11 Purdeys Way, Rochford, England, SS4 1ND
11 Purdeys Way, Rochford, England, SS4 1ND
Reviewed September 2026 by Jody Pearmain, Director of My Key Finance Ltd. This Aviva Relevant Life Insurance review is based on Aviva’s current adviser product information and our experience arranging Relevant Life cover for UK company directors and employees.
Relevant Life Insurance is company-paid life cover designed for an employee or salaried director, with the benefit normally written into trust for their chosen beneficiaries. Aviva is unusual because it offers both standard life cover and an optional Employee Significant Illness version.
| Life cover only | Death benefit plus terminal illness benefit |
| Life + Employee Significant Illness | Death, terminal illness and Aviva’s defined Employee Significant Illness benefit |
| Minimum entry age | 18 |
| Maximum entry age | 73 for life-only cover; 64 for life + Employee Significant Illness |
| Cover basis | Level cover, with increasing cover available as an option |
| Trust | Aviva requires the policy to be written under its Relevant Life Trust |
| Cash-in value | None |
For life-only policies, Aviva provides a death benefit and terminal illness benefit. The employer owns the policy and pays the premiums, while the employee is the life covered. The policy is written under trust so any claim can be paid for the benefit of the employee’s chosen beneficiaries.
Aviva also includes useful policy features such as its Life Change Benefit, Protection Promise and Continuation Benefit. The continuation feature can be particularly useful if the employee leaves the business because it may allow the cover to move with them, subject to Aviva’s terms.
Aviva does not describe its Relevant Life option as standard Critical Illness Cover. Its product is called Employee Significant Illness.
With the life + Employee Significant Illness version, Aviva can pay the cover amount if the employee meets the definition of one of its specified significant illness conditions, survives for at least 10 days and the illness results in their retirement or anticipated retirement from that employment. This is a materially different structure from ordinary personal Critical Illness Cover.
That distinction matters when comparing providers. If serious-illness protection is important, Aviva is one of the first Relevant Life options we would usually compare because most Relevant Life plans are primarily life and terminal illness cover.
The employer must be a UK-based business. Aviva’s current criteria can include limited companies, limited liability partnerships, partnerships and sole traders where the person being insured is an eligible employee.
The life covered must be a UK resident employee of the policyholder. This can include salaried company directors, salaried partners and employees of sole traders. Aviva’s criteria do not include the sole trader themselves, equity partners or someone who is self-employed without an employer-employee relationship.
Aviva currently allows applications from age 18. The maximum entry age is 73 for life cover only and 64 for life with Employee Significant Illness. Increasing-cover options can have different age limits.
These limits are worth comparing with other providers because the most suitable insurer can change depending on the director’s age, required term, amount of cover and whether serious-illness protection is wanted.
The company pays the premiums and Relevant Life cover can be significantly more tax-efficient than paying for comparable life insurance personally. The plan is designed as an employee benefit rather than a policy that pays a claim to the company.
For a fuller explanation of company-paid premiums, trusts and HMRC treatment, see our Relevant Life Insurance tax guide. You can also compare the potential cost against personal cover with our Relevant Life Insurance calculator.
Jody’s view: Aviva’s biggest differentiator is the Employee Significant Illness option. For a director who wants company-paid life cover but also wants a serious-illness benefit, Aviva deserves a place on the shortlist. For straightforward life-only cover, I would still compare Aviva against providers such as Legal & General, Royal London, Vitality and LV= because premiums, underwriting and maximum financial limits can vary considerably between insurers.
I also like the Continuation Benefit because directors often assume a Relevant Life policy has to end if they leave their current company. Having a continuation route can make the cover more flexible than people expect.
There is no single Relevant Life provider that is most suitable for every director. The comparison should include:
Our job is to compare these points rather than simply quote one insurer. If you are a company director, you may also find our Relevant Life Insurance for Company Directors guide useful.
We can compare Aviva against a broad panel of leading UK insurers and show you the premium, cover available and relevant policy features side by side. Request a Relevant Life quote or speak to us if you want us to include Aviva in the comparison.
Product details checked against Aviva’s current Relevant Life adviser documentation in September 2026. View Aviva’s product guide.
