A Millennial’s Guide to General Insurance

A Millennial’s Guide to General Insurance

Posted by Ria Hazel on 6:14 PM in assets, finance, financial, insurance, Mercantile, Mercantile Insurance, protection,

If you are a millennial, then surely, you know what #Adulting means. You have reached an age where you’re paying your own bills, searching for the best career option, buying or renting a house to live in, and planning for your very first car purchase. And while ‘Adulting’ also means ‘taking responsibility’, these major milestones make it really important for you to have a secure financial net. That’s exactly what insurance is: a financial security net.

Continue Reading

Life Partners: Your Everyday Inspiration

Life Partners: Your Everyday Inspiration

Posted by Ria Hazel on 4:45 PM in Charo Santos Concio, Enching Dee, Financial Advisor, financial planning, Inigo Pascual, insurance, kaakbay, Matteo Guidicelli, Piolo Pascual, Sun Life, Sun Life Financial,

It's a surprise for a lot of people on how Jeff and I got back together after a long hiatus. But for my new friends, my boyfriend and I met nine years ago and has been my life partner for that a long time. We have been through many ups and downs, deaths in the family, new jobs and even health issues. With all these, I can say that he is my life partner. He inspires me to do better when I feel unsure of my strengths, and supported me in whatever I would like to do in life. 

Continue Reading

CBLIC celebrates 54 years of service

CBLIC celebrates 54 years of service

Posted by Ria Hazel on 9:50 AM in 54 years, Affordable insurance, Country Bankers, Country Bankers Insurance, insurance, life plan,

More than five decades of service has never dampened Country Bankers’ commitment to providing simple and affordable insurance for Filipino families.

Continue Reading

Country Bankers launches 4Ps insurance

Country Bankers launches 4Ps insurance

Posted by Ria Hazel on 9:00 AM in assistance, Country Bankers, family, family package, insurance, Insurance plan,

Country Bankers Life Insurance Corporation (CBLIC) launches its new insurance product consistent with its mission to serve the needs of rural banks and microfinance borrowers in the countryside.

Continue Reading

Country Bankers Provide Simple and Affordable Insurance for Filipinos

Country Bankers Provide Simple and Affordable Insurance for Filipinos

Posted by Ria Hazel on 2:25 AM in Affordable insurance, Country Bankers, insurance, Insurance Group, Life Products, Non-life Products, protection,

My former boss told me to always prepare for the future. That is how she explains how insurance works - that if something happens to me, or my family, they will always be secured and they have something to lean on. Fortunately here in the Philippines, you have so many choices in which insurance company you can rely on. And based on stability, Country Bankers have already established more than five decades in providing simple and affordable insurance that Filipino families really need.

“There have always been challenges that need to be overcome but we remain solid and committed to serving the needs of the common Filipino. Through the years we have proven to be reliable insurers by reaching out to our target market and giving them the insurance that answer their needs,” says Atty. Romeo G. Velasquez, president of Country Bankers Insurance Group (CBIG).

LEGACY OF EMPOWERMENT

Upon Country Bankers Life Insurance Corporation’s (CBLIC) establishment on March 28, 1965, founding president Jose E. Desiderio, Sr., started to address the insurance needs in rural areas, catering to small and medium business entrepreneurs, farmers, fishermen, and public school teachers - a market that had been untapped in the ‘60s.

Country Bankers found its niche as the choice insurance provider in the countryside and allowed rural folks to avail of an affordable, reliable insurance plan that had previously been unavailable to them.

This legacy of accessible insurance to low-income Filipinos has been passed on to the Desiderio family’s third-generation members who are now running the company. At its helm is Geraldine Desiderio-Garcia, senior vice president and general manager of CBIG.

SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD SERVICE

CBIG has two subsidiaries: Country Bankers Life Insurance Corporation (CBLIC), a life insurance provider, and Country Bankers Insurance Corporation (CBIC), for non-life insurance products. Both have stayed on track in giving Filipinos straightforward and non-intimidating insurance options.

“We have made insurance very simple. While we offer basic insurance products, we try to be as relevant as possible to the market we serve,” says Garcia.

For example, CBIG’s micro-insurance products help educate Filipinos on the benefits of insurance by promoting its value to a broader market. A larger consciousness on the advantages of insurance is instrumental in protecting disadvantaged Filipinos, who face heavier burdens during times of catastrophe and financial distress.

“Insurance helps families cope with life’s challenges by ensuring dreams are fulfilled,” says Garcia, who attributes Country Bankers’ success to the Filipinos’ love for their families and the value they put in education.

For several years now, CBIG continues to develop a wide array of insurance plans that are not only practical and relevant, but also provide the necessary support for plan holders in times of need.

Among these is the Classic Benefit Plan that offers insurance protection up to age 96 and is payable in a three-, five-, seven-, or ten-year period. Alalay sa Buhay (ASB), on the other hand, provides renewable one-year insurance to individuals 13-70 years old for only Php 365, with natural and accidental death benefits. ASB is also available for families and seniors, with ASB family being renewable up to age 70 for principal insured and covers up to 3 to 5 family members for only Php 750 for one unit. ASB for Seniors covers individuals ages 71-80 and offers insurance for one year for only Php 1,000 for one unit.

AN ALLY TO FILIPINOS

CBIG ceaselessly works on ways to innovate its products, to better serve the market it now has, and further expand its reach.

“I want our company to be known as a “company with a heart” and a company that can be relied upon to deliver its commitment. We will continue to deliver what we promise to give,” concludes Garcia.

As CBLIC continues to evolve as a company, it remains true to its core values - sincere, dependable service to farmers, fishermen, small and medium business owners, employees, and teachers, mostly from rural areas. CBIG remains an able ally to Filipinos seeking security for themselves and their families, though its life and nonlife products.

For inquiries please visit us at Country Bankers Centre, 648 T.M. Kalaw, Manila or call them at tel. nos. 523-8611 for life insurance and 524-0621 for nonlife insurance.

Continue Reading

Philamlife Introduces Health Invest

Philamlife Introduces Health Invest

Posted by Ria Hazel on 11:01 PM in coverage, health, Health Invest, insurance, investment, Life Insurance, Philamlife,

Philam Life, the country’s premier life insurer, launched Health Invest, a unit-linked health and life insurance plan which provides financial protection from health-related setbacks. In photo are (from left): Medical specialists Avenilo L. Aventura Jr. and Emily Tan Aventura, Philam Life SVP-head of marketing Jessica Abaya, and Philam Life AVP-head of product marketing for Protection and Health Rozanne Magararu. 

For someone who worked for an HMO in the Philippines, I have known that some conditions are not covered in one’s medical plan. You’d know this because we always received complaints that their availment was denied or something like that. Last February 26, Philamlife unveiled its latest addition to its portfolio of unit-linked products – the Health Invest.

Health Invest is a unit-linked health and life insurance plan which provides financial protection from health-related setbacks. It provides life insurance coverage, plus it lets you build a fund for your future health care needs. Ms. Rozanne Magararu, Protection and Health Product Marketing Head at Philam Life, noted that Health Invest “prepares Filipinos for the unexpected realities of getting sick and the inevitable realities of growing old.” 

Did you know that 11 Filipinos are diagnosed with cancer every hour and the cost of treatment is at least Php700,000? If you’re a young professional or a simple employee, how would you address that big of a money for treatment? 

“Health Invest is ideal for mature couples with young dependents or breadwinners who fully understand the value of planning ahead for critical illness, accidents or loss of life,” she said. “It can work as a supplement to health maintenance organization (HMO) cards and Philhealth coverage through its more comprehensive benefits.”

I think that Health Invest is an ingenious product because it fused both insurance and investment benefits in one plan. Plus, it helps us have that saved up money in case of a health condition. 

The Health Invest fund will be expertly managed by Philam Life’s affiliate company Philam Asset Management, Inc. It accumulates over time depending upon the performance of the chosen investment fund. The fund may be used to pay for medical and health needs incurred beyond the policyholder’s working years or in excess of HMO coverage. Policyholders also have the option of topping up premium payments to boost the growth of the fund.

In sickness and in health

According to Magararu, many Filipinos may be misled by the notion that getting health insurance is “redundant” because of existing HMO and Philhealth coverage. “Such coverage is normally tied to our years as employees. What happens to the expenses that are not covered? What happens after we retire? In real life, medical expenses from getting sick and growing old are often funded out of one’s pocket. On the other hand, Health Invest begins where your HMO coverage ends,” she added.

Health Invest works this way: you can get a lump sum cash benefit upon diagnosis of a critical illness or in the event of an accident, you can get hep in financing your recovery and pay for your medical bills. That way, you'll be ready and you'd stop worrying about the future. The good thing about this plan is the sum will not be deducted from the health fund or the life insurance coverage, and payment for future premiums will be waived until the plan reaches fruition. Aside from that, you can choose from their flexible terms - may it be three, five, seven or ten years, depending on your/policyholder's age and chosen coverage.

Investment and protection

“Health is an oft-overlooked issue for Filipinos, and yet it’s a pressing concern that affects everyone. Health issues are real life problems that are best dealt with early on,” Jessica Abaya, Philam Life Head of Marketing, said. 

In the recent Healthy Living Index (HLI) survey, results revealed that, while 98 percent of Filipinos acknowledge that healthy living is important, Filipinos are not as proactive as they should be when it comes to exercising, getting enough sleep, and eating healthier. 

HLI aims to “understand how people feel about their health, concerns, and hopes for a healthier way of life.” It was conducted by AIA, the largest independently-publicly listed pan-Asian life insurance group of which Philam Life is part of, in 15 AIA markets in Asia including the Philippines. 

Abaya added, “Health Invest is a response to the unique health needs of Filipinos. With this, we hope to empower more Filipinos to prepare themselves and their families in the midst of life’s health realities.”

How about you? Are you prepared for the future? For more information on Health Invest, you may log on to www.philamlife.com.

Continue Reading

RCBC Savings Bank Teaches Kids to Save Early

RCBC Savings Bank Teaches Kids to Save Early

Posted by Ria Hazel on 12:08 PM in freebies, insurance, invest, kiddie account, Kids, parenthood, RCBC Savings Bank, responsible, RSB, smarter, WISE Account,

Its back-to-school season once again. After tuition fees and school supplies were paid, there's only one thing to do now... SAVE up for the rainy day.

Today, RCBC Savings Bank (RSB) do not only teach you how to save money, but your kids as well. For just a minimum opening of Php500, you can already open a W.I.S.E. Kiddie Savings Account. A term derived from Wise Investors Save Early, the RSB W.I.S.E. Kiddie Savings Account is a standalone account for children 7 to 14 years old, but can also be held in trust under your own RSB savings account for much younger kids 0-6 years of age.

Maintaining the kiddie account requires only Php1,000, while to make it earn 0.5 percent interest, the balance must reach Php5,000. Their account comes with their own passbook while you can opt to have an ATM card or not.

W.I.S.E. Kiddie Savings Account also comes with perks and privileges from Partner Merchants nationwide where they can get discounts and freebies at selected establishments. For an initial deposit of Php1,000, a free personal accident insurance coverage worth P20,000 that is valid for one year and renewable annually, covers Accidental Death, Disablement and/or Dismemberment that may befall the account holder and his or her parent/ guardian. This feature can further enhance your child's mind the idea of being well prepared to face the future.

Share the value of investing to your kids. Opening an RSB W.I.S.E. Kiddie Savings Account is one way you could prepare them to be responsible and open their sense of financial mindset.

RCBC Savings Bank is the thrift banking subsidiary of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC), the country's fourth largest commercial bank. To know more about the RSB W.I.S.E. Kiddie Savings Account, you may call tel. no. 782-5676 or visit http://www.rcbcsavings.com/.

Continue Reading