An account compiled at the end of the financial year showing that year's revenue and expense items, and indicating gross and net profit or loss.

Excess of income over expenses for a particular period. Figures may be given as gross profit, net profit before tax, net profit after tax, and earnings.

A company which is not allowed to offer its shares to the general public.

A term for the original investment, or the amount borrowed, or the part of the amount borrowed that remains unpaid (excluding interest).

Share price divided by earnings per share over the latest 12-month period. The result offers investors a way of comparing companies' prospects. For example, a high P/E ratio might suggest a company has strong growth potential, and investors will pay more for a share if they think that the company's earnings will rise rapidly.

PVNBP is a measure of life and pension sales using the European embedded value method of financial reporting. It represents the total single premium sales received in a year plus the discounted value of premiums expected to be received over the term of the new regular premium contracts, expressed at the point of sale. For the time being, Aviva will report life and pensions new business using both annual premium equivalent and PVNBP.

Period for which you are committed to pay towards your insurance cover or to build a corpus.

Period for which one is not required to pay the premium while the life cover continues.

Distributions of premium amount after deducting charges.

The monetary amount paid for an insurance policy. The payment a policyholder makes in return for insurance cover. Usually paid monthly, annually or as a single lump sum. Also, if the market price of a new share is higher than its issue price, it is said to be trading at a premium (the opposite of discount).