Aviva Home Insurance Reviews

We chose Aviva for our home insurance because they offered monthly payment plans and the amount of home insurance is outrageous. We suffered an electrical fire in our home and our claim was dealt with horrendously... They didn’t want to pay for our rental, they didn’t want to pay for damages done... Trying to claim our destroyed foundation was already there (lies) Almost 2 years after our fire and we are still ‘homeless’ and living in a rental hoping to be able to rebuild our lives next summer... Don't use Aviva!

All of the other reviews about service are true; so add this, they deny reasonable claims - even supported by facts to reject. After 25 + years with AVIVA and no claims, there is a fort mentality in their agent and adjusters to deny claims. Yes, their rates can be competitive, but if there is no real coverage - you decide.

First - Our insurance was on a monthly payment system with the debit occurring on the 14th of each month. Sometime between the 7th and the 10th of December, my husband misplaced his credit card and reported the loss, and asked for a new card to be issued. Our new credit card did not arrive from MasterCard until approximately the 20th/21st of December. On the 24th of December, we went out of the country for Christmas to visit family. Upon our return to the country on the 4th of January, we realized that we failed to call the insurance company to update the card number as we had received mail sometime between the 24th and the 4th to indicate a missed payment. I also received notice of registered mail, which I picked up from the post office on Saturday the 5th of January. We immediately called Aviva (on the 5th - and they were not open) to provide updated credit card information (assuming we were well and fine, considering we were not even 30 days late on the payment). First, they were happy to take our new credit card information to take care of the late payment and suggested that all was fine. After putting through the late payment in full, they advised my husband, and myself (on multiple subsequent calls) that our multiple policies were cancelled and that we would need to reapply for new insurance for all of them. This was the first time we had ever missed a payment (if being less than 30 days late is considered a missed payment). When going through the re-application process, they advised us that our policy for our home had doubled, and that a new internal policy with Aviva would require that all policies had to be paid for up front, in full (I was advised by an agent that this would be a new rule for all new policies going forward for all people in New Brunswick). While we have the resources to pay for a policy up front, many people would not have this ability, and second, to treat a very good customer so terribly is amazing from a business development perspective! Second - when we were with RBC, our policies were about 1/2 the cost. RBC sold the polices to Aviva and sure enough, the policies doubled in cost but we didn't have the time to shop around. Now they are looking for another increase based on the above situation. Third - we have waited for a call back from customer service to discuss the above for 5 days. They suggested that we call back next Wednesday - 2 days before they told us the policies would expire if we didn't reapply. This is a lesson in terrible customer service. Shop elsewhere.

BUYER BEWARE AND STAY AWAY. Horrible experience. We just purchased a new home and because our current home had one water damming issue as well as the new home purchase (before it was ours) they will NOT insure us. More than that is the fact that they have a POLICY if you have 2 claims or more (regardless if they are not the same property) that you are a risk and they won't insure you. STAY AWAY - I spent 1.5 hours on the phone to hear this. AND to throw salt in the wound, if I cancel my car insurances, they will charge me a fee for cancelling my car insurance. Terrible terrible service.

YES BE WARNED FOR MANY REASONS. THEY PUT YOU THROUGH HELL FOR 20 MINUTES OF INTIMIDATION, BEFORE EVEN YOU ARE STARTING THE LINE OF COMMUNICATION... CLEARLY ALL TO COVER THEMSELVES. THEN... A COMPREHENSIVE HOME INSURANCE. It says, you are covered for water damage, roof etc... one can imagine that the roof will be covered... but cleverly, the explanation is that... based on weather condition and wind/storm at a speed of 55m/h+ that you could be covered for any damages caused to your roof... // WHAT?????.. How could this be?? Surely if you get an insurance and after 6 months, you get unlucky that something goes wrong with your roof, don't even think about to go to them for any assistance. Even in my case when I am with them more than 5 years, one can think that within 5 years... there may have been very bad weather that my roof wouldn't have been affected so to speak, and then a heavy rain caused the same damage than a storm of 55 miles... that could even damage a brand new roof... it just doesn't add up what they say... unless they say, come and insure your house, only and if you have a brand new roof... they say you are covered for accidental damage... then when you have a burst pipe under a bath, they say, you need to repair the burst pipe and we only cover you for make good... I have a 3-storey terrace house. I can't go to the roof to figure out how the leak has been caused, and their response is that for the last 3 months we didn't have any kind of hurricane type of wind of 55m/h... therefore I am not covered... TO TOP IT ALL... they further intimidate that should you make a claim, even if your claim is unsuccessful, you will be put on the list of those who made the claim and therefore should you decide to change your insurance company, you must report that YOU HAVE MADE A CLAIM, EVEN IF YOUR CLAIM GOT DECLINED with the bogus reasons good enough for AVIVA themselves. Therefore, either way, your insurance premium will get affected with a higher insurance cost. Basically, intimidation all along... to ensure that you fully understand... if you make a claim... even unsuccessful, you will be reported... all that to dissuade you to change your mind if you make a claim... your premium will go up... even if you didn't get validation to your claim during all these intimidations... no one is actually telling you honestly and openly WHAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY BEING INSURED FOR... UNLESS YOU READ A 20-PAGE INSURANCE DOCUMENT. Let us face it... most of us take an insurance because we want to be covered for the main issues... fire... water damage to the property...

Horrible and rude
I have 2 policies with this company. One is owner occupied and other is rental property.
I had ice daming on my owner occupied property not rental. Took 3 days for the emergency contractor to come look. Arrives and sends his findings to the insurance company. After a week back and forth and told emails will be sent I hear nothing... until today. Where I get a call to tell me that my claim was rejected at my policy number (that referenced my rental property) staying I don’t have ice daming coverages on that policy. I advise them it was my owners until separate property and policy she tells me she sees that and will call me back.
Well she calls me back and tells me yes you do have ice daming coverage on my owner unit but the emergency contractor stated it was wind and rain that caused it and not ice daming.
I knew she was wrong cause she was putting contractors worked to what type of policy I had. Doing everything they could not to pay out.
Well lawyer is called. I have it all taped cause I know better when dealing with insurance companies.
Lawyer listen and asked to to call or email them back and ask why their caused changed comlairex to your policy.
I got an email 30 mins later saying they are approving the claim after looking at the weather and findings..
why should I have to contact my lawyer? Why do they push you that far?

I wish I had read some of these reviews prior to switching to Aviva last August. If my experience arranging for a new policy is any indication, I sure hope I don't ever need to make a claim! Two hours on phone getting quote... Not a simple policy, for two properties, three autos and a boat, so I don't begrudge this time spent at all. I provided much detail about the properties, including outbuildings, and the boat - just a small runabout but we want to ensure there is liability coverage. Placed on hold several times while the agent spoke to underwriting for clarification. Again, no problem, in fact, I commented that I appreciated the agent being so thorough. Left with a list of info to provide - driver profiles for my daughters, serial number for the boat, mortgage #, etc. Five days later called back to provide all of the above. Not a quick call. Many of the same questions asked, as though info had never been entered in a file. Finished call satisfied, however, that all would be in place, policy bound, payment arranged... Based on this, arranged to cancel with the current insurer on the renewal date. Since then: NOTHING received by mail (despite expressions of shock every time I tell Aviva CS this, and in fact incredulity - "Well, did you check your mailbox?" - seriously???). Policy documents posted on Myaviva website do not reflect coverage promised both over the phone and clearly documented in emails from contact@avivainsurance.ca. Repeated requests for additional information (that has already been provided), then a demand for a marine survey of a 16' runabout (again, all pertinent details provided - never mention of the marine survey). Most recent call one hour in length, again answering the same series of questions, again a comment, "I'm sorry, someone clearly has not done their job here, I'm going to make it right." Borders on fraudulent behaviour - make promises, get customer under contract, ignore promises. The couple of hundred dollars I've saved are far outweighed by the time wasted and the fact that I have no assurance in writing at all that I have the coverage I've been promised over the phone and email. Shameful.

Giving this company a 1 star rating (minimum required) is over rating Aviva Insurance. MINUS 5 would be more appropriate for the bad experience we had with this company.

The short story:

We had a roof issue this summer that caused a leak in the house and subsequent damage to our ceiling. After contacting Aviva, their own roofer (biased?) gave a repair cost to the six year old roof of $2,000.00 and blamed the failure of the roof to workmanship by the initial roofer, that said, Aviva denied our claim totally, even the ceiling repair. For the $2,000.00 Aviva’s roofer assured us it was an easy repair. After three attempts to repair this “easy repair”, the roof was still leaking (workmanship?). On the fourth attempt the roofer did an overkill repair which drove the bill to $6,200.00 of which Aviva denied all and of course the repair to the ceiling of $800.00 (we called in an independent contractor for this as Aviva’s contractor wanted over $2,000.00). Now we’re out approximately $7,000.00. After escalating this to Aviva’s CEO, his Assistant Vice President contacted us, but didn’t seem all that anxious to help either, trivializing it all by suggesting to us that it’s ONLY $7,000.00…EXCUSE ME???...if it’s ONLY $7,000.00 why does Aviva refuse to pay any part or all of it?

Needless to say we cancelled our policy and found another company that knows the meaning of customer care.

If you’re still going with this company, may you have better luck.

P.S. While waiting for the roofer to find a time to do the repair, we asked him to put up a temporary tarp. Another $350.00 and the tarp leaked as well (workmanship?).

Aviva took RBC and ran it into the ground. Their staff is inept. Had a claim. The road adjuster did nothing. No money, no calculation of cost nothing. What Aviva does is send their "preferred contractor". Instead of paying road advisers they rely on this third party to do the quote for repair. Which is BS. Its AVIVAs job to pay their own people to come up with numbers. Not pay 3rd parties out of my insurance limit. This is what happens. Using my claim money to pay this third party to come up with a lowball estimate and do so at my cost for their fee. The truth is, they lowball. Then when the "unexpected" comes up during repair the contractor will amend. Why? So people get less of a cash out option for one. But more important you have the right to hire your own contractor. But the lowball estimate cannot be exceeded. Further pushing clients in favor of the "preferred vendor". Here is what the "preferred vendor" did for me. I had a sewage flood. They DID NOT clean. They DID NOT remove any contents. They DID NOT disinfect. They ripped out 600 sf of flooring and cut into some wallboard. End of them. I had to clean my own house of sewage. I had to disinfect myself and do all the content manipulation myself. Aviva was made aware with a detailed timesheet. They dont care. They waived my $1000 deductable. Gee thanks because you paid your "preferred vendor" $6000. What for? I beleive AVIVA to be 100% without ethics and I believe how they are operating is in contradiction to the laws in Ontario. This is not honest business nor regulation practice. AFter my lowball claim they sent me a letter saying they wont insure my house anymore. You see .... they are there to take money and invest it for their gain. They are not there to insure things.

This company is not operating legally in my opinion.

RBC used to have their own people to assess cost/damage. I had a flood and Aviva sent their "road advisor" to my home. This person did nothing but draw pictures of the rooms. They didnt cost anything out. Aviva now relies on 3rd party "approved" contractors for this. Which is ridiculous. Consumers have a right to use their own contractors. Its Insurance Co's job to have their own people to cost things.

Aviva paid me nothing up front. Its a clown and pony show to get things approved so they will pay. My claim exceeds my coverage so settling is real easy but Aviva refuses to do that. If they just did things like insurance companies have done things up until now (as is actually legally REQUIRED) we could just settle.

PROMUS restoration was assigned to my house. They did next to nothing. A few hours tear out. No clean up, no disinfecting, no contents removal/storage. Basically, nothing. I could have torn out floors by sawing it out quick too. Insurance pays them thousands for this then relies on them to do all the cost quoting. This way see YOU pay for it out of your end rather than Aviva paying their employees to do their damn job. Obviously PROMUS has nothing but subcontractors giving ridiculous quotes for simple lipstick things and ignoring what actually needs to be done. Using up the claim in nonsense.

Aviva needs to do what all other insurance companies do and actually cost things out via the computer aided systems that have been in place for decades and are very accurate in experienced hands. Tossing the ball to fly by night claim raping "restoration" companies is a joke.

Stay away from Aviva. RBC wasnt the greatest but it ran like an insurance company. Aviva runs like children playing pretend insurance company.