Aviva CEO vows to double products sold to each customer

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Insurer Aviva has vowed to drive up the number of products held by its customers following the integration of former rival Friends Life and launch of a direct to consumer service.

The firm's chief executive Mark Wilson said he "will not be satisfied" until the average product holding per customer has grown from the current level of 1.7 to above three.

The company said it recognised opportunities to improve client retention and increase the number of products held per customer in a market that is "increasingly disintermediated".

It said it wants to "lead the market" in dealing with customers digitally, having launched a direct to consumer platform in June.

Aviva enlarged its customer base to 16 million following the £5.6bn buyout of rival firm Friends Life in April.

Wilson said: "Strategically we are now more balanced with scale across protection, retirement and savings.

"There is still more to be done for our enlarged customer base, in order to simplify their journey, ensure value for money and peace of mind.

"I will not be satisfied until our average product holding per customer has grown from the current level of 1.7 to above 3."

Synergies

Aviva said the groups' integration is ahead of schedule but there "remain far more benefits to extract".

The merged firms have so far created synergies worth £63m out of a planned total of £225m as previously announced.

They transferred £22.3bn of funds from Friends Life Investments to Aviva, driving up Aviva Investors' assets under management to £262.6bn.

Aviva posted a pre-tax profit of £1,17bn in the first half of the year (including Friends Life from April), up 9% on the £1.07bn posted in H1 2014. Its life business was up 5%, from £973m to £1.02bn.

Wilson said: "Our assumptions have so far been validated and we expect material capital synergies to arise in 2016 and 2017."

Following the groups' merger Friends Life also announced it would close adviser network Sesame.

In Aviva's interim results on 6 August the firm said it is "confident" about "eliminating historic Friends Life project costs".

Further reading 

Aviva to close three Manchester sites after Friends Life acquisition

 

 

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