LONDON, March 24, 2026, 19:18 GMT
- Aviva shares edged up 0.85% to 617 pence on Tuesday, a touch stronger than the FTSE 100.
- The insurer plans to roll out a ChatGPT-powered app for home insurance quotes—marking the first product to come out of its partnership with OpenAI.
- Aviva is pressing ahead with a £350 million buyback, and investors are eyeing the March 26 ex-dividend date for the 26.2 pence final payout. Capital returns remain front and center.
Shares in Aviva ticked up in London on Tuesday, gaining 0.85% to 617 pence after the insurer rolled out a ChatGPT-powered app designed to give prospective home insurance customers a quick quote—just minutes, according to the company. That move nudged Aviva’s stock slightly ahead of the FTSE 100, which added 0.7%.
Timing is key here. Aviva wants to layer in a tech and distribution angle right as cash returns pull investor focus. The shares go ex-dividend on March 26—new buyers after that miss out on the 26.2p final dividend. Meanwhile, a £350 million buyback is already in motion.
Aviva is set to launch its first OpenAI-powered collaboration in the coming weeks, with a ChatGPT app aimed at providing quotes for Aviva Signature home insurance. Customers will start the process in the app, then finish their purchase on Aviva’s website. Owen Morris, chief executive of Aviva UK Personal Lines, called the move a “brilliant new addition” to the company’s distribution channels. Aviva
The announcement drops into a sector that’s already been jumpy about AI. Back in February, shares in Aviva, Admiral, and AXA all got hit as investors worried that AI could shake up the way insurance policies reach customers. With this latest move, investors finally get a look at how one of the established insurers plans to navigate—maybe even capitalize on—the shift, instead of just riding it out.
According to a Tuesday filing, Aviva snapped up 20,000 shares on March 23, paying anywhere from 592.20 pence to 622.40 pence apiece. The volume-weighted average price landed at 609.41 pence. The company plans to cancel these shares. This buyback is part of the programme unveiled on March 5, set to continue until Aug. 6.
Aviva’s share buyback is back on, following a pause tied to its takeover of Direct Line—by far the largest acquisition under CEO Amanda Blanc. Reporting full-year figures on March 5, the insurer logged a 25% jump in operating profit to 2.2 billion pounds, set a final dividend at 26.2 pence, and stuck to its previously outlined goals, among them 11% annual EPS growth through 2028.
Back then, Blanc talked up Aviva’s “highly committed” approach to boosting the dividend and launching that 350 million pound buyback. The company, for its part, confirmed it had already reached its group targets for 2026—one year ahead of schedule—pointing to stronger insurance premiums, better wealth inflows, and the Direct Line deal as drivers. Aviva
Matt Britzman, senior equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, described Aviva as a “top-class outfit” following the results, but flagged “softer market signals” ahead for 2026. That’s more or less the share story at this point: reliable capital returns and solid operating momentum, yet a macro picture that’s far from straightforward. Hargreaves Lansdown
But risks remain. Aviva’s Solvency II shareholder cover ratio, which tracks regulatory capital strength, dropped to 180% from 203% following the Direct Line acquisition. In the UK, traders are now factoring in nearly three quarter-point Bank of England rate hikes for this year, with inflation jitters fueled by Middle East tensions.
Right now, no knockout trigger for investors, just a handful of short-term signals to watch. Thursday brings the ex-dividend date, more daily buyback disclosures, and the timing details on the ChatGPT app launch—each could help determine if Tuesday’s small uptick has legs.
