Legal Protection Cover

[Jasz]

Over the years I have spent quite a lot on legal protection both on house and car insurance without needing any help. Has anyone ever benefited from this cover and has anyone ever wished that they had been covered who weren't.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

I suspect there is a process where if you try and start a claim they evaluate if it does have merit.

A few years ago, relatively simple shunt, third party fault I used the legal protection to claim back my excess. Kept my paperwork simple. But I would have been able to do without.

I do think it may be encouraging the ambulance chaser type more trivial claims, particulalry for home owners, perhaps going after perceived poor standards of building work, nuisance against neighbours and similar.

I suspect you need to read the small print to find out what sort of things are or are not covered. But these days virtually everyone says "I'll get my lawyer onto you", so perhaps these types of cover are almost essential.

 

[Jasz]

Thanks for the reply, from the lack of other replies I imagine that no one else has either needed or used these solicitors.

 

[thebriars]

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees!!!!

I used my house legal protection last year to get my crappy new Elddis caravan rejected and a good settlement after the scumbag dealer refused to even talk to us. They were excellent with very sound initial advice, and when that failed I was put in touch with a specialist solicitor who was equally excellent.

 

[Puddleduck]

I used them after an RTA - third party admitted full liability and there were witnesses.

The legal people insisted on all sorts of medical tests and investigations which I may never have known about. The tests showed bone and nerve damage* which enabled a claim for personal injury. These injuries have caused a few issues since. I'd rather not have the pain or the money but since I do have the pain I'm happy the money paid for most of the last motorhome.

* the NHS for Scotland picked up the original bone damage but private tests picked up the extent of the nerve damage. The NHS do not do further scans / x-rays for the bone damage but because of the lawyers I was able to get these done privately at the one, two, three year and 46 month anniversaries of the accident - and this evidence formed the basis of the compensation award.

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[Jasz]

@thebriars That's interesting that you can get help unrelated to your house on your house insurance.

 

[EX51SSS]

I successfully sued a former employer because I had legal cover on my house insurance.
Used legal cover to claim on a few accidents where I wasn't to blame all with good results

 

[Odd-no-more]

Insurance is not just for claiming it is also about peace of mind. After all we take out life insurance, but we don't want to claim on it.

 

[Silver-Fox]

@thebriars That's interesting that you can get help unrelated to your house on your house insurance.

It’s a stand alone policy that can be used by anyone on the policy.
It just happens to be sold with house insurance.

 

[Jasz]

It’s a stand alone policy that can be used by anyone on the policy.
It just happens to be sold with house insurance.

Would that suggest that you shouldn't need it with both your house and car insurance?

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[thebriars]

@thebriars That's interesting that you can get help unrelated to your house on your house insurance.

I've also used them for quick general legal advice given over the phone. Well worth it before going off on one and ranting and raving when you haven't really a leg to stand on.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Would that suggest that you shouldn't need it with both your house and car insurance?

You shouldn’t but I’m a bit belt and braces.
I take out both, this effectively doubles my legal effectiveness

 

[EX51SSS]

Insurance is nor just for claiming it is also about peace of mind. After all we take out life insurance, but we don't want to claim on it.

Yeah but nobody gets out alive

 

[Puddleduck]

It’s a stand alone policy that can be used by anyone on the policy.
It just happens to be sold with house insurance.

Would that suggest that you shouldn't need it with both your house and car insurance?

You should not need both.

One thing to be aware of (I found out when I used mine) is that in the small print of some policies only claims under English/Welsh law are covered. I was lucky and my policy does cover Scotland. I could not use the usual legal firm but the insurance people sorted out a Scottish legal team for me.

 

[thebriars]

You shouldn’t but I’m a bit belt and braces.
I take out both, this effectively doubles my legal effectiveness

Insurance for the insurance!

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[Silver-Fox]

Insurance for the insurance!

Sort of, I’ve found the one I take out with vehicle insurance tends to be underwritten by a different insurer to the house insurance.

So if there is any issue with one I can fall back on the other hopefully

Or as I said if I reach my claim limit with one I can fall back to the other.

As neither costs a fortune I’m happy to pay for the two

 

[thebriars]

Or as I said if I reach my claim limit with one I can fall back to the other.

From my experience last year that would not work. Basically your legal cover will take on a case on 2 conditions:
1. The company being taken to court has enough money to pay the bill should you win.
2. There is better than 50% chance of you winning.

If you win, then the money for the solicitor's fees will either be paid by yourself (its not as simple as you might expect) or as part of the claim from the other side.

If you fail, then your legal aid cover will pay for the solicitor's fees up to the allowed limit.

Thus there is no way another legal aid cover would shell out too under those circumstances.

 

[nicholsong]

Insurance is not just for claiming it is also about peace of mind. After all we take out life insurance, but we don't want to claim on it.

Difficult to do - let somebody else do it.

 

[SpeedyDux]

The only dispute I've been in when the Legal Expenses cover that was an option with the Home Insurance was of no use to me was about a family inheritance.

Even then, if your specialist solicitors think you have a good claim they can offer you a Conditional Fee Agreement (no win no fee, basically) and obtain an After The Event (ATE) legal expenses insurance policy to cover your risk of losing. Mine didn't so I had to self-fund but eventually I won so they must have been over-cautious and deprived themselves of a success fee.

 

[Chris]

I would highly recommend this insurance.

You never know when you might need it. In many ways I don’t but I still have it.

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[Rosemary1]

Yes - definitely we always take it out. Hubby was involved in a motorbike accident where otherside accepted it was their drivers fault. Hubby nearly died twice needing extensive surgery/blood donations and was unable to every return to full time work and will need on going surgery in the future

The case took over 5 years to settle and the other side frequently put heavy pressure on us to settle including a section 36 (I think?) where if we refused their offers, of which there were several, then if we went to court and the judge awarded less than their offer we would cop for all the legal costs from that point!

If it wasn’t for the legal cover with assurances from our solicitors, we would of caved as couldn’t risk it.

Will always take it out now for all our insurances