Month: June 2019

22Jun

Yes! You need Travel Insurance

Sometimes, people forget the most important thing before a trip. Passports and paperwork are already a given. But before one plans the perfect outfit or maps out the perfect itinerary, it’s important to pay attention to a necessity that’s often taken for granted: Travel insurance.

There are varying types of travel insurance cover. There are two general types:

  • Vacation Cover – This type of plan provides the most coverage in a single package, including flight cancellations, medical emergencies, evacuations, loss of luggage or delays and more.

Over 94% of travel insurance sales are Vacation Cover.

  • Medical Travel Cover – Travel Medical Insurance plans provide cover that is not included in your regular health insurance. If cancellation is not a priority issue, this plan is ideal for you.

Your itinerary will determine what travel insurance you’ll need. Choose a plan that covers the essentials. If you foresee sudden changes in your travel plans, you’ll be thankful you’ve subscribed to a plan that saves you money and the stress of having to spend more on airline tickets or transfer flights.

Travel insurance is especially important when you plan to visit countries with highly contagious diseases. Your embassy will often advise you to take necessary precaution with the right vaccination but you can never be too careful even if you’ve had your shots.

Some Visa applications even require a confirmed travel insurance plan with a specified amount of coverage. Otherwise, it’s grounds for getting your Visa denied. European countries and some Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea require travel insurance especially if your itinerary involves extreme activities such as skiing, trekking, or diving.

Runway issues that cause massive flight delays are also a nightmare to deal scenarios but the right plan can relieve some of the stress during these unfortunate cases. Imagine having to spend thousands of dollars and you haven’t even arrived at your destination. You can avoid that if you’ve pre-empted the situation.

There are plenty of reasonably priced covers. All you have to do is ask. We help expats living in Hong Kong find the best travel cover for any trip.

Make sure you’re covered with the proper travel insurance. Need help? Contact us today.

20Jun

Tips for Staying Fit While Pregnant

Exercise during pregnancy is different for every expectant mother. The most important tip to remember is to get clearance from your doctor before engaging with any type of fitness plan.

Women who regularly exercise and have been physically active prior to conceiving will more or less have zero issues with working in a fitness routine in their day. Walking is considered a safe and simple way to get one’s heart rate up.

CALORIE INTAKE

Although you are eating for more than one person, doctors advise that it is important to keep track of your pre-pregnancy weight to determine your required calorie intake to maintain your body’s and baby’s need for proper nutrition.

If your body mass index (BMI) is in a healthy range (between 18.5 and 24.9), you’ll need to eat about 340 more calories a day in the second trimester than before you were pregnant and about 450 more calories a day in the third trimester

PROPER WARDROBE

Stay comfortable by choosing looser fitting clothes that breath and regulates body temperature. Pregnant women tend to have higher body temperature and may overheat during a workout. In addition, make sure your maternity bra is supportive enough, and choose athletic shoes that fit properly. With your feet a little swollen than normal, choose footwear that is 1 to 2 sizes bigger.

EXERCISE AND STRETCHING HELPS WITH BACK & HIP PAIN

Common problems during pregnancy are increased lower back pain, pelvic instability, urinary issues, or reduced functional strength of the abdominal wall. Exercising during pregnancy helps reduce muscle tension. Prenatal pilates and yoga are popular fitness routines women can safely do to help with the usual discomforts of the condition.

STAYING SAFE WITH PROPER MATERNITY INSURANCE 

Maternity insurance covers costs for pre-natal and post-natal treatments. It also covers cost for natural or caesarean delivery where the latter can get very expensive without private insurance. Maternity insurance with extension also helps with costs incurred for fertility treatments and congenital birth defects.

Village Insurance provides help for expats in Hong Kong in finding the best maternity insurance for all of your needs. Get in touch with our agents for more information.

 

15Jun

Expat Tips: Getting Around Hong Kong

Some things never change. Hong Kong, for instance, is still a metro titan. At its heart is a booming commercial identity that’s the product of a strategic location. It has aged like fine wine through the years and has been fine-tuned to operate for centuries. One cannot discount how its location and routes easily contributed to its transformation as a central hub of Asia. When people say you can travel anywhere from Hong Kong, they mean every word of it.

Here we break down how travel can easily be achieved from Hong Kong to Mainland China through various forms of transport.

Ferries

The ocean has always been the classical route to this city. Even to this day, Hong Kong isn’t short of ferries and boats that could take you just about anywhere. Mainland China is easily connected to Hong Kong through several ports. One can take advantage of ferries from different points such as Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, and even from Hong Kong International Airport.

Turbojet is a popular choice among travellers. It offers 24-hour-transport services that take about 45 minutes for the whole trip. Other options include the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal, Chu Kong Passenger Transport, and the Shun Tak Centre Hong Kong.

Turbojet has ferry services from Hong Kong and Macau that take about an hour from Kowloon. From the same terminal, Chu Kong Passenger Transport also provides transport between Hing Kong and several cities in the Guangdong province and other areas such as the Zhongshan, Humen, and Zhuhai. Passengers coming in through the Hong Kong International Airport on their way to the Pearl River Delta area have the option to make use of the SkyPier ferry services instead.

Air Travel

It’s easy to travel from the Hong Kong International Airport to any international destination. Almost all carriers that are docked there cater to almost all countries. It is also home to several budget airlines such as AirAsia and Hong Kong Airlines, which are good options for flights within Asia. Just be sure to ready for your passport and other documents such as visas and/or your Hong Kong ID card.

Trains

Another option for transport would be the use of trains. From Hong Kong, trains move to China straight through Shenzen and Guangzhou. There will be short stops along the way like in Dongguan. There are also trains available to other specific areas such as Beijing and Shanghai.

Buses/coaches

If trains or ferries aren’t for you, then taking the long road might be the answer. From Hong Kong, there are buses (or coaches) available that cross the border to Guangdong Province (and its cities).

To a lot of people, which makes Hong Kong special is its ability to self-sustain as a business hub. Most of the time, however, people often miss how it is made beautiful by its ability to connect nations even to this day. For example, these are only lists of how Hong Kong can easily link up with mainland China. The routes to all other destinations are plenty and thriving. This only goes to show that Hong Kong is easily one of Asia’s greatest hubs that are here to stay.

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For personal and business insurance in Hong Kong, get in touch with us. We help find the best policies for expats.

2Jun

Information on Scoliosis in Kids: Treatment Options in Hong Kong

WHAT IS SCOLIOSIS?

Scoliosis is a lateral (toward the side) curvature in the normally straight vertical line of the spine. When viewed from the side, the spine should show a mild roundness in the upper back and a degree of swayback (inward curvature) in the lower back. When a person with a normal spine is viewed from the front or back, the spine appears to be straight. When a person with scoliosis is viewed from the front or back, the spine appears to be curved.

CAUSES

The causes for 80 to 85% of all scoliosis cases are usually unknown. Boys and girls are equally affected by small curves, but girls are eight times more likely to develop progressive curves. According to recent research, about one in three children whose parents have scoliosis will develop scoliosis. Scoliosis is considered a partially genetic condition; however, exactly which genes cause scoliosis is inconclusive.

MYTHS

Parents should understand that the following factors are not associated with the condition:

  • Carrying school bags
  • Bad posture
  • Unequal leg length
  • Back injury
  • Playing musical instruments
  • Sports activities

TREATMENT

There are 4 big hospitals that specialize in both children and adult scoliosis treatment. Check your insurance provider if these are part of their partner institutions.

For moderate curves in growing children, brace treatment is recommended. Braces will not completely eliminate scoliosis. However, a well-fitted and diligently worn corrective brace can significantly slow or prevent curve progression.

For the very small number of children with severe curves, internal fixation is applied to the spine to correct the curve within the limits of safety. Nowadays, surgery for scoliosis has been made very safe by major advances in surgical techniques.

Get a family insurance policy that covers treatment and therapy for scoliosis. We help expats find the best health covers that include medical insurance for children. Get in touch with us today.