Cookie policy

1. What are cookies?

A cookie is a small text file sent from a website (for example www.swica.ch) to your browser (such as Firefox, Internet Explorer, etc.) and stored on the hard disk of your computer or on your smartphone or tablet (hereinafter "device").

There are two types of cookie. Session cookies are deleted once you close your browsers. Persistent cookies remain on your device for a specified or unspecified length of time even after you have closed your browser.

Session cookies are designed to enable you to navigate the website unhindered and prevent you from having to supply information you have already entered on the website again (in other words, the website recognises you, for example, when you visit a subsite of www.swica.ch).

The website also uses persistent cookies. They are used in particular to enable the website to remember your preferences the next time you visit the website and show you relevant information matching your interests (for example the language the website should be displayed in).

SWICA also distinguishes between first- and third-party cookies. SWICA sets first-party cookies when you visit our website.

Third-party cookies are cookies set by a website other than the SWICA website you're currently visiting. For example, SWICA could add a Facebook "Like" button to its website. This "Like" button will set a cookie that can be read by Facebook. This type of cookie is known as a third-party cookie. An advertiser can use this kind of third-party cookie to log visits to all sites on which its advertising is displayed – not only on the SWICA website, but also on third-party websites by means of so-called retargeting. This involves, for example, showing you advertising with content that interested you on your visit to our website when you visit other sites. If you have concerns about this you can block third-party cookies directly in your browser or manage them via our consent manager.

2. What cookies does SWICA use?

2.1 Strictly necessary cookies

These cookies are necessary for SWICA's website to function properly and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you on the SWICA website, such as setting certain preferences or filling in forms on the website. This type of cookie can be blocked via your browser settings, but some parts of the site may not then work.

2.2 Performance cookies

These cookies are used for statistical and analytical purposes, allowing us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our site on an ongoing basis. They help us know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and stored for SWICA on an anonymous basis. If you do not allow these cookies, SWICA will not know when you have visited our site. This may limit the further development of the website and have a negative impact on user-friendliness.

2.3 Functional cookies

These cookies allow the provision of enhanced functionality on the SWICA website, such as videos and live chats. They may be set by us or by third-party providers (such as YouTube or the provider of the chat module) whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies, then some or all of these functionalities may not function properly or at all on SWICA's website.

2.4 Targeting cookies

These cookies are set through our site by our advertising partners. They work by uniquely identifying the browser and device (computer, smartphone or tablet) that you've used to visit our site. They may be used by our advertising partners to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant ads on other sites. If you do not allow these cookies, you will not have the opportunity to see offerings on the internet that are interesting and relevant for you.

3. What data is not processed by way of cookies?

The cookies used by SWICA do not contain any personal data that identify you in person. In other words, the cookies used by us are not used to pass on to us information such as your name, phone number, postal or email address, bank account or credit card details, or any other personal data. In some cookies, however, the IP address used by you is stored in anonymised (shortened) form. SWICA does not use any cookie data to identify individual people.

4. What data processing takes place using cookies?

SWICA uses cookies (as defined in section 2 above) for various purposes. In particular, SWICA uses cookies to make it easier for you to navigate the website and fill out forms (for example customer enquiries, premium calculator, competitions, etc.), to analyse website usage and the products and services offered on this basis, and to show you offerings that are interesting and relevant for you.You can also view more detailed information about the individual cookies in the cookie settings.

5. Blocking cookies

If you would like to restrict or completely block SWICA cookies, you can use our cookie consent manager. In addition, you can update the general settings for your internet browser so that all cookies are accepted, or you are alerted when a cookie is set, or all cookies or third-party cookies are blocked. Consent can be revoked at any time in the consent manager or by deleting the cookies. Information and instructions regarding your options and the deletion of cookies can be found in the help menus of your internet browser. Restricting or completely blocking cookies may make it impossible to provide some services which are tailored to your specific needs. Moreover, you may be unable to use some of the interactive functions on our website.

6. Which third-party cookies does SWICA use?

Third-party cookies may also process data for the third party's own purposes. Please refer to the service provider’s pages for more information about the purpose and scope of the service provider's data collection, about your rights in this connection, and about the settings for protecting your privacy. Depending on the provider's legal provisions, the government may also be able to view the data on request.

SWICA itself cannot influence how the data is processed by providers.

6.1 Meta pixel (formerly Facebook pixel)

SWICA uses the Meta pixel to provide website visitors with relevant and targeted information. The Meta pixel is provided by Meta Platforms Ireland Limited, 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 2, Ireland. Meta is certified under the Privacy Shield Agreement, thereby guaranteeing compliance with the standard of data protection applicable in the EU.

The Meta pixel is a JavaScript code that enables Meta to track user behaviour. This data is collected for SWICA in anonymised form and cannot be used by SWICA to establish the identity of visitors to the website. However, the data (such as IP addresses and user IDs) is stored and processed by Meta, which includes matching the data with the data of an existing Facebook account. This enables the data to be associated with a specific user profile and allows Meta to use the data for its own advertising purposes, in accordance with the Meta privacy policy. This enables Facebook to place adverts on Facebook pages and also outside Facebook.

SWICA has no control over any further processing of the data by Facebook. Information on Facebook's data usage, processing and settings can be found here:

Meta Privacy Policy

Settings for advertising preferences: Ad preferences.

6.2. Google

SWICA uses the following services provided by Google Inc.: (Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043):

  • Google Tag Manager
  • Google Analytics
  • Google Marketing Platform
  • Google Ads
  • Google reCAPTCHA
  • Google Maps API

 

Information about data use by Google, along with setting options and opt-out options, can be found on the Google website:

  • Google Privacy Policy – Privacy Policy & Conditions of Use
  • Settings for personalised ads

 

a. Google Ads and Google Marketing Platform (formerly Google DoubleClick)

SWICA uses the Google Ad Manager and the Google Marketing Platform (including CM360 and DV360) to display and optimise its ads. If you click on SWICA ads or banners on partner websites, cookies are placed on your device. These cookies enable SWICA to collect relevant information on activity and visits to the SWICA website. SWICA processes the data in anonymised form only, for the purposes of optimising the strategy behind our offering and evaluating the effectiveness of our campaigns.

When you visit our website or click on one of our ads, your browser automatically establishes a connection to the Google server. We have no influence over the scope and the further use of data collected by Google via this service. According to Google, Google receives information indicating that you have visited a certain page on our website or clicked on one of our ads. If you are signed up for a Google service, Google can associate your visit with your account. Even if you are not signed up with or logged on to Google, Google may be able to determine and store your IP address.

You can prevent tracking by changing the settings in your browser software, for example by deactivating third-party cookies or blocking cookies in your browser settings. Please note that if you do this, you may not be able to use all of the functions on our website.
Further information on data processing on the Google Marketing Platform is available here:

Google Privacy Policy

Remarketing data

Conversion data

b. Google Analytics

On the basis of its interests (for example its interest in analysing, optimising and cost-efficiently maintaining its online offering), SWICA uses Google Analytics, a web analysis service provided by Google Inc. ("Google").
Google uses the information on behalf of SWICA to evaluate the use of SWICA's online offering, to compile reports on the activities within this online offering and to provide further services associated with the use of this online offering and the in-ternet. Pseudonymised user profiles of you can be created using the processed da-ta.

SWICA only uses Google Analytics with IP anonymisation activated. This means that your IP address is truncated by Google within member states of the European Union or in other contracting states of the European Economic Area. Only in excep-tional cases will the full IP address be transmitted to a Google server in the US and truncated there.
You can also disable Google Analytics by downloading and installing add-ons from the following link https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en-GB.

c. Google recaptcha
SWICA uses reCAPTCHA to verify that the data entered on our websites (such as in a contact form) has been entered by a human and not a bot. reCAPTCHA analyses the behaviour of the website visitor based on various characteristics. This analysis begins automatically as soon as the website visitor opens the website. reCAPTCHA analyses various pieces of information such as the IP address, time spent on the site by the visitor and number of mouse clicks. The data collected is passed on to Google.

 

d. Google Maps
Google Maps is an online map service. The integration of Google Maps enables SWICA to provide you with relevant information about our offices. To ensure that the Google Maps service functions correctly, Google collects and stores certain information, including the search terms you enter, your IP address and your geographical coordinates.

 

6.3 LinkedIn

SWICA also uses LinkedIn Insight Tag from LinkedIn (EU: LinkedIn Ireland Unlim-ited Company Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland, USA: LinkedIn Corporation 1000 W. Maude Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085). LinkedIn Insight Tag helps SWICA to log the activities of visitors on the SWICA website. SWICA only processes the data to optimise its offering strategy and to evaluate campaign performance. At the same time, the data is assigned to an existing LinkedIn account.
Further information about LinkedIn's use of the data can be found here:
LinkedIn Insight tag

6.4 Matomo

SWICA uses Matomo, an open-source platform, to analyse user behaviour on our website. Matomo enables SWICA to carry out privacy-compliant analyses in accordance with the applicable regulations in Switzerland and the EU. The Matomo instance hosted by SWICA stores the data collected on a server in Switzerland, which can only be accessed by SWICA. Our Matomo configuration masks two bytes from all IP addresses, which ensures that no individual or device can be identified. There is no cross-device or cross-site tracking. The data collected through Matomo is used exclusively for internal analysis, to help us improve the user experience of the website. It is not used for any other purpose or shared with third parties. In addition, our Matomo is configured so that no cookies are stored on your device.

6.5 Pinpoll

SWICA collects and analyses anonymised user data from surveys with the help of its partner Pinpoll GmbH (Hopfengasse 3, 4020 Linz). The anonymous data, which includes information about browser and device, website and target groups, is used exclusively for website analysis. The current versions of the applicable Pinpoll terms of use and data protection declaration can be downloaded at https://pinpoll.com.

 

7. Embedded content

7.1 Social media plugins

Social plugins enable users to view content on the website and to share it with network contacts. On SWICA's website and web applications, social plugins are only implemented as HTML links. This can prevent data from being sent automatically to the server of the social network provider when a page or a web application is accessed. To view or share the content with others, the user must click on the button to activate the social plugin. At the same time, consent is given for the terms of use of the respective service provider. In addition, a confirmation is stored on the local device in the browser's memory so that the content can be accessed directly the next time the site is visited. To revoke the consent you have given, you must first clear the web browser's cache, including any cookies and items stored locally. The deletion process depends on the internet browser you use, andyou can access it using the help options.

SWICA uses social plugins for the following networks:

  • Facebook (Facebook Inc., 1601 South California Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94304, USA)
  • X (formerly Twitter, X Corp, Suite 900, 1355 Market Street, San Francisco, California, 94103, USA)
  • LinkedIn (LinkedIn Ireland Unlimited Company, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland)
  • YouTube (YouTube LLC, 901 Cherry Ave. San Bruno, CA 94066, USA)
  • Xing (XING SE, Dammtorstrasse 30, 20354 Hamburg, Germany)
  • Instagram (Instagram LLC, 1601 Willow Road, Menlo Park CA 94025, USA)
  • Vimeo (Vimeo, Inc., 555 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011, USA)

 

7.2 Streaming service

Spotify iFrames are integrated into our website. An iFrame is a technical means of embedding content from the Spotify website directly on our website. The Spotify logo indicates which content is embedded in this way. Use of the iFrame allows data to be shared with Spotify.

  • The following personal data may be processed in particular:
  • IP address
  • Usage data (e.g. date and time of access, content accessed)
  • Technical data (e.g. browser type, operating system)Further information can be found in Spotify's privacy policy.

Further information can be found in Spotify's privacy policy.

8. Scope/amendments to this policy

This cookie policy is an integral part of the data protection policy. All provisions of the special terms governing the use of SWICA websites (website terms of use) are also valid for the cookie policy, provided they do not contradict each other, in which case the cookie policy shall prevail. SWICA can amend its cookie policy at any time. You can change your consent to the use of cookies at any time. (Consent Manager)