Jonathan Chua

When it comes to sustainable living, most of us know the basics: recycling, composting and reusing shopping bags. But sustainability is about so much more. Today, challenges like climate change, social inequality and financial insecurity are putting the well-being of communities at risk. To solve these problems, we can all contribute. Here are some simple sustainable living ideas you can work into your lifestyle. It’s easier than you might think and could save you money. And, you may even be eligible for insurance discounts. You can make a difference, while saving for your future, by investing in companies that offer environmentally friendly products and have sustainable business practices. Ask your Financial Advisor about our Socially Responsible Portfolio Funds, as well as other sustainable options. source

Filing an insurance claim can be unpleasant. Nobody buys insurance hoping to make a claim. Rather, the idea is to take a sensible precaution. Sometimes, insurance claims get denied. That's probably a favourite factoid of people who "don't believe" in insurance. But the conclusion here is not that you should shun insurers altogether. Nor would it make sense to buy blindly into every form of coverage you're tempted by. source>>

Insurance is a way of managing risks. When you buy insurance, you transfer the cost of a potential loss to the insurance company in exchange for a fee, known as the premium. Insurance companies invest the funds securely, so it can grow, and pay out when there’s a claim. Insurance helps you: Own a home, because mortgage lenders need to know your home is protected. It covers you for repairs and replacement of any damage that’s covered in your policy. It provides protection against theft, damage from perils like fire and water, and financial responsibility that could result from a visitor or guest being accidentally injured on your property. Drive vehicles, because few people could afford the repairs, health care costs and legal expenses associated with collisions and injuries without coverage. Auto insurance is also a legal requirement. Maintain your current standard of living if you become disabled or have a critical illness. It covers your day-to-day costs and larger expenses li...

Limited resources, unlimited needs All of us have plenty of financial needs. Insurance for protection, investments for our retirement & kid’s education, paying our mortgages, car loans and so on. But our resources are limited. If you are a male aged 35 and need to provide your family with a monthly income of $3,000 for 20 years in the event of your unfortunate demise, you will need about 600,000 cover. If you intend to retire at age 55, Table 1 shows the comparison for the various types of plans. The truth is, how many can afford paying more than $6,000 or $10,000 per year, just to cover his individual death needs? In the above example, we haven’t even considered his medical, his spouse, and his children insurance needs yet. We can discuss all the merits of whole life with cash values and so on, but if we cannot even fully cover our needs,  what’s the point? TABLE 1: Types of insurance plans *This is a packaged plan by one of the insurers. About temporary and perman...

When you think about life insurance policies do you think about the peace of mind you get knowing that you’d be protected for life? Or, do you recall that one time when a friend-turned-financial-advisor sold you an expensive plan called an investment-linked policy? Investment linked policies (ILP) are one of the most complex forms of insurance. Let’s see if you should buy one. source