Legal protection can add around £25.00 to the cost of a motor insurance policy.
Does this offer value for money, or is it a way of the insurance companies making more money?
How many backroomers bother taking this option out?
Does the insured generally benefit from adding legal cover and if I didnt have it what are the consequences in regard to trying to obtain from a 3rd party.
My insurance website states that Legal cover, 'covers any legal cost for any motor prosecution excluding drink/driving related offences. It also provides assistance to recover some excess such as any uninsured loss'.
If a driver is uninsured and crashes into my car, what is the reality that losses will be recovered?
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the other driver is uninsured because he doesent have any money. There is nothing to recover.
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>>How many backroomers bother taking this option out?
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I always do.
I have used it once. I invoked it to sort out a problem where I did not get an agreed cheque for £100. Quite a few solicitors letters and months later it was sorted.
A major insurance company had cashed the cheque with MY name on it.
I had been stuck arguing with the cheque issuer who accused me of having got the cheque and cashed itI The problem was, how could I prove I had not cashed the cheque.
I know it was "only" £100 and I could have abandoned the scene but I wonder how much the legal bill was for this event.
Lagal costs can so easily baloon and £25 a year IMO is good value.
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Paid months for it for many years - used it once and the Solicitor (top Edinburgh firm) was helpful, knowledgeable and even 4 cast the settlement date - it took 22 months - he forecast Xmas and he beat it by 3 weeks - a well known Ins Co in the east of England arrived at a cheque 3 months later - another solicitor letter!
Repairs £800 on 2 week old car, Solicitor & Court Fees, Doctors, Hospital, Police Fees £1100. I got £4200 + my NCB back.
If the Ins Co had settled right away I would have taken my excess & £1000 but they denied liability although I was stationary & rear ended!!
Do I pay now - no.
£20 x 2 cars + 1 x House = £60.................that is 8 years@ £60 so in effect I have £500 in a war chest should the need arise.
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FB, I do completely get your point about creating your own insurance fund (war chest) so, in theory you can't lose. However, typical solictors' fees are £200/hour + VAT. Insurance works best for things that are unlikely to happen, but very expensive if they do. Motor legal cover probably falls into this category.
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Does this offer value for money or is it a way of the insurance companies making more money?
Take it every time. Should cost about £12 to £15.00
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Take it every time. Should cost about £12 to £15.00
That, I would pay. But a company advertised by a man with a parrot on his shoulder wanted £30 for less than a year's cover and i declined
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Worth noting that anyone who qualifies for CSMA (Civil Service Motoring Association) membership gets it free.
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Taken it out for decades, never used it but too fearfull to stop it. I am scared of high legal fees and keep in mind Charles Dickens' observation, that "The one great principle of English law is to make business for itself".
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I always take it. Cost about £15.. If I have any legal fees, the first meeting and or letter will cost a minimum of £200.
So a ratio of 14: 1 claim: cost.
Good value.
Never had to claim but.... as most Insurance Companies make MPs appear honest...
Edited by madf on 06/01/2010 at 11:27
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i didnt have it and the inevitable happened, i had to go through the MIB to get a result....i do have legal cover now and always will in future
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£17,558was £18,058Details
£24,995was £25,495Details
£16,595was £16,995Details
£53,500was £54,500Details
