Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the Sterling Benefits website at sterlingbenefits.ca (the "Site"), operated by Ralph Gardner, an independent group benefits insurance brokerage based in Kelowna, British Columbia ("Sterling Benefits," "we," "us," or "our"). By accessing or using the Site, including submitting a form, requesting a quote, uploading a document, or booking a consultation, you agree to these Terms. If you don't agree, please don't use the Site.

1. Who We Are

Sterling Benefits is an independent insurance brokerage. Ralph Gardner is a licensed Life & Accident and Sickness Insurance Agent, licensed to place group benefits business with insurance carriers in British Columbia and Alberta. Use of the Site does not, by itself, create a broker-client relationship; that relationship is established when Sterling Benefits formally agrees to act on your behalf, typically following a consultation.

2. Eligibility and Your Responsibilities

You must be at least 18 years old and have the authority to act on behalf of any business you represent to use the Site. If you submit information about your employees (for example, through our employee census tool), you confirm that you're authorized to share that information on their behalf for the purpose of requesting a group benefits quote, and that it will be kept confidential and used solely for that purpose. You're responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the information you provide; incomplete or inaccurate information may affect the accuracy of any quote, comparison, or recommendation we provide.

3. Nature of Our Services and Content

The Site provides general information about group benefits insurance, tools to request a quote or compare your current plan, and a way to book a consultation with Ralph. Please keep the following in mind:

• General information, not advice. Content on the Site, including our assessment tool, plan gallery, and FAQ answers, is general information only. It isn't a substitute for personalized advice based on your specific circumstances, and it isn't legal, financial, tax, or medical advice.
• Quotes and plan matches are illustrative. Any quote, plan comparison, or recommendation generated through the Site is an estimate based on the information you provide and is not a binding offer of coverage. Actual coverage, eligibility, and pricing are subject to underwriting and final approval by the relevant insurance carrier, and may differ from any estimate shown.
• No guaranteed outcomes. We don't guarantee that any particular plan, savings amount, or coverage outcome will be available to you. Specific, qualified insurance terms used on the Site (such as a stated rate guarantee period) refer to the carrier's own plan terms, not a promise made by Sterling Benefits.
• Plan gallery. Plan designs shown on the Site are a sample of the fully pooled plan designs we can offer smaller groups; medium and large groups may be eligible for a custom-designed or separately sourced plan not shown on the Site.

4. Document Uploads

If you use our plan comparison tool, you may upload documents such as your current benefits booklet or renewal letter/billing statement. By uploading a document, you confirm you have the right to share it and consent to Sterling Benefits reviewing it solely to prepare your plan comparison. See our Privacy Policy for how uploaded documents are stored and retained.

5. Third-Party Services

The Site uses third-party services to operate certain features, including GoHighLevel/LeadConnector (forms and customer relationship management), Calendly (appointment scheduling), and Cloudflare (bot and spam protection). Your use of these embedded tools may also be subject to those providers' own terms and privacy policies. We aren't responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of third-party services, or for any other third-party website linked from the Site.

6. Intellectual Property

The Site, including its text, graphics, logos, and design, is owned by or licensed to Sterling Benefits and is protected by copyright and trademark law. You may view and print pages of the Site for your own personal or internal business use, but you may not otherwise copy, reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works from the Site's content without our prior written permission.

7. Acceptable Use

You agree not to use the Site to submit false or misleading information, to attempt to gain unauthorized access to the Site or its underlying systems, to interfere with the Site's normal operation, or to use the Site for any unlawful purpose.

8. Disclaimers

The Site and its content are provided "as is" and "as available," without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We don't warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or secure, or that any quote, tool result, or content on the Site will be accurate, complete, or current at all times.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Sterling Benefits and Ralph Gardner won't be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenue, arising from or related to your use of the Site, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. Nothing in these Terms limits any liability that can't be limited under applicable law, including liability arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct.

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Sterling Benefits and Ralph Gardner from any claims, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from your use of the Site, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of a third party, including any employee whose information you submit without proper authorization.

11. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable in that province, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms or your use of the Site will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of British Columbia.

12. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time. We'll post the updated version on this page with a revised "last updated" date. Your continued use of the Site after a change takes effect constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact:

Ralph Gardner, Sterling Benefits
Email: [email protected]
Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada