Yashish Dahiya began his interview with his usual flair and ease. The CEO and Co-founder of the company Policy Bazar have over 15 years of experience in the field of life insurance and policies. We were honored to have such a distinguished guest share his wisdom and insight with us.
When asked about the growing post-pandemic shift in a consumer’s attitude towards insurance and financial planning, Yashish said that he had observed two key ingredients instrumental to this shift. First, the fear of the unknown has disappeared from the minds of consumers. People have shed their usual distress regarding things that they cannot control, namely the mechanics of life and death. Second, people are leaning more toward guaranteed returns. Consumers today have an affinity for a system of fixed deposits and guaranteed returns. Yashish believes that this shift in attitude won’t last forever, as the mind of the consumer is driven solely by the recency of events.
Yashish also discussed his opinions on how the industry shall evolve in the coming decade or so. India, as a country, is enormous in terms of its population; its people. And yet, the level of protection policies sold in our country is abysmally low. In the coming years, our nation would see a gradual shift towards more protection-focused policies and insurance. Ours is a nation that doesn’t have a social security system. It was the norm in a joint family, as the aged would continue to live with their families and were taken care of by their offspring. However, with modernity comes the rejection and fracture of the joint family system. Hence the country requires better and thorough future planning for the coming generations.
Yashish was candid about his journey with Policy Bazar and its conception. He shared with us the tale of his father, and how that would later inspire him to start Policy Bazar. As a retired Army Colonel, Yashish’s father was disciplined in his approach to buying insurance. During the economic collapse of 2008, his father lost two-thirds of his total savings as such was the terms of his policy. This incident motivated Yashish to start a movement whose sole goal was to educate people about what they were getting into. His goal was to raise awareness regarding the product they were investing their hard-earned money into. Policy Bazar has quite a unique hiring quota as well, which sets it apart from its competition. It places value on the selflessness of its employees, deeming them to be a good fit for the company atmosphere.
Yashish also discussed this personal preference in terms of Diversified or Consolidated. According to him, he would choose a diversified approach for a passive or non-active role, whereas he’d choose a consolidated approach for an active role.
Yashish also had a few golden bits of wisdom for the youth. He wants them to take risks and be fearless in their battles against the follies of life. He also advises them on valuing opportunities, as the future can never be predicted. On budding entrepreneurs, Yashish asks them to value the people that stuck with them through difficult times. Sharing equity with your team is vital as it breeds loyalty and love for one’s enterprise. As Yashish chooses to live by his life’s motto of Working Hard and Playing hard, he can be often found participating in fun sporting activities with his near and dear ones. Watch this insightful episode of Manage Wealth with Divya Tusnial with Yashish Dahiya on Manage Wealth Show YouTube page.
