Monthly Archives: May 2009

05.24.09
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STForum: Insurance

I refer to the letter written about Great Eastern’s Insurance:

Great Eastern’s Life Assurance’s reply last Sunday, “Policy excludes certain procedures” to my letter, “Insured but unable to make claim” (May 10), did not address my concerns.

My point was that the fine print embedded in GE’s policies stumps ordinary applicants like me when we file a claim.”

Let’s face it. most of us who buy health insurance do not wish to exercise any claim if we can help it because it means we would have fallen seriously ill.

One files a claim only because it is unavoidable, such as when one needs financial help suddenly. After all, this is the reason that one buys health insurance.

Now, on the issue of the “fine print”. Unlike previously angioplasty today can clear blockages completely. To do so previously requied a heart bypass operation.

So any rational heart patient will choose angioplasty instead of a bypass today, if he has a choice; which is why GE’s exclusion of an angioplasty and inclusion of the bypass is puzzling. I am also surprised by GE’s reply that “critical illness plans have been improved and upgraded and generally, the newer policy covers angioplasty”.

Mr Reeve Ong, the head of GE’s claims department who signed off on the reply, suggested that I was perhaps to blame for I would have been successful if I had signed up for its newer critical care policy which “pays as soon as it is proven that two or more coronary arteries have narrowed”.

His contention is baffling. If the newer policy covered angioplasty and mine did not, why wasn’t my policy upgraded automatically to include angioplasty?

The least GE could have done was to inform me, a loyal customer of 15 years, of its availability.

Furthermore, isn’t it a fact that arteries narrow as we grow older? Why should it matter whether a policy holder opts for an angioplasty or a bypass, as long as it does the job?

Having been involved in a little Insurance training in the past holiday, I can raise a few points to clarify about this issue. It is important that everyone knows of such issues, so that they have a better understanding when purchasing insurance.

1. Insurance amongst different companies will not have much difference
The first point, as stated in bold above, is that there is not much difference in terms of insurance coverage and pricing amongst different insurers. Naturally there will be slight differences. Some may be cheaper and some may be slightly more expensive. Some may cover more things, some cover less. However it is all due to competition. After some time, to keep up with competition, the insurers will try to cover the same things so as not to lose out.

2. Buy insurance from agents that you trust
I think trust is an important concept. Buy insurance only from agents you trust to do the job well. As my mentor frequently says, when you are standing at the counter in the hospital, which agent do you think you want to call to settle your bills for you? You have to have a responsible agent who will do everything nicely for you, and even update you on newer policies.

3. Your insurance agent is the one responsible for informing you on newer policies
After a period of competition, insurance policies evolve to include more things. To know what the differences are, you have to read the fine print. Your agent should be the one to call you and fix an appointment to let you know the changes, and whether you want to change or not, is up to the insured. The reason why insurers do not upgrade your policies automatically is because the prices of the policies would have gone up, and we all know we hate it when companies upgrade our policies automatically and charge us higher prices.

4. Change your own perception of the insurance sector
I think people should change the perception of the insurance sector. There are black sheeps and professionals in this industry. Insurance has become a taboo topic amongst the older generation, and perhaps the younger generation too, if they were swayed by their older relatives.

I also think that we should correct our attitude when our insurance agent calls to fix an appointment. How many people would gladly agree to a new appointment? Most people end up thinking that the insurance agent is just out to earn your money, and so reject the appointment. I was wondering if that is the case for this letter’s author. If that is the case, we can hardly blame the agent for not informing him on recent changes, because some people are just that stubborn.

While we are on this topic, I thought I should address a similar topic. Is it wrong for friends to earn your money? I have realized that some people are very disgusted with the thought that your friend is out to earn your money. Why is that wrong? As long as the friend has given goods or services that you desire, what is wrong with rewarding them with money? Why is it that if you are a true friend, you should not earn a friend’s money?

Back to the insurance issue, I think the person you should trust most to fix your problems for you is your family or your friends. So you’ll most likely end up buying from them rather than to somebody who just cold-called you. So to me, it is perfectly fine to earn money from friends and family.

The most important thing to learn is that insurance policies do change every few years, and so it is important to have a yearly meeting with your insurance agent to find out more. The decision is really up to you, whether you want to upgrade or not. I believe good insurance agents are sincere, and even if you do not end up buying from them, they are sure to continue meeting with you to introduce you to other policies. Of course, if you have the purchasing power, you should consider upgrading. As long as it’s within your means. Medical technology and practices evolve over the years, hence policies will change to include such treatment.

Who knows, maybe one day you need the newer technology to cure your illness? I think it is better to be prepared, than to be caught unaware like the gentlemen above.

05.23.09
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New Blog Skin

Anyone who has been to my site once in the past year would have noticed that the blog design has changed. The whole inversion from the white background to the black background, and the black text that has been changed to the white text. In a way, perhaps it represents a wish to invert my life in the past year, and change some aspects of it that I have been rather unhappy about.

This time there is no real theme. Last year I put my favourite hobbies up as a theme, taking photos of it and making a header with those photos. Plus the theme was focused on my favourite Jap actress. Now, there is no theme, and it is just a simple blog design that’s easy for anyone to make.

I shifted some of the components below, including stuff like the tag cloud, archives, links etc. It can be accessed from the top navigational bar so people can minimize scrolling.

Anyway about the topic of inversion. The past year has been good to me in terms of studies, so that’s not what I wanted to invert. There has been a few things I want to change. Like trying out new things, taking the initiative in things, becoming more entrepreneurial, actually doing something out as a business etc.

But one thing I would like to especially learn in the next academic year is to change my attitude in a particular situation:
I realized how people tend to like to say “I think..” in situations where you hope for a clear answer to help you. Or in a situation that you expect that very person to be clear about his findings and his work. Or in a situation you hope that person will not think and just find the answer. But recently “I think..” has been happening pretty frequently and I thought that perhaps we should all be a little more proactive and find things out to help the people around us when they ask us questions.

And perhaps for something which I’m in charge of, I should get all the possible knowledge required, so that I can brief my friends, and when they ask questions, I can give them a satisfactory answer instead of “I think..” I think (LOL) this is a very important change that will greatly affect one’s life.

I also hope to invert my situation as a member of Jh’s club. Seeing that Zong has resigned from the club, I wonder if I will have my chance soon, though I don’t think so. But I’ve been hoping to feel special, but it seemed that friends don’t really care as much.

There are places I want to go, but sometimes it’s just plain moronic and retarded to go alone, so I’m waiting for someone special to accompany me, especially to the flyer, since everyone else that wants to go have gone already, and I’m like alone.

Anyway I’m glad I finished this blog skin. I can now concentrate on my other projects. :)

05.20.09
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Angels and Demons

2009_angels_and_demons_poster

I watched this movie with Nelson and Mazin yesterday at the Cathay at Dhoby Gaut. The outing was lame from the start because the meeting point is station control, and there are two station controls at Dhoby Gaut. Naturally I realized that there’s this possibility that they are at the other side, because how can they not see me when I’m there already. So I asked to meet them at Cathay. After I reached, I got an sms saying they’ll meet me at the top. So I went up. They weren’t even there yet lo. I thought people will say that only when they reach first.

My other two friends Jiahao and Waikit also watched it before me, one week ago on the 14th when it officially opened. There are alot of people in the theatres though. Could see faint outlines of xmm(s) in the theatre.

But I must say that Angels and Demons is a freaking good movie. Kudos to the director for making it interesting from the start, and it goes right into the action without wasting time. I only remember starting to watch and then I never had the time to think about anything else.

However (tadashi), there are quite a few missing elements or edited elements in the movie as compared to the book. Of course it is expected since there is so much extra information. I am perfectly fine with the director not including the BBC reporter section. But I am a little confused with the Illuminati guy. In the book that guy believes in the Illuminati and believes in what he is doing is right. This actor doesn’t seem to give me that feeling at all. Perhaps the director didn’t want that to happen.

The director of CERN is also visibly missing. And the structure of the Swiss Guards is different. The one driving Langdon around should be the head of security. Not the guy who is framed by the Camenlango (spelling not sure). That’s only a Captain.

During the show I also knew Langdon wouldn’t be able to go up the helicopter as written in the book, because it’s really hard to include that in and explain how the hell he is still alive from a free fall with no chute.

But I must say the director wrapped things up very nicely. Although the plot is changed in a major way (how they found out the Carmenlango was the bad guy), the whole thing actually flows like a nice story.

I have some complaint though. I wanted the Illuminati Diamond. That’s the best brand. But they had to change it so that they can immediately know its St Peter’s tomb. I would very much would like it that the Carmenlango goes into a trance and keep shouting “Upon this rock I will build my Church”, and then running into the tomb. Greater effect and the movie length only increases slightly. And at lease you get the best brand in the entire movie. Earth Air Fire Water in a perfect Diamond.

Langdon is also supposed to receive the brand as a reward, not the Galileo’s text (which he koped one page from). And that page is ruined when he saved the Water preferatti. So even in his last will and testament, that page cannot find its way back to the Vatican. Plus the water guy is not supposed to be alive! But if you kill him, Langdon probably cannot find his way to the Church of Illumination so quickly. It would be interested to have a branded Pope. Haha.

But it all flows nicely in one good story, and that is what good movies should be. Good movies should not follow the book too strictly because sometimes they become lousy movies. Movies are for entertainment, and people should read the book for more information.

Angels and Demons is probably the best movie I have seen so far this year. 4.5 stars out of 5.

On another note, updates on my life. After the movies I went to Great Eastern because my friend Lennard went to hear the Adam Khoo talk for the Internship program 7. So the few of us who joined previously went down to meet him and talk. It was enjoyable. Tanoshii.

But yesterday there was a huge bomb thrown for the July holiday trip. We got fed up again with the lack of planning, and yesterday night we stayed up to settle the budget and plans for KL, and issue a deadline of Friday for the Jakarta plan. We shall see how it goes. Hopefully it’ll be planned well with no sudden increase in budget.

The lessons learnt are enormous. We should always not waste money, and plan first before sinking in the money. Always set a budget and work with it. Don’t assume everyone is a rich kid who has plenty of money to spend. Besides, we have been digging a hole to fill an existing hole. That’s wrong. We should solve the problem and fill the hole and not create another hole!

Always plan the itinerary and then decide the duration. This is because why book a long duration if you only need a few days to see everything? In the end you add stuff and that adds to the budget. And never ever think there is time for planning in the future. You don’t know what is going to cock up in the future. So what if the plan may change? At least there’s a plan to begin with, something you can be sure that works. Better than when problems come up and there’s no plans to edit, causing problems for everyone.

Anyway I hope it’s going to be settled without any future problems. I think it is hard for other people to become what I expect of them, and I guess if I’m ever going for a grad trip, I should find people who can fit my expectations.

I’m in the middle of getting inspirations to revamp this site. It has been a year already and it needs a new look! :) Kthxbye

05.17.09
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What I want to do!

I’ve recovered from my fever for last week and now I’m itching to do a few things, and for most of them I haven’t found anyone to go with me.

1) Eat Ramen @ Central
There’s this supposedly (I say supposedly because I haven’t eaten it yet) great Japanese Ramen place at Central. It’s called the Ramen Santouka and it seems really great from this blog post. I really want to try the ramen there but its not that cheap, so I haven’t had the chance to find anyone who’s interested in eating that.

2) Eat Ramen again at Tampines One.
There’s a new shopping center called Tampines One, if I remember correctly. There’s this stall in The Sunday Times today that showed a new Jap restaurant that is cooked in the same way as in Hokkaido, except they only use 1/2 the lard. I’m also itching to try it because it’s difficult to find great ramen places in Singapore. Most places, like Ajisan’s have ramen that’s totally different from Hokkaido’s. Zen zen oishikunaindesu!

3) Watch Angel’s and Demons
This is a no brainer. I want to watch this.

4) Watch Night at the Museum 2
I liked the first one so I want to watch the 2nd one too.

5) Go to Marina Barrage to see
Marina Barrage can be seen from the Singapore flyer, and it would be interesting to go visit since it’s a man made reservoir right at the heart of the city!

6) Singapore flyer
I missed the outing with my friends last week due to the fever, and it’s been a little sian because I may end up going alone. Still have to see how.

That’s all at the moment!

05.10.09
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I fell sick

I fell sick since Friday and it hasn’t ended yet. Probably caught a cold at Jurong Point on Friday where I met my JC friends got a buffet from Zhou’s Kitchen. The buffet wasn’t exactly that fantastic, and I caught a cold. What a wonderful way to spend the $29.15.

On Saturday I developed a fever which lasted till today. By Sunday, the cold has been controlled and my throat became sore. So I have to reduce my temperature and treat my throat. Hopefully by tomorrow it’ll be alright.

I kinda fainted three times today at home. Whilst brushing my teeth I felt that my legs were diving way, so I walked to the yard to keep the cloth I was using to wipe myself with cold water. I felt that I needed to sit down so I walked to the sofa, but in the middle of it I fainted and was lying on the floor till my mum found me and woke me up. Apparently my sister woke up from the sound.

My mum brought me to the kitchen so she could “sponge” my face with cold water, and I fainted there again, lying on the cupboards. I remembered seeing yellow in front of me and I was afraid that my temperature was too high. Then my mum brought me to the dining table and I sat on it. I actually fainted and I honestly didn’t know I had even sat on the chair. I only remembered my mum asking why I fainted on the floor when I was sitting on the chair. My mum was really worried and cancelled her English class because she had to take care of me. Thanks mum, happy mother’s day.

I’m now feeling better, although the thermometer says I’m varying from 37.7 to 38.8 degrees Celsius from time to time. I honestly felt better than yesterday though, but the temperature doesn’t seem to be dropping. I can only hope I’ll get better by tomorrow, but I don’t think I should be going out too since I’m so weak at the moment.

It seems that the bad weather had made many people sick during this period. Do remember to drink lots of water and get enough sleep. And eat meals at the right time too!