Cookies are small text files placed on your computer and are commonly used on the internet. There are various types of cookies which perform different functions, such as remembering which items you have placed in your shopping basket or analysing your browsing behaviour to enable advertisers to present you with adverts more relevant to you and your interests. For more information about cookies, visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

Accepting or Rejecting Cookies

Most web browsers will accept cookies, but if you would prefer we did not collect data by this method, you can disable this function within your browser settings. If you want to delete any cookies that are already on your computer, please refer to the instructions for your file management software to locate the file or directory that stores cookies.

We may use cookies to:

• Collect information that will help us to distinguish visitors, to understand visitors’ browsing habits on our website and to improve their experience.
• Compile statistical reports on website activity e.g. numbers of visitors and the pages they visit.
• Collect information that will allow us to tailor advertising to make it more relevant for you, based on your previous interactions with our website.
• Remember information about you when you visit our site. Some of the cookies are essential in order to provide our services to you.

Below, we have set out the four categories of cookies that we may use on our website.

These cookies are:

• Strictly necessary cookies
• Performance cookies
• Functionality cookies
• Targeting cookies

This website may also include third party cookies, which are cookies not set by Principal Insurance. In each of the four categories above, we have specified where third party cookies are used.

The following types of cookies may be used during your visit to our website:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around a website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website. Without these cookies, services you have asked for, such as obtaining a quote or logging into your account, cannot be provided.

These cookies do not gather information about you that could be used for marketing or remembering where you have been on the internet.

These cookies will be reviewed on a quarterly basis.

Performance Cookies

These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. They also allow us to record and count the number of visitors to the website, all of which enables us to see how visitors use the website in order to improve the way that our website works. These cookies do not collect information that identifies a visitor, as all information these cookies collect is anonymous and is only used to improve how our website works.

Cookie Purpose of Cookie
Campaign User campaign reference.
UrlReferrer User URL referrer.
Google analytics: _utma, _utmb, _utmc, _utmz Used to anonymously track website use*.

*To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites please visit http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. These cookies will be reviewed and updated on a quarterly basis.

Functionality Cookies

These cookies allow a website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced features. For instance, a website may be able to provide you with news or updates relevant to the policies you buy. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, font and other parts of web pages that you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you have requested such as viewing a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect is usually anonymised. They do not gather any information about you that could be used for advertising or remember where you have been on the internet.

These cookies will be reviewed and updated on a quarterly basis.

Targeting Cookies

These cookies are not used on this website. These cookies collect several pieces of information about your browsing habits. They are usually placed by advertising networks rather than website operators. They remember that you have visited a website and share this information with other organisations such as advertisers. They do this in order to provide you with targeted adverts more relevant to you and your interests. Quite often they will be linked to site functionality provided by the other organisation. Although the cookies can track your visits around the web they do not usually know who you are. Without these cookies, online advertisements you encounter will be less relevant to you and your interests.

These cookies will be reviewed and updated on a quarterly basis.

These cookies will usually be third party cookies, although if you are visiting the advertising network’s own website, it is technically possible these could be first party cookies. These cookies can be associated with services provided by the third party, but this is not always the case. All information these cookies collect is anonymised, although they contain a unique key that is able to distinguish individual user browsing habits or store a code that can be translated into a set of browsing habits or preferences. Generally speaking, the third party’s Privacy Policy on their website will indicate if the cookie is being used as part of an advertising network.

Examples include:

Cookies placed by advertising networks to collect browsing habits in order to target relevant adverts to you. The site you are visiting need not actually be serving adverts, but often this will also be the case.

Information on deleting or controlling cookies is available at www.allaboutcookies.org.

Please note that if you disable cookies, the website functionality may be impaired and prevent you from obtaining a quotation or completing your purchase online.

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