Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

FarmCover ("we", "us", or "our") operates the website farmcover.co.nz (the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website or use our services.

This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 and the Privacy Principles contained in that Act. By using our Service, you consent to the collection and use of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

We are committed to being transparent about how we handle your personal information and ensuring you understand your privacy rights under New Zealand law.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information You Provide

When you use our Service, we may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

• Name and contact details (email address, phone number, physical address)
• Farm location and property details
• Farming operation information (type of farming, livestock numbers, equipment details)
• Financial information (for insurance quote purposes)
• Current insurance details and history
• Any other information you choose to provide when requesting quotes or contacting us

2.2 Information Automatically Collected

When you access our Service, we may automatically collect certain information about your device and usage, including:

• IP address and browser type
• Device information and operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on our website
• Referring website addresses
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see our Cookie Policy below)

2.3 Information from Third Parties

We may receive information about you from our partner insurance brokers and providers when they provide quotes or services to you. This information is only received with your consent and in accordance with applicable privacy laws.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the personal information we collect for the following purposes:

• Providing Services: To connect you with insurance brokers and facilitate quote requests
• Communication: To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Service Improvement: To understand how our Service is used and improve functionality
• Marketing: To send you relevant information about our services (with your consent)
• Legal Compliance: To comply with legal obligations and protect our legal rights
• Fraud Prevention: To detect, prevent, and address fraudulent or illegal activities
• Analytics: To analyze trends and gather statistical information about Service usage

We will only use your personal information for the purposes for which it was collected, or for purposes directly related to those purposes, unless we obtain your consent for a different use or are otherwise permitted or required by law.

4. Disclosure of Your Information

4.1 Insurance Partners

When you request insurance quotes through our Service, we share your information with relevant insurance brokers and providers who can assist you. These partners are carefully selected and are required to handle your information in accordance with New Zealand privacy laws.

4.2 Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our Service, such as:

• Website hosting and maintenance providers
• Email service providers
• Analytics providers
• Customer relationship management systems

These service providers are contractually obligated to use your information only for the purposes of providing services to us and must maintain appropriate security measures.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements.

4.4 Business Transfers

If FarmCover is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your personal information may be transferred. We will provide notice before your personal information is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for data transmission
• Secure servers and databases with restricted access
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Employee training on data protection and privacy
• Access controls limiting who can view personal information

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

Generally, we retain:

• Quote request information for up to 7 years for business records purposes
• Communication records for up to 3 years
• Website usage data for up to 2 years
• Marketing consent records indefinitely or until consent is withdrawn

When we no longer need your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention procedures.

7. Your Privacy Rights

Under the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

7.1 Right to Access

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you. We will provide you with a copy of your information in a commonly used format.

7.2 Right to Correction

If you believe that any personal information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, you have the right to request correction of that information.

7.3 Right to Deletion

You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions under New Zealand law (such as where we need to retain information for legal compliance purposes).

7.4 Right to Object

You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information for direct marketing purposes. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in our emails or contacting us directly.

7.5 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at hello@farmcover.co.nz or 0800 327 626. We will respond to your request within 20 working days as required by the Privacy Act 2020.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Service and hold certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data that are sent to your browser from a website and stored on your device.

8.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and personalize your experience
• Marketing Cookies: Track your online activity to deliver relevant advertisements

8.2 Managing Cookies

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Service. You can manage your cookie preferences through your browser settings.

9. Third-Party Websites

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites that are not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that third party's site. We strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for use by children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so that we can take appropriate action.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

12. Privacy Complaints

If you have a complaint about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first using the details below. We take privacy complaints seriously and will investigate your complaint promptly.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner:

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us: