Canada
Ireland
What is legal expenses cover?
Legal expenses insurance (LEI) protects you and your family if you face a legal issue, from problems at work to trouble with your neighbours.
The cover gives you access to support and advice to help fix matters in the best way possible.
Legal expenses insurance is included in our Home insurance policy and is provided by ARAG, the UK's leading legal expenses and assistance company.
Example legal expenses insurance claims
Advocacy for a workplace injury
A construction worker sustained a severe back injury due to inadequate safety measures at his workplace. Unable to work, he faced financial strain and immense pain.
ARAG’s legal experts thoroughly investigated the incident, highlighting the employer’s negligence. ARAG filed a personal injury lawsuit, seeking compensation for medical expenses, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.
Through comprehensive evidence gathering, ARAG secured a court verdict in the employee’s favour, which awarded him £50,000 in damages. The compensation not only alleviated his financial burden but also emphasised the importance of workplace safety, ensuring improvements were made for other employees.
Personal contract dispute
A policyholder hired a kitchen fitter and paid a 50% deposit. Upon completion, they were unhappy with the workmanship and refused to pay the remaining balance. The builder demanded payment and threatened legal action.
Feeling pressured and unsure of their rights, the policyholder contacted the ARAG legal helpline through their legal expenses insurance. A solicitor was appointed, and an independent expert confirmed the poor quality of work.
With legal support, the policyholder successfully resolved the dispute out of court, avoided further costs, and gained peace of mind through professional guidance and protection.
Personal property dispute
A neighbour had built a fence that seemed to encroach into a policyholder’s garden. Despite inspecting the boundary together, the neighbour refused to move it.
Concerned about liability and unable to resolve the issue directly, the policyholder contacted the ARAG legal helpline through his legal expenses insurance. A legal adviser helped him draft a mediation letter, and when that failed to lead to a resolution, a solicitor was appointed.
The solicitor confirmed the policyholder’s ownership and issued a formal notice. The neighbour removed the fence, and the matter was resolved without court action, saving the policyholder time, stress, and legal costs.
Conditions of cover
Be aware that the following conditions apply when you make a claim:
- Chance of success – the ‘reasonable prospects’ clause. Your solicitor will assess your case to check you have 51% (or higher) chance of winning or defending, and recovery. The likelihood of success can change throughout a case, and this could result in cover being withdrawn. If this happens, ARAG will pay for all agreed costs up to this point, following a costs assessment.
- Costs that ARAG has not agreed. Costs that have not been agreed upon will not be covered under your policy, such as costs that you incur before your claim is accepted. We strongly recommend that you contact ARAG before speaking to a solicitor yourself.
- Incidents before policy inception. Claims, where the event happened before your legal expenses insurance commenced, will not be covered.
If you have a legal issue, please make sure you speak to ARAG, before finding a solicitor or doing anything else, .
Ecclesiastical is responsible for paying your claims, and ARAG manages these on our behalf.