Shelter Insurance Privacy Policy
Last Updated: August 2023
This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes how the Shelter Mutual Insurance Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively “Shelter,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collect, use, store, and share your information when:
- you access or use our websites, mobile applications, web-based applications, or other digital platforms where this Policy is posted (“Sites”);
- you use our products and services (“Services”);
- you communicate with us in any manner, including by e-mail, in-person, telephone, or other communication method (“Communications”); and
- we obtain your information from third parties, including service providers, business partners, and governmental departments and agencies (“Third Parties”).
This Policy applies wherever it is posted. To the extent a Shelter entity has different privacy practices, such entity shall have their own privacy statement posted as applicable.
Information Practices
If you are a California resident, click here for specific disclosures about how we collect, use, and share your personal information.
What Type of Information Do We Collect About You?
Depending upon how you interact with our Sites and Services, the nature of your Communications, and the nature of our interaction with Third Parties, we may collect the following information from and about you:
- Direct identifiers, including but not limited to your unique online identifier, name, alias, social media handle, IP address, username and password, postal and/or e-mail address, account name and/or account number, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number, and/or state identification number.
- Related identifiers, including but not limited to your date of birth, bank, credit, or debit card number, financial information, insurance policy number, and/or license plate information.
- Physical characteristics, including protected characteristics under federal and state law, such as age, sex, race, and ethnicity.
- Commercial information, including records of products or services purchased, obtained, or considered, and other purchasing and consuming histories and tendencies.
- Biometric information, such as a fingerprint or voiceprint.
- Internet or other electronic network activity information, with our Sites and Communications, and including browser type and version, browser settings, operating systems and platform, device type, operating information, mobile carrier, and page response time and download errors.
- Geolocation data, such as your zip code, time zone, and physical location.
- Audio, electronic, visual, and thermal information, including telephone recordings, electronic communication records, security camera footage from applicable Shelter properties, and temperature reading.
- Professional or employment-related information, such as your work history, salary history, and education history.
How Do We Collect Your Information?
We collect your information in three ways:
- Directly from you when you access or use our Sites and Services, or when you Communicate with us in any manner, including but not limited to:
- Information you provide by filling forms in person or electronically through our Sites, complete applications for insurance, attend an event, posting material, or requesting further Services or information;
- For example, if you provide your phone number or email address to us, we may contact you at that number or address.
- Information you provide when you access or use our Services;
- Information you provide when you enter a sweepstakes, contest, or promotion sponsored or offered by us;
- Information you provide when you report a problem with our Sites or Services;
- Records and copies of your correspondence (e.g., email address) if you contact us;
- Your responses to surveys that we might ask you to complete;
- Details of transactions you carry out through our Sites; and
- Your search queries on the Sites.
- Information you provide by filling forms in person or electronically through our Sites, complete applications for insurance, attend an event, posting material, or requesting further Services or information;
- Automatically when you access or use our Sites or Services, or when you Communicate with us, including but not limited to:
- Details of your visits to the Sites, including traffic data, location data, logs, and other communication data;
- Information about your computer and mobile device, and internet connection, including your IP address, operating system, and browser type; and
- Interactivity with an e-mail, including opening, navigating, and click-through information.
- From third parties, including but not limited to:
- Data analytics providers for the purpose of receiving statistical data about your activity on our Sites;
- Agents, brokers, or other parties involved in the procurement of insurance services;
- Social media networks for the purpose of collecting certain of your social media profile information and activity, including your screen names, profile picture, contact information, contact list, and the profile pictures of your contacts, through the social media platform;
- Third Party service providers, including but not limited to internet service providers, fraud prevention services, and related partners; and
- Public sources, including local, state, and federal government agencies and departments, to facilitate your use of the Sites and use of our Services.
How Do We Use Your Information?
We use the information outlined in What Type of Information Do We Collect About You for a variety of purposes, including but not limited to:
- Provide the Sites and Services to you;
- Provide the Services you have requested;
- Fulfill a transaction you requested or service your policy;
- Handle a claim;
- Create and manage your account;
- Operate the Sites, including access management, payment processing, administration, internal operations, troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, and for statistical purposes;
- Respond to your requests, feedback, or inquiries;
- Comply with laws, regulations, and other legal requirements;
- Protect and enforce your rights and the rights of other users against unlawful activity, including identity theft and fraud;
- Comply with relevant industry standards and our policies;
- Protect and enforce our collective rights arising under any agreements entered between Shelter and you or any other third party;
- Protect the integrity and maintain security of our Sites and Services;
- Operate, evaluate, and improve our business;
- Provide you with information and advertisements about products, services, and promotions from us or affiliates that may interest you;
- Deliver content tailored to your interests and the manner in which you use the Sites;
- Present content in a manner that is optimized for your device;
- Measure and analyze the effectiveness of the Sites and Services we provide.
How Do We Share Your Information?
We may disclose or share the information referenced in What Type of Information Do We Collect About You with others for a variety of business and commercial purposes, including:
- With your consent. We may disclose or share your information with your consent. We may obtain your consent in writing; online, through “click-through” agreements; when you accept the terms of use on our Sites; orally, either in person or on the phone; or by other means.
- To non-affiliated third parties. We may disclose or share your information with certain third parties to facilitate your access and use of our Sites and Services, including but not limited to internet service providers, advertising networks, data analytics providers, governmental entities, operating systems and platforms, social medial networks, and service providers who provide us a service (e.g., credit / debit card processing, billing, shipping, repair, customer service, auditing, marketing, debugging to identify and repair errors that impair existing intended functionality on our Sites or Services, and/or protecting against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity).
- In a business transfer. We may disclose or share your information as part of a corporate business transaction, such as a merger or acquisition, joint venture, corporate reorganization, financing, or sale of company assets, or in the unlikely event of insolvency, bankruptcy, or receivership, in which such information could be transferred to third parties as a business asset in the transaction.
- To subsidiaries and affiliates. We may disclose or share your information with our Shelter subsidiaries and affiliates to further facilitate your use of our Sites, Services, and to ensure the smooth and consistent operations of Shelter by identifying and repairing errors that impede intended functionality and to protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity.
- For legal process and protection. We may disclose or share your information to satisfy any law, regulation, legal process, governmental request, or where we have a good faith belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary to:
- Enforce or apply agreements, or initiate, render, bill, and collect for Services;
- Protect our rights, interests, property, or safety, or that of others;
- Assist with claims, disputes, or litigation - in court or elsewhere;
- Protect users of our Sites and Services, and other carriers or providers, from fraudulent, abusive, or unlawful use of, or subscription to, such services; and
- Facilitate or verify the appropriate calculation of taxes, fees, or other obligations due to a local, state, or federal government.
Links To Third Party Sites
Our Sites may contain links to third party websites and services. Please note that these links are provided for your convenience and information, and the websites and services may operate independently from us and have their own privacy policies or notices, which we strongly suggest you review. This Policy applies to our Sites only, and we do not accept any responsibility or liability for the policies or practices of any third parties.
Third Party Tracking / Do Not Track
Our Sites may, from time to time, collect information about your online activities, over time and across our different websites. When you use our Sites, third parties may also collect information about your online activities, over time and across different internet websites, online or cloud computing services, online applications, or mobile applications. Some browsers support a “Do Not Track” feature, which is intended to be a signal to websites that you do not wish to be tracked across different websites you visit. Our Sites do not currently change the way they operate based upon detection of a “Do Not Track” or similar signal.
How Do We Store and Protect Your Information?
Although no system can guarantee the complete security of your information, we take commercially reasonable steps to ensure your information is protected in alignment with all applicable laws and regulations, as appropriate to the sensitivity of your information.
How Long Do We Keep Your Personal Information?
We keep your information for as long as necessary in accordance with the purpose for which it was collected, our business needs, and our legal and regulatory obligations. If we dispose of your information, we will do so in a way that is secure and appropriate to the nature of that information.
Cookies and Related Technology
We may use browser cookies, beacons, pixel tags, scripts, and other similar technologies from time to time to support the functionality of our Sites and Services. A cookie is a piece of information contained in a very small text file that is stored in your Internet browser or elsewhere on your hard drive. Cookies are transferred from our Sites to your computer, phone, or tablet, and allow us to identify your device whenever you return to our Sites. These technologies provide a better experience when you use our Sites and Services and allow us to improve our services.
We may also use analytic software, such as Google Analytics and others, to help better understand how our Sites function on your device(s) and for other analytical purposes. To learn more about how Google uses data when you use our Sites, see How Google uses data when you use our partners’ sites or apps. You can opt-out of Google Analytics by installing Google’s opt-out browser add-on here https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Third Party Technology
Our service providers, advertising partners, and ad networks may also use cookies and beacons to collect and share information about your activities both on our Sites and on other websites and applications. In addition, third parties that are unaffiliated with us may also collect information about you, including tracking your browsing history, when you use our Sites. We do not have control over these third-party collection practices. If you wish to minimize these third-party collections, you can adjust the settings of your browsers or install plug-ins and add-ins.
Your Choices
You may wish to restrict the use of cookies or completely prevent them from being set. Most browsers provide for ways to control cookie behavior, such as the length of time they are stored. If you disable cookies, please be aware that some of the features of our Websites may not function correctly. To find out more on how to manage and delete cookies, visit www.aboutcookies.org. For more details on your choices regarding use of your web browsing activity for interest-based advertising, you may visit the following sites:
Your Choices
We provide you the ability to exercise certain controls and choices regarding our collection, use, storage, and sharing of your information. Please note that for some of these rights, we may verify your identity before we respond to your request. To verify your identity, we will generally match the identifying information provided in your request with the information we have on file about you. Depending on the sensitivity of the personal information, we may also utilize more stringent verification methods to verify your identity, including but not limited to requesting additional information from you and/or requiring you to sign a declaration under penalty of perjury.
- Right to Unsubscribe from Shelter Marketing and Advertising Communications. Regardless of where you live, you may choose whether you want to receive marketing and advertising from us. Contact us to submit an unsubscribe request.
- Right to Control Advertising and Online Tracking. Regardless of where you live, you have a right to control how your information is tracked online. To learn more about these rights, see Cookies and Related Technologies.
- Right of Non-Discrimination. You have a right to exercise your rights under this section free of discrimination. Shelter will not discriminate against you in any way if you choose to exercise your rights under this section.
California Residents
The following disclosures are made pursuant to the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act and its implementing regulations (“CCPA”).
Choices
You may submit any request below by emailing ShelterDataPrivacyRequests@ShelterInsurance.com or contacting us at 1-800-SHELTER. We will verify your identity using the information you provide us in the request. We reserve the right to request additional information for verification purposes. You may designate an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf.
- Right of Access. You may request that we disclose the categories of personal information and sensitive personal information we have collected about you in the 12 months preceding the date of your request, including information about how that information has been used and disclosed. You also have the right to request specific pieces of your personal information and sensitive personal information, subject to exceptions under the CCPA.
- Right to Correct. You may request that we correct your personal information in our possession, subject to certain exceptions under the CCPA.
- Right to Delete. You have a right to submit a request that we delete your personal information and sensitive personal information. We may be unable to complete this request if the information is necessary to complete a transaction with you, detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity, comply with the law, or to use internally for purposes aligned with your expectations. There are other exceptions that may apply to this request.
- Right to Non-Discrimination. We will not discriminate against you in any way if you choose to exercise your rights under this section.
Notice at Collection
The following is a list of the categories of personal information Shelter has collected about California residents in the 12 months preceding the date this Policy was last updated, as well as additional information about those categories.
- Identifiers (Includes Sensitive Personal Information): Includes information such as your name, signature, alias, postal address, and telephone number, unique personal identifier, online identifier, IP address, account log-in, email address, account name, social security number, driver’s license number, passport number. Sensitive personal information within this category includes your social security number, driver’s license number, state identification number, and passport number.
- Personal Characteristics (Includes Sensitive Personal Information): Includes information such as your age, race, ethnicity, gender expression, or gender identity, and reproductive health decision making. Sensitive personal information within this category includes information about your race, sex life, or sexual orientation.
- Financial Information (Includes Sensitive Information): Includes information such as your Shelter account name and log-in information, bank account number and access code, and credit card and debit card number and access code. Sensitive personal information in this category includes your account log-in and password, bank account number and access code, and credit card and debit card number and access code.
- Internet or other Electronic Network Activity Information: Includes information described above.
- Commercial Information, such as records of your Services considered and purchased.
- Geolocation Information, such as your zip code, time zone, and physical location.
- Audio, Electronic, Visual, Thermal, and Related Information: Includes information such as photographs, video recordings, recorded messages, and in some cases personal temperature where appropriate.
- Inferences, derived from the above information.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How do we collect these categories of personal information? | See What Type of Information Do We Collect About You? |
| Does this include sensitive personal information? | Yes. Some categories may include sensitive personal information. The sensitive information we may collect includes your social security number, driver’s license number, state identification number, passport number, account information, financial account information, and depending on the circumstances, your race, ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, union membership, health information, and information that concerns your sex life or sexual orientation. |
| Is the information “sold” or “shared”? | No. |
| What is our business purpose for collecting your information? | See How Do We Use Your Information? |
| Who do we disclose this information to? | See How Do We Share Your Information? |
| How long do we keep this information? | We keep the information identified above for so long as is reasonably necessary and proportionate to the original purpose for which we collected the information. We base our criteria for determining appropriate retention periods on regulatory and legal requirements, contractual requirements, business needs, and the expectations of you. |
Notice of Disclosure for a Business Purpose
The following is a list of the categories of personal information Shelter has disclosed about California residents for a business purpose in the 12 months preceding the date this Privacy Policy was last updated. For a list of the categories of third parties with whom we’ve disclosed the information, please see How Do We Share Your Information?
- Identifiers (Includes Sensitive Personal Information): See above.
- Personal Characteristics (Includes Sensitive Personal Information): See above.
- Financial Information (Includes Sensitive Information): See above.
- Internet or other Electronic Network Activity Information: See above.
- Commercial information: See above.
- Audio, Electronic, Visual, Thermal, and Related Information: See above.
- Inferences: See above.
Notice of Sale / Sharing
We do not “sell” or “share” your personal information. We do not sell or share the personal information or sensitive personal information of any California resident who is 16 years or younger.
Minors
Our Sites and Services are not intended for children under the age of 18. This includes any links to other websites that we provide for our convenience.
Accessibility
To request a copy of this Policy in an alternative format, please contact us at the information provided below.
Changes To Our Privacy Policy
We may change this Policy from time to time. Any and all changes will be reflected on this page, and where appropriate, provided in person or by another electronic method. The effective date will be stated at the top of this Policy. You should regularly check this page for any changes to this Policy.