Aviva First-Half Operating Profit Rises 24% on Direct Line Integration

Aviva reported a stronger-than-expected first-half performance on Friday, August 14, 2026, with operating profits rising 24 percent as the insurer said its 3.7 billion pound acquisition of Direct Line was already delivering improvements. Operating profit increased to 1.33 billion pounds for the six months ended June 30, beating market expectations of 1.26 billion pounds.

The results underscore the progress of Chief Executive Dame Amanda Blanc's strategy to build scale in the competitive UK market. The Direct Line deal, completed in July 2025, cemented Aviva as Britain's largest multiline insurer. General insurance gross written premiums climbed 29 percent to 8.1 billion pounds, while net inflows in the wealth management business rose 32 percent to 7.6 billion pounds.

"We are making very good progress with the integration of Direct Line. We have quickly improved Direct Line's profitability, grown price comparison website sales, and maintained excellent levels of customer service," Blanc said. "We are well on track to deliver all the financial benefits of the acquisition."

The insurer has already achieved 100 million pounds in annualized cost synergies toward its revised target of...