5 Reasons Liberty’s Private Car Insurance is Exactly What Malaysian Drivers Need
- By CompareHero.my
- September 23, 2021
Did you know that in 2020 alone, 4,634 deaths in Malaysia were caused by road accidents? This was 24% lower than the numbers in 2019, but despite this reduction in deaths, cases of injuries on the road had increased by 14.6%.
What’s even scarier is that sometimes, even if you do your best to be a good driver, there will be others who are reckless on the road, putting you in danger. Take for example, the recent case of the lorry driver who rammed into a bunch of cars on Jalan Ipoh in KL, causing most of the cars involved to be badly damaged.
Because things can be so uncertain, it’s important that you have something to fall back on in case something happens to you or your car while you’re driving. Enter Liberty Insurance’s EZY Plus Comprehensive Policy for Private Cars. Here’s why we think it’s an insurance policy all Malaysian drivers should have.
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1. You get coverage for your car AND yourself
Let’s be honest: not all drivers inspect their cars as often as they should. In the long run, this can be dangerous for you (and others on the road) so ideally, you should perform routine checks. But assuming that you did all that was necessary and something untoward still happens still beyond your control, you’d want to be sufficiently protected.
With Liberty’s EZY Plus Bundle, you get insurance coverage not just for your car but also yourself and your loved ones. We’ll go more in depth below on what Liberty will cover for you, but to name a few, you’ll get 24-hour towing services, medical expenses and ambulance fees and bereavement benefit (if death occurs).
It can be a hassle having to get a separate insurance policy for yourself and another one for your car. EZY Plus is essentially a two-in-one policy, so you can get all the necessary coverage you need as a driver in one place.
2. It takes care of the small things
If you got into an accident (but you were fine), the first thing you’d do would be to immediately run out and inspect the exterior of your car for any damage. But how often would you think of the smaller, more minor stuff like your side mirror or the interior of the car?
After an accident, it’s important to get each part of your car checked for your own safety. Plus you might just discover some damage done to these parts as well. The good news is that EZY Plus also covers the minor (but important) stuff like damaged child’s seats and side mirrors. Safety also matters in the more minute things like this, so you can now easily replace them if they ever get damaged.
Besides that, if someone were to ever steal your car key, EZY Plus will cover one key replacement for you up to RM500. You won’t have to sweat the small stuff now because like we said earlier, you can get insured for all things vehicle-related in one place.
3. You get a LOT more benefits
Again, this is not your typical car insurance because it covers the things that you may not even really think of. Under Liberty’s EZY Plus bundles (which we’ll get into detail below), you get a lot of extra coverage for various things such as:
- warranty for workmanship repair
- waiver of Compulsory Excess for an Unnamed Driver. If you’re not sure what Compulsory Excess is, it’s the sum that the insured may have to bear if someone else drives the vehicle during the accident
- allowance for a miscarriage due to an accident
- flood inconvenience allowance
- reimbursement for physiotherapy treatment
…and many more! You can check out the full list of benefits that are available here.
4. You have a whole lot of options
As users and consumers, we all love choices in pretty much any product we’re looking at. Under Liberty’s EZY Plus, there are 3 main bundles you can select from, based on which one suits your needs best.
The detailed plans can be found here, but in short, you have Liberty EZY Plus Bundles A, B and C, and the packages range from RM80-RM180, depending on whether you need it for private use or business use.
What’s even better is that aside from these bundles, there are also add-on benefits you can purchase to get a policy that is specifically tailored to your needs.
5. There’s an ongoing discount!
We LOVE discounts, and we’re sure you do, too! Liberty is currently offering up to 10% discount on their Basic Premium, so if you’re looking to sign up for a new insurance plan, you should totally go for it. This promo runs until 30th September 2021, so grab it while you can!
But wait, there’s more. If you sign up for Liberty’s EZY Plus on CompareHero.my from now up to 31st October 2021, you can get an e-voucher of your choice worth up to RM200 for Lazada, Shopee or Touch ‘n Go.
If you need more information on Liberty’s EZY Plus, check out their detailed brochure here, or you can also contact CompareHero.my (that’s us!) at 012-385 021.
Ready to sign up for Liberty’s EZY Plus and claim your e-voucher that’s worth up to RM200? Just click the link below!
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10 Ways To Prevent Credit Card Identity Theft in Malaysia
- By CompareHero.my
- September 22, 2021
What is credit card identity theft and how does it happen? This type of fraud can happen if you don’t keep your credit card safe and secure. It is important for you to know the best ways to prevent thieves from stealing your credit card information. Here are some credit card safety tips that you should know to avoid becoming the next victim of identity theft.
As we move to an increasingly digital world, more and more of us are beginning to use digital ways of paying. This includes using our credit cards for transactions, be it big or small. But here’s the thing – along with that comes the threat of data breaches, fraud, and identity theft.
In an article by New Straits Times, CyberSecurity Malaysia’s MyCERT Incident Statistics 2008 said that 446 identity theft cases were reported locally. This was a sharp 20% increase from the year before. And with the Movement Control Order in place, the police announced that there were losses of up to RM6.7 million between April 1 – 27, largely believed to come from the increased online purchases made while staying at home.
“As our lives have moved increasingly online, so too has identity theft. The vast amounts of personal data available online, which often is not protected to an adequate level to keep it secure from cybercriminals, is putting Malaysians at risk.” – Trend Micro’s managing director, Consumer, APAC, Tim Falinski to NST
Contents
- But first.. what is identity theft?
- How do you know if you’re a victim of credit card identity theft?
- 10 do’s and don’ts to avoid credit card identity theft
- 1. DO review each line of transaction in your credit card bill.
- 2. DON’T make a payment on open networks.
- 3. DO look over your shoulders before you pay.
- 4. DON’T give your credit card information to unverified people.
- 5. DO call your bank immediately whenever something happens.
- 6. DON’T send an email with your credit card number.
- 7. DO shred your documents.
- 8. DON’T post photos of your credit card online.
- 9. DO disable autofills.
- 10. DON’T keep your phone logged in to your banking app.
But first.. what is identity theft?
It’s exactly like what it says – having your identity stolen.
Identity theft happens when someone steals your identity by the means of your personal information, and uses it without your authorisation. In most cases, thieves steal credit card information, bank account information, identification numbers and the like to make purchases and commit various other frauds.
It’s also very common for them to take out a loan using your identity. No prizes for winning whether they’ll actually pay the loan back.
Read also: 7 Types Of Shocking COVID-19 Scams All Malaysians Need To Be Aware Of
How do you know if you’re a victim of credit card identity theft?
There are several tell-tale signs that come from identity theft. Among them:
1. There are unauthorised charges to your credit card
These charges don’t necessarily have to be expensive – thieves can use them to buy seemingly insignificant items too. They sometimes do this to test out the card to see if they have successfully stolen it.
2. When your application for credit gets rejected… even with good credit score
Thought your “good credit score” would help you get a loan or a new credit card from the bank? If your application keeps getting rejected, the thief could’ve been quietly messing up your credit score by using your identity to get new loans. Always check your credit score for any suspicious activities so you’re always on alert.
3. A new credit card or credit card bill appears in your mailbox
Banks will NOT deliver a new credit card to you without your prompting. They deliver on two basis: sending you a replacement card, or sending you a new card. Either way, if you get an unsolicited card or an unsolicited bill for a new credit card under your name, this is a clear warning sign that someone has been using your ID to sign up for it.
4. Someone calls you to pay up for an outstanding debt
This could happen if your credit card bill has not been paid for a few months (e.g. your credit card is typically ‘dormant’ and you don’t usually check its statement). If someone has been using this credit card, you will likely not notice it until you get called by a debt collecting agency to pay up. In fact, this could even happen if the thief uses your identity to secure a personal loan!
5. Your credit card bill is missing
It sounds creepy, but someone could be going through your mail to steal your credit card statements! Many banks nowadays opt to deliver electronic statements (sent to your email, or only downloadable online). If you haven’t done this yet, you may want to do so.
10 do’s and don’ts to avoid credit card identity theft
Credit card thieves will always try to outsmart their victims, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing that we can do to first protect ourselves.
1. DO review each line of transaction in your credit card bill.
When you get your bill, or even as and when you want to online, check your transactions that each one of them were done with your knowledge.
2. DON’T make a payment on open networks.
Public WiFi and unsecured websites (site URLs that start with http:// instead of https://) make it easy for other computers to intercept your information. By putting in sensitive information, like your credit card details, thieves would be able to easily steal these for their malicious plans.
3. DO look over your shoulders before you pay.
Whether using a pin or making a payment online, just do a quick look around you to ensure there are no prying eyes trying to remember your details.
4. DON’T give your credit card information to unverified people.
Yes, this means even your credit card number. A lot of people think that it’s important to hide the last three digits (CVV) of your credit card, but the truth is that every part of your card should be kept private to yourself. If you ever find someone calling you on behalf of an institution, asking you to verify your credit card number, be wary. You should be the one to initiate the call, and not the other way around.
5. DO call your bank immediately whenever something happens.
Whether you suspect funky business happening, or if you misplace your card, call your bank to alert them to check up on activities. You can also ask them to freeze your card until you find it back.
6. DON’T send an email with your credit card number.
As secure as emails can be, it’s so easy for people to hack into email accounts. Don’t increase the chances of someone catching your details – look for alternatives if the business you’re dealing with asks for your credit card number.
7. DO shred your documents.
Credit card bills that come in the mail should be destroyed in a way where thieves will not be able to make out your numbers. Thieves may dig through recycle and rubbish bins to search for information.
8. DON’T post photos of your credit card online.
There literally isn’t a single reason for you to do so. Posting a photo of your card online, even if you hide most of the numbers, is an open invitation for thieves. You’ll be surprised how quickly they can put the pieces together, as credit card numbers are created in a specific way. (E.g. all Visa card numbers start with ‘4’, the next five digits reveal the bank or issuer.)
9. DO disable autofills.
When shopping online, some sites may have an autofill feature so you don’t have to keep typing in your details. Avoid that – just key in your details when you want to buy, as such sensitive data stored can easily be stolen by hackers.
10. DON’T keep your phone logged in to your banking app.
Always log out once you’re done as your security can be compromised if your phone lands into the hands of a thief.
We hope you found this article useful! Thinking of signing up for a good credit card? We have many options for you! Check them out below:
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5 Minimalist Lifestyle Choices to Help You Live Better and Save More Money
- By CompareHero.my
- September 21, 2021
For the past few years, minimalism has become a popular practice because of the benefits it has.
A minimalist’s life means that you’ll strive to only have and use things that serve a purpose. Soon enough, you will realise how many things that are in your house don’t actually benefit you. Not only will this epiphany help you become more frugal with your spending in the future, but it will also help simplify your life.
Practising minimalism is an ongoing process and there isn’t an ‘end’. You’ll come to find quirky ways to improve and modify it just to fit your lifestyle better. Over the long term, you’ll see that it’s more of a choice to live a more focused life.
Taking the first steps to declutter your life is a big move, but you’ll need a plan if you want to have it for the long term. With that, here are 5 simple choices to consider, as you’ll be able to see the results very soon.
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1. Invest in quality
Minimalism doesn’t mean you need to deprive yourself of the simple things you enjoy, like going shopping. Rather, it’s an ask for you to be more intentional in your purchases. Whether you’re in need of a new pair of speakers or casual clothing, go for the ones that you’re sure will last a long time. Speaking of which, opt for plain t-shirts instead of fast fashion. Not only will it not go out of fashion, but it also looks amazing on anybody at all.
Related: 6 Ways To Stop Impulse Shopping
The same goes for just about anything in your home. The idea of investing in quality is to minimize the quantity so you don’t need 5 items to complete one task. Look for versatile pieces. Plus, you’ll also be doing the world a favour by reducing waste.
2. Reconsidering your living space
Of all other minimalistic living keys, this is potentially the one that can save you the most money.
If you’re already living in a small space, you can widen it by clearing off some old junk. But if you have more space than you need, consider moving to a smaller space.
Because the truth is, we often have more space than we need. It just looks small because we’ve decorated each corner with storage for our stuff. Not just that, a smaller home also saves you a lot of time searching for things you misplaced.
3. Go digital
Just about everything we want is accessible through the Internet. Although for some collector’s items, we might still want to have a physical version, digitizing our homes can help keep the dust away. These are things like books (which can be substituted with Kindle), notebooks (to note-taking apps), alarm clocks, and calendars.
Luckily for us, most of them can already be found on our phones.
This applies to most of us because this technology has only been with us for about a decade. But as our phones and computers get better and run more reliably, there will be even fewer physical items around our homes.
At that point, it’ll be about digital minimalism.
4. Save time on cleaning
To be brutally frank, carving out time to clean every single week can be tiresome. But it’s even more so when we have to lift up multiple items just to clean one table. Ergo, it will become a lot easier if we don’t have random items all across the surface of the table.
Here are a few to-dos:
- Go through every room and place the items you don’t use regularly into a box. Call it a declutter box. For any item that you did not touch after 30 days, donate them.
- Assign your drawers. For example, charging cables go into one drawer/shelf, remote controls go into one, stationary go into one.
- Do that until most of your surfaces are empty and can be wiped clean with just a few strokes.
5. Invest in experiences
The last part of minimalism often revolves around our experiences. Just because we’re cutting down on expenses for what we need, that doesn’t mean we’ll need to live an inferior life. It can often mean that instead of spending our money buying the latest iPhone, we choose to spend that money taking our family on a short trip.
Related: 6 Ways To Save On Your Entertainment Bill
It’s nothing against having the most sophisticated gadgets to play with, but it’s all going away at some point. Likely before you realise it and long after it has lost its value. But the memories you create? The stories you get to tell? And the smiles? You get to keep those forever.
There are also free apps you can use to monitor how much you spend which will help you enjoy a minimalist life. Check them out below:
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What Are Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) And How Do They Work?
- By CompareHero.my
- September 20, 2021
Unless you haven’t turned on your phone for the past month, you must have seen or heard about the splash NFTs have been creating. From enthusiasts’ tweets to news headlines of yet another NFT being sold for millions of dollars, it has been taking over the Internet. While some are convinced they are the new form of art as we (humans) transfix the ‘metaverse’, others question the longevity of this fad.
All speculation aside, we hope this article can give you an insight into the world of NFTs.
What is an NFT?
Simply put, an NFT is a collectable digital asset that holds its value as a form of cryptocurrency. It’s an art; digitally.
NFT stands for non-fungible token—a digital token that’s a type of cryptocurrency, similar to Bitcoin or Ethereum. The difference is that NFT is unique, and cannot be exchanged for another. It only makes sense because there are no pieces of art that are 100% similar to another; hence, the title of “non-fungible”.
On the more technical side, the NFT file contains extra information that brings its value above pure currency and into the realm of, well, anything. NFTs can be in a handful of formats; be it a piece of digital art, a poem, or even a music file. Picture this: they’re just like any other collector’s item, but instead of receiving an oil painting, you get a JPG file.
That’s all there is to NFTs.
How do NFTs work?
NFTs are individual tokens with extra information stored in them that are an extension of the Ethereum blockchain. This extra information is the crucial part of what makes it an NFT because it allows it to take the form of art, music, video, and so on, in the JPG, MP3, video, GIF, and other media formats. Even tweets. Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey sold his first-ever tweet for more than $2.9 million.
Because it holds value, that allows the NFTs to be auctioned or bid by other buyers, just like a physical auction. And just like in our physical world, there will be copycats and imitations, but they most likely will not hold the same value as the original.
Also, right-clicking your screen and saving the image of an NFT won’t make you a millionaire. You can’t gain this system because your downloaded file won’t have the information that makes it part of the Ethereum blockchain. So technically, even if you saved the image, your image is worthless.
Where can I buy NFT tokens?
A variety of platforms are already offering the purchases of NFTs. Although, some formats will be dedicated platforms. For example, if you’re thinking of buying baseball cards or Pokémon cards, you may have better options on a site like digitaltradingcards.
Here is a small list of sites that sell NFTs:
You’ll then need to create a wallet on that specific platform and fill it with cryptocurrencies.
Beeple’s Everydays – The first 5000 days at Christies. Image from Forbes
Another piece of information (you determine whether it’s good or bad) is that some pieces are beginning to hit mainstream auction houses, too. Like the sale of Beeple’s Everydays (image above) that sold for $69.3 million.
Because of the high demand for NFTs, they are often released in ‘drops’. This means during the ‘drop’, there will be a frenzied rush of eager buyers, so if you’re planning on a purchase, just make sure you’ve got your wallet topped up.
Can I make an NFT?
Technically, yes. Anyone and everyone can create an NFT and sell it. This process is called ‘minting’. On top of the initial sale, you can even attach a commission to the file, which allows you to take a certain percentage every time someone buys the piece – including resales.
The prerequisite of this is to make sure you have a wallet set up, and that is topped up with sufficient cryptocurrency. This is where it gets tricky because the fees to complete the transaction can be prohibitively astronomical. And that is on top of a fee for buying and selling. It’s always great to keep this in mind as occasionally, the fees you’re paying can even be more than the price of the NFT itself.
The future?
It’s hard to tell if NFTs will be just as hot in years to come as it is now due to it still being in its infancy stage. But it is a surprising use case of blockchain technology. Even Ethereum’s founder, Vitalik Buterin, admits it. And this only signifies that blockchain technology is getting more and more widely accepted and worked on by programmers.
And if you’re thinking of joining the bandwagon to start investing in cryptocurrencies, you can read the article below to know if you’re right on time:
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Meet EVA, CIMB’s Chatbot That Can Help You Find The Right Assistance For Your SME
- By CompareHero.my
- September 17, 2021
If you are a small and medium enterprise (SMEs) that is struggling to stay afloat, CIMB has introduced a new platform to guide you to the right financing facility to help your business during this pandemic.
CIMB is the First Commercial Bank in Malaysia that integrates a chatbot called EVA to support SME owners in COVID-19 relief schemes and other financing products available in Malaysia
EVA has been refined to ensure that you are guided towards the right financing facility which is catered for you and your business needs. You can ask EVA all the relevant questions regarding the financial assistance you need, and the answers you get will be narrowed down specifically, for you.
Why SMEs should make use of the EVA Chatbot
1. You won’t have to wait long for help
Tired of waiting forever for your questions to be answered? With EVA, you won’t have to worry about that anymore. Through EVA, you will have a better experience in getting answers about financing facilities and be guided on the next course of action without having to wait on the line or search through the website. Ask EVA any questions you may have regarding the help you need for your business, and you’ll get an immediate response.
If you are interested or have further queries, you can leave your contact and a relationship manager will be in touch with you within 2 working days.
2. EVA knows exactly kind of help you need
Good news, you can check your financing eligibility through EVA. The “Eligibility Check” feature is able to efficiently digitalise the long process of SMEs talking to a sales representative to understand which financial relief or financing is suitable for your current business situation.
EVA is here to help you stay safe and make an informed decision without having to visit a branch during these precarious times. Should you be interested, you can also apply for the financing of your choice directly online.
3. You can access EVA at all times
EVA is available to answer your questions 24/7, so you won’t have to worry about reaching out after business hours. This will provide first-hand support for SMEs and acts as an online directory, easing any queries projected to be handled instantly. You can also skip the hassle of having to go to the bank in person.
4. Where can you find EVA?
Here’s a short guide on where exactly to locate EVA and how to use it:
On the CIMB Business website, you’ll find EVA at the bottom right corner. Click on the icon, and you’ll see all the options for financing and financial assistance that are available. You can ask EVA any questions you like regarding the options you see.
We also made a fun video on how to navigate around EVA, and you can check it out here:
What kind of assistance can EVA point me to?
Now that you know how EVA works, we’ll tell you a bit about the kind of help EVA can direct you to. Under CIMB’s Financial Assistance Relief Programme for SMEs, there are several types of aid SME owners can apply for:
Payment Assistance Programme
- Open to all SMEs, including micro enterprises.
- Two options available: 6-month moratorium and reduction of monthly instalments by 50% for 6 months.
For more information on this, click here.
Targeted Relief and Recovery Facility (TRRF)
- Funding for SMEs (up to RM500,000) and micro enterprises RM75,000
- For sectors which are considered to be more vulnerable.
For more information on this, click here.
Besides all of the above, CIMB also has come up with other ways to help the daily operations of SMEs:
- BusinessHR – Go Digital Campaign, with BusinessHR, you can integrate a cloud-based HR management system that will free up your time so you can run your business with ease. Best of all, subscription fees start from as low as RM4 per employee!
- Through CIMB’s SME Partner Solutions, where you can get great discounts when you use the services of the partners listed. Some of them include EasyParcel, Easystore and Shopmatic.
We hope you enjoyed reading this and remember, you can always reach out to EVA if you have any questions regarding the above. EVA is available to help you 24/7, so ask away!
