If you’ve ever got a car insurance quote, you’ll probably have read the phrases ‘Motor Legal Expenses insurance’ and ‘Motor Legal Protection’ before. But what exactly are they? Are they the same thing, and more importantly, which one is right for you? Read on to find out more.
What is Motor Legal Expenses Insurance?
This cover is an optional extra you can add-on to your car insurance, and provides legal assistance to recover your uninsured losses after a non-fault accident. These losses could be your policy excess, loss of earnings or even alternative transport costs. The main purpose of this cover is to help make sure you’re not left out of pocket after a bump, and this is a service which is not included as standard in fully-comprehensive car insurance.
This legal assistance is the core element of all Motor Legal Expenses Insurance (MLEI) policies. A good policy should provide at least £50,000 of legal cover overall, not separated into different levels of cover depending on the scenario. After all, every case is different from the next, so a policy which provides flexibility is a must.
Be aware that this limit is the amount up to which the insurer will pay for legal support, and is not a limit on the compensation you could receive – depending on the severity of the scenario and the losses incurred, your compensation may be in excess of this. Losses are recovered from the at-fault driver’s insurer, which is why the prospects of success for your case need to be reasonable before the insurer takes it on.
What else may be included?
Some MLEI policies will also include Motor Prosecution Defence as an added benefit. If you face prosecution for a motoring offence, you’re covered for legal representation to help fight your corner in court. This is dependent on the offence itself – prosecutions involving drink-driving or drugs will not be covered. Like the former feature, the amount of legal representation you’re covered for will be capped. Some insurers may provide a more generous legal costs limit than others, but either way, any cover is better than none at all, and will far outweigh the costs of having to finance your own legal battle.
So what’s Motor Legal Protection?
Motor Legal Protection is like MLEI, but by comparison the level of cover is more comprehensive. Unlike a Motor legal Expenses policy, it often includes Motor Prosecution Defence and vehicle hire after a non-fault accident at no additional expense. There may be variations in what car you receive and how long for, but this is generally a standard feature.
Some Motor Legal Protection providers also extend vehicle hire for fire, theft, and claims where the policyholder is at fault. In more extensive policies, you may even be able to get a monthly benefit if you’re banned from driving. This driving licence insurance is designed to help finance your travel if you lose your licence, and can reduce the impact a ban will have on your lifestyle.
Which one is better?
It’s fair to say that Motor Legal Protection is significantly more comprehensive than the average Motor Legal Expenses Insurance policy. For the added cover you get, you may expect a more expensive premium, but this is not always the case – for those willing to shop around, there are many providers who offer Motor Legal Protection for less than your typical MLEI premium. Visit Motor Legal Protection now to find out more.