Ventum Insurance Services Corp. understands that trust is an important factor in our relationship, and we take this very seriously. Protecting your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information is a fundamental part of our responsibility to you. Through our policies and procedures as well as state-of-the-art equipment and computer security measures, we ensure that your privacy and the confidentiality of your information are protected.
Effective January 1st, 2004, Canada’s federal privacy law, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) has come fully into effect. Furthermore, British Columbia has enacted a privacy law, the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) which also came into effect on January 1st, 2004. Ventum Insurance Services Corp. handling practices with respect to personal information comply with PIPEDA and similar legislation is enacted at the provincial level in Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. Policies, procedures, and safeguards have been put in place to ensure your personal information is protected.
Collecting, Using and Disclosing Information
PIPEDA requires that clients give knowledgeable consent to the collection, use or disclosure of their personal information. We may rely on the following actions by you as indication of your consent to our existing and future personal information practices: (i) your voluntary provision of personal information directly to Ventum Insurance Services Corp. Inc for the purpose of considering and/or acquiring an insurance contract or other financial service or product; (ii) your express consent or acknowledgement contained in a written, verbal or electronic communication; and/or (iii) your receipt of this privacy statement, until you notify Ventum Insurance Services Corp. of a withdrawal of this consent. You may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions and reasonable notice, by contacting your agent or our Chief Compliance Officer. Legal and other requirements may prevent you from withdrawing consent and your decision to withdraw consent may also limit the services or products we are able to provide to you.
This section also describes our policies regarding the collection, use and disclosure of the information that we collect about you on our website such as your name, address, phone number, fax number, e-mail address or mailing address. We may collect this information when you subscribe to any of our marketing and correspondence services, when you fill out forms made available through our website, and when you e-mail us with inquiries, comments or suggestions. Personal information is received by us from you or from your agent with your consent. Other sources from which we may receive your information with your consent include our affiliates, other financial institutions, through a credit check, employment information check, and from insurance brokers and companies. Personal information is stored for as long as it is required for the purpose(s) it was collected and is securely destroyed thereafter.
Ventum Insurance Services Corp. will use or disclose personal information only for the purpose(s) it was collected, unless you consent to use or disclosure for another purpose, or applicable laws require or condone such additional uses. If we wish to use your information for any other purpose than set forth in this agreement, we will obtain your consent before using the information. When you send us an email or when you ask us to respond to you by email, we use the email address you sent your message from to acknowledge your comments and reply to your questions unless otherwise specified in your message. Also, we will save your communication and our response in case we correspond further.
Ventum Insurance Services Corp. will not sell your personal information to anyone. Ventum Insurance Services Corp. uses your personal information to offer and provide insurance and financial products and services to you. We also use your personal information to discharge our responsibilities as a member of various self-regulatory organizations and to discharge our obligations under federal anti-money laundering and suppression of terrorism legislation. We may use your personal information to conduct internal audits, compile statistics, and to protect the interests of Ventum Insurance Services Corp., such as the collection of debts or to investigate error and fraud.
Ventum Insurance Services Corp. may also notify you or allow our affiliated companies to notify you of certain products or services offered by us, or our affiliated companies. We may also provide you and a third party with one another’s contact information where Ventum Insurances Services Corp. has a referral arrangement in place. Any disclosures relating to referral arrangements will be made in accordance with National Instrument 31-103 – Registration Requirements. Your information may be made available to related companies or third-party service providers, such as Ventum Insurance Services Corp. managing general agency, underwriting insurers, medical professionals, government health insurance plans, fund companies, issuers, and product manufacturers. Your information may be made available to regulatory agencies, including the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario, Alberta Insurance Council, Insurance Council of British Columbia, Saskatchewan Insurance Council, the Autorité des marchés financiers or to the Canada Revenue Agency to fulfill the purposes for which it has been collected. Please be advised that to the extent personal information is provided to or stored with a foreign affiliate or third party, third-party service provider in another country, such information may be available to the governments of such other countries, including the United States government, under lawful order made in that country.
We may use your email address to send you educational information or information about products and services you have purchased. If you don’t wish us to send this information to you via email you may tell us to stop sending correspondence at any time.
We recommend that you do not send any confidential information or ask for information about your account via email as email is not encrypted or secure.
Please contact your Ventum Insurance Services Corp. agent for additional information or if you have any questions of a confidential nature.
Storing of Information And Restricting Access
We may store your information (in encrypted form where we believe it to be highly sensitive) in electronic databases or e-mail boxes hosted by us or our service providers, for periods of time and with safeguards that we believe are reasonable depending on the nature and sensitivity of the information. Access to the information is restricted to a select group of individuals, in accordance with our security protocols.
Releasing Information
- We may provide your information to other persons but only if:
- we have your consent;
- we provide the information to our service providers, suppliers or agents who assist us in serving you and they have agreed to abide by our privacy policy; or
- we are required to do so by law, regulation or court order.
Chief Compliance Officer
Ventum Insurance Services Corp. and its dealer affiliates are committed to providing clients with the highest standard of service. As part of our commitment, we strive to protect your privacy and the confidentiality of personal information that you provide to us. Personal information refers to information that identifies you such as your home address, personal email address, home telephone number, age, gender, family and marital status, income and assets, employment history, and identification numbers (e.g. social insurance number, passport number or driver’s license number). In some cases, it may also include medical and health information, insurance and claims experience, habits, travel or movement details, lifestyle, leisure activities and other information that identifies you.
Accountability
Ventum Insurance Services Corp. is affiliated with Ventum Financial (which has a Chief Compliance Officer who is ultimately responsible for personal information under the control of Ventum Insurance Services Corp. and for compliance with our privacy policy. If you would like to make an inquiry or complaint regarding Ventum Insurance Services Corp. personal information practices, please contact Chief Compliance Officer in writing at the following address:
Respecting And Responding To Your Privacy Concerns
You have the option to refuse or withdraw consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your information, and we will respect your choices. If you wish to exercise this option or if you have any questions or enquiries with respect to our privacy policies or procedures, please send a written request to:
Chief Compliance Officer
Ventum Financial
2500 – 733 Seymour Street,
Vancouver, BC, V6B 0S6
We will investigate and respond to your concerns about any aspect of our handling of your information. The Chief Compliance Officer will record your concerns, investigate, and respond to you with their findings. If, unfortunately, we are unable to resolve your concerns, you can address the issue with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.