HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) and its wholly owned subsidiary HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI) ended 2022 in spectacular fashion with the Group figures indicating a growth in Profit After Tax (PAT) of 50% to Rs 1,830.5 Mn for the year ended December 2022 compared to Rs 1,223.6 Mn recorded a year earlier. In terms of Gross Written Premium (GWP), the Group recorded Rs 15.6 Bn growing by a handsome 24% compared to the previous year. “I certainly am elated by the performance of both companies in a year of unprecedented challenges” said Mrs. Rose Cooray, Chairperson of HNBA and HNBGI sharing her views on the Group’s performance, and pointed out that at a Group level, GWP grew by 24% to Rs 15.6 Bn as a result of the very aggressive strategies of new business acquisition that were put in place by HNBA and HNBGI, taking into account the volatilities that were prevalent in the socio economic and political fronts. “While the Group Assets surpassed the 40 Billion mark to reach Rs. 41.1 Bn with a growth of 15%, the Earnings Per Share (EPS) grew by 50% to Rs 12.20 compared to Rs 8.16 as at the end of 2021. The Group has been able to honour maturities and claims to the tune of Rs 5.6 Bn growing by 36% compared to the previous year”. Mrs. Cooray added “these results and the many awards that both companies won during the year are the outcome of keen management insight and strategies that have been put in place and implemented meticulously, and also augurs well for the performance of the two new CEO’s who took office at the beginning of the year. I resonate the sentiments of the Board in congratulating the teams of both companies for their stellar performance and reassure all our stakeholders that we will continue to add value to them into the future as well. The Group, whilst acquiring the latest in terms of technological capabilities have implemented many initiatives to rationalize their cost structures to ensure that resource utilization is at its optimal level”. In terms of the Life Businesses PAT, the Company was able to reach 1,483.6 Mn growing by an impressive 48% compared to Rs. 1,000.5 Mn recorded a year earlier, whilst in terms of GWP the Company recorded a growth of 26% to reach Rs. 8.9Bn by the year end, which in fact is the highest growth when compared with the top 8 players in the industry, whilst growth in terms of New Business achieved is 10 times more than that of the industry average. Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, CEO of HNBA sharing his thoughts on the performance of the Company stated, “this has been a remarkable year for us, not only have we been able to grow in terms of all our financial indicators; we have also had the honour of being the only Sri Lankan insurer to be listed amongst the top 70 best workplaces in Asia by Great Place to Work. Apart from this, we have won many awards during the year including Gold Award for Service Sector at the CNCI Achiever Awards as well as other awards for Digital Marketing, Financial Reporting, and also for our Bancassurance Operation. The Life Fund has reached Rs 24.4 Bn while the total assets of the Company has reached Rs 33.7 Bn and an increase of Return on Equity (ROE)by 22% as at the end of 2022.” Speaking further, Mr Wimalaratne added, “the Company has made much headway in terms of increasing the output and efficiencies of both the Advisor and the Partnership business channels. The Company was able to produce 194 MDRT qualifiers with 4 TOT’s and 12 COT qualifiers including the Company’s first MDRT Lifetime Member. The Company whilst unveiling its premier health proposition SupremeHealth Unlimited during the year, which enables customers to have the best medical treatment both here and overseas, also rolled out its new branch outlook at three strategic locations offering both customers and employees the best in terms of aesthetics, ergonomics, and convenience”. “All in all”, he reiterated “the Company is well on course to reach its 5 year plan and thanked the Board, Sales force and staff for their untiring efforts in this remarkable achievement”, and re-emphasized the Company’s commitment to its customers and all stakeholders in adding value to them. HNBGI saw its GWP reach Rs. 6.8Bn growing by 21% over 2021. Mr Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNBGI stated that the General Insurance business has done well amidst many a challenge with almost no new vehicle registrations and a contraction in trade and commerce, whilst also grappling with an ever-increasing claims costs. The Company’s PAT grew by 33% to Rs. 450.4 Mn from Rs. 338.1 Mn recorded a year earlier. The Company saw a healthy rise in Total Assets which grew by 13% and a ROE of 20% as at the year end. A noteworthy fact was also the improvement of the Non-Motor segment which demonstrated a growth of 46% from the previous year. Further, the Company was the recipient of the Service Sector Silver Award at the CNCI Achiever Awards in 2022 and stands as testament to the overall performance of the Company Mr. Jayasundara further went on to add, “in the business of insurance the claim becomes the moment of truth for the customer, and we have been able to take some giant strides in offering a superlative claim settlement process, we have been able to reduce claim processing and settlement times and also have very successfully incorporated digitally enabled claim intimation process adding much convenience to the customer. Our efforts in this regard have won us acclaim by the Global Banking and Finance Review in being awarded the Best Claims Management Team Sri Lanka in 2022 auguring well for the soundness of the measures that have been put in place. Our aim in the next 4 years is to get to a market share of 10%, this is a journey that we embarked upon at the beginning of this year, and I am happy to state that we firmly are on course in this regard. I wish to thank the staff and all the intermediaries for the support extended to help us achieve the results we did”. HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) is one of the fastest growing Insurance Companies in Sri Lanka with a network of 64 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.
May
HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) has once again reaffirmed its industry leadership in Bancassurance by securing the title of "Best Life Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka" for the fifth consecutive year, awarded by the prestigious Global Banking and Finance Review – UK. Mr. Lasitha Wimalaratne, Chief Executive Officer of HNB Assurance, expressed his thoughts on this milestone, stating, “Being named the Best Life Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka for the fifth year in a row is not just an honor, it is a reflection of the enduring partnerships we have built especially with our parent company Hatton National Bank along with the passion of our teams. This accolade speaks volumes of our consistent efforts to elevate standards in bancassurance. Our teams continue to innovate, collaborate and break boundaries to deliver meaningful solutions to our customers. I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to the management of Hatton National Bank and our other partners for their continued guidance and support.”Highlighting the pivotal role of the Partnership Channel, Mr. Wimalaratne further added,“As we accelerate towards our goal of capturing a 10% market share, the Partnership Channel remains central to our growth strategy. Congratulations to the teams involved, I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished and am excited about the journey ahead.”Mr. Supun Dias, Senior Vice President - Network Management at Hatton National Bank, congratulated the team at HNBA, stating, “To witness HNBA win this prestigious title for five consecutive years is truly inspiring. It is a testament to the strength and synergy of our long-standing partnership. As a Group, we are committed to driving innovation and delivering superior value to our clients. Congratulations to HNBA and everyone involved in achieving this exceptional feat.”Also sharing his thoughts, Mr. Sanesh Fernando, Chief Business Officer – Partnerships at HNB Assurance, remarked, “This milestone is the direct result of the dedication our teams and tireless efforts they have made to deliver value to our policyholders. The Partnerships team at HNBA, together with our banking partners, especially Hatton National Bank, have been instrumental in shaping this success story. I’d like to extend my sincere appreciation to the HNB Branch Management, HNB Bank Network Management along our valued customers for their trust placed on us. This fifth win reinforces our drive to deliver excellence and as we move forward we will continue to strive to reach even greater heights.
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May
Strengthening its footprint across Sri Lanka, HNB Assurance PLC officially opened its newest branch in Jaffna, located at No. 521, Point Pedro Road, Nallur. With this addition, the company now operates 11 branches in the North emphasizing the company’s ongoing efforts to bring its life insurance solutions closer to communities in the Northern Province, making protection and financial planning more accessible than ever before. The new Jaffna branch will serve as a hub for customers in the region, delivering personalized insurance services with the hallmark trust, care and professionalism the company is known for.Speaking at the branch opening, Mr. Lasitha Wimalarathne, Chief Executive Officer of HNB Assurance PLC, stated, “We are indeed excited to further strengthen our footprint in the Northern Province with the opening of this new branch in Jaffna. With multiple touchpoints already established in the region, our growing presence allows us to better serve the evolving needs of our customers and create even closer relationships with the communities we operate in. We remain dedicated to being a trusted partner in their journey towards a more secure and resilient future.”Sharing similar sentiments, Mr. Harindra Ramasinghe, Chief Business Officer – Advisor Distribution Channel of HNB Assurance PLC, commented, “With the opening of our newest branch in Jaffna, we now operate over 70 physical branches across the island and with this new branch opening we have reaffirmed our belief in the strategic importance of the Northern Province to our growth journey. We have always recognized Jaffna as a key region with immense potential and we are proud to strengthen our connection with its people. My sincere thanks to the Distribution Management team and all the other support teams for their efforts in helping us open this branch.”The newly inaugurated Jaffna branch is now open to serve customers from Monday to Friday, offering expert guidance and tailored life insurance solutions to meet diverse needs.
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May
In an effort to demonstrate its continued commitment to exceptional service and customer convenience, HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) has launched a 24-hour call center, enabling policyholders to connect with the company on all matters related to customer service at any time, from anywhere using the short code 1301. While customer service support is now available 24/7, hospitalization claims-related services will continue to be handled as per the specific instructions issued to the policyholder at the time of obtaining a policy.HNB Assurance has experienced consistent growth, recording an impressive average growth rate of 26% over the past four years. The company’s momentum and customer-centric focus have paved the way for initiatives such as the 24-hour call center, designed to strengthen policyholder engagement and ensure seamless service delivery.“Exceptional customer service is not just a value we uphold; it is a critical pillar of our strategy to achieve a 10% market share by 2026” said Lasitha Wimalarathne, Chief Executive Officer of HNB Assurance. “Making our call center available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, ensures our policyholders are supported when they need us most, reinforcing the trust they place in us every day. Additionally, our significant investments in digital transformation to make interactions of our policyholders with us seamless, to initiatives like this, all aim at delivering our broader mission to continuously enhance our customer experience”. Speaking further he went on to add “as an industry, as we push towards greater insurance penetration, it is important that players do everything in their power to foster greater levels of confidence and convenience to the customer”.Earlier this year, HNB Assurance also unveiled a dedicated Customer Service Centre, a thoughtfully curated space designed to create personalized and streamlined interactions. Together with the 24-hour call center, HNB Assurance continues to reimagine and elevate every aspect of the customer journey.“Our newly enhanced 24-hour call center operation and the upgraded Customer Service Centre we opened earlier this year are all part of our ongoing efforts to elevate and refine every touchpoint so as to offer a superlative customer experience that truly differentiates us from the competetion,” added Dinesh Yogaratnam, Chief Marketing and Customer Experience Officer / General Manager of HNB Assurance. “We recognize that as a company we offer something that is intangible, protection, trust and peace of mind and for that, we need to be with our customers at all times. Hence, these initiatives are not standalone, they are integral to how we plan to grow, not just in size but in the value and care we offer to every policyholder.”
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