Aviva over 50s life insurance review 2026
A closer look at Aviva’s Over 50s Life Insurance: who can apply, what it pays out and when, its costs and key terms, the gift card offer and how to claim.
- Entry age
- 50–80
- No health questions
- Monthly premium
- £5–£100
- Never goes up
- Full cover after
- 12 months
- Accidents from the start, with exclusions
- Defaqto
- 5 out of 5 stars
- Over 50s life assurance
In a nutshell
Aviva’s Over 50s Life Insurance is whole of life cover for UK residents aged 50 to 80. Acceptance is guaranteed with no health questions, and it pays a fixed lump sum when you die, with full cover after the first year.
- You choose a monthly premium from £5 to £100, or a cover amount, and your premium never goes up.
- If you die in the first 12 months from anything other than an accident, Aviva pays back the premiums you’ve paid instead of the cover amount.
- You stop paying after 30 years or at the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday, whichever comes first, and the cover continues until you die.
- Depending on how long you live, the payout could be less than the premiums you’ve paid, and the policy has no cash-in value.
- Eligible customers who buy directly from Aviva can currently claim an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card worth £50 to £200 after paying their first six monthly premiums.
- Defaqto rates Aviva’s Over 50’s Life Assurance Plan 5 stars.
Who can apply for Aviva over 50s life insurance?
Aviva guarantees to accept you if you meet its age and residence rules. You won’t be asked any health questions or need a medical examination. You do answer questions about your date of birth and whether you smoke, and Aviva uses your answers to work out your cover and your premium, so they need to be full and accurate.
- Age to apply
- 50 to 80
- Where you live
- The UK, with a legal right to live here and the UK as your main home
- Health questions
- None, and no medical
- Questions you answer
- Date of birth and smoker status
- Who is covered
- One person: no joint policies
- Monthly premium
- £5 to £100 across all your Aviva over 50s policies, and it never changes
- More than one policy
- Allowed, within the £100 limit
- Full cover
- After 12 months (accidental death from the start, with exclusions)
- How to apply
- Online or by phone on 0800 096 8086
- Defaqto rating
- 5 stars
For this plan, the UK doesn’t include the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or Gibraltar. If you later move your main home abroad, you need to tell Aviva: the laws where you live may affect whether you can keep benefiting fully from the policy, and Aviva may need to change, reduce or remove any of its terms.
If you’re under 50, this plan isn’t available. Aviva says the whole of life insurance it sells directly is only for ages 50 to 80, and that a financial adviser or broker could help you find whole of life cover.
Your partner can’t be added to your policy, but they can take out their own if they meet the eligibility criteria.
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What does Aviva over 50s life insurance pay out?
The policy pays a lump sum when you die, as long as you’ve kept up your premiums, and it ends once Aviva has accepted the claim. It isn’t a savings or investment plan: it only pays out on a successful claim and has no cash-in value.
What Aviva pays depends on when and how you die:
- Any cause after the first 12 months: the full cover amount.
- An accident in the first 12 months: the full cover amount, unless one of the first-year exclusions below applies.
- Natural causes in the first 12 months: an amount equal to the premiums you’ve paid. Natural causes means sickness, disease or physical disorder.
- First-year exclusions: in the first 12 months, if death is caused directly or indirectly by suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury, alcohol or drug misuse, taking part in a criminal act, flying other than as a paying passenger on a commercial airline, or hazardous pursuits, Aviva pays back the premiums you’ve paid rather than the cover amount. The same applies if you’re living outside the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand when you die, from an accident or any other cause.
Aviva defines accidental death as death from bodily injury caused directly by accidental, external, violent and visible means, and not as a direct result of sickness, disease or physical disorder.
The policy conditions explain what the exclusions cover. The hazardous pursuits they list are motor sports (including motorcars, motorcycles and speedboats), mountaineering where ropes or guides are needed, potholing, and diving using artificial breathing apparatus. Alcohol or drug misuse includes consuming too much alcohol, taking an overdose of drugs, whether lawfully prescribed or not, and taking controlled drugs other than as lawfully prescribed.
The cover amount is fixed, so inflation reduces its real value over time. If you want more cover later, you could take out another policy, subject to availability, eligibility and the premium limits at the time.
Your loved ones can use the payout for anything they like, including funeral costs. Aviva doesn’t offer funeral plans.
In the UK, payouts are currently free of income tax and capital gains tax, but they may be subject to inheritance tax unless the policy is in a suitable trust. You can put an Aviva Over 50s policy in an Aviva Trust, which could give you more control over who receives the money. Aviva says anything placed in a trust won’t count as part of your estate when you die, so money passed on will usually be exempt from inheritance tax and can often be paid to beneficiaries more quickly. Read more in our guide to life insurance in trust.
Aviva over 50s life insurance benefits & extras
Alongside the cover, Aviva Over 50s customers get access to a health and wellbeing app and to MyAviva online, and some existing Aviva customers who buy directly get a loyalty benefit. Aviva can change or withdraw the app, and remove or change the loyalty benefit, at any time.
| Benefit | What it does | Available with |
|---|---|---|
| Aviva DigiCare+ | A health and wellbeing app with unlimited Digital GP consultations, 24/7, plus mental health support with a therapist, nutrition support, a second medical opinion service, the Bupa Anytime HealthLine nurse service, bereavement support and legal guidance. The at-home health check costs extra. It’s provided by Square Health, it isn’t part of the contract and residency restrictions apply. | Available with: Over 50s Life Insurance |
| Loyalty benefit | Up to 10% more cover for your chosen monthly premium, or 10% off the premium for your chosen cover amount. Only for customers who already hold an Aviva-branded product and buy the new policy directly through MyAviva, aviva.co.uk or by phone. Not all Aviva-branded products qualify, and the benefit isn’t available on Aviva insurance products bought through price comparison websites. | Available with: Existing Aviva customers buying direct |
| MyAviva | Check your cover, see your policy documents and keep your details up to date online. | Available with: Over 50s Life Insurance |
| BSL interpreter | Contact Aviva free through a qualified British Sign Language interpreter, using the Convo online video service. | Available with: Over 50s Life Insurance |
How much does Aviva over 50s life insurance cost?
When you apply, you choose either the monthly premium you want to pay, from £5 to £100, or the cover amount you want. The price depends on how much cover you want, your age and whether you smoke. Premiums are paid monthly by Direct Debit and are guaranteed to stay the same.
Aviva’s published examples
Aviva has published these examples of the cover a £25 monthly premium buys, based on its June 2025 over 50s data. They show how age and smoking affect the cover you get for a fixed monthly premium.
| Example | Monthly premium | Cover amount |
|---|---|---|
| Non-smoker aged 51 | £25 | £8,351 |
| Smoker aged 65 | £25 | £3,002 |
| Non-smoker aged 74 | £25 | £2,533 |
| Smoker aged 74 | £25 | £1,921 |
Examples as published by Aviva. Your own quote may be different.
Aviva says over half of its Over 50s customers pay £30 a month or less, based on March 2026 figures.
You pay until the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday or for 30 years, whichever comes first, and then your cover continues with nothing more to pay. Because the total you pay depends on how long you live, the payout could be less than the premiums you’ve paid. Your quote shows the age at which your premiums would equal the cover amount, if that applies.
Our over 50 life insurance calculator shows how monthly payments on an over 50s plan add up over time, and when they could pass the amount the plan pays out.
Aviva over 50s gift card offer
Note: Free gifts are offered by select brokers only, our life insurance brokers do not offer free gifts.
Aviva is offering an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card worth £50 to £200 to eligible customers who buy a new Over 50s Life Insurance policy directly from Aviva. You can claim it after you’ve paid your first six monthly premiums in a row, and its value depends on your monthly premium.
- £5 to £9.99 a month
- £50 gift card
- £10 to £19.99 a month
- £80 gift card
- £20 to £29.99 a month
- £140 gift card
- £30 a month or more
- £200 gift card
- You must be a UK resident aged 50 to 80 and within the Over 50s premium limit.
- It isn’t available if you buy through a price comparison or cashback site, a financial adviser or broker, or with other gifts or offers.
- You can’t get it if, in the last 24 months, you’ve received a gift card on an Aviva Life Insurance Plan or Over 50s policy bought directly from Aviva, or if, in the last 12 months, you’ve cancelled an Aviva Life Insurance Plan or Over 50s policy.
- Aviva emails you an invitation to claim within 28 working days of receiving your sixth monthly premium, and you then have 45 days to claim. The gift card is sent electronically and is valid for ten years from the date it’s issued.
- There’s a limit of one per person and two per household. Gift cards can’t be exchanged and there’s no cash alternative.
The offer runs until Aviva publicises an end date, which it says it will give about six weeks in advance, unless the offer is removed earlier. It isn’t part of the policy terms and benefits, and Aviva may withdraw or change it at any time.
Offer details checked 24 September 2026.
See other insurers’ offers and their conditions in our guides to life insurance with a free gift and over 50 life insurance with a free gift.
Key policy terms
| Term | Aviva Over 50s Life Insurance |
|---|---|
| Type of cover | Whole of life, as long as you pay your premiums when they’re due |
| Insurer | Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited |
| Initial period | 12 months: a death from natural causes returns the premiums paid, not the cover amount |
| Accidental death | Full cover from the start, except for the first-year exclusions |
| First-year exclusions | Suicide or intentional self-inflicted injury, alcohol or drug misuse, taking part in a criminal act, flying other than as a paying passenger on a commercial airline, hazardous pursuits, and living outside the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Australia or New Zealand: premiums paid are returned |
| Premiums | Fixed; paid monthly by Direct Debit |
| When premiums stop | After 30 years or at the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday, whichever is first; cover continues |
| Premium limit | £100 a month across all your Aviva over 50s policies; policies over the limit are cancelled and premiums refunded without interest |
| Missed premiums | 60 days from the due date to pay each premium; if it stays unpaid, the policy is cancelled and premiums already paid aren’t returned |
| Claim with a premium unpaid | During the 60 days, the unpaid premium is deducted from the payout |
| Changes | Premium and cover amount can’t be changed once the policy is set up |
| Cash-in value | None, at any time |
| Cooling-off period | 30 days, with a refund of premiums; you can cancel later, but without a refund |
| Wrong smoker status | Any payout is based on your correct smoker status |
| Joint cover | Not available: single life only |
| Trust | Can be written in an Aviva Trust |
| Compensation scheme | Covered by the FSCS, which may pay up to 100% of a successful claim if Aviva can’t |
Making a claim on Aviva over 50s life insurance
Your family or loved ones can make a claim online or by phone. Aviva assesses each claim before paying it and may ask for information such as proof of death, proof of who legally owns the policy and proof of the date of birth of the person covered. If it asks third parties for information, it pays for it.
- Aviva individual life and terminal illness claims accepted in 2025, including over 50s plans
- 98.7%
This figure covers Aviva’s individual life insurance claims, including over 50s plans and advance terminal illness payments, not over 50s plans alone. It combines Aviva protection and Aviva Protection UK policies.
Aviva pays out as a lump sum, and the policy ends once it has accepted the claim. If a premium was still unpaid within its 60-day payment window, Aviva deducts it from the payout.
Aviva relies on the information it’s given. If any of it is untrue or incomplete and would have affected whether the claim was paid, Aviva may not pay the claim.
- Claims phone
- 0800 015 1142
- Claims from abroad
- +44 1603 603 277
- Claims customer service (Mon–Fri, 8am–6pm)
- 0800 158 3467
- Claim online
- aviva.co.uk/makeaclaim
- Policy questions
- 0800 285 1098
- directprot@aviva.com
Aviva over 50s life insurance ratings
Defaqto rates each product from 1 to 5 stars, and Aviva’s over 50 life insurance page says its cover is rated 5 stars by Defaqto. Fairer Finance also rates over 50s policies.
| Review site | Rating | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Fairer Finance | 3 stars | Fairer Finance’s product rating for Aviva’s Over 50s Life Insurance. View on Fairer Finance (opens in a new tab) |
Defaqto rating
| Policy | Range | Defaqto rating |
|---|---|---|
| Over 50s life assurance | Over 50’s Life Assurance Plan | 5 out of 5 stars |
Ratings checked on 24 September 2026 and may have changed since. Defaqto ratings: defaqto.com (opens in a new tab)
Company-wide review scores, such as Trustpilot’s, cover all Aviva products rather than its over 50s plan. They’re in our Aviva life insurance review.
Is Aviva over 50s life insurance good?
An over 50s plan can suit people who want to leave a lump sum, for example towards funeral costs, without answering health questions. Whether it suits you depends on how much you want to leave, what you can afford each month and how long you might pay.
Aviva’s plan has guaranteed acceptance from 50 to 80, premiums that never go up and stop after 30 years or at the anniversary after your 90th birthday, and a 5-star Defaqto rating. On the other hand, the payout is fixed, you could pay in more than it pays out, it has no cash-in value, and a death from natural causes in the first year only returns the premiums paid.
Pros
- Guaranteed acceptance for UK residents aged 50 to 80, with no health questions
- Premiums never go up, and stop after 30 years or at the policy anniversary after age 90
- Accidental death covered in full from the start, apart from the first-year exclusions
- 5-star Defaqto rating
- Access to the Aviva DigiCare+ health and wellbeing app
- A £50 to £200 gift card offer for eligible customers who buy directly
Cons
- Only premiums are returned for a death from natural causes in the first 12 months
- Fixed payout that loses value with inflation
- You could pay in more than the policy pays out
- No cash-in value, and nothing back if you stop paying
- Premium and cover can’t be changed once set up
- Single life only: no joint policies
- 3-star Fairer Finance product rating
Aviva over 50s life insurance documents
Aviva asks you to read the policy summary and policy conditions before you apply.
-
Over 50s Life Insurance policy summary (opens in a new tab)
How the plan works, including the first-year rules, when premiums stop and how to claim.
-
Over 50s Life Insurance policy conditions (opens in a new tab)
The full terms of the plan, including eligibility, premium limits, definitions and exclusions.
-
Over 50s gift card terms (opens in a new tab)
Terms of the Amazon.co.uk Gift Card offer for new Over 50s Life Insurance Plans.
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About our services and costs (opens in a new tab)
The service Aviva UK Digital Limited provides when you buy directly, and how it is paid.
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Over 50s Life Insurance FAQs (opens in a new tab)
Aviva’s answers on cover, eligibility, premiums, claims and cancelling.
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How much is over 50s life insurance (opens in a new tab)
Aviva’s published examples of the cover a £25 monthly premium buys.
Documents are published by Aviva and open on Aviva’s website. Aviva may update them — the version you receive with your policy is the one that applies.
How Aviva over 50s life insurance compares
Over 50s plans work in a similar way, but the details differ, so it’s worth comparing more than the monthly premium.
When you compare plans, check how long the initial period lasts and what it pays if you die during it, when premiums stop, whether the cover amount is fixed or rises, and what happens if you stop paying.
On Aviva’s plan, the initial period is 12 months, with accidental death covered from the start apart from the first-year exclusions. Premiums stop after 30 years or at the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday, the cover amount is fixed, and if you stop paying, the policy is cancelled 60 days after the last premium was due and premiums already paid aren’t returned.
A prepaid funeral plan is a different product: it pays for agreed funeral services, usually paid for in advance, rather than a cash sum.
Aviva doesn’t sell funeral plans, but says the money from its over 50 policy can be put towards funeral costs.
Over 50s plans are a type of whole of life insurance with guaranteed acceptance. Our guides explain how they work.
Our guide to over 50s life insurance explains how this type of cover works and lists the insurers in our reviews that offer it, alphabetically.
Other insurers’ over 50s life insurance guides
- Legal & General over 50s life insurance
- NatWest over 50s life insurance
- Post Office over 50s life insurance
- Sainsbury’s over 50s life insurance
Read our full Aviva life insurance review, or see all our insurer reviews.
Aviva over 50s life insurance FAQs
No. Aviva says it doesn’t offer funeral plans, but the money from its Over 50s Life Insurance can be put towards funeral costs, or used for anything else your loved ones choose.
UK residents aged 50 to 80 who have a legal right to live in the UK and consider it their main home. Acceptance is guaranteed and there are no health questions.
No. Aviva won’t ask you any health questions or ask you to have a medical examination. You answer questions about your date of birth and whether you smoke.
Premiums are from £5 to £100 a month across all your Aviva over 50s policies. In Aviva’s published examples, based on June 2025 data, £25 a month buys £8,351 of cover for a 51-year-old non-smoker and £1,921 for a 74-year-old smoker. Aviva says over half of its Over 50s customers pay £30 a month or less, based on March 2026 figures.
If you die from an accident, Aviva pays the full cover amount, unless one of the first-year exclusions applies. If you die from anything else in the first 12 months, it pays back the premiums you’ve paid.
After 30 years or at the policy anniversary after your 90th birthday, whichever comes first. Your cover continues until you die.
No. It has no cash-in value at any time, and it only pays out on a successful claim when you die.
No. The policy covers one person only, but your partner can take out their own policy if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Yes, but your monthly premiums can’t add up to more than £100. Any policy that takes you over the limit is cancelled and its premiums are refunded without interest.
Yes. You have a 30-day cooling-off period, and if you cancel within it, Aviva refunds the premiums you’ve paid. You can still cancel after 30 days, but you won’t get a refund.
Aviva’s over 50 life insurance page gives the free number 0800 096 8086, and you can also get a quote online. To make a claim, your family or loved ones can call 0800 015 1142 or claim online.
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources.
- Aviva — Over 50 life insurance product page (opens in a new tab), aviva.co.uk, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Aviva — Over 50s Life Insurance policy summary (DA03015) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Aviva — Over 50s Life Insurance FAQs (opens in a new tab), aviva.co.uk, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Aviva — Over 50s Life Insurance policy conditions (DA03016) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Aviva — Aviva Over 50s Life Insurance Gift Card promotion terms and conditions (LD04735) (opens in a new tab), static.aviva.io, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Defaqto — Defaqto Star Ratings (Life & Protection) for Aviva (opens in a new tab), defaqto.com, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Aviva — Aviva Trust page (writing a policy in trust) (opens in a new tab), aviva.co.uk, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Aviva — How much is over 50s life insurance (Aviva over 50 life insurance knowledge centre) (opens in a new tab), aviva.co.uk, accessed 26 September 2026.
- Aviva plc — Aviva paid nearly £2 billion in protection claims in 2025 (claims statistics 2025) (opens in a new tab), aviva.com, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Aviva — Contact us about your life insurance - customer service and claims numbers (Aviva) (opens in a new tab), aviva.co.uk, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Fairer Finance — Fairer Finance - over 50s life insurance product ratings (Aviva Over 50s Life Insurance) (opens in a new tab), fairerfinance.com, accessed 24 September 2026.
- Trustpilot — Trustpilot - Aviva (www.aviva.co.uk) company reviews, all products (opens in a new tab), uk.trustpilot.com, accessed 24 September 2026.
Related pages
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Over 50s life insurance
Guaranteed acceptance for ages 50–85, and what to check before you buy.
-
Best life insurance
What to compare when you choose a policy.
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Term life insurance
Cover for a set number of years, with level or decreasing cover.
