Ceylinco Life Chairman speaks on Rs. 300 b assets milestone; future of retirement savings and long-term insurance

Ceylinco Life Executive Chairman R. Renganathan

Following the recent milestone of crossing Rs. 300 billion in assets, in this interview Ceylinco Life Executive Chairman R. Renganathan, shares key insights to what this achievement means beyond the numbers, and the importance of financial strength, prudent risk management, governance and long-term trust in securing the financial future of policyholders

Q: Ceylinco has just crossed the 300 billion rupee asset mark. What does a number like that actually represent to you beyond the headline figure? 

 To me, the Rs. 300 billion asset milestone represents much more than a balance sheet number. It reflects decades of disciplined growth, policyholder confidence and careful stewardship of long-term funds. As at 30 June 2026, Ceylinco Life’s assets had reached Rs. 302.5 billion, after growing by Rs. 15.65 billion in the first six months of the year. That scale matters because life insurance is a long-term promise. Every rupee in that asset base ultimately supports our ability to honour commitments to families, retirees and future generations.

Q: What does this milestone tell customers about the kind of institution they are placing their long term trust in? 

 It tells customers that they are placing their trust in an institution that has demonstrated resilience, consistency and responsibility over time. Ceylinco Life has been in the life insurance and retirement space for 38 years and has led the industry for 22 consecutive years. When a customer makes a retirement or protection decision, they are not only buying a product; they are entering a relationship that may continue for decades. Financial strength, leadership and continuity therefore become essential signs of dependability.

Q: Retirement planning and financial strength of a company are connected in a way many people do not think about. How would you explain that connection to someone who has not started thinking about retirement yet? 

 Retirement planning is about preparing for a stage of life when regular income may reduce, but financial needs continue. The strength of the institution matters because the promises made today must still be honoured twenty or thirty years later. A strong asset base and a growing Life Fund give customers confidence that their insurer is building the capacity to meet long-term obligations. As at 30 June 2026, Ceylinco Life’s Life Fund crossed Rs. 222 billion, which is a meaningful indicator of the depth behind the promises we make to policyholders.

Q: When someone is choosing where to place their retirement savings or insurance, what should they actually be looking at in an institution, beyond interest rates or returns? 

Returns are important, but they should never be the only consideration. A person planning for retirement should look at the institution’s financial strength, capital adequacy, governance standards, claim-paying ability, investment discipline and track record. As at 30 June 2026, Ceylinco Life reported a Risk-Based Capital Adequacy Ratio of 406%, significantly above the regulatory minimum of 120%. That tells customers there is a strong capital buffer and a prudent approach to managing risk. For retirement planning, peace of mind comes from knowing that the institution is strong enough to stand by you through different economic cycles. Furthermore, we have paid over Rs. 12.6 billion in net claims and benefits by 30 June 2026, demonstrating our continued commitment to honouring the promises we have made to our customers. 

Q: As Chairman, how do you think about the balance between growth and prudence when the money involved is meant to support someone twenty or thirty years from now? 

 In life insurance, growth must always be matched by prudence. We are not managing short-term funds; we are managing the financial security of individuals and families across generations. Therefore, our growth has to be disciplined, supported by strong investments, careful asset-liability management and sound governance. The objective is not simply to become larger, but to become stronger in a way that protects policyholders. That is why milestones such as Rs. 302.5 billion in assets are important: they show that growth is being built on a stable foundation.

Q: What role does governance and oversight play in making sure an institution remains fit to be trusted with people’s retirement years? 

 Governance and oversight are central to long-term trust. They ensure that decisions are not driven only by immediate outcomes, but by the responsibility we carry toward policyholders whose needs may arise many years in the future. Strong governance means having clear accountability, prudent investment processes, robust risk management and continuous oversight by the Board and management. For customers, especially those relying on us for retirement security, governance is the assurance that their future is being protected through disciplined decision-making.

Q: From a corporate risk standpoint what is your view when the liabilities you are managing stretch across decades rather than years? 

 When liabilities stretch across decades, the institution has to think beyond annual performance. We must consider interest rate movements, market volatility, longevity, inflation, regulatory change and broader economic conditions. Our responsibility is to maintain the strength and flexibility to meet obligations under different scenarios. That requires a conservative view of risk, a diversified asset base and continuous monitoring of our financial position. The purpose of risk management is not to avoid growth, but to make sure growth never compromises our ability to honour long-term commitments. We have been able to honour the promises made to our policyholders and remain profitable while maintaining strong financial fundamentals, even during turbulent periods in the external environment such as the COVID-19 pandemic or political and social instability, and we have been able to do that because of our meticulous management of risk. 

Q: What would you want someone approaching retirement to remember about choosing the right partner for that stage of life?

 I would ask them to remember that retirement is too important to entrust to short-term attraction alone. Choose a partner with proven strength, consistency, governance and a genuine record of standing by customers. The right partner should give you confidence not only about returns, but about reliability, service and the ability to meet promises in the future. At Ceylinco Life, our focus has always been to build a relationship for life, and for someone approaching retirement, that relationship must be built on trust, stability and long-term commitment.