Legal Expenses Insurance: Everything You Need to Know
Legal expenses insurance is a crucial asset for individuals grappling with the complex legal issues and extensive fees that occur when an unexpected legal matter arises. Whether facing a road traffic conviction, financial dispute or regulatory investigation, having a comprehensive legal expenses insurance policy in place can ensure access to vital legal resources without leaving you out of pocket.
As experienced criminal defence solicitors, Harewood Law understands the intricacies of legal matters pertaining to the cost of fighting for justice. This is how legal expenses insurance can help us fight for you.
What is legal expenses insurance?
Legal expenses insurance is an insurance policy that covers the cost of legal disputes and proceedings.
Unlike traditional insurance policies that cover physical assets or liabilities, legal expenses insurance provides protection against legal expenses incurred in a wide range of scenarios including road traffic offences, employment disputes, contractual disagreements and criminal defence.
What does legal expenses insurance cover?
Legal expenses insurance policies will cover specific areas of legal defence. It will cover the cost of pursuing or defending a claim including:
Legal advice
Legal defence
Court fees
Barrister costs
What doesn’t legal expenses insurance cover?
Like any insurance policy, legal expenses insurance may have exclusions and limitations that dictate when coverage applies. Common exclusions may include:
Pre-existing disputes: Most legal expenses insurance policies don’t cover disputes that arise before the policy’s inception. This is why it is vital to invest in coverage as a precaution before you may require it.
Criminal proceedings: Legal expenses insurance typically does not cover legal expenses related to criminal activities or defence in criminal proceedings. If you're facing criminal charges, you'll need a separate criminal defence solicitor or coverage.
Certain litigation where it applies commercially: Litigation covering areas such as intellectual property disputes and corporate restructuring may not be covered.
Legal costs beyond policy limits: Legal expenses insurance policies have coverage limits. If your legal costs exceed these, you will be responsible for covering the remaining expenses.
How much is legal expenses insurance?
The cost of legal expenses insurance will depend on the level of coverage you require, the type of legal matters covered, your potential for legal risks and the provider you choose.
Before settling on a policy, extensive research is vital to ensure legitimacy and that you are not overpaying unnecessary coverage.
Do I already have legal expenses insurance?
Certain policies will offer legal expenses insurance as an add on when purchasing a separate policy, or it will be included as standard cover. Contents insurance, building insurance and car or motorbike insurance will usually offer this type of cover in case of reported theft or incident.
Why you need legal expenses insurance
Although you may believe you’ll never have the need for legal expenses insurance, it is a vital policy that provides financial protection when the unexpected happens.
It can likewise unlock access to legal resources and give you peace of mind that should you be faced with legal issues pertaining to theft, property damage or a road traffic offence, you can fight your case without facing major financial setbacks.
At Harewood Law, our aim is to give every person a chance to fight for justice, as the law allows. We deliver exceptional criminal defence, and the cost of our service reflects this. Investing in legal expenses insurance ensures you are covered financially from the moment you contact our criminal defence team. We are in your corner.
We work on both privately funded and serious Legal Aid cases across Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Wakefield, Huddersfield, across West Yorkshire and the UK, so contact Harewood Law today.
0333 3448377 | info@harewoodlaw.com