Credit Cards from Virgin Money
Virgin Money is part of the Virgin Group (founded in 1970) and was formed by Richard Branson and his associates in 1995. Back then, Virgin teamed up with Norwich Union to offer Personal Equity Plans. In 1997 they partnered with the Royal Bank of Scotland to form Virgin One, which offered different types of mortgages. Virginmoney.com was launched in 2000 as a price comparison site. When virginmoney.com was merged with Virgin Direct in 2002, the current company (Virgin Money) was formed. Its headquarters are in Norwich, although Virgin Money has operated worldwide for approximately the last decade. The Royal Bank of Scotland used to have a 50% stake in Virgin Money, but since 2004 it has been completely owned by the Virgin Group.
Virgin Money offers a few different services. Firstly, it offers various types of savings and investments including ISAs, funds and deposit accounts. Secondly it offers mortgages. Thirdly it offers a variety of different insurance including car, home, pet, travel and life insurance. Fourthly it offers various pensions and pension schemes. Finally, a few different credit card offers are available.
They have a small selection of cards available. Its focus on simplicity is reflected in the simple choice of cards on offer. The balance transfer promotions and 0% on purchase deals are also good. A great thing about a Virgin credit card is that there are many different companies under the umbrella of the Virgin Group. Some of the cards offered can be used to get exclusive discounts on Virgin Holidays, Virgin Wines and many other services, as well as discounts with other partners.
Their airline credit cards, the "Virgin Atlantic" White or Black card allow you to earn Flyer Club miles every time you make purchases on your card. You can use your points towards Premium Economy upgrades and companion reward flights. Virgin Atlantic cards also offer complimentary travel insurance. You will require a good credit rating to get a Virgin credit card, different cards have different requirements. They also offer a charity card, with which you can choose a charity from a large list, and any cashback you earn will be sent to that charity.
Virgin Money offers customer service over the phone, and you can manage your card online via internet banking. Whether you choose the standard Virgin card, the charity card or a Virgin Airline card, the features and benefits of each one differ immensely. So make sure you compare the card properly before choosing which is the best credit card for you. They take their responsibilities as a lender seriously, check if you match the criteria before applying. Some of its premium credit cards have annual fees.
In 2010 the Virgin Group released its "Corporate Responsibility and Sustainable Development Report". They try to focus on offering financial products that are easy to understand, simple and transparent. It tries to make its business consumer focused by offering a range of good value financial products that help customers to keep control of their finances.