Legal, privacy, accessibility

Our cookie policy

Last Updated: November 19, 2021

Introduction

This Cookies Policy (“Policy”) describes how and why Foresters Financial (“Foresters Financial”, “we”, “us”, and “our”) uses cookies on our websites. This Policy applies to Foresters websites and sites that link to the Policy (the “Website”) and includes:

• Foresters.com
• MyForesters.com
• MyPlans

What are cookies?

Cookies are small files, often containing a unique identifier, that websites store on your browser or device when you visit the website or app in order to remember information about you. Cookies are important to ensure that websites and web services are able to function properly, they help to personalize and improve your website experience, and can provide information about how you use the website. Those cookies are set by us and are called first party cookies.

We also allow third party cookies – these are cookies set by a domain other than the website or application you are visiting, such as for analytics or advertising purposes.

We may also use web beacons and pixel tags which are small pieces of code placed on a webpage to monitor the behavior and collect data about website visitors (for example, to count the number of visitors to a webpage, to deliver a cookie or to confirm if you have opened an email from us).

What are the types of cookies we use?

Our Website uses three main groups of cookies, as described below:

We use required cookies to enable our Website to function properly, including to allow you to navigate and access secure areas of the Website.

We use functional cookies to allow us to analyze and measure Website usage, and to improve performance and functionality.

We use advertising cookies to permit Foresters or advertising companies to serve ads that are relevant to your interests.

Our Website uses two types of cookie durations - persistent and session cookies. Persistent cookies are cookies that remain on your device for a specified duration of time or until you manually delete them or object to them. Session cookies are temporary cookies that expire at the end of the browser session (e.g., when you leave our Website or close your browser).

To learn more about the type of cookies we use and why we use them, click “Cookie Preferences” in the footer of any page, then click on “View cookie settings” and then “Advanced settings.”

Setting your cookie preferences

When you first visit our Website, and periodically thereafter, we will inform you of why we use cookies, and you will have the opportunity to control the non-essential cookies you choose to accept by either clicking on “Agree and proceed” or on “More information” to select which cookies to accept or reject.

 

You may set or change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking “Cookie Preferences” in the footer of any page.
If you choose to reject or delete cookies, some or all of the functions on our Website may not be available to you. If you use multiple devices to access our Website you should ensure that the browser on each device is adjusted to suit your cookie preferences.

 

It is important that your browser is set to accept required cookies otherwise you will not be able to enjoy the Website fully and your ability to use certain features and functionalities may be impacted.

 

A useful resource to learn more about managing cookies can be found at www.allaboutcookies.org .

 

Do Not Track Signals

 

Foresters does not track its customers or members over time in order to provide targeted advertising or for other purposes. Some browsers offer the capability to active a “Do Not Track” signal. We do not currently process or respond to “Do Not Track” signals from your browser. We and our third-party service providers may collect personal information about our customers and members online activities.

 

Links to other third-party sites

 

If you follow a link from our Website to a third-party website, please be aware that the owner of the third-party website will have their own privacy and cookie policies for their site. We recommend you read their policies as we are not responsible or liable for what happens at their Website. When viewing videos on this Website they are being viewed through a third-party video player. These video players (example YouTube) will place cookies on your device. These cookies are required to play the video on our Website and may also be required to support website accessibility for people with disabilities.

Contact us

You may contact us for more information on our use of cookies at:

Chief Privacy Officer

Email: privacy@foresters.com

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Enterprise Privacy Statement

This policy was last updated: August 2023

Good privacy management stems from good privacy governance. At Foresters we hold ourselves accountable for protecting the privacy of the Personal Information entrusted to us by our members, customers and employees. Proactive management of Personal Information creates a culture where the importance of privacy management is understood and thereby adds value to our organization, our members, customers and employees. Personal information is any information about an identifiable individual, such as name, age, address, gender, government identification numbers, financial information, health information and medical records. It may also include online identifiers, such as IP addresses and cookie identifiers. (“Personal Information”).

Scope

This Enterprise Privacy Statement (“Enterprise Privacy Statement”) applies to all Foresters Financial (“Foresters”) business operations and subsidiaries. Foresters is an international financial services provider operating in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Foresters complies with applicable privacy/data protection laws in the jurisdictions where we do business. The privacy principles described below are supplemented by more detailed privacy policies that reflect the requirements of applicable laws in the countries in which we operate. We will provide you with these policies if they apply to your Personal Information. These specific policies will govern in the event of a conflict with this Enterprise Privacy Statement.

Canada privacy policy
US privacy policies
UK privacy policy

Privacy Principles

We adhere to the following principles when handling Personal Information:

Accountability: We are responsible for Personal Information under our control and establish this Framework for managing privacy across all our business operations. We have designated individuals who are responsible for monitoring compliance with these principles, our policies, practices and procedures and the expectations of our regulators.

Transparency – Individuals have the right to be information about the collection, use, disclosure and retention of their personal information. We make information about our privacy policies and practices readily available to individuals, subject to any exceptions permitted by law.

Identifying purposes – We will be transparent about our privacy practices and will clearly identify the purposes for which we collect, use, retain and disclose Personal Information.

Lawful basis – We will only collect, use and disclose your Personal Information as reasonably necessary for the identified purposes, and only do so where there is a lawful basis. Sometimes, this will be with the knowledge and consent of a member, customer or employee. At other times, it will be on the basis of a contractual obligation, legal obligation, our legitimate interests or vital interests. But in each case only to the extent necessary to fulfill that obligation or interest. Where we require your consent, we may obtain it in writing, verbally, electronically or through an authorized representative. Consent may also be implied.

Limiting Collection – We will limit the collection of Personal Information to that which is necessary for the purposes we identify, and we will collect it fairly and lawfully.

Limiting use, disclosure and retention – We will not use or disclose Personal Information for purposes other than those for which we collected it, except with your consent, or as permitted or required by law. We restrict the access to and disclosure of Personal Information to those who have a need for the information. This may include our employees, licensed representatives or service providers who need the information to perform their duties or to provide us with services. It may also include other companies within the Forester group of companies. who, from time to time, may offer or promote other financial products, benefits or services, or those of select third parties, that we believe may be of interest to our members and customers. We may also have joint marketing or distribution agreements with other financial institutions that may offer or promote products that we believe may be of interest to our members and customers.

In some instances, our employees, advisors, service providers, representatives, reinsurers and any of their service providers may be located in other jurisdictions outside Canada. Personal information may then be subject to the laws of those other jurisdictions and these other jurisdictions may have different privacy and data protection laws than your jurisdiction. All such persons, whether or not they are located in Canada or outside Canada, are required to protect the confidentiality of personal information in a manner that is consistent with our privacy policies and practices, in compliance with applicable law.

We do not retain Personal Information longer than is reasonably necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or as required by law. Once retention of Personal Information is no longer reasonably necessary or relevant for the identified purposes, nor required by law, it will be destroyed, erased or made anonymous. We establish policies setting standard retention periods for each jurisdiction.

Accuracy – We make reasonable efforts to keep Personal Information accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it will be used.

Security safeguards– We will classify and protect Personal Information by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. We make reasonable effort to prevent any loss or misuse, or any unauthorized disclosure, destruction or modification, of Personal Information.

Individual Rights – Upon request, and as required by applicable laws, we inform authorized individuals of the existence, use and disclosure of their Personal Information and give them access to it as required by law. Individuals may challenge the accuracy and completeness of their information and have it amended, as appropriate. Subject to applicable laws, individuals may also request us to delete the personal information we hold about them. We will consider all such requests and provide our response within a reasonable period, and as required by such laws. Certain personal information may be exempt from such requests in certain circumstances.

Challenging compliance – Individuals may challenge compliance with the above principles by contacting our Global Chief Privacy Officer who is located at our corporate head office in Toronto, Canada. We also have individuals responsible for privacy in each jurisdiction in which we operate. If you have any questions, concerns or complaints about the handling of your Personal Information at Foresters, please contact a local privacy officer. 

Global Chief Privacy Officer
789 Don Mills Road
Toronto, ON M3C 1T9
416-467-2530
privacy@foresters.com

Online Privacy

Some of our websites and mobile applications may use online data collection tools, cookies and other similar technologies, to improve functionality, enhance security, evaluate the effectiveness of our websites and advertising campaigns, to locate, identify and profile you, or provide visitors with a customized online experience. For more details, including the means to activate such technologies, please refer to our Cookie Policy and our Online Privacy Statement.

Local privacy policies

Foresters is an international financial services provider operating in Canada, United States and the United Kingdom. We may supplement this privacy statement with more specific privacy policies that are in line with this statement and principles and, where appropriate, reflect the legal and operational requirements of our business operations or the countries in which we operate. We will provide you with these policies if they apply to your Personal Information. These specific policies will govern in the event of a conflict with this privacy statement.

 

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Our commitment towards Online Security

Foresters Financial is committed to keeping your information secure. Foresters ensures the security of information and information systems by implementing adequate measures to protect the confidentiality and integrity of your information.

How do we protect your online account information

Your online account with Foresters Financial is protected from a wide variety of cyber threats.

Your user name and Password – All passwords are encrypted and we have implemented industry standard authentication systems to protect your online credentials. The protection mechanisms what we use are supporting to avoid unauthorized users.

Your role in protecting your information

Protect your Identity
The act of deliberately using someone else’s Identity is known as identity theft. Identity theft is a growing problem that affects thousands of individuals annually. Always be aware of new ways in which you are at risk for identity theft.

How do I prevent Identity Theft?

Identity theft can be prevented by not giving away unnecessary information. Sometimes it occurs as a result of negligence. To minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft, there are some basic steps you can take.

• Verify that your computer is protected by Antivirus software
• If you use a laptop for business or personal use, ensure that it is encrypted. That way, if it is stolen, the information contained on that machine is more difficult to retrieve
• Protect your various accounts with a strong password and change it on a regular basis
• Never click links in suspicious emails and don’t open attachments from untrusted senders
• Don’t respond to emails requesting your personal or account information
• Always look for the “security lock” icon before supplying credit card information on any website
• Do not input personal information on a computer in a public place, like a library, coffee shops, etc.
• Be wary of phone calls during which which someone is asking for your personal information
• Securely store documents that include confidential information
• Keep your financial, medical and insurance files in a secure location
• Shred documents that contain important personal information and commercial information about you.

Phishing scams

Phishing is a type of social manipulation that uses malicious emails and websites to steal personal information like passwords, banking details, credit card numbers, etc. in order to make financial gains. Most phishing emails contain links and attachments linked to ransomware.

How can I detect a phishing email?

• Do not click on any links provided in any emails you receive.
• If you are unsure about the link provided, enter it directly into your web browser to validate it.
• Do not respond to emails that ask you to provide confidential information. Legitimate emails will not ask you to provide such information.
• If you have any concerns, call the company directly and inquire.

Computer security tips

There are some best security practices that can help protect your information:

• ActiveX – this technology is used by the Windows system and by Internet Explorer. Using this technology can increase the attack surface by allowing Internet browsers to install programs automatically. If ActiveX is not used anywhere in your browsing experience, it can be disabled.
• Plugins – these are applications designed to extend the functionality of the browser. But they may contain programming defects, such as buffer overflows, cross-domain violations, etc. Do not enable plug-ins if you are not familiar with them or use them during your browsing experience.
• Cookies – cookies are files used to store information that will be transmitted automatically to browsers as you browse. They may also contain user identification and other sensitive information. Avoid enabling cookies in your browser and regularly clear your browsing history.

Make a backup of your data – All computers and their components can fail. Although this probability is lower today thanks to modernized technology and improved reliability, it still represents a risk. Systems failure is the main cause of data loss or corruption, and when it occurs, the only option is to restore data from a backup file.

One of the most common causes of data loss is the physical failure of the media where the data is saved. Normally, hard drives will work for years without incident, but eventually they will fail. This may happen gradually or suddenly, and sometimes the hard drive may fail without any warning. Many people underestimate the importance of backup files until they experience the unexpected loss or corruption of valuable data.

• how and what to back up – backing up data is simple if you set up your folder structure correctly. It is easier and faster to do backup if all files and subfolders are organized in a single parent folder.
• when to backup – this depends on how often you change your files. you could do this once a week, or even once a day.

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This policy was last updated: September 2023

What’s New:

We have recently updated our Canadian privacy policy to:

• Further clarify how we collect, use, disclose and retain personal information
• Provide additional information on crossborder transfers of personal information

Introduction

The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively Foresters) maintain the privacy and security of individuals’ personal information while collecting, using and disclosing personal information. We support the rights of individuals or their authorized representatives to access, correct or delete their personal information in our control, as required by applicable laws. We will not collect, use, disclose or retain personal information except as described to you in this privacy policy, where you provide your consent, or where we are otherwise permitted by law to do so. Personal information is information about you or that relates to you and that can identify you, as set out in Canadian privacy laws.

This Privacy Policy applies to all of our operations in Canada, unless we have provided you with a separate privacy statement for a particular service or activity.

This privacy policy is divided into different sections, and you can click through each section listed below. You can also download a pdf version of the policy here.

1. Your Consent
2. Information We Collect
3. Online Privacy
4. Why Do We Collect your Information and How Do We Use It
5. When Do We Disclose Your Personal Information and to Whom
6. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention
7. Crossborder Transfers
8. How Long Do We Use and Retain Your Personal Information For
9. How Do We Protect Your Information
10. Your Rights and Choices
11. Complaints
12. Updates to this Privacy Policy
13. Contact Us

 

1.  Your consent

We collect, use and share your personal information only for disclosed purposes related to the products, services and fraternal benefits we offer, and only with your consent or as permitted or required by law. Your consent may be expressed in writing, or it may be given verbally, electronically, or through our or your authorized representative(s). Depending on the circumstances and the sensitivity of the personal information, where it is appropriate to do so your consent may also be implied or inferred. You may withhold or withdraw your consent for us to collect, use and disclose your Personal Information, subject to legal or contractual reasons preventing you from doing so. Depending on the circumstances, however, withdrawal of your consent may impact our ability to continue to provide you with the insurance services and fraternal benefits you have requested.

If you provide personal information about another individual to us, it is your responsibility to obtain the consent of that individual to enable us to collect, use and disclose his or her information as described in this Privacy Policy.

 

2. Information we collect

We generally collect your personal information when you submit an application, when you provide it to an insurance advisor, or when you provide it through other electronic or paper means, and from your transactions and other interactions with us. This information may include the following personal information:

• Identity information, such as your name, address, email address, telephone number, date of birth, government identification such as passport number, driver license, social insurance number or citizenship.
• Financial information, such as your income and banking information, and which may also include payment information.
• Health related information, such as health and medical information or information about your lifestyle and habits.
• Information about your interactions   with us, such as when you visit our websites, applications, social media sites or when you call our service centers, or through other methods of communications. 
• Biometric data, such as your voiceprint, should you choose this option when you call us.

We collect your personal information in the following ways:

Directly from you: We collect personal information from you, either by mail, telephone, email, online, or through applications and other forms that you submit to us, such as when you apply for insurance or file a claim, or when you decide to open and register a member account on our website.

Indirectly from you: We collect personal information when you use our products and services, from your transactions with us or others, and when you use or interact with our websites or social media sites. For example, we may use cookies and other similar technologies, to collect information such as online identifiers including location data, your Internet Protocol (IP) Address, device or browser type, or information about how long you used the website and pages visited. For more details on the use of such technologies and as to the means to activate them, please read our Cookies Policy.

From third parties and other sources: During the normal course of our business, we may, from time to time, collect information from third parties such as your insurance advisor, consumer reporting agencies, other service providers who process or administer products or services requested by you, and from health care providers, clinics, and other insurance companies. We may also collect information from the Medical Information Bureau   or other persons that have records about you or your health. These third parties from whom we obtain information collect information and disclose it to other persons pursuant to their own privacy policies and practices.

We may collect, use and disclose de-identified information, which can include statistical or demographic data, to help us support and improve our business purposes indicated below. De-identified information may be derived from your personal information but does not directly identify you. In addition, we may also collect, use and share anonymized information. For example, we may aggregate your usage information on our website, de-identify it, and then combine it with other users’ usage information, to understand the number or frequency of users clicking or using a specific website feature or making specific requests or inquiries. This allows us to determine if we are efficiently using our resources to serve you. Should the need arise for us to combine the anonymized information with your personal information, we treat the combined information as personal information and use it in accordance with privacy laws.

 

3. Online privacy

Foresters understands that you care about how we collect, use, disclose and retain information when you interact with us online through our websites, online services and applications (collectively “Sites”) and through social media platforms.

Some of our Sites may collect your personal information and use online data analytics tools or cookies. We use these technologies to improve functionality, enhance security, evaluate the effectiveness of our Sites and advertising campaigns, or to improve your online experience.

Our Online Privacy Statement explains the types of personal information we collect through our Sites, how we use and protect that information, and the choices you have regarding our collection, use and sharing practices. You can also learn more about how we use cookies and other similar technologies, as well as on the means to activate them, in our Cookies Policy

View our Online Privacy Policy

 

4. Why do we collect your information and how do we use it?

The primary purpose we collect your personal information is so that we may offer and deliver the products and services that you request and that are suited to your needs. We use your personal information to:

• Assess your initial and continued eligibility for our products and services
• Market and administer our products and services
• Administer, manage and communicate with you about your and our products and services
• Investigate and pay claims and to process transactions
• Respond to your inquiries, customer support requests or complaints
• Identify and mitigate potential losses to you and/or Foresters, for example to verify your identity, to detect, prevent, or investigate fraud or security breaches, and to suppress financial abuse
• Hold and inform you of fraternal and community events and activities and operate our branch system
• Manage our risks and operations, to help us operate and improve our business, to assess, develop and offer other products, processes and services, as well as to minimize any disruption to our business.
• Conduct business analysis, research and data analytics, including actuarial studies, and conduct or participate in industry or market research.
• Support and optimize the user experience on our websites and to develop and improve our products and services
• Fulfill our regulatory legal, financial and other regulatory reporting and audit obligations, as well as to exercise and protect our legal interests.
• As otherwise required or permitted by law.

We do not sell personal information.

 

5. When Do We Disclose Your Personal Information and to Whom?

In addition to the purposes identified above, we may also use and disclose your personal information as otherwise permitted or required by law, such as but not limited to:

• With other third parties, including third party service providers, for them to improve their products offerings to Foresters, as well as their business development, for example, to build performance, customer demographic and behavioral insights.   This could also include benchmarking and market forecasting studies, or improving our data analytics capabilities or risk assessments methodologies.
• To comply with applicable legislation or regulation, or to respond to a subpoena, a court order, or to valid information requests from regulatory authorities
• To third parties, to help us prevent and detect fraud and suppress financial abuse, as permitted by law
• With Foresters employees, as required to fulfill their accountabilities.   All Foresters employees are required to maintain the confidentiality of your personal information, and unauthorized disclosure or access is prohibited.
• With independent agents or insurance brokers offering, advising you on, or servicing you with Foresters’ products or services. Please contact your agent or broker for further details on their own privacy policies and practices.

 

6. Limiting use, disclosure and retention

The disclosure of and access to your personal information will be restricted to those who have a need for, or the legal right to, the information.

Some of our business areas, subsidiaries or affiliates   may, from time to time, offer or promote other financial products, benefits or services, or those of select third parties, that we believe may be of interest to you. We may also have joint marketing or distribution agreements with other financial institutions that may offer or promote products that we believe may be of interest to you. We will not disclose your personal information, without your consent, with any third parties for the purpose of that organization marketing their own products or services directly to you. We may disclose your personal information to insurance agents and agencies for the purposes of those agents to process or administer products or services requested by you.

As indicated above, we may also share your personal information with different categories of service providers (including our subsidiaries, affiliates, reinsurers, and third-party service providers), or with independent insurance agents and agencies, including to process or administer products or services requested by you and for marketing purposes. These categories include the following:

• Email and other internal operations or communications providers
• Systems administration providers
• Website operators
• Payment card processors
• Telephone and technical support providers
• Printing, and mailing distribution providers
• Data hosting, data storage, data processing and client relationship management service providers
• Research and analytics providers
• Professional advisors providing legal, consultancy, banking, insurance, audit and accounting services
• Tax, regulatory and other authorities as required; and
• Other third parties as required or permitted by law.

Our service providers are provided with the information necessary for them to perform the services requested, and they may have to process personal information to do so. They must comply with applicable laws and regulations, including privacy laws, and we require them to protect the information in accordance with our privacy policies and security practices.

We will not share your personal information, without your consent, with any non-Foresters organization for the purpose of that organization marketing their own products or services directly to you. 

Additionally, we may use and disclose your personal information when we believe such use or disclosure is permitted, necessary or appropriate: (a) under applicable law, including laws outside your country of residence; (b) to comply with legal process; (c) to respond to requests from public and government authorities, including public and government authorities outside your country of residence; (d) to enforce the terms of the agreements for our services; (e) to protect our rights, operations or property; (f) to allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain. In addition, we may transfer your personal information and other information to a third party in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, brands, affiliates, subsidiaries or other assets, or other business transaction.

Marketing and Advertisement Materials: You may contact us at privacy@foresters.com or call us at 1 (800)-828-1540 should you no longer want to receive promotional materials from us. You may also wish to read our Cookie Policy.

 

7. Crossborder Transfers

Foresters and its subsidiaries, and their respective employees, advisors, service providers, representatives, reinsurers and any of their service providers may be located in other jurisdictions outside of Quebec or Canada. Your Personal information may then be transferred, stored or processed in those other jurisdictions, and may be subject and bound to their privacy and data protection laws.  All such persons are required to protect the confidentiality of your personal information, and all such personal information processing and storage activities are to be done in a manner that is consistent with our privacy policies and practices, in compliance with applicable law.

Should your personal information be transferred to another jurisdiction, we will take reasonably appropriate physical, electronic and administrative measures, controls and safeguards to protect your privacy.

 

8. How Long Do We Use and Retain Your Personal Information For?

We only retain your personal information, in physical or digital format, for as long as necessary to fulfil the applicable purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, accounting, audit or reporting requirements, and in accordance with our data retention policy.

As part of the financial industry, Foresters and its subsidiaries and affiliates have many legal and regulatory obligations regarding retention of personal information. Different retention periods may apply to your personal information depending on its specific purpose, its sensitivity, its potential risk of harm, as well as regulatory, legal, tax, anti-money laundering, employment, and accounting requirements. These could also vary depending on business purposes such as disaster recovery and business continuity, as well as prescribed limitations periods for administrative, civil and other legal claims. Generally, your personal information such as your Identity Information, your Financial Information and your Health-Related Information will be retained for the duration of your relationship with us, plus a period ranging between seven (7) and ten (10) years following the end of your relationship with us. Certain exceptions could apply, for example in case of legal or regulatory obligations, ongoing litigation, disputes or claims.

Once the applicable retention period reaches its end and the personal information is no longer necessary, we may without further notice delete your personal information in a secure manner, or in certain circumstances, anonymize it where permitted by applicable law. If we decide to anonymize, we remove direct and indirect identifiers in a manner such that you can no longer reasonably be re-identified.

You can request additional details on retention periods that apply to your personal information by contacting us at privacy@foresters.com.

 

9. How do we protect your information?

We strive to protect your personal information in our possession or control, including information transferred to a third-party service provider or representative, from the risk of loss, unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, or misuse. We comply with applicable laws and regulations and have implemented reasonable physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your information that are appropriate for its sensitivity. For example, we encrypt your personal information and we use advanced firewall technology and layered security tools to protect our environment.

We regularly train employees to keep your information safe. Despite the measures outlined above, however, no method of information transmission or information storage is completely secure or error-free, so we unfortunately cannot guarantee absolute security. We have procedures in place to help us deal with suspected or actual privacy incidents or breaches, and we will notify you and any applicable regulator where legally required to do so.

For written information about our policies and practices regarding service providers outside of Canada, contact us using at the contact information in the “Contact Us” section below.

 

10. Your rights and choices

You have the right to request in writing, to access and verify your personal information maintained in our files, and to be informed of the use, disclosure, and retention or your personal information. If you believe any of the information we have collected about you is incorrect or incomplete, you have the right to ask us to change it, or you may contact us to update your personal information in our records. We will address any such request as required by applicable law.

We may need to request specific information from you to help us verify and confirm your identity and validate your right of access to the relevant personal information, or to exercise any of your other rights. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to properly fulfil our obligations. As permitted by law, we may request an extension period depending on the request made.

(For Quebec only): You have the right to request cessation of dissemination, de-indexation or re-indexation of your personal information. In certain cases, permitted by law, this will allow you to ask us to stop disseminating your personal information or to have a hyperlink attached to your name   or access to your personal information de-indexed or re-indexed.

 

11. Complaints

If you have a concern regarding our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information you may contact us and we will explain our complaint procedure to you and investigate all complaints. If a complaint is justified, we will take all appropriate steps to address your complaint as required by law, including by changing our policies and practices if necessary. We will also let you know what other complaint procedures may be available to you.

 

12. Updates to this Privacy Policy

We may amend this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our personal information practices. We will post the revised policy on our website and make it available to you upon request. If the changes are substantial, we may also notify you of the changes using our customary methods of communication with you, including any of the following ways:

• A notice sent by email
• A notice or announcement on Foresters website or member portal, MyForesters.com
• A notice included with other correspondence or communication that we periodically send to you.

 

13. Contact us

If you have any questions or wish to contact us about this policy, you may contact us:

Toll-free: 800-828-1540

By email:  privacy@foresters.com

 

 

By regular mail:

Foresters Financial

Attn: AVP, Privacy and Compliance

789 Don Mills Road

Toronto, Ontario

M3C 1T9

 

Foresters Online Privacy Policy

This Online Privacy Policy applies to visitors to Foresters websites and users of Foresters mobile applications (collectively “Sites”) and supplements our privacy policies. It outlines the types of personal information we collect through our Sites, how we use it, with whom we share it, and some of the choices you can make about our use of the information. This Online Privacy Policy should be read in conjunction with our Privacy Policy.

 

Information we collect online

Using various technologies, Foresters may collect various personal information about visitors to our Sites. Personal information is information about or that relates to you and that can identify you, as set out in Canadian privacy laws.
Personal Information we collect in connection with our Sites may include:
information about your browser, IP address, device type or how long you have used the site and the pages you have visited. Click here to learn more about how we use cookies.
We may also collect anonymous data about visitors to our Sites, such as browsing history or location data.

 

Analytics

We use Google Analytics, Web Trends and similar analytics service providers (“analytics services”) to collect various types of data about use of our Sites. We use this data to monitor and improve our Sites, measure the effectiveness of our marketing and engagement campaigns and to offer you content, products or services that may be of interest to you.

 

Advertising

Foresters may contract with advertising and marketing service providers to promote our brand, products and services, across different media, including on third party websites that are not affiliated with us. Third parties, including Facebook and LinkedIn, may use cookies, web beacons and similar tracking technologies to gather information about your online activities, including your interactions with our Sites and the pages you visit. You have a variety of tools to control the data collected by cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies. For example, you can use controls in your internet browser to limit how the websites you visit are able to use cookies and to withdraw your consent by clearing or blocking cookies.

We may use this information to deliver advertisements to you, both online and offline, that are customized to meet your specific interests. For example, we may send a marketing email based on a consumer’s interaction with a specific Site. We may use aggregated and de-identified data , along with other personal information we have about you and your relationship with Foresters to determine which advertisements, products or services may be of interest to you, display them to you, monitor responses, and help us measure customer engagement.

To learn more about your choices relating to the collection and use of data for analytics or targeted advertising, visit https://youradchoices.ca/

 

Social media and third party websites and services

 

We use social networking platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube (“social platforms”) to provide product and service information, articles, news, community events and career opportunities. These social platforms facilitate online sharing and collaboration among users who have registered to use them. Any content you post on social platforms, such as pictures, videos, information, “Likes”, or any personal information you choose to make available on these platforms is subject to the terms of use and privacy policies of those platforms. We may receive personal information about you when you use such social platforms, for example your profile picture.

Some of our websites may include social media buttons or icons (“plug-ins”) that enable users to easily share information on a social platform. These plug-ins may log certain information such as your IP address, browser type and language, and the web pages you have viewed. If you are logged into a social platform while using our websites, they may also link information collected with your profile on that social platform. Foresters does not control these third-party tracking technologies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies on social platforms where you have an account to better understand how they collect and treat such information. Foresters is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of the social platforms we use.

Neither this Online Privacy Policy or our Privacy Policy extend to any websites or products or services provided by third parties. We do not assume responsibility for the privacy practices of such third parties, and we encourage you to review all third party privacy policies prior to using third party websites, products or services.

Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries. 413051 CAN (09/23)

Please read the following Terms of Use carefully before you use this website. By accessing and using the site, you are agreeing to these Terms. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use the site. 

We may change the terms from time to time, without prior notice. The amended terms are automatically effective as soon as we post them. 

On this page, “you” or “your” mean the person using the site. “We”, “us” or “our” mean The Independent Order of Foresters (Foresters Financial™) and its affiliated companies. Together, we are the “Foresters family of companies”. 

Additional or different terms of use may apply to other websites for the Foresters family of companies, and you should review the terms of use posted on the website(s) you wish to use.

A special notice about My Foresters

If you are a Foresters member, you may be eligible to register for My Foresters, an online member information service that allows you to view your member benefits package¹, to register for member events, and to receive other information or services related to your Foresters membership. You will need to meet the eligibility requirements on that site; for example, you must be at least 16 years of age.  

To use the My Foresters site, you will need a user name and password, and any additional security measures that Foresters may require. By obtaining a user name and password, you agree that: 

• You are responsible for keeping your user name and passwords safe
• If someone signs in to the My Foresters site using your user name and password, we can treat that person as if they are you.  Please note that member benefits are non-transferable
• We cannot, and are not required, to confirm the identity or authority of anyone who uses our online services, except by ensuring their password matches their user name
• We can rely on this user name and password as electronic identification, to accept instructions given online as if you had given us written signed instructions.

Once you register for My Foresters, we may give you the opportunity to choose to receive your yearly Foresters Report to Members and, in the United States, your annual Privacy Notice electronically rather than by mail. Your consent(s) becomes effective as soon as you click on the button that allows you to make this choice. 

By making this choice, you are agreeing that: 

• We will place a copy of the Report to Members and the Privacy Notice (U.S. only) on the Foresters website.
• We will keep each Report and Privacy Notice on the website for at least one year, until we release the next year’s Report and Privacy Notice (U.S. only)
• We will send you a notice each year to the email address you have provided with your My Foresters account, to remind you that the Report and Privacy Notice (U.S. only) are ready
• We will no longer routinely send you Reports and Privacy Notices (U.S. only) by traditional mail
• We will provide you with a paper copy of the Report upon your request, even if you received it electronically
• You will notify us of any changes in your email address by updating on the My Foresters Profile page the email address you provided with your My Foresters account

Privacy and security

We are committed to keeping your personal information safe and secure. Personal Information transmitted to us will be treated in accordance with our Privacy Policy. You can find out more about how we do that by reviewing our Privacy Policy. However, no data transmission over the internet is 100 percent secure and any information discussed online can be potentially interrupted and used by unauthorized parties.

No advice or solicitation of offers

Everyone’s situation and needs are different. This site gives you general information about insurance, and about Foresters products. However, it does not give you financial, tax, legal or other professional advice. You should consult a financial professional if you require any financial or other professional advice. 

The information on the site is also not intended to be an offer by us to enter into a contract with you. If you would like more information about our products, or how to purchase them, contact us here. All products and services are subject to the terms and conditions of all applicable agreements.

Availability

Not all of the products or services described in the site are available in all geographical areas, and the terms and conditions of some products may vary by jurisdiction. You may not be eligible for all of the products we describe. We do not intend to advertise products or services to residents of jurisdictions in which those products or services are not available.

Ownership and use of content

The content of this site is protected by copyright. You can copy information for your own personal non-commercial use, but may not otherwise republish or reproduce any part without the prior written permission of the applicable Foresters Financial company.

Trademarks

Foresters Financial and its affiliated companies each own or are licensed to use the trademarks on this site. For example, The Independent Order of Foresters and its subsidiaries owns Foresters™, Foresters Financial™. All rights reserved.

Links

All hypertext-linked websites are completely independent of this site. We do not endorse any external hypertext-linked sites or their products or services. We simply provide these links as a convenience to our site visitors. 

Your responsibility for security

If you download any software from this site, please check to ensure that it is free from viruses, and check to be sure that it is compatible with your computer.

Warranty disclaimer

The use of the site is at your own risk. Foresters Financial provides access to resources and other information on the site as a service to our members, producers and the public. We have taken all reasonable efforts to ensure that the information contained in the site is current, complete and accurate. However, please bear in mind that all information on the site is being offered free of charge and that information has not been tailored for your particular requirements. Foresters cannot therefore warrant or represent that the site is current, complete and accurate and cannot accept any liability for any loss you may incur as a result of relying on that information. All information is subject to modification and update from time to time without notice. Certain jurisdictions may not permit certain disclaimers of warranties. In such case, we disclaim warranties to the fullest extent permitted by the applicable law.

Governing law

If any provision in these Terms of Use is held invalid or unenforceable under applicable law, the remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. These conditions of use shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the applicable laws of Canada. You hereby consent and submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the Province of Ontario sitting in the City of Toronto in any action or proceeding related to your use of this site.

Foresters Financial and Foresters are trade names and trademarks of The Independent Order of Foresters (a fraternal benefit society, 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9) and its subsidiaries.

¹Description of member benefits that you may receive assumes that you are a Foresters member. Foresters member benefits are non-contractual, subject to benefit specific Eligibility requirements, Definitions and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice.