As of January 01 2004, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) will apply to anyone or any organization that collects uses or discloses personal information as part of a business activity. PIPEDA sets out ten principles organizations must follow when dealing with private information, such as accountability, consent, safeguards and disclosure.
THE TEN PRIVACY PRINCIPALS
Accountability for Collection,
Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
As a policy holder or customer of Group Benefits Unlimited including our sponsor company Dvern & Lehr Insurance & Financial Services Inc. you have the right to expect accountability for the personal information we collect and use.
We are responsible for maintaining and protection your personal information while it is under our control. This includes any personal information that may need to be disclosed to third parties for processing or other administrative functions.
We have established policies and procedures to ensure that we comply with the Personal Information Protections and Electronic Documents Act. We have designated a privacy officer who is responsible for our company?s compliance with these ten principles.
Identifying Our Purpose for the Collection,
Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
Before or when we collect information about you, we will explain how we intend to use it. eSynergy collects personal information only for the following purposes;
- to provide ongoing customer service to our policyholder
- to help us understand your needs better
- to develop, provide, market or enhance insurance products and services
- to enable our insurance underwriters to set fair premiums based on required information
- to provide us with information that is necessary to adjudicate claims in a fair and expeditious way
- to meet our legal and regulatory requirements under applicable statutes
Obtaining Your Consent for the Collection,
Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
We will make a reasonable effort to make sure that you understand and consent to how personal information will be used by our company.
We will obtain your consent if we need to use your information for any other purpose and before collecting information from third parties such as other insurers and service companies. In certain circumstances, however, personal information may need to be collected, used or disclosed without the knowledge and consent of the individual. For example, legal, medical, or security reasons may make it impossible or impractical to seek consent.
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Act recognizes that when information is being collected for the detection and prevention of fraud or for law enforcement, seeking consent of an individual may defeat the purpose of collecting the information.
If you renew your policy with our company, then you will be re-confirming your permission allowing us to collect, use and disclose personal information in accordance with the principles detailed in this notice.
Limiting Our Collection of Personal Information
We will always limit the collection of personal information to that which is necessary for the identified purposes.
Limiting the Use, Disclosure and Retention of Personal Information
Personal Information will not be used or disclosed for purposes other than for which it was collected, except with your consent or as permitted or required by law. Information will be retained only as long as it is necessary to fulfill those purposes. We may disclose a customer?s personal information to the following organizations:
- Another insurance company
- Another person or corporation as part of conducting business
- A person or corporation involved in supplying us with claims support services
- A medical or rehabilitation specialist, assessment clinic
- A person or company employed by us to perform data processing, accounting, actuarial or statistical functions
- A person or corporation involved in the development, enhancement, marketing of our insurance products and our services
- A public authority or agent of a public authority, if the information is required to comply with a provincial or federal statute or regulation
- A law enforcement agency, where our policyholder consents to such disclosure or disclosure is required by law or emergency
Group Benefits Unlimited and Dvern & Lehr Insurance & Financial Services Inc. do not provide or sell their customer lists to any outside company for use in marketing or solicitation.
Only employees with a business need-to-know or whose duties require it are granted access to personal information. We keep information only as long as it remains necessary and relevant for the identified purposes or as required by law.
Information no longer required or necessary is destroyed, erased or made anonymous.
Keeping Your Personal Information Accurate
Every effort to ensure that personal information is as accurate, complete
And up to date as is possible for the purposes for which it was collected.
This may require contact with your insurance Advisor to confirm or update information required for underwriting purposes. In addition, The Insurance Act and the terms and conditions of your policy may require you to notify us of material changes to your personal information.
Safeguarding Your Personal Information
Security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of information collected have been put in place. Risks such as loss or theft, computer theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification or destruction are addressed
Employees as a condition of employment are required to respect the confidentiality of personal information.
Openness and Communication with respect to our Privacy Policy
We ensure openness by providing you with the following information:
- Name, location and e-mail address of our privacy officer
- Name of the individual to whom inquiries or complaints can be forwarded
- The means of gaining access to personal information
- A description of the type of personal information held
Access to personal information
Upon receipt of a written request, we will inform you in a timely fashion, of the existence, use and disclosure of you personal information and you will be given access to that information.
Complaints and Challenges
You may register a privacy complaint by contacting Group Benefits Unlimited, or Dvern & Lehr Insurance & Financial Services Inc. directly and asking for our privacy officer. The privacy officer will investigate all complaints. If a complaint is justified we will take the appropriate steps to correct the situation.
In rare circumstances, the privacy officer may seek external legal advice where appropriate before providing a final response to individual complaints.
For more information, please contact our privacy officer directly through our Web site, in writing or by calling our Toll-Free number.
Privacy Officer: Mike Dvern
Operations Manager
Email: privacy@gbu.ca
Address: P.O. Box 336
Colborne, On
K0K 1S0
Telephone: 1-866-246-5550 ext. 203