Aviva USA, part of Aviva plc, the world's fifth largest insurance group, announced today that it will offer its insurance customers a variety of wellness products and services from Mayo Clinic Health Solutions.
- Innovative design offers rewards to life insurance customers for leading healthier lifestyles; programme supported by exclusive relationship with Mayo Clinic
Aviva USA, part of Aviva plc, the world's fifth largest insurance group, announced today that it will offer its insurance customers a variety of wellness products and services from Mayo Clinic Health Solutions. These wellness-oriented services are a core feature in Aviva's new Wellness for Life Programme that offers its life insurance customers incentives and rewards for leading a healthy lifestyle.
"What is so innovative and exciting about the Wellness for Life Programme is that it provides incentives to life insurance customers to lead a healthier lifestyle," said Brian J Clark, executive vice president and chief product officer for Aviva USA. "For the first time ever, customers have the opportunity to reduce the cost of their life insurance by meeting some wellness-oriented criteria. In addition, the program provides customers with high-quality, consumer-friendly wellness resources from Mayo Clinic Health Solutions."
"We are very excited about entering into this exclusive relationship with Aviva," said Tom Ferraro, director of strategic relations for Mayo Clinic Health Solutions. "Part of Mayo Clinic's mission is to serve as a reliable source of health and wellness information to as many people as possible. Providing our health resources through the Wellness for Life Programme will allow us to reach more people and help them lead healthier lifestyles, a goal that is in everyone's best interests - the consumer's, ours, and Aviva's."
Customers in the Wellness for Life Programme are eligible for potential savings in their policy's cost of insurance simply by having regular physical examinations by a doctor. Additionally, Wellness for Life customers can increase their potential savings by maintaining their body weight within a range established specifically for them at the time they purchase the policy. The amount of potential savings on their cost of insurance will be based on improvement in life expectancies for all participants in the Wellness for Life Programme. Any savings will be reflected in rate reductions for the customers that meet one or both wellness criteria.
"General population mortality rates in the US improved in the 1-2% range per year from 1987 through 2004, driving improvement in life expectancies. Much of this improvement can be attributed to medical advances and increased awareness by the general population of health and wellness issues. We expect that encouraging participants in the Wellness for Life Programme to lead a healthy lifestyle will result in improved life expectancy for those customers. Therefore, the program is designed to directly reward the Wellness for Life customers who meet the wellness criteria if there are improvements in life expectancies among the group of Wellness for Life participants as a whole," Mr Clark said.
The Wellness for Life Programme is an optional rider on several fixed indexed universal life policies for a one-time cost of US$100. The program's benefits are available during the entire life of the policy so that customers that do not qualify for cost of insurance savings in a particular year can still qualify in any future year, and there are no penalties for not qualifying for savings in any year.
Participants in the Wellness for Life Programme will receive practical, accessible health information and wellness services from Mayo Clinic Health Solutions, including:
- Health assessment and personal wellness web portal: Participants will have access to Mayo Clinic's wellness and health information and tools on the web. After completing a confidential online health questionnaire, the results will be used to create a personal, password protected web page with information customized for the individual, including a personalized wellness tracking calendar.
- Mayo Clinic nurse line: Participants have unlimited access to Mayo Clinic nurses to ask questions and seek advice about their or a family member's health issues. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year via a toll-free line, the service is staffed by Mayo Clinic nurses who have the ability to draw on Mayo Clinic's resources.
- Mayo Clinic newsletter: Participants will receive the quarterly Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth newsletter, which contains important information on wellness and healthy living.
- Mayo Clinic discounts: Participants will be eligible for special offers and discounts on additional Mayo Clinic wellness services, resources and programs.
"Aviva has consistently strived to provide the best possible products and service to our customers," said Thomas C Godlasky, president and chief executive officer of Aviva North America. "Consistent with that philosophy, we feel privileged to be able to offer products from Mayo Clinic Health Solutions because they are part of the premier health and wellness organization in the country with access to the best resources for leading a healthier lifestyle. We believe this program will help our customers live longer, healthier lives and save money on the cost of their insurance".
Aviva plans to introduce Wellness for Life to selected customers in the fourth quarter and expand nationally in early 2008, subject to state regulatory approvals.
Aviva is pursuing options to include wellness related benefits and information services to customers of other Aviva products.
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Contacts:
Aviva USA
Steven Goldberg
E-mail: steven.goldberg@finsbury.com
Stephanie Linehan
E-mail: stephanie.linehan@finsbury.com
Finsbury Group
Telephone: 212 303 7600
Mayo Clinic Health Solutions:
Ginger Plumbo
E-mail: plumbo.ginger@mayo.edu
Department of Public Affairs
Telephone: 507 266 0517
About Aviva
Aviva plc is the leading provider of life and pensions to Europe with substantial positions in other markets around the world, making it the world's fifth largest insurance group based on gross worldwide premiums as of December 31, 2006. Aviva's principal global business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of £41.5 billion and assets under management of £364 billion at December 31, 2006.
In 2006, Aviva grew its existing US presence by acquiring AmerUs group (now known as Aviva USA), a national leader in indexed annuities and indexed life insurance. Nationally, Aviva USA is ranked number one in sales of indexed life insurance and number two in sales of indexed annuities.
Aviva USA had $38.4 billion in assets as of December 31, 2006. Aviva's US employees are committed to helping customers meet their long-term savings, insurance and retirement income needs. http://www.avivausa.com/
About Mayo Clinic Health Solutions
Mayo Clinic Health Solutions works to extend Mayo Clinic expertise to people throughout their lives. By drawing upon the collective experience of more than 2,000 physician experts, Mayo Clinic Health Solutions provides an integrated suite of products and services designed to improve both individual and population health. Products include Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth portal, Mayo Clinic Health Risk Assessment, Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth newsletter, Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth Guide to Self-Care book, Ask Mayo Clinic nurse line and health advisor programs, and telephonic lifestyle coaching programs, and third party administrative services.