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.
Nov
HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) and HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI) continued to build on their impressive performance, recording strong financial growth and achieving impressive operational success during the third quarter of 2024. With a focus on innovation, customer-centricity and expanding their market presence, both companies for the nine months ending September 30, 2024, reported a Gross Written Premium (GWP) of LKR 16.6 billion, a 22% increase when compared to the same period last year. This growth was fueled by HNBA’s GWP of LKR 9.9 billion, reflecting a 27% increase, and HNBGI’s GWP of LKR 6.7 billion, marking a 14% increase. Additionally, the Group’s PAT saw a notable growth of 26%, rising from LKR 583 million to LKR 734 million when compared to the same period last year. These exceptional financial performances were further fortified by the affirmation of Insurer Financial Strength ratings of HNBA and HNBGI as ‘A-’ (lka) from Fitch, with a stable outlook."Our robust performance this quarter speaks to the strength of our team and the focus we’ve maintained in expanding our reach," commented Mr. Stuart Chapman, Chairman of HNBA and HNBGI. “The year 2024, we navigated with careful optimism, mindful of the elections and the unpredictability they could bring. Despite these uncertainties, our teams not only anticipated the challenges but surpassed expectations, achieving outstanding growth targets. The Group's GWP saw a substantial increase of 22% compared to the same period last year. Meanwhile, the Group’s Assets grew by almost 15%, rising to LKR 58.9 billion, during the first nine months. Additionally, our total equity touched LKR. 10.6 billion and our life fund reached LKR 37.6 billion, a noteworthy increase of 23%, during the first 03 quarters of the year. These achievements reflect our commitment to sustainable growth, positioning us strongly for the future as we continue to create value for our stakeholders.” Added, Mr. Chapman.“I am delighted to note that we have continued to maintain our remarkable financial performance during the third quarter and maintain our position as the only fitch A- rated life insurance provider in Sri Lanka.” Stated Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, CEO of HNB Assurance. “Our Gross Written Premium has grown by 27%, reaching LKR 9.9 billion from LKR 7.8 billion when compared to the same period last year. The company posted a 6% growth in profitability by recording Rs. 550 million as profit after tax. It must be noted that the company is yet to recognize surplus from the Life fund which will be at the end of the year. An achievement which highlights the success of our strategic focus in offering accessible and innovative insurance solutions that truly resonate with the needs of our customers, through collaborations and new partnerships.”For HNBGI, the Q3 performance highlights its proactive stance in navigating challenges while seizing growth opportunities. Mr. Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNBGI, commented, “Our commitment to improved underwriting and efficient claims management has been instrumental to our success. We continue to make considerable strides in offering tailored insurance solutions that resonate with our clients, which has helped us achieve a GWP of LKR 6.7billion, a 14% increase when compared to the same period last year. Our business and efficiency improvements allowed us to increase our profit after tax threefold, to reach a 187% growth when compared to the same period last year. Notably, our focus on diversifying our portfolio beyond motor insurance has yielded significant growth, with our non-motor segment growing by 22% when compared to the same period last year. Within this category, we saw remarkable performances in marine, fire, and engineering insurance lines, which have grown by 121% and 27%, respectively, highlighting our proactive strategy to expand into areas of high demand.”
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HNB Assurance recently hosted its annual staff conference, bringing together team members from all over the island for a day of celebration, recognition and fellowship. It was a night to honor the amazing people who are at the heart of HNB Assurances’ incredible growth, with awards for long service, excellence and standout achievements.Among the highlights of the evening were the Long Service Awards, recognizing employees who have been part of the HNB Assurance family for over 15 years. The Chairman’s Award, the night’s top honor, went to those who have truly gone above and beyond in their roles. The In.she Woman Empowerment Award celebrated women making an impact and the CEO’s Special Recognition award acknowledged employees achieving outstanding milestones outside their day-to-day work, especially in the field of sports.HNB Assurance CEO, Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, sharing his views during the event, stated, “There’s no denying that our success as a company is built on the dedication, talent and heart of our team. It is no small feat that HNB Assurance has been growing at double the rate of the industry for the past three years. This growth is a testament to the efforts of our people who don’t just fulfill their roles but go above and beyond every single day, shaping the very future of HNB Assurance. What I find particularly inspiring is how our people have stepped up to meet every challenge and opportunity that has come with our rapid growth. I couldn’t be prouder of all our award recipients tonight, congratulations and thank you for your hard work.”Head of HR / AGM, Mr. Navin Rupasinghe, highlighted the significance of HNB Assurance’s achievements, stating, “This conference is about celebrating our people and recognizing the values that make HNB Assurance what it is. Every award recipient has contributed in their unique way, and they continue to inspire us all to reach new heights. Our theme this year alludes to challenges that enable us to grow. Hence, this event is a testament to how HNBA continues to embrace challenges, remain resilient and reach ambitious heights.”Additionally, he went on to emphasize the importance of HNBA’s culture and the accolades that reflect it “We are proud to have been recognized as a Great Place to Work this year, a Company with Great Managers, one of the Most Mom-Friendly Workplaces and the recipient of the SLITAD People Development Award. As we look to the future, we want every member of our team to feel inspired to take on new challenges and reach their fullest potential. Hence why this year’s conference theme is, “Challenging You to Grow”, because when our people grow, HNB Assurance grows.” Added, Mr. Rupasinghe.
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HNB Assurance received two Bronze awards at the prestigious Dragons of Sri Lanka 2024 Awards, held in Malaysia. The company's innovative Dola Duka campaign and Independence Day campaign were celebrated in the Small Budget, Big Impact category and Best Brand Building and/or Awareness Campaign category, respectively. This prestigious international award shows the company’s commitment to keeping up with trends and effectively sharing its message with the public.Commenting on the company’s latest achievement, Lasitha Wimalarathne, CEO of HNB Assurance, stated, “We are truly happy and proud to receive these accolades as they serve as a testament to the creativity, strategic thinking and collaborative effort that goes into every campaign we run at HNB Assurance. Our focus has always been to create meaningful and impactful campaigns that can resonate with our audience and the results we’ve seen along with such recognitions reaffirm our approach and strategy. I’d like to take a moment to commend and extend my gratitude to both our internal teams and partners for their efforts in bringing these ideas to life and driving these accomplishments on an international stage.”Dinesh Yogaratnam, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer/General Manager of HNB Assurance, also shared his thoughts on this remarkable achievement: “This is a proud moment for us at HNB Assurance as we take home not just one but two Dragons at this year’s awards. Winning at last year’s Dragons of Asia Awards set the bar high for us, but our team’s continued focus on meaningful storytelling has proven to be a winning formula. In a competitive landscape, we had to also be innovative with our communications mix, finding fresh ways to break through the clutter and make a memorable impact. I would like to thank Dentsu Communications Sri Lanka and Kites Global for their partnership, which have been integral to our campaign’s success.”
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