Overview
For over 101 years, Great Eastern has provided our policyholders
with peace of mind and financial security. We are the oldest
and most established life insurance group in Singapore and
Malaysia with S$ 50.9 billion in assets (as at 4 May 2010) and 3.8 million policyholders
in both countries. We have two successful distribution channels
– the tied agency force and bancassurance.
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, established in 1912, is the second
largest financial services group in Southeast Asia by assets.
It is among the world's highest rated banks, with a long
term credit rating of Aa1 from Moody's. OCBC Bank and its
subsidiaries offer a broad array of specialist financial
services, ranging from consumer, corporate, investment,
private and transaction banking to treasury, insurance,
asset management and stockbroking services. OCBC Bank’s
key markets are Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Greater
China. It has a network of more than 500 branches and representative
offices in 15 countries and territories, including 400 branches
and offices in Indonesia operated by its subsidiary, Bank
OCBC NISP.
In addition to Singapore where Great Eastern is headquartered,
and Malaysia with 21 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 opened in December 2008.
Great Eastern’s asset management subsidiary, Lion Global Investors Limited, is one of the largest private sector asset management companies in Southeast Asia.