Reaching another significant milestone in its journey, HNB Assurance PLC Group celebrated its 20th Year Anniversary recently. Incorporated in 2001 and listed in the Colombo Stock Exchange in 2003 the Company has grown over the years and is present to serve people across the country. Having commenced business as a composite insurer, keeping in line with the segregation rules, HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) floated HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI) in 2015, as its fully owned subsidiary, which took on the general insurance business while HNBA retained the life business. The Group has always focused on consolidated growth, delivering a tangible value proposition to all its stakeholders. Both HNBA & HNBGI had their ratings upgraded to A+ by Fitch, auguring well for the Group’s financial strength and soundness.
Sharing her views on this significant milestone, Chairperson of HNBA and HNBGI, Mrs. Rose Cooray stated, “The 20th Year Anniversary of a relationship, friendship or a business is a cause for celebration for many reasons. Having journeyed together with our customers, employees, and shareholders for two decades, the Group has reached many a milestone, achieving stellar heights and creating a tangible and real difference in the lives of people. Being in the business of protection, we have served and taken care of thousands of policyholders and their loved ones, providing a shield of protection and armor of confidence to face the uncertainties and challenges in life. Both Life and General Insurance businesses have transformed significantly during the past 20 years, growing to be a Group with a turnover of over LKR 10 Billion. Whilst expressing my sincere gratitude to all our customers, investors, and other stakeholders for being with us during the past two decades, I assure you that the Group is geared to move forward with much greater financial stability, innovation, efficiency and the highest quality in service delivery, with the aim of setting new benchmarks in the industry, whist taking care of you and your loved ones”.
Mr. Prasantha Fernando, Chief Executive Officer of HNBA and HNBGI expressed his words stating, “Over the past 20 years, both HNBA and HNBGI have grown from strength to strength, consolidating its footprint in the industry, seizing every growth opportunity, and introducing innovative products to meet the needs of protection, savings, education, health and retirement on the life side, as well as complete bouquet of products on the GI side. The success mantra of the Group has always been the focus given to the needs of our policyholders and their loved ones, for the last two decades, we’ve honored our promise to each and every policyholder. I am proud of our HNBA & HNBGI teams for what they have achieved as at date. Ours is resilient outfit focusing on consolidated growth and value creation. During the past 20 years, the Group has given back and taken care of the community through various CSR initiatives, including the Group’s award-winning Water Stewardship Initiative, under which drinking water facilities were provided to over 60 rural schools in different parts of the country. In addition to this, the Group has undertaken several other initiatives to take care of our community including the recent donations of urgently needed medical supplies and equipment to several hospitals to help combat the current pandemic”. Mr. Fernando continued, “Whilst saying thank you to every policyholder, to every staff member and to every shareholder for their well placed trust in us, I wish to reiterate that under the guidance of a dynamic team of leaders, the Group will continue to grow and further expand its footprint in the market, providing innovate life and general insurance solutions to help you live life to the fullest”.
HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) is one of the fastest growing Insurance Companies in Sri Lanka with a network of 63 branches. HNBA is a Life Insurance company with a rating of A+ (lka) by Fitch Ratings Lanka for ‘National Insurer Financial Strength Rating’. Following the introduction of the segregation rules by the Insurance Regulator, HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI) was created and commenced its operations in January 2015; HNBGI continues to specialize in motor, non-motor and Takaful insurance solutions and is a fully owned subsidiary of HNB Assurance PLC. HNB General Insurance has been assigned a ‘National Insurer Financial Strength Rating’ of ‘’A+’’ (lka) by Fitch Ratings Lanka Limited. HNBA is rated within the Top 100 brands and Top 100 companies in Sri Lanka by LMD and HNB Assurance has won international awards for Brand Excellence, Digital Marketing and HR Excellence including the Great Place To Work® Certification, and won many awards for its Annual Reports at award ceremonies organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka.
Feb
HNB Assurance PLC was recognized with the prestigious Effie Award under the Insurance category for its groundbreaking ‘Dola Duka’ campaign. Notably, HNB Assurance was the only winner in this category, underlining the campaign’s creativity, effectiveness and impact.The ‘Dola Duka’ campaign was conceptualized to address the unique cravings of pregnant and expecting mothers, ensuring they had access to their desired food items at any time. HNB Assurance bore the delivery costs while collaborating with merchants to extend their operating hours late into the night, ensuring seamless fulfillment of these cravings. This initiative showcased the brand’s deep commitment to customer-centric innovation and redefining insurance beyond conventional boundaries.Expressing his thoughts on this achievement, CEO of HNB Assurance PLC, Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, stated, “I am truly proud of the effort that went into us winning an Effie Award, which is a testament to the meaningful impactful we managed to make. For us, ‘Dola Duka’ was more than just a campaign, it was about understanding and addressing a real need, reinforcing our promise to care for our customers beyond insurance. My congratulations to all the teams involved.”Adding to this, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer of HNBA, Mr. Dinesh Yogaratnam, commented, “This campaign reflects our ethos of innovation and customer-first thinking. ‘Dola Duka’ was designed to resonate emotionally while delivering tangible value, and this award is a validation of that success. A big thank you to our incredible partners, RN Media and Quickee.lk, for joining us on this journey and making this campaign a reality. We will continue to move forward bigger and better, creating impactful campaigns that redefine the insurance industry and enhance the lives of our customers and beyond.”
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Feb
HNB Assurance Group (HNBA and HNBGI) posted yet another year of remarkable performance, improving on its impressive growth rate maintained over the last few years. For the financial year 2024, the HNBA Group achieved a 21% increase in Gross Written Premium (GWP), growing from Rs. 18.8 Billion to Rs. 22.7 Billion. The Group also recorded a consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) exceeding Rs. 1.8 Billion, marking a 7% growth compared to the previous year.HNB Assurance PLC's (HNBA) financial strength was highlighted by its upgraded Fitch rating, making it the only life insurance provider in Sri Lanka with an 'A' rating from Fitch Ratings Lanka. Complementing this, HNB General Insurance (HNBGI) also achieved an 'A' rating, positioning it among the few general insurance companies in Sri Lanka to earn this distinction.Chairman of HNBA Group, Mr. Stuart Chapman, commenting on the Group’s financials for the year 2024, stated, “I’m extremely proud to note that the HNBA Group has once again exceeded expectations, delivering strong results that showcase our strategic foresight and operational efficiency. In terms of our numbers, over the past four years, we have consistently delivered strong growth, with a remarkable 22% average annual increase in GWP as a Group. This achievement underlines our focus on sustainable business practices. Our share price growth of 42% at end of 2024 reflects the trust the market places in our stability. It is also remarkable to note that both HNBA and HNBGI have maintained robust capital adequacy ratios of 379% and 219%, respectively, well above the regulatory requirement of 120%.”The Group’s Funds Under Management increased by 24% in 2024, reaching Rs. 55 Billion, highlighting the strength of the investment strategy as a key pillar in maintaining the Group’s financial stability and profitability. “When it comes to Insurance, trust is an absolute must and this remains central to our operations, as evidenced by the fact that we honored claims exceeding Rs. 6.7 Billion, with 98% of complaints being resolved successfully. This track record is a direct result of the dedication and hard work of our team, along with our focus on building lasting relationships with our policyholders”, added Mr. Chapman. CEO of HNBA Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, breaking down the achievements of HNBA, stated, “Looking back at 2024, I am genuinely proud of the strides we have made as a company. Achieving a 7.5% market share is a huge milestone and we are well on our way to hitting that 10% target by 2026. Our New Business Premiums grew by 27% and our overall GWP up by 26% compared to 2024, which speaks volumes about the trust our customers place in us. Our investments also paid off, with an 8% boost in investment income, reaching Rs. 6.9 Billion.”“Personally, what stood out last year was, how we weathered challenges together. Despite the higher operating costs from our IT upgrades, we managed to close the year with a 3% growth in profits. Additionally, our Total Assets have grown by 24% to reach Rs.53 Billion with a PBT of Rs. 2.4 Billion and PAT of Rs. 1.66 Billion. I'm extremely thankful to all the teams for their collective efforts in driving our business from strength to strength,” he added.CEO of HNBGI, Mr. Sithumina Jayasundara, sharing his thoughts on the 2024 financial performance, stated, “2024 was a year of resilience and innovation for HNBGI, as we sustained our remarkable growth trajectory, doubling the industry growth rate for the fifth consecutive year. Our overall GWP growth of 14%, compared to the industry’s 6.9%, reflects the strong momentum we continue to drive. Notably, our non-motor segments surged by 24%, with Marine, Fire and Engineering Insurance achieving exceptional growth of 166% and 27% respectively, which is the highest among the top 10 General Insurers in the country. Despite challenges in the motor insurance sector, we remained agile, diversified our offerings, and secured a solid 6% growth."“One of the aspects we paid close attention to during 2024 was customer satisfaction which reflected in our renewal retention ratios of 77% for motor and 82% for non-motor segments, as well as a remarkable Net Promoter Score of 77. These figures show the trust and loyalty our customers have in us. Additionally, we achieved a 59% growth in Profit After Tax, and a market share of 7% which demonstrated the success of our strategy of driving sustainable growth in an uncertain environment. With our total assets reaching Rs. 10.2 Billion, a 7% increase, we’re confident that our approach is positioning HNBGI for long-term success.” Added, Mr. Jayasundara.
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Feb
HNB Assurance PLC entered a strategic partnership between its Partnerships Channel’s training arm, Life Campus and the Sri Lanka Institute of Marketing (SLIM), marking a significant commitment to professional excellence and transformational learning.The Partnerships Channel at HNB Assurance has been rapidly expanding, positioning itself as a key driver of HNB Assurance’s business growth. With an increasing number of partnerships and a dynamic team dedicated to offering tailored insurance solutions, the need for continuous learning and professional development has never been greater. Recognizing this, the Life Campus was established as a dedicated training hub to equip the Partnerships Channel team including Bancassurance officers and other sales and management staff with the knowledge, skills and industry insights required to excel within its competitive market.This affiliation will offer specialized training programs, workshops and courses tailored to hone skills in sales, customer engagement and marketing, ensuring that HNB Assurance’s Partnership team is at the forefront of industry best practices.This initiative is part of HNB Assurance’s broader commitment to continuous professional development and by integrating the National Body for Marketing, SLIM’s robust training framework into Life Campus, the company is ensuring that its team remains agile, forward-thinking and ready to capitalize on emerging opportunities.
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