HNB Assurance provides Premium Payment options

The innovative insurance solutions provider HNB Assurance has provided convenience to its valued customers by providing a wide range of Premium Payment options .To talk about the easy Premium payment options for both Life and General Insurance, we spoke to the Managing Director of HNB Assurance, Manjula de Silva and Head of Finance, Vipula Dharmapala.

Manjula de Silva - Managing Director of HNB Assurance	Vipula Dharmapala - Head of Finance of HNB Assurance

Q: How can a customer of HNB Assurance Pay their Insurance Premiums?

Manjula : HNB Assurance now has a network of 51 branches and 140 Bancassurance units based at HNB branches Island wide, We operate in the business of providing insurance services and thus, close proximity to our loyal customers gives us an edge over our competitors. Therefore broadening our distribution network and increasing the efficiency of the distribution channels are strategic priorities for HNBA since all our customers have the ability to pay their premiums by visiting the branch that is nearest to them. That is the traditional method of paying premiums but with today’s technology and through strategic partnerships, HNB Assurance now offers a variety of other means to its customers to pay their premiums.

Q: Have you restricted your premium payment methods to only HNB Assurance branches?

Vipula: Absolutely Not, Premiums can be easily paid at all HNB, Commercial Bank, Bank of Ceylon, Sampath Bank and National Savings Bank branches. Customers only need to complete the deposit slip to make their premium payments over the counter at any of the above mentioned bank branches.

Q: What are the newest Premium Payment methods offered by HNBA?

Manjula: We have collaborated with HNB e-Banking & Sampath e-Banking so that users can transfer money via internet banking facilities provided by these banks. It is a convenient service that allows customers to access their bank information, conduct financial transactions, make deposits, withdrawals and pay bills through the Internet without having to physically visit their bank. It provides the convenience of accessing banking facilities from the comfort of their home or office. Very soon, customers will have the opportunity to pay through HNB mobile banking and by using the ATM network of HNB.

Q: Recently HNBA tied up with Dialog eZ cash for paying premium payments? Can you tell us about that?

Vipula: HNB Assurance now offers its customers boundless convenience when paying their premiums. HNB Assurance recently joined hands with Dialog Telecom eZ cash as a way of paying premiums without any hassle. HNB Assurance is one of the first insurance companies to enable payments via Dialog eZ cash. Customers now have the ability to make payments via mobile. eZ Cash. It enables you to have a cash account in your mobile phone in to which you can top-up money and pay insurance premiums. With the launch of eZ Cash, over 7.5 million Dialog mobile users will be able to register for an eZ cash account by simply dialing #111# from their mobile phone.

A registered eZ cash subscriber can then load money in to his/her mobile phone at any one of over 12,000 eZ cash outlets across Sri Lanka. Payment of the insurance premium to HNB Assurance is then as simple as sending an SMS with the aid of a user-friendly and tri-lingual menu on the mobile phone.

Q: What other ways are customers benefited?

Manjula: There is a special credit card facility offered to all HNB Credit card holders, but this credit card payment is valid only to General Insurance premium payments and customers can pay their premiums with a 0% interest installment plan from HNB with 3,6,9,12 Installments. Furthermore both life and general customers can also log on to the HNBA website (www.hnbassurance.com) and pay online via the payment portal using a credit card.

Q: Today’s Insurance market is highly competitive, how do you retain your customers as well as win with new technological enhancements?

Vipula: We recognize that Information technology is a central source of our competitive advantage and hence diverse efforts have been exerted to ensure that we keep up our pace with the rapid changes that are taking place within the sphere of IT on a global scale. HNBA being in the insurance industry for a short period of eleven years has passed several milestones in generating easy premium methods for its customers.

Manjula: Even for those customers who wish to pay in cash when their trusted insurance advisor calls over at their residence or workplace, we have made the process a lot more secure by equipping our advisors with mobile printers that can print a receipt online. This shows the length to which we will go to delight our customers by providing them with solutions they are most comfortable with.

HNB Assurance PLC is one of the fastest growing Insurance Companies in Sri Lanka with a network of 51 branches.

HNB Assurance has also been awarded “A (lka)”as its insurer financial strength rating and national long term rating by Fitch Ratings Lanka Ltd. HNB Assurance recently won an International Global award for Brand excellence at the World Brand Congress and was recognized with five national and regional awards for the company’s Annual report.