With effect from March 29, the name of Friends First Life Assurance Company dac (Friends First) and Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited has changed to Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland DAC (Aviva). This change has no impact on your client’s policy but requires us to change our documentation to include a new regulatory strapline and rebrand some of our documents.
Renaming of Friends First
When Aviva acquired Friends First (which is an Irish incorporated business) in June 2018 we communicated to all brokers that we would integrate the two businesses into one Aviva branded business by 2020. Since June 2018 we have written to all Aviva and Friends First policyholders to confirm that we would rename Friends First Life Assurance Company dac as Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland DAC on March 29 and that we would transfer all Aviva in-force life policies in Ireland, currently held under Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited to the renamed company on the same date.
Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland DAC is now Aviva’s life business in Ireland. However, we will continue to sell both Aviva and Friends First products and funds from one Aviva branded life company through our Aviva account management team.
Rebranding of Post Sale Services
Pre-sale information on Aviva and Friends First products and funds remains at its current locations at aviva.ie and friendsfirst.ie. We have rebranded our post-sale services and documentation as Aviva which includes all customer correspondence. As a result, when you or your clients contact us from March 30 onwards, we will respond as Aviva regardless of whether the query is about a Friends First or Aviva policy. In addition, when you sell a Friends First policy, your client will receive an Aviva branded New Business pack including policy conditions. There are no changes to any of the current Friends First or Aviva product names or terms and conditions.
What You Need To Do
Replacing Existing Documentation and Ordering New Supplies
All existing Friends First and Aviva documents are being replaced and new versions will be available shortly on avivabroker.ie. The current process for ordering pre-printed Aviva and Friends First literature and application forms remains the same and you should order your requirements through your account manager. You should use the new documents from March 30 and recycle all old literature and documents.
Please amend any references to Friends First Life Assurance Company dac or Aviva Life & Pensions UK Limited on websites, or internal documents if applicable and change to Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland DAC. Please note that we will also be updating all our website videos, so you may need to update any links or embed codes to videos.
We have been preparing for Brexit since the UK referendum vote in 2016 and have planned for all possible outcomes to ensure that you and your clients will not be affected. The transfer of Aviva policies into Aviva Life & Pensions Ireland DAC is supported by €9bn of Aviva capital. We have also invested significantly in our life business in Ireland with the goal to become Ireland’s leading broker focused insurance company.
Today’s development is a significant milestone in our process of integrating Friends First and Aviva and we will communicate to you again later in the year with further news of positive developments for you and your clients.