Evolution is a regular contribution savings plan from Investors Trust, an international life insurer that sells through financial advisers. It offers terms from 5 to 25 years, a choice of three currencies and a loyalty bonus that is paid only to people who complete the plan. This page explains how it works, what it charges, what the bonus really depends on and what happens if you stop.
It is general information for UK expats, not personal advice. The figures come from Investors Trust’s Evolution product profile, version 2025-01. The profile is a summary and some of its charge tables are hard to read in the copy we reviewed, so every figure is marked for checking against your own policy documents.
This guide sits under our section on regular savings plans for expats. You can see every plan we cover on our expat savings plan reviews page.
Investors Trust Evolution at a glance
| Feature | Summary |
|---|---|
| Provider | Investors Trust Assurance SPC, Cayman Islands, regulated by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Rated A- (Excellent) by AM Best |
| Status | . Not available to US citizens or residents, or to Cayman Islands residents |
| Terms | 5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years |
| Currencies | USD, EUR and GBP |
| Minimum contribution | 2,400 a year on the 5-year term; 1,200 a year on terms of 10 to 25 years |
| Main charges | Annual administration charges taken from initial units, a monthly policy fee and a 0.125% monthly structure fee |
| Loyalty bonus | Up to 7.5% of contributions for years 1 to 10, then 5% for later five-year blocks. Not available on terms under 10 years |
| Early exit | Surrender charge equal to the remaining administration charges |
| Death benefit | 101% of account value |
What is Investors Trust Evolution?
Evolution is a regular contribution plan. You choose a term, a currency and a contribution, and the money is invested in funds from a range that Investors Trust publishes on its website. There is no guaranteed return and the value can go down as well as up. Up to two applicants can hold one policy.
Investors Trust also runs an S&P 500 index-linked plan with a different structure. Read our Investors Trust S&P 500 plan review.
Who it may suit, and who it may not
It may suit you if:
- You are confident you can pay every contribution on time for 10 years or more.
- You do not expect to cut your contribution or take money out before the bonus is paid.
- You want a lower minimum contribution than many regular plans require.
It may not suit you if:
- You might need to reduce payments or withdraw money, because either can cancel the loyalty bonus.
- You want to pause payments, because the profile does not describe a pause option.
- You want monthly payments and do not have a credit card or a US bank account for direct debit.
How the plan works
The initial period. For the first part of the plan your contributions buy initial units, which fund the annual administration charges. Afterwards they buy accumulation units, which fund the policy fee, the structure fee and other charges. The length of the initial period depends on the term.
| Term | Initial period |
|---|---|
| 5 years | 3.42 months |
| 10 years | 12.54 months |
| 15 years | 15.27 months |
| 20 years | 19.05 months |
| 25 years | 23.88 months |
Allocation. Larger annual contributions receive extra allocation: 100% from 1,200 to 1,799 a year, 101% from 1,800, 102% from 3,600, 103% from 5,400, 104% from 7,200 and 105% from 13,500.
Paying in. You can pay monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly, or prepay up to three annual payments in a plan year. Monthly payments are available only by credit card or by direct debit from a US bank account. The grace period for late payments is 90 days. Payment method and frequency can be changed at no cost.
Funds. Investors Trust offers a wide range of funds, with prices and listings on its website. The first 15 fund transfers in each policy year are free, and extra transfers cost 22 dollars or euros, or 15 pounds, each. Transfers must be made online.
Charges explained
| Charge | How it works |
|---|---|
| Annual administration charges | A percentage of total premiums due, taken from initial units at their purchase cost. The profile lists 1.9% for years 1 to 10 and 0.35% from year 11. The layout is unclear, so confirm this against the full terms |
| Policy fee | 7.00 dollars or euros, or 4.50 pounds, a month, taken from accumulation units |
| Structure fee | 0.125% a month of account value, about 1.5% a year |
| Spread on top-ups | 7% on excess premiums. No spread on regular contributions |
| Extra fund transfers | After 15 free transfers a year: 22 dollars or euros, or 15 pounds each |
| Printed documents | 50 dollars or euros, or 40 pounds. Electronic delivery is automatic |
| Fund charges | Set by each fund and built into its price |
What this means. The structure fee alone is about 1.5% of the account value every year for as long as the plan runs, and the policy fee is a fixed monthly cost that matters more on small plans. Independent reviews add the administration and structure charges together and put the combined cost at about 3.4% a year in the first decade and about 1.85% afterwards, before fund charges. That is a reading of the figures above, not a figure from Investors Trust. The administration charges are taken as a percentage of total premiums due, so they are set from the start, whatever the funds do. Fund charges come on top. Ask for the total cost over the term, in money.
Adviser fees. The profile does not describe adviser charges. Any fee your adviser takes is separate and should be shown to you in writing.
The loyalty bonus
The loyalty bonus is the main attraction, and the conditions are strict. It is not available on terms under 10 years. To qualify you must pay every contribution within the grace period, with no decrease in contributions and no partial withdrawals.
| Contribution years | Bonus | Credited |
|---|---|---|
| Years 1 to 10 | 7.5% of contributions | End of year 10 |
| Years 11 to 15 | 5% of contributions | End of year 15 |
| Years 16 to 20 | 5% of contributions | End of year 20 |
| Years 21 to 25 | 5% of contributions | End of year 25 |
The bonus is paid for by the plan’s charges. If you cut your contribution or take money out, the profile says free withdrawals reduce the bonus. A bonus that depends on never missing a payment for ten years is a real condition, not a small print detail.
Surrender, withdrawals and stopping
Full surrender. Allowed after the initial period. The surrender charge equals the administration charges that would have been taken over the rest of the premium term. The longer the term left, the bigger the charge. Ask for a written surrender value for your policy.
Partial withdrawals. Allowed after the initial period, provided the surrender value stays at or above 1,200. They reduce the loyalty bonus.
Reducing contributions. Possible after the initial period, subject to the minimum.
Missed payments and lapse. The policy lapses if contributions are not paid in the initial period, or if accumulation units run out. It can be reinstated within two years of the lapse date, by paying past-due contributions and charges. The profile does not describe a pause option, so ask before you assume you can stop temporarily.
Death benefit and security
The death benefit is 101% of account value. The benefit ends if required contributions are not paid within the grace period and the policy cannot be reinstated. Investors Trust has an AM Best financial strength rating of A- (Excellent). Ask which compensation scheme applies to your policy and what it covers.
Tax for UK expats
Tax depends on where you are resident when you surrender, withdraw or die, and countries treat offshore plans differently. If you return to the UK, gains can be taxed as chargeable event gains, which can be significant. See our guides to offshore investment bonds and inheritance tax for UK expats.
Evolution, Evolution Plus and Evolution Select
Investors Trust sells Evolution in three versions, and independent reviewers stress that they are very different. This page covers the standard contractual Evolution plan, which is the one described in the product profile above. The other two are, according to the reviews we read:
- Evolution Plus has no administration charge, a structure fee of about 1.92% a year and a surrender charge in year one only.
- Evolution Select has a 1.0% administration charge over five years, a 1.5% structure fee and surrender charges of 4%, 3%, 2% and 1% before falling to nil from year five.
Plus and Select are aimed at larger contributions, with minimums reported at around 12,000 a year, and they do not carry the loyalty bonus. If you were sold Evolution, find out which version you hold, because the charges, the exit costs and the bonus conditions differ. Confirm each point with Investors Trust or your policy schedule.
How Evolution compares with other plans
Evolution puts its weight on a loyalty bonus for completing long terms, with lower minimum contributions than many rivals. Others use starter bonuses or lower charges instead. Compare it with the RL360 Regular Savings Plan, Zurich Vista and FPI Premier Advance, and ask for total cost in money and exit values at years 1, 5 and 10 for each.
Questions to ask before you start
- What will I pay in total, in money, including adviser fees?
- What exactly are the administration charges for my term?
- What do I get back if I stop after one, two, five and ten years?
- What happens to the bonus if I miss a payment or take money out?
- Can I pause payments?
- Which compensation scheme applies to my policy?
Investors Trust Evolution: frequently asked questions
1. Is Evolution still available?
It depends on your country and the provider’s current range.
2. What terms can I choose?
5, 10, 15, 20 or 25 years.
3. Which currencies are available?
US dollars, euros and pounds.
4. What is the minimum I can pay?
2,400 a year on the 5-year term and 1,200 a year on terms of 10 to 25 years.
5. How does the loyalty bonus work?
It is a percentage of contributions credited at the end of year 10, 15, 20 and 25, and only if every contribution is paid on time with no reductions or partial withdrawals.
6. What happens if I stop paying?
The policy lapses if contributions stop in the initial period. After it, you can reduce contributions or surrender. Surrender carries a charge equal to the remaining administration charges.
7. Can I take money out?
Yes, after the initial period, as long as the surrender value stays above 1,200. Withdrawals reduce the loyalty bonus.
8. Can I switch funds?
Yes. The first 15 transfers in a policy year are free.
9. Should I move to a different plan?
Only if the figures clearly support it. A new plan starts a new term and new front-loaded charges.
10. Can you review my Evolution plan?
Yes. Send us your latest statement and policy documents and we will set out the costs and your options.
Get your Evolution plan reviewed
If you hold Evolution or are being offered it, we can show you the real cost, your exit position at each stage and the alternatives. Request a callback and we will arrange a time that suits your time zone.