The unit-linked guarantee, titled Secure Advantage+, allows customers to choose a minimum guaranteed income for life that can be turned on and off. This will allow them to take more income at the beginning of retirement, when they may be more active.
Secure Advantage+ holders will have the option to choose different investment strategies according to their attitude to risk.
They can also add a death benefit to their plan to give named beneficiaries the full value of their drawdown plan, minus any withdrawals taken over the policyholder’s lifetime.
The product will form part of the company’s soon-to-be-launched retirement portfolio service.
The pension changes announced in last year’s Budget by chancellor George Osborne removed the requirement for an annuity, allowing someone reaching 55 to take out their entire pension pot at once. The changes will be enforced from 6 April this year.
David Thompson, managing director of proposition and business development at Axa Wealth, said the demand for unit-linked guarantees will increase over the coming year as pension reforms allow more opportunity for flexible products.
Simon Smallcombe, global director of distribution at Axa Life Invest, added: “The old days of a one size fits all solution are well and truly over for both advisers and their clients.
“New sophisticated approaches focused on combining different solutions to best suit investors’ individual needs can only results in better outcomes in retirement.”
In November, Axa Wealth International revealed plans to launch a non-contractual offshore bond targeting the younger “income rich, capital poor” demographic.
