Aviva has gone beyond ABI definitions with enhancements to its critical illness (CI) heart attack coverage, CIExpert has said.
The insurer has now removed the requirement for the presence of troponin in order to pay claims to heart attack survivors regardless of severity.
Aviva joins Ageas, HSBC, LV= and Scottish Provident in using this beneficial claim wording although unlike Scottish Provident it does not require typical clinical symptoms such as chest pain.
Reinsurers suggest that this wording will prove to be over 10% more beneficial in that many claims currently rejected will be paid. CIExpert said.
Heart attack is the second most important critical condition being responsible for around 12% of all claims paid. Each year in the UK over 100,000 people suffer a heart attack with 55% being first-time heart attacks.
Amended Condition Wording
Heart Attack: Death of heart muscle, due to inadequate blood supply, that has resulted in all of the following evidence of acute myocardial infarction:
• New characteristic electrocardiographic changes
• The characteristic rise of cardiac enzymes or troponins
The evidence must show a definite acute myocardial infarction. For the above definition, the following are not covered:
• Other acute coronary syndromes including but not limited to angina
Alan Lakey, director of CIExpert said: The ABI CI Working party will shortly announce the new model wordings that insurers must adhere to or go beyond.
"Aviva has chosen to go beyond the new wording and has removed the requirement for a specific level of raised enzymes. This effectively brings the definition back to that used by most companies prior to 2007 and to their credit they do not required typical clinical symptoms such as chest pain."
