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Aviva Life Insurance Review MSE
What is Aviva Life Insurance like? (2025 Update)
Is Aviva Life Insurance good in 2025? Competitive UK Insurer ticks 7 boxes in 'Aviva Reviews Life Insurance'. (PROS) 1: Financial Strength 2: Reliable Reputable 3: Claims Payout 4: Family & Business Plans 5: Defaqto Rated 6: Rider Benefits 7: Broker Only Deals. (CONS) Customer Services?
- 'Is Aviva a good insurance company'
- Financial Strength - S&P: Stable
- Large Range of Personal, Health & Business Protection
- Broker Only Deals
- Is Aviva Life Insurance Reliable
Aviva Life Insurance Claims Statistics:
- Do Aviva pay out life insurance
- Insurance UK claims record: Good
- Aviva protection 97% average claims stats | ABI
- 99% life insurance / 91% critical illness
- 93% income protection
Aviva Life Insurance stats show their most common reasons for typical Critical Illness payouts were - Cancer, Heart attack and Stroke. Their most common reasons for typical Income Protection payouts were Mental health, Musculoskeletal & Cancer.
Background History - Aviva
Review: The Aviva life insurance multinational brand traces its roots back to 1696 in a London Coffee House. The founders were 1 of 3 fire insurance companies started after the Great Fire of London. Its history from then on is one of many company mergers.
In 2000, Norwich Union merged with CGU, which itself was formed from the merger of insurers Commercial Union and General Accident in 1998.
Upon merging, they formed CGNU Life Insurance Group, which from 2002 then became Aviva in the UK. They bought Hamilton Insurance in 2007, then announced they were phasing out the 200-year-old UK iconic brand name Norwich Union and from 2008 just trade around the globe as Aviva.
Aviva's UK TV adverts using Paul Whitehouse helped spread the new single brand message over this time.
In 2015 Aviva bought Friends Life (formed from amalgamation of AXA, BUPA & Friends Provident) whose names were then also quietly dropped over next few years to just be part of Aviva.
In Autumn 2023, Aviva agreed to buy AIG protection business. Aviva said that their AIG Life Limited (AIG Life UK) purchase would help deliver them significant capital and expense synergies.
Today Aviva Life & Pensions look after the administration of many old insurers heritage legacy plans.
Aviva Life Insurance What does it Cover ?
'Aviva Reviews Life Insurance' 2025
In our Life Insurance Aviva reviews below, we will look at some broker only plans, key features and FAQ. Most Aviva protection products give access to …
- Global treatment, Extra care & Fracture cover options
- Added-value services
- Support Plus services for wellness, care & bereavement
- Funeral payment pledge
- Protection Trusts
- Access to the Aviva DigiCare+ Workplace smartphone app, provided by Square Health
- For Group cover - Employee Assistance Programme which offers practical and emotional support.
- A wide range of Workplace Wellbeing solutions, including cancer support is also available when your employees need a little help
Aviva DigiCare + Review
Is 'Aviva DigiCare' any good?
What is Aviva DigiCare+? As a policy holder Aviva Digicare + is available to you via their Aviva digicare app gives you - FREE valuable access 24/7, 365 days a year, to a range of health & wellbeing services from 3rd party providers.
This Aviva Digicare plus UK service is available via by Square Health and at no additional costs. These services are also available to your partner and also any family all subject to eligibility criteria.
Key 'Aviva Digicare Workplace' & Personal Benefits:
- Health & Lifestyle check > to help prevent and detect ill health and help keep you well:
- One yearly health check, follow-up report and then a virtual GP appointment to discuss any next steps. Available to the Aviva life holder policy only.
- 6 nutritional consultant appointments (to be shared with eligible family members)
- Cancer care guide alongside partners Macmillan cancer support
- Range of gym, cancer care & health & wellbeing discounts
- Treatment support > to get help if an illness has sadly already struck:
- 6 mental health support consultations (to be shared with eligible family members)
- 2 UK second medical opinions per year (to be shared with eligible family members)
- Unlimited access to the Bupa Anytime Health Line 24/7, 365 days a year (to be shared with eligible family members)
- 3 sessions of physiotherapy per condition for up to 2 conditions annually (only available to Aviva Income Protection customers).
- Bereavement support to help ease some of the unnecessary burden at the worst of times.
- Legal support & practical guides during bereavement
- Unlimited calls to Grief Encounter for adults & children
- 6 bereavement counselling sessions with a qualified counsellor.
Conclusion: As brokers we would say this Aviva Digicare health check is an excellent inclusive feature & a valuable benefit in todays ongoing NHS over burdened work load situation.
They also say this Digicare Aviva complimentary additional service could be withdrawn at any time in the future, should the Insurers so choose.
*What's MSE Martin Lewis AVIVA Life Insurance Review?
In terms of the range of Aviva Insurance products in 2025, MoneySavingExpert (MSE) are fully impartial with all their best buy reviews. As you maybe aware neither Martin nor MSE never endorse products.
Yes, they mention individual products & services on MSE site, but they make it very clear don't 'support' them.
What does Martin Lewis say on Aviva Insurance?
Martin Lewis has for example reviewed the AvivaPlus monthly subscription services provided by Aviva Insurance & how it stacks up.
They say there's no doubt that AvivaPlus service will offer much more flexible insurance cover than most insurance policies.
MSE also tips Aviva for your PMI health premiums. They may give a discount off them, if you follow its recommended actions to improve your lifestyle, after filling in their health questionnaire.
Martin Lewis hasn't specifically commented on any other particular Aviva Life Insurance policies & how it ranks against the competition. But Aviva Life Insurance plans are a discussed MSE forum topic.
The Money Expert however says that he does '100% recommend Life Insurance', especially if you have any dependants. MSE says YES it's a cheap financial lifeline but the ultimate monthly costs choice is always yours.
MSE says 'Thinking about how your family may cope financially if you were to die isn't a very cheerful topic, BUT it is an Important One'.
So Martin Lewis agrees life insurance is important if anyone is reliant on your Income & would struggle financially without you around ie; an insurable interest.
He also discusses the value in other insurance plans if you were off sick, like income protection or critical illness.
Martin Lewis for a good rule of thumb in 2025, his Best Life Insurance formula is 'THE 10 x RULE' ie; aim to cover 10 x the Annual income of the highest earner & the main breadwinner until at least any kids have finished their full-time education or other dependants.
To help you calculate a figure that works for you, Martin Lewis on Life Insurance says it's worth ensuring any policy covers:
- Outstanding Debts: that need to be paid off eg; mortgage unless covered by a separate plan
- Immediate Outgoings: regular bills dependants would need to pay
- Future Spending: you may have wished to make eg; university fees
- Additional Expenses: a death may trigger eg; funeral costs
Martin Lewis also suggests being the Money Expert - that you "NEVER BLINDLY BUY DIRECT" expensive policy offers either via your Bank or One Insurer ie; Shop around or use a Broker.
Lastly, MoneySavingExpert also said generally remember, not all insurers plans are featured on insurance comparison sites. As brokers, we would also agree here - so let us help you shop around for your best broker deals.
AVIVA MORTGAGE PROTECTION Review
Designed to cover a repayment mortgage on death or terminal illness (with optional earlier critical illness at extra cost). As the mortgage balance slowly decreases during its repayment mortgage term, an Aviva mortgage insurance term policy is designed to help mirror that of the mortgage. It is protecting what is for the majority of us, our biggest debt & to remain in their family home, our biggest asset.
Key features
- Guaranteed fixed level premiums [ no cash value ]
- Decreasing loan rate flexibility
- Terminal Illness means less than 12 months to live
- Waiver of premium option with flexible deferred periods
- House purchase cover
Summary
Aviva mortgage decreasing life insurance is fairly price sensitive. It is usually cheaper than Aviva mortgage level term insurance (which is used to insure interest only style mortgages). As such, if you were to sadly die during its term, your family and loved ones would still be able to protect the mortgage to help stay in their family home.
AVIVA LIFE INSURANCE Review
Offering family protection if the policy holder dies or is diagnosed with a terminal illness during the term. Aviva Lifecover is offered also with optional earlier critical illness at extra cost. The Aviva level term life insurance plan is available either on single or joint life insurance aviva 1'st death insurance basis.
Key features
- Lump Sums or Family Income Benefits cover or simple life cover options
- Guaranteed premiums [ no cash value ]
- Terminal Illness means less than 12 months to live
- Level or Increasing cover upto age 90
- FREE New Parents lifecover
- Life change and separation benefits
- Waiver of premium option with flexible deferred periods
- Conversion or renewal options
Summary
Our review of Aviva life insurance shows its a strong market competitor in the term life insurance market. Designed with many useful features to help protect your family & loved ones if you were to sadly die during its term. Range of complimentary Aviva's protection trusts to help ensure the insurance proceeds go efficiently to the correct beneficiaries.
AVIVA WHOLE OF LIFE INSURANCE Review
Aviva whole of life policy is one that will always payout ( whenever death may occur ). This Aviva life assurance is available on either on single, joint life 1'st death or joint life 2'nd death basis. Ideal for people looking for indefinate whole of life insurance, with no end or fixed term.
Key features
- Guaranteed none reviewable premiums [ no cash value ]
- Level or indexed cover
- Minimum sum assured £10,000
- Waiver of premium option with flexible deferred periods
- Life change, IHT and separation benefits
Summary
This Aviva whole of life insurance plan is a flexible solution to those wishing to potentially mitigate IHT inheritance tax liabilities. It can also help you to provide a legacy gift for the family. Range of complimentary Aviva's protection trusts to help ensure the proceeds go efficiently to the correct beneficiaries.
AVIVA OVER 50's LIFECOVER Review
A no medical cover whole of life style policy that will always payout (with no end or fixed term) but after an initial period, and is available on single life basis only. Aviva over 50's Life Insurance is reviewed as a cost effective way to help provide small lump sum lifecover as legacy or funeral funding.
Key features
- There are no medical & lifestyle questions to qualify
- 1 year exclusion period before any natural causes death claims
- Accidental death cover during initial 1 year waiting period
- Aviva may stop taking premiums from age 90 but still maintain your over 50's lifecover
- Provider limit £100pm per plan or a total amount of Lifecover per person
- Many use Over 50’s plans toward helping Funeral funding
- No cash in value
Summary
Aviva Life Insurance review of the life policy over 50's plan shows it is an ideal solution for those with poor health or lifestyle issues, so unable to get an underwritten Aviva whole life insurance. Lower life insurance levels generally offered and also often sold with a free gift once you have made several premiums.
AVIVA CRITICAL ILLNESS List Review
Helps ease financial worries if you or one of your children are diagnosed with various listed critical illness, as specified by Aviva critical illness list pdf of benefits. This Aviva critical illness definitions policy is available on either on single or joint life 1'st claim and also on a stand-alone protection basis.
Key features
- Level, decreasing, increasing, family income cover (all available optional lifecover and critical illness.)
- Guaranteed or reviewable premiums [no cash value]
- Waiver of premium option with flexible deferred periods
- Various renewal options
- Total permanent disability
- Additional upgraded critical illness benefit covers further full payment conditions, additional critical illness conditions, accelerated surgeries and hospital benefit.
- Life change and separation benefits
Summary
'Aviva critical illness cover list' offering is a highly competitive range of adult and child benefits in the UK critical illness market if the policy holder or child is sadly diagnosed with a specified critical illness during the term. Available with their optional upgraded critical illness at extra cost which could be valuable.
'Aviva critical illness list' like most UK Insurers re their critical illness terms & definitions often change regularly. So please call us for latest advice or check these updates out when doing your comparison online critical illness cover quotes.
Aviva Critical Illness Insurance - Chris's Story
AVIVA ACCIDENT & SICKNESS COVER Review
Aviva Living Costs protection provides a budget based way of protecting against loss of income threat if you can't work due to an illness, disability or accidental injury (upto 1 year term per claim) as specified by Aviva Insurance.
Key features
- 12 months per each claim
- Monthly benefits from £500 to £1,500 per month
- Waiting payments deferred periods of 4, 8, 13 or 26 weeks
- Policy term - from 5 years to 52 years.
- Inclusive waiver of premium
- Back to work & Life change benefit
- No cash in values
Summary
Our Aviva Life Insurance review shows their Living Costs protection plan doesn't ask for any complex calculations to establish your cover. Living Costs Protection is both a simple and affordable policy if you find yourself unable to work due to illness or injury. As such, it is an ideal basic shorter term solution to help protect mortgage or rent payments & bills.
INCOME PROTECTION AVIVA Review
Providing longer term security by way of a tax free monthly income if you are off longer term sick or have an accident or disability as specified, by Income Protection insurance Aviva. Available as a longer term policy that pays out if you can't work and so suffer a loss of earnings due to illness or injury during the policy term.
Key features
- Income Protection Aviva - Level or increasing cover
- Risk class assessed based on occupation
- Guaranteed premiums [ no cash in value ]
- The cover amount paid tax free calculated on % of annual salary
- Full cover to term or 2 year limited payment term
- Initial multiple waiting, deferred periods of 4, 8, 13, 26, 52, 104 weeks or dual deferred
- Waiver of premium to tie in with income benefit
- Hospital, Trauma, Back to work benefits
- Benefit guarantee
- Deferred period arrangement specially for Frontline NHS doctors, surgeons, nurses and midwives
Summary
The Income Protection Aviva policy pays a higher proportion of monthly income tax free when reviewed against some other Income Protection PHI Insurers. Check their terms when doing a quote or call us as to whether any income protection PHI policy being offered to you is paid under own occupation, any occupation or specified work tasks.
AVIVA BUSINESS PROTECTION Review
Aviva Business Protection offers company protection and a variety of reasons (with optional earlier critical illness at extra cost); Key person cover, loan share protection or an employee dies, is diagnosed with a critical or terminal illness during the term.
Key features
- Relevant life or shareholder cover options
- Aviva relevant life cover has tax benefits
- Guaranteed premiums [ no cash value ]
- Lump sum level, Decreasing or Increasing cover with installment option
- Waiver of premium option with flexible deferred periods
- Conversion or renewal options
Summary
Our Aviva Business Insurance review of their business protection shows it is competitive. It helps insure your business life & employees against life's challenges during its policy term. Range of complimentary Aviva's business protection trusts to help ensure the proceeds go efficiently to the correct beneficiaries.
AVIVA MEDICAL HEALTH INSURANCE Review
Providing private medical health PMI cover for you & your family or business. Aviva Health deals with Corporate Health Insurance, Small Business Insurance or Personal health Insurance. Their health insurance mainly covers treatment for shorter term illnesses or injuries that may respond quickly to treatment and not chronic longer term.
Key features
- Access to 100's of hospitals
- Wide range of private UK hospitals & facilities ie; Nuffield, BMI, Spire plus access to NHS and Trust Partnership hospitals
- Private UK hospitals lists
- Covers Acute conditions only
- Cancer care cover for cancer diagnosis, treatment and aftercare as standard with cancer pledge
- Hospital charges and specialist fees paid
- Outpatient consultations + treatment paid
- Enjoy comprehensive outpatient cover, including diagnostic tests, consultations with fee-approved specialists and specialist treatment – including radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Summary
Aviva health insurance offers good comprehensive cover, from diagnostic tests like x-rays and scans, plus specialists’ fees paid and aftercare. Note: it does not cover chronic or pre-existing conditions, pregnancy or childbirth.
Group Insurance - Product
AVIVA GROUP LIFE Insurance Review
Aviva Group Life cover helps employers ease the financial pressures on their employee’s family in the sad event of their death. An Aviva Group Life insurance can both help employers attract and retain quality employees, while demonstrating an employer's duty of care. You may choose different levels of benefits for different types of employees; ie directors, managers or staff. Alternatively, you could offer the same level of benefits to all staff. Aviva can also offer their Group Life alongside their other Group Protection policies to help build a benefits package.
Key Features
- Tax-free payment for Registered schemes, lump sums payable are normally tax-free up to the member’s Lifetime Allowance (LTA). For Excepted schemes, these are also usually tax-free and do not count towards a member’s LTA
- Premiums Tax efficient – usually treated as an allowable business expense
- Flexible cover – different levels of cover can be chosen with our policy, grouping employees by multiples of salary or lump-sum limits
- Free cover limits – we'll cover the majority of your clients' employees, up to a certain level of benefit, without needing to see their medical information
- Once only underwriting – employees who require cover above the free cover limit will only be medically underwritten once, up to a benefit of £5m
- Dependant pension options – our policy offers the option to provide a pension for the deceased’s partner, dependants or children
- Support and counselling – trained bereavement, stress & grief counsellors are on hand to help beneficiaries – and employees who may have been affected by the loss of a colleague
- Spouse and partner cover – employees can protect their spouse or partner through our Group Life policy
- The tele-interview – in some instances, employees will need to be contacted by one of our tele-interviewers – they'll capture essential medical information that can help provide faster underwriting decisions
Summary
Our review of Aviva Group Life shows its a strong market competitor within the group life insurance segment, with optional payouts of lump sum or pension. Designed with flexible features to help protect your employees family & loved ones if they were to sadly die during their employment tenure. Their proceeds may efficiently go to their beneficiaries to help avoid probate delays.
AVIVA GROUP INCOME PROTECTION Review
Employers can tax efficiently help provide their employees security by way of an ongoing monthly income if they are off longer term sick, or have an accident or disability as specified by Aviva Insurance. Available as a short or longer term policy, it pays out after an initial waiting period, with various flexible options. The premiums paid are considered a business expense for corporation tax purposes, so not treated as P11D benefit for your employees ie; there is no tax charge.
Key Features
- Tax efficient premiums – premiums will normally qualify as an allowable business expense
- Flexible cover levels - grouping employees by multiples of salary or lump sum limits
- Free cover limits - upto £150,000, without the need for medical underwriting
- Tele-interviewing – medical information is captured by specialists to speed up underwriting decisions & may usually take place once, even if benefit increases
- Day One Cover – up to 90 days full cover during the underwriting process, excluding any pre-existing conditions
- Inflation protected benefits – option to include claim escalators, either fixed amounts, (RPI) or (CPI)
- Overseas employees – will need to be advise of any overseas members so cover can be considered.
Summary
Aviva Group Income Protection can offer employers help to tax efficiently manage their employee sickness absences and any associated costs. Aviva Group income protection cover is competitive against personal PHI cover, as they ask no medical questions.
AVIVA GROUP CRITICAL ILLNESS Review
Employers can help ease their employees worries if diagnosed with various critical illness coverage & total permanent disability TPD, as specified by Aviva Insurance. The Aviva group critical illness plan is available on an employee life on 2 types of cover - Standard or Extended basis with automatic child cover
Key Features
- Standard cover
- 15 critical illnesses and operations
- Includes cancer (excluding less advanced cases)
- Cancer (second and subsequent)
- Heart attack, stroke and major organ transplant
- Extended cover
- Covers everything within Standard Cover
- Plus 26 other critical illnesses and operations
- Aorta graft surgery
- Blindness
- Heart valve replacement or repair
- Liver failure
- Terminal illness
- Cancer drugs fund
- This additional option - gives your employees access to a fund of up to £100,000 to pay for cancer drugs plus follow-up expenses
- They can only use this if the NHS Trust won't pay for their treatment
- Partner cover
- You can choose to extend critical cover to protect your employees' partners, up to £250,000
Summary
Aviva Group critical illness offering is competitive range in the UK group critical illness market via their 2 option approach. Like most UK Insurers, Aviva critical illness terms & conditions often change regularly, so please call us for latest advice or check these updates out when doing your comparison quotes.
AVIVA LIFE INSURANCE Review - Broker FAQ
Can you make changes to your AVIVA life insurance policy?
In terms of changing & then review Aviva life insurance policy, often you can request some of the following:
- reduce or perhaps extend the period of cover
- decrease or increase the amount of lifecover
- indexation option removed or any specific paid for policy features
- change the collection date of your usual premiums
- remove a life assured from a joint policy eg; if a unmarried couple or new parents sadly split up
These 'Aviva Life Insurance Reviews' changes could be subject to new medical underwriting based on your circumstances at the time & may well affect your premiums.
Aviva Friends Life | Old Policies?
Since Aviva Friends Life merged in 2015, Aviva now looks after many old legacy heritage companies. eg; AXA Equity and Law, London & Manchester, BUPA Life, Norwich Union. Please contact Aviva customer services for any ongoing policy queries.
How do I cancel my Aviva Life Insurance Policy?
You may cancel your Aviva Life Insurance plan at any time, if your circumstances change. Like all life insurance, you do have the right to change your mind within 30 days of your policy starting. The Insurers will then refund any premiums taken and your Life insurance cover would then end.
However, if you should cancel the Aviva life insurance policy at any other time, you won't get anything back because your policy usually has no cash in values at anytime. This also means if your health changed adversely afterwards & you then tried to request your Aviva life insurance policy is put back onto cover again, this maybe declined.
We suggest you seek professional advice on this Aviva opinie, before taking this course of action.
Single v Dual v Aviva Joint life Insurance?
A single life insurance means it covers just that 1 person only. It then pays out the chosen amount of cover if the person dies, or is terminally or critically ill during the term of the policy or whenever the event occurs it occurs if whole life. The benefit of having 2 seperate plans (known as dual life insurance) if in a relationship & one partner claims, then the surviving partner still has their own seperate policy.
Aviva 'joint' life insurance policy means it jointly covers 2 lives but then usually pays out on '1st death or claim' basis. This means once the chosen amount of cover is paid, the policy benefits would then end. This is usually the cheaper option for Insurers ( as it only pays benefits once ) but conversely leaving the surviving partner without any cover.
Death Claims, Life Insurance Trusts & Life of Another
Who the life insurance maybe actually then paid out to can be more complicated & many people wrongly assume it is a simple process.
If it is a joint life 1'st death policy or if it single life policy owned by another person "life of another" then it will just be paid to the survivor.
However, if it is a single life policy it can be more complex. Check if the policy was setup & written into a trust. If so the Insurer will pay the life insurance via the trustees named to the nominated beneficiaries directly. Sometimes there are a named beneficiary & others times a list of potential beneficiaries. The life insurance paid out doesn’t have to be included in the legal documents sent for probate and potentially it won’t be liable for inheritance tax either.
Should I put my Aviva Life Insurance policy into Trust?
When a life insurance isn’t written into trust, it will be paid to the executors of the deceased’s estate. They will handle the administration, known as probate in N Ireland, England, Wales and confirmation in Scotland. If not, the benefits will fall into your estate if you died prematurely. If you have not made a will, this can then cause further complications with the life insurance monies.
Until probate is fully granted, no monies can be paid out to those named in the will. On average, this can take upto 6 months. By not placing the plan into trust may also swell up the total estate values, leading to potentially Inheritance Tax IHT issues.
So placing a policy in trust can help to ensure that the policy proceeds go to the correct beneficiaries you decide to nominate at that stage. It can also help avoid possible probate delays & IHT costs. Ask the Insurers to kindly provide their available standard trust form wordings & seek legal advice if unsure.
Importance of Disclosure & Claims - AVIVA
All Insurers are in business to protect, insure & payout. Insurance cover is therefore based on your full disclosure at the time you took the original Aviva policy out ie; being 100% as honest & accurate as possible.
It is not always easy to remember all your historic health details when applying. The Consumer Insurance Act 2013 says you must not be acting careless, deliberate or reckless when applying. eg; If you familial history of high blood pressure or cholesterol (even if it costs more). If so, it may not payout !
Should you make a claim, your Insurers will send you a claim form for you to complete. Once received back, they will usually contact your GP to confirm any health details.
They will then assess if your insurance claim is valid and cross check if you originally disclosed all the correct details. If you look at the Insurers recent claims payout, you will see that it is Good (but like most Insurers - not 100%).
What if my health or lifestyle changes after I have taken the Aviva policy out?
Any health or lifestyle changes since, usually does not void your existing Aviva policy, if it wasn't relevant at that time of initial Aviva underwritten insurance application.
It maybe the Insurers request GP reports when you originally apply, to check any health details disclosed. Likewise they may not. Perhaps they put in some policy exclusions?
So take care to doubly re-check on your application what you initially disclosed to the Insurers, as this information then stands now and in the future. Please check your original T&C's.
If I start smoking after taking out Aviva Life Insurance do I tell them?
If you had legitimately quit smoking for over 12 months at that time of original application, you may wish to advise the Insurers you have started smoking again. This should not affect the original policy terms which should still stand, as you were being honest. Also maybe suggest letting your GP know if this is the case.
Aviva Share Price?
For the latest Aviva shares price - click on this investment link: Aviva plc share price lse. Note: we do not give any investment or share advice.
Article on 'Aviva Life Insurance Review' by Martyn Spencer Financial Adviser (2025)
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