Vantage Fee Protect – Keeping your data safe

In order to ensure that Vantage Fee Protect is GDPR ready we have employed an external consultant to undertake a review of all our data handling processes and procedures.  The review has considered in detail our ‘customer journey’ mapping out the when data is collected, how it is processed, who has access to it and for how long it is held.  The conclusion of the review was that our existing data handling is essentially robust.   The review did make some recommendations, which we have now implemented in order to ensure that we are GDPR ready by the 25th May 2018 enforcement date.  Vantage Fee Protect is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (Registered Number ZA190662)

This review has also considered the implications of GDPR for our accountancy clients when they are operating a Tax Fee Protection (TFP) Insurance scheme and we have provided some guidance below, which your Business Development Manager will talk through in more detail at your scheme renewal.

Looking after your data

In order to provide your Tax Fee Protection Insurance Scheme we hold personal information about you and your clients.  How we look after your data is explained in our updated Privacy notice

We will only ever contact you about your Tax Fee Protection Insurance scheme and associated benefits.  We will only ever contact your clients in respect of administering your Tax Fee Protection Insurance scheme and associated benefits as agreed with you in advance and in line with any Data Processing Agreement put in place with your practice.

Operating your Fee Protection Insurance Scheme in a GDPR compliant manner

The key to compliance is ensuring that you have documented processes and policies in place, that demonstrate compliance in the event of challenge from the Information Commissioner’s Office or a Data Subject.   In our view the following guidance meets these requirements.

Detailed guidance can be accessed by clicking here.  However the key points are as follows::

• You do not need to obtain your clients’ express consent to market a Tax Fee Protection scheme to them, this is because they have a Legitimate Interest in being made aware of this service or insurance.
• Where you use our mailing service you do not need to obtain your clients express consent.  However you should issue an updated Privacy Policy prior to the mailing confirming that client data will be passed to Vantage Fee Protect for that purpose (and only for that purpose).  Vantage Fee Protect can provide you with a Privacy Policy Template that meets this requirement.

As confirmed this will be discussed in detail as part of your renewal.  In the meantime if you have any questions on the above do not hesitate to contact your BDM or contact us on 0116 274 9123.