In the six months to June, gross written premium grew 14 percent to 3.8 billion rupees. The composite insurer reported profits of 163.7 million rupees or 45 cents per share for the half year.Schaffter said the firm's general insurance business was making under-writing profits (before investment income) as a portfolio. Medical insurance was the least profitable he said.
Some segments of general insurance in Sri Lanka have become extremely competitive.
Janashakthi which began in September 1994 now has a 12 percent share in general insurance and 5.5 percent share in life business.
Head of marketing Shehara de Silva said insurance was still under-penetrated in Sri Lanka at 11 percent, partly due to lack of knowledge about its value and prevailing misconceptions.
Janashakthi was one of the first private insurers to go to former war zones as far back as 2001 and the region was seeing some of the highest growth she said.
