But it all adds up, so investors unfamiliar with the stockbroking game would be well advised to take a look at the Financial Regulator's first survey of stockbroking fees and charges.

The survey reveals that charges for investing 10,000 in a company listed on the Irish Stock Exchange or the London Stock Market can vary by 100. Charges for investing that sum of money range from 75 to 100.

Investing in the US market is more expensive, with the minimum charge set at 100. For larger investments, the differential is even greater.

Depending on which broker you use, you could save more than 350 in charges when investing 35,000 in a company listed on the US stock exchange. Charge ranging from 187 to 545.

Further details, as well as the regulator's 'Savings and Investments Made Easy' guide, can be found on www. financialregulator. ie.

CHECKING YOUR CHOICES COULD PROVE HEALTHY

SURVEY findings are often reported as if they have the weight of gospel, with somewhat less emphasis on who commissioned them.

Ninety-five percent of those surveyed say shampoo is wonderful, says shampoo manufacturer. That kind of thing.

The news that 85% of health insurance switchers found it easy to change provider must come with the caveat that the survey was carried out by Vivas, but it could be worth overcoming natural inertia to check out your options all the same. The Health Insurance Authority is also on the public relations job, launching an informational campaign recently on switching health insurers (see www. hia).

Vivas is currently promoting summer special offers, cutting its premiums for children from 31 July. It claims an "average family of five" switching to the Vivas Health We Plan Level 2 from VHI Plan B saves 471 on its annual premium. The half-price offer for children under 18 and apprentices and students up to age 23 applies until midSeptember.

IRISH INVESTORS FOND OF PLAYING IT SAFE

SECURE, state-guaranteed investments are still proving very attractive to Irish investors, the Prize Bond Company's annual report reveals. Gross sales of prize bonds in 2005 exceeded 133m, an increase of 5.7% on 2004.

The total invested in prize bonds at the end of 2005 was 561.5m . . . which represented an increase of almost 11% on the previous year. The value of prizes paid out was up by 12.7%, with the company handing out 130,000 prizes with a total value of 12.7m.

THREE HEADS BETTER THAN ONE

FOR BOI LAST week brought interesting news for investors who have suffered in recent years as a result of the underperformance of Bank of Ireland's asset management arm, BIAM.

After a 12-month search for a replacement for outgoing chief investment officer Chris O'Reilly, new chief executive Mick Sweeney has gone for a radical approach.

Sweeney has thrown in the towel on the search for a replacement, and has instead appointed three new managing directors.

In charge of global equities, which make up 70% of BIAM's 42bn in assets under management, will be Paul Boyne, who joined the operation a year ago after a clutch of top staff defected to the new Dublin operation of Perpetual Trustees Australia. Former Bank of Ireland chief economist Chris Johns will head global research, while Bank of Ireland Global head of trading and investment, Sean Crowe, will transfer to BIAM to run global fixedincome and specialist products.

Sweeney said last week that performance has to turn around within 12 months. Watch this space.

Meanwhile, Eileen Fitzpatrick, respected managing director at rival AIBIM, is moving to the National Treasury Management Agency at the end of August.