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Aviva

Aviva car insurance review

We’ve analysed car insurance cover from Aviva car to help you decide if this major insurer, which also offers multi-car and temporary cover, can give you a good deal.

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By

Liz Edwards

Updated

Compare policies Verdict
3.9 ★★★★★ (588 reviews) Write a review
Customer rating
★★★★★
Satisfaction survey
Cover to drive someone else’s car available.
Can be tricky to get on the phone.

The biggest insurer in the UK gets good customer feedback, but it’s worth knowing that you don’t get a courtesy car as standard in comprehensive cover – some other policies do include this. Here’s what else you need to know.

Who is Aviva?

As the largest general insurance provider in the UK, Aviva offers an extensive range of financial products including car, van, motorbike, travel, pet, home and life insurance.

While Aviva has roots as far back as 1696 – in the “age of highwaymen” – it was essentially created when Norwich Union and CGU plc merged in 2000. Although known as CGNU after the merger, the name Aviva was adopted a short time later in 2002.

The Aviva Group is made up of several businesses, including Aviva Insurance Services UK Ltd and Aviva UK Digital Ltd, amongst others.

Who underwrites Aviva car insurance?

Aviva car insurance policies are underwritten by Aviva Insurance Ltd.

Aviva Insurance Ltd is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

What are Aviva’s cover options?

With every comprehensive car insurance policy, Aviva says it guarantees protection against uninsured drivers, and covers you to drive someone else’s car if you’re aged 25 or over. Aviva also offers third party, fire and theft cover. These are annual policies and there’s an admin fee if you cancel them once cover’s started.

In a bid to offer a more flexible option, Aviva launched AvivaPlus, a type of pay-as-you-go deal. With AvivaPlus, you pay monthly (without paying interest for the privilege), and you can cancel or change the cover without incurring an admin fee. There are 3 levels of cover: Basic (a stripped-back version of comprehensive with no courtesy car or cover for windscreen mishaps), and Regular and Premium versions of comprehensive. Premium gets you a better courtesy car, higher cover levels and driving abroad, among other benefits. Surprisingly, Regular includes no cover for driving abroad.

See the table below for what’s included in each option of Aviva car insurance.

Product NameThird party, fire and theftComprehensive cover
Damage to your car✓
Damaged windscreen and window glass✓
Fire and theft✓✓
Personal accident cover✓
Medical expenses✓
Personal belongings✓
Liabilities to third parties✓✓
Alternative travel costs✓
No claims discount✓✓
No claims discount protectionOptional
Replacement locks✓
Permanently fitted audio equipment✓

Aviva’s optional extras

Aviva offers a range of additional protection to bolt onto your policy, including:

  • Breakdown cover. Aviva offers a variety of levels: Roadside Assistance, Recovery and At Home and Onward Travel.
  • Courtesy car. Aviva offers standard and enhanced options of a replacement car.
  • Motor legal. Aviva will help to recover any compensation or financial loss after an accident that wasn’t your fault.
  • Enhanced European cover. You’ll be covered to drive in most European countries beyond the basic minimum that’s included.
  • No-claims discount protection. Your premium will stay when you come to renew even after making one claim.
  • Motor Injury Protection Plus. You, your partner or any named drivers will receive injury cover and physiotherapy after an accident.

What is my excess?

Your car insurance excess is the amount of money you will need to pay towards a claim. Your insurer won’t pay out for a claim that costs less than this amount. A compulsory excess amount might vary depending on the age of your car and your driving experience.

A voluntary excess is on top and is normally set by you when taking out a policy. You’ll have the option of adding or increasing a voluntary excess – which should lower your premium.

You’ll find details about any compulsory or voluntary excesses in your policy document.

What is the claims process for Aviva?

You should call the Aviva claims line on 0345 030 6925 to make a claim. This is a 24 hour claims line open seven days a week. Alternatively, you can make a claim online on Aviva’s claims page.

You will need to provide the following information:

  • Details about the incident
  • Names and contact details of everyone involved in the incident such as third parties, passengers and witnesses
  • Details about the damage or injuries sustained

It’s vital that you let your insurer know about an incident as soon as possible, even if it’s not your fault. Failure to do this could result in a rejected claim later on.

Aviva car insurance customer reviews

Customers who took part in Finder’s 2023 customer satisfaction survey were positive about Aviva, with many highlighting its good customer service.

One customer said, “Aviva gave me the best price. They are great at communicating.”

Aviva received an overall customer satisfaction score of 4.5 out of 5, and 82% of customers said they’d recommend the brand to a friend.

Pros and cons for Aviva car insurance

Pros

  • 24/7 Claims – the team are available 24/7, 365 days a year if you need to make a claim
  • Uninsured driver protection included
  • Cover to drive someone else’s car available
  • Option to pay interest free monthly instalments with a credit or debit card

Cons

  • EU cover is an optional extra
  • No courtesy car as standard

Our verdict

Aviva is the biggest insurance provider in the UK and, while size isn’t everything, its policies generally deliver. It gained 5 stars in our 2020 Finder Customer Satisfaction Awards for car insurance, but in 2021 it slipped down the rankings a little.

That said, you get what you pay for, so Aviva’s policies are not the cheapest on the market. Of course, everybody’s circumstances vary and so it’s always worth getting a quote.

If you have read this review and decided that Aviva is not for you, you can also compare other car insurance policies on the market.

Frequently asked questions

Car insurance ratings

★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor

Our customer satisfaction scores ("Customers say") are based on a survey of 1,654 customers carried out in December 2022.

Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.

The offers compared on this page are chosen from a range of products we can track; we don't cover every product on the market...yet. Unless we've indicated otherwise, products are shown in no particular order or ranking. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations), aren't product ratings, although we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it; this is subject to our terms of use. When making a big financial decision, it's wise to consider getting independent financial advice, and always consider your own financial circumstances when comparing products so you get what's right for you.
*Based on data provided by Consumer Intelligence Ltd, www.consumerintelligence.com (June ’23). 51% of car insurance customers could save £488.46

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