Is legal protection on car insurance a good idea for everyone?

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lilac_lady
lilac_lady Posts: 4,469 Forumite
in Insurance & life assurance
I'm about to renew my car insurance and am wordering whether to keep including the extra money for legal protection. I don't need a replacement car if mine is being repaired etc now that I'm retired. Do you take out legal protection insurance automatically or is it worth having?
" The greatest wealth is to live content with little."

 Plato


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  • *MF*
    *MF* Posts: 3,113 Forumite
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    Altho' a newbie here - I have already read a lot of posts which deal with "uninsured" losses when the damage or the injury has been cause by another driver - and that is where legal expenses plays its part - it helps you recover those costs or damages - with paid legal assistance in court (up to a limit) if it really proves necessary.

    Only imho - it is well worth paying for - and is not usually that expensive and some insurers include it as part of the overall premium.
    If many little people, in many little places, do many little things,
    they can change the face of the world.
    - African proverb -
  • Joey122
    Joey122 Posts: 455 Forumite
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    But dont you get this from a no win no fee solictor?

    Why would you want this as well?
  • cajef
    cajef Posts: 6,266 Forumite
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    Joey122 wrote: »
    But dont you get this from a no win no fee solictor?

    If you win have you seen how much a solictor charges.:eek:
  • Joey122
    Joey122 Posts: 455 Forumite
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    cajef wrote: »
    If you win have you seen how much a solictor charges.:eek:

    Nothing at all :) Its no win no fee -

    All legal fees are discussed outside of your settlment
  • cajef
    cajef Posts: 6,266 Forumite
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    Joey122 wrote: »
    Nothing at all :) Its no win no fee -

    All legal fees are discussed outside of your settlment

    As you say it is no win no fee, what do you think happens if you win, it does not make any difference when the legal fees are discussed, they will have to paid and they will not be small.
  • TangledMemories_2
    TangledMemories_2 Posts: 668 Forumite
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    I have £100,000 legal cover on my insurance - thank god because I currently have a claim going through.

    I now have irrepairable damage to my neck due to a numbskull driving into the back of me whilst stationary.
    ;)I am not a complete idiot - some parts are missing;)


  • Joey122
    Joey122 Posts: 455 Forumite
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    TangledMemories wrote: »
    I have £100,000 legal cover on my insurance - thank god because I currently have a claim going through.

    I now have irrepairable damage to my neck due to a numbskull driving into the back of me whilst stationary.

    TangledMemories : I also have a claim going through for exactly this - Someone drove into the back of my car at 20~30 MPH whilst I was staionary.

    I actually opted out for legal expenses at the time and it was an extra 15 pounds :( In hindsight I regret it but I do wonder what difference it would have made? I am getting legal advice for free and any claim is not affected by solictors cost.

    So I ask again - What exactly have I missed out on by not having legal expenses?
  • cajef
    cajef Posts: 6,266 Forumite
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    A guy wrote my car off several years ago, he came out of a country lane onto a main trunk road without even stopping or looking, fortunately I had several independent witnesses who stopped at the accident.

    I had to have a hire car to continue my employment, he then tried to claim it was my fault and his insurance wanted to settle knock for knock and refused to pay my excess or expenses, in the end they finally settled in full two days before it was due to go to court, that was after my insurance had appointed firstly a solicitor and than a barrister for the court case, I dread to think what it would have cost me if I had to have paid the bill myself.
  • cajef
    cajef Posts: 6,266 Forumite
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    Joey122 wrote: »
    I am getting legal advice for free and any claim is not affected by solicitors cost.

    The claim might not be affected, but if you win wait for his invoice solicitors do not act for people out of the goodness of their hearts, fees per hour are not peanuts.
  • Joey122
    Joey122 Posts: 455 Forumite
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    cajef wrote: »
    The claim might not be affected, but if you win wait for his invoice solicitors do not act for people out of the goodness of their hearts, fees per hour are not peanuts.

    But I ask again: WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE TO ME AS A CONSUMER?

    He can charge the earth if he likes - I wont pay - It will be the other insurer :)

    So I ask :

    In hindsight I regret it but I do wonder what difference it would have made if I am involved in accident - I am getting legal advice for free and any claim is not affected by solictors cost.
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