Privacy Policy

Policy Effective Date: September 1, 2019

SCOPE OF THIS POLICY

This privacy policy (this “Policy”) details Homesteaders Life Company’s (“Homesteaders”) and any subsidiary (collectively with Homesteaders “we,” “us,” and “our”) policies with respect to the handling of your personal information, whether submitted by you or otherwise collected by us via this website (“Site”). This Policy applies only to information collected through Homesteaders-owned platforms or platforms of subsidiaries of Homesteaders on which it is posted. It does not apply to third-party platforms. It also does not apply to information collected through other channels, such as over the phone or in person.

Some of the information we collect through this Site may be “personal information”—information that identifies you personally, alone or in combination with other information available to us. Other information may be non-identified data, such as information collected by cookies. We will only use and disclose your personal information in accordance with the terms in this Policy.

YOUR CONSENT

Please take a few minutes to review this Policy before using this Site. By using this Site and consenting to participate in our calling, texting, and/or email marketing, you are consenting to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as set forth in this Policy. If you do not agree to be bound by this Policy, you may not access or use this Site or consent to participate in our calling, texting, and/or email marketing.

THIS POLICY IS PART OF OUR TERMS OF USE

This Policy is part of the Terms of Use that govern your use of this Site and consent to participate in our calling, texting, and/or email marketing. A link to our Terms of Use is provided at the bottom of each page of this Site. To the extent there are inconsistencies between this Policy and the Terms of Use, the Terms of Use Control.

Our Terms of Use include an Arbitration Agreement, which will govern any dispute between you and us. Unless you opt out as described in the Terms of Use, this Arbitration Agreement will:

  • Eliminate your right to a trial by jury; and

  • Substantially affect your rights, including preventing you from bringing, joining, or participating in class or consolidated proceedings.

TYPES OF INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Personal Information is data that can be used to identify a single person and information about that specific person.

Information You Manually Provide. We collect the information you manually provide (using your keyboard, mouse, or touchpad) when you use this Site. For example, we collect the information you provide when you create an account, consent to participate in our calling, texting, and/or email marketing, ask us a question, purchase a product or service, or otherwise interact with this Site us. Some of the information you manually provide may be personal information, such as your name, email, telephone number, home address, demographic information (such as zip code, age), payment information and social security number.

Information Manually Provided by Others. We collect the information manually provided by others (using a keyboard, mouse, or touchpad) when they use this Site to create an account, ask us a question, purchase a product or service, or otherwise interact with this Site on your behalf. Some of the information they may manually provide may be personal information, such as your name, email, telephone number, home address, demographic information (such as zip code, age), payment information and social security number.

Information From Third-Party Social Media Platforms. You may be able to register with, log on to, or enhance your profile on this Site by choosing to automatically populate the requested data fields with information you previously provided to a third-party social media platform (such as Facebook or Twitter). By doing this, you are asking the third-party platform to send us information, including personal information, from your profile on that platform.

Information From Your Browser or Device. We collect information that is sent to us automatically by your web browser or mobile device. This information typically includes your IP address, a device identifier (a number assigned to your device when you access this Site or its servers), the name of your operating system, the name and version of your browser, the date and time of your visit, and the pages you visit.

The information we receive may depend on your browser or device settings. The information we receive from your web browser and device is not, in and of itself, personally identifiable. However, we may combine it with other information in an attempt to identify you or we may combine it with information that does identify you. We may also review our server logs for security purposes—for example, to detect intrusions into our network—and we might share our server logs, which contain visitors’ IP addresses, with the appropriate investigative authorities who could use that information to trace and identify you.

Information Collected by Cookies and Other Technologies. A “cookie” is a small file placed on your device when you visit a site that can be understood by the site that issued the cookie. We use cookies and other technologies, including device identifiers, to collect information and support certain features of this Site. For example, we may use these technologies to:

  • collect information about the ways visitors use this Site—which pages they visit, which links they use, and how long they stay on each page;

  • support the features and functionality of this Site—for example, to save you the trouble of reentering information already in our database or to prompt the settings you established on previous visits;

  • personalize your experience when you use this Site; and

  • improve our marketing efforts, including through use of targeted advertising.

The information we collect using cookies and similar technologies is not, in and of itself, personally identifiable, but we may link it to personal information that you provide with other data we maintain about you. If you do not wish to receive cookies, you may set your browser to reject cookies or to alert you when a cookie is placed on your computer. Although you are not required to accept cookies when you visit this Site, you may be unable to use all of the functionality of this Site if your browser rejects our cookies.

INFORMATION ABOUT THIRD-PARTY COOKIES AND INTEREST-BASED ADVERTISING

In addition to the cookies we deliver to your computer or mobile device through this Site, certain third parties may deliver cookies to you for a variety of reasons when you use our Site. For example, we may use Google Analytics, a web analytics tool that helps us understand how visitors engage with our Sites. To learn more about Google Analytics, click here. Other third parties may deliver cookies to your computer or mobile device for the purpose of tracking your online behaviors over time and across nonaffiliated webs and/or delivering targeted advertisements either on this Site or on other websites.

You have choices about the collection of information by third parties on our Sites. For example, if you don’t want information about your visit to this Site sent to Google Analytics, you may download an Opt-out Browser Add-on by clicking here. Please note that the Add-on does not prevent information from being sent to Homesteaders.

In addition, if you would like to opt out of having participating entities collect your online behavior for advertising purposes when you are browsing our websites, click here for a “Website Opt Out.” You will be directed to an industry-developed website that allows you to choose whether each listed entity may collect and use data for interest-based advertising purposes. It may be that some of the third parties that collect interest-based information on this Site do not participate in the Website Opt Out, in which case the best way to avoid third-party tracking of your online behaviors may be through your browser settings and deletion of cookies.

The Website Opt Out described above works only on websites. To opt out of having participating entities track your behaviors for advertising purposes when you are using a mobile app, download and use the Digital Advertising Alliance’s “App Choices” app. As with the Website Opt Out, the “Mobile App Opt Out” prevents tracking only by participating entities.

Please note that the Website Opt Out and Mobile App Opt Out are device specific. If you wish to opt-out from having interest-based information collected by participating entities across all devices, you need take the steps outlined above from each device.

HOW WE USE INFORMATION COLLECTED THROUGH THIS SITE

Generally, we use the information we collect through this Site:

  • to provide the information, products and services you request;

  • to provide you with effective customer service;

  • to provide you with a personalized experience when you use this Site;

  • to comply with licensing requirements;

  • for security or fraud prevention purposes;

  • to contact you with information and notices related to your use of this Site;

  • to contact you with special offers and other information we believe will be of interest to you (in accordance with any privacy preferences you have expressed to us);

  • to invite you to participate in surveys and provide feedback to us (in accordance with any privacy preferences you have expressed to us);

  • to better understand your needs and interests;

  • to improve the content, functionality and usability of this Site;

  • to improve our products and services, including to perform research that will help us design future products;

  • to improve our marketing and promotional efforts; and

  • for any other purpose identified in an applicable privacy notice, click-through agreement or other agreement between you and us.

Please see below for information about the choices you have about the ways we use your information.

YOUR CHOICES

In General. We respect your right to make choices about the ways we collect, use, and disclose the information you provide on or through this Site. We strive to provide choices to you at a meaningful time and in a meaningful place. This section describes some of your other choices, such as your choice to opt out of receiving “cookies.”

Do Not Track Mechanisms. Your browser may deliver a “Do-Not-Track (‘DNT’) signal” to this Site. Because of the changing state of technology and indecision within the technology and marketing industries regarding the meaning of DNT signals, we currently do not make any guarantee that we will honor DNT signals.

Previously Expressed Preferences. You may change previously expressed preferences regarding how we use information you provide on or through this Site. For example, if you have provided your contact information and receive periodic emails from us, you may decide to stop receiving those emails by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in an email’s footer. Otherwise, please contact us using the information provided below or as described in our Terms of Use.

HOW TO ACCESS, UPDATE OR CORRECT YOUR INFORMATION

If you have created a profile on this Site, you may be able to access, update or correct your information through your account settings. Otherwise, you may need our help. Please contact us using the information provided below. We will respond to you within a reasonable time and, in any case, within the time limits established by applicable law. We may ask you for additional information to verify your identity. In most cases, we will provide access and correct or delete any inaccurate information you discover. In some cases, however, we may limit or deny your request if the law permits or requires us to do so or if we are unable to verify your identity. If you seek deletion of information that you posted when you were a minor, please contact us using the information provided below or as described in our Terms of Use.

STEPS WE TAKE TO SAFEGUARD YOUR INFORMATION

We maintain reasonable administrative, physical and technological measures to protect the confidentiality and security of personal information you submit on or through this Site. Unfortunately, no website, server or database is completely secure or “hacker proof.” We therefore cannot guarantee that your personal information will not be disclosed, misused or lost by accident or by the unauthorized acts of others. Further, we cannot control dissemination of personal information you post on or through this Site using any social networking tools we may provide, and you should have no expectation of privacy in such information.

HOW WE SHARE INFORMATION WITH OTHERS

With Third–Party Vendors and Service Providers. We may share information collected through this Site with third-party vendors and/or service providers who act on our behalf. For example, we may use third-party vendors to design and operate this Site; to conduct surveys; and to help us with our promotional efforts. We may use third-party service providers to help us design future products. These third-party vendors and service providers may need information about you to perform their obligations. Typically, they are required by contract to keep your information confidential and to use it only to provide services on our behalf.

With a Funeral Home of Your Choice. We may share information collected through this Site with a funeral home of your choice who may offer you funeral goods and services.

Within the Homesteaders Corporate Family. The owner and operator of this Site may share information collected through this Site with other companies in the Homesteaders corporate structure. These affiliate companies are permitted to use your information for their own marketing purposes and in a manner otherwise consistent with this Policy.

With Other Users of this Site. You may be able to submit User-Generated Content on or through this Site. In this Policy, “User-Generated Content” or “UGC” refers to content that you post using the social networking tools or other mechanisms that allow you to share information with other users that we make available to you and that does not constitute “Feedback” (as that term is defined in our Terms of Use). Any personal information contained in UGC can be read, collected, or used by others. In addition, we may use UGC you submit for advertising campaigns and other promotions. We may or may not use your name in connection with such use, and we may or may not seek your consent before using the content for such purposes. Therefore, you should have no expectation of privacy with respect to UGC you submit on or through this Site.

With Third-Party Social Media Platforms. We may provide functionality on this Site that allows you to automatically post information to a third-party social media platform (such as Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest). If you choose to take advantage of this functionality, people with access to your profile on the third-party platform will be able to see your post. Thus, you should have no expectation of privacy in those actions. Further, if you choose to link your profile on this Site with an account on a third-party social media platform, we may share the information in your profile with that third-party platform. We may also use third-party social media platforms to offer you interest-based ads. To offer such ads, we may convert your email address into a unique value which can be matched by our partner company with a user on their platform. Although we do not provide any personal information to these platform vendors, they may gain insights about individuals who respond to the ads we serve.

In Aggregate or De-Identified Form. We use information collected through this Site to create a compiled, aggregate view of usage patterns. We may share aggregate information with third parties so we and they can better understand our user base. We may also share with third parties information about how particular individuals use this Site, but only on a de-identified basis (“Individualized Data”). Individualized Data is non-identified, but it does reflect the usage patterns of a particular Site user, as opposed to Site users collectively. We may provide basic demographic information (gender and age) in conjunction with providing Individualized Data.

With Other, Carefully Selected Business Partners. From time to time, we may share your information with selected third parties for their own marketing purposes. For example, we may partner with third parties to sponsor contests or other promotions, and we may share with these third parties the information you submit to us to participate in the contest or take advantage of the promotion. Before doing so, however, we may offer you the opportunity to “opt out” or “opt in,” as required by applicable law.

As Part of a Business Transfer. Your information may be transferred to successor organizations if, for example, we transfer the ownership or operation of this Site to another organization if we merge with or are acquired by another organization, or if we liquidate our assets. If such a transfer occurs, the successor organization’s use of your information will still be subject to this Policy and the privacy preferences you have expressed to us.

To Comply With Laws and Protection of Our Rights and the Rights of Others. We may disclose your information when we, in good faith, believe disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law, a court order or a subpoena. We may also disclose your information to prevent or investigate a possible crime, such as fraud or identity theft; to protect the security of this Site; to enforce or apply our online Terms of Use or other agreements; or to protect our own rights or property or the rights, property or safety of our users or others.

As Described in a Privacy Notice or Click-Through Agreement. We reserve the right to disclose your information as described in any privacy notice posted on this Site, or as described in any click-through agreement to which you have agreed.

RETENTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

We will retain your personal information only for the period necessary to fulfill marketing or service-related communications or until you request to have your information deleted (unless we have a legitimate reason or are required by law to retain it).

CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF THIRTEEN

We are proud of this Site and we strive to ensure that it doesn’t offend people of any age. However, this Site is not intended for children or minors under the age of thirteen years without the permission of a parent or guardian. If you believe that a child has submitted personal information on or through this Site without the consent and supervision of a parent or guardian, please contact us using the information provided below so that we can take appropriate action.

LINKS TO OTHER SITES

This Site may provide links to other websites operated by third parties, including in some cases our third-party vendors. We do not control these websites and are not responsible for their data practices. Any information you provide to third parties on their websites is covered under their privacy and data collection policies and is not covered by this Policy. We urge you to review the privacy policy posted on any site you visit before using the site or providing any personal information.

CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

Pursuant to Section 1798.83 of the California Civil Code, if you are a California resident and have an established business relationship with Homesteaders, you can request a notice disclosing the categories of personal information that Homesteaders and any has shared with third parties, for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes, during the preceding calendar year. To request a notice, please submit your request to: privacyrequest@homesteaderslife.com or by writing to Homesteaders Life Company, c/o Privacy Request, 5700 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, IA 50266.

View our full Privacy Policy here or contact us with any questions.

THIS POLICY MAY CHANGE

We are continually improving and adding to the features and functionality of this Site and the services we offer through this Site. As a result of these changes (or changes in the law), we may need to update or revise this Policy. Accordingly, we reserve the right to update or modify this Policy at any time, without prior notice, by posting the revised version of this Policy behind the link marked “Privacy Policy” at the bottom of each page of this Site. Your continued use of Site after we have posted the revised Policy constitutes your agreement to be bound by the revised Policy. However, we will honor the terms that were in effect when we gathered data from you.

For your convenience, whenever this Policy is changed, we will update the “effective date” at the top of this page. Be sure you check the effective date to see if this Policy has been revised since your last visit.

You may access the current version of this Policy at any time by clicking the link marked “Privacy Policy” at the bottom of each page of this Application/Site.

CONTACT US

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

Homesteaders Life Company, c/o Privacy Request 
5700 Westown Parkway
Des Moines, Iowa 50266

You may also call us at 888-312-9018 or email us at privacyrequest@homesteaderslife.com.