1. Privacy Policy.
USFSB has created this privacy policy to demonstrate our firm commitment to protecting
your information and informing you about how it will be handled. This privacy policy
applies to transactions and activities in which you engage, and data gathered, both on
the website and offline directly with USFSB, or its vendors, carriers, members, brokers
and affiliates. Please review this privacy policy periodically as USFSB may modify it
from time to time. This privacy policy was last revised on May 1, 2006. Each time
you visit the website or provide USFSB with information, by doing so you are accepting
the practices described in this privacy policy at that time.
2. Your IP Address.
Each time you visit the website, USFSB automatically collects your IP address and
the web page from which you came. In order to administer and optimize the website
for you and to diagnose problems with our website, we use your IP address to help
identify you, to gather demographic information about you, to monitor and track your
activity on the website, and determine your eligibility to have access to certain
sections of the website.
3. Cookies.
The website uses cookies to keep track of your purchases and other activity on the
website and to enhance your use of the website. We also use cookies to deliver
content specific to your interests, to save your password, and to save other personal,
business and financial information so that you do not have to reenter it each time you
visit the website. USFSB’s vendors, carriers, members, brokers and affiliates may
also place or read cookies on your browser.
4. Information We Collect From You.
In order to operate the website and to provide you with information about benefits,
products or services that may be of interest to you, we may collect personal/business
information such as your full name, the name of your business, postal address, telephone
number, email address, and fax number; financial information such as credit card
information, credit history, billing history, the size of your business, and the
level or extent of your business activities; demographic information, such as number
of employees, company census, years in business, gender, age/date of birth, purchase
history, browser history, search history, and membership history. We may also collect
the content of communications between you and other members and/or users and between
you and our vendors, carriers, brokers and affiliates. Please note that nowhere on
the website do we knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 18.
5. Information Other Websites Collect From You.
On our website, we place links to other websites operated by other parties.
Some of these other websites contain our brand names and trademarks and other intellectual
property that we own; others do not. When you click on these links and visit these
other websites, regardless of whether or not they contain our brand names, trademarks
and other intellectual property, you need to be aware that we do not control these
other websites or these other websites’ business practices, and that this privacy
policy does not apply to these other websites. Consequently, the operators of
these other websites may collect different kinds of information about you, and
may use and disclose that information in different ways than we would if it were
collected on our website. We encourage you to review their privacy policies
and remind you that we will not be responsible for their actions.
6. How We Use Your Information.
a. We use your email address and your other information to help us
efficiently operate the website, to contact you in connection with your transactions and
other activities on the website (including, but not limited to, confirmation emails or
important news that could affect your relationship with USFSB and its vendors, carriers,
brokers and affiliates), and to forward messages to you from other users.
b. We also use your information to send you newsletters,
information, offers and other promotional materials for USFSB’s or third parties’
benefits, products or services. We attempt to send you offers that are of value
to you, such as discounts, exclusive and/or special offers or special event information.
The website provides you with options to decline to receive communications from USFSB
(other then those outlined in 6 (a) above). By posting content, of any kind, or
otherwise using the website you are opting in to receiving promotional mail and/or email.
To opt out you must contact USFSB, in writing, at 249 Green Street, Schenectady,
New York 12304, attention Patrick Della Rocca. USFSB is not liable or responsible for
inadvertent promotional mailings or e-mails or for promotional mailings or
e-mail from third parties.
c. To operate the website, including processing your transactions
and supporting your activities on the website, we may share some or all of your
information with our agents, representatives, vendors, carriers, brokers or
affiliates so that they can provide us with support services such as authorization
of credit card transactions, email origination, customer service, benefit, product
or service provision and fulfillment, and promotional fulfillment. We require
these entities not to use your information for any other purpose not authorized by USFSB.
d. By purchasing or otherwise inquiring about benefits, products
or services provided or offered by third parties on the website, or electing to receive
communications or electing to participate in any promotional programs provided or
offered by third parties on the website, you consent to our providing your information
to those third parties. Those third parties may use your information in accordance
with their own privacy policies. You will need to contact those third parties to
instruct them directly regarding your preferences for the use of your information by them.
Additionally, you agree that USFSB may use and disclose all such information so submitted
to such third parties in the same manner in which we are entitled to use and disclose any
other information you submit to USFSB.
e. In some cases, USFSB may enter into promotional and/or
contractual relationships with other companies/entities/individuals in which we prominently
display their, names, trade styles, brand names or trademarks on pages of the website.
These pages are referred to herein as “Provider” pages. If the page on which you submit
information is a Provider page, or was accessed by clicking on a link on a Provider page,
then we may share your information with the associated Provider. In some cases, we may
provide your contact information to potential third party Providers for the purpose of
promotional offers that may be of interest to you. Providers or potential Providers may
use your information in accordance with their own privacy policies. You will need to
contact Providers or potential Providers to instruct them directly regarding your preferences
for the use of your information by them. Additionally, you agree that USFSB may use and
disclose all such information so submitted to such Providers or potential Providers in the
same manner in which we are entitled to use and disclose any other information you submit to us.
f. Any third party with whom we are allowed to share your information
is authorized to use your information in accordance with our contractual arrangements with
such third parties and in accordance with their own privacy policies, over which we have no
control, and you agree that USFSB is not responsible or liable for any of their actions or
omissions. Those third parties who contact you will need to be instructed directly by you
regarding your preferences for the use of your information by them.
g. Your information may be passed on to a third party in the event
of a transfer of ownership or assets, or a bankruptcy. We may also disclose your information
when we determine that such disclosure is necessary to comply with applicable law, to cooperate
with law enforcement, to comply with the lawful order of any court or governmental agency,
or to protect the interests or safety of USFSB or other visitors to the website. We may
also share your information with affiliated companies that are related in ownership to USFSB.
h. We may use your information alone or in combination with other
members, prospects, or users of the website to compile demographic information or profiles
to tailor the website and communications to your interests. We may also share demographic
information, member, prospect, and/or user profiles with Providers and potential Providers
so that USFSB, among other reasons, will be able to determine if a Provider or potential
Provider can offer benefits, products or services that would appeal to our members or users.
Our sharing of demographic information is anonymous subject to the rest of the privacy policy.
When you respond to a Provider or potential Provider, however, you may be asked to give them
your information and to identify yourself as a part of our demographic group and/or to identify
yourself as a USFSB member.
7. Security Precautions.
a. In addition to a member login password, certain members will
also be provided an additional secured password to obtain access to sensitive information
such as the current status and the history of insurance coverage of the member and its employees,
the current status and history of the member’s payments, charges and billing with USFSB, and,
in the case of a broker, the current status and history of their broker fees and book of
business with USFSB.
b. The secured password will be given to the authorized representative
of the member/broker as designated on a written and signed statement sent to USFSB by mail with a
physical signature, by fax with a facsimile signature, or email with the full name and title of
the sender. You agree that USFSB has the right to rely on this written statement and shall
not be held responsible or liable for any misrepresentations made therein.
c. You further agree that USFSB is not responsible or liable for
any further disclosure of the secured password by the member/broker or its designated
authorized representative, whether intentional or unintentional, or any theft or
misappropriation of the secured password by third parties. Upon proper notification,
in writing, from the authorized representative of the member/broker, of any of these
events, USFSB may supply a new secured password to such authorized representative.
d. The sensitive information covered by the secured password will
not be shared by USFSB with third parties except as stated in paragraph 6 (g) herein and in
general terms as part of an anonymous and aggregate demographic membership profile under 6
(h) herein.
If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy you can contact USFSB at c/o President, 249 Green Street, Schenectady,
New York 12305 or email patd@usfsb.com.
