Aviva critical illness statistics

This contributes to a total of £343 million paid to Aviva customers since 2007. The average amount paid out has increased to £79,000 in 2009, compared to £75,000 in 2008.

A further £151 million has been paid to the families of people who have died, or been diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2009. This takes the total Aviva has paid out to over £1 billion pounds in critical illness and life insurance claims since 2006.

Key statistics include:

• Total payouts for CI policies stood at almost £118 million. In total, 1,499 claims were paid in 2009
• The average amount paid out on critical illness claims by Aviva was £79,000 in 2009, up from £75,000 in 2008
• Aviva paid out on 91% of all claims in 2009
• Cancer remained by far the most common cause of claims, rising to 67% of all claims in 2009
• The number of claims declined in 2009 for non-disclosure of medical facts at the policy's outset remained stable at 2%, down from 4% in 2007

Richard Verdin, director of protection at Aviva, said: "Critical illness cover remains a crucially important solution for many. With 9 in 10 claims being paid, it is time for providers and advisers to get back on the front foot to raise customer awareness. Collectively we owe it to customers to ensure people do realise the potential need and value of life insurance before it's too late.

"47% of Britons don't have critical illness or life protection and even more worryingly 75% of single parents have no protection, which has huge implications for their families. As product providers we must therefore do everything we can to support advisers so they in turn can talk confidently about the success and importance of these products with their clients."

Aviva has a dedicated critical illness site containing customer and adviser case studies, and new material including the new 2009 claims brochure. This support for advisers is available at www.aviva.co.uk/adviser/criticalillnessstory