How can I reduce the cost of motor legal protection?<\/h3><\/div>![\"Danny](\"https:\/\/www.finder.com\/finder-us\/wp-uploads\/sites\/3\/2020\/07\/Danny-Butler.jpg\")
<\/p>
Finder insurance expert Danny Butler<\/a> answers <\/em><\/div><\/div>Motor legal expenses insurance isn\u2019t hugely expensive, and there\u2019s not that much variation between insurers, so ways to cut the cost are limited.<\/p>
You could try narrowing down your shortlist of car insurers only to those that include motor legal protection as standard. However, this won\u2019t necessarily save you money as car insurance policies that include lots of extra features tend to be pricier in the first place.<\/p>
It\u2019s definitely worth checking if you have any form of legal expenses cover with another insurance policy, such as your home insurance or via your employer. But bear in mind what\u2019s covered under these policies may be different to what\u2019s covered with a motor insurance add-on.<\/p>
Beyond that, the only real way to save on motor legal expenses insurance is not to have it at all. To decide that, you\u2019ll need to balance the cost against the potential benefits.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>
How do I make a claim under motor legal protection?<\/h3>
You\u2019ll need to initiate a claim for motor legal expenses in the same way as any other claim.<\/p>
- Gather together the information you need, including your policy number, car registration details and any supporting evidence for your claim. This might include photos of damage to your car or evidence of lost income.<\/li>
- Contact your insurer via its usual claims process. This may be by phone or online. Depending on when you make the legal expenses claim, you may well have already informed your insurer about the original incident and claimed for damage to your car, for example. You\u2019ll need to answer any additional questions, explain the situation and provide evidence requested.<\/li>
- Assuming your claim is approved, you\u2019ll be assigned a solicitor to handle your case, usually from a panel of lawyers the insurer deals with. They\u2019ll also liaise with the other party\u2019s insurer as required.<\/li><\/ol>
Can I claim on my legal expenses insurance if a car accident is my fault?<\/h3>
It\u2019s very unlikely. If you were at fault in an accident, and this has been acknowledged and recorded, legal expenses insurance is unlikely to cover you for any legal costs you incur. If nothing else, remember that motor legal protection policies usually only pay out if the insurer thinks you have a decent chance of winning.<\/p>
What are the alternatives to motor legal protection?<\/h3>
If the cost and limitations of motor legal protection put you off, there are a few alternatives to cover any potential legal fees.<\/p>
- Self-insuring.<\/strong> This may not sound like the most fun reason to start a savings account<\/a>, but if you at least put aside the equivalent cost of the insurance, over time it may built up and pay for at least some of your fees if needed. If you don\u2019t need it, you\u2019ve got extra in savings.<\/li>
- Legal aid.<\/strong> If you can\u2019t afford legal costs, this can help to meet the cost of legal advice and representation in some civil cases. But it won\u2019t help in every case (personal injury claims aren\u2019t covered, for example) and getting it will depend on your financial circumstances. You can check whether you might be entitled to legal aid on the gov.uk website<\/a>.<\/li>
- After-the-event insurance.<\/strong> This is more expensive than legal expenses insurance as it is bought when you\u2019ve already decided to take or defend a legal action. It typically provides cover against paying the other side\u2019s costs if you are unsuccessful.<\/li><\/ul>
Pros and cons of motor legal protection<\/h3>\n \n Pros<\/h4>\n \n - Could save you thousands in legal fees<\/li>\n
- Provides access to legal advice to help with claims<\/li>\n
- It's relatively cheap and may be included in some car insurance policies<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n \n \n
Cons<\/h4>\n \n - It may not be expensive, but it's not free<\/li>\n
- If your insurer doesn't think you have a reasonable chance of winning, at any point it may decline or stop cover<\/li>\n
- If likely legal costs outweigh the amount you're making a legal claim for, your insurer may refuse your request<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Bottom line<\/h3>
Motor legal protection isn\u2019t that expensive and could prove valuable if you need to claim losses you\u2019ve incurred that aren\u2019t covered by standard car insurance. But it has limitations. If your chosen car insurance policy already includes it, that\u2019s a nice bonus. Otherwise, you\u2019ll need to weigh up the cost of buying it as an optional extra against the pros and cons of having the cover.<\/p>
Frequently asked questions<\/h3>- \n \n
\n
<\/p>
Motor legal expenses insurance isn\u2019t hugely expensive, and there\u2019s not that much variation between insurers, so ways to cut the cost are limited.<\/p>
You could try narrowing down your shortlist of car insurers only to those that include motor legal protection as standard. However, this won\u2019t necessarily save you money as car insurance policies that include lots of extra features tend to be pricier in the first place.<\/p>
It\u2019s definitely worth checking if you have any form of legal expenses cover with another insurance policy, such as your home insurance or via your employer. But bear in mind what\u2019s covered under these policies may be different to what\u2019s covered with a motor insurance add-on.<\/p>
Beyond that, the only real way to save on motor legal expenses insurance is not to have it at all. To decide that, you\u2019ll need to balance the cost against the potential benefits.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/article>
How do I make a claim under motor legal protection?<\/h3>
You\u2019ll need to initiate a claim for motor legal expenses in the same way as any other claim.<\/p>
- Gather together the information you need, including your policy number, car registration details and any supporting evidence for your claim. This might include photos of damage to your car or evidence of lost income.<\/li>
- Contact your insurer via its usual claims process. This may be by phone or online. Depending on when you make the legal expenses claim, you may well have already informed your insurer about the original incident and claimed for damage to your car, for example. You\u2019ll need to answer any additional questions, explain the situation and provide evidence requested.<\/li>
- Assuming your claim is approved, you\u2019ll be assigned a solicitor to handle your case, usually from a panel of lawyers the insurer deals with. They\u2019ll also liaise with the other party\u2019s insurer as required.<\/li><\/ol>
Can I claim on my legal expenses insurance if a car accident is my fault?<\/h3>
It\u2019s very unlikely. If you were at fault in an accident, and this has been acknowledged and recorded, legal expenses insurance is unlikely to cover you for any legal costs you incur. If nothing else, remember that motor legal protection policies usually only pay out if the insurer thinks you have a decent chance of winning.<\/p>
What are the alternatives to motor legal protection?<\/h3>
If the cost and limitations of motor legal protection put you off, there are a few alternatives to cover any potential legal fees.<\/p>
- Self-insuring.<\/strong> This may not sound like the most fun reason to start a savings account<\/a>, but if you at least put aside the equivalent cost of the insurance, over time it may built up and pay for at least some of your fees if needed. If you don\u2019t need it, you\u2019ve got extra in savings.<\/li>
- Legal aid.<\/strong> If you can\u2019t afford legal costs, this can help to meet the cost of legal advice and representation in some civil cases. But it won\u2019t help in every case (personal injury claims aren\u2019t covered, for example) and getting it will depend on your financial circumstances. You can check whether you might be entitled to legal aid on the gov.uk website<\/a>.<\/li>
- After-the-event insurance.<\/strong> This is more expensive than legal expenses insurance as it is bought when you\u2019ve already decided to take or defend a legal action. It typically provides cover against paying the other side\u2019s costs if you are unsuccessful.<\/li><\/ul>
Pros and cons of motor legal protection<\/h3>
\n\nPros<\/h4>\n
- \n
- Could save you thousands in legal fees<\/li>\n
- Provides access to legal advice to help with claims<\/li>\n
- It's relatively cheap and may be included in some car insurance policies<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n \n \n
Cons<\/h4>\n
- \n
- It may not be expensive, but it's not free<\/li>\n
- If your insurer doesn't think you have a reasonable chance of winning, at any point it may decline or stop cover<\/li>\n
- If likely legal costs outweigh the amount you're making a legal claim for, your insurer may refuse your request<\/li>\n <\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
Bottom line<\/h3>
Motor legal protection isn\u2019t that expensive and could prove valuable if you need to claim losses you\u2019ve incurred that aren\u2019t covered by standard car insurance. But it has limitations. If your chosen car insurance policy already includes it, that\u2019s a nice bonus. Otherwise, you\u2019ll need to weigh up the cost of buying it as an optional extra against the pros and cons of having the cover.<\/p>
Frequently asked questions<\/h3>
- \n \n
\n
- \n
- Legal aid.<\/strong> If you can\u2019t afford legal costs, this can help to meet the cost of legal advice and representation in some civil cases. But it won\u2019t help in every case (personal injury claims aren\u2019t covered, for example) and getting it will depend on your financial circumstances. You can check whether you might be entitled to legal aid on the gov.uk website<\/a>.<\/li>
- Self-insuring.<\/strong> This may not sound like the most fun reason to start a savings account<\/a>, but if you at least put aside the equivalent cost of the insurance, over time it may built up and pay for at least some of your fees if needed. If you don\u2019t need it, you\u2019ve got extra in savings.<\/li>