I've known Shawn since our days in OCS. We've always clicked well as he has always been very personable and easy to talk to about anything.
Just for some context, I've always been wary of financial products and insurance agents / relationship managers, as I've always been concerned about there being an inherent conflict of interest between what's best for the client versus the general incentive structure of such products.
Furthermore, it appeared to me that having people you know too close to you handling such matters might present another kind of conflict of interest, which could potentially be detrimental to the relationship should things go awry.
Over the years, we would catch up every now and then as old friends, and simultaneously, increasingly I began relying on his knowledge of the insurance industry and its products. Most important of all, he was always very honest with me, and vice-versa. I could see he genuinely cared for my well-being.
During our catch-up this year (2023), I told Shawn that I wanted to leave all my healthcare policies for him to manage. He had earned my trust, I'd rather he handle it instead of someone else. At the same meeting, we had some discussions and he recommended that I get an accident plan, given the nature of my lifestyle and travel profile.
As fate would have it, later that same year I got into a bad accident and broke my fibula while I was overseas in Korea. Shawn was the first person I called. He laid out the plan for me, what I should do in Korea, and even recommended specialists he trusted when I got back to Singapore (it was quite bad I had to fly back to Singapore to be hospitalized and go for surgery immediately).
Due to the injury, I was also later diagnosed with DVT, which requires long-term medication for a few months. Thankfully, the plan covered everything, including post-op matters and rehabilitation.
I have to say, I was in a really low place when I got in this accident, but his confidence and ability to respond to me with a plan so expediently while I was overseas was really comforting.
Thanks again, Brother