Privacy Policy - Illinois

(Last updated May 15, 2007)

About This Notice

We are committed to protecting your privacy and earning your trust. This notice describes the personal information we collect about you and how we use and protect it. It applies to our current and former customers who live in your state, and replaces earlier versions that we may have given to you.

Summary

This section summarizes our privacy practices. For more detail, please read the entire privacy policy.

• We gather information from you, your transactions with us, and outside sources.
• We use your information only to conduct our business and provide insurance to you.
• We will share your information with your selected agent or broker.
• We will not share your information with other companies for their marketing purposes without your consent.
• We limit access to your information and use safeguards to help protect it.
• You may review and correct your information.

 

What information do you collect about me?

We collect information about you to quote and service your insurance policy. This is called "Nonpublic Personal Information" if it identifies you and is not available to the public. Depending on the product, we collect it from some or all of the following sources. We have provided a few examples for each source, but not all may apply to you.

• Application Information: You provide this on your application, through your agent or broker, by phone, or online. We may also obtain it from directories and other outside sources. It includes your name, street and e-mail addresses, phone number, driver's license number, Social Security number, date of birth, gender, marital status, type of vehicle, and information about other drivers.
• Consumer Report Information: We obtain this from consumer reporting agencies. It includes your driving record, claims history with other insurers, and credit report information. The information is kept by the consumer reporting agencies and disclosed by them to others as permitted by law.
• Transaction Information: This is information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, or others. It includes your insurance coverages, limits and rates, and payment and claims history. It also includes information that we require for billing and payment.
• Web site information: This information is unique to Internet transactions. It includes the Web site that linked you to ours, your computer operating system, and the pages you viewed on our site. Some Web sites, including ours, may also store "cookies" on your computer. Cookies collect technical data, like your Internet protocol (IP) address, operating system, and session ID. They can also save certain information entered by you.

 

Who might get information about me from you?

We will share information about you only as permitted by law. We will not share your Nonpublic Personal Information with other companies for their marketing purposes without your consent. There is no need to "opt out" or tell us not to do this.

Disclosures include those that we feel are required to provide insurance claims or customer service, prevent fraud, perform research or comply with the law. Recipients include, for example, our family of insurance companies, claims representatives, service providers, consumer reporting agencies, insurance agents and brokers, law enforcement, courts and government agencies. These parties may disclose the information to others as permitted by law. For example, Consumer reporting agencies may disclose Transaction Information received from us to other insurance companies with which you do business.

Where permitted by law, we may also disclose Application or Transaction Information to service providers that help us market our products. These service providers may include financial institutions with which we have joint marketing agreements.

 

How do you protect my information?

We restrict access to your Nonpublic Personal Information to our employees and others who we feel must use it to provide our products and services. Their use of the information is limited by law, our employee code of conduct, and written agreements where appropriate. We also maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your information.

 

How can I review and correct information you have about me?

To review information we have about you, send a written request to Customer Service, 9115 S. Harlem Ave, Bridgeview, IL 60455. You must describe the kind of information you want to review and state that your request is in response to this Privacy Policy. Include your full name, mailing address, and policy number (if applicable). Within 30 business days, we will describe what is available and how you may request corrections. We will also name anyone we show as having received the information within two years prior to your request. Finally, we will identify the companies that have provided Consumer Report Information about you.

 

You may review the information at our offices or receive a copy of it for a fee to cover our costs. We will not provide information that we feel is privileged, such as information about insurance claims or lawsuits.

To correct information about you, send a written request as described above, explaining your desired correction. Within 30 business days, we will either make the requested correction or tell you why we will not. We cannot correct Consumer Report Information, such as your credit report. To do this, you must contact the consumer reporting agency that provided it.

If we make your requested correction, we will notify you in writing. We will also notify anyone named by you who may have received the information within the previous two years. If required by law, we will also notify others who may have given it to or received it from us. If we refuse to make the requested correction, you may file with us a concise written statement about why you object, including the information you think is correct. Your statement will then become part of your file. It will be sent to the same persons to whom we would send a copy of any correction or change.

 

Is there additional information for Web site visitors?

Yes. When you visit our Web sites, we use the information we collect to provide services to you. We use Web Site Information to help understand what you want so that we can enhance your online experience. For example, if you start an insurance quote on our Web site, but decide to finish it later, we will save your information so you can pick up where you left off. We also use Web Site Information to analyze use of our Web sites. Information that does not identify you, or that you give us for contests and surveys, may be used for marketing purposes.

We use cookies to maintain your session id. You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to reject all cookies. You do this by changing the settings on your browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla Firefox, etc.). Each browser is a little different, so look at your browser's "Help" menu to learn how to modify its settings to reflect your cookie preferences. However, if you choose to reject cookies, you may not have access to many features that make your Web experience smoother, and some of our services may not function properly.

 

Why do you ask for my e-mail address?

When you quote or buy insurance on our Web site, we collect your e-mail address so that we can send you e-mails concerning your transactions with us, and other information we think you'll find useful.

To ensure you get our e-mails, our service provider or we may receive confirmations when you open them or click through e-mail links. These confirmations may also show whether your e-mail application supports graphics, so we can tailor our messages to you.

We will share your e-mail address with your selected agent or broker. We will not share your e-mail address with other companies for their marketing purposes without your consent.

 

What about Web site security?

Our security measures help ensure that your data is secured and encrypted, so that others cannot access it while in transit. We limit access to our servers and require our employees to adhere to high standards of ethics and integrity in performing their jobs.

We use a secure server and security protocol to safeguard information you provide during the purchase process. Our secure server uses a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to interact with you when you provide personal information during the purchase process. We handle your information via 128-Bit encryption. Every secure page on our Web sites has a digital certificate by RSA Data Security/Secure Server CA. This is shown via the site certificate that resides on all secure pages. To view it, click on the image of the "closed lock" or the "solid key" on the bottom of your browser window. A small frame displaying security information will appear. Click on "subject" to verify that you are on our site. Click on "Issuer" to verify the site certification authority.

 

What about links to other Web sites?

Our Web site contains links to other sites that are not ours. These links are solely for your convenience. We make no warranties or representations about other Web sites. We recommend that you read the privacy and security policies of these sites.

 

What does the technical jargon mean?

Cookie:   A small text file saved in your computer when you access certain Web pages. Cookies identify you to the Web site that gave you the cookie.

Digital certificate:   A small file that can be transferred to your computer and used for authentication. Once installed, it can be automatically used as needed.

Internet protocol (IP) address:   A string of numbers that are translated into a domain name.

Operating system:   The program responsible for overseeing the basic hardware resources of a computer. UNIX, DOS, Windows, and Macintosh System 7 are examples of operating systems.

Secure server:   A computer system set up to provide privacy, integrity, and authentication in communications. (See SSL).

Security protocol:   A specification that describes how computers will talk securely to each other on a computer network.

Secure Sockets Layer (SSL):   A protocol that delivers server authentication, data encryption, and message integrity. SSL encrypts Internet communications.

Session ID:   The code used to keep track of a person as they interact with a server.

Site certificate:   This is the same as a digital certificate, but it is used on the server rather than at the browser.

128-bit encryption:   A way of making data unreadable to everyone except the receiver. It is a common way of sending credit card numbers and data over the Internet. It is used by SSL.