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Peter Scott
United Kingdom
1240 Posts |
 Posted - 09/02/2011 : 17:15:48
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It's insurance policy renewal time. My current insurance includes 'Legal protection' cover. What are your views re the desireability of this additional cover? Is it worth the extra premium which is approx £15?
Peter |
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tholden
United Kingdom
1638 Posts |
Posted - 09/02/2011 : 23:03:40
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Peter it rather depends on whether you are prepared to fight your own case to get redress in the event of an accident. When someone drove in to my wifes car a few years ago the sub contract company employed by her insurers to claim damages etc were completely useless. I took over and and fought it out myself. I got twice the compensation that this company recomended us to accept plus all other losses and expenses paid.
Now I never take this extra cover. This is just my personal view based on my own experience - I am sure others will have had an opposite view.
TH |
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Colin Butchers
United Kingdom
1487 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2011 : 10:55:51
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I am with Terry on this one - although I have had the dubious advantage of having spent over 40 years of my life in the insurance business. A number of Insurers, especially I must say certain Lloyds Syndicates, make a point of denying all liabiity on behalf of their Client despite the facts of the case, and they do this because they know that if they persist, a significant number of Claimants will eventually simply give up the fight. I have been involved in two cases where my Legal Expenses Insurers passed the papers to solicitors who were totally useless and simply delayed any forward progress. In both cases the solicitors recommended striking a compromise, which im my opinion was totally unjustified. I took both cases out of their hands and eventually achieved complete satisfaction, receiving good settlements and retaining my NCB. In both cases I had to threaten legal action and in one of the cases, I took the matter to the Small Claims Court. All very simple even though it involved a fair amount of time in preparing my evidence. I received a fair hearing, the Court Costs were nominal, no solicitors were involved and if you should lose the case there is no risk of getting stuck with enormous legal costs. However, do not threaten legal action unless you are fully prepared to go through with it.
So, if you are willing to suffer prolonged delays, and are prepared to accept a compromise settlement even when you think that you are in the right, pay your £15 and hope for the best. For myself i would prefer to spent the money on two gallons of petrol. |
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Peter Scott
United Kingdom
1240 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2011 : 16:39:03
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Terry, Colin
Thanks for your responses.
I also asked this question on the VSCC forum and got four responses all in favour of taking legal protection insurance; largely based on their own successful experiences. This included one member whose car was very seriously damaged. The legal costs of perusing the claim were very significant, more then the member would have been prepared to 'risk'. However the claim resulted in compensation for the repairs which amounted to more than the agreed value of his vehicle.
So you takes your pick and hope that you never need it anyway.
Peter |
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Colin McLachlan
United Kingdom
991 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2011 : 10:33:09
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My wife and I survived a fatal collision three years ago, in our Citroen Berlingo. The other vehicle lost control on a patch of hydraulic oil on the road and slewed into our path. The timing was such that I had no chance of avoiding a collision, and tragically all three occupants of the other car died instantly (my wife and I have since almost fully recovered from our injuries). We had legal protection insurance, and so far one firm of solicitors has been proceeding on our behalf to recover personal injuries damages, and a second firm has been acting to protect my personal interests (as an involved driver) at the forthcoming Fatal Accident Inquiry (next month), where it is hoped that the mobile crane company who spilled the oil will be held responsible.
Although the outcome is still unknown, I have been grateful to know that I need not worry about the expense of all this representation, and now always add legal protection to car insurance policies.
The Berlingo was a write off, and covered by our own comprehensive insurance. Protected NCD meant no loss of discount. No doubt if our claim for damages is successful then the Berlingo insurers will recover their payout at that time.
Colin
PA 0613 - MG3242 |
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Peter Scott
United Kingdom
1240 Posts |
Posted - 12/02/2011 : 09:46:00
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Colin
Thank you for your response. I hope sincerely that you and your wife recover fully from your terrible ordeal.
Amalgamating the reponses which I have received on this forum and the VSCC forum, the conclusion I draw is that for very large claims, legal protection insurance is desireable, as the sums involved preclude the use of the small claims court. So as insurance is to protect you from significant loss, I have decided to continue to pay the extra £15.
Peter |
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