Legal Expenses Insurance
Legal expenses insurance (also referred to as ‘legal expenses cover’) is a type of insurance that can be used to pay for the cost of legal representation. Many of our clients fund their cases with legal expenses insurance. We will be happy to discuss this with you and contact your insurer to make sure our services can be covered by your policy.
Despite what you may have been told, you do not necessarily have to use a firm from your insurers approved panel. We can make these enquiries on your behalf, so feel free to leave that to us.
Speak to us about funding your legal representation
To find out if we can represent you using legal expenses insurance funding, call our experts now on 020 8309 5010 or use our contact form to request a call back.
Legal expenses insurance FAQs
What is legal expenses insurance?
Legal expenses insurance is a type of insurance that offers cover for a range of legal issues. It is frequently offered as an optional extra with other insurance policies e.g. home insurance and motor insurance.
A few of the matters that this type of insurance can cover include discrimination in the workplace or unfair dismissal, personal injuries or issues with poor quality services and faulty goods.
With the help of legal expenses insurance, both individuals and businesses can get the legal help they need for a number of different legal matters.
Our solicitors have plenty of experience supporting clients to understand and access legal expenses insurance. Nelson Guest can provide advice related to legal expenses cover and liaise with your insurer to activate a policy which you may already have.
Do I already have legal expenses insurance?
When you’re purchasing a standard insurance policy, you can often buy legal expenses insurance as an extra. For example, when you’re buying car insurance, buildings insurance or home contents insurance.
You might even find that you have this type of insurance as an employment benefit. To check if you already have legal expenses insurance, you should take a look at your existing insurance policies and your employment contract.
If you’ve checked your policies and contracts and you’re feeling confused about insurance backed funding, please contact our solicitors at Nelson Guest & Partners.
What does legal expenses insurance cover?
It is possible to purchase standalone legal expenses insurance, however most of the time this type of insurance is an added extra with another insurance package
When an individual requires funding for legal expenses, they well may be covered by an existing LEI insurance package. Legal expenses insurance can cover a wide range of common legal issues including disputes with businesses or receiving a substandard service.
What doesn’t legal expenses insurance cover?
Legal expenses cover will vary depending on which provider you’re with. Generally speaking, there are some areas that these policies do not cover, including:
- Legal issues that existed before you purchased the policy
- Any legal costs to pay prior to the claim being accepted
- Claims that are considered as having an under 51% chance of success
What does legal expenses cover on home insurance?
When you purchase home insurance, you will usually have the option to add on legal expenses insurance as an extra.
Many different matters are covered by home insurance legal expenses including employment disputes, faulty products, personal injury, tax investigation or issues with neighbours.
This type of insurance can also be used to cover medical negligence cases or issues related to property protection.
What are motor legal expenses in car insurance?
Motor legal expenses includes car insurance cover if the individual is involved in a court case.
This type of cover might relate to a motor prosecution or some type of motor incident or claim. Motor legal expenses in car insurance can cover policy excess, uninsured losses or lost earnings. The individual may only rely on this type of cover if the case has a 50% + chance of being successful.
The Financial Services Ombudsman
The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free service that helps financial companies and their consumers to settle disputes. Consumers may contact the Financial Ombudsman Service if they are having issues with insurance, cards or bank accounts, mortgages, pensions, loans, debt collection and more.
If you have a complaint about your legal expenses insurance, it’s worth reporting your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman. Our solicitors can offer more information and support you with this process, should you need it.
Nelson Guest legal insurance expenses case study
Example of a case funded by an insurer
The Defendant approached us with a view to representing him at trial. He had been requisitioned for a matter of driving without due care and attention.
He confirmed that he was a professional driver and an endorsement of 6 points would entail losing his license. The Defendant had been recommended to us specifically by other professionals in his organisation.
We first of all checked his insurance policy. We were eventually appointed to act by the insurer after a lengthy discussion about rates and quality of service. This was not left to the client. The insurers were persuaded to allow us to take the case at a rate that allowed us to do the best job that we could for the client.
Following this, we begun to work on the Defendants case. We reviewed all of the evidence and instructed an expert in crash scene investigation. Further to that we made a hearsay application seeking to admit evidence regarding a Freedom of Information Act request. The response to this request confirmed that wet conditions on the road in question had led Transport For London to take additional measures to try to restrict flooding and drainage on the road in question.
A noting brief was provided at trial by specific counsel from a Barristers’ chambers in London in order that a full and thorough note was taken. This would have proved useful should there have been a need to appeal. Ross Greig was instructed by the client in his capacity of Solicitor Advocate. Statements were taken from the Defendant and his Partner by Mrs Bernatovitch and the case was fully prepared, giving the Defendant the best prospect of success.
After a lengthy trial that eventually concluded at 8pm owing to a late start in the afternoon, the Defendant was acquitted. The Magistrates’ cited the compelling nature of the defence case and in particular the expert evidence, which was considered as very important in their eventual rationale.
This client kept his licence, was acquitted and didn’t have to pay for our legal services.
Please contact us if you have a driving matter and we can check your policy too.
Get in touch with our legal expenses insurance solicitors
To find out if we can represent you using legal expenses insurance funding, call our experts now on 020 8309 5010 or use our contact form to request a call back.