Publications

IIST has faculty with experience in both life insurance and finance. Using this combination, IIST has published two books which use concepts in finance and economics to explain how to sell Unit Linked Life Insurance (ULIPs) products. The two books are 

  • You Are the Modern Financial Advisor (2008)*
  • Ignis Fatuus: The Delusions Created In You and For You by the Investment Sector, 2024

Available on Amazon https://www.amazon.in/dp/9358199741?ref=myi_title_dp

* out of stock 

You Are the Modern Financial Advisor by N. Ashok Kumar, 2008, Price Rs.475

(This book is currently out of stock)

This is a very popular book. The first print order got sold out even before the book wa printed. Now only a few copies remain for sale. You can place orders for the book by ending an email to ashok@iistpune.in

In this Book you will learn how to sell ULIPs and also how to sell traditional insurance in market that is becoming increasingly investment oriented.

Why ULIPs have become popular?

Learn why ULIPs have become popular, and the importance of your role as a life insurance agent to sell insurance and not investment so that you offer sound and prudent advice to your customers.

What are units ?

Learn the difference between conventional insurance and ULIP, understand a simplified model of NAV calculation that you can explain to your customers and also learn the latest guidelines of IRDA on unit-linked products.

What is risk ?

Learn the basics of financial risk in investments, why all investments are risky and how the degrees of risks are different for different investments.

What is the risk behavior of individuals ?

Learn the basics of financial risk in investments, why all investments are risky and how the degrees of risks are different for different investments.

What are returns ?

Learn the meaning of returns, how they are calculated. Also understand the concept of yield.

How do we calculate yield ?

Learn the use of discounting techniques to calculate yield.

How do people buy ?

Learn the psychology of buying decisions in investments and wealth management. In the process learn how to achieve professional trust with your prospects, how to handle objections and the steps in selling in today’s markets.

Where are premiums invested ?

Learn about the financial markets in which the premiums that are collected by insurance companies are invested. Also learn the basic characteristics of those financial markets and the risks associated with such investments.

What are the basics of investment analysis ?

Learn a how the general economy, and the performance of the company should be studied in order to make knowledgeable investments in the financial sectors.

How do we advise prospects ?

Learn the Dos and Don’ts to advice customers in an ethical and technically correct manner.

Steps for Happy Selling ?

This chapter provides you with a summary of the steps that were described in detail in the earlier chapters. The purpose of this chapter is to bring the perspective back to sales skills from all the knowledge we have gained through this book. It will also help you to prepare your own sales tool kit.

Ignis Fatuus : The Delusions Created In You and For You by the Investment Sector, 2024

Most investors feel that they can earn a lot of money by investing in mutual funds, shares, derivatives, cryptocurrencies, etc. These are higher risk investments. Some investors may earn high returns, but most earn very low returns or make losses.

But the media, financial analysts and others working in the finance and investment sector have created a hype, a sort of public belief, that high returns are available to just about anybody who invests money in these high-risk investments. The fact that the investments are high risk means that just as you can earn a lot of money you can also lose a lot of money. That you can lose money is never told to you.

In this book, the author explores the many ways in which the so-called experts in the financial sector fool the lay investors.

The author argues that we do not need investment experts to advise us on where to invest. Investment for an individual is based on common sense not financial expertise. Whether one takes the help of so-called investment experts or not, the chances of earning or losing remain the same. This is because the financial experts do not have any science to back their recommendations, they merely go by a judgement. Your judgement is as good as theirs.

The book explains how the academicians, the media, the fund management organisations and others fool the lay investors. Drawing upon research world-wide and the author’s personal experience in this sector, the book shows the specific fraudulent methods used to mislead the lay investor.

The book takes 10 specific statements made by ‘experts’ in the investment sector and in the media and shows how all 10 statements are false and made with an intention to mislead. Statements such as ‘If you want to earn a lot of money, you should be prepared to take risks’, ‘Debt funds are safe’, ‘Shares and mutual funds are for the long run’ etc are mischievous statement with a deliberate intention to mislead. The author shows exactly why they are misleading.

This is a must-read book for those wanting to invest and for those who advise customers to invest. Protect your hard-earned money. Do not lose it to fraudsters.