Ceylinco Life closed 2025 by extending its market leadership in Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry to more than two decades, recording a Gross Written Premium of Rs44.18 billion, a 19% increase over the previous year, and a Profit After Tax of Rs7.85 billion. The company also surpassed Rs200 billion in its Life Fund and was named the “People’s Life Insurance Service Provider of the Year” for the 20th consecutive year and the “Best Life Insurer in Sri Lanka” for the 12th consecutive year.
Behind these numbers lies a deliberate brand and business strategy. In this conversation, Dhiranjan Canagasabey, Senior Assistant General Manager/Head of Marketing, and Chamath Alwis, Assistant General Manager – Brand Development, unpack how Ceylinco Life has built and sustained this position of trust across generations of customers, and what continues to set the brand apart in an increasingly competitive market.
Ceylinco Life has held market leadership in Sri Lanka’s life insurance industry for 22 consecutive years, with GWP reaching Rs44.18 billion in 2025. What is the company’s approach for this level of sustainable growth and leadership?
Dhiranjan Canagasabey: We place customers at the heart of every decision, ensuring relevance in their purchase and long-term value creation. Our solutions evolve to meet changing customer needs across protection, savings, and retirement, and flexible, tailored offerings help expand our market reach and deepen engagement.
These solutions are introduced to the Sri Lankan community through an expert sales force who identify the needs of each customer and ensure their life goals are de-risked through life insurance at every turn, a focus that strengthens trust and retention and sustains growth. This growth is accelerated by turning strategy into action with strong operational discipline, supported by continued investment in digital platforms that enhance the accessibility, speed, and accuracy of service delivery.
Today, we are serving the third generation of our customers, with the trust and belief in our promise continuing to be passed down across differing customer segments.
For a brand to be strongly felt and associated with the public, it needs to have a clear, concise, and robust brand ethos. What is the underlying promise of the brand and how does Ceylinco Life ensure that it penetrates the cognitive space?
Chamath Alwis: Traditionally, life insurance has been perceived as something that only provides value at the time of death. At Ceylinco Life, we have consciously evolved that perception. We want people to see us as a partner that helps them progress through life, not just a company that provides financial support at the end of it.
Our tagline, “A Relationship for Life,” reinforces this commitment by communicating that we stand by our customers through every stage of their lives, helping them achieve their aspirations and milestones. Every touchpoint, from our communications and product innovations to our customer engagement initiatives, is designed to consistently reinforce this promise, ensuring that the brand occupies a meaningful place in the minds of consumers.
In a competitive brand and media landscape, how has Ceylinco Life ensured that its brand communication remained consistent, visible, and relevant across all consumer segments in Sri Lanka?
Dhiranjan: Ceylinco Life ensures our brand promise is clearly communicated in a consistent manner across all touchpoints, while also making it relevant to each audience segment.
The company leverages a combination of mass media, digital platforms, community initiatives and public relations to reach diverse consumer groups across the country. Life insurance has an additional touchpoint which is the sales force. We have ensured that our brand message is engrained into the sales process, so that our branch network takes it directly to customers.
The company also engages with customers, community and society at large. Initiatives such as Family Savari create valuable customer engagement while also creating customer joy. Through our promotions teams, we create visibility for the brand and support our sales staff to engage with customers consistently.
How has the Ceylinco Life brand reached multiple generations of customers, including penetration into youth audiences? What activities and initiatives have assisted this healthy association?
Chamath: Our iconic father and child logo has evolved visually over the years while staying true to its heritage. Initially, it represented love, care, and protection. Today, it also symbolises confidence and progression, values that define the modern Ceylinco Life brand, particularly among diverse segments such as the youth.
The brand also invests in both youth development and brand awareness among the youth. Through strategic partnerships at universities and student bodies, as well as programmes such as the Pranama Scholarship programme, reaching its 25th year in existence, we are able to stay relevant and visible amongst the next generation of potential customers.
Ceylinco Life was the first Sri Lankan life insurer to adopt a fully Online Life Insurance solution. How much is digital innovation changing how people buy and stay in insurance?
Dhiranjan: We were the first life insurer in Sri Lanka to introduce an online life insurance solution because we recognised changing customer expectations and the increasing demand for convenience.
However, we also understand that purchasing life insurance is a deeply personal financial decision. Therefore, our digital offering is designed differently from our traditional advisory channel. Our online products are simpler, easier to understand, and suited for customers seeking straightforward protection with minimal complexity. More comprehensive financial planning continues to benefit from personalised advice provided by our trained financial advisors. The online platform also acts as an enabler, with many customers researching our products online before engaging with a financial advisor to purchase a more comprehensive life insurance solution.
Ceylinco Life has made considerable investments in sustainability solutions and initiatives in recent years. How do these translate to the long-term health of the company and its customers?
Chamath: Sustainability initiatives support stable, long-term returns and reduce exposure to emerging risks, ensuring the company remains strong in meeting policyholder obligations. Integrating environmental, social, and governance factors ensures balanced, responsible growth aligned with broader stakeholder expectations, while initiatives such as renewable energy and green branches lower environmental impact and future risk exposure, contributing to operational efficiency and cost stability over time.
Sustainability ultimately positions the company to adapt to regulatory, environmental, and social changes, ensuring enduring growth while delivering meaningful value to all stakeholders.
The Pranama Scholarship scheme and the iconic Family Savari — running continuously through economic crises and a pandemic — have reached their 25th and 20th anniversaries. How have these promotions assisted in differentiating the brand in a competitive environment?
Dhiranjan: These initiatives are not simply promotional campaigns but meaningful benefits that create lasting value for our policyholders. Through the Pranama Scholarship Scheme, we have supported the education of thousands of policyholders’ children, helping them pursue their academic ambitions.
Through Family Savari, we have rewarded thousands of families with memorable local and overseas travel experiences, creating lifelong memories that extend beyond the traditional benefits of insurance.
The fact that these programmes have continued uninterrupted through economic challenges, the pandemic, and periods of financial uncertainty demonstrates our unwavering commitment to our customers, underpinned by the financial strength and stability of Ceylinco Life.
In an industry where products can often appear similar, these programmes create a powerful emotional differentiator by delivering tangible value during our customers’ lifetimes.
The Ceylinco Life brand position has been elevated due to long-standing corporate social responsibility initiatives which have been consistent and clear. How has this assisted in the brand being “more than just a life insurance company”?
Chamath: We are a Sri Lankan company, and our roots go deep, covering a wide spectrum of communities. We believe giving back to the community is important, as a better, healthier, educated society benefits all.
We assist deserving schools in rural areas with classrooms and infrastructure. So far, we have completed 89 classrooms in this initiative, maintained through our branches. On health, Ceylinco Life conducts our “Waidyahamuwa” or “Meet the Doctor” programme, taking doctors to rural communities for tests, checkups, and health advice.
We have also joined hands with several main hospitals by providing infrastructure support, including High Dependency Units for five hospitals around the country, and a new project to provide piped oxygen to wards and beds where the facility is absent — already delivered to Matale and Kalutara hospitals.
All of these initiatives build positive brand association between the local community, the local branch and its representatives, and the brand overall.