Aviva unearths spooky stories from 328 years of history

From poltergeist insurance cover to haunted hotels, Aviva’s archives are home to a glut of ghoulish stories from the company’s 328-year history.

Ahead of Halloween, Anna Stone, Aviva’s Group Archivist, has brushed off the cobwebs from the records and released details of some of the company’s spookiest findings:

You’re kitten me:

A Suffolk hotel suffered a series of fires after a 300-year-old mummified cat was accidentally removed from the building during renovations. The burial custom was popular in medieval times to ward off witches.

After the cat was removed, hotel owners wanted to frame the animal, but the framing shop caught fire. The cat was unharmed and was taken to a workshop, which also caught fire. A fire then also broke out at the hotel itself. Peace was restored after the cat was put to rest in a special casket in the hotel dining room, but the hotel owners did double up on their risk management with a system of fire prevention equipment too. Aviva heritage company General Accident then stepped in to insure the property.

Monster mayhem:

In 1974, General Accident provided a free clause to personal accident cover for a long-distance swimming race on Loch Ness, guaranteeing the six swimmers substantial benefits in the event of death or disablement by any monster.

Donald the poltergeist:

In 1956, London and Manchester, which became part of Aviva, launched an advertising campaign featuring Tibetan ghost traps. Following this, the company received two letters enquiring whether it had traps for sale. One client appeared to be in need of one after they experienced a fire at their premises with the cause unknown, in spite of investigations by the fire brigade. As part of their claim the client sent in press cuttings about a poltergeist called Donald in the house in question. Donald’s activities allegedly included switching on an electric cooker and tapping out a threat to burn down the house, in alphabetical code.

Bewitching belongings?

In 1988 one comical customer wrote to inform that he wished for his wife’s details to be removed from documents stating: “As my wife has left home, I want to delete her name from the policy and reduce the sum insured as she has removed some of her effects (cauldron, broomstick, etc)”.

Eerie exit:

In a chilling twist, a coffin maker submitted his Fidelity proposal form with an unsettling reason for leaving his job: “no future.” This haunting declaration leaves us wondering about the true nature of his departure…

Lazy bones:

In 1954 Norwich Union was asked to quote for “all risks insurance” for a skeleton being borrowed from Manchester’s medical school to be at a university students’ dance. The company decided not to quote on this occasion. Which was just as well as the skeleton had no body to go with….

Poltergeist policy:

In 1974, another of Aviva’s heritage companies, Friends Provident and Century, provided cover for shop premises which formed part of the old city wall in York, which was said to be haunted. When asked by a local journalist if he was worried about having a haunted shop, the owner replied that he wasn't because his policy covered damage by poltergeist.

Ghost broker:

In 1984 a ghost tour in Bristol included a former Norwich Union site of 41 Gay Street, where apparently a ghost of an old man had been seen sitting at his desk, poring over papers.

Haunting:

In 1858, Hand in Hand, an Aviva heritage company, insured the property of a woman called Tryphena Wynne Pendarves. She has been seen wearing white and walking in the garden of the Treslothan rectory in Pendarves estate where she was buried. Stories of her ghostly visits have made the churchyard popular with paranormal investigators.

Anna Stone, Group Archivist at Aviva, said: “With a history spanning 328 years, it’s no surprise that our archives hold a few skeletons in the closet. From ghostly encounters to bizarre insurance claims, our records reveal some truly spine-chilling stories. However, not everything in our archives is scary – there are countless examples of Aviva and its heritage companies supporting our customers through thick and thin, just as we continue to do today.”

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