Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
How We Protect Your Information
Table of Contents
Section 01
Introduction
Bell & Lyons Insurance and its parent company, BHM Holdings LLC (collectively, “we,” “us,” or “our“), operate the website located at bellandlyons.com (the “Site“) and related services. We are committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our Site, request an insurance quote, communicate with us, or otherwise engage with our services. By using our Site, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
Insurance-Specific Notice: As an independent insurance agency, we may collect and transmit personal and financial information to insurance carriers, managing general agents, and underwriters on your behalf to obtain quotes and bind coverage. This activity is governed by applicable state insurance regulations in addition to general privacy law.
Section 02
Information We Collect
A. Information You Provide Directly
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address
- Insurance Application Data: Date of birth, Social Security number (when required for underwriting), driver’s license number, vehicle identification numbers (VINs), property details, claims history, and health-related information where applicable
- Financial Information: Payment card details, bank account information, billing address (processed via PCI-compliant payment processors)
- Communication Records: Emails, phone call logs, chat transcripts, and correspondence you send to us
- Form Submissions: Data entered into quote request forms, contact forms, or subscription forms on our Site
B. Information Collected Automatically
- Device & Browser Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, click patterns, referral URLs
- Location Data: Approximate geographic location derived from IP address
- Cookies & Tracking Technologies: Information collected through cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar technologies (see Section 5)
C. Information from Third Parties
- Insurance Carriers & Partners: Claims history, underwriting data, policy information
- Public Records: Property records, driving records, credit-based insurance scores (where permitted by law)
- Marketing Partners: Demographic data, advertising identifiers
Section 03
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Insurance Services: To process quote requests, submit applications to carriers, bind policies, manage renewals, and assist with claims
- Communication: To respond to inquiries, send policy documents, provide customer support, and deliver service-related notifications
- Personalization: To customize your experience on our Site and recommend relevant insurance products
- Marketing: To send promotional materials, newsletters, and offers (with your consent where required)
- Analytics & Improvement: To analyze Site usage, improve our services, and develop new features
- Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal processes, including state insurance department requirements
- Fraud Prevention: To detect and prevent fraudulent activity, unauthorized access, and other security threats
Section 04
How We Share Your Information
We may share your personal information with the following categories of recipients:
- Insurance Carriers & Underwriters: To obtain quotes, bind coverage, and service your policies
- Managing General Agents (MGAs): Who act as intermediaries between our agency and insurance carriers
- Service Providers: Third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf (payment processing, email delivery, analytics, cloud hosting)
- BHM Holdings LLC: Our parent company, for business operations, reporting, and compliance purposes
- Legal & Regulatory: When required by law, regulation, subpoena, court order, or government request
- Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets
- With Your Consent: When you direct us to share information with a specific third party
Important: We do not sell your personal information for monetary consideration. However, certain data-sharing activities may constitute a “sale” or “sharing” under state privacy laws such as the CCPA/CPRA. See our Do Not Sell or Share page for opt-out options.
Section 05
Cookies & Tracking
Our Site uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience and analyze usage patterns:
- Essential Cookies: Required for basic Site functionality (session management, security, accessibility)
- Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our Site (Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity)
- Advertising Cookies: Used to deliver relevant ads and measure campaign effectiveness (Meta Pixel, Google Ads)
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences (language, region)
You can manage your cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner or your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect Site functionality.
Section 06
Data Security
We implement industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:
- SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers
- PCI DSS-compliant payment processing (we never store full credit card numbers on our servers)
- Access controls and authentication requirements for employees and contractors
- Regular security assessments and vulnerability testing
- Encrypted storage of sensitive personal data at rest
While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
Section 07
Data Retention
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. Specific retention periods include:
- Insurance records: Minimum 5 years after policy expiration (as required by Florida insurance regulations)
- Financial records: 7 years (tax and accounting requirements)
- Marketing data: Until you opt out or withdraw consent
- Website analytics: 26 months (standard analytics retention)
Section 08
Your Rights & Choices
Depending on your state of residence, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
- Opt-Out: Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information
- Non-Discrimination: Exercise your privacy rights without receiving discriminatory treatment
- Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable, machine-readable format
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@bellandlyons.com or call (954) 998-3860. We will respond to verified requests within the timeframes required by applicable law.
Section 09
California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):
- Right to Know: You may request details about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you in the preceding 12 months
- Right to Delete: You may request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions
- Right to Opt-Out: You may opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information via our Do Not Sell or Share page
- Right to Correct: You may request correction of inaccurate personal information
- Right to Limit: You may limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information
We do not use or disclose sensitive personal information for purposes other than those permitted under the CPRA.
Section 10
Florida Residents
As a Florida-based insurance agency, we comply with the Florida Information Protection Act (FIPA) and the Florida Digital Bill of Rights (effective July 1, 2024). Florida residents have the right to:
- Access and confirm whether we are processing their personal data
- Correct inaccuracies in their personal data
- Delete personal data provided by or obtained about them
- Obtain a copy of their personal data in a portable format
- Opt out of the processing of personal data for targeted advertising
In the event of a data breach involving your personal information, we will notify you as required by FIPA within 30 days of discovery.
Section 11
Children’s Privacy
Our Site and services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we learn that we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 18, we will promptly delete it. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@bellandlyons.com.
Section 12
Third-Party Links
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites, including insurance carrier portals, payment processors, and social media platforms. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
Section 13
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised “Effective Date.” For material changes, we will provide prominent notice on our Site or notify you directly via email.
Your continued use of the Site after any changes indicates your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.
Questions? Contact us at privacy@bellandlyons.com or call (954) 998-3860. Bell & Lyons Insurance / BHM Holdings LLC, Aventura, FL.