Aviva said that the new Gulf cover marks the second phase of its product development for the region. A partnership with NAS Administration Services provides Gulf customers with a regional claims service with direct settlement capabilities, Aviva added.

For all customers, standard core benefits have been increased to make international solutions one of the most comprehensive international policies available in the market, with an annual benefit level of £5 million, Aviva said. Aviva also said that customers will receive high quality treatment if they are ill or injured, as well as 24-hour medical emergency assistance and evacuation to an appropriate facility if treatment is not available locally. In addition:

• Policies now carry an international cancer pledge to cover treatment and palliative care as recommended by specialists. In addition, cover is provided for aftercare, including money towards prostheses and wigs.
• In and day-patient care is enhanced and now includes cover towards the costs of organ transplants and harvesting, and an increase in rehabilitation cover from 14 days to 25 days.
• Outpatient care also now includes cover for up to 10 speech therapy sessions, following a referral by a specialist after a hospital admission.
• Additional benefits cover for complications of pregnancy as standard, with maternity and maternity plus policy upgrades available to provide customers with cover for the more routine costs of pregnancy and childbirth, including pre and post-natal care. Home nursing benefits also have been increased as standard from 28 days to 60 days.
• Customers also will have greater coverage on a range of everyday health care benefits that they would usually expect from their general practitioner at home. These include up to 20 consultations with a doctor per year and higher limits for prescription medicine and vaccinations. Everyday health care now includes cover towards hormone replacement therapy.
• Condition management for acute phases of congenital conditions also now is covered as standard, alongside increased cover for the management of HIV and AIDS.
• If treatment for any illness or accident covered is not available locally, the policy's evacuation and emergency assistance cover will arrange evacuation to the nearest facility, even if that is in another country. 

According to Aviva, all international solutions customers get round-the-clock overseas support, 365 days a year. This includes a 24 hour medical emergency assistance helpline; a 24 hour medical advice helpline from a network of medical providers in 86 countries; and 24 hour secure online access to medical records through My Health Passport.

Customers also can upgrade their core cover to add the following options:

• Maternity or maternity plus cover, which includes investigations into fertility.
• Dental or dental plus cover, which provides 100 percent reimbursement up to specified limits and a range of benefits including orthodontic treatment for children.
• Wellbeing, with cover for routine examinations, screening, hearing and dietician tests. Co-payment has been removed so customers no longer have to pay the first 20 percent.
• Additional outpatient and alternative therapies cover.
• Repatriation and compassionate travel cover to help with travel and accommodation costs in the event of a family emergency.

Value options also are available for complete flexibility to help reduce premiums, including options for different excess levels, reducing out-patient cover or removing some core benefits like every day health care.

The enhancements to international solutions and the new Gulf solutions policy come into effect on February 1, 2014 for both new and renewing customers. Aviva said that the policies have clearer benefit terms to give individual customers, employers, and their employees complete peace of mind about the cover they choose, as well as a clear and easy claims process with no mandatory excess levels in place.