Car Insurance Legal Protection Confusion

Bluestraw

I was about to sign up for Co-Op car insurance, but then I read this review which states "while it offers £100,000 motor legal expenses cover, this can’t be used to pursue costs from drivers who turned out to be uninsured."

https://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/car-insurance/car-insurance/co-op-car-insurance-review-a86JR8u5FzBF

Having looked at the Co-Op documentation here I can't see anything that suggests uninsured driver claims aren't included, and anyway surely that's one of the main things that the legal protection covers for. Can anyone please help me understand this?

HillStreetBlues

There are people who know far more about than me, but to me it reads that you can't go after the uninsured driver direct you would have to go thought the Motor Insurers Bureau for any claim it it involves an uninsured driver. It would then be up to the MIB if they try and recover the costs from that uninsured driver.

facade

You can't use the MIB when you have any insurance that covers the loss.

Presumably the Co-Op don't want to waste their money trying to get blood from a stone. Uninsured drivers rarely have the means to pay anything, and a paper judgement is costly & worthless.

Legal protection is to recover your uninsured losses. (e.g. your excess or your damage if you only have third party cover, loss of earnings, vehicle hire if your policy doesn't provide it, medical expenses etc.) It also offers legal aid to defend against prosecution if there is a greater than 50% chance of success.  

There will be some more small print about the return must justify the investment- your claim needs to be substantial enough to justify the cost of the legal team.

DullGreyGuy

Bluestraw said:

I was about to sign up for Co-Op car insurance, but then I read this review which states "while it offers £100,000 motor legal expenses cover, this can’t be used to pursue costs from drivers who turned out to be uninsured."

https://www.which.co.uk/money/insurance/car-insurance/car-insurance/co-op-car-insurance-review-a86JR8u5FzBF

Having looked at the Co-Op documentation here I can't see anything that suggests uninsured driver claims aren't included, and anyway surely that's one of the main things that the legal protection covers for. Can anyone please help me understand this?

That page, despite its date, has existed since January 2024 according to the Wayback Machine, whilst its been recently updated based on the date at the top of the article it can very easily be that they haven't checked that all the elements have been rechecked. 

They do require a 51% chance of success for the policy to apply and maybe they will deem someone uninsured to be unlikely to succeed due to lack of funds but its not a blanket ban

HillStreetBlues said:

There are people who know far more about than me, but to me it reads that you can't go after the uninsured driver direct you would have to go thought the Motor Insurers Bureau for any claim it it involves an uninsured driver. It would then be up to the MIB if they try and recover the costs from that uninsured driver.

The MIB doesn't covered insured losses, so if the OP has comprehensive insurance then the vehicle damage has to be claimed from that. The MIB will cover personal injury claims even if you are comp cover. 

facade said:

It also offers legal aid to defend against prosecution if there is a greater than 50% chance of success.  

Your general Motor insurance will, at their discretion too, normally where it feels there are good prospects of success and its likely to change the position of liability. 

Bluestraw

Thank you all, very helpful, really appreciate it!