Privacy Policy & Privacy Code

Purpose

Protecting the confidentiality of personal information entrusted to us by our policyholders and employees is a cornerstone of how we do business. To demonstrate this commitment, Ayr Farmers Mutual Insurance Company has developed this Privacy Policy. It explains how and why we collect and use personal information and outlines the limited circumstances in which we may be required to disclose it.

What is Personal Information?

"Personal information" means information that identifies a specific individual. It may include an individual's name, address, phone number, email address, date of birth, family status, marital status, gender, occupation, medical and health records, assets, liabilities, income, credit and payment records, previous insurance experience including claims history, and driving record. It does not include general business contact information or information that could be found in a public business directory.

Legal Framework

This privacy policy is based on the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation. PIPEDA establishes rules and principles for the use and disclosure of personal information based on ten privacy principles developed by the Canadian Standards Association. Under this legislation, an organization may collect, use or disclose personal information only for limited purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

Our Privacy Principles

Principle 1: Accountability for Personal Information

Ayr Farmers Mutual Insurance Company is accountable for all personal information we collect and use. "Customer" means a current policyholder, former insured, applicant for insurance, claimant under one of our policies, and an individual insured as part of a group or corporate policy.

We are responsible for maintaining and protecting personal information while it is under our control, including any personal information disclosed to third parties for processing or administration functions. We have established policies and procedures to ensure compliance with privacy legislation and have designated a Privacy Officer responsible for our company's adherence to these privacy principles.

Principle 2: Identifying Our Purpose for Collection

We collect personal information only for the following purposes:

• To provide ongoing service to our customers
• To help us understand our customers' needs better
• To develop, enhance, market or provide insurance products and services
• To enable us to underwrite insurance policies and set fair premiums
• To provide information needed to adjust claims fairly and expeditiously
• To detect or prevent fraudulent claims
• To comply with statistical and regulatory requirements
• To meet our legal obligations under third party agreements, the Insurance Act and other relevant statutes
• To communicate with customers about their policies, claims, and relevant insurance matters
• To send marketing communications where consent has been provided

Unless required by law, we will not use or disclose personal information for purposes other than those identified without documenting the new purpose and obtaining appropriate consent.

Principle 3: Obtaining Consent

We make reasonable efforts to ensure our customers understand and consent to how their personal information will be used. By providing information to us, you consent to its use in accordance with this policy and for the purposes identified at the time of collection.

We obtain express consent through signed applications before collecting information from third parties such as other insurers and insurance service companies. For marketing communications, we obtain separate consent as outlined in our Email Communications section below. 

In certain circumstances, personal information may need to be collected, used or disclosed without consent when:

• Legal, medical, or security reasons make it impossible or impractical to seek consent
• Information is being collected for fraud detection and prevention
• Required for law enforcement purposes
• The individual is a minor, seriously ill, or mentally incapacitated
• Required by law or court order

Principle 4: Limiting Collection

We limit the collection of personal information to what is necessary for the identified purposes. This typically includes information required to underwrite insurance policies, charge fair premiums, and process claims. We may collect personal information from other sources when necessary and will always collect information by fair and lawful means.

Under certain circumstances, we may need to collect information through licensed and regulated independent insurance adjusters or investigators to assist in adjusting or investigating claims.

Principle 5: Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

Personal information will not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with consent or as permitted or required by law. Personal information is retained only as long as necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or as required by law.

We may disclose customer personal information to:

• Other insurance companies for reasonable provision of insurance services, including companies subscribing to risks under our policies
• Reinsurance companies, subject to their agreement to manage personal information according to these privacy principles
• Licensed independent insurance claims adjusters, investigators, or forensic experts
• Medical or rehabilitation specialists providing opinions pursuant to our rights and obligations under the Insurance Act
• Companies or individuals performing data processing, accounting, actuarial or statistical functions on our behalf
• Persons or corporations involved in developing, enhancing, marketing or providing our insurance products and services
• Collection agencies for outstanding accounts
• Public authorities or their agents when required to comply with statutes or regulations
• Law enforcement agencies where consent is provided or disclosure is required by law or emergency
• Credit agencies

Important: We do not sell or provide customer lists to outside companies for marketing or solicitation purposes. Only employees with a business "need to know" are granted access to personal information.

Principle 6: Keeping Information Accurate

We make every effort to ensure personal information is accurate, complete, and updated as necessary for its intended purposes. This may require insurance agents or brokers to confirm or update information for underwriting purposes. The Insurance Act and policy terms may require policyholders to notify us of material changes to their personal information.

If you have questions about the accuracy or completeness of your personal information, please contact our Privacy Officer.

Principle 7: Safeguarding Personal Information

We implement security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of personal information, including:

• Stringent security measures to protect against loss, theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification or destruction
• Protection of personal information regardless of format (physical or electronic)
• Contractual agreements with third parties stipulating confidentiality and permitted uses
• Employee requirements to respect confidentiality as a condition of employment
• Regular security assessments and updates to our protection measures

Principle 8: Openness About Privacy Practices

We maintain a policy of openness about our procedures for managing personal information. We provide specific information about our policies and practices upon request, including:

• Contact information for our Privacy Officer
• How to make inquiries or complaints
• How to access personal information held by our company
• Types of personal information we hold and general descriptions of its use

Principle 9: Customer Access to Personal Information

Upon written request, we will inform customers about the existence, use, and disclosure of their personal information and provide access to that information. Customers can challenge the accuracy and completeness of their personal information and have it amended when appropriate.

We may require sufficient identification to authorize access to files. In exceptional situations, we may not provide access to all personal information due to:

• Prohibitive costs
• Information containing references to other individuals
• Legal, security or commercial proprietary restrictions
• Solicitor-client or litigation privilege
• Certain medical information restrictions

When access is denied, we will provide reasons upon request.

Principle 10: Challenging Compliance

Customers have the right to challenge our compliance with these principles by contacting our Privacy Officer. We maintain strict procedures for addressing and responding to all inquiries or complaints about our handling of personal information.

Our Privacy Officer will investigate all complaints concerning privacy policy compliance. If a complaint is justified, we will take appropriate measures to resolve it, including amendments to our policies and procedures when necessary.

Email Communications & Marketing Preferences

Email Collection and Use

When you provide your email address to Ayr Farmers Mutual Insurance Company, we may use it to:

• Send policy documents, renewal notices, and important account information
• Provide claims updates and communications
• Send payment reminders and billing information
• Communicate about policy changes or regulatory updates
• Send marketing communications about our products and services (with your consent)
• Provide customer service communications

Marketing Email Consent

Separate consent is required for marketing communications. You can choose to receive:

• Policy and Account Communications (essential communications about your insurance policies - cannot be unsubscribed)
• Marketing Communications (promotional materials, product information, newsletters, special offers)
• Educational Content (insurance tips, safety information, industry updates)

Your Email Preferences

You can manage your email preferences at any time by:

• Unsubscribing from marketing emails using the unsubscribe link in any marketing email
• Contacting us at 1-800-265-8792 to update your preferences
• Emailing our Privacy Officer to modify your communication preferences
• Writing to us at our head office address

Unsubscribe Process

To unsubscribe from marketing communications:

1. Click the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any marketing email
2. Follow the prompts to confirm your unsubscribe request
3. Allow up to 10 business days for the change to take effect

Note: Unsubscribing from marketing emails will not affect essential policy and account communications, which we are required to send as part of our service obligations.

Third-Party Email Services

We may use reputable third-party email service providers to send communications. These providers are contractually required to:

• Protect your personal information
• Use information only for authorized purposes
• Comply with applicable privacy laws
• Implement appropriate security measures

Email Security

We implement security measures to protect your email communications, but please note that:

• Email is not a completely secure method of communication
• Sensitive personal information should not be sent via regular email
• We will never request passwords or sensitive account information via email

Cookies and Online Tracking

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us provide better online experiences, remember preferences, enable website functionality, and understand how our website is used.

Essential Cookies (Always Active) - Required for website security and functionality:

• Session management for our online customer portal
• Security and authentication for account access
• Form data saving for online submissions

Analytics Cookies (Requires Consent) - Help us improve our website:

• Google Analytics and Mouseflow for website traffic and user behaviour analysis
• Performance monitoring to identify technical issues

• Google Ads for conversion tracking and remarketing
• Meta Pixel (Facebook) for advertising measurement and audience insights

We use Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Meta Pixel, which have their own privacy policies. These services may collect information about your browsing activities across different websites.

Managing Cookie Preferences

Your Options:

• Manage settings through your browser (block, delete, or receive notifications)
• Opt-out directly: Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook

Important Notes:

• Essential cookies cannot be disabled as they're necessary for website security and portal access
• Disabling cookies may affect website functionality
• Cookie preferences are stored locally and may reset if you clear browser data
• Cookies are retained from session-only to up to 26 months depending on type and purpose 

Contact Information

Privacy Officer: Stephanie Hastings
Ayr Farmers Mutual Insurance Company
Toll-Free: 1-800-265-8792

For privacy-related inquiries, complaints, or to update your communication preferences, please contact our Privacy Officer.

Effective Date: This policy is effective as of July 2025 and supersedes all previous versions.

This privacy policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. We will post the most current version on our website and notify customers of significant changes as required by law.