Aviva axed phone service after uncovering advice concerns

Scott Sinclair
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A telephone advice service offered by Aviva - originally believed to be a casualty of the provider's decision to exit advised sales in May - was in fact pulled months earlier after an audit flagged concerns over the quality of advice given to customers.

All 12 of the advisers working on Aviva's Regulated Telephony Team, a tied offering, were suspended following the inspection, with disciplinary hearings ultimately leading to two of the 12 losing their jobs for gross misconduct, IFAonline understands. The remaining advisers either escaped without punishment or received written warnings. Aviva said it would not comment on individual advisers, though it said the service was included as part of its decision to cease providing full advice in May, which led to many advisers, including those involved in the telephony team, being made redund...

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