ProtectionApr 14 2014

Aviva enhances heart attack definition for CI cover

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Aviva has enhanced its heart attack definition on new critical illness policies, meaning it will now pay out on the diagnosis of all heart attacks.

This removes the requirement for customers to reach a specified ‘troponin’ level in order for the claim to be paid. Tropinin are specific proteins found in the heart muscle and troponin testing is done to diagnose heart attacks.

The move, which applies to policies taken out from 13 April 2014, follows on from a previous enhancement in July 2013 when Aviva significantly lowered the severity threshold for heart attack claims.

Heart attacks are the second biggest reason for Aviva critical illness claims, accounting for 11 per cent.

During 2013 Aviva paid out more than £14m to critical illness customers who had suffered a heart attack, an average of more than £66,000 per person. The average age of claimants in 2013 was 48 for men and 46 for women.

Robert Morrison, chief underwriter for Aviva says: “We enhanced our heart attack definition less than a year ago to achieve this, and our latest move takes us a step further. This will help to prevent the situation of advisers having to tell clients that although their doctor has told them they’ve had a heart attack, it isn’t quite bad enough to receive a payment.

“Around 103,000 people have a heart attack in the UK each year, so it’s perhaps no surprise that they are one of our biggest reasons for critical illness claims.

“The new definition is designed to cut out complexity, making the cover even easier for customers and advisers to understand. Customers can be reassured that quite simply, if they have had a heart attack, they can make a claim.”