Paying out when you need it

We exist to be there for you when it really matters. And paying claims is fundamental to that. We’re here to offer a strong hand to squeeze and to hold you up when you need us most. 

Which is why in 2024 we paid out the equivalent of £3.6m ^{Footnote [1]} every day, paying out in total over £1bn to customers for the fifth consecutive year.

To provide reassurance for the future, it takes someone you can rely on. Someone you can trust to be there. It takes Aviva.

In 2024, we:

• Paid 98.8% of claims ^{Footnote [1]} 
• Paid out in claims more than £862 million ^{Footnote [1]}  
• Settled 41,424 claims ^{Footnote [1]}  

Figures represent the combination of Life insurance, Over 50's life insurance and Terminal illness figures.

Life insurance helps make sure your loved ones are looked after should during the term of the policy you die or be diagnosed with a terminal illness that meets our policy definitions and are expected to live less than twelve months. It lets you leave money which could help them carry on living life to the full or possibly say goodbye to a big expense like a mortgage. There is no cash-in value at any time.

In 2024 the top two most common reasons for people claiming on life insurance were cancer and cardiovascular. ^{Footnote [1]}  

Take out a new protection insurance policy with us and from day one you'll receive support for your health and wellbeing, like having an annual health check or calling a 24/7 Bupa helpline, at no additional cost, through the Aviva DigiCare+ app.

Customers also have access to mental health support and expert nutrition advice from a range of therapists, at no additional cost, through the Aviva DigiCare+ and Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace apps.

In 2024, over 75,000 customers (like Marlena in 2023), ordered an annual health check. Marlena, who is recovering from chronic fatigue syndrome, said: "Usually I'm quite bubbly, but I just started to feel run down. Aviva sent me a health test and got to the bottom of things." 

The Aviva DigiCare+ app, available with eligible individual protection products, and the Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace app, available with group protection products are provided by Square Health. Services are provided by Square Health or other trusted third party providers.

This is a non-contractual benefit, that Aviva can change or remove at any time. Terms and conditions and residency restrictions apply.

In 2024 we:

• Paid out more than £405 million worth of critical illness claims ^{Footnote [1]} 
• Supported people with an average payout per claim of £71,989 ^{Footnote [1]}  
• Found that over 58% of claims were for cancer ^{Footnote [1]}   

Figures include total permanent disability and children's benefit.

Our critical illness cover pays out a lump sum if you’re diagnosed with, or undergo surgery for, a critical illness that meets our policy definition during the policy term and then survive for at least 10 days. 

We only cover the critical illnesses we define in our policy and no others. The policy doesn't pay out on death and cover will stop when a successful claim is made. We'll only pay the full cover amount once and cover has no cash-in value at any time. 

You can spend the money on whatever you like, such as paying the bills each month or helping you feel like you again, while you get better.

In 2024 the three big causes we paid out for were cancer, heart attack and stroke. Cancer claims accounted for more than half of all the critical illness claims we paid. ^{Footnote [1]}  

If you take out critical illness cover with us, children's benefit is automatically included at no extra cost.

In 2024, we paid £398,497 in children's hospital benefit. We also paid over £7.6 million in children's benefit claims, helping families with an average lump sum payment of £21,321. ^{Footnote [1]}  

In 2024:

• We paid out over £61 million ^{Footnote [1]}  
• We settled 4,330 claims ^{Footnote [1]} 
• 27% of claims were related to mental health ^{Footnote [1]} 
• 27% of claims were for musculoskeletal conditions ^{Footnote [1]} 

When you’re ill or injured and can’t work, our income protection insurance is there to support you. It pays a proportion of your lost earnings so you can concentrate on looking after yourself. There is no cash-in value at any time.

When life gets bumpy, sometimes you need someone in your corner who can help. Which is why our claims team will be by your side every step of the way.

And, for us, it’s more than just the numbers. It’s about helping you navigate a tough situation with compassion and empathy.

Project Teddy launched in 2019 for critical illness customers claiming children’s benefit. It gives a little extra boost, that goes beyond just paying out on your claim. Our team takes the time to get to know each family and personally choose a gift to send to each member. It might be a restaurant voucher to help mum and dad take a well-deserved break, a specialist sensory gift for a poorly child, or a soft toy for a brother or sister needing a comforting cuddle.

In 2024, we sent over a hundred Project Teddy gifts to children to help them and their families get through a tough time.

We’re working in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to help people living with cancer find the expert support they need.

By working with Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists, we can help to speed up individual protection claim payments for some critical illness customers who have a cancer diagnosis. This helps reduce the time you have to wait for us to settle your claims.

In 2024, hundreds of customers had their critical illness claim supported by their Cancer Nurse Specialist. Speeding things up means we're able to help more customers and their families get vital clinical, emotional, and financial security quickly, when they need it most.

In some cases, we can’t pay out on a claim. There are three main reasons why: 

Misrepresentation: It’s important that any information you give us when applying for cover is correct and nothing is missing. If there’s something you haven’t told us, for example about your health and lifestyle, this could stop us from being able to pay out if you make a claim. 

Definition not met: This is when the claim is for an illness that either isn't named in the cover, or hasn't reached a severe enough point to meet the policy criteria. 

Other: Sometimes our policies have conditions that the claim doesn’t meet. For example, a life insurance policy must be in force for 12 months before we can accept a death claim for suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury.

However, in 2024, we declined 8.5% of critical illness, child's benefit and total permanent disability claims, 9.9% of income protection claims and 1.2% for life insurance, over 50s and terminal illness claims. ^{Footnote [1]}