Our customers

It takes Aviva

Whether it's protecting what matters most to people or helping them shape a future they dream of, we have the breadth and the expertise for whatever they need.

The way we serve people has never been more important, and we’re going further to help them make sense of it all. Delivering on our promise to customers is how we live up to our purpose, to be with you today for a better tomorrow.

Amanda Blanc, Group Chief Executive Officer

Alia’s story

When Alia, an A&E doctor and mum of two, was diagnosed with a brain tumour, she was told it would be fatal if she didn’t have surgery.
But after the operation, Alia couldn’t sit up, swallow or speak.
So, her husband contacted Aviva because Alia had an income protection policy with us.
In this short film, Alia and Phil meet their claim’s assessor Claire for the first time.

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Transcript 

[On screen text:]

Alia’s Story

Alia Yaqub

Income protection claims & rehabilitation support

In 2017 Alia was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Her surgery didn’t go to plan and she ended up being an inpatient for 6 months. 

Immediately after surgery Alia couldn’t sit up, speak or swallow. 

Alia’s husband Phil got in touch with Aviva about her income protection policy and later down the line, the possibility of some rehabilitation

Phil:

[On screen text]

Phil Atkinson
Alia's husband

I just remember the first time I rang Aviva, Claire and or the first time I kind of sent everything in to initiate the claim, not having the clue what to do and being really quite scared and expecting the company to question everything and I'd have to try to fight just to get anywhere and to be kind of greeted by you and walked through the process, as the... for the moron than I was and am, just be walked through the process every stage so kindly and so supportively, it was just brilliant. It just made it all so easy at a time when nothing else was. So thank you.

Claire:

[On screen text]

Claire Conlin

Senior Claims Assessor

Thank you so much. And I think a lot of people are nervous about making those initial contacts with insurance companies. Don't know what's going to be involved in the process. I'm just pleased that you felt comfortable talking to me about everything and I got the gravity of the situation straight away. So you definitely... I definitely wanted to make the process as easy as I possibly could.

Over a two year period, benefitted from intensive neuro‐physical rehabilitation package and achieved amazing results.

Claire:

But that was one of the high points of my career, was just how happy you were and that we'd got there and we'd achieved it. It was a really incredible feeling just to know, just to get there, to get it sorted and to know that was going to be in place, because I could see what benefit it was going to be, not just Alia for your career and your return to work, but for your family, having such a young family, I could just... I knew in my gut, that it was is going to be successful. I'm just so glad we got there.

Alia:

[On screen text]

Alia Yaqub

Income protection customer

And to me it's a massive difference, isn't it?

Phil:

It's huge, absolutely huge. The difference of when you came home after six months, you were still in a wheelchair.

Alia:

Yeah, even in the house.

Phil:

Even in the house. You could take a few steps, but that was it. And you know, fast forward the clock, it's just the difference is incredible, but that was... there was a point when you finally got that. The NHS physio you'd had as an inpatient was incredible, but actually the package of care that Aviva were able to put together and Claire was able to put together, was more than you were getting as an inpatient in hospital, and you just surged.

[On screen text]

Alia is now back at work running the A&E department.

Alia:

It's been lovely to actually not meet you, but to see you, but seems so strange.

Phil:

It does, because you kind of have an image of someone, but you don't have a clue and it's just it's... it's lovely.

Claire:

Yeah, I know. It's been lovely for me, really unusual and an amazing opportunity to meet you. So I really appreciate it. Thank you.

Phil:

Thank you, Claire, what you've done for us is really special and...

Alia:

It's been life changing.

Phil:

Yeah, and we'll never be able to properly thank you, and so, but thank you.

Claire:

Thank you. Oh, you very much you're a very special couple and I'm just so happy for you.

[On screen text:]

Your financial adviser can explain how Aviva’s Income Protection+ works and when it would payout.

We assess each claim and whether to offer rehabilitation services on an individual basis.

It takes Aviva

Lorraine's story – it takes putting our customers first

Lorraine works as a mortgage and protection adviser. When she was diagnosed with COVID-19, she ended up in hospital with pneumonia in both lungs.

After a call with Aviva, she learnt that she was able to make a hospital benefit claim on her income protection policy. She said, “it really did help me financially, but also emotionally”. Because it allowed her to take more time off to recover from the illness, she said “it gave me that security to not worry”.

She also took advantage of the rehabilitation service when she was out of hospital, which offered a listening ear and meant that she didn’t feel alone. She’s now fully recovered and feeling “fantastic”.

Hailstorms in Calgary

In 2020, hailstones the size of tennis balls battered the city of Calgary in Canada. The storm caused $1.2 billion in insured damage, making it the fourth most expensive insured natural disaster in Canadian history.

Most of the damage was to people’s homes and vehicles – things like smashed windows and shattered windshields. As the storm subsided, the clean-up began, and so did the calls from customers who needed our help.

Despite this taking place during a COVID-19 lockdown and our teams working remotely, we supported customers through the claims journey, helping them get back to normal as quickly as possible.

We paid our customers £25.6 billion during 2023 in claims and benefits.

Our customer stories