Privacy Policy

Information you choose to provide

When you contact Southern Shield, request a quote, ask for a callback, or communicate with us by phone, email, or text message, we may receive information such as:

• Your name, phone number, email address, city, and ZIP code.
• The type of insurance help you are requesting.
• Your preferred contact method and a convenient time to respond.
• A brief description of your insurance need and how you heard about Southern Shield.
• Your consent and communication preferences.
• Information you provide later during a direct conversation when it is needed to help with your request.

The quote form may also record the page used to submit the request and campaign or referral details included in the page address. These details help us understand where website inquiries originate.

INFORMATION SUBMITTED THROUGH META LEAD FORMS

Southern Shield may use lead forms on Facebook and other Meta services to receive requests for insurance information or quotes. When you submit one of these forms, Meta may provide Southern Shield with the information you enter or confirm, such as your name, phone number, email address, ZIP code, general quote-request answers, consent choices, submission time, and information identifying the form, campaign, or advertisement connected with your request. Meta also processes information under its own privacy policy and terms.

Southern Shield uses this information to respond to your request, contact you by phone or email, and send manual text messages only when you separately choose and consent to text contact. Submitting a quote request does not enroll you in unrelated promotional marketing, bind, change, or cancel coverage, or guarantee eligibility, availability, coverage, or price.

Do not submit Social Security numbers, driver’s-license numbers, payment information, policy documents, detailed claim information, medical information, or other sensitive information through a Meta lead form. Authorized Southern Shield personnel may transfer the minimum necessary information into approved agency systems. Southern Shield retains and handles that information under the Data Retention, Security, Your Choices and Requests, and Contact Southern Shield sections of this policy.

Public forms and sensitive information

Do not submit sensitive personal information through a public website form.

Do not send Social Security numbers, Medicare numbers, medical information, banking information, account numbers, driver’s-license numbers or images, payment information, policy documents, or other highly sensitive information through the quote form.

The public quote form is intended for basic contact information and a brief explanation of the help needed. A form submission does not bind, change, or cancel insurance coverage. If sensitive information is needed later, Southern Shield will explain an appropriate way to provide it.

The website’s quote form sends the submitted request by email to an authorized Southern Shield address. It does not automatically send a customer copy or enroll the person in a marketing list.

Information collected when you use the website

Website hosting, security, spam-protection, and analytics services may automatically receive technical information such as your Internet Protocol address, browser and device type, operating system, referring page, pages viewed, approximate geographic area, and the date and time of a visit.

Southern Shield uses Google Analytics to understand website use and improve page performance. Google Analytics may use cookies or similar technologies. Learn more in Google’s Privacy Policy and through the Google Analytics opt-out tool.

Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies are small files or browser records used for functions such as site operation, security, preferences, and measurement. This website may use necessary WordPress or hosting technologies and Google Analytics cookies. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some technologies may affect how parts of the website work.

How we use information

Southern Shield may use information to:

• Respond to contact, callback, quote, and service requests.
• Review insurance needs and explain what information or next steps may be required.
• Communicate by the method you selected.
• Work with insurance carriers and other authorized service providers when appropriate for your request.
• Protect the website, reduce spam, troubleshoot problems, and maintain records.
• Understand website use and improve content, accessibility, and customer experience.
• Meet legal, regulatory, contractual, or recordkeeping obligations that apply to the agency.

Text messages

If you choose text message as your preferred contact method and provide consent, Southern Shield may send manual text messages related to your request. Message and data rates may apply. You can ask Southern Shield to stop texting you at any time, including by replying STOP to a message.

Selecting text message is not required to request insurance help. The public quote form is not connected to automated texting or a recurring marketing text program.

Email communications

Southern Shield may use the email address you provide to respond to your request, share requested service information, or continue an existing conversation. Submitting the public quote form does not automatically add you to a marketing email list.

When information may be shared

Southern Shield does not use this website to sell personal information for money. Information may be shared only as reasonably needed with:

• Insurance carriers and insurance-service providers involved in a request or customer relationship.
• Website hosting, email, security, spam-protection, analytics, and technology providers that support the website or communications.
• Professional advisers or authorities when required by law, regulation, legal process, or to protect rights and security.

These providers may process information under their own terms and privacy practices. Southern Shield limits website information sharing to legitimate business, service, security, and legal purposes.

Data retention

Southern Shield retains information for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to a request, provide agency services, maintain appropriate business and insurance records, resolve disputes, protect the website, and meet applicable legal or regulatory obligations. Retention periods can vary based on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

When information is no longer reasonably needed, Southern Shield may delete it, de-identify it, or allow it to be removed through the normal lifecycle of the systems that store it.

Your choices and requests

You may contact Southern Shield to ask about personal information you provided through the website or through a Southern Shield lead form on a third-party platform, request a correction, or ask whether information can be deleted. We may need to verify your identity and may retain information when required for legitimate business, insurance, legal, security, or recordkeeping purposes.

• To stop text messages, reply STOP or contact Southern Shield.
• To change email or contact preferences, reply to the communication or call the office.
• To limit analytics, use browser controls or the Google Analytics opt-out tool linked above.

Security

Southern Shield uses reasonable administrative and technical measures intended to protect website information. No website, email system, text message, or Internet transmission can be guaranteed completely secure. Please use the public website only for basic, non-sensitive information and contact the agency when a safer communication route is needed.

Children’s privacy

This website is not directed to children under 13, and Southern Shield does not knowingly seek personal information directly from children under 13 through the website. A parent or guardian should contact the agency when insurance questions involve a minor driver.

Third-party links

The website may link to government agencies, insurance carriers, or other third-party websites. Their privacy and security practices are controlled by their own policies, not this one.

Changes to this policy

Southern Shield may update this policy when website features, providers, business practices, or legal requirements change. The updated date at the top of this page shows when the policy was last revised.

Contact Southern Shield