Looking for legal protection insurance

Thali

Hi there,

Hope somebody can help me.

I am looking for a legal protection insurance regarding job disputes, this is available in other countries but I couldn't find it by searching co.uk insurances - maybe it's called different?

My hubbies boss drops more and more hints that they are building a case against him ("everybody is complaining about you, you're the only one causing problems, etc. ... "). I am biased but this is all BS, however I can see where they're coming from as he stands up for his team and won't put up with everything.

The newest development is that the expect unpaid overtime on 2 weekends a month and he would not get the time off either, so instead of a 25 days month, it'll be 29 days. This might be legal (I don't know) but it's a farce anyway.

If they fire him, we would claim unfair dismissal and would therefore need an insurance to cover it.

Anybody able to help here?

Thanks, Thali

lisyloo

Do you have legal cover on you home insurance?
If so check the policy, but this might cover it.

davey9998

you are taking out cover in anticipation of claiming - ie you already know you are going to use it so it may not pay out anyway.

its like a doctor telling someone they have a dodgy heart and are likely to have an imminent heart attack and then them going out and getting critical illness cover

Thali

@ lisyloo - under what section would that be?

@ davey - yes and no ... no verbal or written warning has been given, it hasn't been indicated so far, it's just a "feeling", therefore, I think we're (still) fine.

Ok ... just in case we're not covered by home insurance, is there an actually policy we could take out?

daveonline

How about a trade union ?

lisyloo

Thali wrote: »

@ lisyloo - under what section would that be?

It's usually in it's own section mormally called something like "family legal cover", so if you can't find it easily the you probably don't have it.

is there an actually policy we could take out?

In general you can't take out insurance after the event or when you know about a risk.
You need to take it out beforehand.

Porker

there's some advice here:
http://etclaims.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2008/0/ela_inpracticelegalexpense_06081.pdf

good luck...

middlepuss

If your home insurance includes legal cover there will probably be an item in the cost breakdown saying legal cover, probably something like £20 for the year.

veganline

daveonline wrote: »

How about a trade union ?

I made that mistake with a union that no longer exists - the London region of T&G. The union lawyer's "client care letter" said that they were paid £100 an hour but the Law Society reckons that up to a third of these letters written by their members are misleading. It says the misleading letters are usually just mistakes, but there is a deliberate and mainly legal scam called the claims roundabout.

1. An insurer or a union can charge for pre-paid insurance, and then give the business to a no-win no-fee lawyer. With luck the employer's insurance has the same problem, but employers can concentrate money on a case in an emergency and are more likely to keep an eye on things like insurance so they're less likely to get ripped-off, and anyway it's often the ex-employee who has to prove what happened and do the work.
2. Next, insurers and unions can ask favours of the legal firms. A report by the law society quotes lawyers saying anonymously that they do employment law for free for a trades union in order to get the more lucrative personal injury work.
3. Last, insurers and unions can ask for kickbacks of any kind, such as a "referral fee" that may take a fair slice out of the no-win no-fee lawyers' takings. Two solicitors at a firm called Beresfords are in front of the Solicitors Regulation Authority Tribunal for paying an unofficial referral fee to an individual, rather than to the union, but it comes to the same thing.

This is a fairly nasty scam - particularly in workplace bullying cases . Politicians and journalists should take more interest in it.

I don't know if legal insurers are better or worse than unions in all cases. Insurers are regulated by the Financial Services Authority and have to behave in a half sane way, while a union, from experience, can refer to a lawyer who's just been complained about in a similar case, then "re-assess" the case without any contact or paperwork and decided it has become too weak to fight when a member tries to use their legal right to change lawyers. Meanwhile various activists can use annoying excuses like "a union is not about insurance but solidarity", or "a union is only as strong as its members" while charging over £10 a month and not providing a service. Obviously there is a volunteer side to unionism too, like acting witness for people in meetings, which is great but the paid staff can hide behind volunteers and get messages relayed orally rather than committing themselves.

Among unions. Community claims on its web site to have the highest ratio of officials to working members.

Among insurers, these firms sell through high street brokers and might help in future if the current problem blows-over:

• Allianz - "Protect: Family Legal Protection Insurance"
• Angel Assitance - "Home and Family Legal Protection"
• Arag [PDF download] - "Family Legal Solutions"
• Brit Insurance - "Family Legal Protection"
• DAS - "Family Legal Protection" URL="http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/insurance-assurance-companies/104414-das-legal-expenses.html"]consumer action group thread[/URL
• Lexellonline "Family Legal Protection Policy" - only £5,000 cover
• MSL-LegalExpenses.co.uk "Family Plus Scheme"

After the event insurance aka no-win no-fee might be available from your nearby employment lawyers on the law society's Solicitors-Online.com database. Telephone helplines will take customers after the event including the Which Legal Service for £12 a quarter, the government's ACAS helpline Monday - Friday 08:00 - 18:00 - 08457 47 47 47 and a free one for people who join the Co-Op online. One hybrid helpline and software bundle of template letters is called Tribunal Action and has just started advertising.

I've gone on a bit on a favourite rant: hope this helps