Insurance Firms Speed Up Claims Process

25 Jul 2014
KUALA LUMPUR: Members of the Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (LIAM) have agreed to speed up the claims process for compensation payouts to the next of kin of passengers and crew of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.
Its president, Vincent Kwo, said its members had agreed to waive the requirement of death certificates and speed up claims payment within a week after beneficiaries were confirmed.
“Even though some policies have exclusion clause, LIAM member companies are making special consideration to waive this clause under the extraordinary circumstances.”
He said some 95 insurance policies of around RM13.7 million had been taken up by Malaysian passengers and crew on board MH17.
Kwo said family members 
and next of kin of policyholders could contact LIAM or insurance companies directly if they wished to find out more about their loved ones’ insurance coverage.
The association expressed its heartfelt condolences to the family members and friends of those on board.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the 298 innocent lives in this time of grief and sorrow.”
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Malaysia Recorded an Average of 7,000 Road Accident Deaths Annually and 18 Daily

25 Jul 2014
GEORGE TOWN: Traffic law enforcement should not be a seasonal ritual to coincide with festivals, like the current Ops Selamat that coincides with next week’s Hari Raya celebrations.
“It should be strictly enforced throughout the year,” said Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) president SM Mohamed Idris at a press conference in his office here today.
“Lax traffic law enforcement is one of the reasons why Malaysia was ranked 20th globally, by World Health Organisation(WHO), for road deaths in 2011,” he said.
“Malaysia recorded an average of 7,000 road accident deaths annually and 18 daily.”
He added that according to the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), the numbers will increase to 29 deaths daily by 2020.
On average, Malaysia had about 24 deaths per 100,000 population and in 2012 Malaysia had an annual 2.98% increase in the number of road accidents.
“Road accidents costs the nation an average of RM9 billion annually due to losses of among others, human resources, legal processes and damages to the infrastructure,” said Idris.
In an attempt to cut the annual losses, CAP put forward a proposal covering pro-active steps to be taken by the transport authorities for traffic law enforcement.
“And most importantly, a requirement for road safety,” he said.
The CAP proposal included:
Revamping transportation habits to reduce private vehicles on the road and the risk of road users to road crashes by migrating them to public transport usage, especially buses.
A special investigation unit to be set up under the Prime Minister’s Department to curb corruption in transport system implementation and enforcement. The unit should cover traffic offences, vehicle road worthiness, overloading, driver testing, licensing irregularities and vehicle inspections.
Better technological systems should be developed to inhibit corruption.
Invest in resources to increase year round enforcement of traffic laws instead of concentrating on seasonal campaigns.
Implement the Automated Enforcement System (AES) after transparent consultation and feedback from the public. An independent panel should be set up to design the implementation.
AES will create a higher rate of perception of being caught and deter driving recklessness on the roads.
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The Importance of Health and Wellness

24 Jul 2014

Health is a dynamic process because it is always changing. We all have times of good health, times of sickness, and maybe even times of serious illness. As our lifestyles change, so does our level of health. 

Those of us who participate in regular physical activity do so partly to improve the current and future level of our health. We strive toward an optimal state of well-being. As our lifestyle improves, our health also improves and will experience less disease and sickness. 

The other components of health (Greenberg, 2004, p.7) that are just important as physical health include the following:

  • Social health: The ability to interact well with people and the environment and to have satisfying personal relationships. 
  • Mental health: The ability to learn and grow intellectual. Life experience as well as more formal structure for example school, university to enhance mental health.
  • Emotional health: The ability to control emotions so that you feel comfortable expressing them and can express them appropriately.
  • Spiritual health: a belief in some unifying force. It different from a person to person but has the concept of faith at its core.

Each day we work toward maximizing our level of health and wellness to live long, full and healthy lives. To pursuit of health, personal growth, improve quality of life relies on living in balance life. To achieve balance we need to care for our mind, body and spirit. 

Wellness is the search for enhanced quality of life, personal growth, and potential through positive lifestyle and attitudes. If we take responsibility for our own health and well-being, we can improve our health on a daily basis. 

If you are healthy, you can do everything and you look very active. Unless you are unhealthy you can not do any activities. If you feel healthy you are able to do any work without tired. Other wise you can't. 

There is a saying that "Health is Wealth". It means if you are healthy you can do you work brilliantly, and you can get good results. That may makes you wealthy also. That's why everyone like to be healthy.

Article sources:
http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/the-importance-of-health-fitness-and-wellness
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What Is Travel Insurance?

21 Jul 2014

Travel insurance is a type of insurance policy that covers you and/or your family against injuries, disability, death and damages or inconveniences you may suffer as a result of travel-related incidents.

Typically, a travel insurance policy offers only a once-off coverage, meaning you pay for coverage for one specific trip with a fixed time frame, instead of for a series of trips over a certain period or a lifetime. However, there are also a small number of policies that provide annual coverage.

However, some insurance companies may offer various combinations of protection to cater to the specific needs of customers, including long-term annual policies for a frequent traveller.

How Does Travel Insurance Work?

With a travel insurance policy, you pay a premium to the insurance company to be covered for specific scale of benefits and scope of coverage for a fixed period of time. In the event of loss/damage resulting from your travels, the insurance company compensates you and/or your family based on the scale of benefits and scope of coverage as stated in your plan.
A travel insurance can be purchased for you and/or your family to insure against travel-related accidents, losses or interruptions, such as:

  • Personal accident                                 
  • Medical-related expenses   
  • Loss of travel or accommodation expenses due to cancellation or curtailment of the journey
  • Losing your baggage, belongings and money
  • Losing your passport
  • Personal liability
  • Delayed baggage
  • Travel delays
  • Hijacking
  • Repatriation

In fact, everyone must have desired of ideal vacation with family and loved ones. Nevertheless, nobody able to predict worst thing could happen during vacation. Instead of precautions measures, you also can purchase travel insurance for family and yourself as additional protection.

Journey abroad needed more expenses and higher costs compared to domestic vacation. Therefore, travel insurance is one of the wisdom actions for self protection and help you when happened accident or sickness during abroad vacation.

That’s why we in easicircle concern safety of people who like to travel and spending vacation abroad. Therefore, easicircle will soon introduce travel insurance that purposed to protect you and your loved ones along vacation.



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Road Safety Department: Number of fatal accidents in Johor alarming

18 Jul 2014

JOHOR BARU: The number of fatal accidents in Johor is alarming, with 539 deaths recorded until June this year.
Road Safety Department (JKJR) Programme and Project Implementation Division director Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus said as at June this year, there were 31,975 road accidents in Johor, despite an increase in road safety campaigns.
"Almost 60% of fatal accidents involved motorcyclists and pillion riders who ignored traffic rules while on the road," he told reporters after a road safety advocacy programme in conjunction with Aidilfitri celebration, here Wednesday.
Mohd Rusdi said Batu Pahat district had the highest number of fatalities at 91, while Mersing had the lowest with 14.

"Johor Baru has the highest number of accidents with 7,155 cases while Mersing has the least number of accidents with 428 cases," he said.
Mohd Rusdi said there were 1,333 fatal accident cases in the state in 2013 compared with 1,073 cases in 2012.
He said JKJR was actively carrying out road safety campaigns to raise the level of awareness among road users to bring down accident deaths and cases in the state.
In the campaign today, JKJR gave away 500 bags of road safety guides and souvenirs to motorists at Jalan Tun Razak in view of the coming festive season.
The agencies involved in the road safety campaign this time included the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and police.
Also present was Johor state JKJR director Noormazura Mat Nawi.
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Takaful Concept in Personal Accident Takaful

17 Jul 2014

The personal accident takaful ensures that you are protected 24 hours a day, and anywhere in the world, subject to the terms and conditions of the plan. You contribute a sum of money to a general takaful fund in the form of participative contribution (tabarru’). Participants of the fund agree to help each other when they are involved in an accident resulting in death, disablement or injuries.

The basic cover of a PA takaful includes death and disablement arising from accidents. PA takaful coverage varies between takaful operators. You are advised to participate in a plan that suits your need.

Exclusion

Generally, personal accident takaful will usually not cover accidents caused by the following events:

  • War risks
  • Suicide and insanity
  • Self-inflicted injury
  • Influenced by liquor, drugs or narcotics
  • AIDS/HIV or any other venereal diseases
  • Provoked murder or assault
  • Childbirth, pregnancy or miscarriage
  • Involvement in unlawful activities
  • Hazardous sports

It is also quite common for PA takaful to exclude people in these ‘high-risk’ professions, such as:

  • Police/military and law enforcement officers
  • Divers
  • Pilots or crew members
  • Aircraft testers
  • Racing drivers
  • Seamen or sea fishermen
  • Professional sports persons

Some takaful operators might extend coverage to cover some of the above exclusions if you pay additional contributions. It is best to check with your takaful operator to learn more about the exclusions in your takaful and how you can extend your coverage.

Article source:
http://www.islamicfinanceinfo.com.my/

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Who Can Apply for Personal Accident Insurance?

16 Jul 2014

Most people are eligible to apply for PA Insurance. However, some details such may differ depending on the policy.

People who aren't eligible to be covered under PA Insurance are those with high career risk for example the police, military and law enforcement officers, divers, pilots or crew members, aircraft testers, racing drivers, fishermen.

People who fall under this category usually have their employer take a special form of PA insurance for them. The payment of compensation to the employees is at the discretion of the employer.

Insurance companies typically categorize occupations or professions into 3 main classes: 

Class 1 

Occupation Class 1 refers to professions and occupations or person generally engaged in office work and does not involve in handling hazardous material or work like accountants, administrators, architects, doctors, indoor sales staff, clerk and the like.

Class 2

Occupation Class 2 refers to professions and occupations involving indoor work with occasional manual work or involving some outdoor work like bakers, hairdressers, waiters, outdoor sales staff, electronic engineers, civil engineers an the like.

Class 3

Occupation Class 3 refers to professions and occupations or a person engaged either occasionally or generally in manual work, which involves in use of tools or machinery. Professions and occupations involving light manual work or the use of tools or light machinery (other than wood working machinery), like butchers (no slaughtering), fishmongers, motor mechanics, kitchen workers, hawkers and the like. 

Note: Those under Occupation Class 3 category are not eligible to purchase Life Star Series 100 from easicircle.

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Personal Accident Insurance: An Affordable Insurance Policy Plan

9 Jul 2014

Personal accident policy should be the suitable preliminary suggestion for whom that wanted to purchase insurance coverage for themselves or loved ones.

The insurance is not only affordable, but also suitable for young generation who just started career when they began to think about self protection with insurance. However, some people may not confident to own one because of unstable income and afraid of monthly commitment. Frill free because they can purchase personal accident insurance as a preliminary ideal choice because it is an affordable policy.

Why? Because personal accident insurance provide maximum protection, while the premium is very minimum and affordable. Only as low as RM 100 per year, you will have protection of RM 200 thousand-protection plan in the event of accident death and permanent disability due to accident.

Indeed accident unable to predict when, where and how it’s going to happen. Maybe you able to take safety precaution but it’s not sufficient to support you and your family expanses when you destined to experience serious injury that cause disability or fatal from accident.

Basically, road users included lorry driver or motorist is more exposed and higher risks in traffic accident, the evidence is horror crash and fatal accident that reported by mass media every day.

Do you ever think of how when yourself involved in above mentioned accident? Don’t you scare? Have you protect yourself with sufficient financial preparation to support all costs and impacts from accident?

Most people think that insurance is not a need, and they were more likely to spend money to buy stuffs that more to satisfy their desires. Why don’t you start to change that perception from now and make insurance as a necessary in life and long-term asset to secure future? So what are you waiting for? Start to own an affordable policy such as personal accident insurance as preliminary precaution to protect yourself.

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Why Consider Personal Accident Insurance?

8 Jul 2014
Most of Malaysians lack of awareness about the importance of insurance coverage. In fact there are still many who do not understand the importance and necessity of insurance for future. They average perception insurance is not so important and it will only burden or add their existing commitments.

So why need to add a monthly commitments while in the workplace employer already provide medical insurance coverage for each employee, so there is nothing to worry about. 

If the perception is given, then they seem not to consider the impact of an impending for the long time in the future. Unexpected circumstance can happen at any time even we are not ask for that, then we also are not able to predict when an emergency will occur such as accidents, illness or disability that ultimately will affect and burden their family members, children and themselves.

Therefore, every individual should make early preparations or back up plan to face an emergency times at times usually unpredictable. Are we aware or even realize every day we are faced with the risk of accidents while commuting to work?  

Most accidents can be attributed to human error and factors such as aggressive and negligent driver behavior, non-adherence to traffic rules as well as poor road conditions. 

According to Utusan Malaysia, a total of 20,225 case of accidents while to and from work were reported from January to September 2013. Even motorcyclists accounted for 85 percent of the total accidents reported involving workers aged 40 years and below. 

If the risk of accidents going to and from work every day is increase. Even bikers also is the largest source of the highest percentage rates involved in road accidents. The question is whether they are covered by personal accident insurance?

Yes, they are covered by the employer. But is it enough to cover the cost of living if someone is disabled due to an accident and at the same time they need to bear four children who are in school plus a monthly commitment. 

As we all know the cost of living getting higher and higher. Similarly, rising medical costs. The consequences of the loss of income would be a major burden in their daily lives.

But in situations such emergencies, the perception insurance are not important will directly change perception of the importance of basic insurance coverage like personal accident insurance or extra. At least, it can reduce suffering during the treatment due to an accident.  Rather than simply relying on employer insurance, personal savings, and invalidity pension from SOCSO.

Therefore, every individual should have the awareness to find other alternatives in planning financial protection plan for long term during emergency. That is to protect yourself and your love ones.

Why? Because we do not recognize when misfortune would befall. Many Malaysian still doubt to spend some amounts of money to protect themselves with a long-term protection plan. 

However this become more important if you are the only one earning member in your family. Your entire family’s future financial goals depend on your income stream and should that stop because of an accident you meet with. Should you take a risk? Indeed “Prevention is Better than Cure”.

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Personal Injury Cover

7 Jul 2014
How personal injury cover works?

Accidents can happen when you least expect them and a serious injury or accidental death could put you and your family in serious financial difficulty. Personal injury cover, or personal accident insurance as it is sometimes called, can provide you with financial help in such a situation.

How can I buy personal injury cover?

It is often included or can be added on to car, travel, sports, home and business policies, but they can also be bought by themselves by some online insurers. Should you become injured or die as a result of an accident, you or your family could receive a cash sum. 

Critical illness insurance, which can cover you if you become seriously ill or lose a limb, is different and can be bought separately.

Do you already have personal injury cover?

Insurance policies you hold already might provide you with some personal injury cover – and in some cases your spouse – for accidental death, loss of sight in one or both eyes, and loss of limb(s) as a result of an accident in the car registered with your provider.

It's common to find personal injury cover as part of home insurance and travel insurance policies, too. Personal injury cover when bought alone is often more comprehensive than when bought as part of another insurance plan. 

Depending on the injuries you suffer, some policies will pay out on multiple injuries (to a point), while compensation levels for a single injury with certain insurers can be as high as £250,000.

While cover that's tied to other insurance will restrict you to accidents that occur in specific circumstances, such as a car accident, standalone insurance will protect you for a wide range of incidents.

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Why Celebrities Insure Their Body Parts?

4 Jul 2014
We insure our homes, our cars and our lives but when it comes to Hollywood, some stars have much more at stake (legs, breasts and bums, for example.)

If you look at the purpose of insurance, it’s to rescue you financially in the event of disaster. It’s meant to save a person who would otherwise literally go under if they had that damage or that loss, she says. “For celebrities, it’s really unnecessary because they’re generally not being insured for amounts they couldn't cover.

As you might have guessed, insuring a specific body part isn't the kind of coverage that’s common or even financially feasible. It’s done by surplus lines insurers, which handle unusual risks not covered by standard insurance companies whom have to submit their rates to the state.

Lloyd’s of London, the most prominent provider in this category of insurance, has been offering body-part specific policies since the 1940s, when its underwriters were “innovative enough to respond to a need perceived by the U.S. entertainment industry,” says Jonathan Thomas, a health underwriter at Watkin’s Syndicate for Lloyd’s. Lloyd’s has insured everything from actress America Ferrera’s smile to musician Keith Richards’ fingers.

Thomas says premiums for this sort of insurance cannot be compared with any other sort of insurance.

“Obviously an exclusion buyback policy on a pitcher’s elbow is going to be hugely expensive precisely because most other insurers don’t have the experience or knowledge to cover it,” he says.


Daniel Craig

Craig insured his body for $9.5 million while filming Quantum of Solace since he did many of his own stunts. "He does a lot more than Pierce used to do," "Quantum" chief stunt coordinator Gary Powell told The Guardian, "and he's allowed to because he's capable of doing it. He thinks, 'You're paying to see me, and that's me doing it.' He wants the audience to know."

Julia Roberts

She's got the most recognizable smile in Hollywood, and insured for a cool $30 million, Roberts' mega-watt smile is surely the most expensive one, too.

Rihanna

The "Diamonds" singer was given a $1 million coverage for her legs by razor company Gillette.

David Beckham


The superstar soccer player reportedly had his legs insured for a whopping $70 million.

Bruce Springsteen


The Boss isn't taking any chances when it comes to his voice. In the 1980s, the iconic singer insured his voice for $5.7 million, and now his husky voice is worth six times more - $31.2 million. Sounds like a good investment idea for many singers!


America Ferrera





She may have worn braces on Ugly Betty, but America Ferrara had the last laugh when Aquafresh insured the actress' smile for a whopping $10 million at Lloyd's of London.

Jennifer Lopez


She's got the most expensive booty in the world! According to reports, Lopez insured her famous behind for $300 million, money well spent according to Lopez. "I was always very comfortable with who I was. Confident," Lopez told Marie Claire UK in 2010 about loving her body. "I've never looked at myself [my body] in a negative way."



Photo: Getty Images

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