Malaysia JV with CIMB Group

Aviva PLC
08 June 2007


News release

8 June 2007

                     AVIVA RECEIVES REGULATORY APPROVAL FOR
                           JOINT VENTURE IN MALAYSIA


Aviva plc ('Aviva'), the international savings, investments and insurance group,
announces that it is entering the Malaysian long-term savings market through a
joint venture with the CIMB Group, listed on Bursa Malaysia as
Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Berhad ('BCHB').

Under the agreement, Aviva will acquire a 49% equity interest in two of CIMB
Group's subsidiaries, Commerce Life Assurance Berhad ('Commerce Life') and
Commerce Takaful Berhad ('Commerce Takaful'), for a total cash consideration of
£74 million (RM500 million)1. The terms of the joint venture agreement have been
approved by Bank Negara, Malaysia's financial services regulator.

In addition, Commerce Life and Commerce Takaful will enter into exclusive
bancassurance agreements with CIMB Group's subsidiary, CIMB Bank, for the
distribution of life and takaful insurance products through the bank's 383
branches.  CIMB Bank has the largest branch network in Malaysia, with over 4.5
million customers.  As well as offering products through CIMB Bank, Commerce
Life and Commerce Takaful will also explore other distribution channels in
Malaysia.

Philip Scott, executive director of Aviva, said:  'We're excited about our entry
into the Malaysian market, which is the eighth largest insurance market in Asia.
  The high savings rate in Malaysia - 37% of gross national product - combined
with the life market's growth prospects make this a significant move in the
expansion of our Asia Pacific portfolio.

'The CIMB Group is a major player in Malaysian financial services and we are
delighted to have forged this joint venture partnership which will give us
access to an extensive customer base in Malaysia.'

Formal signing of agreements and completion are expected to follow within the
next two weeks.

                                    - ends -


1Calculated using exchange rate £1.00 = RM6.72


Enquiries:

Media

Hayley Stimpson, director of external affairs              [phone]
Sue Winston, head of group media relations                 [phone]
James Murgatroyd/Ed Simpkins, Finsbury                     [phone]

Analysts
Charles Barrows, investor relations director               [phone]
Amanda Wilbraham, senior manager, investor relations       [phone]


Notes to editors:
     
•    The joint venture agreement is between Aviva and Bumiputra-Commerce 
     Holdings Berhad, the holding company for the CIMB Group's business 
     divisions including Commerce Life Berhad and Commerce Takaful Berhad.
          
•    Takaful products are designed to comply with Islamic law.  The products 
     follow the basic principles of the takaful system, such as mutual 
     co-operation, responsibility, assurance and protection between groups of
     participants.


About Aviva plc

•    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 2005.
     
•    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.


About the CIMB Group

  • The CIMB Group is Malaysia's second largest financial services provider
    (in terms of assets) listed through Bumiputra-Commerce Holdings Berhad ('
    BCHB') on Bursa Malaysia, the Malaysian stock exchange.


  • The CIMB Group includes the business entities of CIMB (investment
    banking), CIMB Bank (consumer banking), CIMB Islamic (Islamic banking),
    asset management, treasury and insurance (Life, Takaful and General).

  • CIMB Bank has the largest branch network in Malaysia with 383 branches and
    over 4.5 million customers.




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