Notice: We have updated our Privacy Policy

The European Union’s latest data privacy law becomes enforceable on May 25. This regulation has far reaching requirements that has resulted in many companies updating and clarifying their privacy policies, Johnedwardkelly Dubai included. In this article we take a look at the new regulation, the impact it has on those in Dubai, what our updated Privacy Policy covers, and top questions we have been asked about it.

About the EU’s data privacy regulation

Introduced a couple of years ago, and becoming enforceable on May 25, the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets in place a widespread and arguably powerful policy around data privacy and protection.

At its heart, the aim of the regulation is to give EU residents and citizens greater control over their own personal data while also setting a clear policy on how companies can collect, store, and use personal data.

The idea of improving data privacy in the modern era is not new – for example, Dubai has had the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) since 2012. What’s different with the GDPR is that it covers all EU residents and citizens, even those not living in the region.

What this means is that Europeans in Dubai are legally protected by the GDPR. This is important as companies who have, and collect data on their European clients are now legally mandated to be compliant with the GDPR, even if they don’t have an office/presence in the EU.

Why update the Privacy Policy now?

As a marketing entity of Pacific Prime Insurance Brokers Dubai PTE Ltd., Johnedwardkelly Dubai offers a variety of insurance products to all residents of Dubai. This includes expats, some of whom are from the EU.

Due to this being the case, we are required to show our compliance with the GDPR, and while our actions have been compliant for a number of years now, the best way to show this is by updating our Privacy Policy.

Also, when comparing the requirements set by the PDPA with those set by the GDPR we found that there were some points missing that are required by the GDPR, so have opted to update the policy to reflect this.

You can view our updated Privacy Policy on the Terms and Conditions page of our website. This policy is effective immediately for all new clients, and as of May 18 for existing clients.

What does the updated policy cover?

We have expanded and updated our Privacy Policy in a way that we believe makes it easier to read and understand. It also shows our compliance with not only the GDPR but also the PDPA in Dubai.

In order to do this, the policy contains the following sections:

• Our stance on data collection, processing, and protection
• What data we collect
• Who collects the data
• How data is collected
• Consent and data
• Why we collect data
• How we use the data collected
• When we share data
• How you can view, edit, or delete your data
• How we utilize cookies

The sections above represent a fair amount of data and information available to sort through. To summarize: We will only collect data if:

1. It is contractually necessary – The majority of data collected by Johnedwardkelly Dubai is what is required by insurers in order for them to underwrite and offer a plan. If you purchase a plan through us, we will collect only requested data on behalf of the insurer and pass it along to them.
2. It is for marketing purposes – In some cases, we will ask for some data in order to carry out marketing initiatives.

Any data collected by Johnedwardkelly Dubai is never sold to third parties. We do share data with third parties however, namely insurers. When we do share data, we will only share what is contractually necessary. If you have provided data to us at other times – e.g., when you secured another plan, that which is not relevant to the new contract will never be shared.

Finally, you have the right to request to view, edit, and for us to delete your data at any time. If you are in the middle of purchasing a plan and request for us to delete your data it should be noted that there might be problems/delays with the processing of the application.

Is Johnedwardkelly Dubai GDPR compliant?

We have taken every step to ensure that our actions and systems are compliant with not only the regulations set out by the GDPR but also the PDPA in Dubai. This includes implementing a number of systems aimed at keeping your data secure.

I am not from the EU, does the GDPR apply to me?

As this is a regulation passed by and for the EU, it does not apply to people who are not residents or citizens of the Union. Here at Johnedwardkelly Dubai, we do take your data privacy seriously and while the GDPR might not apply to you, we have applied the regulations across the whole company.

This means that you have the same rights as those set out in the GDPR including the right to view, edit, and request deletion of your data. This can be done via the instructions in the policy.

Do I need to provide additional data?

If you have previously provided data to us, there is no need to provide any additional data unless it is contractually necessary for any new plans or products you decide to purchase through us.

If you are not currently a client, then any data you provide will be under your own volition, but do be aware that if you decide to request quotes or plans from us we will be required to ask for specific information.

To learn more about our updated Privacy Policy please click here, or contact us today.