This statement sets out how Mutual Life Africa complies with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) in its collection, processing, and protection of personal information.
Mutual Life Africa is committed to protecting the personal information of all individuals who interact with our services. This statement is published in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and applies to all personal information processed by Mutual Life Africa in connection with South African data subjects and operations.
Mutual Life Africa acts as a responsible party under POPIA in respect of all personal information collected through its insurance products, financial services, mobile application, website, and related platforms. Where personal information is processed by third parties on behalf of Mutual Life Africa, those parties act as operators under binding data processing agreements.
This statement should be read alongside Mutual Life Africa's Data Protection and Sharing policy, which sets out broader data governance practices applicable across all regions.
Mutual Life Africa has designated an Information Officer as required under POPIA. The Information Officer is responsible for ensuring compliance with POPIA, handling data subject requests, and acting as the primary point of contact with the Information Regulator.
All data subject requests, privacy complaints, and POPIA-related enquiries should be directed to the Information Officer at the email address above. Mutual Life Africa will respond to all requests within 30 days of receipt.
Mutual Life Africa processes the following categories of personal information in the course of its operations:
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Identity information | Full name, date of birth, nationality, ID or passport number |
| Contact information | Email address, phone number, residential address |
| Financial information | Bank account details, payment history, credit assessment data |
| Policy information | Policy type, cover amount, premium, start date, beneficiary details |
| KYC and verification data | Identity document copies, verification records, compliance screening outcomes |
| Health information | Underwriting declarations for life cover (treated as special personal information) |
| Technical data | Device information, IP address, app usage data |
| Communications | Support messages, email correspondence, chat records |
Mutual Life Africa processes personal information only where one of the following lawful grounds under POPIA applies:
Personal information is processed for the following specific purposes:
Personal information will not be processed for any purpose incompatible with the purpose for which it was originally collected without the data subject's consent or a further lawful basis.
Mutual Life Africa shares personal information only where necessary and only with the following categories of recipients, each bound by appropriate data protection obligations:
As an internationally operating business, Mutual Life Africa may transfer personal information to recipients in countries outside South Africa. All cross-border transfers are conducted in compliance with Section 72 of POPIA.
Personal information is transferred outside South Africa only where the recipient country provides an adequate level of protection, or where Mutual Life Africa has put in place appropriate safeguards including binding contractual obligations that require the recipient to apply equivalent data protection standards.
Data subjects may request further information about cross-border transfer safeguards from the Information Officer at privacy@mutuallife.africa.
Personal information is retained only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law. Retention periods are as follows:
| Information Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Active policy records | Duration of policy plus 7 years |
| Claims records | 10 years from date of claim |
| KYC and identity documents | 5 years from account closure |
| Financial and credit records | 7 years from settlement or closure |
| Communications records | 3 years from last interaction |
At the end of the applicable retention period, personal information is securely deleted or anonymised in a manner that prevents it from being attributed to any identifiable individual.
Mutual Life Africa implements reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, damage, or destruction, in compliance with the security provisions of POPIA.
In the event of a security compromise that poses a risk to personal information, Mutual Life Africa will notify the Information Regulator and affected data subjects as required under Section 22 of POPIA within the prescribed timeframe.
Under POPIA, data subjects have the following rights in respect of their personal information:
Requests must be submitted in writing to the Information Officer at privacy@mutuallife.africa. Mutual Life Africa will respond within 30 days. Identity verification may be required before a request can be fulfilled.
If you believe Mutual Life Africa has processed your personal information in a manner that contravenes POPIA, you are encouraged to first contact the Information Officer at privacy@mutuallife.africa so that the matter can be resolved directly.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:
Mutual Life Africa is a leading insurance and financial services provider offering credit, life, and funeral cover for African nationals, African expats, and African diaspora communities in Africa and across the globe.
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