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Father and daughter running around the beach
Father and daughter running around the beach
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Our Company

People you can trust for life

A leading provider of life, accident and health insurance across the Americas

Mission, Vision and Values

Our Mission

To meet the life, accident and health insurance needs of individuals and businesses in the Americas and to ensure financial security and peace of mind.

Our Vision

To build on the company’s 110-year heritage of financial strength, commitment and trusted financial security, and to improve our policyholders’ sense of well-being, while becoming the leading insurance carrier in the Americas.

Our Values

  1. Authenticity: We are genuine and communicate openly, remaining true to one’s ideas, opinions, words and actions.
  2. Transparency: We are straightforward and open about everything we say, do and convey.
  3. Accountability: We take responsibility for our actions and honor commitments.
  4. Collaboration: We believe in the power of working together to achieve common goals. Our contributions are thoughtful, intentional, proactive and empathic.
  5. Integrity: We are honest, ethical and build trust through principled judgement and responsible actions.

Our History

Pan-American Life opened its doors for business in New Orleans in 1911. Founded by Crawford H. Ellis, Edward Simmons, Marion Souchon and Eugene McGivney, the company had a clear objective to meet the insurance needs of individuals and businesses in Latin America.
Ellis, who worked with the United Fruit Company transporting goods between New Orleans and Central America, had seen first-hand the need for these services in the region. In collaboration with his colleagues, he envisioned a company for the Americas that would provide best-in-class insurance solutions and trusted financial security.
More than 110 years later, that vision is still at the heart of who we are.

Pan-American Life in Costa Rica

Pan-American Life Insurance de Costa Rica, S.A. arrived in Costa Rica in 2010 as part of PALIG’s organic growth strategy to expand its presence in the Americas. Costa Rican families and companies have placed their trust in PALIG thanks to our legacy of reliable financial strength and our high-quality life, accident, and health insurance solutions. After more than a decade since our arrival in Costa Rica, we are now the number one private company in personal insurance and number one in group health*, with more than 200,000 lives insured nationwide.
* SUGESE data on private companies, as of the end of 2022.

A Message from our Country Manager-Mario Naranjo

Pan-American Life Insurance de Costa Rica opened its doors in the Costa Rican market more than a decade ago with a commitment to provide life, accident, and health insurance that protects the financial future and well-being of companies, families, and their loved ones.
Over the last decade, we have not only gained experience, strength, and profitability, but connected with people and companies to give them long-lasting financial security and peace of mind. We insure more than 200,000 people and more than 500 corporate customers. Our work is backed by our strong equity and finances, assessed as 'AAA(cri)' Stable Outlook by Fitch Ratings – which further affirms position as a leader in the market.
Our strategy for the coming years is to continue to develop the world-class service we provide to our insureds and to strengthen our medical provider network, which will allow us to offer numerous benefits to our insureds.
We would not be here without our committed team and our dedicated insurance producers, who have trusted us to keep their businesses profitable as they work with enthusiasm, care, and professionalism.
As Country Manager, I am proud to belong to a company that is in constant transformation. We continue to find ways to improve the experience of those who rely on us. Looking ahead, I am confident that we will take advantage of every opportunity to be there at the most important moments in the lives of our insureds.
Mario Naranjo - Country Manager and Legal Representative PALIG Costa Rica

PALIG

Our Leadership

Local Leadership
Executive Management Team

Local Leadership

Executive Management Team

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - Mario Naranjo  - Country Manager

Mario Naranjo

Country Manager

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - Luis Castillo García - Operations Manager

Luis Castillo García

Operations Manager

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - Jorge Ollé - Regional Legal Counselor

Jorge Ollé

Regional Legal Counselor

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - María José Manzanares  - Group Business Manager

María José Manzanares

Group Business Manager

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - Gustavo Sanabria - Finance and Administrative Manager

Gustavo Sanabria

Finance and Administrative Manager

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - Velveth Garcia - Senior Human Resources Business Partner

Velveth Garcia

Senior Human Resources Business Partner

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - Raúl Ortí - Individual Insurance Manager

Raúl Ortíz

Individual Insurance Manager

Costa Rica -  Local Leadership - Rafael Prieto García - Underwriting Manager

Rafael Prieto García

Underwriting Manager

PALIG Cares

PALIG’s mission is to protect lives, provide peace of mind and support the people we serve by having a positive impact on their communities. Through PALIG Cares, employees and executives come together to give back and have a positive, lasting impact by supporting projects and organizations that invest in and work to solve some of the biggest challenges facing the region.
Caring for our Planet: In 2023, PALIG Cares hosted corporate recycling efforts in Costa Rica, where employees gathered to spend the day separating recyclable materials such as bottles, plastics, paper, and electronic equipment with a goal to reduce the environmental impacts of litter and help raise awareness about caring for our planet.

Our 2023 Community Partners  

Arts Refreshing the Soul  
Aruba Aquatics Federation  
Asociación de Niños y Adultos Mayores
Jesucristo es mi Hogar – Guatemala
FCIB Walk for the Cure 2020 - Grenada
Fundación Asómate a la Realidad - Colombia
Fundación Niños con Cáncer - Honduras
Hijas de la Caridad de San Vicente de Paul - Panamá
Hospital Pediátrico – México
La Gasca - Ecuador  
New Orleans Community Outpost - Barbados
New Orleans Homework Programme - Barbados
Public Action to Deliver Shelter
If you are an organization and would be interested in partnering with PALIG or would like to submit a Donation/Sponsorship Request, please complete the Contribution Request form.

Our Ratings

Choosing an insurance provider to protect your family or your business is an important decision. However, having the seal of approval from independent rating agencies such as AM Best and Fitch Ratings , can help make your decision on which insurance company is best for you a bit easier.
Independent rating systems verify and validate a company’s financial strength by evaluating their balance sheet, operating performance, business profile and financial ability, to meet its obligations to policyholders.
We are proud to share that Pan-American Life Insurance de Costa Rica, S.A. received an 'AAA(cri)' rating, with a Stable Outlook from Fitch Ratings.
Pan-American Life Insurance Company and its wholly owned subsidiary Pan-American Assurance Company have an 'A' (Excellent) rating from AM Best and an 'A' (Strong) rating from Fitch Ratings and that AM Best has also given an 'A' (Excellent) rating to Pan-American Casualty Company.
These ratings are strong endorsements of the financial strength that enables us to be there when our clients need us the most.
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