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Aviva has reported a strong performance in the first nine months of the year, with general insurance premiums rising 19 percent to £11.8 billion and wealth flows growing sharply. The insurer said its UK and Ireland general insurance premiums rose 27 percent to £8.5 billion, helped by the acquisition of Direct Line on 1 July 2025. Personal lines premiums rose 54 percent, while commercial lines premiums fell 5 percent. The group's undiscounted combined operating ratio, a measure of underwriting profitability, improved by 0.6 percentage points to 93.8 percent.
In wealth, net flows rose 31 percent to £10.9 billion and assets under management grew 19 percent to £267 billion, as more customers saved and invested through Aviva's platforms. Retirement sales reached £3.5 billion, and bulk purchase annuity volumes of £5.8 billion so far this year are already ahead of the £4.6 billion achieved in the whole of 2025. The company said it expected cash remittances of around £2.3 billion for 2026, reflecting the strength of its businesses and the cash they generate.
Aviva's financial position remains strong. Its Solvency II cover ratio, which measures its capital strength against regulatory requirements, was 179 percent at the end of September, up from 176 percent at the half year, and the company expects it to reach the high 180s by the end of the year. It also reiterated its target of earnings per share growth of around 11 percent in 2026, showing confidence in its ability to keep growing profits even in a competitive market.
The Direct Line acquisition has been a major driver of growth this year. Buying the rival insurer added scale to Aviva's motor and home insurance business and brought millions of new customers. The company has been working to integrate the two businesses, combining their operations and systems, and it said the integration was progressing well.
For customers, Aviva's results show a business that is growing in both insurance and wealth, with more people choosing its products for protection, savings and retirement. The company said it would continue to invest in its digital services and in its advice business, to make it easier for customers to buy and manage their policies and investments. It will report its full-year results early next year, when investors will look for further progress on growth and on returns to shareholders.
Source: Financial News
