What do ‘legal costs’ include?
This will include things like the solicitors’ or barristers’ fees and charges for disbursements, not to mention the opponents costs should you lose and be liable to pay them.

Will a legal expenses policy cover ‘any’ legal dispute?
Our policies cover you in respect of a wide range of insured perils. The cover is not unlimited and the policy wording will list the incidents which you are insured against.

What happens if my own solicitor begins work on my dispute, before I notify DAS?
If you think you may have a claim do not ask a solicitor for advice unless DAS has given permission to do so. If you do, we will not pay the costs involved. There is also a chance that your claim could be prejudiced by not taking and following our advice from the moment you became aware of the dispute.

What happens if I am not happy with the way the appointed solicitor is dealing with my claim?
If there is a disagreement about the handling of a claim another suitably qualified person can be agreed upon to decide the matter. If a suitable person cannot be agreed upon, DAS will ask the president of a relevant national law society to choose a suitably qualified person.

If I have a legal problem before my policy starts, will this still be covered?
Matters which you are aware of before the start of your policy are excluded.

What is meant by ‘reasonable prospects’?
It is not beneficial for anyone concerned to support a claim which has little chance of success. In civil claims the appointed solicitor must agree that there is a better than 50% chance of the claim being successful in order for us to proceed. Reasonable prospects must always exist throughout the duration of a civil claim.

If I speak to the legal advice helpline, does this automatically trigger a claim?
If you call the legal advice helpline to discuss a problem that might lead to a claim, it is important to note that, due to the confidential nature of the service, a telephone call to the legal advice helpline does not register a possible claim under the policy and you will still need to contact us for a claim form.

What happens if my legal costs end up going over my limit of indemnity?
The indemnity limit shown in your policy schedule is the maximum that would be paid out in the event of a claim. If your case is likely to exceed the limit you will be informed, but you will be responsible for any costs over the indemnity limit.

My policy suggests that some disputes may be ‘negotiated for’ rather than simply pursued or defended in court. Why is this?
It is often more beneficial for both parties to try and reach a settlement rather than go to court which is both stressful and time consuming. The majority of legal disputes are in fact settled by negotiation. We always provide the most appropriate solution to your legal dispute which may well entail entering into negotiation as the fastest and most effective way of resolving a dispute.

Back to top