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Double-sided printing data ballsup leaves insurance giant Chubb with egg on its face

Firm ever so sorry, takes security of info seriously, vows not to do it again etc

Insurer Chubb scored a privacy own goal recently when a double-sided printing error on bulk mailers sent to customers about a policy document change contained a stranger's personal details on one side of the sheet.

The single A4 page included names, addresses and policy document numbers in addition to the policy update and was dispatched in the last week of April, according to sources.

"Unfortunately," said one Reg reader who asked to remain anonymous, "they printed the mail shot double-sided - so one person's letter was on one side, and somebody else's was on the other."

This means that one Chubb customer received the document intended for them and on the flip side of the page the details of someone else, which could mean that the second person didn't receive any details.

Chubb noticed the error of its ways and then wrote to customers at the end of last month into May.

"We regret any inconvenience or misunderstanding this message may have caused you," the apology letter stated, before continuing on a theme oft heard in recent years. "Chubb takes the protection of your personal data very seriously and is committed to protecting the privacy and security of all data entrusted to it by customers, employees and others."

The firm holds the security of this information in such high regard that it urged customers to simply "discard this previous letter and refer to this version only, which details important information below about core for insured persons".

Chubb added: "We have corrected the error and have taken steps so this does not happen again in the future... please accept our apologies for this oversight."

An ICO spokeswoman told The Reg: "We have received a report from Chubb European Group SE and we will assess the information provided." ®

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