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Virgin Money

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Our story so far

Below are the key milestones, year by year, in the history of Virgin Money. We've started at the top with the big events so far this year, but if you'd rather begin at the beginning, simply scroll down to 1995 - the year Virgin launched into financial services.

2008
March
What Investment award
Virgin Climate Change Fund wins award

'What Investment' magazine awards the Climate Change Fund 4 stars and ‘Product of the Month’ for March 2008.

Virgin Climate Change Fund given 'A' rating
The Virgin Climate Change Fund becomes the first carbon aware fund to achieve a Standard & Poor's rating.

February 
 Every 43 Seconds’ poster campaign launched
’Every 43 Seconds’ poster campaign launched 

Following phenomenal uptake of the Virgin Credit Card, a major national campaign is launched, with key sites on the London Underground and roadside posters.

February 
Climate Change Fund. More
Virgin Climate Change Fund launched 
At last customers can focus on performance and feel good about their investment too. The Virgin Climate Change Fund invests in companies who are driving outstanding growth and who are environmental leaders in their field.

2007
July
Your Money award 2007
Virgin Money win even more awards
Virgin Money scoops another three gongs at the Your Money Direct Awards 2007 - for Best Online Credit Card Provider, Best Pet Insurance Provider and Best Motor Insurance Provider.
AprilVirgin No.1 in the charts!

Virgin Money are named Britains fastest growing private company in the influential Sunday Times annual Profit Track 100 report.

JanuaryNew Year campaign on TV

Big new unified advertising campaign launched, covering all Virgin Money products. Featuring 3 American office workers in a lift discussing life's savvier financial decisions. UK wide coverage on TV, radio, press, posters and internet.


2006
October
Virgin Credit Card instant discounts
Instant discounts on Virgin Credit Card

Virgin Credit Card customers can now gain instant benefits with offers from Virgin Holidays, Virgin Megastores, Virgin Wines, Virgin Active and Virgin Money. The discounts and offers are available at the point of sale to anyone using their Virgin Credit Card.

Check out What's hot for more info.

October
Crazy golf
Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championship

‘Nutters with putters’ took the English South Coast by storm on 28h & 29 October, as Hastings played host to the Virgin Money World Crazy Golf Championships.

Over 100 competitors from as far afield as India and Tibet competed for a share of the £3,000 prize money.

September
5 Star pension award
Virgin Pension scoops Five Star Award

Virgin Money was awarded Money Management magazine's 2006 Five Star Award for pension performance on regular contributions.

The award is given for achieving above average performance combined with reasonable charges.

July
Your Money award
Your Money Publisher's Special Award

By tackling a taboo area without euphemism or evasion, Virgin Money's Cancer Cover is a groundbreaker and has merited a rare Publisher's Special Award from Luke Broadhurst, publishing director of Your Money.

JuneSir Richard Branson launches the Virgin Money Credit Card in South Africa
January
Watch our Big V advert
Virgin Life Cover reinvented
We relaunch Virgin Life Cover with terminal illness cover included and our lowest premiums ever.

1st in the UK with Virgin Cancer Cover
We take on the big ‘C’ with the ground-breaking big ‘V’ – Virgin Cancer Cover – teaming up with our charity partners Everyman.


2005
December
Still from the Say yes advert - click here to watch advert movie in a popup
New TV ad for the Virgin Credit Card
A national campaign starring Nick Jones as a man whose life gets more interesting when he says ‘yes’.


AugustGuaranteed Equity Bond launched
A stonking offer of 130% of any growth in the FTSE 100 or your money back.
January
Still from the 'Don't be punished (lobster version)' advert - click here to watch advert movie in a popup
TV campaign launched for Car and Home Insurance
'Don't punish yourself' is the theme as Virgin Money don't charge customers extra for paying monthly. 
Still from the 'Don't be punished (bandits version)' advert - click here to watch advert movie in a popup

2004
NovemberVirgin Money wins the Interactive Marketing and Advertising award for Best Finance Advertising
MayVirgin launches Car, Home, Travel and Pet insurance
Promotional photo of Richard Branson on the Virgin Car Insurance launch

"There's nothing we love more at Virgin than improving the customer's lot. With our new insurance products, not only will they save money on their premiums, but they won't get charged for paying monthly either", says Richard Branson.
AprilRichard Branson takes 100% ownership of Virgin Money
As a signal of our ambition and Richard's belief in the company, he invests £90 million to buy out our other 50% shareholder, bringing full ownership of Virgin Money into the Virgin fold.

2003
SeptemberVirgin Money welcome our millionth customer worldwide!
May
Virgin Credit Cards launched in Australia
Virgin Money goes global
Launch of the Virgin Credit Card in Australia begins our plans to roll out our successful UK model around the world. The ‘Oz’ card with its radical new clipped corner, bright colour range, low interest rates and ‘mates’ rewards, is a big hit with Oz customers who’ve been getting a raw credit card deal from their banks for years.
January

200,000 credit card customers reached
The Virgin Credit Card becomes one of the fastest growing cards in the UK.


2002
JulyVirgin Money grabs more awards
Virgin win 'Best Pension Provider' at both The Guardian and Your Money Awards. 
JuneThe Virgin Credit Card becomes an industry 'Best Buy'
"The Virgin Card is a regular feature in the best buy tables". Moneyfacts
MayVirgin launches personal loan
FebruaryVirgin Direct and virginmoney.com merge to become Virgin Money
January
Richard Branson with Virgin Credit Cards
Launch of the Virgin Credit Card
"UK customers have long been made to feel grateful just to be offered a credit card by their bank and it's high time people were given a better deal." Richard Branson

2001
June

virginlifeinsurance.com launched
Customers can now get cover online in just 10 minutes without all the paperwork.

Virgin shines at the Guardian Consumer Finance awards
We scoop Best Pension and Overall Best Customer Service.

AprilStakeholder pension launched
Virgin is the only company in the UK to get the green light to automatically turn our existing pension into a Stakeholder, because it already meets all the standards. 

2000
June

virginmoney.com launched
One of the pioneer online supermarkets letting customers shop around for great value on financial products like ISAs, unit trusts, mortgages and life insurance.

Virgin judged Call Centre of the Year for third year running

MayVirgin enters the workplace
Our Group Personal Pension is the blueprint for the Government's Stakeholder launch in 2001.
AprilMore gongs at the Your Money Direct awards
Your Money Direct voted us 'Best direct ISA and pension provider', as well as 'Best Internet life insurance provider'.
MarchOn our fifth birthday we reach 1/3 million customers, insuring peoples lives to the tume of £2 billion.
JanuaryVirgin calls on FSA to beef up risk wordings in the small print
Two years later the Government sponsored 'Sandler Review of long-term saving' is released, reaching the same conclusion.

1999
SeptemberService excellence recognised
Virgin wins prestigious Management Today/Unisys Service Excellence Award. 
AprilVirgin launches a range of ISAs championing CAT standards
JanuaryBranson's guide to PEPs, TESSAs and ISAs
To help consumers through the ISA minefield. Virgin launches 'Branson's guide to PEPs, TESSAs and ISAs'.

1998
DecemberVirgin leads the way on pensions
We welcome government plans to 'benchmark' pensions, paving the way for Stakeholder.
NovemberVirgin launches deposit account
SeptemberVirgin fights for standards
Virgin (and 10,000 of our customers) lobby parliament to get high standards 'kitemarked'.
JuneCall Centre of the Year
Awarded by BPS Teleperformance. Based on 54,000 mystery shop calls to 2,000 companies;

1997
OctoberVirgin launches the revolutionary One account
AugustVirgin hits £1 billion funds under management and 200,000 investors
MayVirgin's pension pack wins top award from the Plain Language Commission
FebruaryVirgin lobbies Government
Virgin is the first company to pledge not to ask life insurance applicants for the results of any genetic tests. After a four year campaign by Virgin the Government force other companies to do likewise.

1996
NovemberRichard puts a rocket up the pension industry
The Virgin Personal Pension is launched, years ahead of its time, challenging the cost and complexity of the average pension, which has five or more different charges.
MayVirgin launches life insurance
FebruaryVirgin Direct's first TV advert
The opening scene shows a mystery man getting out of his car clutching a bundle of papers. In true Roger Cook fashion, the voice-over explains how last year this man convinced 30,000 people to part with their cash, promising to help them avoid the taxman while taking no commission himself. In the final frame the camera reveals that the culprit is in fact... Richard Branson.

1995
OctoberIncome PEP launched
Virgin launches the cheapest income PEP on the market and challenges everyone to match our high standards.
April£42m invested in first month 
March
Image of Discovery House
Virgin Direct opens for business
Virgin pioneers index tracking by launching the best value PEP in the market. Over 4,000 calls received on opening day. 
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