Is Motor Legal Insurance worth it?

Crabman

Direct Line car insurance:

Motor Legal Protection

This optional cover is available for an additional premium

Legal Costs cover up to £100,000

This covers you if you have a road traffic accident involving your car where you are not to blame and you wish to claim from the person responsible for the accident. We will pay legal costs to help you do this as long as there is a greater than 50% chance that your claim will succeed.

Examples of what you may claim for include:

• Compensation for personal injury
• Loss of earnings
• Accident repair costs if you do not have comprehensive cover

Isn't this what claims management firms do, including those outfits who text/call/spam you after involvement in a crash? What is the benefit of paying this sum if they'll only get involved on a >50% success basis, similar to a no win no fee firm?

It does not appear that they include pursuing uninsured drivers/vehicles...

Do you folks think paying £28 per year for this is worthwhile?

DoaM

Crabman wrote: »

What is the benefit of paying this sum if they'll only get involved on a >50% success basis, similar to a no win no fee firm?

NWNF firms either:

a) Only go for claims where the probability of success is very high (much higher than 51%, more like >90%); or
b) Have T&Cs which make the claimant liable for their costs if the claim doesn't succeed.

So they're not directly comparable (IMO).

Chrishazle

You wonder if it's worthwhile - until you need it, then you're glad you have it. Only needed it once in 20 years, woman reversed into front of our 968 coupe in a multi-story car park, later claimed my wife had driven into her, only witness was our daughter in the car with wife.


I bought and fitted the required replacement indicator and driving lights for £214 and offered her the chance to just pay that rather than going through her insurance, long story short I turned it over to my insurers and legal cover, took 12 months before court case, her insurers did not show, we got a cheque for over £600.


As I said, when you need it, it's worth having!

iammumtoone

I dint help me when I needed it. Had an accident that wasn't my fault my insurance company said I was to blame. I insisted I wasn't said I had legal cover and wanted to now use it. I was told it didn't work like that. Eventually I got them to change their mind myself by speaking to a supervisor, they re-read the file notes and in the end we ended up in court. I won and was award all costs.


Having said the above I still pay it! I figure that 28 pound or whatever mine is isn't a lot and I would rather go through my insurance if I did have a claim one day.

Quentin

Chrishazle wrote: »

You wonder if it's worthwhile - until you need it, then you're glad you have it. Only needed it once in 20 years, woman reversed into front of our 968 coupe in a multi-story car park, later claimed my wife had driven into her, only witness was our daughter in the car with wife.


I bought and fitted the required replacement indicator and driving lights for £214 and offered her the chance to just pay that rather than going through her insurance, long story short I turned it over to my insurers and legal cover, took 12 months before court case, her insurers did not show, we got a cheque for over £600.


As I said, when you need it, it's worth having!

Legal cover is not necessary in the scenario you describe


Your insurer deals with legal action like this.


"Legal Cover" add on is for uninsured losses recovery!

vikingaero

I use this company for Motor Legal Protection:


http://memonline.co.uk/motor-legal-protection-insurance-new-customers/


Two years cover for £20 or they have variations depending on personal cover or number of vehicle cover.


At the end of the day whether you buy from your own Insurer or a third party, it will be the same factory farm legal firms in the North West that will be used, so don't expect personal service!

dj1471

It's also worth noting that many home insurance policies come with legal cover, so check if you have it and what it covers before buying any new cover.

jk0

My mother told me you don't need legal cover from your insurer if you are with the AA or RAC. (Presumably they will step in.) Is she right?

forgotmyname

Its not breakdown cover. See post #5 Uninsured loss recovery.

Home insurance may excludes motoring issues.

agrinnall

forgotmyname wrote: »

Home insurance may excludes motoring issues.

I'd be surprised if any home legal would cover motor issues, and the same for motor legal covering home issues. If there are any examples out there where this isn't the case it would be interesting to see them.

dj1471

agrinnall wrote: »

I'd be surprised if any home legal would cover motor issues, and the same for motor legal covering home issues. If there are any examples out there where this isn't the case it would be interesting to see them.

My home insurance will cover defending traffic-related offenses and defence if someone sues you for any reason. It's not as comprehensive as specific motor insurance legal cover, but it does provide some limited cover.