It is not uncommon to see the terms ?legal plans? and ?pre-paid legal services? used interchangeably. While they share lots of characteristics in typical, there are a number of differences you should be conscious of.
Each of those terms refer to an arrangement whereby you spend a fixed monthly or yearly fee in exchange for legal services. The idea behind them is to conserve customers on higher legal costs whilst providing a useful services. That?s exactly where the variations lie: what kind of service is offered and what is covered. What are you currently entitled to in each schemes?
Pre-paid services cover for specific legal services: totally free phone consultation and advice, drafting of simple wills and trusts, evaluation of sample contracts and writing of letters in your behalf. Legal services not provided will get charged at regular attorney costs, but you may be eligible for discounts.
Legal insurance coverage, by contrast, works much like other insurance coverage plans, like health or car insurance coverage. Even though particular legal services are provided at times, your insurance provider will typically offer a policy that addresses for all legal services. The policy will pay on behalf of you, the policy holder, or reimburse all expenditures, expenses or costs that you purchase legal solutions as much as the policy limit. For instance, your policy might reimburse any fees incurred inside your court judgments or pay your bail money ? a services not supplied by most pre-paid legal plans.
Your legal insurance can also be pegged to other insurance coverage policies you may currently have. In the event you run into legal problems involving your other insurance, then your legal insurance coverage policy will safeguard you against loss or liability. For example, if you are involved inside a car accident when your
auto-insurance has already run out and you are subsequently sued for recovery of damages, you will be guarded by a legal plan insurance.
Another distinction between the two schemes is related for your choice of attorney. Inside a pre-paid legal services, you receive to select from a restricted number of the attorneys in the network. By contrast, a legal insurance strategy provides legal protection no matter lawyer. You are free to set up interviews with any quantity of attorneys and choose the ones you think will provide the very best service for your personal legal requirements.
Finally, pre-paid legal plans are much much more accessible towards the general public. Legal ideas are harder to arrive by as only a limited number of insurance businesses provide such arrangements.