On its 115th anniversary, this homegrown company reflects with gratitude on its storied past while looking ahead to the next century as a future-ready institution.
Groundwork
Like gold, InLife was forged in adversity having survived a war, a pandemic and periods of political uncertainty.
On Nov. 25, 1910, a group of pioneering Filipinos founded the Insular Life Assurance Company —the country’s first and only Filipino life insurance firm at the time.
From a modest office in Manila, InLife grew rapidly. By 1932, even amid the Great Depression, it had become the country’s top insurer, laying the groundwork for expansion beyond the Philippines, including Guam and Hawaii.
“There are only a handful of institutions in the Philippines whose milestones have intersected with the country's own history. InLife is foremost among these—its celebrated past already having made a mark in the country's ongoing story, while continuing to make a difference in the lives of many,” Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said in his Nov. 25, 2025 anniversary speech.
His great-grandfather, Enrique Zobel de Ayala, helped establish the company at a time when life insurance was still unheard of in the country.
Survive and thrive
Its early momentum was soon tested by a far harsher crisis. In 1942, during World War II, the Japanese placed InLife under military control. Yet despite the turmoil — marked by soaring death claims and urgent loan requests —InLife kept its doors open. Even with its financial base shaken, it held firm in its commitment to serve its policyholders.
Nina Aguas, InLife’s executive chair, said in her speech that “the institution did more than survive—it mattered.” “Each time history pressed in, we pressed forward,” she added.
In 1977, InLife made a move that was both strategic and symbolic: it announced its mutualization, transferring ownership from Ayala Corp. to its policyholders. This shift allowed Filipinos to own the very company that served them.
With policyholders as its owners, InLife entered a new era of nation-building and modernization. Its 100th-year celebration in 2010 further energized the company to navigate a world rapidly reshaped by technology—and to embrace digital transformation as part of its evolution.
Reinventions
InLife went through several reinventions over the next 15 years. Chief marketing officer Gae Martinez said the company recognized the need to stay relevant to younger generations. This marked a new phase for a brand that continues to evolve.
“The word ‘Insular' began to weigh heavily … Its modern connotations of isolation and narrowness no longer served us. It wasn't who we were, or ever had been,” she added.
They carried their core values and mission through this period of change and emerged as “InLife.” The name is more than a shortened form —it reflects a deeper shift. It signifies being part of people’s lives as a partner, not just a provider. It uses language that feels natural and familiar to Filipinos, reflecting the tone of those InLife serves.
Subtle, significant changes
By 2018, the rebrand introduced subtle changes that had a significant impact. “Visually, the brand became sharper. The eagle was refined for heightened realism. We adopted a solid blue brand color for greater recognition and emotional clarity. It was less about looking different, and more about feeling right,” Martinez added.
This year, Aguas believes InLife stands at another turning point as they gear up in giving Filipinos a "lifetime for good." She said anniversaries are not only for looking back. “There are moments to look ahead and to ask what the next chapter demands of us,” she said.
A new 'kairos'
Technological advancements led InLife to take a bold step forward and meet new challenges head-on. Aguas described this historic moment as “kairos,” an ancient Greek term meaning “the right moment—a window of time when courage and conviction must come together."
Aguas said InLife now faces a new kairos that is shaped by the convergence of human and artificial intelligence, geopolitical and economic shifts, and the realities of climate change.
Next gen leaders
She emphasized that change is already happening, and as stewards of the institution, leaders must respond. The question now is not whether to act, but how.
Aguas reminds the next generation of leaders that when their moment of kairos arrives, they should meet it with clarity and compassion.
“Remember what has carried us this far. Our strength has always come from faith, from purpose, from a promise we have kept for 115 years: to uplift lives and to keep hope alive. Our legacy is not only measured in years. But in the lives we have touched and the nation we have helped change,” she said.
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