Motor Legal cover?

kirkofski

Do people pay the extra for this?

My insurance is up for renewal and Direct line want an extra £26.50 for the years Motor Legal cover.
I've always wondered, in the event of an accident, what would they be able to do that Direct Line's claim department wouldn't be able to do?

I've also got a dash cam fitted to my car so I'd like to think that in the event of a dispute over liability, the footage from that would help determine who was to blame without the need for a specialist claim company arguing it out.

Ultrasonic

I pay for it but have never had cause to use it. I believe if you want to you might be able to buy equivalent legal cover separately to your main car insurance for less money.

Have a look at the contract terms to see what it offers. Insurance companies will be concerned with protecting their money, not yours, so I think there are circumstances when your own legal representation may be handy.

kirkofski

Ultrasonic wrote: »

I pay for it but have never had cause to use it. I believe if you want to you might be able to buy equivalent legal cover separately to your main car insurance for less money.

Have a look at the contract terms to see what it offers. Insurance companies will be concerned with protecting their money, not yours, so I think there are circumstances when your own legal representation may be handy.

I just read the following on Direct Lines website;


Our motor legal protection cover will provide up to £100,000 of legal costs to help you to claim, where no other insurance policy will cover your losses, as long as there is a better than 50% chance that your claim will succeed.


The fact that they may decide not to take up your case after you've paid the full premium is a little off-putting.

dodo24

I was in the same situation when I recently re-knewed with direct line but if you claim and it's not your fault theres hundreds of firms you can go to and they don't charge so you could go to one of those. But on the other hand it was £20 odd pounds so I just added it worked out about £2 a month.

facade

My insurer (eSure) wanted £30 for Motor legal cover.

I bought a stand alone policy off

http://www.driverguardian.co.uk/

I pushed the boat out and paid £12.50 for the deluxe one with the stickers (what the hell, I still saved £17.50)

It covers me in any car/on any motorbike.

As I have 2 car policies and a 'bike policy, I don't need the £30 cover on any, so I'll save £77.50.

Personally, I don't see what they will do that an Ambulance Chaser won't- the legal aid is only if you are certain to win, but on the offchance that it is useful £12.50 does,t exactly break the bank.

Sooler

kirkofski wrote: »

I've also got a dash cam fitted to my car so I'd like to think that in the event of a dispute over liability, the footage from that would help determine who was to blame without the need for a specialist claim company arguing it out.

Not if you get rear ended!

Sooler

kirkofski wrote: »

I've always wondered, in the event of an accident, what would they be able to do that Direct Line's claim department wouldn't be able to do?

Claim department would just process your claim. If the other drivers insurance company refuse it (i.e. if the other driver choses to not report the accident to their insurance company they say they have no knowlwedge of any incident and refuse to consider your claim) , that's the end of it - over to you.

Legal cover would assign a solicitor to persue the indivual for recovery all losses in full. Funny how quick the other driver will respond then.

Quentin

Sooler wrote: »

Claim department would just process your claim. If the other drivers insurance company refuse it (i.e. if the other driver choses to not report the accident to their insurance company they say they have no knowlwedge of any incident and refuse to consider your claim) , that's the end of it - over to you.

Legal cover would assign a solicitor to persue the indivual for recovery all losses in full. Funny how quick the other driver will respond then.

No.

Insurers don't just give up when pursuing a liable third party insurer over a claim where their insured is blameless (or only partly to blame).

In your scenario, legal cover wouldn't make any difference.

Direct line "Legal cover" is really "uninsured loss recovery", which means if you suffer losses that aren't covered by your policy and there is a third party responsible they will pursue those losses (eg excess/compensation for death or injury/loss of earnings etc).

(All subject to them believing you have a good chance of winning and there is evidence the third party has the funds to pay up!)

nash1977

Legal cover does make a difference. My car was parked outside my home and was damaged by a van as it passed. The third party left their details. However, the third party insurer did not respond to my insurer. The insurer doesn't do any legal work, and so the legal cover kicked in. It took about a year to sort out.

Quentin

Assuming you had comprehensive cover then you are mistaken.

Legal cover like this only covers items not covered by any other insurance. Ie. uninsured losses. In the example you give your insurers would have chased the third party


Check your legal expenses cover wording to see what you have paid for.

nash1977

The insurance is comprehensive. My insurer repeatedly wrote to the 3rd party insurer and received no response, hence the reason for legal action using the cover.

The terms of the legal cover does state the recovery of accident repair costs and policy excess. It only cost £25, and well worth it.