Privacy Policy
Effective date: 16 October 2026
1. Who we are and what this policy covers
Surety Marine Ltd. (“Surety Marine”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is responsible for the personal information described in this policy.
Our registered office is Hunkins Plaza, Main Street, Charlestown, KN0802, Nevis, West Indies. Our website is https://suretymarine.com/ (the “Website”). For privacy enquiries or requests, contact team@suretymarine.com.
This policy explains how we handle personal information when you browse the Website, request a quote, submit supporting documents, make an initial claims enquiry or contact us through the channels listed on the Website. It also covers related correspondence with clients, brokers, business partners and media representatives.
Detailed underwriting, policy administration, risk monitoring and claims handling may require additional information and privacy notices. This policy covers the collection and initial handling of information through the Website and its contact channels; it is not a complete description of every insurance processing activity.
2. Information we collect
Quote requests. The submission form asks for your name, email address, the type of cover you need and a brief description of the risk. You may also provide your company name and the date from which cover is required. Risk descriptions can contain vessel or transaction details, ownership information, routes or trading areas, counterparties, requested limits and relevant loss history. We treat those details as personal information where they relate to an identifiable individual.
Form submissions are delivered to our corporate email, hosted through Google Workspace, for review and follow-up by the employee responsible for the relevant mailbox and subject matter. Website enquiries are not currently transferred to a CRM system. The technical services used to receive, transmit and store a submission may also process its contents and delivery information.
Email, telephone and messaging. When you contact us, we receive the details you provide, such as your name, contact details, company, role, enquiry and correspondence. Claims-related communications may include a policy reference, incident details and information about the people involved. Quote and new business enquiries can be sent to sales@suretymarine.com, claims to claims@suretymarine.com and all other enquiries to team@suretymarine.com.
Information about other people. Brokers, employers, vessel operators and other authorised representatives may provide personal information in connection with an enquiry. If you send information about someone else, provide only what is relevant, make sure you are entitled to share it and, where appropriate, direct that person to this policy.
Website and technical information. Our hosting, security and analytics services may process IP addresses, browser and device details, page addresses, referral information, timestamps, online identifiers and information about interactions with the Website. This can include visits to product or news pages, document downloads and interactions with links or the submission form. The information collected depends on the service and its configuration. See our Cookie Policy for information about Google Analytics, Yandex Metrica and similar technologies.
Fields marked with an asterisk on the submission form are required to send the request. Providing information is generally voluntary, but we may be unable to assess or answer an enquiry without the necessary details.
3. Sensitive information and attachments
Please limit the public quote form to information needed for the initial risk assessment.
Do not use the public website form to send medical records, identity documents, claims documentation, full payment-card details or other sensitive personal information. Medical records, identity documents and claims materials are accepted only through the email channel designated by the relevant team. Contact the team first to obtain the appropriate address and submission instructions. Use the emergency assistance contacts shown on the Website when urgent assistance is needed.
Where health or other specially protected information is necessary, its processing requires an appropriate legal basis and any additional condition required by applicable law. Separate information about underwriting, identity verification (KYC) or claims processing, and separate consent where required, must be provided or obtained before the relevant information is collected. This general website policy does not replace those notices or consents.
4. How we use information
We use personal information to:
receive, review and respond to quote requests and other enquiries;
route initial risk details and claims notifications to the appropriate team;
request clarification and communicate with you or the representative acting for you;
respond to media enquiries and maintain business correspondence;
operate and protect the Website, deliver form submissions and investigate technical problems or misuse;
understand how visitors use the Website and improve its content and functionality;
maintain relevant business records, meet applicable legal obligations and establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
Where data protection law requires a lawful basis, we use the basis appropriate to the purpose. Our legitimate interests include managing business enquiries and professional relationships, keeping correspondence records and maintaining a secure Website, subject to the rights and interests of the individuals concerned. Contractual necessity applies only where processing is necessary for a contract with you as an individual, or for steps you request before entering such a contract. We rely on legal obligations where applicable and on consent where required, including for optional website technologies.
Sending an enquiry or requesting a quote does not, by itself, subscribe you to marketing or authorise unrelated promotional messages. Where processing relies on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
Submitting the quote form does not itself confirm cover or produce a binding insurance decision. Technology may support the review of a submission, but underwriting decisions are made by an underwriter. We do not make a binding insurance decision solely by automated processing of the website form.
5. Who may receive information
Access to enquiries and attachments is limited to authorised employees whose responsibilities require it, including the employee responsible for the relevant mailbox and subject matter. Information is also made available to service providers where needed for the purposes described in this policy. A group company does not receive access merely because it belongs to the group. Providers may include website hosting and security services, form processing and file storage services, corporate email and communications providers, and IT support providers.
We use Google Analytics and Yandex Metrica for website analytics. These providers process information about website visits and interactions, as explained in the Cookie Policy and their own privacy information.
Where necessary to deal with your enquiry or notification, relevant information may also be shared with a broker or representative acting for you, a correspondent, surveyor, loss adjuster, professional adviser, insurer, reinsurer or assistance provider involved in the matter. Additional privacy information may apply when an enquiry develops into an insurance application or claim. We may disclose information to regulators, courts or other authorities where required or otherwise permitted by law.
6. International processing
Surety Marine is based in Nevis and operates internationally. Information you provide may therefore be processed outside your country. Website information is processed in the country where the website is hosted. Google Workspace may process email and related data through Google data centres in the United States, Europe and Asia. Analytics and other service providers may also process information in other jurisdictions. The presence of group companies in the UAE, St Kitts and Nevis and Thailand does not mean that all of those companies receive your data.
The locations and transfer arrangements depend on the services used and the parties involved. Where applicable law restricts international transfers, a permitted transfer mechanism is required, such as an applicable adequacy decision, recognised contractual safeguards or a legally available exception. The Google Workspace Cloud Data Processing Addendum applies to our use of that service; it does not cover every provider or replace other legal requirements. Where China’s Personal Information Protection Law applies, an overseas transfer requires the applicable transfer arrangements, information about the overseas recipient and processing, and separate consent where required. Sensitive information also requires the additional protections applicable to it. Applicable requirements for individuals in India and other jurisdictions are assessed for the processing concerned. Contact team@suretymarine.com for information about the arrangements relevant to your data and, where applicable, how to obtain a copy of the safeguards.
7. How long we keep information
Our standard retention periods are:
Enquiries and applications that do not become policy or claims records: 12 months from receipt.
Correspondence and attachments relating to policies and claims: 7 years from the expiry of the relevant policy.
If an enquiry becomes part of a policy or claims file, the relevant policy or claims retention period applies. Records may be retained longer where necessary to resolve an outstanding claim or dispute, comply with an applicable legal obligation or preserve evidence under a legal hold. Such retention is limited to the information and period necessary for that purpose.
Deletion is carried out manually. After an email is deleted, it remains in the mailbox trash for 30 days before permanent removal from the active mailbox. Copies may remain in backups for up to 180 days after deletion. The disappearance of a message from the active mailbox does not mean that every backup copy has already been removed.
Technical and analytics data is retained according to the relevant service settings and operational needs. The lifespan of a cookie is different from the period for which an analytics provider retains collected data. You may contact us for information about the retention period or criteria relevant to your information.
8. Your rights and choices
Depending on the law that applies and the circumstances, you may have rights to access your personal information, correct inaccuracies, request deletion, restrict processing or receive certain information in a portable format.
You may have a right to object to processing based on legitimate interests. You can object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing at any time.
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. Website technology choices are explained in our Cookie Policy.
To exercise a right or ask a question, contact team@suretymarine.com. We may need proportionate information to verify your identity and understand your request. We will respond within the period required by applicable law. Some rights are subject to exceptions.
You may also complain to the competent data protection authority where applicable. The available complaint routes depend on your location, the processing involved and the law in force. Contact us if you need help identifying the appropriate route.
9. External services and security
The Website provides links to WhatsApp, external resources and contacts for emergency assistance and local correspondents. When you use a third-party service or contact a third party directly, that organisation’s privacy information applies to its own processing. This policy continues to apply to information that Surety Marine receives and handles.
No website, messaging service or electronic transmission can guarantee absolute security. Please contact us before sending sensitive material so that the appropriate method of transmission can be agreed.
10. Changes and contact
We may update this policy to reflect changes to the Website, our practices or applicable requirements. The current version will be available on https://suretymarine.com/, and material changes will be communicated where required by law.
For privacy questions or requests, contact team@suretymarine.com or write to Surety Marine Ltd., Hunkins Plaza, Main Street, Charlestown, KN0802, Nevis, West Indies.