Car Insurance........Legal cover, is it necessary ?

[Dave7]

Its that (expensive) time of year again when car insurance and everything else needs re-newing/paying for.
For as long as I can remember I have included "Legal Expenses"........cost is £27.00 per year.
To my knowledge I have never needed or used "Legal Expenses".
Do others have it ?
Is it a good idea ?

NB
Using a comparison site my best quote is £201.00.
So how come, using the same details, the highest quote is a massive £1,100.00..

 

[Inertia]

NB
Using a comparison site my best quote is £201.00.
So how come, using the same details, the highest quote is a massive £1,100.00..

I think it means they dont want to insure you. if you pay them 1,100 they will take a punt though.

 

[Markymark]

Depends. Legal cover part is a waste of time as I've found them to be useless. However sometimes in includes cover for being hit by uninsured then it's a commercial decision based on risk for you to make.

 

[vickster]

Up to you really

For £2 a month, or about the cost of a small coffee, seems a no brainer to me...then I'm pretty risk averse (and I have had the odd accident over the years, fault and non )!

I also have it on my home insurance (quite useful actually I used the free will writing service offered by the AA as part of that) and I'm a British Cycling member and am into year 3 of a PI claim using their legal provision

@srw might be able to offer some insight into underwriting, pricing algorithms and the massive discrepancies

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Complete waste of money, along with protected no claims. For the latter when it comes to renewal and even with no NCB by the time you've got the discounts for new customer, special deal, Tuesday's special quote etc etc you're at the same level.

 

[Dave7]

Up to you really

For £2 a month, or about the cost of a small coffee, seems a no brainer to me...then I'm pretty risk averse (and I have had the odd accident over the years, fault and non )!

I also have it on my home insurance (quite useful actually I used the free will writing service offered by the AA as part of that) and I'm a British Cycling member and am into year 3 of a PI claim using their legal provision

@srw might be able to offer some insight into underwriting, pricing algorithms and the massive discrepancies

I agree with all of that. I have it on my home insurance and used it on one occasion............we didn't win the claim but it save £xxxx on legal fees.
Just wondering how it would help re' vehicle insurance.

 

[vickster]

I agree with all of that. I have it on my home insurance and used it on one occasion............we didn't win the claim but it save £xxxx on legal fees.
Just wondering how it would help re' vehicle insurance.

I guess if there's an uninsured party or a challenge on fault in an accident? Personal injury to 3rd party that is disputed etc?
Not an expert

 

[Red17]

I've always wondered if it was useful or a waste of money until I had to use it last year.

My vehicle was written off when it was parked (no one in it) when someone drove into the back of it. As I was 3rd party I had to appoint lawyers to chase for my uninsured losses as my insurers wouldn't help out and the other parties insurers were trying to deny liability despite me having CCTV footage to show exactly what happened.

Could have appointed someone privately, but it did save me shelling out for lawyers fees whilst I waited for my money.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Best bet is buy a beige or silver Honda toyota etc...
then pop over to a town a few miles away and nick some plates of a old codgers car and fit them to your car

enjoy trouble free motoring...

 

[mustang1]

Always.

 

[Dave7]

Best bet is buy a beige or silver Honda toyota etc...
then pop over to a town a few miles away and nick some plates of a old codgers car and fit them to your car

enjoy trouble free motoring...

And you would know this...how??,

 

[NorthernDave]

Simple answer, no.

If you have an accident and it isn't your fault and the other party admits it (or you have independent witnesses), there will be people queuing up to deal with the legal side of things at no charge to you. Your own insurers will probably refer you to someone.

If the other party doesn't admit fault and it's down to your word against theirs, then even if you've paid for cover you probably won't get much help.

Save the £27 and spend it on the bike.

 

[vickster]

Simple answer, no.

If you have an accident and it isn't your fault and the other party admits it (or you have independent witnesses), there will be people queuing up to deal with the legal side of things at no charge to you. Your own insurers will probably refer you to someone

.

Maybe if there's a serious injury and a potentially big payday, not necessarily if there's £500 damage to your car and little in it thus for the lawyers

For me, £27 is nothing for peace of mind, others mmv

 

[srw]

Simple answer, no.

If you have an accident and it isn't your fault and the other party admits it (or you have independent witnesses), there will be people queuing up to deal with the legal side of things at no charge to you. Your own insurers will probably refer you to someone.

If the other party doesn't admit fault and it's down to your word against theirs, then even if you've paid for cover you probably won't get much help.

Save the £27 and spend it on the bike.

With the caveat that this really isn't my area of expertise, and I'm not offering advice, there are many circumstances now where "at no charge to you" is wrong. The cost of the insurance most people will need to fund that sort of claim can now be taken out of the damages they win rather than being paid for by the losing side in addition to damages. That is "after-the-event" (ATE) insurance, if you want the jargon.

This thread is about "before-the-event" (BTE) insurance: http://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/guides/legal-expenses-insurance/ which is a substitute for ATE cover.

 

[Soltydog]

I have legal cover through my union membership, so if you are a member of a union may be worth looking at yours & save the few quid. However if you aren't may be worth taking out. My wife was hit by someone on the wrong side of the road last year, they wouldn't admit liability even though there was a witness. The insurance company wouldn't argue with the other insurer, so my wife had to use her legal cover & just over 12 months later she has all her claim settled, so £27 or whatever it cost was well spent