Insurer Aviva has extended its protection insurance distribution agreement with estate agency Connells Group for another five years.
The partnership, which was first formed in 2017, allows Aviva to supply life insurance, critical illness cover, and income protection cover through Connells Group’s mortgage consultant team.
The agreement covers most brands held by Connells Group and The New Homes Group.
Connells Group was acquired by Countrywide in March this year, giving Aviva access to more than 1,250 high street estate agency branches.
Aviva’s protection portfolio distribution director Daren Boys said that it was delighted to continue its partnership with Connells Group, and it had “fresh joint developments in the pipeline” that will improve efficiency, improve the customer journey and protect more customers.
Adrian Scott, Connells Group mortgage services director, said: “We are really pleased to extend our successful partnership with Aviva with a new, single, long-term agreement for our estate agency business. Aviva provides a suite of great products for our customers, and we look forward to building on our strong relationship by developing into new areas over the coming months.”
Anna is currently the deputy editor for Mortgage Solutions and editor for Specialist Lending Solutions. She has worked as a journalist since 2019, having secured her Gold Standard NCTJ diploma from News Associates in a fast-track six-month course.
She started her career as a report at specialist publication The Insurance Insider covering a wide range of areas before joining Mortgage Solutions and Specialist Lending Solutions in 2021.
In her role, she helps put together and structure the news agenda for the day and writes up press releases, reports, interviews, analyses and exclusives across both titles. She also commissions blogs for Specialist Lending Solutions and hosts online masterclasses and in-person events across the business.
She has been shortlisted for three journalism awards, which include BIBA Journalist and Media Awards Scoop of Year Award in 2020, Headline Money Mortgage Journalist of the Year Award (B2B) in 2022 and 2023.
Prior to being a journalist, Anna worked in ecommerce across Snow + Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need websites, and before that worked at specialist financial PR firm Rostrum.
In her spare time, Anna enjoys reading, seeing live music, and cooking for friends and family. When she gets a chance, she also enjoys hiking, skiing and indoor rock climbing.