Aviva Insurance Review UK 2026: KT Score 72/100

Last reviewed: June 2026

About Aviva

Aviva plc is a FTSE 100 composite insurer headquartered in London, authorised and regulated by the FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority under FRN 310382. The group traces its roots to 1696 and operates across the UK, Ireland and Canada, with over 18 million customers worldwide.

In the UK personal lines market, Aviva distributes car and home insurance through its own direct channels, through price comparison sites including MoneySuperMarket, GoCompare and Compare the Market, and through broker networks. Its commercial insurance arm serves SMEs through broker partners.

Aviva's acquisition of Direct Line Group's personal lines operations was completed in 2025, making it the largest personal lines insurer in the UK by gross written premium. This positions Aviva significantly ahead of Admiral Group and LV= by market share in private car insurance.

Products

Aviva offers insurance across car, home (buildings and contents), life (term assurance, whole of life and income protection), travel, private medical insurance, and commercial lines. The car insurance range covers comprehensive, third party fire and theft, and third party only. Home insurance separates buildings, contents and combined policies.

KT Score Breakdown

The KT Score of 72/100 reflects Aviva's strong claims settlement record and Defaqto 5-star comprehensive car product, offset by FOS complaint volumes that are elevated in absolute terms (though below sector average on a proportional basis) and a premium level that typically sits above the market mid-point on comparison sites.

Aviva's FOS uphold rate of 36% in 2022/23 was marginally below the sector average of 38%, indicating complaints that do reach the ombudsman are resolved in Aviva's favour slightly more often than the sector norm. The group's ABI claims code signatory status adds a further disclosure layer.

Competitors

Aviva competes primarily with Admiral Group, Direct Line Group (now substantially part of Aviva following the 2025 acquisition), LV= General Insurance (owned by Allianz), and Hastings Direct in the personal car insurance market. On comparison sites, price typically determines panel placement, and Aviva regularly appears across top tiers for comprehensive cover.

Availability

Aviva car insurance is available directly at aviva.co.uk and through all major comparison sites. Home insurance is similarly available through direct and comparison site channels. Commercial insurance is broker-only and is not available through consumer comparison platforms.

Aviva's direct channel allows policyholders to manage their policy online through the Aviva account portal, including making mid-term adjustments such as adding a named driver, updating vehicle details or changing the policy address. Claims can be notified online or by telephone through Aviva's claims line. The Aviva app provides policy management and claims notification functionality for smartphone users. These digital service channels are standard across major UK insurers and broadly comparable with the equivalents offered by Admiral and Direct Line.

Aviva's Regulatory History

Aviva plc has held FCA authorisation under FRN 310382 through multiple regulatory cycles including the transition from the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to the FCA in April 2013. The group has also been subject to PRA supervision as a systemically important insurer. There are no current FCA enforcement actions listed against Aviva Insurance Limited on the FCA register as of the date of this review.

Aviva participated in the FCA's market study into the pricing practices of general insurers, which culminated in PS21/5 (Pricing Practices in Home and Motor Insurance). The group was publicly identified as one of the larger market participants who would need to remediate pricing practices ahead of the January 2022 effective date. Aviva confirmed compliance with the new rules within the FCA's stated timeline.

Financial Strength

As a FTSE 100 group, Aviva publishes Solvency II ratio data in its annual reports. The group's Solvency II coverage ratio has consistently exceeded the 150% threshold that represents adequate capitalisation under the EU-derived UK regime. Following the acquisition of Direct Line Group in 2025, the combined group's solvency position was assessed by Aviva's board as remaining within its risk appetite. The PRA requires insurers to maintain adequate solvency margins and Aviva's size provides a degree of financial resilience that smaller specialist insurers cannot match.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Aviva regulated by the FCA?

Yes. Aviva Insurance Limited holds FCA FRN 310382 and is also authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority. The FCA register entry can be verified at register.fca.org.uk.

Does Aviva appear on comparison sites?

Aviva car and home insurance appears on MoneySuperMarket, GoCompare, Compare the Market and Confused.com. Commercial insurance is broker-only and is not available through consumer comparison platforms.

What is Aviva's Defaqto rating for car insurance?

Aviva comprehensive car insurance holds a Defaqto 5-star rating, which is the highest tier in the Defaqto independent quality assessment. Defaqto ratings assess policy features against comparable products in the market.

What happened between Aviva and Direct Line in 2025?

Aviva completed the acquisition of Direct Line Group's personal lines operations in 2025, making the combined entity the largest personal lines insurer in the UK. Direct Line and Churchill brands continue to operate separately under Aviva group ownership.

How does Aviva's FOS complaint record compare to the sector?

In 2022/23, Aviva had 2,421 upheld FOS complaints with a 36% uphold rate, which was marginally below the sector average uphold rate of 38%. In absolute terms, volumes are elevated given Aviva's market scale, but proportionally the performance is in line with sector peers.