From the Ed: Aviva has questions to answer over axed phone service

FROM THE EDITOR

Scott Sinclair
clock

This week we discovered that 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, as I understand it. So far, so good – not for the advisers concerned or some of their customers, perhaps, but in terms of Aviva spotting a problem and acting on it, further consumer detriment may have been spared. At least that’s how it appears from a regulatory viewpoint. The truth may be somewhat different as it has been made clear that some of the advisers ...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on Your profession

Feel Good Friday: Quilter pledges £3m towards financial education

Feel Good Friday: Quilter pledges £3m towards financial education

Alongside £1m in grants supporting charities

Professional Adviser
clock 13 February 2026 • 1 min read
Brits unlikely to see IFAs despite Budget impact

Brits unlikely to see IFAs despite Budget impact

Just 19% were likely to seek advice, Continuum finds

Isabel Baxter
clock 12 February 2026 • 3 min read
Treasury consults on AR regime adding further FCA and FOS permissions

Treasury consults on AR regime adding further FCA and FOS permissions

Amid concerns about consumer harm and weaknesses in oversight

Isabel Baxter
clock 12 February 2026 • 3 min read