Aviva has announced that it will pay a further £47 million to eligible private medical insurance customers as it completes its COVID-19 Pledge to customers.
Together with £81 million that was returned to customers in 2022, the final payment will mean Aviva has paid out more than £128 million in total for private medical insurance claims disruption during the pandemic.
The figure represents Aviva’s final assessment of the difference between expected claims costs and actual claims costs for the period of claims monitored, from 1 March 2020 to 31 December 2022, when some treatments and procedures were delayed rather than cancelled.
The final payment includes a 20% increase as outlined in Aviva’s COVID-19 Pledge update in June last year.1
For individual customers the payment including the 20% increase will be equivalent to around 6 weeks’ worth of their annual premium and for SME customers the payment will be equivalent to around 5 weeks’ worth of their annual premium.2
Large corporate clients will not get a second payment as the equivalent value Pledge was fulfilled for this portfolio in 2022 through the first payment.
Steve Bridger, Managing Director at Aviva UK Health, said: “We value our private medical insurance customers’ loyalty and it was only right that we pledged to return any difference in claims costs to them after a full and fair assessment of the impact of the pandemic on our claims experience.
“I’m delighted that we have completed our final assessment and that we can make a further payment to customers at this time of increased living costs.”
As stated in the Pledge, customers and clients who paid a premium across the period 1 March 2020 to 31 March 2021 will be eligible for a payment, even if they no longer hold a policy.
Grant Thornton UK LLP have independently reviewed Aviva’s approach in line with the COVID-19 Pledge commitment.
Aviva will be contacting brokers and customers over the coming weeks to let them know about the payments.
-ENDS-
Footnotes
1 In Aviva’s COVID-19 Pledge update in June 2022, it was stated that Aviva would continue to monitor claims until the end of 2022 and that if any further payment was made in 2023 if would include a 20% increase. Aviva announces £81m payment to UK health insurance customers through COVID-19 Pledge - Aviva plc
2 The payment estimates provided are based on policies remaining active and paid up throughout the eligible period. If a policy ended during the eligible period, proportionate payments will be made.
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Notes to editors:
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