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Friday, April 20, 2007
More trains needed during off-peak hours
I took the SMRT train from Dhoby Ghaut to Yio Chu Kang at 10.45 pm. I had to wait a long time for the train to come. When it arrived, the station was packed with commuters.
The train was fully loaded all the way to Yio Chu Kang station. Most of the commuters crowded near the door of the train. It is difficult for other commuters to leave or enter the train.
This is late in the evening, during off-peak hours.
I hope that SMRT will operate more trains during off peak hours, so that the commuters do not have to wait a long time and stand in a crowded train for most of the journey. I hope that they can offer a more comfortable ride for commuters during the off-peak hours.
If you agree with my suggestion, go to this portal and vote on it.
The train was fully loaded all the way to Yio Chu Kang station. Most of the commuters crowded near the door of the train. It is difficult for other commuters to leave or enter the train.
This is late in the evening, during off-peak hours.
I hope that SMRT will operate more trains during off peak hours, so that the commuters do not have to wait a long time and stand in a crowded train for most of the journey. I hope that they can offer a more comfortable ride for commuters during the off-peak hours.
If you agree with my suggestion, go to this portal and vote on it.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Term insurance in USA - risk factors
Here are the risk factors used to price term insurance rates in the USA
* if you are overweight by 20%, you pay a 15% to 35% more in premium
* if you are a smoker, you pay 100% more in premium
* if you quit smoking for more than 5 years, you enjoy the non-smoker rate
* if you quit smoking for 1 year, you pay 15% to 50% more in premium
* if a family member had cancer or depression, you pay 30% to 50% more in premium
* if a family member had heart disease or stroke, you pay 100% more in premium
You enjoy the lowest premium if:
* you are within the standard weight
* you are a non-smoker or quit more than 5 yers ago
* a family member did not die from cancer, depression or heart disease
If you have the risk factors, your premium can go up by 100%. The actual increase differ from one company to another. You can get a lower loading, if you shop around.
* if you are overweight by 20%, you pay a 15% to 35% more in premium
* if you are a smoker, you pay 100% more in premium
* if you quit smoking for more than 5 years, you enjoy the non-smoker rate
* if you quit smoking for 1 year, you pay 15% to 50% more in premium
* if a family member had cancer or depression, you pay 30% to 50% more in premium
* if a family member had heart disease or stroke, you pay 100% more in premium
You enjoy the lowest premium if:
* you are within the standard weight
* you are a non-smoker or quit more than 5 yers ago
* a family member did not die from cancer, depression or heart disease
If you have the risk factors, your premium can go up by 100%. The actual increase differ from one company to another. You can get a lower loading, if you shop around.
Book early to enjoy lower hotel rates
I few weeks ago, I visited the website of a specific hotel in Philadephia and found the room rate to be USD 160. I was not able to confirm the booking at that time. I made the booking today. The rate for the same room increased to USD 240.
Lesson: book early to enjoy a lower rate.
Lesson: book early to enjoy a lower rate.
Term insurance rates in USA
I visited a portal to get the term insurance rates in New York state for the following:
male, non-smoker, no medical condition, standard weight
To qualify for the low rates shown above, you must be in very good health. If your health is not in the top group, you may have to pay a higher rate (say up to 50% or 100% more).
The top 5 insurers are those that offered the most competitive rates.
The premium rates charged in Singapore is about 30% to 50% higher, but they apply to a broader group of people in reasonably good health.
If you wish to get a quote for our own comparsion, you can search for a Google Ad on the right panel". If you cannot find this ad, you can use the Google search and ask for "term insurance.
male, non-smoker, no medical condition, standard weight
monthly premium for $100,000 for 20 year term
Entry New York state Singapore
age from top 5 insurers
30 $10.32 to $12.77 $13.40
35 $10.32 to $13.56 $18.90
To qualify for the low rates shown above, you must be in very good health. If your health is not in the top group, you may have to pay a higher rate (say up to 50% or 100% more).
The top 5 insurers are those that offered the most competitive rates.
The premium rates charged in Singapore is about 30% to 50% higher, but they apply to a broader group of people in reasonably good health.
If you wish to get a quote for our own comparsion, you can search for a Google Ad on the right panel". If you cannot find this ad, you can use the Google search and ask for "term insurance.
How to get low term insurance rates
Hi Mr Tan,
I clicked on a website on your right side of your blog, that advertise term insurance. They ask me to enter the Zip code. How do I provide it?
----------------------------------------------------
My reply:
The website must be from America. The insurance charge charge different rates for different states in the country. So, you need to have a Zip code to get the actual rates. I am not familiar with the Zip codes in USA.
Try to look for a website that allows you to enter the state. Maybe, you can choose New York or California.
Anyway, you are not able to buy term insurance from the USA. You can only find out what their rates are, to compare with the term insurance offered in Singapore.
Some of the websites (that appear in the right panel of my blog under Google Ads) offer rates in Singapore. It allows you to compare the rates and make the best choice.
I hope that more insurers in Singapore will offer their term insurance rates on-line. You can get the rates from NTUC Income under its i-term contract. And compare with the rates from USA.
I clicked on a website on your right side of your blog, that advertise term insurance. They ask me to enter the Zip code. How do I provide it?
----------------------------------------------------
My reply:
The website must be from America. The insurance charge charge different rates for different states in the country. So, you need to have a Zip code to get the actual rates. I am not familiar with the Zip codes in USA.
Try to look for a website that allows you to enter the state. Maybe, you can choose New York or California.
Anyway, you are not able to buy term insurance from the USA. You can only find out what their rates are, to compare with the term insurance offered in Singapore.
Some of the websites (that appear in the right panel of my blog under Google Ads) offer rates in Singapore. It allows you to compare the rates and make the best choice.
I hope that more insurers in Singapore will offer their term insurance rates on-line. You can get the rates from NTUC Income under its i-term contract. And compare with the rates from USA.
Common Sense Investing
John Bogle is the founder and former CEO of Vanguard Mutual Fund Group. It is among the largest fund managers in the world.
Here is the foreward to his book on Common Sense Investing:
Investing is all about common sense. Owning a diversified portfolio of stocks and holding it for the long term is a winner's game. Try to beat the stock market is theretically a zero-sum game (for every winner, there must be a loser) and after the substantial costs of investing all deducted, it becomes a loser's game.
Common sense tell us - and history confirms - that the simplest and most efficient investment strategy is to buy and hold all of the nation's publicly held businesses at very low cost. The classic index fund that owns this market portfolio is the only investment that guarantees you with your fair shre of stock market returns.
--------------------
In my words: invest in a large, well diversified, low cost fund.
Here is the foreward to his book on Common Sense Investing:
Investing is all about common sense. Owning a diversified portfolio of stocks and holding it for the long term is a winner's game. Try to beat the stock market is theretically a zero-sum game (for every winner, there must be a loser) and after the substantial costs of investing all deducted, it becomes a loser's game.
Common sense tell us - and history confirms - that the simplest and most efficient investment strategy is to buy and hold all of the nation's publicly held businesses at very low cost. The classic index fund that owns this market portfolio is the only investment that guarantees you with your fair shre of stock market returns.
--------------------
In my words: invest in a large, well diversified, low cost fund.
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