Privacy Policy

Who we are

Apex Group ("Apex Group", "we", "us" or "our") is an authorised financial services provider in South Africa, FSP No. 54988. We design, underwrite and administer specialist insurance solutions that are distributed to clients through independent, licensed brokers.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share and protect personal information when you use this website, when you contact us, and when we underwrite, administer or settle insurance business placed with us. We process personal information in line with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and, where applicable, the Promotion of Access to Information Act 2 of 2000 (PAIA).

Scope of this policy

This policy applies to personal information we process in the course of our business, including this website, broker and client enquiries, underwriting and policy administration, claims handling, complaints, supplier relationships and recruitment.

It does not apply to third-party websites or services that we do not control, even where we link to them from this site.

Responsible party and Information Officer

Apex Group is the responsible party for the personal information that we decide how to process. Our Information Officer oversees our POPIA and PAIA compliance.

You can direct any question, request or objection to our Information Officer at hello@apexgroup.co.za, marked for the attention of the Information Officer.

Personal information we collect

• Identifying and contact details such as your name, identity or passport number, email address, telephone number and physical or postal address.
• Broker and intermediary details, including brokerage name, contact persons, FAIS licence number and representative details.
• Insurance and risk information, including the assets and interests insured, sums insured, risk descriptions, your claims history and information an underwriter needs to assess a risk.
• Financial information, including banking details, premium payment information and debit order details.
• Health information where it is relevant to the cover requested or to a claim, which is special personal information under POPIA.
• Website usage information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, referring pages and the pages you visit.
• Records of our communications with you, including emails, telephone notes and enquiry forms.

How we collect personal information

• Directly from you, when you submit an enquiry, correspond with us or provide information during underwriting or a claim.
• From your appointed broker or intermediary, who acts on your behalf and is your primary point of contact with us.
• From insurers, reinsurers, underwriting managers, administrators, assessors and other participants in the placement and settlement of a risk.
• From service providers that support our operations, and from public registers and regulatory or industry sources.
• Automatically through this website, using cookies and similar technologies as described below.

Why we process personal information

We process personal information only for lawful purposes and only where POPIA provides a basis for doing so, such as your consent, the performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation, or a legitimate interest that is not overridden by your rights.

• To respond to enquiries from brokers and to build and manage broker relationships.
• To assess, underwrite, quote, issue and administer insurance policies and related products.
• To receive, investigate, assess and settle claims.
• To comply with our obligations under FAIS, FICA, POPIA and other applicable legislation, including record-keeping and reporting.
• To prevent, detect and investigate fraud, money laundering and other unlawful activity.
• To manage complaints, disputes and legal proceedings.
• To maintain, secure and improve our website, systems and services.
• To send you information about our products and services, where you have opted in or where we are otherwise permitted to do so.

Special personal information

Some of the information we handle, such as health information and information about criminal behaviour, is special personal information under POPIA. We only process it where the law allows us to, for example with your consent, where it is necessary to assess a risk or a claim, or where a legal obligation requires it.

Special personal information is treated as confidential and is accessed only by people who need it for the specific purpose for which it was collected.

Sharing personal information

We do not sell personal information. We share it only where it is needed for the purposes described in this policy, and only to the extent necessary.

• Your appointed broker or intermediary, who coordinates your relationship with us.
• Insurers, reinsurers, underwriting managers and co-insurers involved in the risk.
• Claims, medical, assessor, loss adjuster and recovery service providers.
• Information technology, hosting, document storage and communication service providers that operate on our behalf under written agreements.
• Credit, fraud prevention and industry databases, where lawful and relevant.
• Regulators, ombudsmen and authorities such as the Financial Sector Conduct Authority, the Information Regulator, the FAIS Ombud and the courts, where we are required to report or respond.
• A prospective buyer or investor, in connection with a proposed sale or restructuring of our business, subject to confidentiality.

Cross-border transfers

Where personal information is transferred outside South Africa, we do so only as POPIA permits, for example where the recipient is subject to a law, binding agreement or corporate rules that provide an adequate level of protection, where you have consented, or where the transfer is necessary to perform a contract with you or to conclude one in your interest.

How long we keep personal information

We keep personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purpose it was collected, or for as long as legislation requires. Records relating to financial services and insurance business are generally kept for at least five years after the relationship ends, and longer where a claim, dispute or legal obligation requires it.

When information is no longer needed, we destroy or de-identify it in a secure manner.

Security of your information

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, damage, unauthorised access and unlawful processing. These include access controls, secure infrastructure, confidentiality obligations for staff and service providers, and ongoing monitoring.

Where there are reasonable grounds to believe that personal information has been accessed or acquired by an unauthorised person, we notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as POPIA requires.

Your rights

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@apexgroup.co.za with enough detail for us to identify you and your request. We may ask you to verify your identity. We aim to respond within 30 days.

• To be told whether we hold personal information about you, and to request a record or description of it.
• To request the correction or deletion of personal information that is inaccurate, irrelevant, excessive, out of date, incomplete, misleading or unlawfully obtained.
• To object to processing based on legitimate interests, and to object at any time to processing for direct marketing.
• To withdraw consent you have given, without affecting processing that took place before the withdrawal.
• To lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator.
• To request access to records under PAIA, in accordance with our PAIA manual.

Cookies and website usage

This website uses cookies and similar technologies to keep the site working, to remember your preferences and to understand how visitors use the site so that we can improve it. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings; disabling them may affect how the site works.

Direct marketing

We send electronic marketing only where you have opted in, or where the law otherwise permits it. You can opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link in the message or by emailing hello@apexgroup.co.za. Opting out of marketing does not affect communications we must send you about a policy, claim or service.

Children

This website is not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from a child without the consent of a competent person. If you believe we hold a child's information without the required consent, please contact us so that we can address it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or the law. The current version is always published on this page, with the date it was last updated.

Complaints and contact

If you are unhappy about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first at hello@apexgroup.co.za so that we can try to resolve it. You also have the right to complain to the Information Regulator at complaints.IR@justice.gov.za or through inforegulator.org.za.

You can reach us at hello@apexgroup.co.za, (010) 017 1746, or 59 Regency Drive, Route 21 Corporate Park, Irene, 0157, South Africa.