Brexit and your policies

I’m an Aviva customer. Do I need to do anything?

If you bought insurance from us in the UK and are currently – and will continue to be – permanently resident in the UK, your cover will not be affected and will remain valid. As the majority of our customers are resident in the UK, most policies won’t be affected by what happens at the end of the transition period.

If you no longer live in the UK or you’re thinking of leaving the UK in the near future, your policies may be affected.

We’re monitoring developments and speaking with regulators to minimise any challenges that may come up. We’ll always aim to provide the service you expect.

We’ll update our website with more information, so you should keep checking back here as more details are announced.

You should take independent financial advice if you’re unsure as to whether you need to take any action.

I bought a policy from Aviva UK, even though I am permanently resident in an EEA country. What’s the impact of the UK’s exit from the EU on my policy?

Some of our customers bought their policy from us while permanently resident in an EEA country, or have risks (like insured homes or premises) in EEA countries. We’ve transferred most of these policies to our business in Ireland.

If this affects you, we’ll already have written to you and there’ll be no change to the way your policy works, the way you contact us, or the level of service you receive.

If you’d like more information, you’ll find answers to specific questions about the transfer of these policies here.

What happens when I travel to the EU now?

When you drive your vehicle abroad during the transition period, your motor insurance will give you the minimum cover you’ll need by law for each country when driving in the EU, EEA, Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland (listed below). You can drive from the UK into these countries without having to show any extra evidence that you have the required insurance. 

Countries where a Green Card isn’t required during the transition period:

EU Countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain & Sweden

EEA countries not in the EU: Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway

Other countries where you don’t need a Green Card during the transition period: Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland

You'll need a Green Card from 1 January 2021 if you’re travelling in the EU, EEA, Andorra, Serbia or Switzerland to prove that your motor insurance gives you the minimum cover you’ll need by law for each country. If a deal is agreed with the EU that removes the need for Green Cards then we'll update these Q&As, so before you travel please check back for our latest guidance.

What's a Green Card?

A Green Card is issued by the driver’s insurer. It acts as evidence that the driver has the minimum legal cover needed for the country they’re visiting whilst driving outside the UK. The Green Card is a physical document which is printed on green paper – it isn’t valid in an electronic format.

Do I need a Green Card?

If you’re travelling outside the UK to the countries listed above and will come back before the end of the transition period (31 December 2020), you don’t need a Green Card.

If you’re travelling outside the UK to the countries listed above and will come back after the transition period ends, you’ll need a Green Card.

How do I get a Green Card?

If you still need a Green Card, you can apply for one here or call us on 0345 030 7077. We recommend you apply four weeks before you’re due to travel to make sure it can be posted and delivered to you in time.

Will I still be able to use my insurance to drive in other EU member states after the UK's exit from the EU?

Yes. Your current motor insurance cover will still give you the legal minimum motor insurance needed for travel to EU & EEA countries, Serbia, Switzerland and Andorra. You won’t need to buy additional third-party motor insurance policy cover when travelling to these countries with a UK-registered vehicle. 

But you should check the terms of your cover, as the minimum requirements may not be the same as the full cover you have when driving in the UK. You may wish to ‘top up’ your cover for driving abroad (e.g. comprehensive cover, which would include damage to your vehicle). 

Where can I get more information?

The Government’s published guidance on driving in the EU after the UK’s exit from the EU at www.gov.uk/driving-abroad

We’re monitoring developments and speaking with regulators to minimise any challenges that may come up. We’ll always aim to provide the service you expect. We’ll update our website with more information, so you should keep checking back here as more details are announced. 

I’m driving abroad beyond the borders of the EU – do I need a Green Card?

Your motor insurance with us doesn’t go beyond the EU territories plus Andorra, Serbia and Switzerland as standard (see above for a full list). If you’re planning to drive your vehicle in any of the below countries, call us on 0345 030 8651 so we can check what you’ll need to be covered:

• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Israel
• Morocco 
• Montenegro
• Tunisia
• Turkey.

Can I still travel to the European Union after the transition period?

Yes, as long as you have the right documents.

Check what passports, visas and documents you may need – this may have changed. You should check the current advice from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office or the country you’re planning on travelling to.

If you’re driving your car abroad, you may need a Green Card and an international driving permit (see the motor insurance section on this page for more information). You won’t be covered if you need to claim because you haven’t got the necessary documents when leaving the UK. 

Will there be any changes to my travel insurance?

No, we’re not planning to make any changes in relation to a no-deal Brexit.

Will my insurance cover me for travel delays and cancellations due to Brexit?

Yes, in some cases. 

If you can’t fly because of Brexit (remember that the Government expects flights will carry on as normal), then you should speak to your airline about getting a refund. If your policy covers airspace closure, you can claim, and we’ll help you cover the costs of travel arrangements or accommodation. This cover might be an optional addition to your policy.

You won’t be covered if you need to claim because you haven’t got the necessary documents when leaving the UK. 

Your insurance will still cover you for flight delays, but you won’t be covered if you miss your flight because there were delays checking in or getting through security. So you‘ll need to make sure you allow time for any possible delays.

Will my European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) still be valid following a no-deal Brexit?

It’s unlikely that it will.

An EHIC currently gives you access to state-provided healthcare available to residents of EU countries. We don’t expect EHICs will still be valid if there’s a no-deal Brexit. That means you could have to pay for medical costs that would previously have been covered under EHIC arrangements. The Government may still negotiate an alternative to the EHIC.

Whether you have a valid EHIC or not doesn’t affect the cover provided through your travel insurance.

Do I need to buy any insurance to replace the EHIC?

You should consider buying travel insurance for a number of reasons. Medical costs are likely to be the main reason since the EHIC probably won’t be valid post Brexit. As long as your travel insurance claim is accepted, we’ll cover your emergency medical costs.

If you do decide to buy travel insurance, it’s important that you understand your cover. If you have pre-existing medical conditions you should make sure that your medical declaration is up to date. As always, check your policy booklet and find out what you need to disclose. We’ll screen your medical conditions and confirm if they can be covered.

Will the government fund any type of healthcare for UK residents in the EU?

The UK government has announced a temporary scheme that will cover travel in the EEA or Switzerland between 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021. This is to support individuals undertaking routine treatment needs such as regular dialysis, oxygen therapy and chemotherapy. This is not a replacement for the EHIC, it is limited in scope.

Individuals will need to work with their NHS clinician to agree their treatment. More information is expected to follow from the government on how to apply.

What happens to my travel insurance if a deal is reached before January 2021?

We don’t expect we‘ll make any changes to our cover following Brexit, but it would depend on the details of any future agreement with the EU. We’ll monitor the situation and will provide an update if needed.

I used to live and work in the UK and during this period my pension fund was created. I'm now resident in the EU. What will happen to my pension?

Some customers bought their policy in the UK and have now permanently relocated or may, in the future, permanently relocate to a different country within the European Union (EU) / European Economic Area (EEA). The treatment of these policies after 31 December 2020 will depend on the approach taken by the authorities in each EU/EEA country. Unfortunately, we don’t have an official decision on this yet. 

If you’re resident in France, there may be certain things we won’t be able to do in relation to your pension such as voluntary lump sum payments. Read the latest on the impact to pension policies for French residents.

You should keep checking back here as more details are announced. We’re monitoring developments and speaking with regulators to minimise any challenges that may come up. We’ll always aim to provide the service you expect.

You should take independent financial advice if you’re unsure about what to do. 

I’m a UK citizen resident in an EU/EEA country. What will happen to my State Pension after the UK exits the EU?

The Government looks after your State Pension. 

The Government has said there won’t be any changes before 1 January 2021 to the rules on claiming UK benefits and State Pension in the EEA or Switzerland as a result of the UK leaving the EU. 

The Government is looking to keep certain arrangements with the EU - but the rules depend on what's agreed during negotiations and may change.

This includes:

• counting future social security contributions in the EEA and Switzerland towards meeting UK State Pension qualifying conditions
• getting your UK State Pension uprated every year in the EEA and Switzerland

We’ll update our website with more information, so you should keep checking back here as more details are announced. 

For the latest information on the State Pension, see the Money Advice Service website

Will I still be able to auto-enrol EU nationals into my Aviva workplace pension scheme?

Yes. You’ll still need to automatically enrol any workers who usually work for you in the UK. Current regulations allow anyone who is a UK resident to join a pension scheme – there are no regulations based on nationality.

Will there be any change to the way I can manage my life, critical illness or income protection insurance policies after the UK leaves the EU?

Currently we allow cover to continue where a customer relocates temporarily or permanently to a different country within the EU/EEA during the term of their policy. However, there may be some restrictions on changing your existing policies.

We’re monitoring developments and speaking with regulators to minimise any challenges that may come up. We’ll always aim to provide the service you expect.

In all EU territories, there’ll be restrictions on increasing the level and length of your cover. In addition, you won’t be able to renew policies or receive any further cover.

We’re aware that not all our policy options will still be available for customers in France. For example, we expect that you won’t be able to increase your cover or continue with renewable premiums. You may not be able to lower the level or length of your cover either. We’ll write to you if this impacts you.

You should take independent financial advice if you’re unsure about what to do.

Is Aviva strong enough to withstand market movements following the UK’s exit from the EU?

We’re financially strong, with a very significant capital surplus of approximately £12 billion announced at our 2020 half-year results.

Because of our strong financial position and the diversity of the funds we invest in, we’re confident that we’ll be able to meet our commitment to you.

How will the UK’s exit from the EU affect my pension or investments?

We can’t predict what impact, if any, a future deal will have on financial markets.

Your policy offers a range of different funds you can invest in and you can track the performance of your funds regularly by logging onto MyAviva. You can also call us using the number on your most recent statement.

You should take financial advice before making any decision relating to your particular investments with us.

We’re monitoring developments and speaking with regulators to minimise any challenges that may come up. We’ll always aim to provide the service you expect. We’ll update our website with more information, so you should keep checking back here as more details are announced.

Will you be able to make a payment to me overseas?

We make international payments into non-UK bank accounts. We think we’ll still be able to do this for cross-border payments. It’s possible that new transaction charges may be brought in for you and for us – but this is still uncertain. 

Depending on what’s agreed during the trade deal negotiations, there may be changes to the way payments from UK into non-UK bank accounts are regulated or taxed by the country where the person receiving the payments is based. 

We don’t yet know what the approach of these regulators or tax authorities will be. We’re monitoring developments and will update our website with more information, so you should keep checking back here as more details are announced. We’ll always aim to provide the service you expect.

What happens if I'm a customer resident in one of the EEA countries listed and making and/or receiving payments through a UK bank account?

If you’re a customer in any of the below EEA countries, you should contact your UK bank to see if they’re planning to make changes to your UK bank account due to the UK leaving the EU at the end of 2020. Your UK bank may have already been in contact with you.

You’ll need to let us know if the bank details we hold have changed so that we can carry on making/receiving payments for your policies.

EEA countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. Also, Switzerland.