Privacy Policy
Insurance is, unfortunately, necessary to have in today’s climate and can be notoriously complicated to select and acquire. The form of policy, the rates of premiums, and the levels of coverage vary from carrier to carrier, but one thing that is generally consistent throughout is privacy policies within companies’ websites. Often, if you’re interested in a specific company, they will have forms on their websites where you can enter information. It is important to know what they do with this information as well as what they collect the minute you click on their page.
Therefore, we’re going to explore what privacy policies are, what companies and insurance agents have on their websites, and what to look out for to ensure you are on a safe site with a secure company.
First, let’s go through a disclaimer every national agency and company should have readily available. Eligibility is a big one – some policies and products are not available in certain states, while others are. Companies should let you know about this. Resident state, medical underwriting restrictions, and age are all factors taken into consideration when it comes to insurance policies. Additionally, normally, insurance quotes are non-binding, as human error is always possible. Nothing can be truly guaranteed, and carriers’ prices always supersede what the agency claims on their webpage.
The Reason Why We Collect Visitor Information
Practically every company, regardless of field, will collect visitor information when you enter their website. None of this should be personal information, however, unless you voluntarily give it. Site usage statistics and user profiles are generally analyzed to spot trends, not the individual user’s use of the website. Any personal information can be used to provide accurate life insurance premiums or begin the application process once you have made a decision.
Insurance Application Request Form
For request forms, personal information does have to be submittedto gather accurate premium estimates. Especially for simplified issue and guaranteed issue life insurance plans, this information is required generally, along with additional information.
To apply for a policy, basic information such as mailing address, phone number, and email are required so an agent may contact you.
NOTE: Always be sure the agency or company states on their site that they will NOT sell or give away your personal information to any other carrier or business.
Web Browser Cookies
Now, time to talk cookies. No doubt you have seen pop-ups on websites detailing they use cookies and either are just letting you know or are asking you if you are okay with it. But few of us actually understand what cookies are and what they do. Cookies are pieces of data on someone’s computer that are tied to information relating to the person. On professional sites, cookies should not be linked to identifiable information. There are two forms of cookies some sites will use, particularly those in the insurance industry. Firstly, session IDcookies. This form of cookie end when the user closes the webpage. Then, there are persistent cookies, which are little text files stored in the person’s hard drive for a longer period of time. These can be deleted by following the help directions that should be located on your browser. They can also be disabled at any time following the same directions.
Log Files
There are also what are called ‘log files’ that websites use to log information about the user. This is also used to track trends such as the least and most visited pages on a website and collect demographic information. The date and time, the internet address of the computer or server, the operating system, screen resolution, and the visitor’s browser is all information is, therefore, generally collected.
As with everything, ensure the agency or company you are visiting ensures they do not collect personally identifiable information or financial information unless you voluntarily give it to them. In such a case, ensure they will not sell your information onwards.
Spam Policy
Let’s move on to spam policies. A credible insurance company or agency will not spam you with messages or emails, i.e., the information you do not want or ask for. There should be a policy somewhere on their website or an option, should you choose to enter information into the website, such as your email address, to opt-out of emails or messages you do not wish to receive. However, if you do enter your information, you will receive an email so you can further continue the process you have begun. You can always choose to unsubscribe, and if you continue getting messages, can call the company and have it stopped. If you are still receiving messages, report the email to your spam or junk folder so they can no longer immediately contact you.
Third Party Privacy Policies
When researching insurance carriers or agencies, it is always important to be mindful that you are entering safe sites and reliable companies. If you do not have an ad blocker or security installed on your computer or laptop, do so. This will notify you before entering sites that they are not protected or secure. Also, make sure to check that the webpage has a form of security policy and notifies you that cookies are being used to collect smallpieces of data to improve the site and will not sell your information. Additionally, you can always call the company if you are unsure and ask the questions that are concerning you. Contact information should be readily available, and should you choose the carrier, they should always notify you if their privacy policies change.
All of this may sound scary, but there is no need to worry – with the proper protective measures and knowledge of what information to look out for to make sure everything is okay, staying safe should be relatively easy! Now you know the requirements to look out for, what privacy policies should include, how companies use the information and how they can take it. There are always measure you can take to ensure your information is safe and people who are willing to help you.
Contact Us
Should you have any questions about us, our practices and procedures, this website, feel free to contact us at the address below:
Superior Mutual
14280 Military Trail -7103
Delray Beach, Fl 33482