Can You Still Take Out Equity Release Directly with Aviva (Formerly Norwich Union)?

After the end of June 2013, it will no longer be possible to obtain an equity release scheme from the Aviva direct team. The company has been providing equity release schemes direct for over a decade, but have made the decision that offering their services direct through their sales team no longer represents the best possible choice for their customers. The decision has been made as it is no longer cost effective for Aviva to provide direct advice and sales when they can provide their plans through other sources. Although this decision has worried many people considering equity release, you should be assured that you will still be able to obtain the services of Aviva.

Where can I source Aviva equity release deals?
Although Aviva will no longer be providing direct equity release advice and access to their range of products and schemes, it will still be possible to obtain a great Aviva deal. Instead of going direct to Aviva, customers will now need to consult an independent equity release broker such as EquityRelease.nu or find an equity release adviser locally. This can be easily done by searching the database on the website unbiased.com or consulting the Equity Release Council’s main website.

For those people who have looked into the Aviva direct equity release deals, you may be pleasantly surprised to see the great offers which are available through independent brokers and advisers. Aviva is one of the last equity release providers to offer a direct service and as more and more providers have switched over to accepting business through independent brokers and advisers, it has become apparent that it is a most cost effective option.

This means that rather than passing the cost of maintaining their sales force on to the customers, equity release clients can obtain an even better deal through an independent. In fact, in the last decade the amount of equity release transactions which have occurred through independent brokers and advisers has risen from twenty per cent to eighty per cent. This illustrates how the market has changed and how consulting an independent really can mean sourcing the best possible deal.

Sourcing a great Aviva equity release scheme
All of the Aviva plans and deals will still be available through the network of independent brokers and advisers. However, in order to source the best possible deal, you will need to ensure that you consult with a professional and experienced adviser. Services such as EquityRelease.nu offer a great service in searching the equity release marketplace to ensure that you gain access to the best possible deal from Aviva or any other equity release provider.

The service will take personal details such as your age, gender and state of health, together with the details of your property including the current value and balance of any outstanding finance to search for a deal which is best suited to your specific circumstances and requirements. The beauty of using an independent service such as EquityRelease.nu is that they will search the entire marketplace and not just focus on one specific provider such as Aviva. This will increase the chances of finding an excellent deal which is perfectly suited to your requirements.

Why now is a great time for equity release
There are a number of reasons why now is an ideal time to consider an equity release scheme. The withdrawal of Aviva from the direct equity release market is likely to increase competition further which will mean that there will be even more deals and attractive rates on offer. In fact, in today’s equity release market, the interest rates have never been at such a low level. If you are considering equity release, now is a great time to begin to explore your options and use the online calculator tools of your independent equity release broker or adviser. This will give you an accurate impression of the types of deals which you would qualify for and the amount of equity release available.

If you are interested in equity release and have considered an Aviva direct equity release scheme in the past, it is certainly worth taking some time to reconsider the options which would now be available to you. With the increased competition in the equity release industry, you may be pleasantly surprised at the attractive rates and great deals which are on offer. By speaking to an independent equity release adviser, you can increase the likelihood of finding the best possible deal and beginning your journey to a more financially free retirement.