Life Settlements
The track record of betting against the lives of elderly and ill Americans is problematic, and there are plenty of new players entering the unregulated life settlement space.

Teak
Teak is a popular building material due to its unique hardness and durability and managers claim its investment in sustainably managed Brazilian team plantations offers low volatility and consistent returns.

Polish Property
Investing in unusual properties in unusual places is a favourite for UCIS especially the Polish, Croatian and Romanian property markets.

Violins
The invests in rare violins and Violas with the aim of generating non-correlated returns with a target of 15% per year. It invests in Stradivarius instruments which can often cost millions.

Film Schemes
The movie business is uncertain but that does not deter investors looking for a revenue stream unrelated to the stockmarket. When a film does well the backers reap big rewards but there are almost no guarantees.

Esoteric Finance
The sidelines of the corporate finance world have proved a popular target for UCIS funds. One of the most successful funds provides financing for small companies in the UK, Europe and Canada and has delivered annualised returns of 17.91% since its launch in 2004.

Art
Art has always been popular for high net worth investors and institutions. Some funds have attracted $100 million of assets under management.

Wine
The value of fine wine has risen in recent years fuelled by an interest in premium brands from China and South East Asia. Wine auctioneer Sotheby’s made record sales last year of $73M.

Legal Financing
Litigation Financing is an expanding area and provides the cash needed to launch law suits – this fund has financed cases overturning credit agreements and pursuing negligent solicitors and aims for a return of 11% per year uncorrelated with the stockmarket.

Wind farms
Green energy is a great investment story given the twin drivers of climate change and the energy generation crunch facing the UK over the next 20 years.

We are not suggesting your invest in any of these types of investment without great due diligence. As always experienced investment advice is essential