INTRODUCTION
SME Insurance Services Limited (SMEi), an affiliate of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (MMC), strives to protect the privacy and the confidentiality of Personal Data that the company processes in connection with the services it provides to clients and individuals’ use of the SMEi websites. SMEi’s services consist primarily of insurance broking, which enable the consideration of, access to, administration of, and making of claims on, insurance.
To arrange insurance cover and handle insurance claims, SMEi and other participants in the insurance industry are required to use and share Personal Data. For an overview of how and why the insurance industry is required to use and share Personal Data please see the Insurance Market Core Uses Information Notice hosted on the website of a UK insurance industry association, the Lloyd’s Market Association (the LMA Notice). SMEi’s use of Personal Data is consistent with the LMA Notice.
During the insurance lifecycle SMEi will receive Personal Data relating to potential or actual policyholders, beneficiaries under a policy, their family members, claimants and other parties involved in a claim. Therefore references to “individuals” in this notice include any living person from the preceding list, whose Personal Data SMEi receives in connection with the services it provides under its engagements with its clients. This notice sets out SMEi’s uses of this Personal Data and the disclosures it makes to other insurance market participants and other third parties.
IDENTITY OF CONTROLLER AND CONTACT DETAILS
SME Insurance Services Limited of 1 Tower Place West, Tower Place, London EC3R 5BU (SMEi or We) is the controller in respect of the Personal Data it receives in connection with the services provided under the relevant engagement with its client.
PERSONAL INFORMATION THAT MAY BE PROCESSED
We collect and process the following Personal Data:
name, address (and proof of address), other contact details (e.g. email and telephone details), gender, marital status, family details, date and place of birth, employer, job title and employment history, relationship to the policyholder, insured, beneficiary or claimant;
identification numbers issued by government bodies or agencies (e.g. depending on the country you are in, social security or national insurance number, passport number, ID number, tax identification number, driver’s licence number);
payment card number, bank account number and account details, income and other financial information;
information about the insured risk, which contains Personal Data and may include, only to the extent relevant to the risk being insured:
current or former physical or mental medical conditions, health status, injury or disability information, medical procedures performed, relevant personal habits (e.g. smoking or consumption of alcohol), prescription information, medical history;
criminal convictions, including driving offences; and
racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, data concerning an individual’s sex life or sexual orientation;
information about the quotes individuals receive and the policies they obtain;
credit history and credit score, information about fraud convictions, allegations of crimes and sanctions details received from various anti-fraud and sanctions databases, or regulators or law enforcement agencies;
information about previous claims, which may include health data, criminal records data and other special categories of Personal Data (as described in the Insured Risk definition above);
information about current claims, which may include health data, criminal records data and other special categories of Personal Data (as described in the Insured Risk definition above);
whether or not the individual has consented to receive marketing from us and/or from third parties; and
details of your visits to our websites and information collected through cookies and other tracking technologies, including, but not limited to, your IP address and domain name, your browser version and operating system, traffic data, location data, web logs and other communication data, and the resources that you access.
Where we collect such information directly from individuals, we will inform them of whether the information is required and the consequences of not providing it on the relevant form.
SOURCES OF PERSONAL DATA
We collect and receive Personal Data from various sources, including (depending on the service provided and country you are in):
- Individuals and their family members, online or by telephone, or in written correspondence;
- Individuals’ employers or trade or professional associations of which they are a member;
- In the event of a claim, third parties including the other party to the claim (claimant/defendant), witnesses, experts (including medical experts), loss adjusters, lawyers and claims handlers;
- Other insurance market participants, such as insurers, reinsurers and other intermediaries;
- Credit reference agencies (to the extent SMEi is taking any credit risk);
- Anti-fraud databases and other third party databases, including sanctions lists;
- Government agencies, such as vehicle registration authorities and tax authorities;
- Claim forms;
- Open electoral registers and other publicly available information;
- Business information and research tools;
- Third parties who introduce business to us; and
- Forms on our website and your interactions with our website (please also see our Cookie Notice)
HOW WE USE AND DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL DATA
In this section, we set out the purposes for which we use Personal Data, explain how we share the information, and identify the “legal grounds” on which we rely to process the information.
These “legal grounds” are set out in the General Data Protection Regulation (the GDPR), which allows companies to process Personal Data only when the processing is permitted by the specific “legal grounds” set out in the GDPR (the full description of each of the grounds can be found in the table at the end of this page).
Please note that in addition to the disclosures we have identified in the table below, we will disclose Personal Data for the purposes we explain in this notice to service providers, contractors, advisers, agents and MMC group companies that perform activities on our behalf.
Click here to read our full Purpose of Processing.
CONSENT
In order to facilitate the provision of insurance cover and administer insurance claims, unless another legal ground applies, we rely on the data subject’s consent to process special categories of Personal Data and criminal records data, such as medical and criminal convictions records, as set out in the table above and for profiling as set out in the next section. This consent allows us to share the information with other insurers, intermediaries and reinsurers that need to process the information in order to undertake their role in the insurance market (which in turn allows for the pooling and pricing of risk in a sustainable manner).
The affected individual’s consent to this processing of special categories of Personal Data and criminal records data may be necessary for SMEi to be able to provide the services the client requests.
Where you are providing us with information about a person other than yourself, you agree to notify them of our use of their Personal Data and to obtain such consent for us.
Individuals may withdraw their consent to such processing at any time by contacting the Data Protection Officer using the contact details in the Questions, Requests or Complaints section below. However, doing so may prevent SMEi from continuing to provide the services to the relevant client. In addition, if an individual withdraws consent to an insurer’s or reinsurer’s processing of their special categories of Personal Data and criminal records data, it may not be possible for the insurance cover to continue.
PROFILING AND AUTOMATED DECISION MAKING
Insurance premiums are calculated by insurance market participants benchmarking clients’ and beneficiaries’ attributes as against other clients’ and beneficiaries’ attributes and propensities for insured events to occur. This benchmarking requires SMEi and other insurance market participants to analyse and compile information received from all insureds, beneficiaries or claimants to model such propensities. Accordingly, we may use Personal Data to both match against the information in the models and to create the models that determine the premium pricing in general and for other insureds. SMEi and other insurance market participants may use special categories of Personal Data and criminal records data for such modelling to the extent it is relevant, such as medical history for life insurance or past motor vehicle convictions for motor insurance.
SMEi and other insurance market participants use similar predictive techniques to assess information that clients and individuals provide to understand fraud patterns, the probability of future losses actually occurring in claims scenarios, and as set out below.
We use these models only for the purposes listed in this Privacy Notice. In most cases, our staff make decisions based on the models.
- Automated broking platform
Where clients use the automated broking platform, insurance quotations are offered entirely by matching whether the attributes that the client has provided meet the criteria set by the insurers, which determines (a) whether a quotation will be made; (b) on what terms; and (c) at what price. Each insurer will use different algorithms to determine their pricing, and clients must consult each insurer’s privacy policy for further details. Our platform merely queries whether attributes of potential insureds satisfy insurers’ models and then returns the results. If the potential insured’s attributes do not satisfy insurers’ models, the quotation request is referred for review by a team with underwriting authority. We also apply fraud prediction algorithms to the information clients provide to assist us in detecting and preventing fraud. We regularly review all profiling and associated algorithms against inaccuracies and bias.
These partially automated processes may result in a client not being offered insurance or affect the price or terms of the insurance.
Clients may request that we provide information about the decision-making methodology and ask us to verify that the automated decision has been made correctly. We may reject the request, as permitted by applicable law, including when providing the information would result in a disclosure of a trade secret or would interfere with the prevention or detection of fraud or other crime. However, generally in these circumstances we will verify that the algorithm and source data are functioning as anticipated without error or bias.
SAFEGUARDS
We have in place physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information we maintain. These safeguards will vary depending on the sensitivity, format, location, amount, distribution and storage of the Personal Data, and include measures designed to keep Personal Data protected from unauthorised access. If appropriate, the safeguards include the encryption of communications via Secure Sockets Layer, encryption of information during storage, firewalls, access controls, separation of duties, and similar security protocols. We restrict access to Personal Data to personnel and third parties that require access to such information for legitimate, relevant business purposes.
LIMITING COLLECTION AND RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We collect, use, disclose and otherwise process Personal Data that is necessary for the purposes identified in this Privacy Notice or as permitted by law. If we require Personal Data for a purpose inconsistent with the purposes we identified in this Privacy Notice, we will notify clients of the new purpose and, where required, seek individuals’ consent (or ask other parties to do so on SMEi’s behalf) to process Personal Data for the new purposes.
Our retention periods for Personal Data are based on business needs and legal requirements. We retain Personal Data for as long as is necessary for the processing purpose(s) for which the information was collected, and any other permissible, related purpose. For example, we retain certain transaction details and correspondence until the time limit for claims arising from the transaction has expired, or to comply with regulatory requirements regarding the retention of such data. When Personal Data is no longer needed, we either irreversibly anonymise the data (in which case we may further retain and use the anonymised information) or securely destroy the data.
CROSS–BORDER TRANSFER OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
SMEi transfers Personal Data to, or permits access to Personal Data from, countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA). These countries’ data protection laws do not always offer the same level of protection for Personal Data as offered in the EEA. We will, in all circumstances, safeguard Personal Data as set out in this Privacy Notice.
Certain countries outside the EEA have been approved by the European Commission as providing essentially equivalent protections as EEA data protection laws. EU data protection laws allow SMEi to freely transfer Personal Data to such countries.
If we transfer Personal Data to other countries outside the EEA, we will establish legal grounds justifying such transfer, such as MMC Binding Corporate Rules (http://www.mmc.com/privacy-policy.html), model contractual clauses, individuals’ consent, or other legal grounds permitted by applicable legal requirements.
Individuals can request additional information about the specific safeguards applied to the export of their Personal Data.
ACCURACY, ACCOUNTABILITY, OPENNESS AND YOUR RIGHTS
We strive to maintain Personal Data that is accurate, complete and current. Individuals should contact us at customer.services@smeinsurance.com to update their information.
Questions regarding SMEi’s privacy practices should be directed to the Data Protection Officer using the contact details in the Questions, Requests or Complaints section below.
Under certain conditions, individuals have the right to request that SMEi: [1]
- provide further details on how we use and process their Personal Data;
- provide a copy of the Personal Data we maintain about the individual;
- update any inaccuracies in the Personal Data we hold;
- delete Personal Data that we no longer have a legal ground to process; and
- restrict how we process the Personal Data while we consider the individual’s enquiry.
In addition, under certain conditions, individuals have the right to:
- where processing is based on consent, withdraw the consent;
- object to any processing of Personal Data that SMEi justifies on the “legitimate interests” legal grounds, unless our reasons for undertaking that processing outweigh any prejudice to the individual’s privacy rights; and
- object to direct marketing (including any profiling for such purposes) at any time.
These rights are subject to certain exemptions to safeguard the public interest (e.g. the prevention or detection of crime) and our interests (e.g. the maintenance of legal privilege). We will respond to most requests within 30 days.
If we are unable to resolve an enquiry or a complaint, individuals have the right to contact the UK data protection regulator, the Information Commissioner’s Office.
QUESTIONS, REQUESTS OR COMPLAINTS
To submit questions or requests regarding this Privacy Notice or SMEi’s privacy practices, please write to the Data Protection Officer at the following address:
The Data Protection Officer
SME Insurance Services Limited
Chantrell House
The Calls
Leeds
LS2 7HA
Phone: 0330 134 4602
Email: customer.services@smeinsurance.com
LINKS TO THIRD PARTY WEBSITES
Our websites may contain links to other third party websites. If you follow a link to any of those third party websites, please note that they have their own privacy policies and that we do not accept any responsibility or liability for their policies or processing of your personal information. Please check these policies before you submit any personal information to such third party websites.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY NOTICE
This Privacy Notice is subject to change at any time. It was last changed on 5 April 2018. If we make changes to this Privacy Notice, we will update the date on which it was last changed. Where we have an engagement with you, we will notify you of any changes we make to this Privacy Notice in accordance with the notice provisions in the terms of our engagement. In other circumstances, we will publish the revised Privacy Notice on our website.
List of the legal grounds we rely on:
|
For processing Personal Data and special categories of Personal Data |
|
|
Legal ground |
Details |
|
Performance of our contract with you |
Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract to which you are party or in order to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract. |
|
Compliance with a legal obligation |
Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject. |
|
For our legitimate business interests |
Processing is necessary for the purposes of the legitimate interests pursued by us or by a third party, except where such interests are overridden by your interests or fundamental rights and freedoms which require protection of personal data, in particular where you are a child. These legitimate interests are set out next to each purpose. |
|
For processing special categories of Personal Data |
|
|
You explicit consent |
You have given your explicit consent to the processing of those personal data for one or more specified purposes. You are free to withdraw your consent, by contacting our Data Protection Contact. However withdrawal of this consent may impact our ability to provide the services. For more detail see the Consent section above. |
|
For legal claims |
Processing is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims or whenever courts are acting in their judicial capacity. |
|
Substantial public interest |
Processing is necessary for reasons of substantial public interest, on the basis of EU or UK law. |
[1] Some of the rights in this “accuracy, accountability, openness and your rights” section only apply under European data protection law from 25 May 2018. Prior to this date, SMEi will only handle requests to exercise those rights that are available under data protection law applicable at that time, including the right to access Personal Data, the right to have inaccuracies in Personal Data rectified and certain rights to object to the processing of Personal Data.
