Car Insurance Legal Expense Cover – the Policy Essential

Is legal expense cover truly an optional extra, or should it be viewed
an essential? We assess it here and advise.

Like many people buying car insurance, you shop around and buy online.
You’ve found a really good, cost-efficient deal. So when it comes to the
final checkout, do you choose to tick Yes or No in that Legal Expenses
Cover box? It will add a little more to the total, and it’s not an
absolute requirement, so you may be tempted to leave it out. Not least
because it’s definitely not the most well-known part of insurance! It
is, however, something we think you really should consider adding if
it’s not in the policy as standard. And here’s an example of why:

Earlier in the year Jake, one of our freelance writers, was involved in
a car accident. His Golf Mark I is his pride and joy, and he’s spent
many happy weekends working on it. So naturally, he wanted total
insurance coverage for every eventuality – even legal expenses.

This certainly proved to be the right decision after the accident. The
car was hit from the rear, so some of the vehicle damage could be fixed.
The insurance company worked fast to deal with the claim. Unfortunately,
Jake also suffered a broken wrist and some whiplash. If he hadn’t taken
legal expenses cover, the bill for a solicitor to pursue his
compensation claim would have been solely his responsibility.
Fortunately, since he had the cover, Jake was able to get his
compensation quickly. Working as a freelance writer, Jake doesn’t have
the safety net of employer sick pay. Lost hours mean lost money. Jake
was out of work for a month – and a month’s wages. With legal expenses
cover, however, Jake was able to claim for loss of earnings and will
receive compensation for them any day now.

The total cost of this peace of mind and earnings security? An extra £2
a month on his premium, surely a worthwhile investment for anyone’s money!

Fully comprehensive car insurance ensures that your vehicle is well
taken care of, but how about the driver? Jake’s accident was not his
fault, but he had to spend a month off work. Without legal expenses
cover, the cost of getting compensation would have fallen to him. With
it, he was as well protected as his beloved car, and didn’t have to
worry about being able to afford to make a claim.

Take another example of a typical accident: you are unharmed, but your
car has to wait in the repair shop for two weeks while parts come in.
Without replacement car hire as part of your insurance deal, you will
have to rely on public transport – not the reason you bought your own
vehicle! With legal expense cover, you can use a hire car and know that
your trouble and inconvenience will be compensated.

All you need to do when you claim on your legal expenses policy is to
provide the accident details in the same way you normally would – all
the paperwork will be taken care of for you. It’s possible that you may
need to speak to your solicitor, or appear in the stand in the event of
the case going to court, but you won’t ever have to pay any legal fees.

And the cost is low, sometimes even free. Admiral include it as
standard. Most insurers do make a charge, but it averages around £20 a
year – for example, More Than charge £17.85, and Budget add an extra
£24. Consider the legal battles that have resulted from accident claims
in the past – especially those where serious injuries and claims were
involved. Compensation – and costs – can run into millions. No-one can
doubt that in cases like these, legal expenses cover is a worthwhile
addition to any policy.

So next time you buy car insurance, make sure your policy includes legal
expenses cover. Take it as an extra if it’s not part of the standard
package. You’ll barely notice the extra cost, but you’ll certainly be
aware of the benefits if you ever need it.

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