Aviva announces donation to NHS Charities Together as part of package of Covid-19 support

Aviva, the UK’s largest insurer, has pledged £5 million to NHS Charities Together as part of a package of measures aimed at supporting customers and their communities during the Covid-19 crisis.

Aviva’s donation will fund support for the NHS in three key areas: welfare and wellbeing for NHS employees, volunteers and patients; assistance for patients leaving hospital; and long-term mental health support for NHS workers.

Aviva’s package of measures to support customers and communities also includes:

• Free breakdown cover, enhanced home insurance for personal belongings and free courtesy cars for Aviva customers working in the NHS. It will also prioritise repairs for NHS workers who are Aviva motor insurance customers.¹
• Full pay for Aviva employees who volunteer full time for the NHS and British Red Cross.
• Support for Aviva direct, Quotemehappy or General Accident home, motor and personal van customers who may be experiencing severe financial difficulties as a result of Covid-19, by deferring their monthly payments and spreading payments over the remaining term of their policies.²
• A donation of £10 million to the British Red Cross, to support those coming out of hospital and ensuring those made most vulnerable by the outbreak can get the right support at the right time.
• Donations from surplus stock of hand sanitizers, rubber gloves, antiseptic wipe pod refills and face masks to key worker organisations and charities.

Colm Holmes, Global CEO, General Insurance at Aviva plc said: “We are seeing extraordinary efforts, particularly from NHS workers who are on the front line helping to keep us safe in the global fight against Covid-19. But we all have a part to play in defeating the virus. The funding for NHS Charities Together will help provide vital support to NHS workers, patients and communities and ensure that support reaches more people, quickly.”

Ellie Orton, CEO of NHS Charities Together, said: “We have pledged to raise £100 million to help support NHS workers throughout the Coronavirus crisis. Aviva’s donation will make a real difference to the amazing NHS staff, volunteers and patients who are on the front line. It’s important that these individuals know just how much the nation appreciates their efforts, and actions such as this show how much people care.”

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References

¹ Additional cover provided to Aviva customers who are NHS workers:

• Free Aviva breakdown cover (including At Home), for NHS workers who have any Aviva, Quotemehappy or General Accident branded policy, if their car breaks down. Contact details for our breakdown cover can be found in our FAQs. Free courtesy car to any NHS workers with an Aviva motor policy, if their car is involved in an accident.
• Priority repairs on motor claims for our customers who are NHS workers so they can get back on the road as quickly as possible.
• Free enhanced personal belongings cover for our home contents customers who are NHS workers if their belongings are lost/damaged/stolen while they are working/commuting.

² This applies to customers in the following circumstances for a maximum of three payments where the customer is still experiencing difficulties:

• Have a car, home or personal van policy and pay their premium monthly.    
• The policy is currently active, and the customer has made at least one payment.
• Their next payment due date is more than 10 days ahead.  
• Are the policyholder and they, their spouse/partner or the primary named vehicle driver on multi-car policy:

-have been furloughed and have not yet received the 80% payment scheme from their employer or  
-are self-employed and are unable to work or trade because of coronavirus, and haven’t yet received the 80% payment scheme via the Government or 
-have been made unemployed at any point after 1 March 2020.

About NHS Charities Together:

NHS Charities Together is the national umbrella organisation for hundreds of NHS charities across the country. Its Urgent Appeal acknowledges and supports NHS staff and volunteers caring for COVID-19 patients. It has been put together in liaison with NHS England and national bodies, our member NHS charities and national giving platforms.

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• Aviva is a leading international savings, retirement and insurance business. We exist to be with people when it really matters, throughout their lives – to help them make the most of life. We have been taking care of people for more than 320 years, in line with our purpose of being ‘with you today, for a better tomorrow’.
• Our vision is to earn our customers’ trust as the best place to save for the future, navigate retirement and insure what matters most to them. In 2019, we paid £33.2 billion in claims and benefits on behalf of our 33.4 million customers.
• We operate through five business divisions: Investments, Savings & Retirement; UK Life; General Insurance; Europe Life; and Asia Life; and focus on three strategic priorities: deliver great customer outcomes, excel at the fundamentals and invest in sustainable growth.
• Total group assets under management at Aviva group are £510 billion and our Solvency II capital surplus is £12.6 billion (FY19). Our shares are listed on the London Stock Exchange and we are a member of the FTSE 100 index.