In line with its policy of providing sound advice and getting closer to its customers, the insurer Aviva France has been working since Sunday to help victims of the recent storm Xynthia.
In line with its policy of providing sound advice and getting closer to its customers, the insurer Aviva France has been working since Sunday to help victims of the recent storm Xynthia. The Aviva France companies Aviva Assurances and Eurofil have already streamlined and simplified the processing and payment of customer claims.
Aviva Assurances, through its network of 900 general agents in France, and Eurofil, which specialises in direct insurance by phone:
- Are making advance payments, via their general agents and remote advisers, in accordance with customer needs and requests;
- Have waived the requirement for wind-speed verification for the payment of claims made in the four departments with Météo France's red alert status: Charente Maritime, Vendée, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne;
- Have extended the usual claim submission deadline by five days to 31 March;
- Will take into account the circumstances of customers affected by the storm if they are temporarily unable to pay their insurance premiums on time;
- With regard to flooding, the Aviva and Eurofil teams have made arrangements to record claims without waiting for the publication of the official natural disaster declarations.
Aviva Assurances customers can contact their general agents directly. To activate the Aviva Assurances cover provided in comprehensive home and motor policies, and in more extreme cases to obtain financial assistance, customers should call 0825 804 848.
Eurofil customers should call:
- 0800 037 380 to make a claim,
- 01 4714 1515 for Eurofil assistance.
Aviva Assurances and Eurofil will remain alert to specific cases and will handle claims made by customers in particularly difficult circumstances sympathetically. So far, around 20 critical situations have been identified among our customers and are being given immediate individual treatment by the Aviva teams.
As well as these immediate arrangements, depending on the development of the situation on the ground and in consultation with the industry, in the coming days Aviva will take any additional measures it deems necessary to support its customers.
"Faced with a storm of exceptional severity, since Sunday we have mobilised all our resources to help and support our policyholders who have claims at this extremely difficult time," explained Jean-Pierre Menanteau, CEO of Aviva France. "We have made exceptional arrangements to ensure that our customers receive their compensation quickly, to help them cope with this tragic event."
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Aviva press contacts:
Karim Mokrane (Aviva)
Telephone: +33 (0)1 7662 7685
E-mail: karim_mokrane@aviva.fr
Estelle Joubert
Telephone: +33 (0)1 7662 5786
E-mail: estelle_joubert@aviva.fr
Philippe Tréguer (HDL Communication)
Telephone: +33 (0)1 5865 0073
E-mail: ptreguer@hdlcom.com
Notes to editors:
About Aviva
Aviva is the world’s fifth-largest insurance group*, with 50 million customers throughout Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Aviva’s principal business activities are: life insurance and long-term savings, fund management and general insurance.
At 31 December 2008, Aviva had turnover of €64.3 billion, with €393 billion of assets under management. Aviva is the largest insurer in the UK and one of the main providers of life insurance and pension products in Europe. A selection of images and all the press releases from the Aviva Group are available in the press area www.aviva.com/media.
With more than 180 years’ experience in France, Aviva is among the top ten players in the insurance market. Aviva France operates a solid and profitable multi-distribution model based on a comprehensive range of products, mainly intended for individuals and SMEs.
Some 900 general agents, 1,800 branch staff, 400 life insurance advisers, almost 900 wealth management advisers (Union Financière de France) and more than 1,000 active partner brokers are at the service of 3 million clients every day.
Aviva has developed unique expertise in building effective partnerships for the benefit of its clients, particularly with AFER, the largest savings association in France, and the Crédit du Nord, Société Générale and Ford groups. Specialising in unit-linked products, Aviva is recognised for the excellent performance of its long-term funds, the quality and innovation of its products, and solid commitment to customers through its Good Advice approach.
Aviva France is a socially responsible company and has developed initiatives that include reducing and neutralising its CO2 emissions, supporting more than 250 projects to help children and the elderly through the Aviva Foundation, and implementing an acclaimed diversity policy.
The Aviva Group directly employs more than 4,700 staff in France.
At 31 December 2008, Aviva France reported consolidated sales of €6.0 billion and an IFRS-based net profit of €130 million. The company had €69.6 billion of assets under management at 31 December 2008.
* Based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2008.