility to take advantage of today's and future market opportunities but knowing that risks are minimised in that their original investment is 100% protected at the end of the investment term."

*The Bank of Ireland Life Investor Sentiment Index surveys over 160 Investment Advisers working across 265 Bank of Ireland branches nationwide.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Key Features of Secure Advantage 3:

• The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland provides Bank of Ireland Life with the 100% Capital Security. This 100% Capital Security applies only on the maturity date.
• Diversified equity investment - an equity investment that tracks five leading global indices (Eurostoxx 50, S&P 500, FTSE 100, Nikkei 225, and MSCI Emerging Markets)
• Dynamic investment strategy:
  
  • In times of high volatility - exposure to equities will fall
  • In times of low volatility - exposure to equities will rise
• Term: 5 years 11 months.
• Minimum Investment: €5,000.
• An option exists to fully encash on 3rd anniversary. It will be 90% of the amount originally invested or the market value of the policy, whichever amount is greater, that will determine the amount paid back. The 100% capital security applies only at the maturity date.
• The fund will close to investment on 23rd July 2009.
• Protected Return - returns are based on the closing values of the above indices over the final 12 months of the investment term. This protects investors from any last minute falls in markets as investors approach the maturity date. However, reducing risk in this way may adversely impact performance should markets rise just before maturity.

Key Features of Secure Plus 3:

• The Governor and Company of the Bank of Ireland provides Bank of Ireland Life with the 100% Capital Security. This 100% Capital Security applies only on the maturity date.
• Highly Diversified - 3 distinct asset classes which span across 3 continents, offering an attractive diversified investment portfolio:
  40% - Equities: 37.5% S&P 500, 37.5% DJ Eurostoxx 50, 25% Nikkei 225
  25% - Bonds: iBoxx Euro Index Eurozone Bonds
  35% - Commodities: Tracks the performance of the Dow Jones AIG Commodity Index
• Term: 3 years 11 months
• Minimum Investment: €5,000
• Investors will benefit from 60% of any growth, subject to a maximum potential return of 33%. Subject to life assurance tax. This means the maximum annual return an investor could receive before tax is 7.6% p.a. It is important to note that this is not a promised return and that the actual return (if any) that an investor will receive is dependent on investment growth.
• The fund will close to investment on 17th July 2009.
• No partial or full encashments allowed during the policy term
• Protected Return - the return is averaged over the first 6 months and the last 6 months to help shield from any sudden drops in value at the start and the end of your fund term. However it should be noted that if the value of the basket of indices increases during these periods then the return will be reduced.

Sharon McDonnell
Group Consumer Communications Manager
Bank of Ireland
Tel: 01 604 3750
Mob: 087 226 9324

Brenda Tobin
Investment Marketing Manager
Bank of Ireland Life
Tel: 01 617 2711

Warning: If you cash in your SecureAdvantage 3 investment before 30th June 2015 you may lose some of the money you put in.

Warning: For Secure Plus 3 you cannot choose to cash in your investment before 24th June 2013.

Warning: The value of investments may go down as well as up.

Warning: This product may be affected by changes in currency exchange rates.

Terms and conditions apply. Where relevant, life assurance tax applies. While great care has been taken in its preparation, this document is of a general nature and should not be relied on in relation to a specific issue without taking appropriate financial, insurance, investment or other professional advice. The content of this document is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any investment or to subscribe to any investment management or advisory service. If there is any conflict between this document and the Policy Conditions, the Policy Conditions will apply. Please note that mention of specific stocks/shares or investments is not a recommendation to trade in those stocks/shares or investments.

New Ireland Assurance Company plc trading as Bank of Ireland Life is regulated by the Financial Regulator and is a member of the Bank of Ireland Group.