Information on your health insurance cover and our COVID-19 Pledge
This document is correct as of April 2023
Throughout the pandemic, we remained focused on helping you get access to the medical support you needed.
However, there were times when it was more difficult to access private treatment. This was the case particularly during the first phase of the pandemic where private facilities supported the NHS in the national effort to combat COVID-19.
During the pandemic, some treatment was delayed or cancelled. We expected the period of lower claims to be broadly offset by the period of higher claims.
We now know PMI claims to Aviva were lower than planned over this entire period. This means we will be returning the remaining difference between expected claims costs and actual claims costs to UK PMI policyholders as we pledged.
Will you be paying anything to reflect how long you've held this money?
We will add a 20% enhancement to the payment to reflect the amount of time we have held the money.
How do I know you haven't profited from the COVID-19 situation?
We don't believe we have profited from the pandemic. We projected claims to 31 December 2022 and will return any shortfall in expected claims to customers. We asked Grant Thornton UK LLP to independently review our approach to fulfilling our COVID-19 Pledge. They made the following statement:
“We have independently reviewed Aviva Health UK Limited’s proposed approach to fulfilling its COVID-19 Pledge to Consumer and SME customers and have considered whether the proposed approach delivers on the commitments made to its customers in the COVID-19 Pledge, and is reasonable, fair and in line with its regulatory obligations. We recognise that finding the right balance between fairness and simplicity is challenging, and there is no single approach that will fully satisfy all stakeholders. We are satisfied that Aviva Health UK Limited’s approach to fulfilling the COVID-19 Pledge achieves a reasonable balance between the varying interests of customers.”
When do you expect to make the final pledge payment?
We’ll make the final COVID-19 Pledge payment within 60 days of the date of your letter.
I pay by cheque every year but would like the pledge payment sent by a different method. Is that possible?
No. Under anti-money laundering regulations, we must return the money to the source it came from. Because of this, with the exception of credit card payments, we'll pay using the payment method you used to pay your most recent premium.
I paid my premium by credit card. Will you refund my card?
No. We're currently upgrading our credit card payment system and can't refund to credit cards at the moment. This means we will make your payment pledge by cheque.
I've changed my bank details. How will I get my payment?
Due to anti-money laundering regulations, we have to make the pledge payment in the same way you paid your premiums. If you paid by cheque, we will send you a cheque. If you paid by direct debit, we’ll automatically refund the account we had on record for you at the time we sent our communication to you. If we’re unable to do this or you paid by another method, we’ll send you a cheque. This may take a little longer.
Who will you pay the pledge payment to if the policyholder has died?
If we have a named executor or administrator, we will make the COVID-19 Pledge payment to them. If there is no executor or administrator, we will liaise with their family members to make sure we make the payment to an appropriate representative on their behalf. If you want to give us the executor's or the administrator's details, you can do this using our online form.
How have you calculated my COVID-19 Pledge payments?
We calculated the value of the claims shortfall to 31 December 2022. This led to an initial pledge payment worth approximately six weeks of annual premium from the eligibility period. The amount we paid for each policy was in proportion to the premiums paid over that time. For example, a policy that was in force for half of the eligibility period got a payment equivalent to approximately three weeks' worth of the annual premium. As we've now fully assessed the claims experience, we're now making the final pledge payment. We'll add a 20% enhancement to the final payment to reflect the amount of time we've held the money.
Are you guaranteeing a minimum payment?
Yes, the minimum amount for any eligible customers is £5.
Can I choose for you to make the payment to a nominated charity?
No. We will make the payment to the person who pays the premium on the policy. Under anti-money laundering regulations, we must return the money to the source it came from. Once you have the payment, you can donate it to a charity of your choice.
Will this have an impact on future renewal increases?
No, any future pricing variation will be in line with our normal assessment of our future claims experience. We're making the pledge payment from a reserve we have held for this purpose.
What if I no longer have a policy with Aviva?
If you had a policy during the eligibility period of 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021, you will get a COVID-19 Pledge payment even if you no longer hold a policy with us.
My premium reduced at renewal. Am I still eligible for the COVID-19 Pledge payment?
Yes, you are. If you had a policy during the eligibility period of 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021, you will get a COVID-19 Pledge payment.
I recently switched to Aviva. Am I eligible for the COVID-19 Pledge payment?
You are only eligible for a COVID-19 Pledge payment if you held your policy with us between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021.
I moved from a company scheme to a Healthier Solutions policy within the eligibility period. Will I get a COVID-19 Pledge payment?
Yes, you'll get a payment for the amount of time you held your policy during the eligibility period between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021.
Why has it taken so long for you to make the pledge payment?
Our original COVID-19 Pledge stated we believed the period of disruption would be over 2020 and 2021. After this, we would assess our claims experience and make sure we returned any difference in claims costs to customers.
As the pandemic continued in the latter part of 2021 with new variants with an unknown impact at the time, we extended the timeframe of the pledge to the end of 2022. We made an initial COVID-19 Pledge payment in 2022. We're now in a position to make a final payment to repay the remaining difference. To recognise we have held this money for some time, the payment will include a 20% enhancement.
Does this set a future precedent should a different type of event mean I am unable to access the private services and facilities offered through Aviva policies?
We will assess any future disruption on its own merits.
Different areas of the country saw different disruption levels during the pandemic. Will you take this into consideration?
We have reviewed the claims performance over the pandemic, segmented geographically and by age, and we believe that our approach is fair.
Are you paying this for all policies, like car and home insurance?
No, the COVID-19 Pledge was for private health insurance customers only to cover reduced access to medical treatment, which led to the reduced usage of PMI policies.
How to get further help
If you still have questions after reading these frequently asked questions, please contact us using our online enquiry form or our online assistant on our website or MyAviva.
If you have any questions, you can contact us by email us or call us on 0800 051 1530. Lines are open 8.30am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday. For our joint protection, telephone calls may be recorded and/or monitored and will be saved for a minimum of 5 years. Calls to 0800 numbers from UK landlines and mobiles are free. Our opening hours may be different depending on which team you need to speak to. You can also speak to your financial adviser.
Aviva Health UK Limited. Registered in England Number 2464270. Registered Office 8 Surrey Street Norwich NR1 3NG.
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Firm Reference Number 308139. A wholly owned subsidiary of Aviva Insurance Limited. This insurance is underwritten by Aviva Insurance Limited. Registered in Scotland, No. 2116. Registered Office: Pitheavlis, Perth, PH2 0NH. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm reference number 202153.
Aviva Health UK Limited acts as agent of Aviva Insurance Limited for the purposes of: (i) receiving premium from our clients; and (ii) receiving and holding claims money and premium refunds prior to transmission to our client making the claim or entitled to the premium refund.
