Cookie Policy
Regardless of which device or browser you use to access our Website, we will automatically collect Non- Personally Identifiable Information (non-PII); this is data that cannot be used to identify or trace a person without additional information being provided.
Examples of the information we automatically collect include Device ID’s and IP Addresses. This information is typically collected using small files known as “cookies”. Cookies are common and important files that are created on your computer during web browsing that help Us to better understand how our visitors interact with our website. Using cookies, we are able to better understand how visitors navigate the website and how they typically engage with the content; this allows us to further optimise the website and ensure it functions in the best way possible to make the user experience enjoyable.
Cookies can also be used to retain information about a users internet preferences, browsing habits, and occasionally sensitive data such as login details or the items in a shopping cart. The purposes of different cookies vary, but as a whole, they are rarely (if ever) created with malicious intent; however in the wrong hands, these files can be used to assist hacking or data theft. When cookies are enabled they will allow the visitors web browser to easily access all areas and features of a website, however in doing so, the user is allowing cookies to be placed on their computer.
A major identified risk of allowing cookies to be placed on your computer is the fact that when you visit a website with any adverts, widgets or other third party elements, their respective websites can also create cookies on your computer, something you will unlikely be made aware of. The main threat however is if a hacker were to intercept the transmission of the cookie files data between the server and the user’s computer; should this happen, the hacker can access details such as login information, passwords etc which could be then used to obtain fraudulent access to the users respective online accounts.
Connect Insurance only place cookies on your device for the purpose of understanding user interaction which allows us to improve and optimise your experience; these cookies include Google Analytics, Tawk To, and Session Tracking. If you feel more comfortable disabling cookies, this should not have any impactful issues using our website, aside from preventing use of the live chat feature. Any Persistent Cookies we set will remain stored on your computer until you delete them, or until they expire.
Further information of the specific Cookies we use can be seen below:
- PHPSESSID – This is a First Party cookie used to retain the browser session between your device and the website’s server, this ensures that when you change page on the website the server recognises you have an existing connection. This is a Persistent cookie meaning it will remain stored after you leave our website. If you return to our website again, this cookie will allow us to see that you have been on the site previously and are a returning visitor.
- _GA and _GID – these are Third Party cookies stored in relation to Google Analytics and are used to create a unique session ID for Google Analytics purposes. The primary function of these cookies is to log page views and session durations, and select demographic data about our users to help us better understand our online audience. These cookies are Persistent meaning they will remain stored after you leave our website. If you return to our website again, these cookies will allow us to see that you have been on the site previously and are a returning visitor.
- Tawk – In order to provide live chat functionality, a few Third Party cookies need to be stored. The cookies are ‘__tawkuuid’, ‘ss’, ‘TawkConnectionTime’ along with an additional unique cookie that has a dynamic string appended to it. These cookies are used to enable the chat window and to store session information if you move between pages.
You can able to delete any cookies set by Connect Insurance, at any time simply by selecting the relevant option from your browser settings. Some websites offer the illusion that you can opt-out of cookies and this will remove all the cookies they have set; this is impossible, as a cookie is required to store your decision to opt-out.
If Connect begin to use additional cookies for any other purposes, this page will be updated to reflect them immediately.
For more information on Google cookies, check: Google Analytics – Cookie Usage.