Find a career that exceeds your expectations.
Underwriters are special. They’re analytically minded, yes, but also brilliant negotiators and creative thinkers too. Sound like you? Then join us, turning uncertainty into stability for our 18 million customers.
Our Underwriters are the backbone of Aviva. So there’s no better place to train to be one. Not only will you be highly valued, but you’ll find there’s real variety in the career pathways you can follow. Fancy managing our pricing across the entire UK? Or working on speciality lines that see you insuring a whole wind farm? There are many directions to take.
You don’t need a degree in any particular area. We believe a talent for knowing what makes people tick, a passion for learning, and the confidence to make clear decisions are far more important. Whatever you studied, bring these qualities and we can teach you the rest.
Applications for the Underwriting graduate pathway are now closed.
We’re looking to find and develop the future stars of Underwriting. But rather than being just another graduate development programme, here you’ll join us in a permanent role with real responsibility from day one. You’ll be helping to shape the Aviva of the future, and making a real and meaningful difference to millions of people’s lives.
Expect to get hands on, real life experience, and to receive support so you can get professional qualifications to add to your list of achievements. You’ll take control of your own work, and your own progression. Show us what you can do, and we’ll be right behind you, giving you more and more responsibility and opportunities to shape your future.
You might think we’re just another boring insurance firm, but nothing could be further from the truth. We don’t show up for work in pressed suits and shiny shoes. At Aviva, we’re proud to be different. Proud to say that we’re a diverse mix of cultures, genders, ages, perspectives, and ideas.
Most important of all, we’re an organisation with a purpose. We want to lead the way forward in our sector, which is why we focus on being the best we can be. Every day. Together, we’re building a better tomorrow with a little help – a lot, actually – from our future leaders.
No matter who you are, where you’re from, or what your interests are, you can be sure there’s a place for you at Aviva. We’re passionate and committed, just like you are; we’re the first major insurer worldwide to target Net Zero carbon by 2040 and we’re committed to the community too – we’re aiming for £10bn UK infrastructure and real estate investment by the end of 2023.
You’ll train and grow with us, soaking up information from our underwriters, and gaining valuable experience across a number of teams.
In order to assess risk, you have to have knowledge of all kinds of fascinating topics. So your training could include learning about anything from medicine and geography, to the relative dangers of motor sports and scuba diving, or how someone’s job can change the level of risk in their life.
You’ll learn about the financial mechanisms that underpin the whole process, too. Plus, of course, getting lots of hands-on experience, negotiating with financial advisors, providing underwriting decisions, and finding new ways to deliver more for our customers. At the end of it all, you’ll be an experienced Underwriter, and a leader in-the-making, with the professional credentials and practical experience to build a great career.
Our Underwriting Graduates are based in York. It’s a charming cathedral city steeped in ancient Viking roots. Walled by ancient brick, it’s a beautiful place to live and work, so it’s no surprise that The Sunday Times rates it one of the best places to live in the UK. You can find out more by clicking the link below.
Most of our graduates balance time in the office with working from home. We call this Smart Working. Three days in the office and two days from home is typical, but this will vary between teams. When you join us, your leader will take time to discuss this with you, and agree what works best for you, your team, and the business.
As we adopt this Smart Working approach, it’s important to note that you will still need to live within commuting distance of your office. That way you’ll get to spend time with your team in person, as well as virtually, and get access to the right internal support networks to help you to succeed.
You must have a degree (in any subject) or be on track to graduate by the end of Summer 2024.
You’ll also need to be a quick learner, decisive, and good at building a rapport with others.
We offer a great starting salary of £32,500.
You’ll be joining us in a real role with real responsibilities, giving you a head start on your career and a chance to show us just what you can do – right from the start.
We offer everything from healthy eating initiatives, health checks, and exercise classes through to products, policies, and support designed to help people stay healthy. And our Smart Working initiative gives our people the chance to work from home.
Expect great managers, mentors, and buddies who’ll help you grow into your role and support you every step of the way. Plus, you’ll be part of our Aviva graduate community.
As part of a structured training and development programme, we’ll pay for your exams. And because we know it can be tricky to fit in exams around your work, we’ll also give you a generous amount of paid study leave.
We’re big on empowerment, so we have a self-led learning culture. As part of that, we provide digital access to all sorts of useful on-demand learning content.
We love to give back to our local communities, so we offer everyone the opportunity to use up to 21 hours of paid work time to volunteer for good causes or to get involved in things like education or outreach programmes.
You’ll get a bonus if you achieve what we’re looking for from an individual and company perspective. Plus, you’ll get up to 40% off a selection of products for yourself and your family through MyAviva Extras.
29 days of holiday, plus bank holidays.
During the application process, we’ll want to hear about what you enjoy doing and what you are good at. And it goes without saying you’ll need to feel a connection with our values.
Sounds good? Great. Here’s what you need to do now.
If we can help to make the process smoother for you with any additional support or reasonable adjustments, please just let us know by emailing avivaearlycareers@aviva.com.
For the initial online application, we’ll ask you to attach a copy of your CV and answer a short questionnaire about your motivations for this programme. We want to hear about what you enjoy doing, what you are good at, and of course, it goes without saying that you’ll need to feel a connection to our values.
If you’re shortlisted, the next stage is online testing. We ask everyone to complete a Situational Strengths Test – this will reveal tasks and scenarios you could experience at Aviva. It will give us an indication of how you like to work, your thought processes, and your relevant strengths. If you are someone who likes to prepare, you will be pleased to know you can do a practice test before attempting the real thing. You will also complete a Numerical Reasoning Test so we can see your flair for figures.
If you pass the online tests you will be sent a link to complete a recorded video interview. You’ll be presented with a series of strengths-based questions – with a practice test first, of course – and our online system will guide you through the process step by step. You will have the opportunity in the interview to tell us about your motivations for choosing to start your career with Aviva.
If you are shortlisted, you’ll then have an in-person interview with some of our hiring managers. This will give you the opportunity to ask us questions too.
If you do well, you’ll be invited to an assessment day. Impress us there and you’ll be offered the role. Most of our positions will start in September 2024, but there may be an opportunity for some to start earlier, depending on business requirements at the time.