Privacy Policy

(with German legal references)

This Privacy Policy informs you about the processing of personal data when using our website and when interacting with us as an insurance broker.

1. Controller

Bechstein Versicherungsmakler GmbH & Co. KG
Eichendorffstr. 12
65187 Wiesbaden
Germany

Phone: +49 611 945892402
E-mail: jb@vmwi.gmbh

Represented by the general partner:
VMWi GmbH, represented by Managing Director Jürgen H. Bechstein.

Type of activity: Insurance broker authorised under Section 34d (1) German Trade Regulation Act (§ 34d Abs. 1 Gewerbeordnung – GewO, German law)
Registration number in the German Insurance Intermediary Register: D-739V-2YNDS-19
Supervisory authority: IHK Wiesbaden, Wilhelmstr. 24–26, 65183 Wiesbaden, Germany

2. Data Protection Officer

No Data Protection Officer has been appointed because there is no legal requirement under the General Data Protection Regulation (Datenschutz-Grundverordnung – DSGVO / GDPR).

3. Hosting and Server Log Files

Our website is hosted in Germany by:

• ALL-INKL.COM – Neue Medien Münnich
• Hetzner Online GmbH

Data processing agreements are in place in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR (Auftragsverarbeitung nach Art. 28 DSGVO).

Server log data processed automatically includes:

• IP address
• Date and time of access
• Requested page or file
• Referrer URL
• Browser type and operating system

Legal basis: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (berechtigtes Interesse, German law). Log files are deleted regularly unless required for evidence.

4. Cookies

We use only technically necessary cookies. No analytics, marketing or tracking cookies are used.

Legal basis:
Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (berechtigtes Interesse) and, where required, Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (Vertrag / contract performance).

5. Contact (Email, Phone, Contact Form)

When you contact us, we process the personal data you provide to respond to your request.

Legal basis:
Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (Vertragsanbahnung / contract initiation)
Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (berechtigtes Interesse)

5.1 Fluent Forms (Kontaktformulare)

We use Fluent Forms for online forms. Data entered is processed in accordance with this privacy policy and transmitted securely via TLS encryption where supported. Form submissions may include GDPR consent checkboxes that must be accepted before submission.

 

6. Processing of Customer Data (Insurance Brokerage)

We process customer and prospect data necessary for insurance brokerage, including:

• Contact details
• Personal identification and address information
• Financial and occupational details
• Insurance contract and claims data
• Health data (only when required)

Purposes:

• Advisory services and insurance brokerage
• Execution of pre-contractual measures
• Legal documentation and compliance duties (German law)
• Claims support

Legal bases:
Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (Vertrag / contract)
Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR (gesetzliche Pflichten / legal obligations)
Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (berechtigtes Interesse)
Art. 9(2)(a), (g), (h) GDPR (besondere Kategorien personenbezogener Daten, health data)

7. Comparison Tools, Broker Pools and External Software

We use various professional platforms:

• simplr / blau direkt
• Softfair
• Mr-Money
• VEMA
• Other industry-standard tools
• Embedded calculators from up to ~80 insurers

Data entered into calculators or online applications is transmitted directly to the respective provider or insurer.

Providers may act as:
– Data processors (Auftragsverarbeiter, Art. 28 DSGVO)
– Independent controllers (eigene Verantwortliche, German law)

Processing agreements (AV-Verträge) exist where required.

8. AI-based tools (Perplexity, ChatGPT and similar systems)

We use AI-based systems to support the creation, translation and improvement of texts and documents, as well as for layout suggestions and, in some cases, AI-generated images and graphics. This helps us provide clearer information and more efficient communication.

AI tools currently used include in particular:

• Perplexity (Perplexity AI)
• ChatGPT (OpenAI)
• Other comparable AI tools may be added in the future

These systems are used only as assistance tools. They do not make fully automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects for you. All AI-assisted content is reviewed, edited and approved by a human before publication or before being used in advice. Editorial and legal responsibility remains with Bechstein Versicherungsmakler GmbH & Co. KG. This also fulfils our transparency duties under the EU AI Act.

We primarily submit general or anonymised content to AI systems. Personal data is only transferred to AI tools if this is legally permissible and necessary, or if you expressly request such processing (for example, if you ask us to translate or summarise documents that contain personal data). In these cases, processing is based on your consent according to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR or on Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR (performance of a contract / pre-contractual measures).

Because some AI providers are located outside the EU (in particular in the USA), international data transfers (Drittländer, German law) may occur. Such transfers are based on appropriate safeguards pursuant to Art. 46 GDPR (EU Standard Contractual Clauses / Standardvertragsklauseln) or, where applicable, on the exceptions of Art. 49 GDPR (for example, your explicit consent).

Legal bases for the use of AI tools: Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (berechtigtes Interesse in efficient communication and content creation), Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR and, where personal data is actively submitted to AI services at your request, Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR.

9. External Links

External websites (e.g. insurers, platforms) are governed by their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for external providers.

10. No Social Media Plugins – No Newsletter

We do not use social media plugins and we do not operate newsletters.

11. Recipients of Personal Data

Possible recipients include:

• Insurance companies
• Broker pools and comparison platforms
• IT and hosting providers
• Legal and tax advisors (German law)
• Government authorities

12. Storage Periods and Legal Retention (German law)

Data is stored only as long as necessary or as required by German legal retention rules.

• 6 years – commercial correspondence (Section 257 HGB – Handelsgesetzbuch; Section 147 AO – Abgabenordnung)
• 10 years – tax-relevant records (HGB / AO)
• Up to 10 years or exceptionally 30 years for claims-related data (German civil law)

After expiry, data is deleted or anonymised.

13. Obligation to Provide Data

Certain data must be provided to enter into or manage insurance contracts. Without such data, brokerage services cannot be performed.

14. Rights of Data Subjects

You have the following rights under GDPR (DSGVO):

• Right of access (Art. 15 GDPR)
• Right to rectification (Art. 16 GDPR)
• Right to erasure (Art. 17 GDPR)
• Right to restriction of processing (Art. 18 GDPR)
• Right to data portability (Art. 20 GDPR)
• Right to object (Art. 21 GDPR)
• Right to withdraw consent (Art. 7(3) GDPR)

15. Right to Lodge a Complaint

You may lodge a complaint with the supervisory authority:

Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information
(Der Hessische Beauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit, German law)

16. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy if legal requirements or our data processing change. The current version is always available on this website.

Last updated: 13 November 2025 (German law: „Stand“ der Datenschutzerklärung)5.1 Contact Form