A step towards a day when all Sri Lankans are insured

The first National Forum for Life Insurance Advisors (NAFLIA) was held on a very small scale eight years ago, as a means of providing platform of inspiration and encouragement to life insurance advisors from companies all across the island. 

Today, NAFLIA is the key event on the calendar of every life insurance advisor. Over a thousand members of the life insurance industry gathered at the BMICH on 17 August for the eighth National Forum for Life Insurance Advisors. The conference is organized by the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka (IASL), with the support of the Insurance Board of Sri Lanka (IBSL), and the sponsorship of the Sri Lanka Insurance Institute and David Pieris Motor Company Ltd. The theme of this year’s conference was, “Towards a day all Sri Lankans are insured… Are we ready?”

Gracing the event as chief guest was IBSL Chairperson Indrani Sugathadasa along with the guest of honor and keynote speaker the much renowned Postgraduate Institute of Management Director Prof. Ajantha Dharmasiri. Also among the distinguished invitees were, IBSL Director General Damayanthi Fernando, IASL President Deepthi Lokuarachchi and Cricket Legend Roshan Mahanama.

Marketing and Sales Forum (MSF) Chairman Hashra Weerawardena warmly welcomed the gathering and expressed his gratitude to those who had been instrumental in the organization of the event. Deepthi Lokuarachchi followed next with a detailed description of the current situation of the insurance industry and its contribution to the country’s economy. Lokuarachchi highlighted the importance of dedication and the duty of the life insurance advisor to the task of ensuring that one day all Sri Lankans will enjoy the assurance of insurance.

The chief guest, Sugathadasa emphasized the need to encourage healthy relationships between advisors and customers as well as the importance of creating a demand for insurance among the general population. 

Keynote speaker Prof. Dharmasiri inspired the gathering with his detailed and practical presentation on the importance of adopting and maintaining a positive and purposeful attitude towards life and work. Titled ‘Excellence as Essence: A Behavioral Perspective’, the presentation stressed upon the value of simplicity, change and adaptation.

The three panel discussions of the day were all in relation to the event’s main theme - “Towards a day all Sri Lankans are insured… Are we ready?” The first panel discussed the challenges and possibilities related with the theme. Moderated by Sugathadasa, the panel consisted of Ceylinco Life Insurance MD/CEO R.Renganathan, Sri Lanka Insurance CEO Hemaka Amarasuriya, HNB Assurance MD/CEO Deepthi Lokuarachchi, former Sampath Bank PLC MD and current Royal Ceramics PLC MD Aravinda Perera, former Nations Trust Bank (NTB) CEO Saliya Rajakaruna and Janashakthi Insurance CEO Stuart Chapman.

The second panel explored the inside perspective of the theme. Veteran insurer Janashakthi Insurance PLC Life Sales General Manager Rukman Weeraratne moderated the panel, which was made up of the industry’s service leaders. Ceylinco Life Insurance Marketing Senior Deputy General Manager Samitha Hemachandra took on the role of moderator of the third panel, which and was composed of top achievers/MDRT winners who discussed the breaking of barriers when it came to the task of ensuring that one day all Sri Lankans will be insured.

In his motivational speech, the Tower of Patience, Roshan Mahanama shared a number of his own experiences on and off the cricket pitch. “Talent alone is not enough to achieve your dream, it takes dedication and sacrifice as well”, Mahanama stated. The former national cricketer also stressed upon the importance of not being discouraged by failure, which is ‘not the end of the journey’.
The day’s events came to a conclusion with the vote of thanks, delivered by NAFLIA 2017 Project Chairman Kasun Sameera, and a raffle draw with fun and exciting prizes.

By means of events such as NAFLIA the IASL means to provide members of the insurance industry with the necessary knowledge and inspiration to ensure that they all gather together to work “Towards a day all Sri Lankans are insured”.