HNB Assurance PLC (HNBA) and its wholly owned subsidiary HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI) ended the third quarter with the Group figures indicating a Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs. 583 Mn. In terms of Gross Written Premium (GWP), the Group recorded Rs. 13.6 Bn growing by an impressive 21% compared to the previous year. HNBA exhibited exceptional growth during the period by achieving a growth rate twice that of the industry average, while HNB General Insurance Limited (HNBGI) also demonstrated a robust performance, growing at a staggering five times the industry average.

Rose Cooray, Chairperson of HNBA and HNBGI said: “I’m extremely delighted by the outstanding performance exhibited by HNB Assurance Group during the third quarter. Our consistent growth is a clear indication that HNB Assurance as a group is in the forefront of providing exceptional services and adapting to the ever-changing demands of our clientele.

Amidst the slow recovery of Sri Lanka’s economy following a period of significant challenges, both HNB Assurance and HNB General Insurance undertook strategic measures to fortify their operations, which involved equipping themselves with enhanced capabilities, innovative strategies and resilient frameworks to navigate the economic fluctuations and effectively cater to the market. In terms of the performance the group GWP grew by 21% compared to the same period last year. While the Group Assets surpassed the Rs. 48 Bn mark to reach Rs. 48.42 Bn with a growth of 18%. Over the last 10 months, the total equity along with the life fund notably surged, reaching a significant milestone of Rs. 9.1 Bn and Rs. 30 Bn, representing a remarkable increase of 17% and 24% respectively.”

Lasitha Wimalaratne, CEO of HNBA said: “Our strategic focus of enhancing and improving our distribution channels has yielded tremendous results, notably reflected in our impressive 19% growth in GWP to reach Rs. 7.8 Bn, which is almost double the growth rate of the industry and the highest amongst the top tier players, also, the 26% increase in new business premiums compared to the previous year.

In addition to our steady and sustainable growth, winning the ‘Best Distribution Initiative’ award, recognized by Insurance Asia, was extremely heartening as it validated our efforts and well-rounded strategy. While we are happy about the progress made, I believe it’s crucial to sustain it and finish the year on a high. Our team is motivated just to do that and with the surplus transfer from the life fund yet to take place, our collective aim is to close the year strong, ensuring substantial benefits for our shareholders.”

Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNB General Insurance, said: “We have been investing heavily in revamping our core systems and building a solid digital platform, setting us up for the future. These changes are all about making things better for our customers and equipping ourselves for the long run. I’m extremely delighted to see these efforts paying off as we have seen a steady growth in our GWP of 24% when compared to last year, which in comparison to the current industry growth rate reflects a 5-time increase.

Diving further into the numbers, our Non-Motor sector saw a 58% growth compared to the industry’s 12%, while our Motor portfolio grew by 6% despite the industry’s negative growth of 1.3%. I must convey my sincere appreciation to all the sales and other support teams for their efforts and hard work, ensuring that we continue to make remarkable progress as an organization. Additionally, we were also recognized as the ‘Most Customer-Centric General Insurance Brand’ in the country, which is extremely big for us because it shows our commitment to putting customers first. Further, we were recognized with a Bronze Award at the CNCI Achiever Awards 2023, which is yet another validation of our efforts and innovation within the industry.”