JV with Bank Zachodni WBK

Aviva PLC
21 November 2007



News release

21 November 2007


                       AVIVA ANNOUNCES JOINT VENTURE WITH
                          BANK ZACHODNI WBK IN POLAND



Aviva plc ('Aviva'), the international savings, investments and insurance group,
has entered into an exclusive 15 year bancassurance partnership with Bank
Zachodni WBK ('BZ WBK') to sell life and general insurance products through BZ
WBK's bank network in Poland.


Under the terms of the agreement, Aviva and BZ WBK will each hold 50% of the
equity share capital of two newly established joint venture companies and will
each contribute 50% of the total £13.2million1 working capital for the new
companies.


The joint venture companies will manufacture life and general insurance products
respectively, distributed through the exclusive arrangement with BZ WBK. The
agreement will provide access to BZ WBK's 1.4million customers through its
network of over 400 branches across Poland.  BZ WBK is a top five player in
terms of assets in the Polish market.


Philip Scott, group finance director of Aviva, said: 'I'm delighted we've agreed
a long-term exclusive partnership with BZ WBK, which builds on a relationship
dating back more than a decade.  The bancassurance arrangement will
significantly enhance Aviva's distribution network in Poland, complementing our
well-established direct sales force and the direct motor insurance service which
will launch later this month.  The Polish economy is booming and this
partnership will give us a significant competitive advantage in this rapidly
growing market.'


The agreement remains subject to regulatory approval.  The joint venture
companies are expected to be operational in the third quarter 2008.

                                     -ends-





1Sterling equivalent of 67.2 million Polish zloty calculated at an exchange rate
of 5.11 Polish zloty = £1.00



Enquiries:


Media
Vanessa Rhodes, group media relations manager                [phone]
Sue Winston, head of group media relations                   [phone]
James Murgatroyd/Ed Simpkins, Finsbury                       [phone]


Analysts
Susie Yeoh, investor relations manager                       [phone]
Charles Barrows, investor relations director                 [phone]



Notes to editors:


Aviva


•  Aviva is the leading provider of life and pensions to Europe with substantial 
   positions in other markets around the world, making it the world's fifth 
   largest insurance group based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December
   2006.


•  Aviva's principal business activities are long-term savings, fund management 
   and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of £41.5 billion and assets 
   under management of £364 billion at 31 December 2006.


•  The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, company
   and product information and a news release archive.


•  Aviva in Poland, operating under the Commercial Union brand, is the largest 
   pensions provider in Poland with a 28% market share and it is the second
   largest life insurance business in the country. It has six business units 
   with over 1,000 staff and 3,000 tied insurance agents. The CU Group is among 
   Poland's largest financial groups with over 3 million customers.




Bank Zachodni WBK


•  A top five Polish universal bank offering products for retail and
   corporate customers. It has a network of 400 branches throughout Poland. Its
   largest shareholder is Allied Irish Bank Group. Bank Zachodni WBK has been a
   minority shareholder in CU Poland since 1992 and is a strategic bancassurance
   partner.









                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange