Privacy, Terms, Payments & Licensing

1. Privacy Policy & Data Protection Practices

Empire Financial Agency (“Empire Financial Agency,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to safeguarding the privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal information provided to us through our website, communications, and insurance-related services. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, store, and protect personal information in compliance with applicable federal and state laws.

1.1 Information We Collect

We may collect personal and non-personal information including, but not limited to:

• Identifiers such as name, email address, phone number, mailing address, and state of residence
• Insurance-related information required for quoting, underwriting, servicing, or agent onboarding
• Licensing data including National Producer Number (NPN), license numbers, appointment states, and compliance documentation
• Payment-related metadata (excluding full bank or card numbers unless collected via secure third-party platforms)
• Website usage data including IP address, browser type, pages visited, device identifiers, and interaction history

1.2 How We Use Personal Information

Information collected may be used for legitimate business purposes, including:

• Providing insurance quotes, placing coverage, and servicing policies
• Onboarding, managing, and supporting licensed insurance agents
• Verifying licensing status and regulatory compliance
• Responding to inquiries, scheduling appointments, and delivering customer support
• Improving website performance, security, and user experience
• Meeting legal, regulatory, contractual, and audit obligations
• Preventing fraud, unauthorized access, or misuse of systems

1.3 Information Sharing & Disclosure

Empire Financial Agency does not sell personal information. Information may be shared only with:

• Insurance carriers, wholesalers, MGAs, and partners for underwriting and policy servicing
• Licensed producers and internal staff with a legitimate business need
• Third-party service providers supporting CRM, compliance, payment processing, and communications
• Regulators, auditors, or legal authorities when required by law or valid legal process

1.4 Data Security Measures

We maintain administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect information against unauthorized access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. While we take reasonable steps to secure data, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

1.5 Consumer Rights & Choices

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to request access to, correction of, or deletion of certain personal information. Requests may be submitted using the contact information on our Contact page.

1.6 Communications Consent

By submitting your information, you consent to be contacted by Empire Financial Agency or its authorized representatives using email, phone, and SMS/text (including automated messages where permitted). Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of marketing messages at any time by following instructions provided in the message.

2. Terms & Conditions of Website Use

These Terms & Conditions govern your access to and use of the Empire Financial Agency website and any related digital platforms. By accessing this site, you agree to be bound by these Terms.

2.1 Informational Use Only

Content provided on this website is for general informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, investment, or insurance advice. Coverage availability, pricing, and eligibility are subject to carrier underwriting guidelines and state regulations.

2.2 No Guarantee of Coverage

Submitting information or receiving a quote does not guarantee coverage or acceptance by any insurance carrier. All policies are subject to underwriting approval and final carrier issuance.

2.3 Acceptable Use

Users agree not to misuse the website, interfere with its operation, attempt unauthorized access, scrape data, or submit false or misleading information.

2.4 Intellectual Property

All content, branding, logos, designs, text, and systems are the intellectual property of Empire Financial Agency and may not be reproduced, distributed, or modified without written consent.

2.5 Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Empire Financial Agency shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages arising from the use of this website or reliance on its content.

2.6 Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by the laws of the state in which Empire Financial Agency is domiciled, without regard to conflict-of-law principles.

2.7 Multi-State Operations & Applicability

Empire Financial Agency operates in multiple states through properly licensed producers. These Terms apply regardless of the state in which a user resides or accesses the website, subject to any state-specific requirements that may apply.

2.8 Binding Arbitration & Venue

Any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms, payments, onboarding, services, or use of the website shall be resolved exclusively through binding arbitration, except where prohibited by law.

Arbitration shall be conducted in the state in which Empire Financial Agency is domiciled, unless otherwise required by law. Each party shall bear its own legal costs, except where a statute or arbitration rules require otherwise.

2.9 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

3. Payments, Fees & No-Refund Policy

Empire Financial Agency may charge onboarding, administrative, technology, and/or system access fees in connection with agent onboarding, training access, internal system provisioning, and business operations.

3.1 Non-Refundable Fees (No Negotiation)

ALL onboarding, administrative, system access, and technology fees are strictly non-refundable once access is granted.

By submitting payment, you expressly acknowledge and agree that:

• Access to proprietary systems, training materials, CRM platforms, and internal resources is delivered immediately or shortly after payment
• These services are digital, intangible, and irreversible once access is provided
• No refunds, reversals, credits, or chargebacks will be issued for any reason once access is granted

3.2 What Fees Do and Do Not Cover

Fees may cover:

• Account setup and internal system provisioning
• CRM, automation, and onboarding technology access
• Training materials, documentation, and internal resources
• Administrative processing and compliance preparation

Fees do NOT include or guarantee:

• State licensing approval
• Exam passage
• Carrier appointment or acceptance
• Sales, commissions, income, employment, or results

3.3 Third-Party Costs

State licensing fees, fingerprinting, background checks, exams, continuing education, and carrier-specific requirements are paid directly to third parties and are not included in any fees paid to Empire Financial Agency.

3.4 Payment Processing & Receipts

Payments may be processed through secure third-party payment processors. Your receipt may describe the fee as onboarding/administrative/system access/technology services. You authorize Empire Financial Agency to provide records of service delivery (including access logs and provisioning records) in the event of any dispute.

4. Chargebacks, Disputes & Abuse Prevention

Unauthorized chargebacks, payment disputes, or reversals after access has been granted constitute a violation of these Terms. Empire Financial Agency may respond with evidence of delivery and may take protective actions as described below.

4.1 Evidence of Service Delivery

Empire Financial Agency maintains records including but not limited to:

• Access logs and timestamps
• System provisioning records
• CRM access confirmation
• Onboarding and training access logs
• Electronic agreement confirmations
• Communications and support logs

These records may be submitted to payment processors, banks, or dispute resolution platforms as proof of service delivery.

4.2 Dispute Consequences

Empire Financial Agency reserves the right to:

• Immediately revoke system and platform access
• Suspend or terminate onboarding
• Recover administrative, legal, and dispute-related costs where permitted by law
• Block future access to Empire Financial Agency services

4.3 Fraud & Misrepresentation

Submitting false information, using another person’s payment method without authorization, or attempting to access internal systems improperly may result in immediate termination and potential reporting to appropriate authorities.

5. Licensing, Appointments & Carrier Disclosure

Empire Financial Agency operates as an independent insurance agency. Insurance products and services are offered only through properly licensed insurance producers in states where such producers hold active licenses.

5.1 Producer Licensing

Licensing status varies by individual agent, line of authority, and state. Not all agents are licensed in all states or authorized to sell all products. Prospective clients should confirm that their agent is licensed in their state of residence at the time of sale.

5.2 Independent Agency Model

Empire Financial Agency is not owned by, controlled by, or exclusively aligned with any single insurance carrier. Carrier appointments are subject to availability, underwriting guidelines, and regulatory approval. Product offerings may differ by state and by carrier.

5.3 Carrier Compensation

The agency and its producers may receive commissions, overrides, or other compensation from carriers based on policies placed. Compensation structures vary by product, carrier, and state. This compensation is generally included in the premium paid and does not create an additional direct charge to the client.

5.4 No Endorsement or Guarantee

References to carriers, products, or services do not constitute endorsements. Coverage, pricing, and eligibility are determined solely by the issuing carrier. Empire Financial Agency does not guarantee the performance or financial strength of any carrier.

5.5 Compliance & Oversight

Empire Financial Agency maintains compliance procedures designed to meet applicable insurance laws, licensing requirements, and ethical standards. Questions regarding licensing or appointments may be directed to our compliance team using the Contact page.

5.6 Independent Contractor Status & No Income Guarantee

All producers, recruits, and team members operate as independent contractors. Nothing on this website or in onboarding materials creates an employment relationship, partnership, or joint venture.

Empire Financial Agency does not guarantee:

• Income, commissions, or profitability
• Sales volume or lead availability
• Carrier acceptance or appointment
• Business success or performance

Results depend on individual effort, licensing approval, compliance, market conditions, and carrier underwriting.