INSURANCE-BASED PRODUCTS
There are insurance products which give you access to professionally managed pooled investments. They may be "unit linked", which share many of the characteristics of investment funds. They are not subject to the same regulations as investment funds, but may follow many of them in practice.Another form is a "with profits" product, which seeks to provide a steady return by smoothing out the ups and downs of the stock market.
You need to check how flexible they are in terms of when you can sell. For further information on these and other insurance products you should contact the Association of British Insurers.