Traditional health insurance is reactive.  You pay your premiums and if you have an accident or develop a condition that needs treatment you put in a claim.

However this doesn’t recognise the value of staying healthy by doing all the things that keep you out of hospital.

So Sovereign has decided to shake up the market.  Healthy by Sovereign includes proactive features to help you stay in good health.  It incentivises you to be smart with your lifestyle so you can minimise the risk of an avoidable and expensive condition, such as heart disease.

Of course the policy includes all the health insurance features you’d want including access to private hospitals and specialists.  No one wants to be stuck in a queue while their health suffers.  Sovereign’s new policy offers so much more.

If you like the sound of health cover that rewards your efforts to stay healthy I’d be more than happy to discuss it with you.

Some borrowers have been surprised and a little put out by the fact that their loan now takes longer to work its way through the approval system. Here’s why.

The Anti-Money Laundering Act was passed in 2013 to clamp down on dubious transactions in New Zealand. Borrowers now need to provide proof of their identity with a passport or utility bill. There are heavy penalties at stake so the bank will thoroughly scrutinise your paperwork.

When we work with you we will go through the paperwork and help you prepare a strong application. The tricky part comes when the borrowers are using a trust or some other structure that doesn’t receive mail at an address. Another issue arises when people receive utility bills via a P O Box or work address.
These won’t be acceptable to the bank as proof of identity.

Your loan approval may be stalled while you change the address on your utility bills or rejig your trust arrangements. That’s a severe nuisance if you need to buy at short notice.

Here is one solution. Make sure you have a current passport and are receive at least one utility bill in your name at your residential address.

Line up your loan in advance – don’t wait until you find a property.

If you need help to get the right loan at the right time, get in touch sooner rather than later.

Who’s the right mentor for you?

In the last Issue of Matters of Interest I talked about choosing a mentor to keep you on the path to your goals. But not all mentors are equal. And how do you find one who’s right for you?

I have been working with a mentor for over 10 years and have found the process a great way to turn vague desires into action plans. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way.

Step 1. Choose your mentor

Be the person who makes the approach. You may come across individuals with the title of Coach or Mentor, who knock on your door and pitch their services. They may be great people but this is not the way to go about finding a mentor.

You need to unearth someone whose message and actions resonate with you. Perhaps you’ll hear a speaker at a conference and find yourself transfixed by their story. Maybe you’ll read a book or watch a video series that introduces you to some new ideas. Be open to the opportunity and then reach out to the person.

Step 2. Think of mentoring as an investment

It will involve a commitment of time and energy over an extended period. It will involve spending some money. That’s exactly what you should expect from a process designed to unleash personal growth.

I found my mentors Terry Caboon and Dr Fred Grosse this way. Tragically my connection with Terry was cut short by his unexpected death but I have been working with Dr Fred for many years now. I first saw him deliver a presentation at a conference where he talked about designing a magnificent life for yourself. This was exactly what I was looking for so I introduced myself and started the journey.

Step 3. Live the dream

Here’s how the process works. Every fortnight Dr Fred and I have a Skype session where we check on progress towards goals, tease out obstacles and recommit to the plan. Having an independent outsider to keep you on track is a powerful motivator and one of the reasons that mentoring works.

On top of these fortnightly check-ins I fly to Sydney four times a year for a two day catch up. This is where we deal with the bigger issues that can get lost in the day to day. Working with Dr Fred this way has let me move decisively in the areas I wanted to develop.

For example Dr Fred and I focused on my goal of inspirational travel. He encouraged me to seek the opportunities and make them happen. Just months after getting on a bike for the first time, I left for a mountain biking tour of Inner Mongolia. I traveled on my own, overcame obstacles and had an incredible experience. Without Dr Fred’s input it might have stayed a hazy “do it someday” idea that never came to fruition.

Your goals will be different of course. The important thing is to start achieving them. I strongly recommend finding the right mentor to kick start the process.

Would you like to work with Sue as a mentor? Get in touch.