Interview: Luke Powis, Head of Accident and Health at Aviva

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Attending meetings and speaking to colleagues, thinking about how we can adapt to emerging challenges and ensure Aviva is offering a proposition that represents the best value for our customers. It massively varies, but each day normally has plenty of challenges to address. I spend a lot of my time supporting my team with tasks including underwriting, sales and prospecting, as well as clearing the way for us to deliver our strategy.

Aviva has recently launched a wellbeing scheme for managers – the Aviva Line Manager Toolkit for Mental Health. Can you tell us more about it and why it is so important?

82% of UK workers entering management positions have not had any formal management and leadership training – known as ‘accidental managers’

According to the Chartered Management Institute’s Better Management Report, 82% of UK workers entering management positions have not had any formal management and leadership training – known as ‘accidental managers’. We know from our own research* that employee mental health and wellbeing is among the top six major health risks that business leaders are worried about.

Managers are often the first line of defence when spotting an employee who may be suffering with poor mental health. Equipping managers with the knowledge and understanding of how best to support their teams can be a good start to improving workplace wellbeing. We provide a digital service that offers bitesize modules and downloadable materials developed by clinical experts. The videos and resources aim to empower line managers to spot the warning signs of poor mental health in the workplace, help them feel more confident in holding supportive conversations with their team members, and learn more about reasonable adjustments and adaptations to support team members.

Effective mental health support strategies have the potential to improve productivity and employee engagement, reduce absenteeism and help make businesses better places to work.

Can you tell us about any other wellbeing propositions Aviva is implementing?

Looking after your employees and investing in their wellbeing can lead to increased productivity and engagement, and a happier, healthier workforce. That’s why we go the extra mile to include a range of wellbeing services and benefits at no extra charge with every Group Personal Accident or Business Travel product. This package of enhancements is the first of its kind in general insurance, which we’re really proud of.

We include a 24/7, 365 counselling service to all employees to help deal with work and personal issues such as bereavement, divorce, the threat of violence in the workplace, bullying at work and much more. Calls are free and completely confidential

We include a 24/7, 365 counselling service to all employees to help deal with work and personal issues such as bereavement, divorce, the threat of violence in the workplace, bullying at work and much more. Calls are free and completely confidential.

We offer discounted gym memberships, including well-known health and fitness club brands, savings on online workouts and offers on products and services that can help support a healthy lifestyle.

Cancer Care with Get Active is also included in every Group Personal Accident or Business Travel product. This provides access to discounted products and services that can help with the daily living adjustments a cancer diagnosis and treatment can bring, as well as offers on services and experiences that may enhance quality time spent with family and close friends. Customers can access the offers for themselves or to gift somebody they know who is living with cancer.

There is also an online wellbeing library that offers useful content, hints and tips, plus guides and tools on a wide range of wellbeing situations. Employees will find helpful support for family and relationships, money or work, mental or physical health conditions. Whatever is on their mind, they can find information to help them deal with it.

What do you think are the main challenges to the travel insurance industry at the moment?

Shifting customer needs – customers now prioritise flexibility and clarity in their insurance plans, with increased demand for coverage against cancellations due to unforeseen circumstances.

Climate change – weather events and natural disasters are becoming more extreme, presenting new risks for travellers and increasing the challenge for insurers to accurately assess and price a risk.

Inflation has also had an impact on the cost of medical expenses around the world, so there’s a challenge for insurers to balance rising costs with the need to provide affordable products for their customers. 

As I mentioned before, it’s so important that the industry remains resilient by adapting to these new challenges. At Aviva we’re providing coverage that allows travellers peace of mind and financial protection, as well as additional wellbeing benefits.

Our free Aviva travel app also helps to support Aviva travellers by offering both pre-travel and in-country advice while they are on an insured trip, helping them to make informed decisions when it comes to travel plans

We’re actively responding to these challenges. Cancellation and travel disruption forms part of our standard travel offering so anything outside of the policyholder’s control is potentially covered. This, coupled with our acceptance of up to a 10% increase in travel patterns declared over the policy period, offers our policyholders flexibility.

Our free Aviva travel app also helps to support Aviva travellers by offering both pre-travel and in-country advice while they are on an insured trip, helping them to make informed decisions when it comes to travel plans.

With telehealth solutions becoming more common, how do you think international healthcare will change in the future?

The future is full of exciting possibilities which I believe will be mainly driven by technological advancements. I see artificial intelligence (AI) playing a crucial role in analysing vast amounts of medical data, supporting diagnosis, and even predicting disease outbreaks. If this is used in the right way, the potential improvements in accessibility and effectiveness in healthcare are very exciting. 

Watches and bands are now providing such rich data on our habits and health that I can see them being able to accurately detect potential issues very early and drive a personalised healthier lifestyle to fix any potential issues. I use mine a lot to help guide my own training/health and I can see the tech becoming more and more useful.

We certainly will need to adapt to the ageing population with healthcare meeting the specific needs of older adults, including chronic disease management and long-term care. I’m very interested to see what the future holds on this.

*The research was carried out by YouGov on behalf of Aviva. YouGov surveyed more than 1,200 UK senior business leaders from small, mid-market and corporate businesses. Fieldwork was conducted between 15 September and 8 October 2023.