News & market updates

Insurers have received claims exceeding Rs.52 billion from more than 24,200 clients after Cyclone Ditwah, a topic discussed at an SLII forum featuring Ceylinco Holdings' executive and other industry leaders. Panelists warned reinsurance costs may rise, highlighted low insurance penetration, and urged product innovation like micro and parametric covers.

The inaugural Sri Lanka Fintech Summit 2025 set industry priorities and KPIs, recommending bank–fintech partnership frameworks, a national cloud policy, digital ID expansion, CBDC research and a target to reduce cash-in-circulation from 4.5% to 3.5% of GDP in three years. Sessions included CBSL, the Ministry of Digital Economy, BOI and banking leaders.

Seminar on safeguards under the amended Companies Act No. 12 of 2025 will be held on 27 Jan (2–5pm) at NH Collection, Colombo 3. Organisers say the amendments place new responsibilities and stricter penal sanctions on company secretaries and directors; speakers include HNB and LOLC Insurance chairs.

HNB Group's HNB General Insurance and HNB Stockbrokers signed a strategic partnership to offer general insurance products to the stockbrokers' clients, creating a one-stop financial ecosystem. The move aims to strengthen group cross-selling and integrated financial services for investors.

HNB Assurance PLC is offering a free Rs. 1 million life cover to policyholders affected by Cyclone Ditwah under its 'HNB Assurance Gift of Protection' relief initiative. Eligible endowment policyholders who held an active policy as at 30 November 2025 can enroll between 1 January and 31 March by submitting a form to an HNBA branch or bancassurance officer; single premium and group life policies are excluded.

HNB Assurance (HNB Life PLC) enters 2026 with renewed focus on its goal to reach a 10% life insurance market share, citing strong 2025 results, multiple industry awards and plans for transformation and growth.

Flash Health raised a $200,000 seed round led by nVentures to scale its cashless outpatient (Cashless OPD) platform. The startup highlighted partnerships with insurers including Union Assurance, Janashakthi Insurance and HNB Assurance and will use funds to deepen insurer integrations, expand homecare and medicine delivery.

ASPI rose 42% in 2025, lifting market capitalization 41.67% to Rs. 8.07 trillion and generating Rs. 2.4 trillion in value. Final-day turnover exceeded Rs. 4.6 billion, three firms (CALH, JFP, WTS) listed during the year, and JKH, SFCL, ACL, SAMP and HASU were top contributors.

HNB PLC has partnered with Hayleys Fentons to offer tailored EV leasing, discounted insurance and complimentary life cover (Rs.600,000 natural death; Rs.4,500,000 accidental), plus a 7kW charger and service benefits to support EV adoption.

HNB PLC announced a partnership with Future Automobiles to offer special Ford leasing rates, discounted insurance and complimentary life cover (Rs.600,000 natural death; Rs.4,500,000 accidental), plus dealer discounts, free services and registration for HNB leasing customers.

Hatton National Bank (HNB) launched the “Empowering Women, Enabling Entrepreneurship” program on 24 October to provide women-led MSMEs with tailored loans, savings, digital banking, POS, capacity-building, mentorship and insurance support (with HNB Assurance).

Hatton National Bank MD/CEO Damith Pallewatte set out HNB's 'Road to 2030', prioritising digitalisation and remittance-capture as growth drivers and citing worker remittances up ~20% y/y to nearly $6.5bn. He urged banks to align with Budget 2025 targets including a 12% digital-economy goal and DPI like SL-UDI and asset registries.

HNB PLC reported Group PAT of Rs 34.7 Bn for the nine months to Sep 2025, up 47% YoY (Bank PAT Rs 31.5 Bn, +42%). Loans grew by Rs 287.7 Bn (Bank Rs 262.6 Bn), group assets exceeded Rs 2.6 Tn, net Stage 3 ratio fell to 1.36%, Tier I 16.74% and LCR 227.45%.

Hatton National Bank group posted a Q3 (Sep 2025) net profit of Rs 11.03 billion, up 53%, with EPS of Rs 19.30. Nine-month profit was Rs 33.4 billion (up 46%); loans rose 26% to Rs 1,391 billion and deposits grew 10% to Rs 1,932 billion.

InsureMe, Sri Lanka’s largest end-to-end digital insurance aggregator, offers a platform and proprietary solutions (DigiEye, DigiMed, DigiEx) that let customers compare/purchase/manage policies and help insurers modernize operations.

Hatton National Bank hosted the inaugural Sri Lanka FinTech Summit 2025 at BMICH, where Visa launched 'Visa Accept' in Sri Lanka to enable merchants to accept card payments via smartphones without extra hardware. The two-day forum gathered regulators, banks, startups and policymakers to discuss digital payments, blockchain, AI and financial inclusion.

HNB Assurance PLC hosted its Partnership Awards 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, celebrating its partnership channel's strong contribution to Gross Written Premiums, record MDRT qualifiers and highest COTs/TOTs, and earning Sri Lanka's Best Life Bancassurance Provider for a fifth consecutive year.

Hatton National Bank partnered with IHH Healthcare’s Sri Lanka office to run patient education sessions on orthopedics across Negombo, Kandy and Jaffna. The program covered trends such as robotic-assisted joint replacement, minimally invasive surgery and image-guided injections.

HNB Assurance PLC was named Best Life Insurance Company – Sri Lanka 2024 by Global Brands magazine (UK). The company said the accolade, alongside other local and international awards, reflects its strong financial performance, customer focus and innovation.

HNB Assurance Group reported combined 1H2025 GWP of Rs.14.3bn, up 30% YoY, and PAT rose 10% to Rs.519m. Life GWP jumped 35% to Rs.8.6bn, AUM reached Rs.61bn, EPS rose to Rs.3.46, and HNBGI launched an AI chatbot (HNBGI NEXA).

Hatton National Bank (HNB) reported H1 2025 Group PAT up 42.5% to Rs 23.16 Bn and Bank PAT up 37.9% to Rs 21.19 Bn, with group assets topping Rs 2.5 Tn. Asset quality improved (Net Stage 3 1.59%), Tier I at 18.42% and LCR 271.54%.

HNB group PAT rose 42.5% to Rs.23.16bn in 1H 2025, with bank PAT up 37.9% to Rs.21.19bn. Group assets topped Rs.2.5tn, loans and deposits grew strongly, Net Stage 3 improved to 1.59%, and capital and liquidity ratios stayed well above regulatory minima.

CSE director Ray Abeywardena said Sri Lanka's exchange rate stability is providing investor confidence and predictability. He credited prudent policy, improved external sector performance and steady foreign investment and tourism receipts for the stability.

HNB Assurance (HNB Life) signed an MOU with the State Mortgage and Investment Bank to implement Decreasing Term Assurance bancassurance through SMIB’s island-wide branch network, expanding HNB Assurance’s distribution reach.

The Association of Professional Bankers hosted a panel at the Bank of Ceylon where CISOs from Commercial Bank and Hatton National Bank and other experts discussed strengthening cyber risk supervision and digital resilience for the banking sector.

LankaPay CEO Channa de Silva said the Fintech Forum aims to position Sri Lanka as a regional fintech hub, noting Rs.1.3tn in cash circulation and Rs.34tn in digital transactions last year and urging bank–fintech partnerships to boost rural financial inclusion.

HNB Assurance Group reported Rs. 8.0 billion GWP in Q1 2025, up 30% YoY, with group profit rising 28% to surpass Rs. 300 million. Life GWP was Rs. 4.5bn (36% growth) and General Insurance GWP Rs. 3.6bn (23%), while the group readies for SLFRS 17 and digital rollouts.