Sri Lanka Insurance Institute announced the re-election of Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, Chief Operating Officer of HNB Assurance PLC as its 18th President. The appointment of Mr. Lasitha was pronounced at the Annual General Meeting held on the 26th of June, 2020 at the SLII Auditorium, Colombo 03. Mr. Sithumina Jayasundara, Chief Operating Officer of HNB General Insurance Limited, the fully owned subsidiary of HNB Assurance PLC, was also elected as the Vice President of the Institute. Lasitha, an alumnus of Mahinda College, Galle is decorated by a professional profile spanning over 22 years out of which he holds 19 years of experience in Life Insurance Operations inclusive of 07 years at AIA Insurance Sri Lanka, whilst also gaining 03 years of Marketing and Sales exposure in London. Prior to joining HNB Assurance PLC, Lasitha conducted duties as the General Manager - Life Operations and Specified Officer at Softlogic Life Insurance PLC. Having joined HNB Assurance PLC as its Deputy Chief Operating Officer, Lasitha was promoted to the position of Chief Operating Officer and Principal Officer in July, 2020. Lasitha bears the status of a Chartered Insurer and is a Fellow Member of the Chartered Insurance Institute, UK (FCII). Furthermore, he is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance (AZIIF-Fellow) and an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing (ACIM), UK. Lasitha obtained his MBA from the University of Wales, UK and a B.A. (Hons) Degree in Business Studies from the University of Sunderland, UK. Lasitha has been serving SLII as a Council Member since 2011 and he was also the Founder Secretary General of the Association of Chartered Insurance Professionals (ACIP) and is a current Council Member of ACIP. He was the first to publish a book on insurance in a local context, titled “Jeewitha Rakshanaye Asisriya” which highlights the importance and benefits of Life Insurance. The SLII is the premier insurance educational body in Sri Lanka and is in existence for over 38 years. The SLII’s main objectives are to instill and maintain the professionalism in the industry whilst encouraging and assisting studies in insurance and to create a social forum for its members. The SLII conducts examinations on behalf of the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) UK, Insurance Institute of India and the qualifying examination for the insurance advisers on behalf of the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka. The SLII also offers Diplomas and Certificate courses relating to insurance. The new council elected for the year 2020/2021: Lasitha Wimalaratne - President, Sithumina Jayasundara - Vice President, Mahendra Wilegoda - Secretary, Anushka Jayasinghe - Assistant Secretary, Sameera Dharmasena - Treasurer, Kaumalee Amaradiwakara - Council Member, Chandima Sumanathunga - Council Member, Rumesh Modarage - Council Member, Lachini Chithrasena - Council Member, Kusum Thenuwara - Council Member and Saman Kumara - Council Member.
Jan
HNB Assurance recently concluded its much anticipated Partnership Life 2025 event, a gathering dedicated to recognizing the exceptional contributions of its Partnership Channel in 2024, while outlining its vision for 2025. Last year, the Partnership Channel reached unprecedented heights, achieving a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of over LKR 6.5 billion, a remarkable 31% year-on-year growth. The channel's New Business Premium (NBP) surpassed LKR 1.4 billion, reflecting a stellar 39% increase compared to the previous year.Speaking at the forum Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, CEO of HNB Assurance, remarked, "Having witnessed our journey over the past few years and reflecting on our achievements from last year, I can confidently say that we have the strongest or the best Bancassurance channel in the country. As we set our goals for the year ahead, I want to emphasize that our success is built on this incredible team’s dedication, expertise along with the strong support and commitment of our partners. As a company, while we aggressively drive growth, we have also strengthened our processes and infrastructure to enhance efficiency and better support each of you. With this strong foundation, I am confident that we can fully capitalize on the momentum and potential while together, through our collective efforts, we will reach even greater heights this year.""Partnership Life 2025 is more than just a celebration, it is a reflection that encapsulates not only the professional journey of our team but supports the well-being of their entire life, hence the name Partnership ‘Life’," said Mr. Sanesh Fernando, Chief Business Officer – Partnership Business. “Looking back on the past year, I’m proud to say it was an exceptional one for us, marked by growth across nearly every area of our business. What stands out most is the outstanding achievement of 135 MDRT qualifiers, including 22 COTs and 3 TOTs, which is a testament to the talent and caliber of our team. I must also convey my heartfelt thank you to Hatton National Bank, our other partner banks and broker network for their support. These partnerships are what continues to drive our shared journey towards excellence,” Mr. Fernando added.
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Jan
HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA), entered a strategic partnership with Singer Sri Lanka, a trusted name in retail with an extensive network of outlets Nationwide. This collaboration aims to provide HNBA policyholders the convenience of paying their insurance premiums, reinforcing the company’s commitment to customer-centric solutions.With Singer’s 400+ outlets spread across Sri Lanka, HNBA policyholders now have greater flexibility in settling their insurance premiums. Selected Singer branches will operate from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM daily, including weekends, enabling customers to make payments at times most convenient to them. This partnership broadens HNBA’s premium payment points and ensures policyholders gain access to secure and efficient payment services close to home.Beyond convenience and transparency, this partnership aligns with HNB Assurance’s ongoing efforts to encourage cashless transactions. Reducing paper-based processes and fostering an easier payment experience while contributing to a greener planet.In addition to the partnership with Singer, HNBA continues to offer a range of premium payment options to cater to diverse customer needs. These include Direct debit, HNB Solo, mCash and eZ Cash, genie, Ipay, UPay, and Pay&Go as well as the company’s secure online payment portal available at www.hnbassurance.com.
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Jan
HNB Assurance recently held its New Year Business Launch for 2025, celebrating the outstanding progress of its Advisor Distribution Channel throughout 2024. The event served as a platform to honor high-performing managers while reflecting on key achievements from the past year. Among these notable accomplishments were a remarkable 23% growth in New Business Premiums (NBP) and an exceptional performance in Gross Written Premiums (GWP), which exceeded 6 billion LKR. Addressing the forum, Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, CEO of HNB Assurance, stated, “2024 was a fantastic year for us. Our growth in NBP and GWP shows how committed and capable our Advisor Distribution team is. These achievements motivate us to keep pushing boundaries and set new benchmarks in delivering exceptional customer-centric solutions and services.”Touching upon the company’s goal of reaching a 10% market share by 2026, Mr. Wimalaratne urged the team to focus on embracing technology, driving innovation and putting customers at the heart of everything they do. “As we step into 2025, we need to operate with empathy and care, because at the end of the day, we are not just selling a product, we are delivering a promise of protection and peace of mind. This will help us build trust and by earning trust and endorsement through our actions and commitment, we can strengthen our relationship and build long-term loyalty with our policyholders. Let me assure you that this mindset, combined with our ability to adapt and innovate, will enable us to sustain and accelerate the incredible growth we have maintained in recent years.”The event also celebrated the efforts of the Sales Training and Development team and branch-level managers for helping the company achieve MDRT qualifiers, including Court of the Table (COT) and Top of the Table (TOT) winners.Mr. Harindra Ramasinghe, Chief Business Officer, Advisor Distribution Channel, sharing his thoughts at the forum, opined, “What we have accomplished over the years is not the result of an individual’s effort, but rather a testament to the power of our teamwork. Every step we take and have taken is a combined effort, which includes everyone from our SBU Heads, Zonal Managers, Regional Managers, Branch Managers, Underwriters, Training Staff and our sales team etc. Each of you play an essential role in driving our success. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to every member of the team for their hard work and contribution. As we look ahead to 2025, we are filled with excitement about the new possibilities and opportunities we have in store. A couple of weeks into the year we have already seen what we are capable of and are extremely confident in our collective strength and eager to continue deliver the best for our customers and stakeholders.”
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