In this section, “you” or “your” mean the person using the site. “We”, “us” or “our” means The Independent Order of Foresters (“Foresters”) and its affiliated companies. Together, we are “Foresters Financial”. Additional or different terms of use may apply to other websites for the Foresters Financial family of companies, and you should review the terms of use posted on the website(s) you wish to use. Please note, the legal disclosures contained below may not be applicable to all the entities within the Foresters Financial family of companies therefore it is important you the disclosures carefully.
Trademark notice
Foresters and its affiliated companies each own or are licensed to use the trademarks on this site. For example, The Independent Order of Foresters owns Foresters and our logo, and its affiliates are licensed to use these. The trademarks are protected by Canadian, U.S. and European Union trademark laws. All rights reserved.
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 entity.
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.
Warranty, availability, advice and solicitation 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 clients, members, producers, registered representatives and the public. However, please bear in mind that all information on the site is being offered free of charge and that the information has not been tailored for your particular situation. Although we make every effort to provide accurate and complete information on this site, we do not guarantee that the information is error-free. Therefore, all information is furnished without warranties of any kind, implied or expressed. Additionally, under no circumstances shall Foresters Financial be liable to you or any party for any direct, indirect, special or other consequential damages arising out of any use by you of this site. As with all financial matters, you should exercise great care in using the information on this site. 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.
Foresters Financial makes no representation that the products discussed on this site are available in all states in the United States or in all geographical areas, nor do we represent that the products are appropriate for all individuals, and the terms and conditions of some products may vary by jurisdiction. You may not be eligible for all of the products described herein. We do not intend to advertise products or services to residents of jurisdictions in which those products or services are not available. Please consult with a Foresters Financial Representative or financial adviser or insurance agent to ascertain product availability and potential suitability. Nothing on this site should be construed as tax, legal, estate planning, investment or accounting advice. The content could become inaccurate as a result of developments occurring after publication. We endeavor to maintain this site and its operation.
Everyone’s situation and needs are different. This site gives you general information about Foresters Financial’s products. However, it does not intend to give you individualized financial or other professional advice. You should consult your Foresters Financial Representative or financial adviser if you require any financial or other professional advice. All material on this site is furnished solely for informational purposes and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any financial product referenced in this site.
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, click here. All products and services are subject to the terms and conditions of all applicable agreements.
General securities information from Foresters Financial Services, Inc.
General securities orders for clients of Foresters Financial Services, Inc. are cleared through Pershing LLC ("Pershing"), pursuant to a clearing agreement between Pershing and Foresters Financial Services, Inc. Pershing will route client orders in equity securities to different marketplaces in a manner designed to be consistent with the obligation to provide best execution of all client orders. These marketplaces attempt to assure that all client orders are executed at a price equal to or better than the displayed national best bid/best offer. Where possible, Pershing routes orders in the over-the-counter securities to select market centers. Exchange-listed securities may be routed to exchange specialists affiliated with Pershing.
Foresters Financial Services, Inc. does not instruct Pershing to route orders to specific marketplaces or market centers. Foresters Financial Services, Inc. does not receive compensation for any orders directed by Pershing to specific marketplaces or market centers, which is commonly known as "payment for order flow." See the terms and conditions section of your statement for a description of Pershing's payment for order flow practices.
Upon request, a client may obtain the identity of the venue to which the client’s general securities orders were routed, and the times of the transactions that may have resulted from such orders, in the six months prior to the request. A written copy of this report will be provided to any Foresters Financial Services, Inc. general securities client upon request and without charge. To request a report, clients should call the General Securities Unit ("GSU") at 800-646-0285. For additional information regarding order routing practices and the venues to which general securities orders are routed, you may visit www.orderroutingdisclosure.com.
Provisions in the event of failure to pay or deliver
Whenever you do not, on or before the settlement date of a transaction, pay in full for any security purchased for your account, or deliver any security sold for such account, we are authorized (subject to the provisions of any applicable statute, rule, or regulation), to sell any or all securities which we or Pershing may hold for you (either individually or jointly with others), to buy in any or all securities required to make delivery for your account, or to cancel any or all outstanding orders or commitments for your account.
Cancellation provisions
We are authorized, in our discretion, should you die or should we for any reason whatsoever deem it necessary for our protection, to cancel without notice any outstanding orders to close out your account, in whole or in part, or to close out any of the commitments made on your behalf.
Orders and statements
Reports of the execution of orders and statements of your account shall be conclusive if not objected to in writing, the former within two days and the latter within ten days, after forwarding by mail or otherwise.
Joint accounts
Unless we are notified otherwise and provided such documentation as we require, joint brokerage accounts shall be held jointly with rights of survivorship (payable to either or the survivor). Each joint tenant irrevocably appoints the other as attorney-in-fact to take all action on his or her behalf and to represent him or her in all respects in connection with this Agreement. We shall be fully protected in acting, but shall not be required to act upon the instructions of either joint tenant. Each joint tenant shall be liable, jointly and individually, for any amounts due to us pursuant to this Agreement, whether incurred by either or both joint tenants.
Address
Communications from our clearing firm or Foresters Financial Services, Inc. may be sent to you at your current mailing or email address which is on file at our office, or at such other address as you or your representative may hereafter provide. All communications so sent, whether by mail, email, telegraph, messenger, or otherwise, shall be deemed given to you personally, whether it was actually received or not.
To file a complaint, you can call the GSU at 800-646-0285 or write us at: Foresters Financial, Attn: General Securities Unit, Raritan Plaza 1, PO Box 7838, Edison, NJ 08818.
Investment Advisory Services From Foresters Advisory Services, LLC
Premier Mutual Fund Advisory Program
The Premier Mutual Fund Advisory Program ("Premier Program") is a mutual fund wrap fee program sponsored by and made available through Foresters Advisory Services, LLC. Under the Premier Program, clients receive investment advisory and administrative services from Foresters Advisory Services, LLC, as well as brokerage, custodial and reporting services, all for a single asset-based fee. Please visit the following links for additional information regarding the Premier Program, and the terms and conditions associated with establishing an account:
First Investors Funds Governance Committee Charter
Committee membership
The Governance Committee ("Committee") of the First Investors Funds ("Funds") shall be composed only of trustees of the Funds who are not "interested persons" of the Funds ("independent trustees"), as that term is defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act"). The Committee members may designate one member to serve as chairperson of the Committee. If a chairperson is designated, the chairperson's duties shall be to:
- Call, and preside at, meetings of the Committee
- Publish meeting agendas
Committee functions
- The Committee shall select and nominate persons to serve as independent trustees on the Board of Trustees (the "Board"). Any such nomination that requires a vote of shareholders shall also be approved by a majority vote of the Board. The Committee shall evaluate candidates' qualifications for Board membership and their independence from the Funds' manager and other principal service providers. The Committee may also consider the effect of any relationships beyond those delineated in the 1940 Act that might impair independence (e.g., business, financial or family relationships with the Funds' service providers). Persons selected must be independent within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and rules thereunder.
- The Committee shall also evaluate candidates' qualifications and make recommendations for "interested" members on the Board to the full Board.
- In considering a candidate's qualifications, the Committee shall generally consider the potential candidate's educational background, business or professional experience, and reputation. Potential candidates should demonstrate an ability to bring integrity, insight, energy and analytical skills to Board deliberations. In addition, all potential candidates must demonstrate an ability and willingness to make the considerable time commitment, including personal attendance at Board meetings, believed necessary to his or her function as an effective Board member. The Committee may adopt from time to time additional specific, minimum qualifications that the Committee believes a candidate must meet before being considered as a candidate for Board membership.
- When the Board has, or expects to have, a vacancy, the Committee shall receive and review information on candidates qualified to be recommended to the full Board as nominees for election as trustees, including any recommendations by shareholders. Such candidates shall be evaluated based upon the criteria described above and such other additional qualifications as the Committee may adopt from time to time. The Committee shall review shareholder recommendations for nominations to fill vacancies on the Board if such recommendations are submitted in writing and addressed to the Committee at the Fund's offices.
- The Committee shall periodically review the structure and composition of the Board.
- The Committee shall periodically review trustee compensation and shall recommend any appropriate changes to the independent trustees as a group.
- The Committee shall consider, as necessary, the succession of the members of the Board.
- The Committee shall make recommendations to the full Board for nomination for membership on all committees of the Board and shall review committee assignments at least annually and report the results of its review to the full Board.
- The Committee shall review as necessary the responsibilities of any committees of the Board, whether there is a continuing need for each committee, whether there is a need for additional committees of the Board, and whether committees should be combined or reorganized. The Committee shall make recommendations for any such action to the full Board.
- The Committee shall:
- Have the resources and authority appropriate to discharge its responsibilities, including authority to retain experts or consultants at the expense of the appropriate Fund(s)
- Report its activities to the Board and make such recommendations as the Committee may deem necessary or appropriate
- Review this charter periodically and recommend any changes to the full Board
Committee meetings
- The Committee shall meet as circumstances require. The Committee may meet in person or by telephone, and the Committee may act by written consent, to the extent permitted by law and by the Funds' bylaws.
- A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Committee. The action of a majority of the members of the Committee present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the action of the Committee.
How to file a complaint
This section applies only to complaints against Foresters Financial Services, Inc.; Foresters Investor Services, Inc.; Foresters Advisory Services, LLC; Foresters Investment Management Company, Inc.; Foresters Life Insurance and Annuity Company, Inc.; and the First Investors Funds.
We are committed to complying with all legal and regulatory requirements applicable to our business, operations and dealings with clients, regulators, and members of the public with which we engage in investing, securities and business activities. We always strive to conduct and govern ourselves in accordance with the highest standards of ethics, professionalism and integrity.
Filing a report
Any individual, including an employee, wishing to report a complaint or concern may do so by regular mail. The envelope should be marked "Confidential—To Be Opened by Counsel Only", and it should be sent to the attention of the Foresters Financial Legal Department at the following address:
Attn: Foresters Financial
Legal Department
40 Wall Street
10th Floor
New York, NY 10005
If an individual prefers to call in a report, including on an anonymous basis, he/she may do so by calling our toll-free hotline at 877-847-3371.
Treatment of reports
Complaints and concerns initially received by the Legal Department will be reported to the General Counsel and Foresters Financial will maintain a written record of all reported complaints and concerns, including their receipt, acknowledgment, investigation and resolution.
Retaliation against employees prohibited
Foresters Financial employees who file a report are protected against termination, demotion or any other adverse consequence to their employment when reporting a complaint or concern in good faith.
In accordance with applicable law and Foresters Financial policies, retaliation of any kind against any Foresters Financial employee who submits in good faith a complaint or concern, or who assists in good faith in the investigation (whether by Foresters Financial or any regulatory authority or law enforcement agency) of any alleged wrongdoing, is strictly prohibited.
Any acts of retaliation should be reported immediately to the employee's supervisor who, in turn, should report the act of retaliation to Foresters Financial Human Resources Department. If the employee is uncomfortable reporting to his or her supervisor, or believes that his or her supervisor may have a conflict of interest in responding to the retaliation, or if the supervisor is unavailable and the matter is urgent, the employee is encouraged to make the retaliation report to the Foresters Financial Human Resources Department. Acts of retaliation may result in severe disciplinary action including, but not limited to, termination of employment.
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Enterprise Privacy Statement
As an international financial service provider, Foresters Financial (“Foresters”) is committed to respecting your privacy rights and protecting the Personal Information you provide to us. Collecting and using this information to provide our products and services to you is essential to our success and to conduct our business. Our privacy commitment is more than complying with the laws of each jurisdiction where we operate. It is about doing the right thing for our members and customers whose lives we touch everyday by using their personal information however we collect or receive it. We collect only the personal information necessary for these purposes and we are committed to protecting and safeguarding that information. We also ensure that our employees, representatives, suppliers and service providers adhere to our principles and standards when dealing with Foresters business, members and customers.
Definitions
Foresters – The Independent Order of Foresters, its subsidiaries, licensed representatives and employees.
Personal Information – Any information about an identifiable individual, such as name, age, address, gender, government identification numbers, financial information, health information and medical records. It does not include publicly available information.
Principles
We adhere to the following ten principles when handling Personal Information:
- Accountability: We are responsible for Personal Information under our control. We have established a framework for privacy management across all our business operations and have designated individuals who are responsible for monitoring compliance with our principles, policies, standards and procedures.
- Identifying Purposes: We are transparent about our privacy practices and identify the purposes for which we collect, use, retain and disclose personal information.
- Consent: Your knowledge and consent are required for the collection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, except as otherwise permitted or required by law. You may provide your consent in writing, verbally, electronically or through our or your authorized representative. Your consent may also be implied. This may occur, for example, where the law permits it, if you do not “opt out” of distribution of your Personal Information when we ask you.
- Limiting Collection: We limit the collection of Personal Information to that which is necessary for the purposes we identify and we collect it fairly and lawfully.
- Use, Disclosure and Retention: We do not use, disclose or retain Personal Information for purposes other than those for which we collected it, except with your permission, or as permitted or required by law. We restrict the disclosure of Personal Information to those who have a need for, and the legal right to, the information. This may include our employees, licensed representatives or service providers who need the information to perform their duties, some of our business areas and subsidiaries who 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 our 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 customers. In some instances, our subsidiaries, employees, service providers, representatives, reinsurers, and any of their service providers may be located in other jurisdictions. Personal Information may then be subject to the laws of those other jurisdictions. We will not keep Personal Information longer than is necessary and will destroy or delete it in a manner that is appropriate for the sensitivity of the information, the media in which it is stored or retained, and as required by law.
- Accuracy: We make reasonable efforts to keep Personal Information accurate, complete, and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which we use it.
- Safeguarding information: We classify Personal Information and take reasonable measures to protect it by administrative, physical and technical security safeguards that are appropriate to the sensitivity of the information. We make every reasonable effort to prevent any loss, misuse, disclosure or modification of Personal Information, as well as any unauthorized access to Personal Information.
- Openness: We make information about our privacy policies and practices readily available to you subject to any exceptions permitted by law.
- Individual Access: Upon written request, we inform you of the existence, use and disclosure of your Personal Information and give you access to it, subject to those exceptions permitted by law. You may verify the accuracy and completeness of your information and have it amended as appropriate.
- Inquiries and concerns: Our Chief Privacy Officer 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.
Canada privacy policy
UK privacy policy
US privacy policies
Chief Privacy Officer
789 Don Mills Road
Toronto, ON M3C 1T9
416 267 2530
privacy@foresters.com
Online Privacy
Some of our websites may use online data collection tools or cookies to improve functionality, enhance security, evaluate the effectiveness of our websites and advertising campaigns, or provide visitors with a customized online experience. Please refer to our Cookie Policy.
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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Introduction
Foresters Financial (Foresters) maintains the privacy and security of individuals’ personal information while collecting, using and disclosing personal information in compliance with applicable laws. We support the rights of individuals or their authorized representatives to access, correct or delete information, subject to any restrictions in applicable laws. We will not collect, use or disclose personal information except as described to you in this privacy policy.
Information we collect
We generally obtain your personal information when you submit an application or other forms, and from your transactions and interactions with us.
This information may include:
- Personal data, such as your name, address, email address, telephone number, date of birth, social security number or citizenship.
- Financial data, such as your income and banking information.
- Health related data, such as health and medical information or information about your lifestyle and habits.
- Data about your interactions with us, such as when you visit our websites, applications, social media sites or when you call our service centers.
We collect personal information about you, including information that directly or indirectly identifies you, from the following sources:
- Directly from you: Such as information we receive from you on applications for products or services or other forms you complete, via telephone calls with you, or information you provide to us onli
ne. For example, when you apply for an insurance product with Foresters, we may collect your name, mailing or email address, social security number and/or information about your health, assets or income.
- Indirectly from you: Such as from your use of our products and services, information about your transactions with us, our affiliates or others, or information we collect or observe when you use or interact with our websites or social media sites. For example, we may collect information such as online identifiers including location data, your Internet Protocol (IP) Address, or information about your web browser and pages accessed.
- From third parties and other sources: Such as, from your insurance agent or broker, or from consumer reporting agencies and other third parties to process or administer products or services requested by you; or information we receive from health care providers, clinics, or other insurance companies. We may also collect information from the Medical Information Bureau or other persons that have records about you or your health. Outside sources, from whom we obtain information, may retain information and disclose it to other persons as required or permitted by law.
Online privacy
Foresters understands that you care about how we collect, use and share information when you interact with us online through our websites, social media platforms, online services and applications (collectively “Sites”).
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 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 in our Cookies Policy.
Why do we collect your information?
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.
Collecting your personal information helps us to:
- determine your eligibility for our products and services
- promote and offer you a full range of products and services that may meet your needs or interests
- communicate with you about your and our products and services
- respond to your inquiries 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
- hold fraternal and community events and activities and operate our branch system
- conduct industry or market research
- support and optimize user experience on our Sites and improve our products and services
- fulfill our legal and regulatory obligations
How do we use and share your information?
We use and share personal information only for disclosed purposes related to the products and services we offer, with your consent or as required or permitted by law. We may also use your information in a way that does not directly identify you. For example, we may combine information about the nature or frequency of visits to our Sites and use or share aggregated information for statistical research or analysis, to optimize user experience and diagnose technical problems on our Sites, or other business purposes. We may share your information with our affiliates and licensed agents and agencies to provide you with a full range of our products and services. We may share your information with non-affiliated third-parties who help us conduct our business or who perform services on our behalf. They are contractually obligated to use, protect and secure your information in accordance with our policies and standards or as permitted or required by law. They only have access to the information necessary to perform these services on our behalf and are prohibited from using the information for any purposes except performing the contract.
Foresters does not sell your Personal Information.
How do we protect your information?
We strive to protect your personal information 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 restrict access to your personal information to those employees who need to know the information to provide or administer our products or services. We regularly train employees to keep your information safe.
Your rights and choices
You have the right to make certain requests and choices regarding your personal information. For example, you may:
- Review or access the personal information we have about you or request a copy of it. Download our Access Request Form here.
- Ask us to update or correct personal information if it is inaccurate
- In certain circumstances, request a list of disclosures we have made of your personal information
- Request that we delete your personal information, subject to any restrictions in applicable laws
- Opt-out of sharing your personal information with third parties for some purposes
- Object to certain types of uses of your personal information
- Make choices about receiving marketing information and emails
These rights vary depending on where you reside, but we will make reasonable efforts to honor your request, even if we are not required by law to do so. We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity before granting your request.
In some cases, if you ask us to delete or stop using your personal information, we may not be able to honor that request if the information is required to maintain your products or services with Foresters or for us to comply with tax, audit, legal or regulatory obligations. Please contact us to exercise one or more of these rights.
If you are a resident of California click here to learn additional information that may be relevant to you or additional rights you may have.
How long do we keep information?
We aim to keep your personal information only as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this policy and to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations. When information is no longer needed, we will destroy, delete or de-identify in a manner that is appropriate for the sensitivity of the information, the media in which it is stored or retained, and as required by law.
Complaints
If you have a concern regarding our handling of your personal information you may contact us at privacy@foresters.com or call us at 800-828-1540. We will explain our complaint procedure to you and investigate all complaints. If a complaint is justified, we will take all appropriate steps to set the situation right, including changing our policies and practices if necessary. We will also let you know what other complaint procedures may be available to you.
Changes to this policy
We may change this policy at any time at our discretion and as required by applicable laws. If we make material changes, we will post those changes on our Sites.
If you have questions or wish to contact us about this policy please contact us:
Toll-free: 800-828-1540
Email: privacy@foresters.com
Regular mail:
Foresters Financial
Attn: AVP North America Compliance and Privacy Officer
PO Box 179
Buffalo, NY 14201
Effective Date: January 1, 2020
This Online Privacy Statement applies to visitors to Foresters websites and mobile applications (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.
Information we collect online
Using various technologies, Foresters or our service providers may collect various information from or about visitors to our Sites. Information we collect online may include:
- Personal information that identifies, relates to, describes, references, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly with an individual or with a device. This may include information about your browser, IP address, device type or how long a visitor used the site and the pages they visited. Click here to learn more about how we use cookies.
- Anonymous data about visitors to our Sites, such as browsing history or geolocation 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. They and 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. 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 combine 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.com/control.
Social media
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 Sites 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 Sites, 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.
Consumer Privacy Notice
Effective Date: April 1, 2020
This privacy notice applies to The Independent Order of Foresters (Foresters™).
The law requires us to tell you how we collect, share and protect your personal information. Please read this Notice to understand our privacy practices. To learn more visit our website at foresters.com/privacy. You may also print a copy of this Notice from our website.
Information we collect
We collect the personal information of our customers from the following sources:
Directly from you, such as:
- Applications and other forms, such as when you apply for insurance or file a claim. We collect information from our telephone conversations with you, and information you provide us online. This information may include your name, address, social security number, financial data and health history
Indirectly from you, such as:
- Through your transactions with us, our affiliates, or others. This may include information about your premiums or payment history
- From your use of our products and services including products and services provided through third parties.
This may include, for example, your use of our member benefits
-
When you interact with our websites, applications, or social media sites (Sites). This may include information about your web browser and the pages you accessed
From third parties and other sources, such as:
- From your insurance agent or broker to service your insurance product
- From consumer reporting agencies to process or administer the products or services you requested
- Information we receive from health care providers, clinics, the Medical Information Bureau and others who have records about your health
- Other outside sources from whom we obtain information. This may include insurance-support organizations, who may keep and disclose it to others as allowed by law
Why we collect your information
We collect your personal information to offer and deliver the products and services that you request and that are suited to your needs. Collecting your information helps us:
-
Assess your eligibility for our products and services
- Let you know about our products and services
- Respond to your inquiries or complaints
- Identify, detect or prevent fraud or security breaches. This may include verifying your identity
- Enhance your experience on our Sites
Fulfill our legal and regulatory obligations
How we share your information
The law allows us to share certain information we collect. It also gives consumers the right to limit some, but not all, sharing. We do not share information about our customers or former customers with anyone, except as allowed by law or with your consent.
We may share your information as follows:
- With employees, agents, agencies and affiliates to provide or service your products or services
- With non-affiliates who help us with our everyday business or who perform services on our behalf
- With companies that perform marketing services on our behalf or for joint marketing with other financial institutions
- In response to court orders, or to comply with requests made by law enforcement and regulatory authorities, and to comply with and as permitted by law
We do not share information with non-affiliates other than as described above. When we share, we require all non-affiliates to keep your information confidential. We do not sell your personal information.
Confidentiality and security
We have administrative, physical and technical safeguards to protect your information. We train our employees on how to properly handle your information.
Other important information
Generally, you have the right to review personal information we have about you. To obtain your personal information, write to us at our email or mailing address below. If you wish, you may review this information in person at our Home Office. We may charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs incurred to provide you with copies of the requested information. To correct, amend or delete the information we have about you, write to us at the email or mailing address below. If we agree to your request, we will correct, amend, or delete your information, as applicable, and notify affected parties as required by law. If we do not agree to your request, you may send a short written statement about your information. We will include this statement in all future disclosures of your information. You may also request a list of disclosures we have made of your medical records and other personal information, with certain exceptions.
For Massachusetts residents. You may write to us to ask for the reasons for an adverse underwriting decision.
An adverse underwriting decision is where we decline your application for insurance, offer to insure you at a higher than standard rate or terminate your coverage.
For Vermont residents. We will not share information about your creditworthiness with our affiliates, other than as allowed by law, unless you authorize us to do so.
Contacting us
If you have a question about this privacy notice, please contact Foresters Privacy Office at any of these methods:
Mailing address:
Foresters Financial
Attn: AVP North America Compliance and Privacy Officer
P.O. Box 179
Buffalo, NY – 14201
Email address:
privacy@foresters.com
Toll free:
1-800-828-1540 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET weekdays
Effective Date: January 1, 2020
Last Updated: December 2019.
This Online Privacy Notice for California Residents (“Notice”) supplements the information contained in Foresters Enterprise Privacy Statement, US Privacy Policy and Online Privacy Statement and our California Privacy Notice and applies solely to all visitors, users, and others who reside in the State of California (“consumers” or “you”).
Information we collect
We use several technologies to collect information for business purposes about visitors to Foresters Sites. This may include information that identifies, relates to, describes, references, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly with an individual or with a device (“personal information”).
Personal information does not include:
- Publicly available information from government records.
- Deidentified or aggregated consumer information.
- Information that is specifically excluded from the scope of the California Consumer Protection Act including:
- Personal information covered by certain sector-specific privacy laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Gramm-Leach Bliley Act, or the California Financial Information Privacy Act.
- Health or medical information covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
Over the last 12 months, we may have collected and/or disclosed the following categories of personal information for a business purpose:
- Online identifiers, such as a name, alias, address, date of birth, Internet Protocol (IP) address or other unique identifiers.
- Internet or other similar network activity, such as browsing history, search history, information about a consumer’s interaction with our Sites, or advertisement.
- Geolocation data, such as information about the location of consumers or their device(s).
- Professional or employment related information, such as when applying for a job opportunity, including current or past job history.
- Non-public education information, such as education records provided when applying for a Foresters Scholarship, including grades, transcripts.
Your rights and choices
The California Consumer Protection Act (“CCPA”) provides California residents with specific rights regarding their personal information. This section describes your CCPA rights and explains how to exercise those rights.
Access to Specific Information and Data Portability Rights
You have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your personal information over the past 12 months. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable consumer request, we will disclose to you:
- The categories of personal information we collected about you
- The categories of sources for the personal information we collected about you
- Our business or commercial purpose for collecting that personal information
- The categories of third parties with whom we share that personal information
- The specific pieces of personal information we collected about you
- If we disclosed your personal information for a business purpose, identifying the personal information categories that each category of recipient obtained
Deletion Request Rights
You have the right to request us to delete any of your personal information that we hold, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive and confirm request, we will delete (and direct our service providers to delete) your personal information from our records, unless an exception applies.
We may not be able to honor your request if retaining the information is necessary for us or our service provider(s), such as to:
- Complete the transaction for which we collected the personal information, provide a product or service that you requested, take actions reasonably anticipated within the context of our ongoing business relationship with you, or otherwise perform our contract with you.
- Detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity, or prosecute those responsible for such activities.
- Identify errors, repair or maintain systems, including errors that impair existing intended functionality.
- Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations.
- Enable internal and lawful uses of that information that are reasonably aligned with consumer expectations based on your relationship with us and compatible with the context in which you provided it.
Exercising Access, Data Portability, and Deletion Rights
To exercise any of the rights described above, you can submit a consumer request in one of the following ways:
- Submit a Personal Information Access Request Form.
- Download and fill out the Form. Return the completed form to us in one of 3 ways:
- via email at privacy@foresters.com
- via fax at 877-329-4631
- via regular mail:
Foresters Financial
Attn: AVP North America Compliance and Privacy Officer
PO Box 179
Buffalo, NY 14201
- Call us toll free at 800-828-1540 from 8am to 8pm ET weekdays.
- Visit www.foresters.com
To respond to a consumer request, we will need to verify your, or your authorized representative’s, identity or authority to make the request. Only you, or your authorized representative, may make a consumer request related to your personal information. You may also make a consumer request on behalf of your minor child. We will not be able to respond to your request or provide you with personal information if we cannot verify your identity or authority to make the request and confirm the personal information relates to you.
You may make a consumer request for access or data portability twice within a 12-month period. The consumer request must:
- Provide sufficient information that allows us to reasonably verify you are the person about whom we collected personal information or an authorized representative; and
- Describe your request with sufficient detail that allows us to properly understand, evaluate, and respond to it.
Making a consumer request does not require you to create an account with us.
We will only use personal information provided in a consumer request to verify the requestor's identity or authority to make the request.
Response Timing and Format
We endeavor to respond to a consumer request within thirty days (30) days of receiving it. If we need more time, we will inform you, in writing, of the reason and extension period.
We will deliver our written response by regular mail or electronically, at your option.
Any disclosures we provide will only cover the 12-month period preceding receipt of the consumer request. If applicable, our response will also explain the reasons we cannot comply with a request. For data portability requests, we will select a format to provide your personal information that is readily useable and should allow you to transmit the information from one entity to another entity without hindrance.
We generally do not charge a fee to process or respond to your request unless it is excessive or repetitive. If we determine that a fee is necessary, we will tell you why and provide you with a cost estimate before we complete your request.
Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your rights under this Notice unless permitted by law.
Changes to our Privacy Notice
We reserve the right to amend this Notice at our discretion and at any time. When we make changes, we will post the updated Notice on our Sites and update the effective date. Your continued use of our Sites after any changes to this Notice constitutes your acceptance of such changes.
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Our cookie policy
This website is owned by Foresters Financial. This cookie policy supplements our enterprise privacy statement and US and Canadian privacy policies.
What are cookies
Cookies are small files that websites place on the device you are using to browse the site. Cookies are commonly used to record some aspect of your visit to a site, such as choices you have made or preferences you have set during your visit.
How and why we use cookies
We use cookies to give you the best experience when you visit our website. By using cookies, we can make it easier for you to do many things, such as managing your Foresters account, login details or applying for our products and services. Cookies can also allow us to tailor the content of our website so we can show you services or advertisements we think you may be interested in.
Keeping your personal information safe
Our cookies do not store personal information such as your name, address, phone number or email in a format that can be read by others. The cookies we use cannot read or search your computer, smartphone or web-enabled device to obtain information about you or your family, or read any material kept on your hard drive.
We do use a small number of cookies that store encrypted versions of information where you have asked us to, such as the ‘Remember me’ function that allows us to remember your Account username for subsequent visits. We only retain this information for 3 months and it is encrypted so that only Foresters can read this information. The website that places a cookie owns that cookie. This means only that website and other sites that it has agreed to share information with can read the information stored using a cookie.
Links to sites provided by others
If you follow a link from our website to another website, please be aware that the owner of the other 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 site.
How to manage and switch off cookies
Your web browser provides settings that allow you to manage or switch off cookies. If you do switch off cookies, remember that you may not be able to use all of the services on our websites.
You can find out more about managing and switching off cookies at the independent website: allaboutcookies.org.
The types of cookies we use on this site:
Strictly necessary cookies
These cookies are essential for our online services and tools to work. They collect or record information that we need to make our site work.
Common uses for this type of cookie include:
- storing information so that shopping baskets can be provided
- storing information for e-billing
- allowing users to log in or access private areas of a site.
These cookies only last for a single browsing session – when you leave our site, they are removed.
Performance cookies
These cookies help us to monitor and improve how our website works.
Common uses for this type of cookie include:
- collecting information about which pages visitors go to most often
- noting if visitors get any error messages from web pages
- understanding which links visitors like to follow (including advertisements) and which they choose not to.
The information collected using these cookies is anonymous and cannot be used to identify an individual visitor.
Functionality cookies
These cookies allow us to provide you with enhanced features that need to remember your preferences and choices, such as your user name, language or region. They also let us monitor how our website is performing so we can keep on improving it.
Common uses for this type of cookie include:
- providing you with local information, such as health providers in your area
- remembering how you like to use our site, such as what text size you like or what media software you use
- remembering what topics you are interested in so we can provide you with related products, services and information.
The information we store in these cookies is encrypted so that only we can read it.
Targeting and advertising cookies
These cookies are sometimes referred to as retargeting cookies and are placed by Foresters or by advertising networks that we may work with. These cookies remember that you have visited our site as well as what interested you on our site, such as the pages you viewed.
We use these cookies to ensure that the advertising and website content that we serve you, on our site or other websites is aligned to your browsing habits. For example, to remind you of the products or services you have shown an interest in. These cookies are also used to limit the number of times you may see an advertisement/content and to tailor the messaging we serve you. They may also be used for market research and to help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign.
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.
A Special Notice about My Foresters
Foresters Financial members are currently only those insured under a life insurance certificate issued by The Independent Order of Foresters. If you are a Foresters Financial member, you may be eligible to register for My Foresters, an online member information service that allows you to view your member benefits package, 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
- 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
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The following is applicable to The Independent Order of Foresters.
Accessibility
Foresters is committed to supporting people with disabilities. Our commitment in fulfilling our mission is to strive at all times to provide our products and services in ways that respect the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our products and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers. As we move toward this goal, we expect that our services, benefits and facilities will be more and more responsive to the needs of people with disabilities.
Foresters Multi-Year Accessibility Plan
Foresters fully supports the standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and has developed plans to implement them in our organization. Our Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines what we will do to remove and prevent accessibility barriers in our organization for customers and-or employees.
Alternate format
Providing information in an accessible or alternate format is a way to help remove potential barriers to accessing and understanding information. Foresters is committed to striving to provide accessible information and communication to its customers and recognizes that persons with disabilities may use methods other than standard print to access information. For more information on available accessible formats or to request an available accessible format document, please contact us.
Website accessibility
Website accessibility refers to the practice of designing websites so that people with disabilities and those with different or diverse abilities can understand content, navigate and interact online and have equal access to information and functionality. We are actively working to improve our website to provide a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience. We are striving to ensure our website is consistent with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 and is usable with assistive technology.
Communication
We are committed to communicating with customers with disabilities in ways that take into account their disabilities. This means that employees communicate in a manner that enables customers to communicate effectively, and to use and receive information about our products and services.
Assistive devices
We are committed to helping our customers with disabilities who use assistive devices, and ensuring our staff is familiar with various assistive devices that may be used while accessing our products or services.
Service animals and support persons
Customers with disabilities may be accompanied and assisted by a support person, and may bring their service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public, subject to any other applicable laws. We strive to ensure that people involved in dealing with customers are appropriately trained in how to interact with customers in these cases.
Sometimes, we may determine that a service animal cannot enter a certain area, or a customer may need a support person to provide the necessary assistance but not have one available. In these circumstances, we will use our best efforts to suggest reasonable and appropriate alternatives to provide assistance.
Notice of temporary disruptions
We will notify our customers promptly in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption to services or facilities for people with disabilities. Our notification will include information about accessible alternatives for accessing our products, services or facilities, as well as the expected length of the disruption. We will provide notification in an accessible format which may include, but is not limited to, outgoing telephone messages or by posting on this website.
Training
Our training for employees, volunteers, others who interact with the public on our behalf, and people who develop our customer service policies will comply with applicable accessibility laws, and may include:
- How to interact and communicate with customers with various types of disabilities
- How to interact with customers with disabilities who use an assistive device or rely on the assistance of a service animal or support person
- How to use available equipment or devices that may assist with the provision of products or services to customers with disabilities
- What to do if a customer with a disability is having difficulty in accessing our products and services
- Our policies, practices and procedures relating to the provision of products or services to customers with disabilities
- A review of the purpose and requirements of any applicable laws or regulations, including the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005
Feedback
We are committed to continually learning about our customers, their priorities and needs and to improving access to our products and services. We welcome comments and feedback as we strive to meet our customers’ needs and expectations. Customers who wish to provide feedback on how we meet their accessibility needs can contact us using their TTY service, by telephone or in writing by regular or electronic mail. Please click here for our contact information. We will use our best efforts to address or respond to a customer’s feedback immediately. However, it may sometimes be necessary to refer feedback to another Foresters representative for response or to be handled through our regular complaint handling procedures.
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