This is the place for information about a policy through Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited, which was issued by Aviva Protection UK Limited or AIG Life Limited. Please note, you can’t view these policies on MyAviva.
How we can support you
With the cost of living often in the news and on our screens, we're all thinking more carefully about the money leaving our accounts every month. While the type of life insurance we offer could feel like an expensive regular cost, and even unnecessary, you took it out for a reason.
You set your policy up to help protect yourself and your family in the future. And it might not make sense to lose that long-term safety net because of a shorter-term struggle. That’s why we can offer various options to help you keep your policy in place.
Defer a premium 
For a short-term solution, you already have a 30-day deferral period built into your policy. This means if you miss a month’s premium (that’s your monthly payment), there’s no need to panic. As long as you pay on or before the date your next month’s premium is due, your policy will remain in place and unaffected.
But it might mean you end up paying a double premium next time round.
For example, say you can’t pay your £30 premium due on 1 June. By contacting us, we could arrange for the collection of the both the missed 1 June premium and the 1 July premium to be collected on 1 July - £60 in total.
You can request a deferred premium at any time during your policy term, and you don't need to show any proof of financial difficulty.
Make a flexible policy request 
Our flexible policy approach gives you the option to reduce your premium for six months. So you can stay protected by your cover, but at a lower cost and a lower benefit (such as a payout) if you need to claim.
At the end of the six months, the premium, and either the amount you’re covered for or the monthly benefit, will automatically return to their level before you made this change. We don’t need further underwriting or completion of any medical questions.
If you want to request a deferred premium, please get in touch.
Change your policy 
Many of our insurance types let you make permanent changes to your cover. If available, the flexibility is built into the cover and lets you adjust the level (that’s the amount of cover you have) and term (that’s the length of your cover) to suit changing needs and affordability. Both will lower the overall cost, and the monthly payments.
Who can reduce their cover?
If you have one of the following policies, you can reduce your cover; however, this doesn’t apply to policies taken out through Habito, British Seniors, YuLife, PAX Life, FRANKLI, or The Post Office:
- Individual life insurance
- Critical illness insurance
- Income protection insurance
- Business protection policy
You’ll need to have paid at least one premium, and be facing financial difficulty or need a helping hand. If so, you may be eligible to reduce your premium for six months.
You're also eligible if you've purchased an Aviva Protection UK Limited (formerly AIG Life) policy through one of our partners.
For more information, please get in touch or see our terms and conditions.
Frequently asked questions about our flexible policy requests
Reducing your premiums
How many times can I reduce my premiums?
You can make up to five flexible policy requests during the lifetime of your cover with us – and you can do this for each policy you have. There must be at least six months after one flexible policy request ends before you can apply for a further flexible policy request.
If you’ve already made a flexible policy request before 5 September 2022, this will count as one of your five requests.
How will I know how much to reduce my cover by?
We can give you generic information on the options available and provide quotes on revised premiums or benefits. We’re not, however, able to advise you how much you can reduce your cover by. For this you should seek independent financial advice.
What’s the minimum premium I can pay?
With our cover, it’s usually £5 per month. But it’s best to get in touch to discuss your specific needs and circumstances.
Is there a charge for reducing my premium?
No, there’s no charge for making use of our policy flexibility.
Do you need evidence of my financial struggles when I ask to reduce my premium?
No. The premium flexibility is to help you so there’s no need to provide evidence. If you get in touch and let us know that you’re in financial difficulty or need extra support, we'll do our best to help.
Can I lower my premium if I'm still working?
Yes. If you’ve told us you’re experiencing financial difficulty, or that you need extra support, you may be eligible for a premium reduction.
I’m already on the minimum premium for my cover, what can I do?
If you already pay the minimum premium, we can’t offer a further reduction.
Do I have to pay back premiums at the end?
No, not to lower your premiums. The amount you’re covered for (or the monthly benefit) reduces while the premium levels are lower so there’s nothing to repay.
However, for our standard 30-day deferral option, you’ll need to pay back the premium you’ve missed on or before the date of your following payment.
My cover amount is based on my mortgage debt. What can I do?
You can reduce your monthly insurance premium for a maximum of six months. However, this means that the mortgage loan you previously protected may not be covered in full during this time.
Timings and making further changes
When will the premium and amount covered change from?
Once we’ve agreed the request, the amount you’re covered for (or monthly benefit) and premium will change from the date it's next due. We need ten days to process the change and amend the direct debit.
We’ll email you confirmation that we’ve accepted your request, together with your new premium and revised cover amount or monthly benefit. Keep these with your Cover Details, Insurance Details or Plan Details in case you need to claim.
After six months, the cover amount (or monthly benefit) and your premium will return to the levels they were before.
Can I change my mind after I’ve spoken to you?
Yes. You can change your mind within 14 days after getting confirmation that the flexible policy request is in place. The easiest way to do this is to call us.
Can I keep a lower premium level at the end of six months?
Yes. If you decide you want to pay a lower premium at the end of six months, then all you need to do is call us to make this change permanent.
You can decide the lower premium you want to pay (this could be more than the minimum you’ve been paying) and we’ll adjust how much you’re covered for.
If you don’t tell us you wish to continue, your cover amount and premiums will go back to their original level.
Could I increase my cover amount at the end of six months?
Yes. You can ask to increase the amount you’re covered for at the end of six months. This will be treated like a new application, and we may need further information including a doctor’s report.
If we don’t hear from you before the end of the six months, your premium, and cover amount or monthly benefit, will automatically return to the levels they were before you requested the flexible option.
Is there a closing date to make a request?
No, this is a permanent, ongoing benefit to help when you need it.
How will I know when my premium is going back up?
Premiums will automatically go back up at the end of the six months. We’ll contact you two to four weeks before this to let you know.
What if I want to increase the amount I’m covered for or monthly benefit back before the end of six months?
You can increase back to the original cover amount or monthly benefit, or anything in between, before the end of the six-month period. You’ll just need to answer some questions to confirm your health hasn’t changed.
If your health has changed during this time, we may not approve an increase to your premium until it automatically increases back at the end of the six months.
What if I need to claim during the six months my cover or premium is lower?
For life insurance and critical illness claims, the amount payable is dependent on the cover amount at the date of the event (death, terminal illness, or critical illness). If a claim is made while you’re paying a reduced premium, the amount paid out will be based on the reduced amount of cover.
For family income benefit, if a claim is agreed, it will be paid out at the lower monthly benefit agreed for the entirety of the claim, not just the period while premiums are reduced.
For income protection, the monthly benefit will be reduced for claims resulting from incapacity during the six months and will continue at that level for the total duration of the claim. If the six-month period ends before the end of the deferred period, the premium will return to the amount it was before the six-month period – but the benefit for the claim made will be at the reduced amount.