UK insurer Aviva reported a 49% decline in profit to £418m for the first half of 2026 (H1 2026), while basic earnings per share fell by 44% to 12.2p.
The company said this came as operating profit increased by 24% to £1.32bn, which it attributed to continued progress on its Direct Line integration and growth across its core business lines
Operating earnings per share rose by 10% to 31.8p, while return on equity (ROE) increased to 20.3% from 18.2% in the same period last year. General Insurance premiums were up by 29% to £8.09bn, while the group’s undiscounted combined operating ratio improved to 93.3% from 94.6% a year earlier. Within that division, UK and Ireland (UK&I) General Insurance premiums increased by 42% to £5.91bn, reflecting the Direct Line acquisition and growth in the intermediated business, with an undiscounted combined operating ratio (COR) of 93.4%.
Canada General Insurance premiums rose by 3% to £2.18bn, with an undiscounted COR of 93%. In Wealth, net flows increased by 32% to £7.6bn, supported by the onboarding of initial transfers from the Mercer Master Trust and further growth in the group’s Platform business. Assets under management in Wealth climbed by 25% to £261bn.