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Privacy Statement

Absa’s commitment to information privacy


  • 1.Absa Life Botswana (Pty) Limited, a registered Insurer in the Republic of Botswana, a subsidiary of Absa Group Limited, with company Registration Number BW 00000669152: and with its registered office at: 1st Floor, Block B, Plot 50676, Fairgrounds Office Park, Gaborone, Republic of Botswana.
  • 2.Absa promises to treat all your personal data and/or sensitive personal data carefully and responsibly.
  • 3.Personal data includes any information that lets Absa identify you as a unique individual, such as your name/s and surname combined with your physical address, contact details and/or passport/identity number.
  • 4.Sensitive personal data includes that which details your race or ethnic origin, religious and philosophical beliefs, political persuasion, trade union membership, health or sex life, biometric information, personal financial information, personal data of minors or any criminal behaviour which relates to alleged criminal offences or proceedings.
  • 5.Personal data and/or sensitive personal data may be given to or collected by Absa in writing as part of a written application form, electronically (email), telephonically, online (www.absalife.co.bw).
  • 6.Processing of personal data and/or sensitive personal data includes any initial processing that Absa does when we first collect your personal data and/or sensitive personal data. It also includes any further and ongoing processing that Absa is allowed to carry out legitimately in terms of the reasons listed in paragraph 9 (below). The term ‘processing’ includes collecting, using, altering, merging, linking, organising, disseminating, storing, retrieving, disclosing, erasing, archiving, destroying or disposing of personal data and/or sensitive personal data.
  • 7.Personal data and/or sensitive personal data may be given to or collected by Absa in writing as part of a written application form, electronically (email), telephonically, online (www.absalife.co.bw). This information is collected to ensure we can accurately assess your eligibility for the life insurance products and services you request.
  • 8Absa may process your personal data and/or sensitive personal data to protect your or our legitimate interests, fulfill legal obligations, or execute contractual obligations. Absa will not collect and process personal data and/or sensitive personal data about you that we do not need for this purpose. The general purposes for which Absa collects and processes your personal data and/or sensitive personal data include, but are not limited to:
    1. 8.1Creating a record of you on our system to verify your identity, generating a quotation, assessing underwriting criteria, and providing you with the products and/or services you have applied for. This also includes communicating with you and keeping you informed about these products and/or services;
    1. 8.2Identifying you and verifying your physical address, source of income, health information, and other necessary criteria relevant to underwriting and claims processes;
    1. 8.3.Assessing your personal financial circumstances and needs before providing advice to you.
    1. 8.4.Ensuring compliance with applicable legal obligations, including the prevention of financial crime, such as sanctions screening, anti-money laundering (AML), and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT);
    1. 8.5.Further processing for historical, statistical or research purposes where the outcomes will not be published in an identifiable format.
    1. 8.6.Providing income tax-related information to tax authorities or fulfilling any other legal obligations related to tax reporting.
    1. 8.7.For purposes relating to the sale or transfer of any of our businesses, legal entities, or assets as part of corporate transactions.
    1. 8.8.Where you have applied for employment at Absa, we perform applicant screening and background checks.
    1. 8.9.Where you are an Absa employee (including contractors), we create an employment record of you on our system to facilitate continuous monitoring during your employment with us.
    1. 8.10.Where you are an Absa director, we create a record of you as a director on our system.
    1. 8.11.Where you have been identified as a next of kin by an employee or customer, we create a record of you on our system.
    1. 8.12.Where you are a supplier to Absa, we process your personal data and/or sensitive personal data for due diligence, risk assessment, administrative and payment purposes.
  • 9.Furthermore, Absa will not process your sensitive personal data unless:
    1. 9.1.You have consented to Absa processing it;
    1. 9.2.It is necessary for the performance of a contract to which the data subject is party, or in order to take steps at the request of the data subject prior to entering into a contract;
    1. 9.3.It is necessary to exercise or defend a right or obligation in law;
    1. 9.4.It is necessary to comply with an international legal obligation of public interest.
    1. 9.5.It is for certain historical, research or statistical purposes that would not adversely affect your privacy; or
    1. 9.6You have deliberately made your information public.
  • 10.There are some personal data and/or sensitive personal data fields that you have to fill in or provide if you want Absa to provide you with your chosen product and/or service or onboard you as an employee, supplier, director or job applicant. This information can be provided in writing, electronically or telephonically, but it must be accurate and complete. These fields are indicated by an asterisk (or as otherwise indicated) on the respective forms/websites. If Absa does not receive the necessary personal data, we will not be able to continue with your application. If you are already a(n) customer/employee/supplier/director and Absa asks you for this information and you do not provide it, Absa will have to suspend the provision of the product and/or services for a period of time, or as the case may be, even terminate our relationship with you.
  • 11.In most cases, personal data and/or sensitive personal data will be collected directly from you, but there may be other instances where you may already have made your personal data and/or sensitive personal data public (for example, on social media), credit bureaus, or individuals/directors whom you have appointed as your representative, where you are a bureaus, or individuals/directors whom you have appointed as your representative, where you are a corporate entity. Absa will only collect your personal data and/or sensitive personal data from other sources where we are legally entitled or obliged to do so, and you are entitled to ask Absa which sources they used to collect your personal data and/or sensitive personal data.
  • 12.For the purposes outlined in paragraph 9 (above), Absa will, in most instances, collect and process your personal data and/or sensitive personal data internally. However, there are times when Absa needs to outsource these functions to third parties, either within Absa or external to Absa, including parties in other countries. Where your personal data and/or sensitive personal data is shared internally within Absa, such sharing will be conducted only for the purposes outlined in paragraph 9 (above). Absa may also need to share your personal data and/or sensitive personal data with external organisations, such as credit bureaus, tax authorities, reinsurers, medical professionals, pathology service providers or other regulatory or industry bodies, so that we can meet our due diligence or regulatory requirements. We may need to share your personal data and/or sensitive personal data with our business partners or counterparties, where we are involved in corporate transactions relating to the sale or transfer of any of our businesses, legal entities or assets. Absa will not share your personal data and/or sensitive personal data with third parties who do not need it, or where Absa is not legally permitted to do so. When Absa decides to transfer your personal data and/or sensitive personal data to third parties, we will only provide it to organisations that have the same data privacy policies as Absa or those who are subject to laws relating to the processing of personal data and/or sensitive personal data that are similar to those that apply to Absa.
  • 13.Absa has implemented appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
  • 14.There may be instances where Absa will process your personal data/sensitive personal data through a secure automated tool or perform profiling resulting in a decision that may affect you significantly. If you are unhappy about the outcome of such a decision, please contact:
    1. 14.1.Absa’s Call Centre (for customers);
    1. 14.2.Absa’s Human Capital Function (for job applicants and existing employees);
    1. 14.3.your supplier relationship manager (for suppliers); or
    1. 14.4.Absa’s Group Secretariat office (for directors of Absa-owned companies).
  • 15.As a customer, if you have opted out of receiving electronic marketing communications (on media such as SMS, email, or automated calling machines), Absa will not market to you using electronic media. However, if you are receiving marketing via electronic media, you have the right to opt out at any time by following the instructions on the marketing material received. Absa will continue to market to you using telephonic means until such time you have opted out.
  • 16.As a non-customer, if you would like to receive marketing information from Absa through electronic media, please submit your details to Absa in writing.
  • 17.To the extent that the Botswana legislation permits or if you are a resident of the European Union or United Kingdom, you have the following rights regarding your personal data and/or sensitive personal data:
    1. 17.1.The right to access your personal data and/or sensitive personal data that we have on record, where applicable.
    1. 17.2.You have the right to ask Absa to correct any of your personal data and/or sensitive personal data that is incorrect. These requests must be sent to us in writing.
    1. 17.3.You can ask Absa to delete or destroy your personal data and/or sensitive personal data. You can also object to Absa processing your personal data and/or sensitive personal data. These requests must be sent to Absa in writing. However, the result of such a request may be that Absa has to suspend the provision of products and/or services for a period of time, or in some cases, terminate our relationship with you. Please note that Absa is required by law to retain certain records, including customer due diligence measures, account files, and business correspondence, for a period of twenty (20) years from the date a transaction is concluded or from the termination of a business relationship. This means that while we will act on your request where possible, we may not be able to immediately delete or destroy your personal data and/or sensitive personal data due to these legal obligations. Additionally, investigatory authorities may request Absa to retain such records for a longer period, as specified by law.
    1. 17.4.You may also ask Absa to port your personal data and/or sensitive personal data to another party in terms of the applicable data privacy legislation. These requests must be sent to us in writing.
  • 18.If you have a complaint relating to the protection of your personal data and/or sensitive personal data, including the way in which it has been collected or processed by Absa, please contact us using the contact details as listed below. If you have not had your complaint dealt with satisfactorily, you may lodge a complaint with the Information Data Protection Commission in terms of applicable privacy laws.
  • Absa reserves the right to change this Privacy Statement at any time. All changes to this notice will be posted on the website. Unless otherwise stated, the current version shall supersede and replace all previous versions of this notice.