Aviva has released previously unpublished details of its critical illness (CI) claims relating to heart conditions ahead of World Heart Day.
Data from the insurer has shown in 2012 heart conditions accounted for around 15% of CI claims.
This included claims for: heart attack; heart transplant for cardiomyopathy; heart valve replacement or repair; coronary artery bypass; aorta graft surgery and coronary angioplasty.
During this period the insurer paid more than £18 million to people with these conditions, with an average payment of more than £70,000.
Heart attacks are the second most common cause of Aviva's critical illness claims, after cancer. (12%).
Meanwhile, nine out of 10 claims (89%) for heart attacks come from males and more than one in four (27%) critical illness claims for males is for a heart condition. This compares to just 3.5% of claims from women.
Robert Morrison, chief underwriter for Aviva said: "There are around 103,000 heart attacks in the UK each year, so it's perhaps no surprise that heart attacks are the second biggest cause of critical illness claims at Aviva.
"In July this year we changed the criteria for our heart attack claims, lowering the threshold at which people would qualify to make a full claim. This means that more customers who suffer a heart attack will be able to receive a full payment from their policies, so they can concentrate on their health, rather than worrying about their finances."
