Month: January 2019

17Jan

Expat Life: Where to Live in Hong Kong in 2019

The peak of every Hong Kong experience lies in the belly of the beast: in the city itself. But when the day ends, it is best to know the perfect place to settle in.

Hong Kong never falls short of choices when it comes to areas of living. There will be a lot of deciding factors that may either make or break you when it’s time to choose. Budget always comes first, and then the level of comfort that crosses with the number of residents that will stay with you.

Kowloon Tong & West Kowloon

Photo from squarefoot.com.hk

The best place when it comes to families would probably be Kowloon Tong and West Kowloon. They are excellent for expats thanks for the accessible transports that lead to the city’s center. It is also home to different international schools, which would be great if children will be living there too.

Mid Levels

Photo from Engel & Völkers

This is the best choice for someone who highlights leisure as the main component of their stay as expats. The Mid Levels offers excellent routes and access to Soho and Lan Kwai Fong, which are basically areas filled with engagement and nightlife. Like Kowloon Tong, there are also schools nearby.

North Point

Photo from EJ Insights

North Point, by far, is the best choice for expats looking for an expanding community. This is a hidden gem, as most people prefer other areas that are closer to spots of leisure and nightlife. Immersive with Hong Kong spirit, there are a good number of traditional markets and restaurants.

The Peak

Photo from tripleytravelandtours.com

Its name holds what it offers best. The Peak is a scenic place to live in and that’s a given fact. Known to many as an affluent area in Hong Kong, it is impossible to miss as a good choice to live in for expats. The high area is home to various amenities for its residents such as swimming pools and tennis courts. It’s almost as if you never left your house in the West.

Repulse Bay & Stanley

Photo from Saville HK

The lack of easy access to an MTR line is perhaps the only foreseeable setback from living in this area. Other than that, everything else is a win. Between the two areas, Stanley is a more affordable choice. Nonetheless, both areas offer excellent facilities including a number of banks, shops, and restaurants. It is the choice for those who dream of living closer to the beach. Who knows, this might be the best choice for you.

Happy Valley/Jardine’s Lookout

Photo from Savills HK

These two areas provide the best range for people who are still looking for the best place to live as it offers a vast type of accommodation. The choice is at your fingertips: Be it a simple apartment to luxurious townhouses. Happy Valley is also a growing community as a lot of expats have chosen to live there as well. Jardine’s Lookout offers a magnificent view as it is higher up the mountain. It offers a sense of exclusivity with its various facilities.

Wan Chai

Photo from Discover Hong Kong

Last on the list brings this article to a full circle. If you want to live in the heart of Hong Kong, then Wan Chai may just be the place for you. This area is located in the central part of Hong Kong and is jam-packed with amenities that are maxed out for your purpose. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and hotels and every other form of entertainment that’s meant for you.

For help on property insurance or renter’s insurance, get in touch with Village Insurance Direct today. We help expats find the best covers for your needs.

 

14Jan

2019 Global Insurance Trends: What to Expect

The advent of modern times has brought about new workarounds to various issues at hand. However, it comes as a double-edged sword in the case of insurance or business, which are also hounded by new issues of the last decade.

Organizations work like clockwork and will stop at nothing to catch up and still make waves in the modern world. And as modernization goes, there is a need to understand the trends to follow this year to properly take on these newly-presented challenges.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrency explained

The previous year has explored (and exploited) the notoriety behind these two words.

Blockchain often described as a “distributed ledger”, is by literal means, a chain of digitalized information. The blockchain is the main gear that makes “bitcoin” tick. Bitcoin is the very heart of cryptocurrency and is by far, a more familiar term with the masses.

Some corporations are eyeing blockchain as the next form of technology of use. However, some have yet to jump to the bandwagon as it is still slow in traction because of the lack of familiarity and the cost of upgrading systems.

The future: AI and Driverless cars

What was once a mainstay of sci-fi fiction is nowhere. Even if the thought scares you, there’s nothing else to do but to take advantage of what’s already in store.

Automobile accidents and other road-related problems are complicated even after the incident. Insurance companies and manufacturers scratch heads when it comes to the legality of things. However, with the arrival of driverless cars, and the absence of human control that comes with it, there will be a shift when it comes to drafting insurance policies.

Artificial Intelligence has also reached new heights this year. A concept already baked since before the dawn of the 21st century, it has opened new avenues in the industry, such as from customer service and communications to advanced “chatbots” that are all over the web for different purposes.

“New is always better”

Old business may have a few tricks up its sleeve, but technology and the internet will always have their own edge. As for the case of commoditization, for example, there are some net pages called “aggregator sites” which provide the consumer comfort and ease when it comes to comparing prices. The advantage isn’t always with the one who offers the best products: but with the one that provides the best user experience.

As far as globalization trends go, for example, corporate giant Amazon has been involved in rumors regarding discussions with certain insurance executives in the United Kingdom. This move, for example, can cause a big shift as the entry of a big corporate entity when it comes to business may cause changes even in this specific field of insurance.

The gig of the “Gig Economy”

Everything these days comes through an “on demand” service. Airbnb and Uber are just the starts of the many items on this list. The heart of these services rests on the idea of a “gig economy.” It isn’t just them either: Even P2P or Peer-to-Peer based activity of several online based platforms are making waves. The best strategy is to be aware of how services like these can change insurance policies and separate what functions as commercial to personnel policies, and/or to add them as “add-ons.”

For inquiries on insurance for expats living in Hong Kong, get in touch with us today.