Ceylinco Insurance says it is in talks with Hayleys AIG to acquire its life insurance business in Sri Lanka. Hayleys AIG, which has over 6,000 life policyholders at present, plans to concentrate on general insurance in the future.
"We would like to takeover the business, though it is a very small operation." Ceylinco chief, Deshamanya Dr.
Lalith Kotelawala told a news conference on Monday.
He said Ceylinco had written to the insurance watchdog, intimating its desire following a newspaper report about Hayley's decision.
The Insurance Board of Sri Lanka, subsequently played a mediatory role, by writing to Hayleys AIG stating Ceylinco’s offer.
Incidentally, Hayleys AIG has neither confirmed nor denied the report so far.
But Kotelawala says his goodwill gesture stems from the need to protect hundreds of policyholders who may be left adrift, if Hayleys AIG opts to pull out.
The Ceylinco Group has in the past, bought up failed finance companies and a foreign bank BCCI, and turned