Overview
For 100 years, Great Eastern has provided our policyholders
with peace of mind and financial security. We are the largest
insurance group in Singapore and Malaysia with S$ 47 billion
in assets (as at 27 Oct 2009) and 3.8 million policyholders
in both countries. With two successful distribution channels
– the tied agency force and bancassurance – we are
the market leader in both Singapore and Malaysia. We are the
only life insurance company to be listed on the Singapore Exchange.
Our brand is synonymous with financial strength and dynamism.
This has earned us numerous accolades, one of which is the Singapore
Brand Award organised by IE Singapore, which we have won for
the fifth year running in 2006. We are well regarded as Singapore's
7th Most Valuable Brand and our brand value increased from S$609
million in 2005 to S$693 million in 2006.
In November 1999, Great Eastern Life underwent restructuring
to become a wholly-owned life insurance arm of a financial service
holding company – Great Eastern Holdings Ltd. This was
followed by a merger between Great Eastern Holdings and Overseas
Assurance Corporation in December 2000. These two strategic
initiatives reflect our determination to take up more competitive
challenges and work towards achieving our vision of establishing
regional leadership.
Incorporated in 1908, Great Eastern Life Assurance Co Ltd has
the distinction of being the oldest and most established life
insurance company in Singapore and Malaysia. OAC was incorporated
in 1920 as the first composite insurer in Singapore. Great Eastern
is the only insurance company in the region with two very successful
distribution channels – tied agency and bancassurance.
Recognised for our financial strength and dependability, Great
Eastern Holdings became a substantially-owned subsidiary of
OCBC Bank,
Singapore’s longest established local bank, in June 2004.
OCBC Bank has assets of S$188 billion and a network of more
than 490 branches and representative offices in 15 countries
and territories including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, China,
Hong Kong SAR, Brunei, Japan, Australia, UK and USA. This network
includes more than 360 branches and offices in Indonesia
operated by OCBC Bank's subsidiary, Bank OCBC NISP. OCBC Bank
and its banking subsidiaries offer a wide range of specialist
financial services, from consumer, corporate, investment, private
and transaction banking to treasury and stockbroking services
to meet the needs of its customers across communities.
In addition to Singapore where Great Eastern is headquartered,
and Malaysia with 24 branches, we also have a branch office
in Brunei since 1975, a subsidiary company in Indonesia since
1996 and a representative office in Beijing since 2006. In June 2006, Great Eastern and Chongqing Land Properties Group launched their 50:50 joint venture
life insurance company, Great Eastern Life Assurance (China)
Co Ltd. This new company is headquartered in Chongqing which will act as a bridgehead for our expansion plans into the rest of China. Our wholly-owned life
insurance subsidiary in Vietnam, Great Eastern Life (Vietnam) Co. Ltd commenced business operations in September 2008. The branch office in Ho Chi Minh City will be opened by year-end 2008.