Aviva has updated its Covid underwriting approach to no longer ask customers about recent Covid diagnosis or symptoms.
The insurer revealed that from today the following question will no longer be included as part of it’s protection insurance underwriting application:
Within the last 14 days have you:
- Experienced any of the following symptoms: a new continuous cough, breathing difficulties, a high temperature or fever, or a loss or change to your sense of taste or smell; or
- Been diagnosed with Coronavirus (Covid-19)?
Aviva said it expects the change will help speed onboarding for customers, preventing delays for those who would experience mild Covid symptoms.
Last month Aviva extended its relaxed manual underwriting Covid stance on to the ALPS platform meaning that life and critical illness terms can now be automatically offered for customers who have disclosed Covid symptoms, once the symptoms have resolved.
A year ago Aviva began removing most of its Covid underwriting criteria introduced at the start of the pandemic for individual protection applications.
Robert Morrison, chief underwriting officer, health and protection at Aviva said: “Throughout the pandemic, Aviva has monitored the emerging data regarding Covid-19 closely and evolved our protection underwriting approach to offer access to as many customers as possible.
“In light of the incredible progress made with the vaccination programme and its impact on serious illness and deaths, we have now removed underwriting questions relating to a recent diagnosis or symptoms of COVID-19 to reflect the current situation in the UK.”