Privacy Policy

Information We Collect

We keep data collection to a minimum. The information we may collect falls into the categories below.

Information You Provide

• Contact form. If you contact us through our contact form, we receive the details you choose to send, such as your name, email address, subject and message.
• Comments. If you leave a comment, we receive the name, email address and website you enter, the content of your comment, and technical details such as your IP address and browser information. If you tick the box to save your details, a cookie stores them in your browser for next time.

Please do not send sensitive information, such as policy numbers, payment details or health information, through the contact form or in comments.

Technical Information

When you visit the site, certain technical information may be collected automatically by our hosting provider, by our website software or by the tools described below. This can include your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, pages viewed, referring page and the date and time of your visit.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to work properly, remember preferences, measure usage and, where advertising is enabled, show ads. Non-essential cookies are used according to your choices in our cookie consent tool where the law requires it. For more detail, see our Cookie Policy.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site, such as pages viewed, approximate location and device details. We use this information to learn which content is useful and to improve the site. Google explains how it handles data on its page How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services. You can opt out of Google Analytics with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

Advertising Services

Covered Paws may display advertising. Third-party advertising partners may place or read cookies, or use similar technologies, to show ads and measure their performance. Advertising does not change the educational purpose of our content or our editorial approach, which we describe on our About page.

Google AdSense

Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your previous visits to this and other websites. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to our site and other sites on the internet. Depending on where you are, you may be asked for consent first.

You can manage personalised advertising through Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of some third-party advertising cookies at aboutads.info (US) or youronlinechoices.com (Europe).

Third-Party Services

We use third-party services such as website hosting, analytics, security, consent management and advertising. These providers may process information on our behalf or under their own privacy policies. We do not control their practices, so please review their policies.

How We Use Information

• To operate, secure and maintain the website
• To publish and moderate comments, and to respond to messages, corrections and suggestions
• To understand how the site is used and improve our content
• To display advertising, where advertising services are enabled
• To prevent spam, abuse and security problems
• To comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

We do not sell your personal information for money, and we do not use it to make automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.

Legal Bases (EEA and UK)

If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process personal data only where the law allows it. The bases we rely on are:

• Consent, for non-essential cookies such as analytics and advertising cookies, and for saving your details for future comments. You can withdraw consent at any time.
• Legitimate interests, such as keeping the site secure, preventing spam and understanding how the site is used, where these interests are not outweighed by your rights.
• Legal obligation, where we must keep or share information to comply with the law.

How Information May Be Shared

We may share information with service providers that help us run the site (for example hosting, analytics and advertising providers), when required by law or to protect our rights and users, or as part of a business change such as a sale or restructuring. We do not share the content of your messages for marketing purposes.

Some privacy laws treat the use of advertising cookies by partners as a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information. You can opt out through our cookie consent tool and through the advertising settings linked above.

International Transfers

Our website can be accessed from many countries, and our service providers and partners, including Google, may process information in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, they rely on legal safeguards for international transfers, such as standard contractual clauses or equivalent mechanisms.

Data Retention

We keep information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, or as required by law. Messages sent through the contact form are kept for as long as needed to respond and for reasonable record-keeping. Comments stay on the site until they are removed, and you can ask us to delete one at any time. Retention periods for analytics and advertising data are set by the relevant providers.

Security

We take reasonable steps to protect information, but no website or method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights over your personal information, such as the right to ask for access to it, to correct it, to delete it, to object to or restrict certain uses, to receive a copy of it, or to withdraw consent you have given. To make a request, please use our contact page. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

European Economic Area Visitors

If you are in the European Economic Area, data protection law may give you the rights described above, including the right to complain to your local data protection authority.

UK Visitors

If you are in the United Kingdom, UK data protection law may give you similar rights, including the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

US Visitors

Some US states, such as California, give residents rights to know what personal information is collected, to request that it be deleted or corrected, and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information for targeted advertising. We do not discriminate against you for exercising these rights. You can opt out of personalised advertising through our cookie consent tool and the links in the Advertising Services section.

Children’s Privacy

Covered Paws is intended for adults and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

External Links

Our articles may link to third-party websites, such as insurer or regulator pages. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time, for example when we add or change services. The “Last updated” date above shows when it was last revised. Please check it periodically.

Contact Us

For questions about this policy or to exercise your rights, please use our contact page. See also our Cookie Policy, Pet Insurance Disclaimer and About page.