UK: Aviva improves business interruption cover for professional services sector

Aviva has made a number of changes to its Professional Office policy to better meet the needs of the professional services sector.

Aviva has made a number of changes to its Professional Office policy to better meet the needs of the professional services sector.

The changes follow feedback from brokers and policyholders and mean that a number of business interruption features that were previously optional are now automatically covered in the Professional Office policy, as well as a number of new benefits.

The business interruption extensions will now include loss of revenue due to damage to a nearby property, which prevents customers accessing the insured premises1. Customers will also be automatically covered against the accidental failure of water, gas and electricity supplies2. Changes to policy extensions also include loss of revenue if there is any disruption to telecommunication services3.

In addition, in the event of a serious loss, Aviva will reimburse any fees paid if a customer has a contract in place with an external disaster recovery service provider4.

The revised policy extensions also offer protection from a number of other potential disasters. For example, if essential personnel are incapacitated and unable to work, Aviva will cover the necessary expense to prevent any reduction in turnover as a result5.

Carol Ann Burrows, product development manager at Aviva, said: “Failure of such essential services as utilities or telecommunications would inevitably have a financial impact on almost any business. 

“Loss of revenue, even for a very short period of time, can be catastrophic to a professional services business and so by enhancing our business interruption cover we are providing this sector with a comprehensive level of protection should disaster strike.“

Professional insurance can be complex, which is why Aviva doesn’t offer it direct. Visit www.aviva.co.uk/yourbusiness to find your nearest independent broker.

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1 Prevention of Access, damage to property within a one-mile radius of the insured premises up to £50,000 any one period of insurance.

2 Up to £50,000 any one period of insurance.

3 Telecommunications, cover up to £100 per day, and a total sum of £2,500 in any one period.

4 Workplace Recovery Office Facilities cover, up to £25,000 any one period of insurance, subject to a contract being in place prior to damage at the premises.

5 Essential Personnel, up to £10,000 any one period of insurance (any person who is an owner, partner, company director or trustee of the business).

For further information, please contact:
Patrick Chester at Staniforth on 0161 919 8011 or Sally Leeman from Aviva’s press office on 01603 684225 / 07789 270677. 

Notes to editors:

Aviva is the world’s fifth largest* insurance group, serving 53 million customers across Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

Aviva's main business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of £45.1 billion and funds under management of £379 billion at 31 December 2009.  

We are the largest insurance services provider in the UK and one of the leading providers of life and pensions products in Europe.  

The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, company and product information and a news release archive.

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* based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2008

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