Car Insurance Legal Expenses Cover

**Snowcat** Tue Sep 10 2013, 13:13

Just doing the annual runaround for Mrs Snowcats car insurance while I'm sat at home with nothing better to do due to a recent op. Anyway legal expenses seems to be about £20-£30 depending on the insurer. I was wondering, with all these trip fall ambulance chasing companies flooding the market with their no win no fee claims is there any point in paying extra for the insurer provided option?

Your input always appreciated.

Cheers

Steve

**0ldcat** Tue Sep 10 2013, 13:39

Are you an RAC member ?
Might be worth a Look

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**Snowcat** Tue Sep 10 2013, 13:56

Yeah tried them Tel, they quoted £688 with existing member discount, best quote so far is off Churchill £342, the hound is winning so far.

Thanks for looking though pal.

Cheers

Steve

**Krusty** Tue Sep 10 2013, 14:32

I don't see many solicitors bringing a case on your behalf where they don't think they are likely to win and I think legal expenses insurance is shady. The insurance company charges you for it, but then they sell your case to the legal firm, who bids the highest for your case, and in all probability you'll get some legal secretary taking on your case, overseen by a solicitor. Far better to organise your own legal firm if you ever need it, find a decent solicitor that specialises in your area of concern and not one that advertises on the telly.

The insurer can withold funding for a legal action if they think there are no "reasonable prospectus of success". See the financial ombudsman's site for more info.

Long thread about it on MSE here

I've had some dismal experiences with 'solicitors' appointed by insurance companies, verging on incompetence and I would always appoint my own solicitor if I needed to in future.

I think legal expenses is only ever of any use if you need to and are having problems recovering uninsured losses

**0ldcat** Tue Sep 10 2013, 14:36

Just a thought, but as someone else mentioned it recently, have you tried Carole Nash's 6 Wheel policy confused

**terry lees** Tue Sep 10 2013, 16:16

I totally agree with Krusty, its a rip off.

**ellie** Tue Sep 10 2013, 17:16

Most house insurances have legal cover too.

**Roll The Bones** Tue Sep 10 2013, 19:16

When you do decide to purchase your insurance may be worth going via Quidco, I got £55 cash-back on my RAC policy in April, but it did take four months to appear in the bank.

They take the first £5 of any cash-back made over a calender year.

**greencat** Tue Sep 10 2013, 19:29

I always exclude the Legal Cover from insurance.

When I did need to use it I found out that the same solicitors were acting for both parties and they couldn't see what was wrong with that! Shocked

If I have to use a solicitor I want one who's acting in my best interests. As for un-insured losses I take that into account when I buy my insurance. As has been said there's often a clause excluding cover unless you were clearly in the right. In which case I'd rather appoint my own solicitor.

I'll stop now as this whole subject really makes me quite cross Mad

**MikeA** Tue Sep 10 2013, 19:38

Roll The Bones wrote:When you do decide to purchase your insurance may be worth going via Quidco, I got £55 cash-back on my RAC policy in April, but it did take four months to appear in the bank.

They take the first £5 of any cash-back made over a calender year.

I believe (sure it said it when I joined) that they have dropped that fee now.

Agree with you, it's well worth it. I've had about £50 back off various things that I would have bought from those retailers anyway.