Privacy Policy

What personal information does Sutherland Insurance collect?

Sutherland Insurance collects the information an insurer requires to quote, issue and service a policy. For personal lines that commonly includes name, address, date of birth, driving record and claims history. For commercial lines it commonly includes business details, revenue, operations and prior claims.

Information is collected directly from the client, and with consent from third parties such as insurers, credit reporting agencies where permitted, and the Ministry of Transportation for driving records.

Why does Sutherland Insurance collect it?

Personal information is collected to obtain quotes from insurers, to issue and service policies, to handle claims, and to meet the record-keeping obligations that apply to a licensed brokerage in Ontario. Sutherland Insurance does not use personal information for any unrelated purpose. Website usage information is used only as described under Cookies and analytics.

Who does Sutherland Insurance share information with?

Information is shared with the insurers approached for a quote or holding the policy, and with adjusters, investigators and restoration contractors where a claim requires it. Sutherland Insurance does not sell personal information and does not share it for marketing by third parties, except website usage information shared with Google and Meta as described under Cookies and analytics.

How long is information kept, and how is it protected?

Records are retained for the period required by Ontario insurance regulation and by the brokerage’s obligations, then securely destroyed. Access is restricted to staff who need it to do their work, and systems are protected by access controls appropriate to the sensitivity of the data.

How does Sutherland Insurance use cookies and analytics on this website?

John Sutherland and Sons Limited ("Sutherland Insurance") uses cookies and similar browser storage to understand how this website is used and, only with your permission, to measure its advertising. Sutherland Insurance does not sell personal information.

What cookies are. Cookies are small text files a website stores in your browser. Websites also use similar browser storage for the same purpose. This policy calls all of it "cookies".

What runs for every visitor: Google Analytics. This site uses Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors use it: which pages are visited, the device and browser used, approximate location (city or region, from the network connection), and how a visitor arrived, such as from a search engine, another website or an advertisement. It runs with Google Consent Mode, so its advertising features stay off unless you choose Accept.

What runs only if you choose Accept: advertising measurement. The Meta Pixel (Facebook and Instagram) and Google’s advertising cookies load only after you choose Accept on the cookie notice. They measure whether Sutherland Insurance’s advertisements lead to visits and quote requests. If you choose Decline, or make no choice, they do not load.

How the site remembers where a quote request came from. When you arrive from an advertisement, a search or another website, the site stores the campaign details, the referring website and your first page in a Sutherland Insurance cookie for up to 90 days. If you then request a quote, those details are sent with your request so Sutherland Insurance knows which advertising or referral led to it. This cookie holds no name, email or phone number.

Why. To improve the website, and to understand which advertising and referrals lead people to contact Sutherland Insurance.

Who receives it. Google and Meta receive website usage information as described above, under their own privacy policies: Google (https://policies.google.com/privacy, https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites) and Meta (https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/). Quote requests are handled by Sutherland Insurance’s customer-management provider. The map on the Contact page is provided by Google Maps and is subject to Google’s privacy policy. Sutherland Insurance does not sell personal information.

How long it is kept. Google Analytics data is kept for 14 months. The quote-source cookie expires after 90 days. Your cookie choice is kept in your browser until you change it or clear your browser data.

Changing your choice. Select "Cookie settings" at the bottom of any page to change your answer at any time. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings, and Google offers a browser add-on to opt out of Google Analytics: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

Questions. Privacy questions go to info@sutherlandinsurance.com, 519-822-0160, or John Sutherland and Sons Limited, 240 Victoria Road North, Guelph, Ontario.

How do I access or correct my information?

A request to access or correct personal information held by Sutherland Insurance goes to info@sutherlandinsurance.com or 519-822-0160. Sutherland Insurance responds within the period PIPEDA allows. Where a request is refused, the reason is given in writing along with the route to escalate.

A privacy concern that Sutherland Insurance does not resolve can be taken to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.