Aviva is extending the cover it offers under individual critical illness (CI) policies including cancer, dementia and mental health disorders.
The insurer is understood to be the first to use the Association of British Insurers (ABI) amended model wordings for cancer, dementia and heart attack in its CI policies.
It will also pay out 100% of the insured amount for additional benefits within the upgraded adult cover and has raised the upper limit from £25,000 to £30,000.
The insurer has added further cancer support services for all individual and group protection customers through its DigiCare+app.
The key changes to CI cover include:
- Extending cover around prostate cancer to include a full benefit payment for anyone undergoing surgery to remove the prostate, focusing on the impact of the surgery and aligning to current medical practice.
- Adding an additional benefit definition within the upgraded adult cover that will enable it to pay claims for less aggressive forms of non-melanoma skin cancer.
- Cover and financial support are now available for progressive deterioration of cognitive abilities which replaces the need for the customer to have permanent clinical loss before a claim can be paid. Aviva said this will mean it can pay claims more quickly while providing support to customers where the condition is less progressed but still having a marked impact.
- Enhanced mental health definition to consider those who are treated at home for these conditions as well as inpatients which Aviva said will mean it can pay more claims and support more customers.
- Extending pulmonary artery surgery cover to include another life altering surgery being performed more frequently in the UK known as pulmonary endarterectomy surgery and adding necrotising fascilitis as a new full payment definition.
Digicare additions
Aviva has also broadened its DigiCare+ and DigiCare+ Workplace apps to support for customers going through a cancer diagnosis which will be available at any time – not just during a claim.
The new support for individual and group protection customers includes the insurer’s cancer care guide which has been developed with MacMillan Cancer Support to help customers and their loved ones with their physical, financial and emotional wellbeing during cancer.
Protection customers can also benefit from a range of cancer care discounts on goods and services aimed at helping deal with daily living adjustments, enhance quality time spent with loved ones and support physical and mental wellbeing.
Fran Bruce, managing director, protection at Aviva, (pictured) said the enhancements to its individual critical illness cover will enable it to pay significantly more claims in the coming years to customers who are diagnosed with these conditions.
“On our critical illness cover we have paid claims on over 60 definitions over the last seven years under adult cover, including all definitions on our core cover,” she said.
“As cancer is the most common reason for claims across our protection products, our new cancer support hub on DigiCare+ apps will provide additional help to those customers diagnosed with cancer or living with someone with cancer.
“DigiCare+ has been phenomenally successful since we launched towards the end of 2020, with more than 100,000 protection customers registering with the apps. These new additions are part of our continued work to evolve and enhance our digital support services.”
CIExpert noted that Aviva was the first insurer to utilise the ABI amended model wordings for cancer, dementia and heart attack.
“As always, we champion insurers that add conditions or extend wordings which will result in more claims or higher sums being paid,” CIExpert said.
“Aviva, which pioneered the twin plan approach, has been at the forefront of CI innovation and these improvements have improved its position within the CIExpert quality tables.”