This information is intended to advise you about the way in which we handle your personal information and how you can control our disclosure of your personal information.
MetLife is subject to the National Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 as amended by the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000, and this document outlines how we intend to deliver all the rights and protections to which you are entitled.
What is personal information?
Personal information is information or an opinion, whether true or not and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity can be ascertained from the information or opinion.
Categories of personal information we collect and hold
The nature of the personal information we collect, and where it comes from, will vary according to the specific product, and may include:- information such as name, address, contact details, occupations and income that we collect on applications or other forms;
- lifestyle information that relates to insurance; and
- health and other medical information.
We may take steps to verify the information that we collect, eg a birth certificate provided as identification may be verified with the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages to help prevent inappropriate access or impersonation.
Purposes of collecting your information
We may collect your personal information for a number of purposes, which may include:- providing you with a particular policy;
- processing receipts and payments;
- administering your policy;
- assessing, processing and investigating insurance risks or claims;
- producing policy schedules and other mail related services;
- meeting legal and regulatory requirements including anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing laws; and
- providing you with information about other products and services, with your consent.
Without your information we may delay, block or refuse to make a payment or action an instruction relating to our products or services.
Disclosures of your information
We may share your personal information with selected third parties for the purpose of administering your product or policy (some of whom may be situated outside Australia), and your information may be provided to them on a confidential basis for this purpose. We will not disclose your health or sensitive information (if applicable) for any purpose other than to underwrite or service your insurance cover or assess a claim.MetLife may communicate your personal information to selected third parties, including:
| To: | For: |
| Mailhouses | Policy schedule production and other mail related services |
| Administration and other technology services | Data entry, data processing, continuity of business, account maintenance and documentation |
| Investigators, medical attendants, other insurers and reinsurers | Assessing your application, underwriting and claims assessment and verifying health information. |
| Insurance industry and reference bodies | Claims matching and cross referencing |
| Professional and financial advisors | Administering your policy |
| Superannuation fund trustees | Administering your policy |
| Government and regulatory bodies | To comply with laws including anti-money laundering and counter terrorism financing laws and regulations or for compliance related services |
Where third parties such as an outsourced service provider receive personal information they are subject to confidentiality requirements. Personal information can only be used by third parties for our purposes.
MetLife may be allowed or obliged to disclose information by law, such as to comply with the requirements of taxation or social security laws.
Our policies and practices to protect your personal information
Keeping customer information secure is a top priority for MetLife. We’re committed to implementing and enforcing procedures that help us carry out our commitment to protecting personal information. We strive to use administrative safeguards, technological tools, and legal agreements to help support those procedures. And we continually look for ways to improve our practices. Since protecting information is a responsibility of every MetLife employee and service provider, we aim to educate all those who handle personal information about our commitments to privacy.
We protect your personal information by maintaining physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards that meet or exceed applicable law. MetLife will permit only authorised employees to access your personal information. We train people who work for us how to properly handle personal information and we restrict access to what is necessary for specific job functions.
We require third parties that process personal information on our behalf to follow stringent standards of security and confidentiality.
We provide you with an opportunity to opt out of receiving information about unrelated products and will not disclose your information to unrelated third parties for marketing purposes unless you agree.
Contact us
If you wish to find out more information, or raise any specific or general concerns about the MetLife Privacy statement please contact the MetLife Privacy Officer, whose contact details appear below.
Complaints and disputes
If you have reason to believe that any MetLife company or department has breached the Privacy statement outlined in this document, please contact the MetLife Privacy Officer, whose contact details appear below. We will investigate all complaints and respond to you within 15 business days.
Access
You may, subject to permitted exceptions under the Privacy Act 1988 access the information MetLife holds about you. We want to make this as simple as possible for you. You can obtain a form by contacting the MetLife Privacy Officer, whose details appear below.
To help us locate and provide the information you request, we would ask that you be reasonably specific about the information you require, and take a few minutes to complete the form.
We will only provide your information to you or someone that you specifically authorise. Where a customer establishes that the personal information we hold on them is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, we will correct our records if appropriate.
We may charge you an administration fee for providing access in accordance with your request. The charge relates to the time we spend collating and explaining the information requested. Where an administration fee applies access will be provided after MetLife has been authorised to debit your account or payment has been received.
Your privacy preferences
If you do not wish us or other companies to communicate marketing offers to you, you may use the following methods to inform us:
- Contact the MetLife Privacy Officer, whose contact details appear below; or
- You may use the consumer preference facilities offered by the Australian Direct Marketing Association (ADMA). This should stop you receiving unsolicited direct marketing from participating ADMA members.
ADMA
Mail: Reply Paid 38, PO Box 464, Kings Cross NSW 1340
Do not mail/call: http://www.adma.com.au
Do not email: http://www.dmaconsumers.org/emps.jsp
If you choose to opt out of receiving marketing offers, we will continue to mail you information relating to your product or policy such as newsletters, statements or offers to upgrade the services provided.
| MetLife Privacy Officer | ||
| Mail: | PO Box 3319,
Sydney NSW 2001 | |
| Telephone: | 1300 555 625 | |
Changes to our Privacy practices
MetLife may make changes to its Privacy practices from time to time for any reason and these will be published on our website.
For further information about the National Privacy Principles:
SUMMARY OF NATIONAL PRIVACY PRINCIPLES
NPP 1 - CollectionCollection of personal information must be fair, lawful and not intrusive. A person must be told the organisation's name, the purpose of collection, any laws requiring the collection, the main consequences if all or part of the information is not provided, and that the person can get access to their personal information.
The organisation must collect personal information directly from the individual if it is reasonable and practicable to do so. An organisation which collects personal information about an individual from someone else must ensure that the individual is or has been made aware of the disclosure required above.
NPP 2 - Use & Disclosure An organisation should only use or disclose information for the purpose for which it was collected unless the person has consented, or the secondary purpose is related to the primary purpose and a person would reasonably expect such use or disclosure.
Where personal information (other than sensitive information) is used for the secondary purpose of direct marketing and it is not practicable to obtain consent, each direct marketing communication must provide the individual an opportunity of not receiving further direct marketing communication.
NPP 3 - Information Quality
An organisation must take reasonable steps to make sure that the personal information it collects, uses or discloses is accurate, complete and up-to date.
NPP 4 - Data Security
An organisation must take reasonable steps to protect the personal information it holds from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
NPP 5 - Openness
An organisation must have a policy document outlining its information handling practices and make this available to anyone who requests it.
NPP 6 - Access and Correction
Generally speaking, an organisation must give an individual access to personal information it holds about that individual on request.
NPP 7 - Identifiers
Generally speaking an organisation must not adopt, use or disclose an identifier that has been assigned by a Commonwealth government 'agency'. For example, a tax file number or Medicare number.
NPP 8 - Anonymity
Organisations must give people the option to interact anonymously whenever it is lawful and practicable to do. Generally speaking, a person cannot acquire financial services anonymously. However, a person could make a general enquiry (for example, about the policy coverage available) without giving his or her name.
NPP 9 - Transborder Data Flows
An organisation can only transfer personal information to a recipient in a foreign country in circumstances where it is necessary to do so to complete an agreement with a person, or where the information will have appropriate protection or the person has consented to the transfer.
NPP 10 - Sensitive Information
An organisation must not collect sensitive information (for example, details of a person’s race, religion, sexual preferences or health) unless the individual has consented.
