Unexpected legal issues can be incredibly stressful, and worrying about the high cost of solicitors can often deter people from defending their rights. The Family Legal Protection policy, underwritten by One Insurance Limited, is designed to lift that burden by providing expert advice and covering legal expenses when you need them most.
Whether you are dealing with an employment dispute, a conflict over faulty goods, or a property issue with a neighbour, this policy ensures you have a legal representative to act for you.
How the Cover Works
- Financial Protection: The policy covers legal expenses up to a maximum of £100,000 per claim for Family Legal Protection to negotiate or pursue your rights.
- Who is Covered: This cover applies to the policyholder(s), their spouse or partner, and any other family member who permanently lives with them.
- Duration: If you pay your premiums, cover remains valid for the duration stated on your policy schedule.
Highlights of the Policy
- Employment Support: Assistance with disputes regarding unfair dismissal, breaches of employment law, or checking the terms of a settlement agreement.
- Contract Disputes: Cover for issues arising from the purchase or hire of goods and services for your personal use.
- Property Protection: Support for disputes involving nuisance, trespass, or physical damage to your home (such as a neighbour’s overgrown tree causing damage).
- Clinical Negligence & Personal Injury: Pursuing financial compensation for injury or death caused by the negligence of a third party or a medical professional.
- Identity Theft: Professional fees to defend your reputation, prove your innocence, and remove fraudulent criminal judgements.
- Jury Service: Covers lost salary or wages if you are called for jury service, up to £100 per day (maximum £1,000 per claim).
Important Details to Keep in Mind
- The 51% Rule: Under Family Legal cover, legal action will only be funded if your claim has at least a 51% chance of being successful.
- Small Claims Limits: For standard money claims in England and Wales, the small claims court limit is currently £10,000. If your claim falls below this limit, the policy will not pay legal costs that are higher than the total amount you are claiming. Please refer to https://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/procedure-rules/civil/rules for the latest limits.
- Exclusion of Vehicles: Any claims arising from an incident involving a vehicle or a road traffic accident are strictly excluded from personal injury assistance.
- Pre-existing Issues: You are not covered for events that happened outside the period of insurance, medical mistakes that occurred before cover started, contracts entered into before the policy began, or employment disputes that started within the first 30 days of your cover.
- Employment Excess: A £250 excess applies specifically to claims relating to employment disputes.
- Appointed Advisors: OCL Solicitors or an appointed specialist will normally handle your claim, but you can choose your own lawyer if court proceedings or conflicts arise. If you do select your own solicitor, they must provide a cost estimate, confirm a reasonable chance of success, and agree to a £150 hourly rate cap.
The Policy in Action
Imagine your neighbour erects a new fence that extends 30 cm into your garden, encroaching on your land, and they completely refuse to rectify the situation. Disagreements over property boundaries can quickly escalate, and trying to resolve them on your own can be daunting and expensive.
With Family Legal Protection, you can report the dispute directly to One Call Claims. If the case is assessed as having a reasonable chance of success, the policy will appoint a specialist solicitor to act for you and cover their legal fees directly. The solicitor can then issue court proceedings to resolve the boundary issue, allowing you to protect your property rights without the stress of mounting legal bills.
How to Make a Claim
If you need to report an incident, you must call One Call Claims on 0203 738 7300 as soon as you become aware of a potential legal claim. Reporting the issue as soon as reasonably possible ensures your chances of winning the case are not negatively affected. The dedicated team will validate your policy, take down the details of the circumstances, and pass your claim to OCL Solicitors to assess its prospects of success.
Peace of mind at home is invaluable. If you are reviewing your insurance or would like to explore adding Family Legal protection to your cover, your insurance broker is always available to answer any questions whenever you are ready.
