Privacy & Cookie Policy
Introduction
Fend Insurance ("Fend," "we," or "us") is committed to protecting your personal information. Title V of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and Massachusetts law, including 201 CMR 17.00, generally require financial institutions to provide notice of their information practices and in some cases obtain consent or offer an opt-out before sharing non-public personal information. In compliance with these laws, we are providing you with this Privacy Policy, which explains how we collect, use, protect, and share your personal information. This Policy also describes your rights regarding your information and how you can contact us with any questions or requests. This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through Fend’s website and offline interactions with us, and is intended for our customers, applicants, and website visitors. We do not offer online accounts or login portals for users on our website and our site is directed to a general audience. By using our website or services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
Information We Collect
Personal Information You Provide: We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us (for example, when you fill out an insurance application, request a quote, or contact us). This may include identifying and contact information such as your name, address, email address, and telephone number, as well as sensitive personal data like your Social Security Number (SSN) and driver’s license number. We may also collect information related to your employment history or status (professional or employment-related information) if relevant to underwriting your insurance policies. All of the personal information we collect is used for purposes of providing insurance products or services, as described in this Policy.
Information from Third Parties: We may obtain additional personal information about you from other sources as needed for insurance underwriting or processing. For example, depending on the type of coverage you seek, we might collect information from motor vehicle records (e.g. driving history for auto insurance) or obtain claim reports and property inspection details for property insurance. We may also receive information from government agencies or consumer reporting agencies – such as confirmation of your driving record from the Department of Motor Vehicles, insurance claim history, or medical information from professionals in connection with an insurance claim. This information helps us evaluate your applications, determine eligibility and rates, and service your policies in accordance with insurance industry requirements.
No Personal Accounts: You do not have to create an account in order to use or access Fend’s website. Our site does not require any user registration or password. This means we do not maintain personal online accounts for customers or collect login credentials. Any personal information you provide to us through our website (for example, by submitting a quote request or contact form) is given voluntarily for the specific purpose of obtaining our services, and not for creating a user profile or account.
Information Collected Automatically: Like many websites, we also collect certain information automatically when you visit our site, through the use of cookies and other tracking technologies. This automatically collected data may include technical information such as your device’s IP address, browser type, operating system, the date and time of your visits, and referring website or page requests. We may also gather information about your browsing activities on our site, such as pages viewed, links clicked, and traffic patterns, as well as general location information (e.g. city or region, but not your precise address) based on your IP address. This data is generally not directly tied to your name or contact information, and we do not ordinarily link browsing information to the personal data you provide. We use this information for site analytics, to improve website functionality, and to tailor our services and marketing.
How We Use Your Information
We use the personal information we collect for a variety of purposes in connection with providing you with insurance products and services. These purposes include:
Providing and Servicing Insurance Products: We use your information to evaluate your applications or requests for insurance coverage, underwrite and determine eligibility or rates, and issue insurance policies or quotes. Information in your file is referred to when servicing your policies, administering claims, and otherwise managing our insurance relationship with you. For example, we may use your SSN and other details to verify your identity and process insurance transactions.
Communications: We use your contact information (such as email, address, or phone number) to communicate with you about your policies, quotes, claims, or any inquiries you submit. We may send you required legal notices, billing statements, policy updates, and other service-related announcements. We may also send you customer service communications to respond to your questions or requests.
Improvement and Personalization: Your information helps us improve our customer service and operate our business. For instance, we may analyze feedback or usage data to enhance our products, services, and website functionality. We strive to personalize your experience — for example, remembering your preferences or information you have provided, so that we can better tailor our services to you.
Marketing and Informational Offers: We may use your information to provide you with information about additional insurance products or services that may suit your needs, or to advise you on your overall insurance program. For example, we might review your current coverage and suggest complementary products, or send you newsletters and updates about Fend Insurance offerings. You have the right to opt out of receiving marketing emails or communications from us at any time, as described in those communications.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: We use and retain personal information as necessary to comply with applicable laws and regulations (such as record-keeping requirements), to ensure compliance with our policies, to prevent fraud or illegal activity, and to respond to law enforcement requests or subpoenas. We also use your information to assert or defend our legal rights as needed, or as otherwise permitted or required by law.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
When you visit our website, Fend Insurance and our service providers use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and gather data about how users interact with our site. Cookies are small text files placed on your computer or device that allow us to recognize your browser and capture certain information. We use cookies (and other technologies such as web beacons or pixel tags) to automatically collect some technical and usage information as described above.
The data collected via cookies and tracking technologies helps us analyze website traffic, understand user behavior on our site, and improve our online services. For example, we may use analytics cookies to see which pages are most frequently visited or to identify any website performance issues, which in turn guides us in enhancing our content and design. We may also use cookies to support site functionality (such as retaining your preferences) and for advertising or marketing purposes (for instance, to provide you with relevant information about our services). The information collected through cookies does not include direct personal identifiers like your name or contact details, and we generally do not link this automated data to any personal information you provide, except if necessary for site security or maintenance. In the event we need to investigate fraudulent or malicious activity, we reserve the right to associate cookie data with identifiable information to protect our site, customers, and business.
Your Choices: Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser settings to decline or delete cookies if you prefer. Please be aware that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website; certain features or services may not work properly if cookies are blocked.
We currently do not respond to "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals from web browsers, and we treat the data collected from all visitors in accordance with this Privacy Policy regardless of a DNT signal. You can also opt out of certain interest-based advertising cookies by using industry opt-out tools or by adjusting your ad preferences with third-party sites. For more detailed information on how we use cookies and how you can manage your preferences, please see our Cookie Notice (if applicable) or contact us with any questions.
Sharing of Personal Information
Fend Insurance does not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for their own marketing use. However, in the normal course of business we may disclose personal information to certain third parties, strictly for the purposes described below or as otherwise permitted or required by law. Before sharing any non-public personal information, we ensure that such disclosure is either necessary to serve you, allowed by law, or made with your consent, in alignment with GLBA and applicable state privacy regulations. Below are the categories of third parties with whom we may share information and the reasons for doing so:
Insurance Carriers and Underwriters: As an insurance provider, we work with various underwriters and insurance carriers to obtain quotes, underwrite policies, and place coverage for you. We share relevant personal information with the insurance companies that we represent in order to secure the insurance products you have requested and to service your policies. For example, if you apply for a policy through Fend, we will forward your application details (including name, contact information, driving record, etc.) to the prospective insurance carrier to determine eligibility and pricing. We disclose only what is necessary for underwriting, issuing the policy, and administering claims or renewals.
Service Providers and Business Partners: We may disclose personal information to trusted third-party service providers that perform functions on our behalf to support our operations. This includes entities such as data processing and hosting companies, analytics and marketing service providers, billing and mailing vendors, document management services, or customer support providers. For instance, we might engage a company to help us maintain our website or to assist in evaluating or processing your insurance requests. These service providers are only given access to the information needed to perform their specific services, and they are contractually required to protect your information and use it only for the purposes for which it was provided.
Claims and Assessment Professionals: In the event of an insurance claim or when otherwise necessary to service your policies, we may share information with third parties involved in the claims process. This can include independent claims adjusters, appraisers, investigators, medical professionals, or attorneys who need your information to investigate or settle a claim, or to defend against claims. We share information with these parties strictly as needed to handle claims and related matters on your behalf.
Affiliated Companies: If Fend Insurance is part of a corporate family or has affiliates, we may share information with our affiliated companies for business purposes, such as internal administration or to offer you additional financial or insurance products. Any such sharing will comply with GLBA and relevant laws regarding affiliate sharing.
Parties with a Legal or Beneficial Interest: In certain cases, we share information with third parties that have a legal interest in your insurance policy. For example, lienholders, mortgagees, lessors, or additional insureds listed on your policy may receive information about the policy status or coverage as necessary. Similarly, certificate holders or those who have an interest in an insurance transaction may be provided relevant information to confirm coverage.
Regulatory and Legal Disclosure: We may disclose personal information to government authorities, regulators, law enforcement, or other third parties if we are required to do so by law or legal process, or if we have a good-faith belief that such disclosure is necessary to comply with applicable laws, a subpoena or court order. This includes sharing information as needed to cooperate with regulators (such as state insurance departments) or to report information required by law. We may also release personal information as necessary to detect, prevent, or address fraud, security, or technical issues, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Fend Insurance, our customers, or others.
Authorized by You: We will share your information with third parties if you direct or authorize us to do so. For instance, if you request that we provide your details to another advisor or to a third-party service, we will do so with your consent.
Business Transfers: In the event that Fend Insurance considers or undergoes a business transaction such as a merger, acquisition, corporate reorganization, or sale of some or all of our assets, personal information may be disclosed or transferred as part of that process. We will ensure that any third party acquiring our business (or a portion of it) is subject to obligations regarding your information that are consistent with this Privacy Policy. This means your information could be transferred to a successor or affiliate that agrees to maintain its confidentiality and protect it in the same manner we do, and to use it only for the continued provision of insurance services or as otherwise permitted by this Policy.
In all cases of sharing outlined above, Fend Insurance discloses only the minimum information necessary and we require recipients to safeguard your data and use it only for legitimate, authorized purposes. We do not share your personal information with non-affiliated third parties for their own independent marketing use without giving you the opportunity to consent or opt-out, as required by law. If in the future we seek to share your information in any manner not covered by this Privacy Policy, we will provide you with an updated notice and obtain any necessary consent.
Data Security and Protection of Personal Information
We take the security of your personal information very seriously. In accordance with federal and state regulations (including the GLBA Safeguards Rule and Massachusetts 201 CMR 17.00), Fend Insurance has implemented a comprehensive Written Information Security Program (WISP) designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Our WISP includes administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal data we handle. Some key features of our data security program include:
Access Controls: We strictly limit access to your non-public personal information to those employees, contractors, or service providers who have a legitimate business need to know it in order to provide products or services to you. Each of our staff is trained on the importance of confidentiality and is bound by privacy and security obligations.
Physical and Electronic Safeguards: We maintain up-to-date physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect your data. This includes technical measures such as firewalls, encryption technologies, and secure networks to guard data during transmission and storage. Personal information (as defined by 201 CMR 17.00) that we electronically transmit over public networks or store on portable devices is encrypted to prevent unauthorized viewing. Our websites and internal systems are monitored for security vulnerabilities and regularly updated with security patches.
Monitoring and Testing: We monitor our systems and networks to detect and prevent unauthorized access. We periodically review and test our security measures to ensure they remain effective, and we update our practices in light of new risks or technologies. Any third-party service providers who handle personal information on our behalf are required to implement robust security measures as well.
Incident Response: As part of our WISP, we have a breach notification and incident response plan. In the unlikely event of a security breach that compromises your personal information, we will notify affected individuals and regulators as required by Massachusetts law and other applicable regulations.
While we employ rigorous security standards to protect your information, please be aware that no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security of information. You share and transmit data to us at your own risk. However, Fend Insurance does comply with all applicable data security laws and utilizes industry best practices to minimize risks to your personal data. We continuously improve our security procedures to adapt to new threats and to protect the confidentiality and integrity of our customers’ information.
Your Rights and Choices
We want you to be informed about, and have control over, your personal information. Subject to certain legal limitations, you have the following rights regarding the personal information we maintain about you:
Right to Access: You have the right to request information about the personal data we have collected about you and to obtain a copy of that information. This includes knowing the categories of personal information in our files, the sources of that information, and the third parties or types of third parties with whom we have shared your information (for the 24-month period prior to your request). Upon a verified request, we will provide you with the personal information we have about you in our records, except for certain information related to claims or legal proceedings that we may be prohibited by law from disclosing.
Right to Correct or Amend: If any of your personal information is incomplete or inaccurate, you have the right to request that we correct or update it. You may contact us with a request to amend or correct your data, specifying what information is incorrect and the desired changes. We will promptly investigate and make the appropriate corrections when justified.
Right to Deletion (Limited): You may request that we delete certain personal information we have about you. Please note that this right is not absolute; in many cases, we must retain personal data to fulfill our contractual obligations to you (such as maintaining your insurance policy), to comply with legal record retention requirements, or for legitimate business purposes. However, we will evaluate any deletion request and if we determine we can honor the request, we will delete the information (or de-identify it) and confirm to you that we have done so. If we must retain the information, we will inform you of the reasons we cannot delete it.
Right to Opt Out of Marketing: If you receive marketing emails or promotional communications from us, you have the right to opt out of those messages. You can unsubscribe from our marketing emails by following the instructions in those emails, or by contacting us directly to request removal from our marketing list. Even if you opt out of marketing messages, we will still send you transactional or service-related communications (such as policy documents, billing notices, or claims correspondence) as needed.
Right to Opt Out of Certain Sharing: As noted above, we do not share your nonpublic personal information with non-affiliated third parties for their independent use except as permitted by law. If Fend Insurance ever intends to share your information with such third parties for purposes other than as described in this Policy, you will be given an opportunity to opt out or opt in, as required by applicable law. For example, GLBA gives consumers the right to opt out of some information sharing with non-affiliates – we will provide you with a GLBA privacy notice and opt-out form if we engage in any sharing that triggers those rights.
To exercise any of your rights described above, or to inquire about your personal information, please contact us using the information provided in the Contact Us section below. For access or correction requests, we may require you to submit your request in writing and to provide certain verifying information (such as your name, address, policy number, and a copy of a government ID) so that we can verify your identity and locate your records. We will respond to legitimate requests within the time frame required by law. In Massachusetts, for example, we will contact you within 30 business days of receiving your written request to arrange for providing you with access to or copies of your information. For correction or deletion requests, we will inform you of the outcome of your request within 30 business days of receipt: if we agree with your request, we will make the correction or deletion; if we deny the request (for example, if the information is required to be retained or we believe it is accurate as is), we will explain the reason and give you an opportunity to provide a statement disputing our decision, which we will keep on file with the information at issue. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights.
Mobile Policy
No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. All the above categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.
Children’s Privacy
Our services and website are not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect any personal information from children under 13 years old. In compliance with the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), if we become aware that we have inadvertently received personal information from a child under 13, we will delete such information from our records. If you are under 13, please do not use this website or submit any information to us. Parents or guardians who believe Fend Insurance might have any information from or about a child under 13 should contact us so that we can promptly remove the data. Our website, products, and services are all directed to individuals who are at least 13 years of age or older.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update or revise this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. If we make any material changes, we will post the updated Privacy Policy on our website with a new effective date and indicate what has changed. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information. Your continued use of our website or services after any changes to this Privacy Policy have been posted will constitute your acceptance of those changes.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, please contact us using one of the following methods:
Email: info@fendinsurance.com
Mail: Fend Insurance, Attn: Privacy Officer, 1188 Centre Street, Newton, MA 02459
Telephone: (617) 693-0907
For privacy-specific requests (such as accessing or correcting your information), we may ask you to submit your request in writing or through email for record-keeping purposes. We will respond as promptly as possible to address your concerns.
Thank you for trusting Fend Insurance with your personal information. We are dedicated to safeguarding your privacy and delivering our services with the utmost integrity and security.