Aviva CIC+ Review

Overview

Aviva CIC+ (Critical Illness Cover Plus) is Aviva's advanced critical illness policy, offering enhanced payouts on certain conditions alongside a broad base of 73 covered conditions. With a 93.4% claims payout rate and the financial strength of one of the UK's largest insurers, CIC+ is a staple for many advisory firms. It sits just behind Vitality SIC Plus in overall IQ Score but remains the most-used CI policy in the advised market by volume.

Key Strengths

• Enhanced tier model — pays up to 2x on certain conditions (e.g. total permanent deafness, blindness, third-degree burns).
• 73 conditions — a strong coverage breadth, particularly for cancer sub-types and neurological conditions.
• 93.4% claims payout — one of the highest claims acceptance rates in the industry.
• Children's cover included — covers up to £50,000 per child with no additional premium.
• Automatic life cover — CI policies automatically include decreasing life cover at no extra cost.

Considerations

• Not full severity-based — unlike Vitality SIC Plus, Aviva uses a tiered model (enhanced on select conditions) rather than sliding-scale severity payouts across all conditions.
• 73 conditions vs 182 — Aviva's condition list, while broad, is less comprehensive than Vitality's market-leading 182.
• No multiple claims on same condition — once a condition pays out, cover for that condition ends (no partial severity re-claim).

Claims Performance

Aviva consistently reports above-average claims payout rates. In the most recent reporting period, 93.4% of CI claims were paid, with 5.6% declined and 1% withdrawn. The most common claims are for cancer (46%), heart attacks (18%), and strokes (9%).

How It Compares

Aviva CIC+ is the volume leader in the UK advised CI market. It offers a strong balance of coverage breadth, claims reliability, and enhanced payouts on key conditions. Where Vitality SIC Plus leads on condition breadth and severity flexibility, Aviva CIC+ wins on brand recognition, ease of understanding, and consistent claims outcomes. For clients who want a straightforward, well-rated policy from a household name, CIC+ is an excellent choice.