Privacy Policy

1. About This Policy

Biltmore Insurance Group (ABN: [Your ABN], "we", "us", "our") is an Australian insurance broker specializing in general insurance for SMEs and consumers. This Privacy Policy explains how we manage your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

This policy applies to all personal information we collect, use, disclose, and store in the course of providing insurance broking services, including policy placement, management, and claims assistance.

2. What Personal Information We Collect

As an insurance broker, we collect personal information necessary to provide our services and meet our legal obligations. The information we collect may include:

General Personal Information

• Full name, date of birth, and contact details (address, phone, email)
• Business details including ABN/ACN, industry type, and business structure
• Employment information and occupation details
• Financial information including assets, liabilities, and income
• Details about your personal belongings and property
• Insurance history and claims history
• Payment and billing information

Sensitive Information

In some circumstances, we may need to collect sensitive information, but only with your consent unless otherwise required or permitted by law. This may include:

• Health information (for certain insurance products or claims)
• Criminal history (where relevant to insurance risk assessment)

We will always inform you when sensitive information is required and seek your explicit consent before collection.

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information directly from you when you:

• Contact us for insurance quotes or advice
• Complete application forms or questionnaires
• Communicate with us via phone, email, or our website
• Lodge or manage insurance claims
• Attend meetings or consultations with our team

We may also collect information from third parties, including:

• Insurance companies, underwriters, and reinsurers
• Other insurance brokers and intermediaries
• Claims investigators, assessors, and loss adjusters
• Medical practitioners, hospitals, and health providers (with your consent)
• Credit reporting agencies and financial institutions
• Government agencies and regulators
• Publicly available sources

4. Why We Collect and Use Your Information

We collect and use your personal information for the following purposes:

Primary Purposes

• Providing insurance broking services and advice
• Assessing your insurance needs and recommending appropriate coverage
• Obtaining quotes from insurers and underwriters on your behalf
• Arranging, managing, and renewing insurance policies
• Processing premium payments and managing billing
• Assisting with claims lodgment, management, and settlement
• Communicating with you about your policies and our services

Secondary Purposes

• Improving our services and customer experience
• Conducting risk assessments and analysis
• Marketing and promoting our services (with your consent)
• Training and quality assurance purposes
• Internal business operations and administration

Legal Obligations

• Complying with insurance laws and regulations
• Meeting our obligations under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
• Preventing fraud, money laundering, and other criminal activities
• Responding to legal processes and government requests

5. How We Share Your Information

As an insurance broker, sharing your information with relevant parties is essential to providing our services. We may disclose your personal information to:

Insurance Industry Participants

• Insurance companies and underwriters (including Lloyd's of London and international insurers)
• Reinsurers and reinsurance brokers
• Other insurance brokers and intermediaries
• Insurance reference bureaus and industry databases

Claims-Related Parties

• Loss adjusters and claims investigators
• Assessors, valuers, and surveyors
• Repairers, suppliers, and service providers
• Medical practitioners, hospitals, and healthcare providers
• Legal representatives and experts

Service Providers

• IT service providers and cloud storage providers
• Payment processors and financial institutions
• Document management and records storage providers
• Marketing and communications service providers
• Professional advisors (accountants, lawyers, auditors)

Government and Regulatory Bodies

• Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)
• Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)
• Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC)
• Law enforcement and government agencies

6. Overseas Disclosures

Some insurers and reinsurers we work with are located overseas. Your personal information may be disclosed to entities in countries including:

• United Kingdom (particularly Lloyd's of London syndicates)
• United States
• European Union countries
• Singapore
• Other countries where our insurers operate

When we disclose information overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure recipients comply with the Australian Privacy Principles or are subject to similar privacy protections. However, you may not have the same rights to seek redress under the Privacy Act for overseas disclosures.

7. Data Security and Storage

We are committed to protecting your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. We implement security measures including:

• Secure IT systems with encryption and access controls
• Secure storage facilities for physical documents
• Staff training on privacy and data security
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Confidentiality agreements with service providers

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law. For insurance records, this is typically seven years from policy expiry or claim settlement.

When information is no longer needed, we securely destroy or de-identify it. Paper documents are shredded or securely disposed of, and electronic records are permanently deleted.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

Right to Access

You can request access to the personal information we hold about you. We will provide access within 30 days unless an exception applies. We may charge a reasonable fee for processing your request.

Right to Correction

If you believe your personal information is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, or misleading, you can request correction. We will respond within 30 days and make corrections where appropriate.

Right to Object

You can opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time by contacting us or using the unsubscribe link in our emails.

Right to Complain

If you have concerns about how we handle your personal information, you can lodge a complaint with us. We will investigate and respond within 30 days. If you're not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

9. Your Duty to Disclose

Under insurance law, you have a duty to disclose all information relevant to an insurer's decision to provide cover and on what terms. This means you must provide complete and accurate information when applying for insurance or making claims.

Failure to disclose relevant information may affect your insurance coverage or claims entitlements. We will help you understand your disclosure obligations, but you are responsible for ensuring all information provided is truthful and complete.

10. Website and Digital Privacy

Our website may collect information through:

• Cookies and similar tracking technologies
• Analytics tools to understand website usage
• Contact forms and inquiry submissions

You can control cookie settings through your browser. Disabling cookies may affect website functionality.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted on our website with a new "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to access or correct your personal information, or want to make a complaint, please contact us: