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    Cookie Policy

    What are cookies?

    Cookies are small text files that may be stored on your computer when you visit websites such as Ours. If you consent to cookies, they store identification information about your browser that facilitates continued secure access.

    This website www.optiogroup.com (“Our Site”) and our core application named “OptioConnect” uses Cookies and similar technologies in order to distinguish you from other users.

    Appendix A contains important information about cookies used by OPTIOCONNECT application.

    Appendix B contains important information about cookies used by Our Website.

    Please read this Cookie Policy carefully along with relevant Appendix and ensure that you understand information on what ‘cookies’ are, the cookies used by our website and OPTIOCONNECT application and how to control cookies in your browser.

    If it does not provide the information you were looking for, or you have any further questions about our use of cookies, please email DPO@optiogroup.com

    Definitions and interpretation

    In this Cookie Policy, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the following meanings:

    1. “Cookie” means a small file placed on your computer or device by Our Site when you visit certain parts of Our Site and/or when you use certain features of Our Site; These files also allow websites to store things like user preferences (such as login and language) and remember your actions over a period of time so that they can recognise you when you come back and respond appropriately.
    2. “Cookie Law” means the relevant parts of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 and of EU Regulation 2016/679 General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”);
    3. “personal data” means any and all data that relates to an identifiable person who can be directly or indirectly identified from that data, as defined by EU Regulation 2016/679 General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”); and
    4. “We/Us/Our” means Optio Group Limited, a limited company registered in England under company number 11032254, whose registered and trading address is 10thfloor, 1 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7AA, United Kingdom.
    5. Information about us

    Our Site is owned and operated by Optio Group Limited, a limited company registered in England under company number company number 11032254, whose registered and trading address is 10th floor, 1 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7AA, United Kingdom. For more information about the Optio Group, please visit our website at https://www.optiogroup.com. Our VAT number is GB 239437876. The person responsible for Data Protection is John Mawson and he can be contacted by email at DPO@optiogroup.com, by telephone on 0203 859 2151, or by post at 10th floor, 1 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7AA, United Kingdom.

    Optio Group Ltd. is the holding company for:

    1. Ascent Underwriting LLP, a registered Lloyd’s Coverholder;
    2. Cove Programs Insurance Services, a US General Agency;
    3. Bay Risk Services Ltd, a registered Lloyd’s Insurance Broker;
    4. Northcourt Limited, a  registered Lloyd’s Coverholder;
    5. Brockwell Capital Limited, a registered Lloyd’s Coverholder;
    6. Optio Underwriting Limited, also trading as Cove Program Underwriting, a registered Lloyd’s Coverholder; and
    7. Optio Europe Brokers Ltd, a Maltese regulated insurance intermediary.

     

    Changes to this Cookie Policy

    1. We may alter this Cookie Policy at any time. Any such changes will become binding on you on your first use of Our Site after the changes have been made. You are therefore advised to check this page from time to time.

    In the event of any conflict between the current version of this Cookie Policy and any previous version(s), the provisions current and in effect shall prevail unless it is expressly stated otherwise.

    How to control cookies?

    All modern browsers allow you to change your cookie settings and you can usually find these settings in the ‘options’ or ‘preferences’ menu. To understand these settings, you can use the ‘Help’ option in your browser or for more details see allaboutcookies.org and aboutcookies.org.

    You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and it is usually possible to stop your browser accepting cookies, or to stop it accepting cookies from a particular website. Please note that if you prevent or delete cookies required for the proper function of our website, it may result in reduced performance and limited access to our website or OPTIOCONNECT application.

     

     

    Appendix A: Use of Cookies by OPTIOCONNECT Application

    This page contains information on what ‘cookies’ are, the cookies used by OPTIOCONNECT application and how to control cookies in your browser.

    Log in

    How does OPTIOCONNECT application use cookies?

    Notice

    We save your acknowledgement of the message displayed at the top of each page. This means that the message will be hidden on subsequent visits to the application.

    Anonymous Analytics

    Every time someone visits our application, Google Analytics generates anonymous analytics cookies. These cookies can tell us whether or not you have visited the applicationbefore. Your browser will tell us if you have these cookies and, if you don’t, we generate new ones. This allows us to track how many individual users we have, and how often they visit the application. Unless you are signed in to OPTIOCONNECT, we cannot use these cookies to identify individuals. We use them to gather statistics, for example, the number of visits to a page. If you are logged in, we will also know the details you gave to us for this, such as your email address.

    We use Hotjar in order to better understand our users’ needs and to optimize this service and experience, which generates anonymous analytics cookies. Hotjar is a technology service that helps us better understand our users’ experience (e.g. how much time they spend on which pages, which links they choose to click, what users do and don’t like, etc.) and this enables us to build and maintain our service with user feedback. Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our users’ behavior and their devices. This includes a device’s IP address (processed during your session and stored in a de-identified form), device screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), browser information, geographic location (country only), and the preferred language used to display our website. Hotjar stores this information on our behalf in a pseudonymized user profile. Hotjar is contractually forbidden to sell any of the data collected on our behalf. For further details, please see the ‘about Hotjar’ section of Hotjar’s support site.

    Session

    When you sign in to OPTIOCONNECT, we generate cookies that let us know whether you are signed in or not. Our servers use these cookies to work out which account you are signed in with, and if you are allowed access to a particular page or service. If you have not selected ‘remember me on this computer until I log out’, your cookies get deleted when you either close your browser or shut down your computer. While you are signed in, we combine information from your registration cookies with analytics cookies, which we could use to identify which pages you have visited.

    Preference

    We automatically set your region and language preferences when you sign up with a culture cookie. This localises the site for a better experience.

    How to control cookies?

    All modern browsers allow you to change your cookie settings and you can usually find these settings in the ‘options’ or ‘preferences’ menu. To understand these settings, you can use the ‘Help’ option in your browser or for more details see allaboutcookies.org and aboutcookies.org.

    You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and it is usually possible to stop your browser accepting cookies, or to stop it accepting cookies from a particular website. If you do this, however, we cannot tell if you are signed in without using cookies, so you would not be able to log into our application.

    Further Information

    If you would like to know more about how We use Cookies, please contact Us by emailing DPO@optiogroup.com, by telephone on 0203 859 2151, or by post at 10th floor, 1 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7AA, United Kingdom.

    For more information about privacy, data protection and our terms and conditions, please visit our Privacy Policy.

     

     

    Appendix B: Use of Cookies by our Website

    By using Cookies, We are able to provide you with a better experience and to improve Our Site by better understanding how you use it. Your acceptance of Our Cookie Policy is deemed to occur if you continue using Our website. If you do not agree to Our Cookie Policy, please stop using Our Site immediately.

    1.How Does Our WebSite Use Cookies?

    Our Site may place and access certain first party Cookies on your computer or device. First party Cookies are those placed directly by Us and are used only by Us. We use Cookies to facilitate and improve your experience of Our Site and to provide and improve Our services. We have carefully chosen these Cookies and have taken steps to ensure that your privacy and personal data is protected and respected at all times.

    By using Our webSite, you may also receive certain third party Cookies on your computer or device. Third party Cookies are those placed by websites, services, and/or parties other than Us. Third party Cookies are used on Our Site for the embedded Google map that is set by Google.

    All Cookies used by and on Our Site are used in accordance with current Cookie Law. We may use some or all of the following types of Cookie:

    1. Strictly Necessary Cookies: A Cookie falls into this category if it is essential to the operation of Our Site, supporting functions such as logging in, your shopping basket, and payment transactions.
    2. Analytics Cookies: It is important for Us to understand how you use Our Site, for example, how efficiently you are able to navigate around it, and what features you use. Analytics Cookies enable us to gather this information, helping Us to improve Our Site and your experience of it.
    3. Functionality Cookies: Functionality Cookies enable Us to provide additional functions to you on Our Site such as personalisation and remembering your saved preferences. Some functionality Cookies may also be strictly necessary Cookies, but not all necessarily fall into that category.
    4. Targeting Cookies: It is important for Us to know when and how often you visit Our Site, and which parts of it you have used (including which pages you have visited and which links you have visited). As with analytics Cookies, this information helps us to better understand you and, in turn, to make Our Site and advertising more relevant to your interests.
    5. Third Party Cookies: Third party Cookies are not placed by Us; instead, they are placed by third parties that provide services to Us and/or to you. Third party Cookies may be used by advertising services to serve up tailored advertising to you on Our Site, or by third parties providing analytics services to Us (these Cookies will work in the same way as analytics Cookies described above).
    6. Persistent Cookies: Any of the above types of Cookie may be a persistent Cookie. Persistent Cookies are those, which remain on your computer or device for a predetermined period and are activated each time you visit Our Site.
    7. Session Cookies: Any of the above types of Cookie may be a session Cookie. Session Cookies are temporary and only remain on your computer or device from the point at which you visit Our Site until you close your browser. Session Cookies are deleted when you close your browser.

    Cookies on Our Site are not permanent and will expire as indicated in the table below. For more details of the personal data that We collect and use, the measures we have in place to protect personal data, your legal rights, and our legal obligations, please refer to our Privacy Policy. For more specific details of the Cookies that We use, please refer to Section 2 below.

    2. What Cookies Does Our website Use?

    • The following first party Cookies may be placed on your computer or device:
      Name of cookie: “_cmsg”
      Purpose:This is a first party cookie that’s essential for the operation of the site. You will see a cookie consent feature upon your first visit to our website, whereby one additional cookie will be stored to save the users consent preference and hide the cookie consent message for future visits for a set period of time.
      Strictly necessary: YES
    • No third party Cookies may be placed on your computer or device. Please see 4.5 below:
    • Our Site uses analytics services provided by Google Analytics. Website analytics refers to a set of tools used to collect and analyse anonymous usage information, enabling Us to better understand how Our Site is used. This, in turn, enables Us to improve Our Site and the services offered through it. You do not have to allow Us to use these Cookies, however whilst Our use of them does not pose any risk to your privacy or your safe use of Our Site, it does enable Us to continually improve Our Site, making it a better and more useful experience for you.
    • The analytics service(s) used by Our Site use(s) analytics Cookies to gather the required information.
    • The analytics service(s) used by Our Site use(s) the following Cookies:
      Name of Cookie:_ga
      First/Third Party: Third Party
      Provider: Google
      Purpose: These cookies are used to distinguish users.

    3. Consent and Control

    • Before Cookies are placed on your computer or device, you will be shown a pop up notifying you that our website uses cookies requesting your consent to set those Cookies by clicking “Accept”. By giving your consent to the placing of Cookies you are enabling Us to provide the best possible experience and service to you. You may, if you wish, deny consent to the placing of Cookies unless those Cookies are strictly necessary; however certain features of Our Site may not function fully or as intended.
    • In addition to the controls that We provide, you can choose to enable or disable Cookies in your internet browser. Most internet browsers also enable you to choose whether you wish to disable all Cookies or only third party Cookies. By default, most internet browsers accept Cookies but this can be changed. For further details, please consult the help menu in your internet browser or the documentation that came with your device.
    • The links below provide instructions on how to control Cookies in all mainstream browsers:
    1. Google Chrome: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en-GB
    2. Microsoft Internet Explorer: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/278835
    3. Microsoft Edge: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/products/microsoft-edge (Please note that there are no specific instructions at this time, but Microsoft support will be able to assist)
    4. Safari (macOS): https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21411?viewlocale=en_GB&locale=en_GB
    5. Safari (iOS): https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201265
    6. Mozilla Firefox: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-Cookies-website-preferences
    7. Android: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en (Please refer to your device’s documentation for manufacturers’ own browsers)

    4. Further Information

    If you would like to know more about how We use Cookies, please contact Us by emailing DPO@optiogroup.com, by telephone on 0203 859 2151, or by post at 10th floor, 1 Minster Court, Mincing Lane, London, EC3R 7AA, United Kingdom.

    For more information about privacy, data protection and our terms and conditions, please visit our Privacy Policy.