Old shares?

LilacLillie

Looking for advice please.
My husband died in 2020. We moved to a new address in 2015.
I was going through some old papers last week and came across an annual statement (2005), for Friends Provident shares.
I rang number on letter and was told that FP ceased trading in 2009, shares being moved on to Aviva.
After being given a run around of 8 telephone numbers, finally I was given a number that would help me.
It was the original number I'd called 😬
So I've tried again today, with very similar results.
Can anyone tell me if there is a simple way to find out if shares are still valid.
Shares are in husband's name.
At our old address.
I have an shareholders acc.no.
Any advice welcomed.
TIS

LL

jimjames

If you'd not received any correspondence since 2005 but didn't move until 2015 then it would suggest the shares have been sold prior to that date. The registrar for Aviva should be able to check the shareholder register for your details but it doesn't sound like they still exist.

wmb194

LilacLillie said:

Looking for advice please.
My husband died in 2020. We moved to a new address in 2015.
I was going through some old papers last week and came across an annual statement (2005), for Friends Provident shares.
I rang number on letter and was told that FP ceased trading in 2009, shares being moved on to Aviva.
After being given a run around of 8 telephone numbers, finally I was given a number that would help me.
It was the original number I'd called 😬
So I've tried again today, with very similar results.
Can anyone tell me if there is a simple way to find out if shares are still valid.
Shares are in husband's name.
At our old address.
I have an shareholders acc.no.
Any advice welcomed.
TIS

LL

I wish people would throw their old, defunct things away...

Friends Provident (FP) was bought by Resolution in 2009 for 0.9 Resolution shares per FP share but there was a cash alternative for retail investors so he may have taken the cash.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/aug/11/friends-provident-resolution-takeover

If he had taken the shares the holding would have become a holding in Resolution plc. Resolution changed its name in c.2011 to Friends Life. Friends Life was bought by Aviva in 2014 for 0.74 Aviva shares per Friends Life share.

https://www.hl.co.uk/news/articles/archive/friend-life-merges-with-aviva

Do you have later statements showing Resolution, Friends Life and did his final portfolio hold Aviva shares? If he'd done nothing this is what they'd have become.