This is a complaint about the Pearl Assurance company. 14 years ago my wife and I were told that our endowments would not achieve the said amount (The endowments are with Standard Life). So a Pearl Assurance salesman came to our house and sold us a so called GOLD PLAN which after 15 years would achieve £15000 the shortfall of our endowment. What he didn't tell us was that the premium would go up annually and what started off as £50 per month has gone up nearly 50% and is £73.50 per month, he also never mentioned there was a possibility that this wonderful GOLD PLAN would not achieve the £15000, I'm sure he must have left our house clicking his heel's with his commission in mind. I happened to be surfing the net and came across a This Pearl Assurance Forum, after reading the complaints (and there are many) i decided to look into our GOLD PLAN and 'Surprise Surprise' after my wife phoning them they tell us that the GOLD PLAN is now worth £9700 and considering we have paid in £11000 already in 14 years we have lost £1300. We have now decided to cut and run. The plan matures in October 2009 and for it to be worth us keeping it the value would need to be over £11000 and this is unlikely to be achieved. We have complained to Pearl but they are not interested. We will be going to the Ombudsman with this case. The fact is Pearl have had the benefit of our regular payment for 14 years and been able to invest our money. At the very least they should make sure that the monies paid out equal monies paid in. Nobody in their right mind starts a scheme where they will lose money!!! If we had saved the money under our bed it would still be there. We have now been told Surprise Surprise that the value of our plan has gone down to £9500. I have had accounts with Pearl since I was a young lad, my father first started me with them. But as sure as eggs are eggs I will never use them again and anybody contemplating an account with Pearl should think very long and hard! Mat-Flyer :mad: